Girl vs. Dinner

Chicken and dumplings casserole

2010-08-08T21:43:00.002-04:00

You can make a casserole with whatever you have in the pantry or freezer. I made mine with fresh mushrooms, garlic, canned green beans (cut), and chicken. It's topped with biscuits made from Jiffy mix - my personal childhood favorite.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup fresh button mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 can cut green beans, drained
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. Jiffy mix
3 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 slice cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp herb de provence (or sage)
1 tsp sea salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425.
Boil chicken in a stock pot until thoroughly cooked. Cut into cubes and set aside.
Combine chicken broth and mushrooms in a medium sauce pan - bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 5 minutes.
Add green beans and garlic to the pan and bring to a boil again.
Blend 1 c. milk and flour in small bowl.
Add milk and flour mixture to the pan, lowering heat slightly and allowing to simmer until creamy and bubbly.
Add pepper, sea salt, herb de provence, and cooked chicken.
Transfer mixture into a casserole or baking dish.
Combine Jiffy mix, 1/2 c. milk and parsley in a mixing bowl, creating a thick and sticky batter. Break cheddar cheese into small pieces and stir into batter.
Spoon batter on top of chicken and vegetable mixture, creating 4-6 dumplings.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the dumplings are slightly browned on top

Badass Cheeseburgers

2010-01-30T23:59:00.002-05:00

This month I decided to make hamburgers on the stove for the first time, and I was pleasantly surprised by the results. As much as I love meat cooked on a barbecue grill, there's nothing like pan frying to lock in the juices with minimal effort. You don't have to sacrifice your health for great taste, either, as long as you use a leaner beef variety such as ground sirloin and a healthier oil like olive oil. I've added a few ingredients to the ground beef to bind it together while cooking and give it an extra kick.

Servings: 4-6 burgers, depending on size

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef (sirloin if possible)
1 egg (or 1/4 c. Egg Beaters)
1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tsp. ground sea salt
Sesame seed buns or Kaiser rolls

Toppings

Sliced cheese (Sharp Cheddar, American or Swiss are good)
4-6 Tbsp. French fried onions
Barbecue sauce

Preparation

In a small bowl, combine all dry ingredients (breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes)
In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef with egg and Worcestershire sauce
Add the breadcrumb mixture to the meat, kneading for a few minutes to ensure even distribution of ingredients.
Form the mixture into 4-6 balls, then flatten the balls into patties that are each about 1 inch thick

Cooking

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Preheat a non-stick skillet on the stove on medium-high heat. Use a skillet with raised grill lines, if possible, for classic grill marks on your burgers.
Once pan is hot, add a small amount of olive oil
Add patties (about two at a time) to the skillet and allow them to cook until the bottom has browned and you can see juices start to run from the top of the patty
Flip the meat over, and allow it to cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees
Transfer burgers into a baking pan, adding a slice of cheese and 1 Tbsp. of French fried onions atop each patty
Cook in oven for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the onions begin to brown
Serve on toasted buns or rolls with barbecue sauce

Strawberry-Banana Chicken Salad

2010-01-11T23:08:00.001-05:00

This is one of the strangest combinations of ingredients I've ever seen, but this salad is absolutely amazing. I was introduced to this recipe at my previous job where they occasionally served it for lunch in the Aramark cafe.

The recipe calls for a lemon poppyseed dressing, which is fantastic, but you can use ranch dressing as well. It creates a great balance with the strawberries - sweet and salty at the same time.

Servings: 2-3 (as an entree)

Ingredients

4 c. Greens of your choice (romaine, spinach, etc.)
1 Sweet bell pepper (red, yellow, orange)
1 Cucumber
10-12 oz. Chicken (grilled or popcorn style)
2 c. Spaghetti noodles
1 pt. Fresh strawberries
1 Banana
1/2 c. Cinnamon candied almonds or pecans
1/4 c. Fresh Parmesan cheese (shredded)

Dressing

2/3 c. light olive oil
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 Tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 Tsp. salt

Preparation

Cook spaghetti for about 5-6 minutes. It should be al dente - firm and not too soggy. Strain pasta and toss with a bit of olive oil and set aside in the refrigerator in a covered dish - pasta should be room temperature or slightly cool when served on salad
Wash, chop/slice vegetables and fruit
Place almonds or pecans into a plastic bag and place on the counter. Use a rolling pin to crush into smaller pieces
To make dressing, combine ingredients in blender until smooth
Arrange vegetables on plate. Layer pasta, fruit, shredded Parmesan cheese, and crushed almonds or pecans. Drizzle with dressing and serve

Oven-fried Chicken

2009-11-29T19:10:00.003-05:00

It's not necessarily the breading that's bad for you - it's the oil. Substitute the oven for the frying pan and you'll save a ton of calories and time, and you won't have to risk life and limb dealing with hot oil either!

Servings: 2 (Main course)

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts (or 4-5 tenders)
2 Eggs
1 c. Italian Breadcrumbs
1 c. Flour
1/4 c. Milk
2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese (grated)
1 Tsp. Sea Salt
1 Tsp. Black Pepper

Preparation

Mix salt and pepper together in a small bowl and set aside
Sift flour onto a flat surface like a dinner plate
Pour breadcrumbs onto another plate
Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk together with milk
Wash chicken and blot dry with a paper towel (handle with care - prevent the spread of bacteria)
Sprinkle salt and pepper mixture over both sides of the chicken
Coat both sides of each piece of chicken with flour
Dip floured chicken pieces in egg mixture
Finally, roll chicken in breadcrumbs until coated

Cooking

Heat oven to 375°F
Arrange chicken in non-stick baking pan or cookie sheet
Cook 20-25 min. for chicken tenders, 30-35 min. for chicken breasts. Turn once halfway through cooking for even browning. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over chicken during the final 5 minutes of cooking.
Make sure to cook to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F - use a meat thermometer

Pasta aglio e olio with mushrooms and toasted pine nuts

2009-11-29T17:54:00.132-05:00

In case you were wondering, "aglio e olio" translates to "garlic and oil" in Italian. The sauce is like a pesto sauce - no tomatoes, just green herbs and spices. This pasta makes a great main course or side dish.

Servings: 2 (as a side dish)

Ingredients

Sauce

1c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided in half)
8 oz. Button Mushrooms (fresh or canned)
6-8 Cloves Garlic
2 Tbsp. Pine Nuts
1 Tbsp. + 1 Tsp. Oregano (fresh or dried)
1 Tbsp. + 1 Tsp. Basil (fresh or dried)
1 Tbsp. + 1 Tsp. Parsley (fresh or dried)
1 Tsp. Sea Salt (Kosher salt or regular table salt will work as well)
1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper (finely ground)
1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese (finely grated)

Pasta

2 c. Pasta (spaghetti, angel hair, or fettuccine work best)
2 Tbsp. salt

Preparation

Add pine nuts to food processor and grind for a few seconds until coarsely chopped
Place chopped pine nuts into a dry non-stick skillet (without any oil) and turn heat to medium. Shake the pan every 30 seconds or so and toss the pine nuts until they are lightly browned. Set aside.
Mince garlic with a garlic press or chop finely with a paring knife
Slice mushrooms with a paring knife
Combine 1 Tbsp. Oregano, 1 Tbsp. Basil, 1 Tbsp. Parsley, 1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper, and 1 Tsp. Sea Salt in a small bowl

Cooking

Add 1/2 c. olive oil, herb mixture made during preparation, and minced garlic to non-stick skillet - heat on medium/high
Fill a large saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. After boiling commences, add 2 Tbsp. salt to enhance the pasta's natural flavor.
Add pasta to boiling water and follow the cooking time on the package
Add mushrooms to skillet - sautee until nearly fully cooked
Drain cooked pasta and add to skillet along with the toasted pine nuts - cook for an additional 2 minutes
Remove skillet from heat - transfer pasta and sauce to a serving dish
Add the remaining ingredients while tossing the pasta - 1/2 c. Olive Oil, 1 Tsp. Oregano, 1 Tsp. Basil, 1 Tsp. Parsley, and 1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese
Serve with garlic bread or fresh Italian bread to soak up the excess sauce