Crawfish and Andouille Sausage Etouffee

This was fairly quick and easy to throw together for a dinner, as long as we had the crawfish. We always have long grain rice (we used basmati and it worked out, was very fluffy). We added andouille sausage the second time we made it and it was fabulous! 

This recipe does make a lot, halving it might be more reasonable for a smaller group. 

Ingredients:

6-8 cups of long grain white rice, we used basmati. We usually have rice left over for various things too. 

4-6 cups  turkey or chicken stock depending on how concentrated it is and your tastes

4-6 cups water 

1.5 cup butter

2 large onions, chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup flour

2 cans crushed tomatoes

2 lbs crawfish tails

1 package andouille sausage

green onions - chopped for garnish

salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp Cajun seasoning

Old Bay seasoning to taste 

Directions:

1. Set rice to cook in rice cooker. We love our Zojurishi, it really makes a difference

2. Make the roux with about half the butte rbutter and flour. We used a cast iron pan. Melt butter, gradually add in the flour and stir constantly until flour is cooked and mixture is thickened. 

3. Take the other half the butter and fry onion and celery until softened. Add garlic until fragrant, about one minute. 

4. Add in tomato sauce and stock and water. 

5. Add in the roux

6. Mix

7. Add in crawfish tails and andouille sausage and bring to a simmer

8. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes

9. Serve etouffee over cooked rice and garnish with green onions. 

What we liked:

It was easy, fun and yummy. 

What we didn't like:

Nothing, it was great. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

Brenton actually loved it and at 2 years old ate three whole bowls! 

Next time:

Nothing, these are great. 

Honey Cashew Chicken with Broccoli and Rice

Tonight was a honey cashew chicken with broccoli. It was a great recipe and we will definitely make again, but ours came out too sweet, so watch the honey amounts. It might also be that our hoisin sauce was on the much sweeter side. We used a portable burner (which we first saw at a restaurant called Nagomi, where we tried hot pot, or swish swish for the first time). This burner was able to get the wok hotter and faster, and resulted in a very pleasant stir fry. The nuts actually caramelized and were like candied nuts almost.

Ingredients:

1 lb broccoli florets
1 cup cashews
1 lb chicken breast
1 cup bell peppers or mini bell peppers, sliced
2 cups rice - prepared per cooking instructions, depending on the type of rice you use
canola oil to fry

Sauce:
2 tbs hoisin sauce
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
sesame seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sesame oil

1 teaspoon corn starch
2 tbsp cold water

Directions:

1. Slice the chicken into strips or cubes, as desired. We did strips.
2. Mix together the sauce.
3. Marinate the chicken in the sauce for at least 30 minutes.
4. Remove chicken from sauce to fry in wok
5. Wok fry the chicken, using canola oil 
6. Wok fry the veggies, adding the sauce and corn starch dissolved in coldwater about halfway through to thicken it up.
7. Add cashews. 

What we liked:

It was probably the best cashew chicken we have ever had. 

What we didn't like:

Too much honey (2 tbsp) the recipe above is adjusted with less honey. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He actually seemed to like it. 

Next time:

No changes other than the honey decrease which is reflected in the recipe above. 

Cherry Rosemary Chicken with Couscous

We made this a few days ago. The cherries go sooo well with the chicken and it's a super easy, fun and quick recipe. The result is very delicious and it looks beautiful also!
In addition, it made for great lunches for the next day as well.

The original recipe for the cherry rosemary chicken is here: http://heatherchristo.com/2016/08/08/rosemary-cherry-balsamic-roasted-chicken/

Rosermary Cherry Chicken with Couscous!

Out of the Oven!

Yum couscous!

Ready to bake!

Ingredients:

Cherry Rosemary chicken:
5 small chicken breasts (we used frozen)
6 fresh sprigs of rosemary - leaves taken off the stems
2 cups pitted cherries - cut in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt

Couscous:
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups couscous
2 tablespoons butter
salt or other spices - we used a tuscan garlic blend (about a tablespoon) 

Directions:

For the chicken:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400 F.
2. Place all ingredients into an oven safe dish and mix together.
3. Bake for about an hour or until chicken has cooked through. For us, it was about an hour since we put them in frozen.

Couscous:
1. Bring water with butter and spices to a boil.
2. Add couscous.
3. Turn off heat and cover. Let stand for about 5 minutes and fluff with fork before serving. 

What we liked:

The flavor combination was pretty incredible. The time to prepare was also very short. It took the longest to pit the cherries, but overall the prep time was minimum. We used the rosemary from our garden! 

What we didn't like:

Nothing, it was great. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He liked the couscous (Even with all the spices!) 

Next time:

No change! This is a great dish!

Slow Cooker Pheasant with Steamed Broccoli

We decided to find a recipe that might make the tough pheasant meat a little more soft. We opted for this slow cooker recipe and it did not disappoint! The meat simply fell away from the bones and was very good. It was soft and flavorful. The pellets were easier to identify and remove as well compared to either baked or grilled pheasant dishes that we have made in the past.
The broccoli was simply steamed for this side. We also made a side of wild rice mixture.

Here is the original recipe: https://www.thespruce.com/karens-crockpot-pheasant-with-balsamic-marinade-3062112

Served

Another close up

View of the plate from the top

Pheasant still in slow cooker

Ingredients:

4-6 pheasant breasts
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced garlic (optional)
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

1. Rinse the pheasant.
2. Combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic (if you're using it), liquid smoke, Sriracha sauce, vinegar and onion powder.
3. Put the pheasant and the marinade in large, non-reactive container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Stir the marinade occasionally to keep pheasant coated.
4. Transfer pheasant to slow cooker.
5. Pour the marinade juices over it.0
6. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours.

What we liked:

It was very flavorful and tender.

What we didn't like:

Nothing, it was great!

What Kaspian thought about it:

He is still not too into our dinners, preferring bread buns for dinner instead. 

Next time:

No Changes - will make again

Beef Stew - slow cooker

This was another slow cooker recipe. The best part about those is that you just make it in the morning and then don't worry about dinner the rest of the day. We made some slight modifications, such as adding a splash of red wine to the dish. We also used a lot more water/broth (enough to cover all ingredients in the soup). We also doubled the potatoes from the original recipes. The modified recipe is below.

Here is the original recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/14685/slow-cooker-beef-stew-i/

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leafs
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
6 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced or 8 oz baby carrots
1 stalk celery, chopped

Directions:

1. Place meat in slow cooker.
2. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, wine,  potatoes, carrots, and celery. Add water to cover all ingredients
2. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.

What we liked:

It was really great! The paprika and Worcestershire sauce really added to the soup. 

What we didn't like:

Nothing, it was great. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He was not so keen on the soup, he preferred mac and cheese that night. 

Next time:

No changes needed. 

Lamb and Potatoes - slow cooker

We wanted to make something unusual for 8th of March - International Women's Day but also something that we could easily take to Alona's parents house so we could spend the evening with her grandma and brother. We decided for this recipe as we had everything on hand and it sounded fun. It turned out pretty good with the lamb very soft and tender. We did end up forgetting about the olives in the end, but not sure if they would have added much. We also used a boneless leg of lamb that we had since that was all we had, but it turned out well. We also added some cornstarch to the liquid the last about hour so that the sauce would thicken up a bit more.

Here is the original recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/897792/lamb-olives-and-potatoes

Sorry there are no pretty "plated" pictures, but we took it "to go" :)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds small potatoes, halved
4 large shallots, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 sprigs rosemary
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 1/2 pounds lamb shanks, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces and trimmed of excess fat
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine

Directions:

1. Combine potatoes, shallots, garlic, lemon zest, and rosemary in a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker; season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the 4 tablespoons flour and broth. Add to slow cooker.
2. Add lamb to the slow cooker. Add wine, then cover and cook on high until lamb is tender, about 3 1/2 hours (7 hours on low). 

What we liked:

It was a fun dish to take to eat not at home. The lemon and wine could really be tasted in the dish. 

What we didn't like:

Nothing, it was good. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He preferred other fare that evening. Like cheese sticks that we served this dish with. 

Next time:

Add the olives to see if they make a difference. 

Lamb Skewers with couscous

Last night we made lamb skewers with couscous. The marinade was perfect. The lamb turned out very soft and delicious and fairly quick to make.

For the couscous, we just made it according to instructions and added some lemon pepper and parsley at the end.

The only thing we wish we would have done is make the home-made pitas, but we forgot..and by the time we remembered it was too late! The dough needs to rise for a couple of hours - but next time!!!

Here's the original recipe for the lamb. We modified it a bit:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/herbed-lamb-kabobs

Plated!

On the grill

Ready to grill!

Ingredients:

1 cup canola oil
1 large onion cut to large skewer-able pieces
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds boneless lamb - fat cut out and chopped into skewer-able cubes

Directions:

1. In a medium/large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Pour into a gallon ziplock bag and add lamb. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 6-8 hours.
2. On eight metal skewers, alternately thread lamb and marinated onion pieces.
3. Grill over medium-hot heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness

What we liked:

Easy, and delicious! Meat on skewers always tastes so good! The marinated grilled onions were also excellent. These skewers turned out better than any of the greek restaurants in Albuquerque. 

What we didn't like:

Nothing, it was good. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He picked a left over burger dinner instead. 

Next time:

Make the pitas! :) 

Pounded Filet Mignon with Grilled Sweet Potatoes and Grilled Broccolini

This was a really delicious and fast meal. The pounded filet mignon turned out soooo tender and delicious. We went a little overboard and made two different sauces to try with the meat. The overall consensus was that the horseradish sauce went amazing well with the meat. The other sauce was delicious as well, but when compared next to the horseradish, the horseradish won. We wanted to be super fancy, so we added some grilled shrimp on skewers as well. The shrimp were just covered in melted butter, garlic, and salt.
Here are the original recipes:
Horseradish Cream Sauce: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/horseradish-cream-sauce-recipe.html
Shallot Red Wine Sauce: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/grilled-flank-steak-with-shallot-and-red-wine-sauce-recipe.html
Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/grilled-sweet-potatoes-with-lime-and-cilantro-recipe.html

Plated!

Sauces

Sweet Potato/Yam assortment

Ingredients:

Steak:
2 lbs Filet Mignon - pounded until about 1/2" thick
Butter
Salt
Pepper

Horseradish Cream Sauce:
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream horseradish
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Shallot with Red Wine Sauce:
4 shallots, sliced in thin rings
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon cold butter, in small chunks

Sweet Potatoes:
3 sweet potatoes, peeled
Salt
Zest form 2 small limes
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Steak:
1. Preheat grill.
2. Pound steaks until 1/2" thick. Pour melted butter and add salt and pepper on top.
3. Grill steaks until desired done-ness

Horseradish Cream Sauce:
1. Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow flavors to blend.

Shallot with Red Wine Sauce
1. Saute shallots in olive oil until soft
2. Add wine and beef broth and simmer until reduced.
3. Add cold butter into sauce and swirl.

Sweet Potatoes:
1. Slice the potatoes into circles and steam for 10-12 minutes until fork-tender
2. Mix 1 tablespoon salt, oil, salt, pepper and the lime zest and cayenne in a small bowl.
3. Brush the potato circles with the oil mixture. We made bowls out of tin foil and grilled in those.
4. Grill until golden brown on all sides and just cooked through.

What we liked:

The meat and sides were DELICIOUS. 

What we didn't like:

Nothing, it was great. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He was busy playing in the sandpile with his cousin to care about food. Astrid however, LOVED the sweet potato wedges (we saved some for her without any sauce)

Next time:

No Changes. 

Chipotle Lime Steaks with Shallot and Parsley Quinoa and Baby Carrots with Herb Dressing

Tonight, we didn't feel like going out and shopping for ingredients, so this was just made from stuff we already had. The steaks were previously frozen, and they were thin cut flank steaks - a thicker cut might have needed more time than the 4 hours we marinated it for. However, for the thin cut, 4 hours was perfect and the steaks were perfectly limey and just the right amount of smokey spicy - not too overpowering, just a hint of spice.
The carrots were absolutely perfect, the sauce was delicious! (Nick thought they were a bit too limey).
The shallot quinoa was also very good. It was a very citrus-y dinner!

Original Shallot and Parsley recipe: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/shallot-parsley-quinoa
Original Baby Carrots with Herb Dressing: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/baby-carrots-herb-dressing-olives

Plated

Quinoa with shallots and parsley

Cooked Steak

Yummy Herb Citrus Carrots

Ingredients:

Meat:
2 lbs flank steak
juice of 6 limes
2 chipotle peppers, chopped (from a can)
5  cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons oil

Shallot and Parsley Quinoa:
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 chopped shallot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon butter

Carrots:
1 pound baby carrots
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Meat:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bag and marinade for at least 4 hours
2. Grill on medium high until desired done-ness

Quinoa:
1. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add wine and shallots and cook until softened.
2. Add water and salt. When boiling, add quinoa, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Add parsley and serve.

Carrots:
1. Place carrots in a steamer basket set over a saucepan of simmering water. Cover and steam 15 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.
2. Combine chopped dill, chives, oil, lime rind, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix. Add in carrots and serve. 

What we liked:

Great dinner for just using the items we had on hand. 

What we didn't like:

It was great. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He was really busy with his trains.

Next time:

No change. Great impromptu dinner

Flattened Chicken with Almond and Paprika Vinaigrette

We liked this recipe a lot. It was quick, easy, and very tasty. The olives added a spark to it. The flattened chicken turned out really good on the pan and the sauce was delicious. For the side, we made brown rice with flax seeds and mung beans, but any veggie or potato side would have worked as well.
Here's the original recipe: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/flattened-chicken-almond-paprika-vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
2 garlic clove, minced
4 tablespoons unsalted roasted almonds, finely chopped
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 ounce green olives, chopped

Directions:

1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; swirl. Add 2 chicken breast halves; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining 2 chicken breast halves.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add stock, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, almonds, and next 5 ingredients (through Dijon); cook 1 minute or until heated, stirring occasionally. Spoon almond mixture over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley and olives.

What we liked:

The flavor was really great. 

What we didn't like:

It was great. If following original recipe though, double the sauce. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He was enjoying leftover pita and hummus and could not be bothered with the night's dinner. 

Next time:

No change. 

Shrimp Spaghettini Alfredo

Alona doesn't like thick pasta...like fettuccini, so we make it with thinner pasta. This dish was good, quick to make, however, it is definitely missing some garlic.

Here's the original recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/shrimp-fettuccine-alfredo.html

Ingredients:

salt
1/2 lb of spaghettini
Olive oil, for tossing
1 pound large shrimp,  shelled and deveined, tails removed
Freshly ground black pepper
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
2 pinches freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt generously. Add the pasta, and boil according to package directions until al dente, tender but still slightly firm. Strain, and toss with a splash of oil.
2. Meanwhile, arrange the shrimp in a single layer on a large plate. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter melts, raise the heat to medium-high, and put shrimp in skillet. Cook the shrimp, without moving them, until the underside is pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp, and cook until fully pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl or plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter. Scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. When the butter has mostly melted, whisk in the cream and nutmeg and bring to a simmer, then cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to keep the sauce warm.
5. Whisk the Parmigiano-Reggiano into the sauce. Add the shrimp and cooked pasta, and toss well.

What we liked:

Easy, fun, and quick

What we didn't like:

Needs garlic!

What Kaspian thought about it:

He liked the pasta.. by itself. He wanted "orange cheese" on the side

Next time:

Add garlic!

Seared Scallops in a White Wine Sauce with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Tonight we made seared scallops in a white wine sauce with garlic mashed potatoes. The scallops turned out juicy, tender and cooked to perfection. The sauce was absolutely delicious and went well with the scallops and the mashed potatoes.
The recipe for the mashed potatoes is the same as in our earlier posts with garlic mashed potatoes.
The original recipe for the scallops is here: http://www.popsugar.com/food/Scallop-Recipe-Beginners-23338780

Served!

Sauce simmering

Sauce - cooking

Perfect scallops! 

Scallops added to the pan 

Scallops + Salt + Pepper 

Ingredients:1 lb large scallops

Cooking spray
1 cup white wine
1/2 chopped white onion
5 tablespoons chilled butter
1 tablespoons chopped fresh green onion
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 cloves of garlic

Directions:

1. Place a skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly heated. Coat scallops with cooking spray, and then salt and pepper right before placing on skillet. Carefully place scallops in hot skillet. Sear 3-5 minutes or until browned, flip sides, and cook another 2-3 minutes.

2. In same pan, add wine to deglaze the pan, or use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the pan. Add onion, and bring wine to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until liquid reduces to 2 tablespoons. Over low heat, whisk in butter cubes, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated. Stir in green onion. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve scallops with sauce.0

What we liked:

The scallops turned out excellent - they went very well with the mashed potatoes too. 

What we didn't like:

Nothing, it was perfect. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He loved the mashed potatoes..but we also bribed him to eat them with watermelon balls. Apparently, he can eat half a little watermelon all by himself. Astrid however, LOVED the mashed potatoes. they were the best thing ever. She had a couple of tastes, and wanted more!

Next time:

No changes needed. A may be would be to try shallots instead of the onions.

Pan Seared Chicken with Pecan-Scallion Gremolata

Last night we made pan seared chicken with pecan-scallion gremolata. It turned out...interesting. We really think the sauce needs to be cooked. The gremolata tasted like not-quite-right pesto. It had a very raw/green taste to it that was not exactly pleasant. Also, whole chicken doesn't always cook quite right on the pan. Maybe if it's beaten flat? But otherwise, we find that it it cooks for a really long time and the middle is never quite cooked all the way. Anyways, we ended up cutting the chicken into strips halfway through cooking so that it actually cooked all the way through. This resulted in slightly rubbery chicken, definitely not as good as if we had cut it up and cooked it in strips initially. Here is the original recipe for the pan seared chicken gremolata:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pan-seared-chicken-pecan-scallion-gremolata
We decided to make some white wine risotto as a side for it and it turned out really good.
http://www.marthastewart.com/333835/parmesan-risotto

Chicken with Gremolata and Risotto 

The Gremolata

Ingredients:

Chicken:
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 3/4-inch thickness
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 chopped green onions, green and light green parts only
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)

Risotto:
2 cans chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped onion
1 lb Risotto rice
1 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for grating or shaving
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Chicken:
1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan; swirl. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Transfer to a cutting board.
2. Combine pecans, juice, onions, remaining 1/4 tea­spoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; pulse to combine. Transfer mixture to a bowl; stir in cheese.
3. Slice chicken across grain. Place on 4 plates; top with gremolata.

Risotto:
1. Heat stock in saucepan over medium heat; keep at a low simmer.
2. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add onions to oil, and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add rice, and cook, stirring, until rice begins to make a clicking sound like glass beads, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add wine to rice mixture. Cook, stirring, until wine is absorbed by rice.
4. Using a ladle, add 3/4 cup hot stock to rice. Using a wooden spoon, stir rice constantly, at a moderate speed. Note: Stirring the rice too vigorously will make your risotto slightly gluey; stirring too little will make it watery. Rice should be only thinly veiled in liquid during the stirring process.
When rice mixture is just thick enough to leave a clear wake behind the spoon, add another 3/4 cup stock.
5. Continue adding stock 3/4 cup at a time and stirring constantly until rice is mostly translucent but still opaque in the center. Rice should be al dente but not crunchy. As rice nears doneness, watch carefully and add smaller amounts of liquid to make sure it does not overcook. The final mixture should be thick enough that grains of rice are suspended in liquid the consistency of heavy cream. It will thicken slightly when removed from heat.
6. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, Parmesan cheese, and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture among four shallow bowls, mounding risotto in the center, and grate or shave additional Parmesan over risotto. Serve immediately.

What we liked:

The risotto was excellent. The chicken was mediocre. We could have made better chicken with just a spice rub on it. 

What we didn't like:

The chicken. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

He wanted a "special Kaspian dinner" which consisted of dinosaur chicken nuggets. Who can argue with that? 

Next time:

I don't think we'll be making this chicken again. 

Flank Steak with Herb Dressing

The original recipe for tonight's dinner was flank steak with herb dressing and charred broccolini. However, our local stores did not have any broccolini so we kind of had to improvise. It turned out really good and fast though. We used the grill instead of a pan to fry it and we marinated the meat in the oil and herb mixture for a couple hours. Overall it turned out really good. The flank steak cut of meat we had was also perfectly marbled so that helped a lot too.
For our side, we made a green bean casserole which was perfect with frozen petite green beans.
The original recipe is here: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/flank-steak-herb-dressing-charred-broccolini

Flank steak with green bean casserole

Right off the grill

Cooking on the grill

Marinating in herbs and olive oil

Ingredients:

Steak:
1 lb flank steak
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 container of fresh poultry herbs, chopped
salt

Green Bean Casserole:
5 cups frozen green beans
1 cup crispy onions
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Steak:
1. Wash steak. Rub in chopped herbs and salt and put into a plastic baggie. Add olive oil to the baggie. Let sit for 1-2 hours
2. Pre-heat grill to medium high. Add Steak - cook 8 minutes on first side, 7 minutes on second side or until desired done-ness. We like our steak well done.

Green Bean Casserole:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375
2. Combine cream of chicken, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix together. Add in the green beans.
3. Place into a baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes. 

What we liked:

Quick and simple. The casserole actually took longer to do than the steak. The steak came out really juicy and flavorful. 

What we didn't like:

Couldn't follow the original recipe, but it looks like that may have been better this way. 

What Kaspian thought about it:

Kaspian loved the green beans. He thought the cream of chicken was a type of "cheese" and happily accepted eating it. 

Next time:

This would go great with mashed potatoes.