Anne Can Cook

Aw, the first meal made in our new apartment.
I think I've mentioned on here that Andrew and I have a less than perfect track record when it comes to me cooking for him. I think I'm a pretty decent cook, but when I've cooked things for him, it's never turned out just right.
Consequently, he always seems a bit hesitant to let me cook anything beyond (his favorite) chicken tenders.

We do not have the internet at our place yet, so the other day we sat around and flipped through some of my Taste of Home cookbooks, tagging recipes. This one I pulled out of the Taste of Home Ultimate Chicken Recipe Book. It was quick(ish), easy, and really pretty tasty. I should note that I halved this recipe for the two of us, and we still had enough for seconds AND lunch time leftovers.



Creamy Chicken Angel Hair

"1 pkg angel hair pasta
1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 large carrot, diced (I used a handful of baby carrots)
2 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, diced (I left this out, but I'm sure it would a good addition)
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 cups heavy whipped cream
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 c. Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the chicken, salt and pepper in 2 Tbsp oil until no long pink. Remove and keep warm.

In the same skillet, saute carrot in butter and remaining oil for 1 minute. Add the onion, celery and garlic; saute 3-4 minutes or until tender.

Stir in the cream, cooked bacon, lemon juice and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Return the chicken to the pan.

Drain pasta; toss with chicken mixture. Garnish with Parmesan cheese."

Pictures soon! Andrew really liked it, and I have photo proof!

ETA: I told you so!

I had a craving for guacamole. I did a little research, and it turns out that most premade guacamole dip you can buy at the grocery store doesn't contain any actual avocado. Insane! Luckily, it's not too hard or expensive to make your own, or so I learned from BrokeAss Gourmet.
I didn't look closely at the recipe while I was whipping this up, so I ended up with 1/2 onion and 1/2 tomato. Otherwise, the ingredients are the same.
Somehow mine turned out a bit bitter. Maybe too much onion? Too much cilantro? I'm not sure. A hearty dose of lemon juice seems to have helped.
If I were to do it over again, I would omit the tomato and add more garlic. Hmm. I'll have to ponder this.
Oh, I also gave this a run through with my new immersion blender for a smoother texture.


Summer is for dip!

Life is good again. My ability to cook has been re-validated (as has my love of spicy food).

It is crazy cold here. We’re lucky if the temperature crests above zero. And don’t get me started on the wind chill, which has been -20ish.

On top of the arctic temperatures, I’m also starting to get ill. I woke up yesterday morning with a sore throat, which has persisted and I’m sure will eventually become a cough. This is what I get for spending my New Year’s Eve with my boyfriend, who is still fighting off the exact same thing. It’s not a huge deal, just annoying.

Anyway, it’s cold, I’m sick, and I want something hot. On the same page of my new cookbook (Taste of Home Down Home Cooking for One or Two) as the spicy chicken roll up is a recipe for Sesame Chicken Stir Fry. The original recipe calls for mushrooms, peas, and red peppers as well as broccoli and onions, but I’m not so much a fan of those so I left them out. The original sauce is pretty basic as well. I jazzed mine up considerably, and it seems like an easy base to augment. Here is what I did:

1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
1 ½ caps of veggie oil
1 cup broccoli florets
¾ cup chopped onion
3-4 cloves of chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. sugar
½ cup cold water
3-4 Tbsp. soy sauce
About 2 tsp. Siracha
About 1 Tbsp. honey
½ tsp. powdered ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder

Crushed red pepper, sesame seeds, and chopped green onion for garnish

The original recipe asks you to do all of the stir-frying first before mixing up the sauce. I don’t know about you, but when I stir-fry I prefer not to get too distracted by anything in case whatever I’m stir-frying starts to burn. Therefore, I went ahead and mixed up the sauce first.

Combine cornstarch and sugar; stir in water and soy sauce until smooth. This is where you can start flavoring it to your liking. I wanted something spicy, so I added the Siracha. The honey, ginger, and garlic powder also went into the sauce as a result of me tasting and adding until I liked it. Once you’re happy with your sauce, set it aside.

Stir-fry the chicken for 6-8 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. Remove the chicken, and stir-fry the broccoli for a few minutes. Add in the onions and garlic. Stir-fry for a few minutes. Add the sauce to the skillet/wok/whatever you’re using. Bring to a boil and let cook for a few, stirring occasionally, until it starts to thicken up. Add the chicken back in and toss it all together. Let it cook for a few more until the veggies are tender, the whole thing is heated through, and the sauce is to your liking in terms of thickness.

Serve the whole thing on rice. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper (if you want), sesame seeds, and some chopped green onions. Eat. Be happy.

Folks, this was so good. All of my favorite stir-fry components plus a tasty Asian-style sauce. It was pretty spicy. I probably should have used less Siracha. But whatever. I was really happy with the whole dish.

I would probably add more broccoli the next time I made this. One cup of broccoli florets doesn’t really amount to much. I love broccoli, and would probably use more like 1 ½ -2 cups.

Not a terrible dish for warming up in this cold, cold weather.

Well, things have been pretty crazy here in Podunkville...or rather, Slightly Less Podunkville. I moved rather abruptly last weekend and am resided with my coworker on campus. Luckily, she also likes to cook and has a decent sized kitchen.
Last night we made Mock Alfredo, a recipe we adapted from Going Solo in the Kitchen. Here is what we did:
A little olive oil for cooking
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup of fresh spinach (approximately)
Several ounces of thin spaghetti (enough for the two of us plus a little leftover)
2 ounces of cream cheese
6 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Pepper to taste
Grated Fontina to taste
A little milk for texture

In a small pan, sweat down the onions and garlic in a little olive oil. Meanwhile, bring water to boil for the pasta. Boil pasta until done to your liking and drain. Return to heat and stir in the cream cheese. Add milk if it gets too thick. Stir in the Parmesan, one tbsp. at a time.
Add the spinach to the onions and garlic and wilt them down. Once everything is cooked to your liking, add the onions, garlic, and spinach to the pasta. Stir until incorporated. Pepper to your liking. Grate some Fontina on top (if you want).

Serve and enjoy! It is filling and surprisingly flavorful. It's also sooo easy to make, and easy to adapt. The original recipe doesn't include the garlic, onions, and spinach. We just like those things a lot.

The other day I discovered the greatest chicken secret of all time.
Poached Chicken.
I cannot believe I have never tried poached chicken before. I feel like the universe has been hiding something from me.
It is so incredibly easy. The recipe in Going Solo In The Kitchen calls for 2 cups chicken stock, some tarragon, celery, salt and pepper, and 1 whole chicken breast (skin on, bone in).
I did not have tarragon or celery, and the only chicken in my refrigerator is boneless, skinless breast. I decided to go for it anyway and I am so happy I did. Here is what I did:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 cups chicken stock
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/2 cup of onions
Garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste

Place chicken and stock in a pot and bring to a boil. Add thyme and onions. Simmer until cooked through. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper at your leisure. Remove from heat and let chicken cool while still immursed in the broth.

I probably simmered the chicken for 15-20 minutes. One of the nice things about this is that it's pretty much impossible to burn it.

I cheated and made instant mashed potatoes to go with this. They were the perfect side dish, but it would also be good with a different starch and maybe something like broccoli.

I served the chicken (to myself, ha ha) sliced. The cook book recommended spooning some of the broth over the chicken. I did that, but I think it would have been better if the broth was thicker. Luckily I had the potatoes to soak up all the wayward broth.

I also gave the whole meal a healthy dash of Shallot Pepper from Penzeys Spices, something I highly recommend.

This was so easy to make and very tasty. I intended to do this again with the thought that I can use leftovers as lunch meat.

I was on a brief scone kick at the end of last week. I made two batches and neither turned out quite right. I used the classic Better Homes & Gardens recipe, but I substituted milk instead of cream. This was an epic mistake. It changed the texture of the scone from awesomely dense to weirdly muffinish. Oh well. The strawberry scones turned out slightly better than the chocolate chip ones.
I have learned two very valuable lessons from the scone debacle: 1. Never substitute milk for heavy cream. 2. Honey butter makes everything extremely delicious.

I also decided to make an Onion and Spinach Custard from Going Solo In The Kitchen, my new single-living cookbook. I'm not really sure what I expected, because I hate eggs and egg dishes. Here is the recipe:

1/3 cup raw rice (or 2/3 cup cooked)
2 tsp. olive oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup scallion greens (optional)
1 1/3 cups chopped raw spinach
1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh herbs (I used basil, thyme, and garlic chives)
1/3 cup cottage or ricotta cheese
2 medium eggs
1/2 cup milk
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used Fontina).

In a large pot of boiling water, boil the rice for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a heavy enameled or stainless steel frying pan. Add the onion, scallion greens, and spinach. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are slight wilted. Stir in the herbs.
In a mixing bowl, beat together the cottage/ricotta cheese, eggs, and milk. Add the vegetable mixture and rice. Season with pepper and stir in the cheese. Spoon into an oiled 6-cup dish (I used a small Corelle baking dish). Cover loosely with a piece of foil. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 1 hour. The custard should be cooked through. Remove cover and bake another 5 minutes to brown the top. Let sit for 1 minute before unmolding. Serve warm.

It wasn't bad, exactly. It just wasn't my thing. It was too egg-y for one, and it was also sort of bland. In my opinion, it would have greatly benefited from a hearty dash of garlic powder and perhaps some salt.

Tonight, I am going to poach some chicken breasts in the hopes that the leftovers will make good lunch meat.

On less cooking related notes, I am still getting strange visitors after moving out of my parents' attic. Yesterday morning I found a small frog in the middle of my room. It was clear that he had come through the window air conditioner because he was covered in lint. I have no idea how he got from the window to the middle of the floor, though. I felt bad for the little guy, so I scooped him up and set him outside near the downspout. As far as I know he made it, even dehydrated as he was.

I am actually looking forward to winter so that nothing else invades my space via the window air conditioner.

I have legitimately cooked quite a bit since the last time I wrote. I made myself a very tasty pizza with pesto, pepperoni, fontina cheese, mozzerella cheese, red onions, and garlic. It looked so good that I took a picture of it:

I love assembling my own pizza. I don't like tomatoes or tomato sauce, so I substitute anything else when I make pizzas myself. Pesto was a very delicious substitute, and one I'll likely use again in the future.

I actually followed a recipe this week, too. Monday night, I made Pesto Baked Chicken from the cookbook I got for Christmas. I had to reduce the recipe to suit one person, but it turned out very well:

1 chicken breast
4 Tbsp. Basil Pesto
3/4 tsp. sour cream
3/4 tsp. mayo
Parmesan cheese
Pine nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 450F. Lay the chicken in a shallow baking dish (I used a pie plate). Mix together pesto, mayo, and sour cream. Spread mixture evenly over chicken. Sprinkle with Parmesan and pine nuts. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

I did the whole thing over a bed of red onions, seasoned with any leftover pesto mixture. It was very good. I cooked it for more like 12 minutes so that the onions would caramelize more, and I actually could have left it in for a few more. The pesto effectively flavored the chicken throughout, even though it was just spread on top. This was very easy, pretty tasty, and worth the extreme burn I got on my right hand middle finger.

Yes, I burned myself taking this dish out of the oven. It was completely my own fault. I didn't put the oven door down all the way, and hit my finger on the inside of the door. It looks awesome. Kind of like I got into a fight with just my finger.

Anyway, between the pizza and the chicken, I finally used up all of the prepared pesto. I'll probably stay pesto-less for awhile. A week, at least.

I also did some baking over the past couple days. My fellow VISTA and her friend came over to my hovel to help bake some standard Peanut Butter Cookies (recipe from Better Homes and Gardens).
The cookies turned out well, especially well considering we used organic peanut butter (unsweetened!), organic sugar, and a farm fresh egg. They were the most environmentally conscious cookies I've ever baked.

Last night I tried my hand at short bread. Short bread is insanely easy to mix up. It consists of flour, sugar, and butter. That's it. You can get fancy like I did and add cinnamon, but it is still crazy easy. The hard part was the baking. I tried to get my dough into a nice circle like the picture in Better Homes and Gardens, but what I got instead was a questionable looking mound. Oh well. The edges got a little too brown, but the rest of the shortbread is pretty tasty. Note to self-invest in a rolling pin.

The only other VISTA on this campus right now is working on green initiative and sustainability. She spends Thursday mornings working at her advisor's farm and comes home with arm loads of fresh vegetables. We decided to do a stir fry last night. She provided the veggies and the wheat spaghetti for pan fried noodles, I provided my box of spices and my sub par knife skills.

It was delicious.

In soy oil, we simmered garlic and carrots with ginger powder and other spices. Then we gradually added in other veggies in accordance to cooking time. Broccoli was next, following by small onions, and finally zucchini and yellow squash. We seasoned liberally with soy sauce, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and an herb blend called Bouquet Garni. The final touches were the wheat spaghetti and some fresh basil (she also has a basil plant).

It was so good, although maybe a touch too spicy. We ate with chopsticks and congratulated ourselves on a job well done. I promised I'd have actually cooked something by the next time I posted and I have...with help, of course.