Roasted chicken is one of my go-to recipes; whether it’s a weeknight, a last-minute dinner party, or a special occasion, roasted chicken evokes comfort and an image of the Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, and Julia Stiles movie Mona Lisa Smile: I’m a 50s era housewife, complete with heels, hostess apron, perfect hair, and immaculate red lipstick.  I know this picture is ridiculous, dated, and dusty. I admit that when I cook I don’t exactly glide around in a ball gown like Barbie in her Dream House (my husband has actually threatened to start a blog called Sh*tMyWifeWearsWhenSheCooks.com), but there it is. And I like it. It makes me feel like the hostess with the most-est, even when in reality I wind up sweaty and smelling like bacon after cooking—even when there was no bacon involved.

This is one of many roasted chicken variations I make. This one falls in the  special occasions category because it takes a teensy bit more work than a Tuesday night allows for. It’s accompanied by tart green apples, caramelized shallots, and pairs miraculously with the blue cheese bread pudding that follows.

ROASTED CHICKEN with APPLES, SHALLOTS, & BACON

Serves 2

I use a roasting pan to cook the chicken, but if you don’t have one, use a rimmed baking sheet.

1 (3 ½- to 4-pound) chicken
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
3 slices thick bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch wedges
8 shallots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 425°F.

- Split the chicken: Discard the “goody bag” inside the chicken. Turn the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using kitchen shears (don’t try to use your desk scissors for this!), starting at the tail and finishing at the neck cavity, cut alongside the backbone. Repeat on opposite side and discard backbone. With a sharp chef’s knife, cut the chicken in half, using the breastbone as a guide.

- Rub the chicken with mustard and season generously with salt and pepper.

- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

- Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook one of the chicken halves, skin-side down, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to roasting pan, skin-side up. Repeat with second chicken half.

- Add the apples, shallots, and brown sugar to now empty skillet and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden and beginning to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Add vinegar and sage and season with salt and pepper. Arrange apple mixture around chicken and roast until it’s deep golden brown and juices run clear (thigh meat should register 170° to 175°F) 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board. While the chicken rests, prepare Blue Cheese Bread Pudding.

BLUE CHEESE BREAD PUDDING

Serves 2

Use sturdy bread in this recipe to avoid soggy results.
I used two 4-ounce oval ramekins for this recipe.
Use blue cheese of your choice; I prefer nutty, buttery Stilton.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
3 cups 1-inch bread cubes
1½ cups heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper

- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

- Grease ramekins with additional 1 tablespoon butter. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and brush them with the melted butter. Bake the cubes until golden and slightly crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a cooling rack.

- In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cooked shallots, eggs, thyme, blue cheese, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add the toasted bread cubes and stir until they’re evenly coated; allow the mixture to stand 10 minutes for thorough absorption.

- Divide the bread mixture between the two prepared ramekins. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with chicken.

I baked, frosted, and bedazzled 100 cookies to decorate a Christmas tree for Woman’s Day TV segment. I continue to find sprinkles embedded in my living room carpet.

Do you know, it takes an awfully long time to settle back in after being away for Christmas? No? Then you must be much more organized than I, although, I truly did putter about like new wind-up doll stocked with fresh batteries writing correspondence and making phone calls, taking on a Mount Everest-esque heap of laundry, sorting bills, picking sprinkles out from the carpet (see photo above), mailing out belated holiday gifts…Don’t look at me like that—I know I was delinquent in my elf duties. The worst of it is, I wrote a whole blog entry about how 2010 was the year when I would send out cards and presents in a timely fashion. Lump of coal in my stocking.

What did you do for the holidays? Lots of presents, clinking bubble-filled crystal, and manageable family brawls, I hope. For me, it was southern California, which was a complete washout. The sun refused to shine in its usual carefree way, the house windows looked like they were weeping. No matter—I got to spend some quality time with my mom in the kitchen*.  We cooked and baked every day, and, while this may seem like a non-vacation, we look forward to our time in the kitchen, and odd ducks that we are, actually enjoy doing the dishes.

And now, the pièce de résistance! Nicas, gather round and take notes, because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a very special Christmas gift from me to you. My grandmother’s top-secret family recipe for relleno! My mamamá would surely murder me in my sleep for sharing, but she doesn’t use the internet…Does she?

For those non-compatriots, a brief explanation of Nicaraguan relleno:

Relleno means stuffing, but erase your mental pictures of American bread-cube stuffing and dressing because this version is of an entirely different genus and species. I’ve found no original recipe, no documentation on who made this recipe first, but relleno is a contentious subject to Nicas;  recipes are usually closely guarded and unique to each household.

Relleno is made by combining finely chopped pork (I’ve heard of people using chicken, but in my book, that’s sacrilege), panade, and many condiments and stirring everything in a pot for many hours. Mamamá’s recipe is famous and, when she was younger, used to be available for purchase. I remember her standing over a cauldron-like pot in the cement patio in her kitchen in Granada, arduously pushing against a broomstick of a spoon to prevent the bubbling mixture from sticking, beads of sweat wrung out by the deepening furrows in her brow. Granted, she was making at least sixty pounds’ worth, but relleno is labor intensive even in small batches.

Everything but the kitchen sink.

This year, my mom and I started with an insignificant two pounds of pork and it still required the use of two large pots and three hours of stirring. Relleno’s consistency is thick, but spreadable in the manner that rillette or refried beans are. Its color is deep, burnt sienna studded with the green and deep purple of olives, capers, and raisins. The flavor is a balanced blend of sweet, salty, and sour. In some areas of Nicaragua, on Christmas Eve the main event at dinner is a roast hen stuffed with relleno, but my family normally serves it alongside a more gringo roast turkey.

It makes up in flavor what it lacks in looks.

Without further ado, the recipe. ¡Les queda la receta para el año que viene!

RELLENO NAVIDENO CHAMORRO BARILLAS

You will need the largest mixing bowls in your kitchen, and your largest pots. I used a Dutch oven and a 12-inch skillet with straight sides. While the depth of the pots is important, it’s not as important as the surface area. Relleno will start as a pale, soupy mixture, but as it cooks, it will reduce and thicken. The larger the surface area of your pot, the more quickly it the relleno will achieve desired consistency.

This recipe is at its core, my grandmother’s, but in every household, seasonings and garnishes vary. In the ingredients list I call for a base amount, but you are free to add more or less salt, Worcestershire, olives, capers, etc., to taste. If this is your first time with the recipe, I recommend following it closely and, on your second and third tries, making additions and subtractions.

And please, don’t contact me if you choose to defile the recipe with outrageous additions like cumin or choose to start with raw ground pork. No. No. No.

For the base: Cooking the Pork
2 pounds pork loin, cut into 1½-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into quarters
1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into quarters
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 bay leaves

- Generously season the pork with salt and pepper. Place the pork in a Dutch oven or large pot along with onion, bell pepper, garlic, and bay leaves. Fill the pot with enough water to cover (2 to 3 quarts) and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the pork is cooked through, about 20 minutes, skimming the surface with a large spoon from time to time.

- With a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a large bowl. Strain the broth into a second large bowl and discard the cooked vegetables.

For the relleno
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes
2 loaves white sandwich bread, such as Wonder®, about 2 pounds total, torn into pieces
6 large eggs, well beaten
¼ cup Worcestershire, plus additional for seasoning to taste
½ cup sweet gherkins,  finely chopped
6 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus additional for seasoning to taste
1 pound unsalted butter
Salt
8 ounces raisins
1½ cups pimento stuffed green olives, liquid reserved
1 cup cocktail onions, drained
½ cup capers, drained

- Place the half of the cooked pork, onion pieces, green and yellow bell pepper pieces, garlic cloves, plum tomatoes and their liquid, and ½ cup of reserved broth in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining half of the pork, vegetables, and an additional ½ cup of reserved broth. Transfer to the large bowl with first batch.

- In a separate large bowl, combine the bread with 8 cups of reserved broth. Mash the mixture with a fork until the bread is completely dissolved. Thoroughly stir in the beaten eggs, Worcestershire sauce, gherkins, and sugar. Add the ground pork mixture and thoroughly combine.

- Divide the butter between two large, deep pots. Melt the butter over medium-high heat. Divide the relleno mixture between the two pots and begin stirring. After about 45 minutes of cooking, the relleno should begin to thicken and acquire a bronze tint. Stir in the raisins, olives, cocktail onions, and capers and continue to stir. Taste and season with salt, Worcestershire, and/or sugar (I like to add some of the reserved olive brine in lieu of salt). Two to three hours of stirring later, your mission is completed.

- Serve relleno as a side at the Christmas table. Leftovers are great on toast or crackers,  or may be frozen in a zipper-lock bag for up to two months.

*I say “quality.” Mom might have other qualifiers to describe the experience. Pobrecita.

I’m always on the lookout for ingredients that’ll cover up chicken breasts – i.e. my least favorite thing to eat other than tripe – and the ketchup-prune preserve sauce I glazed that meatloaf with a few days ago was a pretty convincing disguise. Shred your leftover chicken and make a sandwich for lunch the next day. Inspired, I know. And yes, of course, there’s bacon in it.

SWEET & TANGY ONION-SMOTHERED CHICKEN
Serves 4 (or 2 plus leftovers)
You can substitute apricot jam for the prune preserves.

1 cup ketchup
½ cup prune preserves or jam
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
2 medium onions, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, halved crosswise

- Whisk the ketchup, preserves, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl; set aside.

- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon; reserve. Pour the bacon fat out into a bowl; reserve.

- Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat to the now empty skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add the onions, remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Cover and continue cooking until completely softened, about 5 minutes more.  Transfer the onions to a bowl.

- Add an additional tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat to the now empty skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook, skin-side down, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onions to the chicken. Pour the sauce over the chicken and onions, cover, and cook on medium-low heat until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes (temperature should read 160˚F). Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover it loosely with foil.  Increase the heat to high and simmer the sauce until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir any accumulated chicken juices to sauce and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with reserved bacon and serve.

Arroz con pollo means chicken-and-rice, but the colorful flavors and ingredients of the popular Nicaraguan dish are lost in this very literal translation.  Also called arroz a la valenciana (probably a nod to Spanish colonizers and paella) arroz con pollo is a mixture of the title ingredients, plus ham, sausage, pimento-stuffed olives, capers, peas, carrots, and bell peppers. Topped with a generous grating of Parmesan cheese and often served with buttered toast, it’s one of my favorite things to eat; maybe it’ll become one of yours, too.

ARROZ con POLLO or ARROZ a la VALENCIANA
Serves 8 to 12
This is a somewhat involved recipe, but it makes piles of food; great for a big family, a casual dinner party, or days’ worth of leftovers. The recipe can be easily cut in half if the yield seems excessive.

Some shortcuts: Rather than cooking carrots with rice, add 2 cups of frozen peas-and-carrots to the mixture.  Buy a rotisserie chicken and low-sodium chicken broth instead of poaching your own fresh chicken pieces.

For the Chicken:
4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces or 1 4- to 5-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Salt
1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1 green bell pepper, seeded and quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 teaspoons black peppercorns

- Place chicken pieces in large soup pot or Dutch oven. Season with salt and cover with cold water (chicken should be submerged 2 inches). Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is cooked through (temperature should read 160˚F), 30 to 35 minutes.

- Transfer chicken to large bowl. When it’s cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones and shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. The chicken may be poached one day in advance: To store, add 3 cups broth to shredded chicken, cool to room temperature, cover with plastic, and refrigerate.

- Strain broth and reserve. Discard solids.

For the Rice:
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups long-grain white rice
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups chicken broth

- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan.  Add the onion and salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, carrots, and tomato paste. Add broth and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until most of the liquid has evaporated and you can see small bubbles on the surface (see How to Make Rice).  Reduce heat to lowest setting, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff rice with chopsticks or fork and remove from heat.

For the Arroz con Pollo:
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces Lil’ Smokies or Kielbasa sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup ketchup
Shredded chicken (see above)
¼ pound deli ham, chopped
1/3 cup capers, drained
1/3 cup pimento-stuffed olives, sliced
1 ½ cups frozen peas
Cooked rice (see above)

- Melt butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add sausage and sauté until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate.

- Add onion and bell pepper to now empty skillet and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, chicken, ham, capers, olives, peas, and rice, stirring to combine thoroughly. Cook, stirring occasionally, to allow flavors to meld, 10 to 15 minutes.  Season to taste with salt.

- Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and white buttered toast.

Now don’t go around spreading this, but every time Wedding Crashers is on TBS, I have to watch it. And at least once a day, the opportunity to quote Chazz comes up… “What is she doing back there? I never know what she’s doing…HEY MOM! The meatloaf! We want it now! THE MEATLOAF!!!” It never gets old.

I would imagine Chazz’s mom’s meatloaf is of the nightmare variety: compact, dried out, packed into a loaf pan. Maybe topped with a squirt of ketchup.  This genre of meatloaf – the bad kind – has been around for ages, and we’ve all had to swallow it down (with difficulty, no doubt) at some point. Why meatloaf keeps making it to the table in such pitiful format is puzzling, but I come bearing glad tidings! Meatloaf can be delicious! Meatloaf can be something you want to eat! Meatloaf doesn’t have to be made in a loaf pan!

Meatloaf really is better when it’s not squeezed into a pan. Thus contained, the beef juices ooze out and create a Jacuzzi-like environment for the meat, which results in a rubbery rectangle of boiled beef. Yuck. But, unfettered and free, the meatloaf develops a nice crust, which contrasts with juicy, tender beef.  I’ve experimented with a few flavor variations, but recently tried a Gourmet version, which incorporates bacon and prunes. You’ll love it.

MEATLOAF
Adapted from Gourmet
Serves 6

For the Glaze
1 cup ketchup
½ cup prune preserves
¼ cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the Meatloaf
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (from 2 slices firm white sandwich bread)
1/3 cup whole milk
6 slices bacon, chopped
½ cup pitted prunes, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Salt and pepper
1 ½ pounds ground beef chuck
½ pound ground pork
2 large eggs, beaten
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and middle positions and heat oven to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

- Whisk the ketchup, prune preserves, brown sugar, vinegar, and pepper flakes in a small saucepan.

- To make the panade, mash breadcrumbs and milk together in a small bowl; set aside. Process 4 slices bacon and prunes in food processor until finely ground; set aside. Melt butter in medium skillet. Add remaining 2 slices chopped bacon, onion, garlic, and celery and cook until vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire, vinegar, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper.

- In a large bowl combine the panade, bacon-prune paste, vegetables, beef, pork, eggs, and parsley and mix thoroughly with hands. Transfer mixture to prepared baking sheet and shape into a 9- by 5-inch oval. Brush meatloaf with about ¼ cup of glaze and broil until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and transfer meatloaf to middle rack. Bake until temperature registers 160 degrees, 35 to 45 minutes.  Remove meatloaf from oven, slide onto serving platter or carving board, and let rest 20 minutes.

- While meatloaf rests, bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat and cook until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve sauce with meatloaf.

I’m very hesitant to post this recipe. I “heart” Korean barbecue, but other than liking it, I know nothing about it. I found a KBBQ beef recipe on Gourmet, made some changes, and basically took the “BBQ” aspect of it by making it in the oven. It was tasty, I swear. Maybe we can have some of the legit stuff next time I’m in LA?  xoxo

KOREAN BBQ BEEF with CRISP GREEN SALAD
Serves 2

For the Salad
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
½ head iceberg lettuce, cored and shredded
1 small cucumber, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced  ¼” -thick
½ cup whole cilantro leaves
4 scallions, white and pale green parts thinly sliced(reserve these for beef), green tops thinly sliced

- Whisk soy sauce, vinegar, oil, and brown sugar together in small bowl.

- Toss lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, and scallion greens (tops only — see beef ingredients) together in large bowl.

- Continue with beef portion of recipe.

For the Beef
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
2 strip steaks (1 to ½ pounds total), thinly sliced

- Place a rimmed baking sheet on oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat to broil.

- Whisk first 7 ingredients and reserved scallions (see salad ingredients) together in medium bowl. Add meat and toss to coat evenly. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.

- Open oven and carefully place preheated baking sheet on cooling rack. Spread beef out in single layer and immediately return to oven. Broil until beef is caramelized and lightly charred, 6 to 8 minutes.

-Toss salad with vinaigrette and serve with beef.

Summer has been reluctant this year, so when the sun does shine, I scramble up to the roof deck for a much-needed dose of vitamin D. The building I live in has outfitted the deck with some patio furniture and grills, and though I mocked the electric grills (the look like open-faced toaster ovens), I succumbed the other day and made turkey burgers for dinner.

GRILLED TURKEY BURGERS with SCALLION GUACAMOLE
Serves 4

Smoked paprika imparts a smoky barbecue flavor on otherwise bland turkey meat.  Serve burgers with tortilla chips, hot sauce (such as Valentina brand), and sour cream or mayo.

For the Burgers
1 pound ground turkey
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ small onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
4 hamburger buns

- Combine ground turkey, salt, and pepper in medium bowl.

- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add smoked paprika and cook until the onions are evenly coated and the paprika is fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the onion mixture to a bowl and allow it to cool slightly.

- Add onion mixture to the ground turkey and mix just until combined.  Divide turkey mixture equally into 4 portions and shape into ¾”- to 1”-thick patties.  Make a shallow divot or indenation in the center of each patty.

- Heat grill to medium-high. Cook burgers until nicely charred on each side and cooked through (temperature should register 160˚F on an instant-read thermometer), 4 to 5 minutes per side.

- Brush buns with remaining tablespoon oil and grill until warmed through and marks appear, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plates and top with burgers.

For the Scallion Guacamole
Remove the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño if you are sensitive to heat. Pickled jalapeños and a tablespoon or 2 of the pickling brine are a nice substitution (or addition) here.

3 ripe avocados
¼ small onion, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
1 cup cilantro, chopped
6 scallions, finely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper

- Split avocados, remove pits, and spoon flesh out into a medium bowl. Add following 6 ingredients and mash coarsely with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Because my job entails eating at approximately 15-minute intervals throughout the day, I usually feel a violent burning, gnawing sensation in my stomach by the end of the day – think John Hurt’s exploding torso in Alien. Whether this uncomfortable feeling is a result of overeating or merely my belly asking for more, Sensible Me always hops on the train thinking “You will have a green salad for dinner. And maybe some fruit for dessert.” As I sweat out my toxins in the hot yoga room, Sensible Me only wants a glass of water and luxuriates in the thought that my body is being exorcised of all the excess butter and sodium I had during the day. Sensible Me walks home and wants nothing to do with food.

15 minutes later…Sensible Me has abandoned all Lean Cuisine thoughts, busts through the door and whines, “I’m staaaaaarviiiing!!!!” I start eating everything in sight. Peanuts. Macadamia nuts. Cold leftover rice. Orange juice straight from the carton. I eventually make dinner, but, oh, how nice it is when I get home and a Special Someone has made dinner. Leafy greens and all.

CRISPY CHICKEN CUTLETS & BALSAMIC RED ONIONS

Balsamic Red Onions
Serves 2

1 large red onion
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Cut onion in half, and then into half-inch wedges
- Place in medium or large bowl
- Add vinegar and olive oil
- Season with salt and pepper
- Toss well
- Place into square or round pyrex dish
- Cook for 30 to 40 minutes.  At 15 minutes, stir onions to ensure they’ve broken loose

Chicken cutlets
Serves 4

4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs
1 cup flour
2 cups bread crumbs
salt and pepper
½ cup vegetable oil
1 lemon

- Large chicken breasts can take too long to cook, leaving the inside raw and the breadcrumbs burnt.  To avoid this, either cut the chicken breasts in half or preferably just flatten them with a wooden mallet.  But before you start hammering away, place a sheet of Saran wrap on top of the chicken breast to avoid making a mess.

- Trim the chicken breasts

- The most efficient way to make breaded chicken cutlets is to setup the ingredients and do one chicken breast at a time:

- Season each chicken breast on both sides with salt and pepper
- Beat both eggs well in a shallow soup bowl
- Cover inside of large plate with coat of flour
- Cover inside of another large plate with coat of breadcrumbs

- First, lightly dredge chicken breast in flour, just enough to coat it.  Then, dip chicken breast, one side at a time in egg; let excess drip off.  Finally, dredge chicken breast in bread crumbs, making sure that it is completely covered.  Set on a clean plate to let crumbs set.  Finish this process before starting to cook chicken.

- Heat up ¼ cup of oil in large skillet on medium-high heat.  Once oil begins to smoke put in two cutlets and lower heat to medium until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Turn over and cook other side.  If oil is too dark, clean pan and pour in fresh ¼ cup of oil.  Cook remaining cutlets.

- Slice lemon for garnish.  I like a little lemon juice on top to add some acidity.

Serve with an avocado to balance onions and salad to feel healthy about what you’re eating

Meat and potatoes: poetic or prosaic? The words themselves sound clunky, stodgy, lacking in glitz. Often, “meat and potatoes” are used to describe down-to-earth, hard-working folks. But, isn’t that sturdy reliability what we sometimes crave at the end of the day? After eight-plus hours of being micromanaged, belittled, and mocked, you need an honest plateful.

SEARED STEAK & SCALLION-RED BELL PEPPER POTATO SALAD
Serves 2 (expect leftovers)

For the Potato Salad:

1 ½ pounds red bliss potatoes, scrubbed
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
3 scallions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained and finely chopped

For the Steak:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 steaks of your choice (sirloin steak tips featured in photo)
Salt and pepper
Worcestershire sauce

- Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Cut potatoes in half and slice each half crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices. Add potatoes to pot and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook potatoes until fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to large bowl.

- Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, red wine vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder. Slowly and steadily drizzle in oil, whisking constantly until fully incorporated. Whisk in scallions and red bell peppers and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add dressing to warm potatoes and gently, with a rubber spatula, stir potatoes and dressing until potatoes are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning.

- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season both sides of each generously with salt and pepper.  Splash each steak with 2 to 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce.  Cook steaks until well browned on each side, about 5 minutes per side (8 to 10 minutes if you prefer a well-done steak). Transfer to platter and let rest 5 minutes. Serve with potato salad.

There are days when, despite my best efforts, I eat like a voracious billy goat. I didn’t wake up this morning planning to eat complex carbs only, but that’s what I did. I gulped down an espresso for breakfast, got super busy, and all of a sudden I looked up at the clock and it was noon. I was ravenous.

I had a grilled cheese sandwich. And some manicotti. Then a Diet Coke (I suppose that doesn’t really count?). A while later I ate (ok, more like inhaled) an olive roll. And a few minutes after that I had a bit of pastry and three French fries. And one more olive roll. By 5:00pm I was bloated and full but unsatisfied. The poor nutritional choices I made left me feeling wobbly and tired so I skipped yoga (did I tell you I’ve been doing crazy Bikram yoga about 4 times a week since January?!). That means that instead of burning 800 calories this evening, I stayed home and carb loaded some more (beer, Triscuit, pastry).

At 8:00pm I decided I still wanted more to eat and finally decided to cook some real food. It was the one nice thing I did for myself today. Did you do anything nice for yourself today?

PORK TENDERLOIN with APPLES & ONIONS

2 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼” cubes (or 3 slices bacon, chopped)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut lengthwise into 6 wedges
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
2 red apples (such as Gala or Fuji), peeled, cored, and cut into 6 wedges
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 (1-lb.) pork tenderloin, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons orange marmalade (apricot jam, apple jelly, or maple syrup may act as substitutes)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

- Preheat oven to 450˚F.

- Cook pancetta (or bacon) in a large oven-safe skillet (a cast iron skillet is great for this recipe) over medium heat until golden and some of the fat has rendered (if using bacon, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve), 4 to 6 minutes.

- Add oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Sprinkle the onion wedges with the sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

- Push the onions to the side of the skillet, add the apples, and cook until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Mix the apples and onions together and push to the side.

- Season pork with salt and pepper and place on empty side of skillet. Cook until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Distribute apple-onion mixture evenly around pork and top pork with marmalade. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until pork registers 160˚F on an instant read thermometer (145˚F if you like it pink), 8 to 10 minutes.

-Return skillet to stovetop. Transfer pork to cutting board and allow to rest 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir remaining tablespoon butter and sherry vinegar into apple-onion mixture and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper (if using, add reserved bacon bits). Slice pork into ½” thick pieces and serve, topping with apple-onion sauce. Serve.