Dijon Chicken

Posted in Chicken by cozycuisineblog

The original post where I found this recipe called it ‘man-pleasing chicken’, and I don’t disagree! This was a quick chicken meal that didn’t take too much effort but makes you look like a rockstar. The sauce is tangy and sweet at the same time. Both of us were licking our plates by the end.

Dijon Chicken

(Inspiration found here)

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breasts [I used thin sliced chicken tenders in this recipe and the original calls for thighs. Any cut of chicken that you prefer will work]
1/2 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Salt and pepper
Rosemary (as garnish)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF.

2. Mix together 1/2 cup of dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar into a bowl.

3. Put chicken pieces into a foil-lined baking dish. Salt and pepper the chicken, then pour the sauce over until chicken is completely covered. Put the chicken in the oven on the top rack.

4. Bake for about 40 minutes or until most of the liquid has burned off or caramelized.

5. Sprinkle some rosemary, serve with some veggies and potatoes and ENJOY!

Results:

Winner winner chicken dinner! This one was a bigger hit than I’ve seen in a long time. Very savory sauce and quick time to make – call it a win-win in my book!

If you wanted to use chicken with a skin to make the sauce crust a little more, that would add to this recipe as well, but this cut of chicken was just delightful and easy to do.

14Jan2014

Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

Posted in Beef by cozycuisineblog

We were having a special occasion and I wanted a special occasion meal. I always feel like a nice steak dinner is a bit more formal than any other kind of meal. It reminds me of upscale restaurants and steakhouses that are reserved for special nights only.

Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

(Inspired by this excellent cookbook, page 236)

Ingredients:

Beef tenderloin steaks
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon flour [I used the gluten free flour inspired by the cookbook, but any flour would work here]
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef broth
Salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Mince your shallot. A shallot is like a mini-onion.

2. Season each steak with salt and pepper on both sides.

3. Heat the saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and sear for about 5 minutes per side, depending on how done you want the meat. Remove the meat and set aside.

4. Combine the flour, wine, broth, salt, and peppar in a separate bowl.

5. Melt the butter in the same pan used for the beef. Add the shallot and mix around for a minute, browning it a little bit. Add the sauce and stir gently until it thickens.

6. Pour the sauce over the steak and enjoy!

Results:

This actually turned out very nice to have for a formal-ish dinner. The original recipe calls for using some olive oil in the saute pan (pictured above). I’d skip that step – it actually slows the cooking and when the oil gets hot, it splatters.

The sauce has a really nice tang to it and is really scrumptious. I wished there was more once I finished my portion.

Feel free to serve the rest of that wine bottle with your meal! 🙂

7Jan2014

Baked Ziti

Posted in Meatless, Pasta by cozycuisineblog

What’s better than some warm comfort food on a frigid day? Also, this one provides for plenty of leftovers so you’ll get a few meals out of it. A classic favorite.

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:
– 12 oz penne or ziti pasta [I used gluten free pasta for this, but regular wheat pasta would work]
– 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
– 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
– 2 tsp olive oil
– 4 medium garlic cloves, minced [I used the magical pre minced garlic]
– 1/4 cup yellow onions, finely chopped
– 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
– salt and pepper to taste

This stuff is the BEST! Definitely snag some for any Italian inspired meals you’re making.

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside. Chop your onion.

2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add onions, garlic, and 1 tsp Italian Seasoning and sauté 2 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Stir sauce into pasta and mix well.

5. In a casserole dish, create a think layer of pasta on the bottom of the dish. Next, sprinkle a layer of cheese. Then the rest of the pasta. Then the rest of the cheese. Top off with a little Italian Seasoning for good measure.

6. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

7. Scoop and enjoy!

Thoughts:

Perfect for some ol’ fashioned warm up food. This one is quick during the week if you get out of work on time! Also, Jacob suggests that if you add salt and pepper while you’re simmering the sauce, it will bring out the flavor. Add some Parmesan at the end for a little extra flavor!

4Jan2014

General Chang’s Chicken

Posted in Chicken by cozycuisineblog

A holiday tradition is to have Chinese food and go to the movies on Christmas Day. This year, I was inspired to take a crack at one of the most popular dishes, General Tso’s Chicken. Since I’ve been doing the gluten free thing, I took to my trusty cookbook (Artisanal Gluten Free Cookbook by Peter and Kelli Bronski) to find an alternative to the (usually flour fried) delicious dish. This is my attempt at their masterpiece.

General Chang’s Chicken

(Inspiration on page 193 of this marvelous cookbook)

Ingredients

Olive Oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Cornstarch
3 garlic cloves, minced [I used some preminced garlic]
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup cranberry juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons GF soy sauce
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons ground chili paste (depending on heat preference)
2 tablespoons water
Snap peas
Chopped scallions for garnish
Rice (for serving)

Preparation

1. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over high heat.

2. Coat the cubed chicken breasts with cornstarch.

3. Add the chicken to the oil and cook, turning, until cooked through, lightly browned and crispy on all sides.

4. Transfer cooked chicken to a bowl lined with paper towels.

5. Add the garlic to the remaining olive oil in the skillet and cook until fragrant.

6. Mix the orange juice, cranberry juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and chili paste and stir to mix well.

7. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with the water and stir into the sauce and pour into the skillet. Bring to a boil.

8. Return the chicken to the skillet and cook until the sauce thickens and the chicken is heated through. Toss in the snap peas and coat in the sauce.

9. Garnish with scallions. Serve and enjoy!

Results

This was a really interesting twist on a classic recipe. It had a good balance of sweet and spicy that made for a wonderful Chinese food inspired home cooked meal. It has a crisp in each bite without feeling heavy and too fried. I included the snap peas because I always like to serve a vegetable in any meal like this and they add a little crunch. Serve over rice for the full restaurant experience.

24Dec2013

Maple Glazed Salmon

Posted in Fish by cozycuisineblog

So, for Secret Santa this year, my great friend Katie selected my name and chose the most perfect book to gift me. It is the Artisanal Gluten Free Cookbook by Peter and Kelli Bronski. I’ve had a joyous time flipping through its pages and having my mouth water at all the beautiful pictures and ideas for recipes. I started with an easy one to get the hang of things, but I am sure I will have plenty more from this book in the weeks to come.

Maple-Glazed Salmon

(Inspiration on page 179 of this fabulous cookbook)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons tamari wheat-free soy sauce (or GF soy sauce)
1 garlic clove, minced [I used preminced garlic]
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger [I used preminced ginger]
Salt and Pepper to taste
Salmon Filet

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Whisk together the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and salt and pepper in a small bowl.

3. Place the salmon in a shallow dish and pour the maple glaze over the salmon. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes.

4. Bake the salmon at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until it flakes easily.

5. Serve with some rice and some veggies, and enjoy!

Results:

This was an excellent recipe! The sweet and salty tastes blend together perfectly. I would suggest marinating the salmon to ensure the tastes get infused. It’s a great, healthy meal with the sauce giving it a little extra flavor.

Cozy Cuisine

Cooking in a small kitchen

Author Archives: cozycuisineblog

Dijon Chicken

Dijon Chicken

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Results:

Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Results:

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti

General Chang’s Chicken

General Chang’s Chicken

Maple Glazed Salmon

Maple-Glazed Salmon

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Results: