Chicken Marsala with Fettucine

Not your mama's marsala, this recipe adds cream and employs the use of your crock-pot. I'm already starting to drool remembering how delicious this one turned out. Rich sauce, juicy chicken breast and carb heavy pasta, ahhhhhhhhh. Alright, back to the important stuff, the how and what so you can make it too. I've included the full recipe for 4 servings but I reduced everything by half except for the liquid ingredients, which I reduced by a third, so it would be appropriate for two people without leftovers.

Chicken Marsala with Fettucine - serves 4

Have it:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbl. vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 c. Marsala wine (I used a wine found near the vinegar, you can find selections in the wine section as well)

2 pkg. (6 oz. ea.) sliced brown mushrooms (I used mini-portabellas)

1/2 c. chicken broth

2 teas. Worchestershire sauce

1/2 teas. salt

1/2 teas. fresh groun pepper

1/2 c. whipping cream

2 tbl. cornstarch

8 oz. cooked fettuccine

2 tbl. chopped fresh parsley

Do it:

1. Coat 4 1/2-quart Crock-Pot slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Transfer to Crock-Pot slow cooker.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion. Cook and stir until translucent. Add Marsala and continue cooking 2-3 minutes or until mixture reduces slightly. Stir in mushrooms.

Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teas. salt and 1/2 teas. pepper. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover; cook on high 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours or until chicken is done. (I only cooked two pieces and checked at 1 hour, they were ready and tender at this point so I removed them.)

3. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let stand. Blend whipping cream and cornstarch until smooth. Stir into cooking liquid. Cover; cook 15 minutes longer or until mixture is thickened. Add salt and pepper, if desired. ( I cooked the noodles during this part and it worked out great!)

Honestly, this was one of the most delicous meals as of late. The chicken was unbelieveably tender and juicy. And even better, the Crock-Pot made this a great weeknight meal!

Source: Crock-Pot The Original Slow Cooker Recipe Collection

Care for some tea?

Or coffee? No? Well, I have a new teapot and I'm ready to break it out! A couple weeks ago I met up with some girlfriends for a GNO (girl's night out) at a local pottery studio to catch up and do some paintin'. I enjoy painting pottery but in the past have often found myself wandering aimlessly with no idea what to paint. This time I came with at least a vague game plan of adding to my kitchen arsenal and using red and black. I found a selection of teapots and a great one with a bit of spunk and whimsy.



Maybe teacups will have to be next??

Gardening is great!

Its official, I have a garden! Still a work in progress but I have carved out my own little corner of the world and filled it with beautiful plants, my little babes. Being a city dweller, I knew from the get-go I would be venturing into container growing for the time being and an important step was to find containers suitable for the wealth of plants I have been acquiring. Drainage holes are very important; don't want to drown the little guys. My vision was to find containers of varying shapes, sizes, colors and textures and thanks to Jo-Ann, CB2 & The Home Depot, the final product came together even better than I could have imagined!



Even before I had purchased all my containers, I was collecting my plants. Since all the little babes would be cohabitating in the same area, I mades sure they were all fans of sun or full sun. I was also mindful of the plants projected height and width so as not to cram a plant into a container too small. Other than that, I went about picking plants that I like the looks or smell of and A LOT of herbs as cooking is another hobby of mine. I'm looking forward to the convenience of popping outside for some cilantro of chives rather than purchasing a whole bushel that will surely wilt.

A breakdown of the plant and where I purchased the lovely container it is now housed in...
Back Row: Cherry Tomato, Jo-Ann; Catmint, Jo-Ann; Hydrangea, Home Depot

On Stand (Jo-Ann): Basil, Home Depot; Spearmint, Home Depot; Forget-Me-Not, Gift (Thanks Angela!)

Front Row: Catnip, Jo-Ann; Chives, Rosemary, Thyme, CB2; Cilantro, Jo-Ann; Greek Oregano, Parsley, Marjoram, Jo-Ann

Stir-Fried Beef with Snap Peas

The great thing about Chicago is the unlimited array of delicious cuisine. Everywhere you turn, more food! While it's great to be able to hop in a cab and grab some grub, sometimes a long day at the office or the desire for a cozy night in leads you to the kitchen rather than the door. No need to settle for boring for a meal at home, bring the excitement to you! This easy, quick and oh-so-yum stir fry is just the ticket to spice up your weeknight meal.

Stir-Fried Beef with Snap Peas - Serves 2

Have it:

6 oz. flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then cut across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices. (stick into the freezer for 15 min. before to make cutting easier)

1 tbl. soy sauce (low-sodium is good here)

2 teas. sugar

1/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

2 tbl. oyster sauce (can find this near the asian cuisine ingredients at the grocery store)

1 tbl. dry sherry

1/2 teas. cornstarch

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 teas. grated or minced fresh ginger

1 tbl. vegetable oil

6 oz. sugar snap peas (about 2 c.), ends trimmed, strings removed

1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced into 1/4-inch-wide strips

1 tbl. water

*This recipe is best served with white rice. I used an instant rice that took less than 10 minutes to cook and it was great! Make sure to time accordingly or use a rice cooker if preferred.

Do it:

1. Toss the beef with the soy sauce and 1/2 teas. of the sugar in a medium bowl and let marinate for at least 10 minutes, or up to 1 hour. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 1 1/2 teas. sugar, broth, oyster sauce, sherry, and cornstarch together. In another bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, and 1/2 teas. of the oil.

2. Drain the beef, discarding the marinade. Heat 1 teas. more oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the beef in a single layer, breaking up any clumps. Cook without stirring for 1 minute, then stir and continue to cook until the meat is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the beef to a clean bowl.

3. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teas. oil to the skillet and heat over high heat until just smoking. Add the snap peas and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1 minute longer.

4. Uncover and clear the center of the skillet. Add the garlic mixture to the clearing and cook, mashing the mixture into the pan, until fragrant, 15-30 seconds. Stir the garlic mixture into the vegetables.

5. Return the beef along with the accumulated juice, to the skillet and stir to combine. Whisk the broth mixture to recombine and add it to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 30 seconds, and serve.

I've made a few different stir-fried dishes and they always make the house smell amazing! Good ventilation is key though as the smoking is part of the cooking and if you live in a small place, smoke alarms may go off :) Another variation to this meal is to cook using a wok if you have one. Ours is in storage but when I've used the wok in the past, it's increased cooking surface is great for the later steps when moving the food away from the center.

Source: America's Test Kitchen & Cook's Illustrated Cooking for Two 2009, one of my favorite cookbooks as all the meals are cut down for two people!

Frost (oh no!) and a Bird

On the new gardening adventure and what comes along? That's right, the possibility of frost. All my new little green guys in their tiny little containers and the big bad frost decides to come to town. Well, never fear...Target is here! Thank goodness for the sturdy reusable plastic bags from Target and a few tough Glad bags. I covered up every flower and herb and tucked them in for the night. No casualties!

And in other garden news ... a new addition!

In the chilly months of winter and early spring, the Crate & Barrel spring catalog comes out, taunting me with all of the lovely summer ware and gardening goodies.This year I was swept away by the chic window boxes (back-ordered till mid-June) and a darling cement bird, perfect to adorn my garden patio. While on a shopping excurision last week I came upon the little bird and it is now perched upon my patio, and maybe yours as well?

What are you wearing in the kitchen?

Cooking can be a rather messy task and an apron can protect you from spatters of marinara or puffs of flour. However, there is no need to strap on a plain canvas apron when there are so many more chic options available these days. I was reading an interesting article in the Chicago Tribune about the history and rebirth of the kitchen apron. At one time the symbol for the lifestyle women were trying avoid, today's generation of women are embracing their domestic side and doing it in style! A few tres chic options...

Etsy seller Boojiboo makes these flattering aprons designed to complement your girlish figure. I love the red and black together.

Anthropologie has always been a favorite store of mine and I just love perusing their home goods. Among them are darling aprons. Wouldn't this one be perfect for a weekend at the lake?

Etsy seller AnniesAttic combines bold fabrics and patterns to create cheerful and funky aprons. The half apron is easy to tie on and take off when dinner is served. The color combinations in this one remind me of the 70s.


Polka dots are back and the aprons at Carolyn's Kitchen have a just a little extra sass. Eat your heart out June Cleaver.

Exclusively for the entertaining hostess, don't even think about using this one while you're actually cooking. A quickchange before your dinner party and finish your outfit off with this striking fuchsia and black apron from Heavenly Hostess.

And to add a little humor (and tequila) to your kitchen is this lime green number you can find at Target. Take those kitchen "oopsies" with a grain of salt and tie this one on for a night of bbqin' on the patio. And yes, this one is already hanging in my kitchen.

Garlicky Shrimp Pasta

Delicious yes, but do make breath mints available after this meal. Garlic breath can make converstion uncomfortable. Coming from one of my favorite sources, America's Test Kitchen, this meal is great for weeknight nosh as it's quick and easy to prepare and you most likely have all of the ingredients on hand. Use frozen shrimp and thaw by running under cold water. This saves on time and is easier on your wallet than fresh shrimp.



Garlicky Shrimp Pasta - serves 4

Have it:
5 garlic cloves, minced (about 5 teas.) plus 4 cloves, smashed (I told you it was garlicky!)
1 lb. large shrimp (21-25 count), peeled and deveined, each shrimp cut into 3 pieces
3 tbl. olive oil
1 lb. short pasta such as mezze rigatoni (love these little guys), fusilli or campanelle
1/4 - 1/2 teas. red pepper flakes
2 teas. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 c. dry vermouth or white wine
3/4 c. clam juice (can find near the canned tuna)
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
3 tbl. unsalted butter
1 teas. fresh lemon juice plus 1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving
Pepper

Do it:
1. Toss 2 teas. of the minced garlic, the shrimp, 1 tbl. of the oil, and 1/4 teas. salt in a medium bowl. Let the shrimp marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes. This can marinate as you prepare the remaining ingredients.

2. Heat the smashed garlic cloves and the remaining 2 tbl. oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is light golden brown, 4-7 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic from the skillet; discard the garlic. Set the skillet aside.

3. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven (if you don't have a DO, you can use a large pot. However, the DO is a great tool and I would recommend investing in one.) over high heat. Add 1 tbl. salt and the pasta. Cook, stirring often, until just al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 c. of the cooking water, and transfer the pasta back to the pot.

4. Meanwhile, return the skillet with the oil to medium heat; add the shrimp with the marinade to the skillet in a single layer. Cook the shrimp, undisturbed, until the oil starts to bubble gently, 1-2 minutes. Stir the shrimp and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a medium bowl. Add the remaining 3 teas. minced garlic and the red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the clam juice and parsley; cook until mixture starts to thicken, 1-2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and lemon juice. Add the shrimp and sauce to the pasta, adjusting the consistency with up to 1/4 c. reserved pasta cooking water. Season with pepper to taste. Serve, (in a lovely Crate & Barrel serving dish as I have) passing the lemon wedges separately.

To complete this yummy meal, serve with crunchy crostini bread and steamed asparagus to keep the meal light. Top off with a glass of your favorite white wine and wow, a flavorful meal with easy behind the scenes work for you!

Source: The Best of America's Test Kitchen Best Recipes & Reviews 2010, pick this up at your local grocery or book store in the magazine section.

How does your garden grow?

Why, with silver bells and cockle shells and pretty maids all in a row! As the weather has been warming and there is new foliage a-bloomin' I've been looking forward to venturing into gardening. However, my novice gardening skills and lack of a green thumb have been further diminshed by my forgetful nature. So while I desire to grow pretty things, my track record is closer to plant killer than grower. To improve in this arena I have turned to two fantastic books - You Grow Girl and Grow Great Grub both by Gayla Trail. Gayla's writing style is fresh, funny and practical (she has a fantastic website as well, www.yougrowgirl.com). It's perfect for those of us that are limited by space, time or budget and looking to grow with little knowledge. My foray is just beginning but the premise is very simple - transform my simple, small patio into what I hope will be a lovely spot to enjoy the summer days ahead.

The before pictures...

My plan is simple (or so it seems right now): go organic with container gardening. A tomato plant, hanging to keep it away from the critters, and a few herbs will cover the "edible"portion of the spread. I'll also have to do some flowers, most likely some vibrant colored annuals, and round out with a few good-looking plants. Husband and I will be making our own picnic table as well and I'm looking forward to that adventure! Can't wait to get my hands in the dirt and enjoy spring planting. More details as the journey continues...