Chicken Fresco w/Lemon Vinaigrette Cream Sauce

I am back from my vacation at Kalahari! It was incredible (more on that later) and once I got back I had to get into the kitchen. I love cooking and I just had an itch to get create. I’m not an artist; I can’t draw, sketch or paint, but I feel at my most creative when I’m playing with flavors and ingredients in the kitchen. The following recipe is my take on chicken fresco with a lemon vinaigrette cream sauce, garlic mashed potatoes 

and sautéed zucchini and yellow squash. Since this is an entire meal, I cooked all of these parts at about the same time so if you're going to make all the components you should plan accordingly so that they get done simultaneously. 

Garlic Mashed Potatoes:

You will need:

Potatoes

Milk

Garlic

Butter

Salt 

Pepper

First you should peel, wash and cut up your potatoes.

Next, put them in a pot of water and set them to boil.

Once the potatoes are tender strain them and put them in a large bowl. Add 1.5 tablespoons of minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste, two slabs of butter, and the rest of the heavy whipping cream that you don’t use in the sauce (There may not be enough whipping cream so you might need to add a little bit of milk). Mash the potatoes and then you’re done!

Chicken Fresco:

You will need:

4-6 chicken breasts

Olive oil

Roma tomatoes

Salt

Pepper

Parsley

Garlic salt

Balsamic Vinegar

First you need to soak your chicken in ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar for twenty minutes.

Once you’re ready to start cooking, put just enough olive oil in the bottom of a skillet to coat it and then heat the pan. Once the pan is hot add you chicken and season the chicken with the salt, pepper, garlic salt, and parsley. Cook for about ten minutes and then flip the chicken. Season the other side and cook for another ten minutes or until the chicken is done. Plate the chicken, drizzle the lemon sauce over top the chicken and then add Roma tomato slices on top the chicken.

Lemon vinaigrette cream sauce:

2 tbsp Minced shallots

1 cup white wine

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream

1 stick unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature

Salt

When buying your wine make sure that you pick something that you would drink. If you won't drink it you certainly shouldn't cook with it. I used a Chardonnay and it was really good. 

To make the lemon butter sauce cook the shallots on medium heat for five minutes then add the wine, lemon juice, and vinegar in a sauce pan. Reduce over medium-high heat for five minutes. Add the heavy cream, and simmer the sauce for 2 or 3 minutes to reduce slightly. Add the butter a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly to blend the butter into the reduction.

The heat should be quite low as you work so that you don’t curdle anything. One the sauce starts to reduce it is ready.

Sautéed Squash and Zucchini:

3 zucchini

2 yellow squash

1 tbs garlic

Olive Oil

First you need to peel and slice the zucchini and squash. 

The coat them with a just a little bit of olive oil and put them in a hot skillet. Once the zucchini and squash start to get soft add the garlic.

Cook them until they’re brown and then you’re ready to plate!

Everyone in my family loved this meal which is pretty much a miracle. It was delicious, fresh, and flavorful. If you try it out I hope you enjoy it!

Cherry Pie!

Well, it is official, my pie was delicious! Both my fam and my man really enjoyed it. I would like to start this post off by saying that if you make this pie completely from scratch it is super easy, but it is also pretty labor intensive. If you like to be in the kitchen it’s really fun to make. Don’t worry I will add some shortcuts if you’re in a time crunch, but I find that making the whole thing from scratch is really satisfying.

One way to save time is to use store bought pie crust. If you do have the time I suggest giving making your own dough a try. 

The Dough :

(Makes enough dough for one double, or two single-crust pies)

You will need:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces, 16 tablespoons or 1 cup) unsalted butter, very cold

Cold Water

First fill a glass measuring cup with cold water and a couple of ice cubes. You want the water to be really cold. Set aside.In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, and salt.

Cut the sticks of butter into cubes.

Add the butter to your bowl and then get out your pastry blender (or a fork) and mix. Use the pastry blender to scoop and redistribute the mixture as needed so all parts are worked evenly. When all of the butter pieces are the size of peas — this won’t take long — stop.

Next add a ½ cup of the cold water (sans ice) to the mixture and combine. You can use a spoon or a spatula, but I do it all by hand. You’ll probably need to add more water to bring it together, but add it one tablespoon at a time. Gather the disparate damp clumps together into one mound, kneading them gently together.

Divide the dough in half and shape into discs. Wrap each on in plastic and then put them in you refrigerator. Try to let it chill for at least an hour.

The Filling:

4 cups pitted fresh cherries (about 2 1/2 pounds unpitted)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup of sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 400°F

First you have to pit the cherries. This is by far the most labor intensive part. If this seems daunting or too time consuming you can substitute the fresh cherries with canned, but make sure you get the sour cherries that are not in any type of syrup. DO NOT get canned cherry pie filling. It’s yucky.

Stir together the cherries, cornstarch, sugar, salt, lemon juice, cinnamon, and almond extract gently together in a large bowl.

Assembly:

Roll out half of chilled dough on a floured work surface. Gently place it in the pie pan.

Spoon filling into pie crust!

Roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface, drape it over the filling. Take a knife or pizza cutter and cut the dough into strips. Place five strips on the pie.

Fold back every other strip.

Place one long strip of dough perpendicular to the parallel strips as shown. Unfold the folded strips over the perpendicular strip.

Now take the parallel strips that are running underneath the perpendicular strip and fold them back over the perpendicular strip.. Lay down a second perpendicular strip of dough next to the first strip, with some space between the strips. Unfold the folded parallel strips over the second strip.

Continue this alternation to the edge of the pie then go back to the center and do the same for the other side of the pie.Cut off the extra dough from the strips and then crimp the edge decoratively. Brush the egg wash over the pie crust and then place it in the oven!

Bake the pie in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F. and bake the pie for 25 to 30 minutes more, or until the crust is golden. Let the pie cool on a rack.

I'm very happy with the way this pie turned out. My dad has requested an apple pie so I hope to make one soon. I'm also going to try out a recipe for a healthier crust made with coconut oil/shortening instead of butter. 

My Almost Famous Chili Recipe.

I know what you're thinking, a chili recipe in the summer?! Is she crazy?! Well I probably am a little crazy, but not about this. When you live in a house that is constantly 67 degrees where you have to use a blanket on a 90 degree day in July, well let's just say chili is a welcomed meal. It's also a big deal in my house. We have very high standards to say the least and a flimsy attempt will only be met with ridicule and horror. Chili is a year round meal because we love it. With that being said, I offer to you my delicious, and almost perfected chili recipe. I've been making chili for years and while I sometimes like to try and play with it to see if I can make it better, this is my recipe at its best.

To make really awesome chili you must first put on one of your super hero t-shirts and get yourself a nice big cup of coffee (or tea) to be sipped out of your favorite mug. My favorite mug was a gift from my mom I use it almost every day. I let my chili cooks all day so I suggest preparing the first part the night before or early the morning you intend to serve it.

You will need:

1-2lbs of ground beef (I use  family 2lbs because my fam prefers a meatier chili)

1-2 Cans of red kidney beans (I only use one for my family's preference)

1 medium onion

1 bell pepper

1 can/bottle of beer

2-3 cans of tomato sauce

1 can of diced tomatoes.
1 packet McCormick chili seasoning

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Salt

Crushed red pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Cinnamon

Worcestershire sauce

Frank's Red Hot sauce 

First you must brown the meat. Season it with some salt, pepper, garlic salt and a table spoon of chili powder. 

This is one of my favorite tools in the kitchen. The mix and chop is awesome for browning meat. I seriously recommend investing in one.

While the meat is browning chop up your onion and red pepper. Jonathan bought me this awesome kitchen scooper/ scraper/ measurer and it is another one of my favorite tools to use in the kitchen. It's also great for cutting dough. I love it!














When the meat is almost all the way cooked drain all the grease and then add the McCormick's seasoning.

Add the onion and bell pepper next. 

Then add a beer! 

Let the meato mixture cook in the beer on a medium low heat for about twenty minutes then put it in your Crockpot... If you don't have a crock-pot just cook the meat in the bottom of a larger pot and then you have one less dish to clean up! If you're making this the night before I suggest stopping here and putting the crock in the fridge until morning so the beer can continue to soak into the meat making it super yummy! 

The next step is to add the tomato sauce and then to season it up. I don't really measure so here are my best estimates of what I add. 2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbs Franks Red hot sauce, 2 tbs chili power, a pinch or two of crushed red pepper, 1 tbs cayenne pepper and a tsp of cinnamon. I like to keep my chili spicy so feel free to adjust the measurements accordingly.

 Cook the chili in the crock pot on low until you're ready to eat it! I like to eat mine over rice with a little shredded cheese or a dollop of sour cream on top. My mom likes hers over mashed potatoes while my dad keeps it simple with saltine crackers. 

My sister and I were impatiently waiting for the chili to cook in our sweet super hero shirts. 

She's such a goofball. 

A List.

Lists are great. One of my best gifts is the gift of administration. As an administrator I love to make lists so here is my list of awesomeness.

Awesomeness that has transpired since I last posted:

-Playing with Parker

- Star gazing with Jonathan and having him point out all sorts of cool constellations.

- Having a glass of delicious red wine

- Watching Dan with his pillow “sympathy belly” try to bend and squat.

- Ice cream with fresh strawberries.

- Having a private worship session with my man and just singing to the Lord with everything I had.

- Listening to a sermon given by Master Pastor Yoda that went along with my recent personal time with the Lord.

- Finding out that Erica got my package and loved it!

- Shopping and bonding time with my sister.

- Getting the invitation to Lauren and Glenn’s wedding shower.

-Realizing that when it’s really hot out my car smells like my dad (in a good and comforting way)

-Hang out time with the Shaffers.

-Getting a Gryffindor shirt

- Finding pictures of Tom (Jonathan’s dad) with a beard that show how closely Jonathan resembles him, right down to facial expressions and the way they sit.

- Telling and listening to funny stories with some awesome scrapbookers who were at the store cropping.  

- Not having to work until 11pm on Saturday.

- Being able to sing with the worship team on Sunday at Parkview.

-Bratwurst and sauerkraut.

 - Celebrating my sister’s 16^th birthday!

-Thinking up fun things to do on my vacation.

-Listening to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Since Erica has received her package I have posted some pictures of the crafts I made as promised!

The front of the journal/notebook/sketchbook

The back.

It's a make your own pinwheel kit! It really fun! 

A Providing God.

Yesterday I was really bumming about my work schedule for the week. Jonathan works fifty hours Monday through Friday and I have a crazy random work schedule so that doesn’t leave a lot of time to be a couple. This week I worked Tuesday, Wednesday and Today. I also have to work Tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday. I am very thankful that I have been blessed with a job, but I wasn’t feeling so thankful yesterday. Yesterday I was mad. I was mad that I have to work on the only days that my man has off. I was mad that I’m not going to be able to spend time with Parker when he stays at the Shaffer’s this weekend while his parents head to Chicago to visit friends. I was mad that all my co-workers are too busy to come in and help me out so I have to work 10am-11pm on Saturday.  I was angry that the cable that connects my zune to my laptop is broken and I couldn’t put the 7^th Harry Potter audio book on there to listen to on my commute.  My frustration level was ridiculously high and my heart felt heavy and cold; then Jonathan called. After I bit his head off (sorry babe) he asked if he could pray for me and as he was praying I felt an immediate wave of calm wash over me. I felt silly for being so angry and frustrated. I was holding onto petty anger instead of turning to God. After Jonathan and I ended our conversation I got out my journal and started laying all my burdens on God. My heart felt a thousand times lighter and today God truly showed how faithful He is. This morning, as I was walking out the door to leave, there were deer right at the edge of my yard frolicking and playing. Then in the parking lot at work a butterfly landed on shoulder. I believe God uses nature like this to romance us. They were both beautiful and intimate moments. A couple of hours into work my sister text me to say that she found her zune cable and that I could have it since her zune no longer works!  After dinner I got a call from a coworker whose plans for the weekend didn’t work out and she can now cover half of my shift on Saturday! My God is a God who provides.

On a different note, I got a belt with mustaches on it and an owl necklace today! So cool! Thanks mom :)

Desert Song- Hillsong 

This is my prayer in the desert
And all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/h/hillsong/the_desert_song.html ]
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

And this is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow