Simple Chicken Turnovers

I feel like I have turned into the queen of creative ways to use rotisserie chicken because my sweet dad is so generous in sharing  tasty Costco chickens with us whenever he happens to make a trip there. It is such a treat to have pre-cooked chicken to use in many ways!
This is a recipe I cut out of a Real Simple Magazine a few years ago and since I actually had puff pastry in my freezer and fresh chicken, the stars were aligning to try it out. I only made two "turnovers" instead of four since I wasn't sure if the whole family would like them.  I kept the ingredients basic and true to the recipe below, but next time I would add a tablespoon of pesto underneath the chicken/cheese mixture to give it a little more flavor. You could prep these little "packages" early in the day, refrigerate and then bake them when you got back in the eve.

Puff pastry packages are ready to be sealed with egg wash and baked

Dip your chicken turnover bite in the dijon mustard for a tasty treat!

Chicken Turnovers

1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere

1 cup frozen peas

2 sheets (one whole 17.25 ounce package, unless you want to split it in half like me) frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg, beaten

several tablespoons Dijon mustard

Heat oven to 400° F. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, Gruyere and peas.

Cut the two sheets of puff pastry in half to form 4 rectangles and place on baking sheet. Dividing evenly, top half of each rectangle with the chicken mixture (if you like pesto, brush on about a tablespoon of pesto before you put on the chicken mixture). Brush egg along edges, fold over and seal the turnovers. Brush the tops with the egg. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Serve with mustard. Enjoy!

Grasshopper Pie

Recently we spent an afternoon together with my daughter and a few of her friends and somehow grasshopper pie came up which brought back memories for me of my mom making it for dinner parties and me admiring the beautiful dutch-looking white creme de menthe bottle with a blue wind mill on it.

My daughter does not have a big sweet tooth, so it's tough to find birthday desserts for her. I thought this year it might be fun to go retro and try a grasshopper pie to celebrate her birthday...everyone enjoyed the pie but loved the crust the best. I excluded the creme de menthe and creme de cacao in my recipe since kids were eating it.

Next time I think we'll try Key Lime Pie- it's definitely fun to try alternatives to chocolate cake on a birthday!

Grasshopper Pie

Adapted from Nigella Lawson

Crust:

28 oreo cookies

3 tablespoons softened butter

Filling:

3 cups mini marshmallows

1 cup whole milk

few drops green food coloring

3/4 teaspoon mint extract

1  1/2 cups heavy cream

Process cookies in food processor until they form a crumb mixture. Add butter and process until the mixture starts to clump together. Press into 9 inch glass pie pan, smoothing the mixture out on the bottom and sides of the dish with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate until chilled.

Put marshmallows and milk in saucepan and cook over low heat. Once the milk starts to foam (don't let it boil), take off the heat and keep stirring until the marshmallows blend into the milk to make a smooth mixture. Let cool and add mint extract.

In medium bowl, whisk the cream (I did it by hand and it didn't take that long) until it starts to hold soft peaks. Add the cooled marshmallow mixture. Whisk in a few drops of food coloring.

Spread filling into cookie crust and smooth on top. Place pie in refrigerator to chill overnight, or at least 4 hours to firm.  Crush a bit of oreo cookie on top or some shavings of chocolate. Enjoy!

Chicken Breasts Baked on a Bed of Mushrooms

Yeah for chicken and mushrooms~ they are meant to be together!!! I was inspired by a chicken/ wild mushroom recipe I saw in the Silver Palate Cookbook, but since I didn't have wild mushrooms in my cupboard, I made do with pre-sliced cremini and this dish was delish...you've gotta try this! Serve it with mashed potatoes or wild rice and it could be a great entree for guests, too.

Chicken Breasts Baked on a Bed of Mushrooms

2 chicken breasts, halved 

1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms

2 tablespoons butter

1 large shallot, chopped

1/4 cup sherry

1/4 cup whole milk (or cream if you have it, but I didn't and it tasted great)

salt and pepper 

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat and saute shallot until softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sautes for 5 more minutes. Add sherry and milk (or cream) and simmer for another 3 minutes. 

Spoon mushroom mixture into a shallow baking dish. Arrange chicken breast halves in single layer on top of the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cover baking dish with a piece of foil.

Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!

Baked Sweet Potato Chips

We celebrated our sweet 15 year old daughter's birthday last week and had my parents over for a little cheer before dinner. These baked sweet potato chips were a perfect accompaniment to spiced cider and crisp white wine ~just perfect for this time of year!  I sent a bag home with my parents to enjoy with their lunch tomorrow. 

If you have a mandolin or slicer that cuts vegetables thin, it makes this process much easier. I made two batches and cut the first batch of sweet potatoes by hand. Even though I couldn't get them as thin as I could with a mandolin, they were gobbled up before they were cool--- they were so yummy!

Baked Sweet Potato Chips

2 sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400° Lightly spray two baking sheets with canola baking spray.
Using the slicing disc of a food processor or a mandoline or by hand with a sharp knife, but the sweet potatoes into 1/8 inch slices. Put sliced potatoes in bowl and toss to coat with oil.
Spread potatoes out in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake,turning once, until crisp and golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from oven and place on paper towels to cool. Add more salt if desired.Serve immediately or store in air tight container for two days. Enjoy!

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Feta and Basil

Would you like a simple way to jazz up a chicken breast? This is it! Slice four chicken breasts almost all the way through and place several slices of feta and one or two basil leaves on top. Drizzle a little olive oil on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes. Tastes delicious sliced over a bed of spinach with tomatoes warm or at room temperature- it's a very versatile dish. Enjoy!

Make a partial cut into the chicken breast and add a couple of slices of feta and basil leaves

This stuffed chicken breast is great for lunch or dinner on a bed of spinach and tastes very healthy!

Recipe inspired by Ina's Recipe

Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup

I remember my Italian mother-in-law, Marie,  making a version of Italian Sausage soup many years ago that I just loved and even wrote down on a scrap of paper how she made it. This is a very hearty soup which is perfect at this time of year  and can be made according to what kind of veggies you like and how much "heat" you like in your sausage. I used mild chicken Italian sausage to make this soup kid friendly, but using hot Italian sausage gives it a tasty kick!

Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup

1 pound Italian Sausage ( I used mild chicken Italian sausage, but you could use hot Italian pork sausage instead)
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 onion, diced
3 carrots
2 stalks celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken stock
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2  teaspoons oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons basil
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed ( my daughter loves potatoes in soup, so I add lots)
2 zucchinis, cut into cubes
1 yellow squash, cut into cubes
1 15 ounce can northern beans
grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
small pasta like macaroni or orzo can be added as well

Saute sausage in large soup pot, cutting it into bite size pieces as you cook it. Remove from pot and drain sausage on paper towel. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, carrots and celery and saute for 5 more minutes. Sprinkle vegetables with a little salt and pepper.  Add chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil and potatoes and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Add zucchini and yellow squash and beans and cook for 20 more minutes, or until tender. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and hearty bread. Enjoy!

Fun way to Cut Pineapple

Last summer I stayed with a friend who was vacationing in San Diego for a few weeks. One night for appetizers before dinner, she and her daughter cut up a pineapple in a way I had never seen and thought it was beautiful! They learned this pineapple cutting technique at the Dole Plantation in Hawaii. It's also a great way to serve pineapple to kids.

Here are the steps to a fun and "fancy" cut pineapple~

1. Cut off top and bottom of pineapple

2. Cut in half

3. Then cut into fourths

4. Cut fruit away from skin

5. Cut slices in fruit and place back on skin

6. Serve slices skewered with toothpick- fun way to eat pineapple!

Chicken with Red Wine Sauce and Chopped Dates

When I saw this recipe, it reminded me a bit of Chicken Marbella, but with not as many ingredients and fewer steps. It has a savory and sweet flavor that makes you want to come back for more. My daughter thought the dates were a bit too sweet for her liking, but it worked for me... you'll have to try it and see what you think.

Rich and flavorful chicken with a complex sauce

This chicken is perfect served atop polenta

Chicken with Red Wine Sauce and Chopped Dates

4 chicken breasts, cut in half crosswise

flour for dusting

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 large carrots, sliced

1 small onion, diced

1 pound mushrooms, sliced ( I used pre-sliced cremini mushrooms)

1 1/4 cups chicken stock

2/3 cup red wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon  basil

1/2 cup chopped dates

chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and dust with flour. In large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoons butter over medium high heat and saute chicken until browned on both sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Place in baking dish.

In same skillet, heat 1 tablespoons oil; saute onion, garlic, carrots and mushrooms until softened, 5 to 8 minutes, adding a little stock to pan if it gets dry. Add rest of stock, wine, dates, tomato paste, oregano and basil; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour sauce over chicken. Bake for 25 minutes until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear when pierced. Garnish with parsley and serve over polenta or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Easy Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls

I made cheese straws for a cocktail party we had for a friend's birthday recently and I had one sheet of puff pastry left in my fridge. This weekend I used it to make a special treat for my kids for breakfast. They loved these tasty cinnamon rolls, especially the yummy caramelized brown sugar that seeped out of the rolls into the bottom of the pan!

Easy Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
2 tablespoons butter, (1 1/2 tablespoons melted and 1/2 tablespoon to grease baking dish)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Roll out puff pastry sheet on floured board to approximately 12" x 15" rectangle. Brush melted butter on top of pastry. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle on top of dough. Roll dough into a log along the long edge.  Cut into 6-8 slices and place in greased pie plate.
Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes until golden and sugar is bubbling. Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Pie

This recipe is awesome if you have some rotisserie chicken and a hankering for enchiladas but don't want to invest the time rolling up all the individual tortillas...it is very flavorful and requires just one prep bowl. You could make it in the morning before work and pop it in the oven when you get home. Add a big green salad and you have a perfect comfort meal.

One of the first layers with tortillas, corn and salsa

The chicken, rice, bean , cheese and enchilada sauce mixture

Tasty chicken enchilada pie ready to be cooked

Hot out of the oven!

Chicken Enchilada Pie

10  5" corn tortillas
2 cups cubed chicken (rotisserie chicken is great for this!)

1/2 cup uncooked instant brown rice

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 15 oz can black beans, drained

1 19 oz can red enchilada sauce

1 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained

1 cup salsa
2 green onions, thinly sliced
sour cream, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 or 10 inch round (2 quart) baking dish or casserole with cooking spray.

• Cut tortillas in half.
• In large bowl, mix chicken, rice, 1 cup of the cheese, the beans and 1 cups of enchilada sauce.
• Layer 5 tortilla halves to cover bottom of baking dish. Top with 1/3 cup enchilada sauce and half the chicken mixture. 
• Cover with 5 tortilla halves. Spoon corn over tortillas. Spread salsa over corn.
• Cover with 5 tortilla halves. Top with remaining half of chicken mixture. 
• Top with remaining  5 tortilla halves, enchilada sauce and cheese.

You can cover this with saran wrap and keep in the refrigerator until later (if cold, increase baking time to 50 minutes). Or bake immediately for 35-40 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Top with green onions and sour cream if desired. Enjoy!

Adapted from this recipe

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread

Are you ready for another delicious fall treat that is a cinch to make? This is one of the BEST quick bread mixes around and you can do so many things with it! Trader Joe's only sells their Pumpkin Bread Mix for a few months out of the year, which makes it even more special because you can't buy it year round.

We had my dad over for dinner tonight because my mom is away for a girls weekend and I made two mini loaves for dessert- one of them had cranberries and chopped almonds topped with maple icing (1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon whole milk, 3/4 cup powdered sugar) and the other with mini chocolate chips. Both were yummy! Muffins from this mix are awesome, too...go out and buy yourself a few boxes if you have a Trader Joe's near by~ you and your family will be happy!

Roasted Winter Squash Soup

I adore fall and love when squash and pumpkins are overflowing in bins in the grocery stores, the leaves start changing to reddish and yellow hues and our lovely California days have a cold crisp feeling when you wake up in the morning. Squash soup is a perfect end to those beautiful autumn days. Roasting the squash for this soup makes it so rich and flavorful, all you need is a little salt and olive oil~ it is simple and delicious.

Roasted Winter Squash Soup

1 butternut squash peeled and cubed (or around 3 cups cubed, if you buy it pre-cut)
1 acorn squash, cut into 6 wedges and baked
1 onion, cut into cubes
1-2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
roasted, salted pepitas (as an optional garnish)

Preheat oven to 425° F

Peel and cut the butternut squash, if using a whole one. I often use a package or two of the pre-peeled and cubed squash- so much easier than peeling those odd shaped butternut squashes! Cut the onion into cubes and toss with butternut squash on two baking sheets with 2 tablespoons oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt and a sprinkle of pepper.

Cut acorn squash in half and then each half into thirds. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and sprinkle of pepper over wedges and place on third baking sheet.
Bake all the squash for 35-40 minutes until tender and starting to brown on the edges.

Place soup pot on stove and add 1 cup of chicken stock. Add roasted butternut squash and onions. Scoop baked acorn squash out of skins and add to soup pot. Simmer for 15 minutes until the flavors have melded and it is heated through. Use an immersion blender to coarsely puree the soup.   Add more chicken stock if you would like a thinner soup. Add roasted, salted pepitas on top. Enjoy!

Tuscan Kale Salad

This kale salad is simple and delicious, has very few ingredients and tastes healthy! I made my own bread crumbs by toasting a piece of sweet baguette I had in the freezer, running a clove of raw garlic over the top, drizzling just a bit of olive oil and salt and chopping it into little pieces.

Tuscan Kale Salad
Print recipe here!

4-6 cups Lacinto or "dinosaur" kale,  midribs removed and sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, mashed
Salt and pepper, to taste
hot red pepper flakes, to taste

½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup freshly made bread crumbs from lightly toasted bread

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, and a generous pinch (or more to taste) of hot red pepper flakes. Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well. Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again. Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Add bread crumbs, toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

Recipe from Taste

Lunch in Provence

Lunches in Provence at Le Lavandin were just as special as our wonderful breakfasts. A glass of crisp Rose wine accompanied most of our lunchtime meals. 

For our first lunch, Georgia served slices of chevre with delicious olive oil and rosemary and bay leaves from her garden. We got a kick out of her choice of accompaniment to the cheese- bugles! We just stuffed a little bit of herb-infused cheese inside the bugle and each bite was truly delicious!

The main course was Soupe au Pistou- vegetable soup with a dollop of pesto on top- healthy and satisfying! And then for a very refreshing last course, pear with St. Agur cheese and red peppercorns. We loved our Provencal meals~

Chevre with olive oil and fresh herbs

Ever thought of serving bugles with chevre? It works!

Soupe au Pistou

Pears with St. Agur cheese and red peppercorns

Breakfast in Provence

During our sojourn in France, my mom and I stayed at an amazing bed and breakfast called Le Lavandin. Situated thirty minutes east of Avignon, this beautiful spot had lavender fields, blooming rose bushes and hydrangeas, paths through the garden and even a labyrinth. The guesthouse was perfectly situated among olive trees and had a lovely deck with a great view. The owner of Le Lavandin, Georgia, is a very gracious and welcoming host, and provided all the guests of our retreat with incredible breakfasts each morning.
We would do our morning breathing exercises before walking along the the canal with the group and return to a table laid beautifully with flowers from the garden. There was different fruit as a first course each day along with coffee and french cream, tea, and a delectable assortment of fresh French baked goods and breads with delicious jams and lavender honey. After breakfast we would go outside and Sigrid Olsen would lead us in a wonderful creative activity and Martha Abbot would begin our morning of art with a thoughtful meditation exercise. It was truly an amazing week!

Sweet raspberries, blackberries and blueberries with rich french cream greeted us our first day.

Our baked good choices included a flaky pastry with almonds and powdered sugar as well as toasted pain de ble avec des noix (in the bundled basket keeping warm), which was my favorite drizzled with lavendar honey.

Rhubarb compote with Greek yogurt.

These choquettes, little airy puffs covered with crunchy nuggets of sugar, were amazing.

Juicy nectarine with a dollop of sweet thick cream- yum!

The croissants were amazing- light, airy and very buttery. Add some confiture de crises and you have a very tasty breakfast!

Laduree Macaroons from France!

My mom and I just returned from an amazing adventure together in France. We spent six lovely days at an art and yoga retreat in a wonderful bed and breakfast in Provence followed by four fun and full days in Paris. We discovered a Laduree shop known for their macarons close to our hotel in the San Germain district of Paris and were excited to try their famous cookies. 

I always thought macarons were made with coconut, and since I dislike coconut, I avoided them. While in France I learned that macarons are a sweet meringue-based confectionery made with egg whites, sugar, ground almonds and food coloring and that they are most commonly filled with buttercream or jam. Apparently it is the English macaroon that includes coconut, so once I tasted a French macaron, I was a total fan!  

Laduree has many choices of flavors and we brought home a selection in several boxes for our family to try. We did not realized that each little cookie at 1.5 euros a piece were $2.50 each. Therefore, each little bite is tres chere in more ways than one!

Ladurée Bonaparte (6th arrondissement )
21 Rue Bonaparte

Each window had such amazing displays

Look at all those flavors~ my favorite was Pistache

Just a few macarons that we brought home from Paris left...