The "Troubles" with Ireland; Belfast, famine and Potatoes

This Saturday we made our way to the north of the island, to the troubled city of Belfast. Belfast and the whole of Northern Ireland is euphemistically "troubled" because it has been plagued with warring peoples for centuries and continues to remain in strife. I am still a bit hazy as to why the people are still fighting but I will let wikipedia explain the situation rather than relay the still unclear bits of information I picked up on an hour long bus tour. To depict these troubles, citizens of Belfast have painted murals along walls, houses and apartments in the city.

I wish that I could say Ireland's troubles stopped with the petty disputes of man, but as any old European country can attest to, and our young nubile nation of America so eloquently verbalizes "if it ain't one thing then it's another." The Irish Potato famine troubled its people long before petrol bombs in the name of Jesus were the danger of the day. While men, women and children once starved when their precious potato crops died, they seem to be more than making up for their years of loss now. Potatoes are now abundant on this green island. Potatoes can be found whole, sliced, wedged, seasoned, mashed, diced and shredded in any grocery store, restaurant, gas station and convenient store across the nation. It is incredible. I thought I would share some of the potato recipes I have made while here.

Creamy Potato Spinach Soup
I just sort of made this soup up out of ingredients I had or could easily get when another plan fell through. It actually turned out to be pretty good, too!

ingredients:
onion
garlic-half a head?
olive oil
potatoes
chicken stock
milk
spinach leaves, cut into edible pieces
cream cheese
bacon

method:
Bring a pot of chicken stock to a boil. While stock is heating, peel and dice some potatoes. (I'm not sure of exact amounts in this recipe, so you might just need to guess--I'm pretty sure it will be fine regardless!)Add the potatoes to the stock and cook until soft and mashable.
While potatoes are cooking dice the onion and garlic. Saute over medium low heat until translucent. When potoatoes are soft, mash them and combine them with onion and garlic.
Separate cream cheese into little spoonfulls and add to the mash and stir to combine.
Now add the spinach. Stir spinach and allow to wilt.
Once properly wilted, add milk to your liking.
If you are a meat eater, and are a fan of bacon, I would definitely suggest adding bits of bacon to this soup. While the soup can definitely stand alone, the salty taste and crisp texture of bacon is are definite assets to this soup!

Shepard's Pie
Before I rekindled my relationship with FN, but after I arrived in Ireland, I decided to make an Irish classic-Shepard's Pie. Here is a pretty typical Irish recipe for this old staple.

Chef Jorge's Gourmet Chicken in White Wine and Garlic

My Spanish roommate, Jorge, is a natural European in the truest form. As I have spent nearly a year learning to make things that are close to edible, in one swift move Jorge will whip up the most mind-blowingly phenomenal gastronomical wonder this side of the Atlantic. After each bite of every "simple" meal he makes, I am left wondering how the hell I got so lucky. I rarely have the chance to take pictures of his creations, as my roommates and I inhale them within seconds but these things need no image. They are beautiful in and of themselves. Here is Jorge to present his masterpiece:

Chef Jorge's Gourmet Chicken in White Wine and Garlic

ingredients:
Chicken- Jorge prefers wings, but he believes chicken breasts will work
olive oil
salt
whole bottle of white wine
lemon
whole head of garlic

method:

Lightly salt the chicken and set aside.
Thickly slice garlic. Cook garlic over low heat in the largest skillet you own. Do not let all of the pieces "take color." Just as a few of the pieces begin to lightly brown add the chicken to the skillet.

Cook the chicken just until it starts to cook on the surface. Do NOT cook the chicken through. When chicken begins to brown, add the entire bottle of white wine-yes please!- covering the chicken completely. If you do not have enough wine to cover the chicken, you can add a bit of water, but really, has more wine ever been a bad idea? (well, we can just declare that question rhetorical and move on...)Once sufficient amounts of wine have been added, put the heat on high and bring to a boil. Allow the wine to boil until there is very little left in the pan--about half an hour--occasionally stirring so as not to burn. When no liquid remains, remove from heat, stir once more, add the juice of an entire lemon and go crazy.

Dinner in Dun Laioghaire

Yesterday we took a day trip into the charming little harbor town of Dun Laioghaire. After we roamed in and out of little shops filled with Saturday shoppers in the quaint town overlooking the sea, we made our way to one of the city's two piers, before having the best meal we've had in Ireland.









After our day by the sea we meandered back into town for a seriously delicious meal.
Harry's Cafe Bar had some great deals for parties of two so we treated ourselves to our first really delicious meal in Ireland. To start, we go "Harry's Famous Fish Cakes with a Basil Aioli," which were aptly named and a Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Fig salad.


Recipe for Fish Cakes from BBCgoodfood.com:
* 450g skinned Icelandic cod or haddock fillet, from a sustainable source
* 2 bay leaves
* 150ml milk
* 350g Maris Piper potatoes
* ½ tsp finely grated lemons zest
* 1 tbsp fresh white flatleaf parsley , chopped
* 1 tbsp snipped chives
* 1 egg
* flour , for shaping
* 85g fresh white breadcrumbs , preferably a day or two old
* 3-4 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil , for shallow frying
* lemon wedges and watercress , to serve
1. Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Set aside. Lay the fish and bay leaves in a frying pan. Pour over the milk and 150ml/¼ pint water. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 4 mins. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 mins to gently finish cooking the fish.
2. Meanwhile, peel and chop the potatoes into even-sized chunks. Put them in a saucepan and just cover with boiling water. Add a pince of salt, bring back to the boil and simmer for 10 mins or until tender, but not broken up.
3. Lift the fish out of the milk with a slotted spoon and put on a plate to cool. Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave for a min or two. Tip them back into the hot pan on the lowest heat you can and let them dry out for 1 min, mashing them with a fork and stirring so they don't stick. You should have a light, dry fluffy mash. Take off the heat and beat in 1 rounded tbsp of the sauce, then the lemon zest, parsley and chives. Season well with salt and pepper. The potato should have a good flavour, so taste and adjust to suit.
4. Drain off liquid from the fish, grind some pepper over it, then flake it into big chunks into the pan of potatoes. Using your hands, gently lift the fish and potatoes together so they just mix (see pic 1). You'll only need a couple of turns, or the fish will break up too much. Put to one side and cool.
5. Beat the egg on a large plate and lightly flour a board. Spread the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet. Divide the fish cake mixture into four. On the floured board, and with floured hands, carefully shape into four cakes, about 2.5cm thick (pic 2). One by one, sit each cake in the egg, and brush over the top and sides so it is completely coated (pic 3). Sit the cakes on the crumbs, patting the crumbs on the sides and tops so they are lightly covered. Transfer to a plate, cover and chill for 30 mins (or up to a day ahead).
6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. To test when ready, drop a piece of the dry breadcrumbs in - if it sizzles and quickly turns golden brown, it is ready to use. Fry the fish cakes over a medium heat for about 5 mins on each side or until crisp and golden. Serve with the rest of the sauce (squeeze in a little lemon zest to taste), lemon wedges for squeezing over and watercress.
Recipe for the Basil Aioli from Epicurious:
* 3/4 cup mayonnaise (home-made or store bought)
* 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to develop. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Fig Salad:

Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Fig Salad from Jamieoliver.com
"One thing I do is to criss-cross the figs but not quite to the bottom - 1 fig per person is always a good start. Then, using your thumbs and forefingers, squeeze the base of the fig to expose the inside. At this point you'll think, 'Oooh, that looks nice, I think I'm quite clever ...' or at least I do. More importantly, it allows your dressing to get right into the middle of the fig. All these little things really help to make a salad special. Simply place the figs in a dish, weave around 1 slice of Parma ham or prosciutto per fig, throw in some slices of buffalo mozzarella and rip over some green or purple basil. Mix 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, a tablespoon of good honey and some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper together in a bowl and drizzle everything with this dressing. As far as salads go, it's pretty damn sexy.

PS It's a good idea to have some spare bread on the table to mop up the juices - always a treat."-J.O.

For our mains, Jake had the Classic Char-grilled Homemade Beef Burger with Crispy Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Tomato Relish and French Fries. This thing was huge. And delicious. This look-alike does not do this burger justice:

Recipe for Bacon Cheese Burger from Allrecipes.com:

Ingredients

* 1 pound sliced bacon, diced
* 5 pounds ground beef chuck
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1/4 cup steak sauce
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 pound American cheese slices

Directions

1. Preheat a grill for high heat.
2. Place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry, stirring occasionally. When the bacon is almost done, add the onion. Cook until the bacon is crisp, and the onion is tender. Remove onion and bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a food processor. Pulse a couple of times to chop finely. Do not puree. Pour into a large bowl, and mix with steak sauce and ground chuck using your hands. Form into 16 patties.
3. Place patties on the grill, and cook for 5 minutes per side, or until well done. Place a slice of cheese on top of each one during the last minute.

Tomato Relish recipe from grownups.co.nz:

12 medium tomatoes
6 medium white onions
1 pint brown vinegar
1 lb sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp mustard
1/2 Tbsp curry powder
for thickening:
1 heaped Tbsp plain flour mixed to smooth paste with cold water

Use kitchen whizz to pulp up the tomatoes and onions and put in a large pot along with all other ingredients.
Simmer steadily with lid on for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in flour paste to thicken the relish.
Put back onto the heat and bring back up to the boil to cook the flour. This will only take 4-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and pour into sterilized jars or bottles and cap when cool.

I had the Char-grilled Pork Loin with Grilled Peach, Tender Stem Broccoli, Asparagus and new Potatoes.
The grilled peaches initially sold me on this thing, but the whole combination was over the top!

Recipe for Pork Loin from Gourmetfood.com:
Prep Time: 24 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 24 hours, 15 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the Brine
* 1 1⁄2 quarts water
* 6 tablespoons kosher or sea salt
* 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
* Handful of fresh thyme sprigs
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
For the Pork:
*4 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3⁄4 inch thick
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 tablespoons bourbon
* 2 teaspoons honey
* 2 large freestone peaches, such as O'Henry or Elberta, halved and pitted
1. Make the brine: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt. Set aside until completely cool.
2. Put the pork chops in a nonreactive container that holds them snugly in a single layer. Add the brine, which should cover them. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
3. About 1 hour before cooking, remove the pork chops from the brine and set them on a wire cooling rack at room temperature to dry. Discard the brine. Prepare a moderate charcoal fire for indirect grilling (page 102) or preheat a gas grill to moderate (375˚F), leaving one burner unlit for indirect grilling.
4. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, bourbon, and honey. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring until the butter melts and the honey dissolves. Keep warm.
5. Pat the pork chops with paper towels to remove any remaining surface moisture. Set the chops directly over the coals or flame and brown both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Then transfer to indirect heat, cover the grill, and cook until the pork chops offer some resistance to the touch but are still springy, not firm, about 4 minutes longer. On an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature should measure about 150˚F for medium.
6. Once the pork chops have been moved to indirect heat, grill the peaches. Brush them all over with the butter-honey mixture and place cut side down directly over the coals or flame. Cook until the peaches are lightly charred, then turn, baste again, and cook just until they are tender and juicy. The pork chops and peaches should be done at roughly the same time, but if not, move whichever is done first to a cooler area of the grill. Serve each pork chop alongside half a grilled peach.

Foodie goes to France!

Although this food blog has taken on a strange travel spin, I thought chronicling my foodie experiences along with my travel adventures would be the perfect way to keep family and friends updated on my whereabouts, while staying true to the blog's original purpose.So back to the city of love...While in Paris, I figured I would make the most of my weekend in the gastronomical wonderland of France, and eat to my heart's content. And eat, I did.
Upon arrival, we checked out our hostel and grabbed some lunch on our way to the Eiffel at a French bakery. I had a delicious Salmon Broccoli Quiche and Jake had a jambon (ham) baguette. The perfect start to a fabulous weekend.
And of course, the obligatory fabulous French croissant!

I also experienced my first French Bistro! Delicious on all accounts, these charming little restaurants definitely live up to their name. For my entree (which is the equivalent to our appetizer) I had a delicious Foie Gras. It was rich, it was creamy, it was almost buttery. Phe-nom nom nom nom! I later learned that this delicacy is achieved by force feeding, or rather force fattening, a duck or goose and then extracting it's liver...No doubtedly inhumane, but afer a week of fast food and frozen pizzas, it made me feel human again. Sorry, PETA.
For my entree, or plat, I had a Veal Steak in a Blue Cheese Sauce with an Asparagus Croquette. Delicious. (Again, more heart-felt omnivorous apologies, this time for the year old, milk-fed baby calf on my plate...)Despite the fantastic flavors of the blue-veal combo, my favorite aspect of this meal was the asparagus croquette. I guess I am still a recovering vegetarian at heart!
Then, for dessert, I had the most lovely trifecta of chocolate delection in the form of Chocolate Mousse. This three flavored chocolate fluff combination was the perfect way to end a fabulous meal. Accompanied by some fantastic red wine and great company, I could not have been happier.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Finals week at KU. Et tu bru-tal. I will keep this one cryptic, to accurately reflect my mood. With three finals down, and two more to go all within the span of 72 hours, it is safe to say that I have not been doing much cooking. I did attempt JC's famed relic, Boeuf Bourguignon, slow cooker style--I know a sin to say the least--and have been eating it for the last four days. I am relying on this dish and advice from Tween Pop Sensation and American Middle-School Icon Taylor Swift to keep me nutritionally sustained and keeping me from fleeing my little college town of Lawrence, Kansas, in search of safer harbors.
You are laughing, I know, but little teeny-bopping TS recognizes the wonders of Lawrence, Kansas, proving that she is just as smart as the rest of us liberal, anti-country college grads.


Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon:


Boeuf Bourguignon

6 Strips bacon -- cut in 1/2" pieces
3 pounds Beef rump or chuck -- cut 1. 5" cubes
1 medium Carrot -- sliced
1 small Onion -- sliced
Salt & pepper to taste
3 tablespoons Flour
1 can Condensed beef broth -- (10oz)
1 tablespoon Tomato paste
2 cloves garlic -- minced
3/4 teaspoon Whole thyme
1 Bay leaf
1/2 pound Tiny white onions
1 pound Fresh mushrooms -- sliced
2 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Red or burgundy wine

Thickener:
3 tablespoons Flour
3 tablespoons Melted butter or margarine


Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove and drain. Add beef cubes and brown well. Place browned beef in 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Brown carrot and onion. Season with salt and pepper; stir in flour. Add broth, mix well and add to slow cooker. Add cooked bacon, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and onions. Cover and cook on Low 8-10 hours.

One hour before serving: Sauté mushrooms in butter and add, with wine, to slow cooker.

Thicken gravy with flour combined with melted butter or margarine. Stir into stew and cook on High until thickened.

Creamy Tomato and Gorgonzola Soup

Holy shizz. So remember a couple years ago when it became legally mandatory to post all of the sex offenders in a national sex offender registry? And it was like all the rage after an evening of watching How to Catch a Predator, to sit down with your loved ones and look up all of the sex offenders in your town, and to your horror, you'd find your mailman of 23 years, Gil, or Aunt Millie's wrinkled mug staring you in the face? You'd keep your fingers crossed hoping that it was only for taking a freak-a-leak behind the shed after three too many beers at the annual Labor Day picnic, but inside you were never quite sure? You were left wondering what your neighbors were doing in their spare time? Yeah, those were the good ole days...
Well I had the pleasure of reliving this great period in American history, just the other night, when I found myself asking "Do we ever really know our neighbors?" The answer to this, my friend, is not blowing in the wind. The answer, my friend, is NO. And so it begins...
Last week, my brother bought a treadmill off of Craigslist. This should have been my first clue that the night was going to be interesting. The word "Craigslist" alone is synonymous with weird. Like weird weird. Like the weird you only find in college dorm rooms. Like Bubble Boy weird. Anyway, you get the picture. Craigslist lived up to its reputation.

We drove up to the seller's house, (a frighteningly short drive), and Mr. Craig was waiting for us... Outside...
Before we even get to introductions,I can tell this guy is going to be awesome. Clad in a casual pair of distressed jeans, a screen printed t-shirt that said "affliction," this guy was nothing short of Leawood's John Gosselin. His outfit, coupled with his balding dome, had me feeling mortified for his children, and I sure as hell hope this doucher hasn't fathered eight of them.
He introduces himself as"Mike," which is also my brother's name and although I didn't know it then, served as the first of many comparisons he would make between the two of them.
We go downstairs to find the treadmill and my brother, Michael, attempts to make small talk. He is brilliant with small talk, a genetic gift he has inherited from my mother. However, I would not really call what unfolded before our eyes "small."In fact, Michael and I discovered some rather big issues about this man.

Michael: "This looks like a really nice treadmill."

Mike: "Yeah, that's not the only nice thing I'm getting rid of. I have got multiple huge flat screen t.v.'s, this massive house, and a portable,indoor sauna."

SMALL TALK TRANSLATION: I am a big loser. Let me attempt to impress you with these material goods, I have collected over the years.

Michael: "Oh cool. Well should we start to move this thing up the stairs?"
SMALL TALK TRANSLATION: Oh wow, this could be a long evening. Best to start it and get it over with.

Mike:"Yeah,yeah. You should move down to the light end and I will get the front."
SMALL TALK TRANSLATION: I feel threatened by your youth, and want to prove to you that I can still do things.

Michael: "Are you sure? I don't mind..."
STT: Please do not sue me when you herniate some discs mid-heart attack as you try to hold this thing
Mike: "No, no. I still got it. I look pretty good for my age, don't you think?"
STT: VALIDATION. NOW.

So they start to move this gigantic awkwardly shaped excuse for a good idea down the hallway and up the stairs when things start to get tense.My brother Michael is at the bottom of the stairs holding the majority of the weight while Mike is struggling mid staircase. Mike's face is getting very red. Mike's veins are starting to pulse. I am starting to have visions of this massive thing slip from Mike's grip, joy ride its way down the stairs, just shortly before crushing every bone in my eldest brother's body, having met his demise in his twenties on the carpet of this randomaniac's home. NOT GOOD.

Michael: "Is everything okay? Do you want to take a break?"
Mike: "No man, I got it. I'm just going to tie one end of this rope I found around the treadmill and the other around my neck..."

WHAT???!?!!!!??
So he is going to strangle himself before killing my brother? AWESOME.

So Mike, now wearing a leash, insists that he is okay and continues this Everest-esque trip up the stairs.

Then the thing gets stuck in the door frame. (A problem my brother brought up an hour earlier, which Mike brushed off...)
This is when things get interesting. Mike, who has taken to calling me "Les," now insists that I maneuver my way up the stairs, between them and the treadmill and start to unscrew the whole damn thing. I begrudgingly obey, we get the thing through the door and we are that much closer to having survived one of the scarier nights of our lives. Or so I thought. After we have the whole machine loaded into my brother's car- which nearly broke during the process, Michael is called back into Mike's house to look at pictures of his Russian girlfriend that Mike has printed off from the internet.

Mike: "Look at her! She is just average over there! Average!"
Michael: "Uh huh...wow..."
STT: maybe the less I say the faster I will be out of here?

Anyway, to make a long story somewhat shorter, I will just say we made it out alive, having learned quite a bit and grown as individuals. Incredible experience to say the least.
After returning to Michael's house I made a delicous creamy tomato and gorgonzola soup. The foodie connection to this whole story is that if you decide to make this soup, in all of its fiery red glory, just know that its color was the same as old man Mike's face when trudging up the stairs.

Ingredients:
Tomato juice
1 can tomatoes-any way you like
1 red pepper
1 onion
some garlic
gorgonzola cheese
some cream cheese
some heavy cream or milk

Saute garlic, onion and red pepper until onion is translucent. Pour in tomatoes and juice and bring to a simmer. Slowly add cheeses and stir to blend. When soup looks nice and blended add the milk. Serve with a grilled cheese or some crusty bread and indulge.

Chili

To me, chili is synonymous with away football games in the fall. In fact, this chili is not unlike a life-saver. On these "football Saturdays," my mother and I often wouldn't see my brothers and dad for hours on end. Aside from the occasional scream, whoop, or holler that would emerge from the basement, we could have been on the moon and not known a difference. If it weren't for hourly chili refills, I probably would remember my male family members in little bits and pieces, like soldiers who are constantly leaving for war, or an uncle that stops by only when out of money or jail, and is never to be seen again for the next five years. A tad dramatic, I know, but I'm telling you, the spirit of "Football Season" overcomes these men like the Holy Spirit at a fundamentalist convention. Praise the Lawd!

Chili

Equal parts canned beans and canned diced tomatoes (usually 3 each). I like to use all different types of beans like butter, red, black and chili beans, to give the soup some variation and color. Sometimes, in a rather Jessica Seinfeld-esque way, I will even puree some beans and mix it in with the tomatoes for a thicker soup.

1 package lean ground turkey
1 Chili Seasoning packet
sour cream (optional)
shredded cheese of your choice (optional)
shredded coconut (optional)
tortilla chips (optional)

In a skillet, cook turkey over medium-high heat. While "browning," (the leaner the turkey, the lighter it will remain), combine beans, tomatoes, and seasoning packet in large pot and bring to a simmer.

When turkey is fully cooked, add it to the pot of soup. Add the rest of the ingredients to taste. It is insanely easy!

Spinach and Water Chestnut Chicken

My Oma is having her birthday party this weekend. I will not tell you how old she is, so as to protect her privacy...(let's just say she's been dancin' this green earth since, well God himself was a boy...) So anyway, it's a substantial one, and we are going to party like there's no tomorrow. (Quite a fitting phrase, since the lady of the hour has taken to reminding me of her own mortality like it's going out of style.

"Goodnight, Oma, see you in the morning!"

"Perhaps, dear, or perhaps I will be looking down on you with a smile, as I sit next to your dear, dear Opa, while you eat your morning eggs...")

Woah.

Anyway, we are going to blow the roof off, if you haven't already put that together. So, naturally, as the event of the year creeped up, I started to prepare. And prepare I did, while at work this morning. I decided I should start hunting around for some intruiging looking recipes for an hour or two and stumbled on some definite prospects. Feta Cheese Puffs, anyone? How 'bout an Artichoke Spinach Dip-Stuffed Mushroom? Yum.

While I was looking, I came across a harmless enough looking recipe for spinach dip. Spinach, cheese, butter, etc. However, while perusing, I saw that you could put said dip on chicken? and roll it in breadcrumbs? With one ear perked, and my head cocked in confusion, I read on with the tenacity of a 6th grader and a new Harry Potter. Truly intruiged, I decided I'd try this sucker out. And deeaaaaammnn! It was good! I fixed mine with rice and voila! With no hesitation and no reservations, I have turned into a younger, female Anthony Bourdain!

Spinach and Water Chestnut Chicken

ingredients:

PAM

2 T butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T flour

1 1/4 c milk

1/2 c fat free half and half or milk

2 9oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 8oz pkg dry veggie soup mix

1/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

Breadcrumbs

Small chicken breasts

Pre-heat oven to 350. Coat casserole dish or cookie sheet with PAM.

In large saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter and add garlic and onion. Stir for 5 mins.

Stir in flour and cook while stirring an additional minute. Add milk and half and half and cook until thick. Remove saucepan from heat and add spinach, water chestnuts, cheddar, soup mix and two T Parm.

Put breadcrumbs on a plate.

Roll/smash chicken into spin dip. Make sure to gently pat the spin dip into the chicken, cradling chicken in palm. Gently coat chicken w/ dip into breadcrumbs, so as not to lose any of the dip.

Place on casserole dish/sheet and bake for about 30 mins.

When finished, sprinkle w/ remaining parm.

*I eliminated the half and half and substituted 2% milk instead to cut down on calories and to avoid having a bunch of half and half sitting in the fridge.

In one serving of the dip (1/9 of final product) there are:

137 Calories

8g Protein

9g Fat--again, this will be less if milk is used

5g Carbs

3g Sugar

120mg Sodium

Ta ta!

Chicken Pot Pie

I am blogging from my apartment on a normal weekday night. Nothing noteworthy or exceptional, just a mundane Monday in the heartland of America. I am writing my first blog post with a feeling of content that only comes from the regular routine of Fall and a good meal in my stomach. With inspiration from Josh Ritter, I bring you Chicken Pot Pie.


Servings = 4 Serving size =1 pie
Cooking Time = 60 Minutes
This recipe can be multiplied by 2, 3, 4.
Leftovers are fair.
1 tsp
extra virgin olive oil
1 cloves
garlic (minced)
1 small
yellow onion (diced)
2 medium
carrots (peeled and diced)
4 Tbsp
all purpose flour
1 cup
low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1
10 ounce package frozen peas with pearl onions
3 cups
2% milk
2 large
red potatoes
1/4 tsp
salt
1/4 tsp
fresh ground black pepper
8 ounces
boneless skinless chicken breast (cubed)
1 tsp
dried basil
1 tsp
dried thyme
2 Tbsp
curley parsley (minced)
3
buttermilk biscuits (from the dairy case)
Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet and add garlic and onion. Cook slowly so that the garlic and onion soften but don’t turn brown.Add the carrots and cook until they are slightly soft. Add the flour and cook for about 3 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock stirring constantly to keep any lumps from forming. Reduce heat to low.Rinse the frozen peas and onions in a strainer under warm water. Drain well and add to the pan. Add the milk, chicken breast, salt, pepper and herbs to the pan. Cook over low heat stirring occasionally.Microwave the potatoes for 5 minutes on high setting. Cut them into 1/2 inch cubes. Add to the sauce and cook for about 30 minutes Ladle into four oven proof bowls.Preheat the oven to 300°F.Lightly flour a chopping board and, using a rolling pin, roll the biscuit dough together and then roll out until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 4 equal pieces and roll very thin. The biscuits should be slightly smaller than the bowl the pot pie will be cooked in. Place them on top of the chicken mixture in the bowl.Place in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes until the top of the biscuit is brown. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size = 1 pot pie
Servings = 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 528
Calories from Fat 64

% Daily Value
Total Fat 7g
11%
Saturated Fat 3g
15%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 48mg
16%
Sodium 930mg
38%
Total Carbohydrates 84g
28%
Dietary Fiber 7g
29%
Sugars 14g

Protein 32g

Vitamin A 120%
Vitamin C 92%
Calcium 33%
Iron 29%
Vitamin K 48 mcg
Potassium 1634 mg
Magnesium 111 mg