Laura’s Quick Chicken Marsala

04/25/2020 by Laura 2 Comments

This is one of the more frequently served meals from our repertoire of quick chicken breast dishes. It looks far fancier then it actually is. It’s great for a weeknight but is also a worthy dinner party option.

This recipe includes one of my “dirty little secret” ingredients. British gravy granules Bisto. Bisto has been around for over 100 years and is used to color and thicken gravies and sauces. It adds a tiny bit of flavor, but not a lot. I add it to stews, sauces, and gravies that need a little thickening. I use it here to tighten up and finish the sauce in this Chicken Marsala. You can usually find it in the British/Irish section of the grocery store, or at many online retailers.

Ingredients, for 2-3 servings

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup flour

salt and pepper

olive oil for sauteing

1 Tablespoon butter, for sauteing

3/4 pound mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and sliced

2 large cloves garlic, finely minced

1 cup sweet marsala wine

1 cup chicken stock

2 Tablespoons Bisto

1 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes (my preference) for serving

Place the flour in a zip lock bag. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken breast, dredge and pound the chicken into a flat filet. Repeat with the other pieces of chicken.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet. I use my cast iron skillet for this recipe. Brown the chicken on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the garlic and saute until soft. Add the mushrooms and saute until soft and a little brown. (You may need to add a little more oil or a pat of butter.) About 5 minutes.

Add the Marsala wine. Bring to a simmer and reduce the wine, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken stock. Return to simmer and add the chicken. Simmer on low heat for at least 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Finally, add two tablespoons of Bisto to the simmering sauce, to thicken it up. (Alternatively, you could use a couple tablespoons of corn starch dissolved in a little stock.)

Reduce heat to warm, while you prepare your pasta, rice or potatoes. Garnish the chicken with a little fresh chopped parsley.Serve with a fresh vegetable and a lovely, dry white wine.

Have a lovely evening. Thanks for stopping by.

MSLS

Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

02/02/2018 by Laura Leave a Comment

Can you believe it is February 2nd today? According to Punxsutawney Phil, there’s 6 more weeks of soup weather ahead of us!

January was a total blur for me. I got that ridiculous virus (flu). I really hope you have escaped it, and if you catch it, do take it seriously. I started hacking on Boxing Day; coughing so hard and uncontrollably I could not catch my breath at times. (Before you ask, YES I GOT A FLU SHOT!) I saw the Dr. on the 27th of December and was given steroids, antivirals, and inhalers. If you know me at all, you know I will do anything to avoid taking Prednisone. This time, I did not even consider putting up a fight! I would have done anything to STOP the coughing! When there were clear signs of infection a week later, I was put on antibiotics. I ran fevers of about 100′ off and on for three weeks. It was just last week that I honestly believed I would make it to Valentines Day! I’m surprised our food delivery folks haven’t called to see why the Hot and Sour soup orders have stopped! Anyway, with my absence explained, and all the crap I ordered on-line while sick; returned, I’m here to share this recipe with you!

We love chicken tortilla soup! So flavorful and satisfying. I always have a whole chicken in the freezer, and roasted tomatoes in the pantry. Onions, avocados, tortillas, and cilantro are usually restocked weekly. I discovered a frozen southwest veggie mix a couple summers ago. It is the perfect add-in to this soup. This frozen veggie combo also makes a great cold salad with a lime, cumin, cilantro vinaigrette. This veggie mix has become a staple in the freezer as well. This post is not sponsored…I’m sharing this “short cut” with you ’cause that’s what I’m all about.

For the soup

Place one whole chicken* (extra fat, skin and giblets removed), in a large stock pot.

cover the chicken with 3 quarts of fresh, cold water
season with salt and pepper

Simmer about two hours, over low heat, until chicken is done – no pink in the thighs.

Remove chicken from pot. Strain the broth into a large bowl and set aside.

Pull the chicken off the bones, removing the skin, breaking the meat into bite size pieces. Set aside.

*You could use rotisserie chicken and three quarts of chicken stock, if your prefer to not cook a whole chicken. Just start with the steps below.

1 large or 2 small jalapeno peppers, minced

1 large, sweet onion, diced

4 T. olive oil

Sauté the onion and pepper in the olive oil over medium heat in your stock pot, about 5 minutes, until tender.

Add:

1 large can diced, fire roasted tomatoes
2 T ground cumin
1 T chili powder
Salt, pepper
2 bags of southwestern style frozen vegetables

Pour the reserved stock back into the stock pot. Taste for Seasoning. Simmer about 30 minutes.

15 minutes before serving, add the reserved chicken meat to the pot. Simmer gently to warm the meat through. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

While the soup is heating, prepare the garnishes:

Cut 4-5 corn tortillas into strips. Add 4 T of oil to a sauté pan and cook them until lightly brown and crisp. Cool on a paper towel to remove any excess oil.

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1 bunch of green onions, sliced

2-3 avocado’s diced

lime wedges – 1 per serving

grated cheese, for serving

sour cream for serving

When ready to serve, ladle soup into a serving bowl bowl. Top with tortilla strips, shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, onion and sour cream. Add a lime wedge on the side.. This soup is fantastic leftover and also freezes well.

Make it soon, you won’t regret it!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful evening.

Laura

Mediterranean inspired Chicken, Potato and Green Bean Sheet-pan Supper

03/08/2017 by Laura 2 Comments

I always thought that when I retired, (Yes, RETIRED! More about that in an upcoming post.) I’d spend my days making elaborate meals! Meals that took lots of planning, shopping for exotic ingredients and hours in the kitchen. I’ve kind of surprised myself with my recent desire for simplicity. Simplicity of ingredients, quick cooking and easy, often one pan, clean up! Additionally, anything I cook usually makes two appearances. The roast chicken below became chicken salad for lunches, two days in a row. I am sure I will continue to explore elaborate and exotic adventures in food, but they will not be as frequent as I’d thought they would be.

Sheet-pan suppers are gaining in popularity for good reason. They are quick, nutritious, delicious one pan alternatives to the crock pot. Don’t get me wrong, I love my crock pot for many things. But, you will never get crispy skin on a chicken or roast potatoes, in a crock pot! Also unlikethe crock pot, you can prep, cook and serve in 45 – 60 minutes, which fits in better with my current state of spontaneity!

For this recipe, I suggest you spatchcock your chicken. It will cook quickly and evenly and provide a safe, steamy haven for the green beans. If you do not know how to spatchcock a chicken….Google it and watch a video or two. Alternatively, you could ask your butcher to remove the back bone for you. Just make sure you retain it, for your scrap bag of chicken parts, for stock.

For the Mediterranean inspired chicken, potato and green bean supper

Organic ingredients whenever possible

1 half-sheet, sheet pan

1 fresh young chicken 3-4 pounds, preferably organic, spatchcoked and patted dry

7-8 cloves of garlic, minced

leaves from 4-5 sprigs of fresh oregano, minced

zest of one lemon, finely grated on a microplane

juice of zested lemon

Mix the garlic, oregano, lemon zest and lemon juice together in a small bowl with about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil

1 large lemon, sliced thinly

3/4 – 1 pound of fresh green beans, ends removed, uniformly sized

1 pound tiny red and gold potatoes, quartered

Salt and Pepper

additional olive oil

Drizzle a little olive oil on the sheet pan. Pile the green beans in a tight pile, in the center of the pan.

Place the flattened chicken over the green beans, ensuring the beans are all tucked underneath it.

Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and massage it in! Place a couple teaspoonful’s of the garlic, oregano and lemon mixture, under the skin. Place a few lemon slices under the skin as well.

Place the potatoes around the chicken, in a single layer. Drizzle the potatoes with the remaining herb mixture. Toss well to ensure they are coated.

Season well with salt and pepper and Greek style seasoning. (Greek blend offered by numerous spice companies.)

Pop it in a 400′ oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the temperature in the thigh registers 165′.

Let the chicken rest 10-15 minutes before serving.

I hope you will give this meal a try!

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a great evening,

Laura

Orange – Oregano Roast Chicken with Olive Gremolata

02/11/2017 by Laura Leave a Comment

Do you eat as much chicken as we do? The versatility, the convenience and the price all contribute to the reason it shows up on our plate so often. Diana Henry has by far, the most versatile, interesting and flavorful chicken recipes. While she has an entire book devoted to the proud bird, titled A Bird in the Hand, this recipe is from her newest book Simple. Simple focuses on recipes that include things you typically have in a well stocked pantry. My large bag of Cara Cara oranges led me to choose this recipe for last nights dinner. It’s quick and flavorful, and I had all the ingredients on hand. It’s simple enough for a weeknight meal but fancy enough for a dinner party.

Adapted slightly from Diana Henry’s newest book, Simple

For the chicken – this is best if allowed to marinate overnight

6 whole chicken legs, trimmed of extra skin and fat

1/3 cup chopped oregano leaves

8 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped

juice of 2 oranges, and thinly sliced rind of 1 orange

2 oranges, thinly sliced

1/3 cup of olive oil

salt and pepper

Finely chop the oregano, garlic and orange rind. Place it in a large bowl that you will marinate the chicken in. Add the juice from the orange and the olive oil. Mix well. Add the chicken. Massage the marinade into the chicken, with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight, or a minimum of 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the gremolata

1 cup mixed green and black olives, pitted and finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

2 red Fresno chiles, seeded and finely chopped

zest of 1 orange

2 Tablespoons chopped oregano leaves

1/3 cup of olive oil

1 Tablespoon of orange juice

1 Tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar

a squeeze of lemon juice

Chop the olives, garlic, chiles and orange zest together on a cutting board. Place in a small bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Set aside to let the flavors infuse.

To prepare the chicken

Heat the oven to 375′. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off the excess. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in an oven proof sauté pan, that will allow the chicken to lay flat in a single layer. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown on both sides. Finish with the chicken skin side up. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place the orange slices under and around the chicken. Return to the oven and roast another 20 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165′ on a thermometer. Scatter the gremolata on top. Serve from the sauté pan with couscous or roasted potatoes.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Thanks for stopping by.

Have a great evening,

Laura

Skillet Steak with Pickle Salsa Verde and (not that big of a….) Hassleback Potatoes

01/15/2017 by Laura 2 Comments

I am sitting in my office surrounded by many things I love. Over 300 cookbooks, my camera gear, yarn and knitting supplies and my connection to ya’ll. On the dining room table is another pile of cookbooks, all fairly new releases, about 30 in total. On my corner of the couch are a dozen more cookbooks from the library, unread copies of Food and Wine, my I Pad with bookmarked blog pages, and a basket with 3, ok 5, current knitting projects. In spite of being surrounded by all this inspiration and creativity I still find it difficult to figure out what to make for dinner!

I am not brazen enough to say I’m making a NY resolution here, but I am going to share with you how we intend to get out of the “recipe rut” going forward. Dave’s idea actually! He came up with it one day when I was even more frustrated then normal, and really struggling to come up with “something for dinner”. Dave handed me a book from the top of the pile and said “open it, any page”. “There”, he said, “that’s what’s for dinner”. I might mention, that this is the same guy that chose his daily outfit by whatever was on top in the laundry basket and advised me to do the same when dressing for the day! Anyway, the book on the top of the pile was Sara Moulton’s newest book “Home Cooking 101, How to Make Everything Taste Better”. I had turned to a flat iron steak recipe, to be cooked in a skillet. Since our grill was acting weird; because of the sub-freezing temperatures effect on the propane, I thought the skillet approach was fabulous. I showed Dave the salsa verde recipe and he was not enthused. The book recommended a soft, baked polenta as a side…not Dave’s first choice. So, I flipped further into the book and chose Hassleback potatoes. I’d never made them before. They looked really good. What’s not to love about a potato basted with butter and garlic….crisp on the edges and soft on the inside? All set, decision made, we headed to the kitchen!

Again, all recipes adapted from “Home Cooking 101″ by Sara Moulton”

For the Pickle Salsa Verde

2 tablespoons finely chopped cornichons

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon finely chopped capers

1 tablespoon minced shallots

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more to taste, if desired)

1/4 quick light olive oil

Mix all the ingredients well. Add in

1 1/2 cups medium chopped, fresh parley leaves, and stir. Set aside while you prepare the steak and the potatoes.

For the Hassleback Potatoes

heat the oven to 400′

2 – 4 russet potatoes, or 1 potato per person

4-6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves, smashed

2 sprigs of thyme

salt and pepper

Peel the potatoes. Drop each potato into a bowl of cold water. Work with one potato at a time, slice a small amount off the bottom of each potato to ensure it will sit flat. Place the potato between 2 chopsticks on the cutting board. (Sara’s genius advice!) slice the potatoes into 1/8″ slices, as shown. The chopsticks will prevent your knife from cutting all the way through the potato. Return the potato to the bowl of water until all are sliced. Remove from the water and dry well. Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave with the garlic and thyme. Brush each potato with the melted butter, getting in between the slices as much as possible. Season with salt. Bake 30 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the oven. Gently separate the slices with a bread knife and baste between all the slices with the butter. Return to the oven, and bake another 30-40 minutes, until crispy on the edges and soft in the centers. Keep warm while you prepare the steak.

For the Skillet Steak

1 1/2 pound flank, flat iron or skirt steak, about an inch thick

Let the steak come to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. Dry steaks and hot skillets are friends! Season the steaks as desired. My favorite is Kosher salt and garlic pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat in a heavy skillet. I think cast iron is the best for searing a steak. Sear the steak on each side, 3-4 minutes for rare, 4-5 minutes for medium rare. Remember, your steak will continue cooking a bit while it rests!!! Remove from skillet to a plate. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 8-10 minutes. Slice the steak across the grain and plate. Place a couple tablespoons of the salsa on each serving.

We enjoyed this meal very much alongside a broiled tomato and tossed green salad. I loved the salsa….I love salty briny things. It was not Dave’s favorite. Those potatoes though…MAKE THE POTATOES.

I hope you have a great evening. Thanks for stopping by.

Laura

50’s Flashback – Chicken (or Tuna) Noodle Casserole

01/15/2016 by Laura Leave a Comment

We all have comfort food favorites and Chicken (or Tuna) Noodle Casserole is definitely near the top of my list. I’ve been reluctant to post this recipe knowing it’s not that interesting or adventurous, and would also require my admitting to use of “that canned soup”. With encouragement from friends who’ve received this casserole after surgeries, babies, illnesses or other trying times, I decided to share the recipe. It’s something I always have the ingredients on hand for and comes together quickly whether in crisis mode or not! It’s as good with tuna as it is with chicken. It freezes well and is great the next day for lunch, or a second dinner. If you hate mushrooms don’t use them, and use Cream of Celery soup instead. I’ve stepped it up from the 4 ingredient tuna casserole version of my childhood, by adding cheese, sour cream, and vegetables. I hope you’ll like it as much as we do!

For the Chicken (or Tuna) Noodle Casserole

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped into bite size pieces OR 3 7oz. cans of rinsed, drained tuna

2 cans Cream of Chicken, or Cream of Celery or Cream of Mushroom soup

1 1/2 cups of milk

1 cup of sour cream

1 cup shredded white cheddar, or mozzarella, or Monterey jack or any combination of cheese you like

3/4 cup diced celery

3/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup sliced mushrooms (ok to skip mushrooms if you aren’t a fan)

1 teaspoon minced, dry onion

1 cup frozen, petite peas

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (potato chip upgrade, but you can use them if you must!)

olive oil spray

EVOO for sautéing the vegetables

Salt and Pepper, to taste

1 package (12 ounces) Wide Egg Noodles

Heat the oven to 375′. Spray a casserole dish with oil to prevent sticking. Cook the noodles according to package directions in a large pot of salted boiling water. Drain in a colander and set aside.

In the same pot that you cooked the noodles, sauté the celery, peppers, mushrooms and dry onion in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until soft and tender. (By sautéing the veggies and mixing the ingredients in the same pan you boiled the noodles in – you have only one pan to wash!)

Remove from the heat. Stir in the soup, milk, sour cream. Add the noodles and mix well. Add the chicken (OR tuna), the shredded cheese and the peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

When all ingredients are combined, pour into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the Panko bread crumbs evenly over the top. Spray the crumbs with a little oil to aid in even browning.

Bake for about 40 minutes until casserole is bubbly and the top is slightly browned, about 180′ on a thermometer.

Serve with fresh fruit or a tossed green salad.

Have a wonderful evening,

Laura

I love sharing my bird photos. Here are the jays that enjoy the peanuts we put out for them!

Quick, Comforting, One Pan Chicken with Delicata Squash and Brussels Sprouts

11/24/2015 by Laura 2 Comments

Thanksgiving week. I cannot believe it is here already. So much has happened in the last few months. I’m still waiting to exhale; to take in a deep breath and let it out, without stopping half way. Those of you who follow my blog know Dave had major surgery in August. You can read about it here. In the midst of all this, I lost my Dad. He passed peacefully on September 25th, after a long illness. Like all families (eventually) do, ours has experienced a shit storm in 2015. A Job change, cancer and the loss of a parent. It has been one of the most challenging periods in my life. I am grateful for going through it, and coming out on “the other side”. I honestly wasn’t sure I could, but I did! We did. Thank you for your support.

Dave began 8 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments in mid-September. It was extremely rough. Nothing you can prepare for, but something you have to endure; one day at a time. And that is what Dave did, he endured and persevered. He ended up spending his last two weeks of treatment in the hospital. Dave (and I) received fantastic care throughout this entire process. I will be forever grateful to the staff on 12-East at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, as well as the Swedish Cancer Care Treatment Center. Dave is improving everyday. It is a slow process. There is still a long way to go after treatment stops.

It has been hard cooking for just myself, for a lot of reasons. Dave and I have always looked forward to cooking meals and eating together; Dave doing the shopping and the clean up! I learned so much about things I never thought about, prior to Dave’s illness, mostly because I just never had to. Like….what day the garbage gets picked up, how much “output” is created by 2 large golden retrievers, how many pans I dirty when I cook, and that I have no clue how to turn on the music or watch a movie on our system! Thankfully, the music is on again, and I am catching up on Netflix!

I’m posting this recipe as it was something I made once or twice over the past few months. It goes together quickly, it’s comfort food and even a little on the healthy side. You can easily control the portions and amount of leftovers. For me, I stretched this recipe into two dinners and one lunch. For some reason, I always seem to have Brussels Sprouts and Delicata squash around, this time of year. Both are also great added to a salad with a few walnuts, goat cheese and dried cranberries, or to this chicken dish!

For the One Pan Chicken with Delicata Squash and Brussels Sprouts

2, 4, 6, or 8 chicken thighs, depending on how many people you are feeding (I used 4)

olive oil

salt, pepper

one, finely sliced shallot

1, 2, or 3 Delicata squash, halved, seeded and sliced

6-8 Brussels sprouts, per serving, halved

1/2 cup dry white wine

Heat the oven to 350′. Trim the chicken thighs of excess fat and skin, and pat dry. Season well with salt and pepper on both sides. Warm 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a heavy, oven proof skillet. Brown the thighs on both sides over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots to the pan to brown with the chicken. Remove to a plate, and set aside. Wipe the pan to remove any burnt, potentially bitter bits, and excess oil. Return the pan to the heat, give the Brussels sprouts about five minutes in the pan, sautéing gently. Remove to a plate and set aside. Repeat with the Delicata squash, adding a little more oil, if needed. Return the chicken to the pan, then add the Brussels sprouts and top with the shallots. Add a little more salt and pepper, the 1/2 cup of dry, white wine and place the entire skillet in the oven. Cook about 30 minutes, until thighs register 165′ on a meat thermometer. Let rest about 10 minutes and serve.

Of all the things I’ve learned over the past few months, I learned that Dave and I can make it through anything! His last treatment was November 2. We are going to Hawaii on January 5th, where we will celebrate his birthday with both our Mom’s. We will return to cooking, photographing, blogging and eating together soon!

Have a great evening and a wonderful Thanksgiving,

Laura

These beauties are Stellar’s Jays. We have had a pair hanging around for years. The go crazy for peanuts!

Laura’s Baked Rigatoni

05/26/2015 by Laura Leave a Comment

“Life is what happens while your busy making other plans.” We both have a lot going on, leaving very little time for this piece of my heart. I will get back to regular posting soon, and I promise to end the year with a bang! Meanwhile, I want to share this quick and easy casserole with you. It saved us from expensive takeout Monday night.

After spending the weekend pruning, planting, mowing, trimming, mulching and composting, neither of us were anxious to grocery shop and then cook. After digging through the pantry and the refrigerator, we came up with this version of baked rigatoni. Not your typical Memorial Day fare, but a great week night meal. This recipe makes about 8 servings; enough to freeze for a future “I don’t feel like cooking” dinner. Enjoy!

Laura’s Baked Rigatoni

1 package Rigatoni, Ziti or Penne dry pasta (about 12 ounces) – cooked al dente, drained and cooled

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce, about 24 ounces

1 can diced tomatoes, drained, about 14 ounces

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 sweet yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 small eggplant, diced into 3/4″ cubes

2 lbs. Italian Chicken sausage

1 12 ounce package mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper

2-4 tablespoons of olive oil

Prepare the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Do not overcook. Drain the pasta and let it cool in the colander.

Prepare a large baking dish / casserole by lightly spraying with oil. Pre-heat the oven to 350′.

Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, bell pepper and eggplant. Saute about 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add another Tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the mushrooms, about 6 minutes, until soft. Transfer the mushrooms to the mixing bowl. Add the last Tablespoon of oil to the pan and brown the sausage thoroughly. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sausage cool down a bit. Transfer the sausage to the mixing bowl. Add the cooled pasta, diced tomatoes, pasta sauce, Italian seasoning and mozzarella cubes to the mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. Taste for salt and pepper and add accordingly.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Top with the grated parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake until bubbly, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook another 10 minutes.

Enjoy with crusty bread and a crisp green salad.

Thanks for visiting. Have a wonderful evening.

Laura

In memory of our beautiful kitty, Phoebe.

More from IFBC – An Awesome Turkey Burger and Getting the Shot, Regardless of the Light!

10/08/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

One of my favorite presentations at IFBC was Todd Coleman’s. Todd is the Creative Director at Tasting Table and former executive food editor of Saveur magazine. Todd is a bit of a rebel, which is probably why I liked him so much! You know the type, go for it and beg for forgiveness later, but only if absolutely necessary. One of my bosses used that exact phase to describe both my strengths and weaknesses when asked for a pre-employment personal reference. Todd hasn’t really followed a traditional career path. I am not sure he even had a specific goal in mind when he entered the CIA. One thing is for sure, he has explored, touched, and mastered every aspect of food related creativity! Though he did not speak to it, I sensed a willingness to take risks, a strong sense of confidence and an innate ability to listen to your gut, without letting the “I can’t, I shouldn’t, what if, or but” get in the way! Though it may get you in a whole lot of trouble when you are younger, once that fearless determination is coupled with a little experience and knowledge – look out! Todd’s amazing career, as an editor, chef, producer, photographer, videographer and who knows what next is just such an example of someone who refused to follow the rules and created a few of his own along the way!

I’ve had a few photography classes, but I am still very much a beginner. Every class I’ve had has stressed the importance of natural light. So, imagine my shock (and delight) when Todd pulled a flashlight and a piece of foil out of his pocket! iPhone photo in a dark restaurant? No problem! Place the foil opposite the object and bounce the flashlight light off the foil! While this is an extremely simplified summary of his point, it’s still pretty accurate. My purse just got 10 pounds lighter and my restaurant companions just let out a big sigh of relief.

Todd presented many photos from his portfolio as well as a recent video filmed for Tasting Table. I did not take any photos during his presentation as I was engrossed in watching, listening and learning. He has a style all his own. Check his work out at Todd Coleman Photography. You will recognize many of the photos! A lot of the photos included in his presentation were taken at night with artificial light. This was really thrilling to me as I have been dreading the quickly approaching dark Seattle winter days. For plated food shots, Todd suggested dropping lights down to the level of the food, rather then lighting from above. I tried it with this burger. What do you think? Can you tell this was taken at 8pm with artificial light?

The turkey burger was inspired by the BBQ Turkey Sliders served at the Butterball presentation at the IFBC conference. The sliders make a great party appetizer and will probably make an appearance at our house on Super Bowl Sunday or New Year’s Eve! It took me a while to convince Dave to try a turkey burger and much to his surprise, he really liked it!

For the Turkey Burger

1 pound ground turkey, we used organic ground turkey

1 egg

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup bbq sauce (plus 1/4 cup more for basting), we really like Organicville – no sugar or corn syrup

lettuce leaves

sliced tomatoes

sliced cheese, we used organic white cheddar

bbq buns for burgers, or King’s Hawaiian Rolls, split, for sliders

Place the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Form the mixture into 12 small patties if making sliders, or 3-4 patties if making burgers.

Warm a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Oil the skillet to prevent sticking. Cook the burgers until lightly browned on one side, flip, baste with bbq sauce. Repeat. Complete cooking until temperature on a meat thermometer reaches 165′ – the temperature required for thoroughly cooked poultry. Place a slice of cheese on each patty. While the meat rests, lightly toast the buns. To assemble, place a lettuce leaf on the bun, sliced tomatoes, and then the turkey patty. Enjoy!

Have a wonderful evening,

Laura

Herbed Shrimp with Spicy Breadcrumbs

08/27/2014 by Laura 2 Comments

This recipe is based on a recent post by Food & Wine Daily Inspirations. It was contributed by Andrew Zimmerman. I followed the recipe closely, with only a couple of substitutions. With most of the ingredients on hand in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer, it was a quick week night meal. I know we will be making this again soon. We served it with our heirloom tomato bruschetta.

I have not used bread crumbs in pasta dishes before. In doing a little research, it is quite common in many Southern Italian pasta dishes. As with many wonderful, traditional dishes, it was created out of necessity due to the lack of availability of other ingredients. Pasta with garlicky breadcrumbs is often consumed during Lent.

Herbed Shrimp with Pasta and Spicy Breadcrumbs, Andrew Zimmerman, Food & Wine

for the Bread Crumbs

1/4 pound Italian bread, torn

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped oregano

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup of olive oil (I substituted olive oil for 1/2 stick of melted butter)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt

Pepper

Heat oven to 350′. Place the dry ingredients into a food processor and pulse until breadcrumbs are fine. Drizzle in the oil. Season with Salt and pepper. Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned – about 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Let cool completely before use. Breadcrumbs can be stored in an airtight container.

for the Shrimp

20 jumbo shrimp (2 pounds), shelled and deveined

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced parsley

2 tablespoons minced basil

1 1/2 teaspoons minced oregano

1/2 teaspoon minced thyme

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

Kosher salt

Pepper

3/4 pound capellini or angel hair pasta

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Prepare the shrimp and set aside. Chop the herbs and garlic. Place in a bowl and add the crushed red pepper, salt, pepper and the 1/2 cup of olive oil. Add the shrimp to the bowl. Stir to coat. Place the shrimp in the refrigerator until ready to broil.

Start the pasta water. Heat the broiler. Once the pasta has been added to the boiling water prepare to broil the shrimp. Place the shrimp on a pan with all the marinade. Broil the shrimp about 5 minutes and turn. Broil another 4-5 minutes.

When the pasta is done, drain the water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the juices from the broiler pan, the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss gently.

Plate the pasta. Place the shrimp atop the pasta and top all with a generous sprinkle of bread crumbs. Serve with bruschetta or a tossed green salad.