Moroccan Chicken Recipe
Moroccan chicken is a stew, full of spice and exotic flavor. The chicken is traditionally served with a bowl with couscous and topped with a few raisins, slivered almonds and chopped cilantro. The cream is something I added, but can be left out. A small can of chick peas (drained) and some fresh (diced) Roma tomatoes may be added to the stew before it’s simmered. Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 2 large lemons
- 1 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 T paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ c white wine (if you don’t have wine, use chicken stock or stout beer)
- 1 ½ c chicken stock
- 1 package boneless, skinless chicken thighs (3.5 lbs) You may also use bone in chicken with the skin removed
- 1 c Kalamata or green olives (some sliced, some whole)
- 1/3 c heavy cream
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Directions
Cut one lemon in half and squeeze juice to measure 2 Tablespoons. Discard rind. Cut the other lemon into 8 wedges. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add sliced onion. Season with a little salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are a nice and golden brown. This will take about 10 minutes.
Add garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon and ginger and sauté 1 more minute. Add wine to deglaze the pan. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Top with lemon wedges.
Cover. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 20 minutes, turning chicken occasionally until the meat is cooked through. If you are using bone in chicken, cook a little longer (25-30 minutes)
Transfer chicken to a platter. To the skillet, add olives and 2 T reserved lemon juice. Increase stove top heat to high. Boil for 4-5 minutes until mixture thickens. Pour in cream at the last minute. Stir. Pour sauce over the chicken on the platter.
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 | Chicken | Ethnic | Recipes | Chicken
Saturday, June 20, 2009 10:04:07 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00) 
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 Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Crabby Raspberry Chiffon Pie
I've been staring at this magazine for the better part of two months. The photo of the pie on the cover looks so fresh and light. It sweeps me away to a summer afternoon on the porch of some historical home in Savannah.................
Reality... It's a Tuesday. I had a busy day at work and picked my son up to get one of these "Um, did you get the note about the disposable cameras? We really need it for tomorrow."
Today I was one of THOSE parents. The ones that forget stuff their kids need for school. And I was tired. And hot. And ready for a summer afternoon in Savannah. Where's the pie picture when you need it?
"Mommy, are you crabby?"
"Yes, honey. Mommy's a little crabby tonight."
"How come?"
"Good question. Maybe Mommy needs something to look forward to."
"Can I get a toy?"
"What?"
"Can I get a toy?"
"Where did that come from?"
"At Target. I want a toy."
(escaping into my head now)
Well...I was headed to Target for the camera. If I could figure out how to make a raspberry chiffon pie with what I could locate in Target, I might get close to that porch in Savannah afterall.
Here's what I came up with..a recipe that tastes darn close to the real deal (real deal meaning you make the crust and whipped cream from scratch). And tonight proved that it can be made with stuff from Target, after work; while you're heating up left overs and reading the mail...even if you are a little cranky.
Crabby Raspberry Chiffon Pie recipe
Ingredients:
1 Keebler Ready Crust, Graham, 2 Extra Servings Pie Crust (it's just a deep graham cracker pie crust)
1 1/2 bags frozen raspberries (12 oz per bag)
3 T Sure-Jell (it's located by the Jello in the baking isle)
1 1/2 c white granulated sugar
1 large container fresh raspberries
3 T berry (raspberry or strawberry) flavored Jell-O
3 T hot, hot, hot water
4 oz cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
1 c heavy cream
1 container Cool Whip (12 oz)
In a medium saucepan, cook frozen berries (stirring occasionally) over medium high heat until the berries begin to turn into a juice. 4 minutes.
By the way, I did a taste test and concluded that the regular Archer Farm Raspberries taste exactly the same as the Organic Raspberries, but they're cheaper and you get more fruit.
Stir in Sure-Jell and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar and salt and bring back to a full boil. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.
Pour the mixture into a fine mesh strainer and allow to drain into a medium bowl. To speed up the process, push the mixture through the strainer with the back of a spoon. The seeds will remain in the strainer. (if a few slip through, no big deal)
Transfer 1/3 c of the raspberry mixture into a small bowl and set aside.
Gently fold the fresh raspberries into the rest of the raspberry puree. Spread mixture evenly over the bottom of the pie crust. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve Jell-O into hot water. Add cream cheese and 1/3 c raspberry puree, mix on high for 2 minutes, or until smooth. Mix in heavy cream, and continue to mix on high speed until mixture is fluffy (similar to a meringue). This will take another 3-4 minutes.
Spread mixture over fruit filling. Cover. Chill for at least 3 hours. Top with Cool Whip before serving.
Sweet on You
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 7:25:33 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)
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Crabby Raspberry Chiffon Pie Recipe
A refreshing, light dessert for a summer day; this recipe is quick and easy. Strawberries may easily be substituted for the raspberries, and the recipe can be made more figure friendly by using light Cool Whip and sugar free Jell-O (use ½ of a 3 oz pkg rather than 3 T).
Ingredients
- 1 Keebler Ready Crust, Graham, 2 Extra Servings Pie Crust (it's just a deep graham cracker pie crust)
- 1 1/2 bags frozen raspberries (12 oz per bag)
- 3 T Sure-Jell (it's located by the Jello in the baking isle)
- 1 1/2 c white granulated sugar
- 1 large container fresh raspberries
- 3 T berry flavored (raspberry or strawberry) Jell-O
- 3 T hot, hot, hot water
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
- 1 c heavy cream
- 1 container Cool Whip (12 oz)
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Directions
In a medium saucepan, cook frozen berries (stirring occasionally) over medium high heat until the berries begin to turn into a juice. 4 minutes.
Stir in Sure-Jell and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar and salt and bring back to a full boil. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.
Pour the mixture into a fine mesh strainer and allow to drain into a medium bowl. To speed up the process, push the mixture through the strainer with the back of a spoon. The seeds will remain in the strainer. (if a few slip through, no big deal)
Transfer 1/3 c of the raspberry mixture into a small bowl and set aside.
Gently fold the fresh raspberries into the rest of the raspberry puree. Spread mixture evenly over the bottom of the pie crust. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve Jell-O into hot water. Add cream cheese and 1/3 c raspberry puree, mix on high for 2 minutes, or until smooth. Mix in heavy cream, and continue to mix on high speed until mixture is fluffy (similar to a meringue). This will take another 3-4 minutes.
Spread mixture over fruit filling. Cover. Chill for at least 3 hours. Top with Cool Whip before serving.
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| Recipes | Sweet on You
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 7:20:11 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)
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Sunday, June 14, 2009
Pancetta Chicken
Pancetta is Italian bacon, pork that is cured with salt, pepper and fennel and then dried for several months. It is available in the deli section of most grocery stores and is a key component to this recipe. Regular smoked bacon will not yield the same result as it contains more moisture, grease and fewer flavors than the pancetta.
Chicken | Ethnic
Sunday, June 14, 2009 8:41:09 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)
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Pancetta Chicken Recipe
A Tuscan recipe that creates flavorful, tender chicken every time. Pancetta is Italian bacon, pork that is cured with salt, pepper and fennel and then dried for several months. It is available in the deli section of most grocery stores and is a key component to this recipe. Regular smoked bacon will not yield the same result as it contains more moisture, grease and fewer flavors than the pancetta. As for the wine, the age old rule stands. If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it. or easy weekend entertaining. Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 8 – 10 chicken legs
- 1 T paprika
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 8 – 10 slices pancetta (thinly sliced)
- 3 T extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 T each fresh sage and rosemary (finely chopped)
- ½ c white wine (chardonnay or pinot grigio)
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Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C
Wash chicken and pat dry. Set aside.
Mix paprika, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Sprinkle seasoning mix over chicken legs, coating evenly. Give the chicken skin a pat with your hand to help the seasonings absorb into the chicken.
Wrap each chicken leg with a slice of pancetta.
Add sage, rosemary and wine to the center of the skillet.
Place skillet (uncovered) in the oven. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
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| Chicken | Ethnic | Recipes | Chicken
Sunday, June 14, 2009 8:39:11 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)
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Thursday, June 11, 2009
La Cucina Povera and the Celebration of Enough
Bournjourno!
Writers block, aargh. I've started this post no less than five times in the past week. Each time deleting most of the content because it failed to convey the message I wanted to deliver.
That's not to say that this message will be eloquent either, but one must start somewhere and I've grown tired of waiting for a writing epiphany.
You see, I've spent the past few days on vacation in Tuscany, and the experience has taken awhile to process.
My husband and I celebrated our anniversary...one of the big ones...and he surprised me with the trip of a life time. A week long stay at a 15th century country villa in Tuscany that
housed a well known culinary school, spa and views that take your breath away.
What surprised me was not just the beauty of the country or the people, but rather the contrasts that presented themselves in most of our daily activities. Never before
have I felt so much like I was walking the line between yin and yang.
From a culinary experience, food from Tuscany has long been considered among the best in the world. Yet the age old recipes and methods of preparation are centered around simplicity.
La Cucina Povera. The kitchen of the poor, as it is known throughout Italy.
The roots of Tuscany are in the land, with the farmers. The people enjoy the abundance of life, not money, creating dishes that reflect ingredients readily available.
The entrees are not overcomplicated with a multitude of different flavors. Rather, they enhance the components of each and every individual ingredient. Great care is taken to
ensure the preparation method yields the best possible result. And, nothing is wasted. I mean nothing. (The eggs that are used to batter the meat are scrambled the next morning for
breakfast.)
At the school, we were blessed with a wonderful chef as our instructor. He was also an artist and his family has created works of art for the Vatican for generations. He shared with us his family recipes, those
of his mother, Franchesca. The beauty of the culture could not have been more poetically conveyed.
The irony for me lies in the manner in which the entire experience presented itself. You see the people of the region live simply, and it is that simplicity that allows them to create such beauty.
Yet the very people that seek to experience this beauty have such monetary abundance in their life by comparison. To be sure, the concept of people of means exploiting people with lesser means
in vacation type atmosphere didn't surprise me (take any Carribean country as an example). But what surprised me about Tuscany was the secret message she offers if you stop and listen to her.
For most, they leave Tuscany with memories of the scenic brilliance, casual pace and divine cuisine. After all, that's what one seeks in Tuscany, right? But for me, I left with
appreciation for all of those things, but something much, much more.
Life really can be simple. And very beautiful. We make it complicated.
Proudly embracing what you have and those people around you brings such comfort to the soul. You are free to create. Create music, art, inventions...whatever fits
your fancy. And creation, truly creating something new (a song that's never been heard before, a sculpture, a pot of soup) is spiritual.
No longer do I wonder why Florence was the center of the Renaissance, why Leonardo da Vinci and other Masters were born of the region. Tuscany's gift is free to anyone that will embrace it.
But it cannot be bought for any price, no matter who you are and how much money you have.
In the June 8, 2009 issue of Newsweek, Peter G. Peterson, cofounder of the Blackstone Group, wrote an article
explaining why he was giving away a billion dollars. He summed up the concept when he spoke of a friend's attendance at a dinner party of a wealthy hedge fund
manager in the Hamptons. Kurt Vonnegut was speaking with Joseph Heller and asked "Joe, doesn't it bother you that this guy makes more in one day than you ever made from Catch-22?" "No, not really" Heller said.
"I have something that he doesn't have: I know the meaning of enough."
The people of Tuscany don't celebrate the excessive materialism that most of us seek. They celebrate enough.
To those with whom I've chatted while in Vorno, Lucca, Vinci, Pisa and Florence that have no understanding of the words I write...I am happy that you have memories of the surface beauty of
the region. But to those with whom I've chatted that understand what I write, you will forever be kindred spirits...
And to Mi Amore for sharing this with me...Grazie.
Prego
Musings...
Thursday, June 11, 2009 11:11:11 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)
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