A Dinner with DRY + Lemony Roasted Chicken Legs with Garlic and Rosemary

I did something fun and rad and I've been keeping it a secret! Picture this: a bunch of your favorite people, a sunny warm spring evening, twinkly candles, and vases full of colorful flowers. A record playing lightly in the background, a well-rounded cocktail in one hand, a crostini in the other, and an enormous cheese plate in front of you. This is basically the PERFECT evening for me. You guys, I am SO almost 30. And I love it.

Chicken and Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

Over the holidays Evan and I decided to work on a puzzle…just a simple 500 piecer that we borrowed from a friend. We were never big puzzlers in my family… I honestly can’t remember ever completing a puzzle until now.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

I know that white chicken chili is nothing new, and has probably been blogged and pinned and cooked and eaten a hundred kazillion times. I read a ton of food blogs and spend hours pouring over food photos, recipes, and magazines, so I forget that a lot of my readers (hi, mom!) are just looking for simple, everyday recipes. Recipes that might not be the most unique thing they've ever seen, but come together quickly on a weeknight to warm their kitchens and fill their bellies. This one is for you guys. 

I've certainly had white chicken before, but I honestly couldn't remember when or where, or whether or not I liked it. So I decided to whip up my Grandma Carol's recipe, with a few changes. And guess what? It's really effing awesome. I felt like "why haven't I been making this every weekend!?" Seriously, it's so good! And it's so, so, so easy. Especially if you convince your boyfriend that he's really good at chopping onions and should do it every time. 

...I've also convinced him that he's really good at unloading the dishwasher and taking out the trash. 

Creamy White Chicken Chili

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 chicken breasts, cubed

1/2 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cans white beans, drained and rinsed (any variety: Great Northern, Cannellini, small white beans, etc)

3 cups chicken broth

2 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles

1.5 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt & black pepper

1 cup sour cream*

Optional toppings: 

Grated cheese

Tortilla chips

lime

avocado 

In a large pot, heat a swirl of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until just translucent. Add garlic and chicken and cook through. Add remaining ingredients except sour cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in sour cream. 

*Evan hates sour cream (I know, he's crazy), so I left it out and just added a dollop to my own bowl. It was delish both ways, but for a good creamy chili, add to the whole pot. 

The Anatomy of a Salad

I'm not a salad pro by any means, but I think I'm on to something with this one. Arugula, chicken, roasted tomatoes, homemade croutons, hardboiled eggs, and creamy tangy goat cheese...I want it all the time. 

This entree salad just has all the right components. The right mix of textures, flavors, and temperatures…so much goodness! I don't usually post salad recipes, because, well… I generally don't think salads need a recipe, but more like… simple instructions or guidance. The anatomy of a salad, if you will. 

The Greens

Lettuce, spinach, kale, spring greens, arugula. Your salad should start off with a big pile of greens. In this salad, I used arugula, because I love the way dressing clings to the sturdy leaves and I can't get enough of the peppery bite. 

The Protein 

Grilled chicken is obviously a salad go-to. For this particular salad, I've used both grilled chicken, and shredded roasted chicken. I also like to add hardboiled egg slices—the egg adds just the right creamy richness to balance out the acid in the dressing.

The Bread

In my opinion, all good entree salads need bread, but I'm a carbaholic. Go the sliced, grilled bread route, or make homemade croutons. To make the croutons, toss chunks of bread in olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs (like thyme or herbs de provence), and bake in a 400 degree oven golden and crispy. I used a hearty walnut bread in this one. 

The Veg

Ok, so tomatoes aren't a vegetable. But in this salad, they're the veg. Just work with me. I love roasted cherry tomatoes in this, I love the way they smash against the croutons, and they're amazing still slightly warm. Similar to the croutons, I toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme, and roast at 400 until just starting to split and shrivel. 

The Cheese

Two words. Humboldt. Fog. This tangy, creamy, rich goat cheese is to. die. for. But a crumbly bleu, or even big shards of nutty parmesan work. 

The Dressing

Shutterbean's fig balsamic is just the right amount of sweet and tangy. I like to toss the arugula and croutons in the dressing, then pile the rest of the ingredients on top.

The Nut

I like the crunch of a good toasted nut in my salads. I used hazelnuts in this one, since they were so good with Shutterbean's dressing in her original recipe.

Toss it all together, and you're good to go. So, so good to go.

Dinner & Movie: Tex Mex Taco Stack

Guys, I’m hardcore daydreaming about Texas right now. I’ve never been (except for some airport layovers, and some Friday Night Lights fantasies), and Austin is for sure on my bucket list. SXSW is just starting, and the press for it makes me crave sunshine, margaritas, and tacos. Seriously, how can you look at this and not be tempted to jump on a plane right this minute!? If you decide to stay put, you can satisfy your cravings with a grindhouse flick and a big plateful of Tex Mex food. (If you’re squeamish, you may want to fill up just before the movie starts).

It's dinner & a movie: Tex Mex Style!

The Movie: Death Proof

My name is Amber and I’m addicted… to Quentin Tarantino films. I love his movies, and Death Proof has to be one of my favorites. If you’re not a Tarantino fan, I still encourage you to watch this movie. I LOVE the way it’s shot, all grainy and gritty, and the soundtrack—out of this world. And the way he builds the characters and focuses on random insignificant details, I’m obsessed. It starts out in Austin, with a group of 20-something gals out for a night on the town, then some crazy stuff happens, and it ends in Tennessee. The scenery—from Texas to Tennessee—makes me long for nothing more than a sunny day and a pair of cowboy boots. Also, did I mention Kurt Russell and Rosario Dawson? Oh yeah, there’s also some bloody violence, I mean, it IS Tarantino, after all. Sometimes though, I forget about the gory parts because I’m so caught up in how awesome everything else in this movie is (but um, I like the gory parts… so, yeah, there’s that).

Photo Credit: This is actually a pic I took of my movie cover

The Dinner: Tex Mex Taco Stack

In the movie, the girls go out in Austin for margs and tacos at Gueros. Ps. they actually filmed at a place in Austin called Gueros Taco Bar, and it looks amazing. Every time I watch this movie (which, um, is often) I get a super craving for Tex Mex. This Tex Mex Taco Stack has layers of chicken, corn, beans, and corn tortillas, drenched in a spicy chipotle chile sauce and melty cheddar and jack cheese. Do I really need to say more? Stir up a batch of these super fresh blood orange margaritas, put out a bowl of tortilla chips and salsa, and turn off the lights: it’s time for dinner & a movie!

Tex Mex Taco Stack

Olive oil

3 chicken breasts, cubed (or thighs, your preference)

1/2 onion, diced

Juice of 1 lime

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups frozen corn

1 cup black olives, sliced

Chipotle chili sauce (see recipe below, or use about 2 cups canned enchilada sauce)

Corn tortillas (about 12)

1.5 cups grated cheddar cheese

1.5 cups grated jack cheese

Sour cream, green onions, and tortilla chips, for serving

Preheat oven to 350. In a large casserole dish, add a spoonful of sauce to coat bottom.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add a swirl of olive oil. Add chicken and onion, and cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Add lime juice, and cook another couple of minutes, until lime juice is evaporated/soaked up. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Combine beans, corn, olives, and sauce in a large bowl. On top of sauce layer in casserole dish, layer: tortillas (you may have to cut them or overlap them, that's fine), bean/sauce mixture, chicken/onion mixture, cheese. Repeat until ingredients are gone, ending with tortilla covered with cheese as the top layer. Depending on the size of your dish, you may need to make 2 dishes. 

Lightly cover foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and cook another 10 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving, so it can set up. 

Top with sour cream and sliced green onion, and serve alongside tortilla chips. 

Chipotle Chili Sauce

This seems like a lot of ingredients, but it comes together so quickly, it's totally worth making it! 

1 cup tomato sauce

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Chipotle peppers in adobo 

2 tablespoons chile powder

1 tablespoon cumin

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 onion, diced

Start with one chipotle pepper plus a spoonful of the adobo sauce, and then blend all ingredients together until smooth. I prefer to do it in a large bowl with my immersion blender, but a regular blender will work too. Add more peppers and blend to get to your preferred spice level. Use in taco stack. 

If you're using canned tomato sauce and chicken stock, you'll have a cup left of each. If you want to use these up, feel free to double the recipe and freeze half for later. Here's a good way to use up extra chipotle peppers. 

For the Love of Roast Chicken

I think I must have been bad this year or something, because Santa is out to get me. His new version of coal in your stocking is to give you tons of great gifts that you can't use. I've had to exchange 4 gifts that were broken or weren't the right size. And I lost a card with a check in it…for the second year in a row. No wonder Santa has me on his naughty list! Regardless, I had an amazing Christmas with my family. A white Christmas! We woke up Christmas morning to about 4 inches of snow that had fallen over night, and it continued to snow throughout the day. We ate a ton of good food (our go-to Christmas Eve crab legs and Christmas day prime rib), lounged around all day every day, filled up on cookies and pie, and had a great time. 

But enough about that, I'm sure if you're anything like me, the last thing you want to think about right now is holiday baking. So today I want to talk about something totally simple and un-Christmassy: roasted chicken. A friend recently told me that in the (American) Deep South, they call chickens yard birds*. I like it, I get it. My parents’ chickens flee the coop and mill about the yard all day. They’re totally yard birds. 

As you may recall, I was late to the chicken roasting game. But alas, since that fateful day, guided by the words of Thomas Keller, I’ve become a chicken roasting fiend. I just can’t get enough. It’s easy! And cheap! And boy is it ever delicious. Every chicken I roast—whether I butter it or oil it (or follow Keller’s lead and simply salt & pepper it), add special herbs and spices, use lemons, put it over vegetables, use a recipe, or just wing it (get it, wing it!?)—it turns out amazing.

Want a roast chicken tip? The pan juices, people! The pan juices! Either pour that delicious goodness over your carved bird before serving, or serve alongside your chicken for dipping. Sometimes Evan and I just use our hands, and dip every tasty bite into that amazing pan juice, licking our fingers along the way. It's barbaric. And its the best possible way to do it. We ate an entire chicken by ourselves the other night. It was just so good we couldn’t stop. Don’t judge… I have a few more days until resolution time!

My new favorite roast chicken recipe is from Lottie and Doof. Great site, great chicken. I've made a variation of this bird twice now. Smoky paprika, garlic, yukon gold potatoes. It smells so amazing while it's cooking that I can hardly stand it. I also just received a hilarious cookbook for Christmas that I can't wait to try—Fifty Shades of Chicken—which is full of mouthwatering chicken recipes and photos. Food porn, literally! The book is a parody on the 50 Shades of Grey series, but if you want my opinion, skip Mr. Grey, go straight to the chicken. 

Sorry… I hope we can still be friends, but I happen to hate 50 Shades of Grey. When the books came out, I heard a lot of hype… was I curious? Sure. Did I buy all 3 books on my Kindle? Absolutely. Did I like it? It was mildly entertaining, and yeah, that first “adult” scene caught me off guard, made me blush a little. But, first of all, the area near Pike Place Market is NOT called the “Pike Market District.” No one says that. Ever.  And the “inner goddess” thing? Cute the 1st time. Mildly annoying the 10th time. I WANT TO PUNCH YOUR INNER GODDESS IN THE EFFING FACE the 500th time. 

Oh.. sorry, where were we? Oh yes, chicken. Wait until after New Years—it's bad luck to ring in the new year with chicken, because the bird scratches backwards (rather than moving forward)—and then go for it. I plan on working a roast bird into my weekly winter/spring rotation, and I suggest you do the same! 

Here are a couple of goodies to get you started. Follow them exactly, or use them as a guide... trust me, a great roast chicken is hard to screw up! 

• Lottie & Doof's Pimentón Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
• Thomas Keller's Best Roast Chicken Ever
• Ina's Perfect Roast Chicken

Happy New Year… I'll see you in 2013!

*In writing this post, I also learned that yard bird is slang for prisoner, which is not my intended use, and I mean absolutely no offense. However, this is a good time to plug an amazing non-profit organization that Amanda has been volunteering at: Books to Prisoners. Based here in Seattle, BTP’s volunteers send donated books to prisoners around the US, in hopes to foster a love of reading and encourage the pursuit of knowledge and self-improvement. Check it out! 

Springy Artichoke Chicken Salad

I love-hate chicken salad. I hate that it's called chicken salad, because I always think people will assume I mean a big leafy salad with chicken. And then I think I should follow it up with sandwich, so that people know what I'm talking about. Because chicken-salad-sandwich isn't usually confused with salad + chicken. But sometimes I don't want to serve it as a sandwich, and then I feel all confused and mixed up…and then I end up calling it "chicken salad sandwich filling on crackers," which is way too complicated for such a simple dish. Aside from the name, I also hate how loaded with mayo some chicken salads are. I mean, I love a good creamy chicken salad now and then, but sometimes it's just too much. One time I ordered a chicken salad sandwich, and it had a heavy dose of mayo on the bread, too. Now that's just crazy-town, people. 

What I love about chicken salad, though, is how versatile it is. If you want to cut back on the mayo… or not put any at all, that's doable. Like this super creamy chicken salad with pureed artichoke hearts. It tastes awesome and artichokie (that's totally a word…as in "okie dokie, artichokie"), and the lack of mayo makes me feel better about leaving it on a platter for a party. Along with tangy artichoke hearts, this one has apples and celery, but I also love a good crunchy pecan or almond in my chicken salad. Switch it up, that's allowed. 

I also love that no matter what time of year I eat it, or where, chicken salad reminds me of spring. And of Easter, tea parties, picnics, and bridal showers. It's so lady-like and fun. Especially in an endive leaf, fancy finger-food style. You can also serve it on a cracker, in a pita pocket, or just between a couple slices of good bread. Or with a spoon. No judgement here.

Artichoke Chicken Salad

2-3 cups cooked chicken, chopped (cubed, grilled chicken is my fave for any chicken salad, though shredded rotisserie-style works as well).

1 12oz jar marinated artichoke hearts

1 apple, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

juice of 1 small lemon

salt, pepper

A handful of arugula

Add chicken, apple, and celery to a bowl. Drain about half the liquid off the artichoke hearts. Puree arti-hearts and remaining liquid, until smooth and creamy. You may have to pick out a few of the really stiff leaves if there are any. Stir in mustard & lemon juice. Combine creamy mixture with chicken until fully coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add arugula and gently toss to combine. 

OPTIONAL: You can add a splash of vinegar if you want it a bit more tangy, or a tablespoon of mayo if you want it a bit more creamy. Green onions and nuts would also be good. 

Chimichurri Chicken Salad

The other day on the bus I heard another rider talking about how expensive it is to cook at home. How much more expensive it is than eating out. Maybe that girl eats at way cheaper restaurants than I do, or maybe she just doesn't understand how to make her dollar stretch in the kitchen. I mean, don't get me wrong, home cooking isn't always cheap. Especially if you like to use quality ingredients and lots of produce. It adds up. But, that's why you gotta make it stretch. And, once you get more comfortable in the kitchen, and start building up a pantry, it's even easier to cook homemade meals for less. 

I'm always looking for ways to make my groceries go further, and to waste less. Coming up with interesting leftover-revivals is a good place to start. You can mix this tasty chimichurri with leftover roast chicken and serve a ton of different ways. And, you should end up with leftover chimichurri, which can be used in a million other ways, in a million other recipes. 

Chicken Chimichurri Salad

Chimichurri adapted from Epicurious

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 small shallot, minced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

flakey sea salt

1 cup cooked chicken, chopped

1/2 English cucumber, cubed

For chimichurri, whisk together olive oil through cilantro, and salt to taste. Let mixture sit for about 20 minutes, for flavors to meld. Combine chicken, cucumbers, and about half of the chimichurri. Add more salt or chimichurri if needed. Serve on crusty grilled french bread, in a wrap, on a pita with hummus and feta, or even in an endive leaf. Or just eat it, because you'll want to. Store remaining chimichurii in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. 

Cat Talk + Pot Pie

I made you chicken pot pie. But before we get into that, let's talk about Biscuit. The cat, not the food. 

It's been a rough couple of weeks for my cat-child. Biscuit had a vet checkup recently, and they said she would need to come back to have teeth extracted. Seems simple, but this is a big deal for a cat. They have to put the cat under  anesthesia, which for such a small little creature, is risky. Then, think about getting your wisdom teeth out. It's like that. When I had my wisdom teeth removed, the meds made me sick, so on top of the insanely painful holes in my mouth, I couldn't keep food down. I'm talking retching that ripped my stitches open. On Christmas morning. That was fun. Like me, Biscuit has a bit of weak stomach. At least I knew what was happening to me. You can't explain to an animal why you did that to them. Why you, as their sole provider, hurt them. 

I know she's a cat. Just a cat. But for you other pet-parents out there, you know what its like. I've had Biscuit for years. She was with me through some tough times, like a shattering breakup. She went with me when I moved out of my roommate apartment to live on my own. She really made that apartment a lot less lonely. And now she's a part of Evan and my little family. So, leading up to her big day, I was a mess.  

Taking her to the vet was almost more traumatizing than the actual appointment. It breaks my heart to shove her into a carrier. While she cries and meows, her eyes huge and terrified. I dropped her off and bolted out of there, afraid I would start bawling if I heard her pitiful little meow one more time. I'm a nutcase. Seriously, I can already tell that I'm going to be one of those lunatic moms that gets hysterical on the first day of kindergarten. I almost had a heart attack when the vet called to tell me how it went. It was good news though. Biscuit didn't need to have extractions after all. They did a thorough cleaning, which took care of the problem. She did get a fancy leg-shave for the anesthetic IV, but other than that, she's back to normal. Which means we can get back to normal. 

And there's nothing more normal than an old school, down-home, home cooked meal. Like chicken pot pie. With cornbread topping.

Chicken Pot Pie with Cheesy Cornbread Topping

Adapted from Oprah

Olive oil

2 chicken breasts, cubed

2 garlic cloves, minced

Fresh lemon juice

1.5 tablespoon olive oil

1.5 tablespoon butter

1 cup diced shitake mushrooms

1 medium onion , chopped

1/4 cup flour

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup frozen peas

5 Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

3 chopped carrots

Handful chopped fresh parsley

Salt & pepper

Dash hot sauce

3/4 cup white or yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup milk

1 large egg

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish. 

Heat chicken stock, keep heated on burner. In a large sauce pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium, and add chicken. Once chicken starts to cook and turn white, add garlic. Cook for another minute or so, and add lemon juice. Cook through, salt and pepper to taste. Remove chicken from pan, and set aside. Heat olive oil and butter together. Add mushrooms and onion and sauté until mushroom liquid evaporates, and onions are tender, about  5 minutes. Add flour and stir until blended. Slowly stir in heated chicken stock, whisking well. Cook until thick and bubbly, about 4 minutes. Stir in carrots, chicken, peas, brussels, parsley, and hot sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour into prepared casserole dish. 

In a bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk, egg and oil. Stir wet mixture into dry, and stir in cheese. Spoon evenly over chicken filling. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

School Lunch: Chicken Pita Sandwiches

It's that time of year again: fall is here. It blew (and poured) in with conviction, unlike summer, that so-called season that never really showed up to the party. You know, like that friend, the one who RSVP'd and said she would be there, then texted and said she was on her way, but then didn't actually show up until the party was nearly over..that was summer. Fall, on the other hand, showed up in a big way. The party pretty much started when she walked in the door, and there was never a  moment of doubt that she had arrived. 

I like fall. I like pumpkins, and soup, and pumpkin soup, and pumpkin beer. I like apple cider and pear crisps. I like the red and orange leaves on the sidewalk, and the feeling of new beginnings. For some of you, fall is back-to-school time—time to dust off the ol' red Garfield the Cat lunch box, and fill it with sandwiches and snack packs (but not gogurt...that stuff weirds me out). I haven't had a first day of school since my senior year of college—5 years ago! I guess some of you might not think that's so long ago, but going back now seems nearly impossible. Homework? Tests? Studying?! I can't even imagine giving up paychecks for tuition, and Friday Night Lights on Netflix for term papers. And while it seems crazy to me after only 5 years, Amanda is about to have her first first day of school in 7 years. 

My big sister, the girl I've been following my whole life, is about to start grad school. When Amanda started playing softball in elementary school, I did too…even though I was afraid of the ball. When she campaigned for student government and tried out for cheerleading, so did I. Her first car became my first car, and, like all the hand-me-downs I took from her over the years, I was stoked about the level of coolness her things would bring me. Amanda graduated from high school and moved to Seattle for college, and two years later, I followed her up here. And now, here she is, headed back to school. While I'm not in a hurry to follow her there, I'm once again in complete admiration of how cool she is. And how brave. And how crazy, definitely a little bit crazy. 

So, for the first day of school, while Amanda's sharpening pencils and buying text books, I'm coming up with back-to-school lunches to fill up her Garfield lunch box. The one she left on the bus and cried hysterically over. Boy was I jealous of that lunch box and school bus. 

While this portable lunch might not be quite right for the elementary school cafeteria, it packs up awesomely for work or big-kid school lunches. Super thin, flavorful chicken stuffed in a pita with fresh veggies and hummus. People will be jealous. And it's super easy to pack the components separately and combine at lunch. And, when you grill the chicken for dinner the night before, you get two meals in one. Just the kind of efficiency working moms or working grad students need. 

Grilled Chicken Pita Sandwiches

For chicken:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Juice from 1 large lemon

olive oil

oregano

salt

pepper

Paillard your bird. Ok, that sounds complicated and fancy, but it really just means to make your chicken super thin (which means it cooks quicker but stays tender, has more of the seasoning rub in each bite, and goes further). Here's a good guide to paillarding. 

Rub your chicken paillards with olive oil, douse in lemon juice, and heavily coat in oregano, salt, and pepper. 

Grill indoors or out until cooked through, only a couple minutes on each side. Oh the joys of the paillard!

For dinner, slice one breast and add to salad or pasta. Slice the 2nd paillard, and refrigerate. 

For sandwiches:

Pack chicken and a pita. Pack fresh spinach leaves, diced red onion, red pepper, tomato, and cucumber in a to-go container or baggie. 

Add a spoonful of hummus to a baggie.

To serve, cut the corner off the hummus baggie and squeeze hummus into pita (way less creepy than gogurt), then fill with veggies and chicken. 

Done…(school) lunch is served.