Super delicious birthday cookies

• 1 box frozen spinach, defrosted
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A few grates nutmeg
• 6 chicken breasts
• 6 slices prosciutto di Parma, 1/3 pound
• 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  

 Butterfly each chicken breast, then add the spinach stuffing.

All wrapped up in prosciutto and ready to go!

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
Wring out defrosted spinach in clean kitchen towel.

Toast nuts and combine with spinach in a bowl, mix in cheeses, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Cut into and across but not all the way through the chicken breasts, opening them up like a book with a sharp knife. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Fill each with a small mound of stuffing. Flap chicken breasts back over stuffing and wrap each breast with prosciutto to seal them, carefully covering the whole breast. Brush chicken all over with some EVOO and roast 18-20 minutes until cooked through.

Citrus Soy Chicken Stir-Fry
Source: Look + Cook cookbook by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• Salt
• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 cup stock, chicken or vegetable
• 1/2 cup Tamari (aged soy sauce...I used reduced sodium soy sauce)
• 1 inch ginger root, peeled grated
• 1 cup orange marmalade
• 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (I omitted this)
• 2 tablespoons high temp oil such as safflower, peanut or vegetable
• 1 pound thinly sliced chicken or pork or peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1 cup shelled edamame
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound snow peas, halved on an angle
• 1 small bunch of thin scallions, thinly sliced on an angle into 2 inch pieces, whites and greens

Preparation:

Once the pasta is dropped into the pot, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. When oil smokes add meat and stir fry 2-3 minutes then add vegetables and stir fry 3 minutes more (or until meat is cooked through).  Stir in the sauce and toss for 1-2 minutes, then drain the pasta and combine.  

For shrimp, stir-fry it for 1 minute, add the edamame, snow peas and scallions.  Stir-fry for 3 minutes more, then add the sauce and toss with the pasta.

Zin-Zen Chicken
Source:  Look + Cook cookbook by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Zest and juice of 1 orange, divided
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 red onion, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1-inch chunk ginger, peeled and grated or 1 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup Zinfandel wine
• 3 tablespoons tamari
• 2 teaspoons Chinese Five Spice powder
• 4 scallions, sliced on bias

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved
• 1 large bay leaf, fresh or dried
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 4 large leeks, trimmed, washed and dried
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups chicken stock (32 ounces)
• 2 cups egg pasta, such as broken egg fettuccine or tagliatelle
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Crusty baguette, sliced
• Soft cheese, such as goat cheese, robiola, Camembert or Boursin

Preparation:

Cook's Note: To clean leeks, chop them first and then wash them. Trim the tough tops and root ends, halve them lengthwise, then slice them 1⁄2-inch thick. Fill a large bowl or sink with water, add the leeks and separate the slices to let the grit fall away. Remove the leeks with a skimmer and dry in a salad spinner or on a clean kitchen towel.

Place the chicken and bay leaf in a small pan and add water to almost cover. Place over high heat, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and poach the chicken until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the EVOO in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt and pepper, then stir, cover and cook for 7-8 minutes. Add the wine and cook out for 1 minute, then add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and dice, then stir into the stock. Strain the poaching liquid and add it to the soup. Add the egg pasta, thyme and lemon zest. Cook at a low boil until the pasta is tender. Stir in the parsley and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread spread with soft cheese.

 

Piquillo Pepper Chicken with Spanish Rice
Source:  Look + Cook by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 small handful golden raisins
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 pinch saffron threads or 1 envelope saffron powder
• 1½ cups white rice
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-3/4 pounds)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 jarred piquillo peppers or 2 jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
• ½ cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into pieces
• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (a generous handful)
• ½ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted (a generous handful)

Ingredients

• 16 extra-large white mushrooms
• 5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Marsala wine or medium sherry
• 3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
• 6 scallions, white and green parts, mince (I substituted with minced green bell pepper)
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2/3 cup panko crumbs
• 5 ounces mascarpone cheese, preferably from Italy
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

***Wow...what a fun and adventurous day we've had around here!  Last night, a winter storm blew through our area, so we woke up this morning to everything covered in several inches of snow and a thick layer of ice.  Needless to say, businesses, schools, and virtually everything shut down.  

A few days ago, the bread aisle at my local grocery store was nearly wiped out.  See, the thing is, we don't get that much snow here in Birmingham, AL.  So when we do, everyone sort of freaks out and goes and buys up a bunch of break, milk, etc...all the essentials.  In fact, some folks are lovingly referring to this storm as "Snowpocalypse 2011!"  Here's a pic that I took with my camera phone, so you can see what I'm talking about...I think it's sort of funny:

Brad and I had a lot of fun playing in the snow and ice today.  We hiked about 1/2 mile to his parents' house to surprise them.  The roads were incredibly icy, so we didn't want to risk driving anywhere.  In fact, all of the interstates and state highways are still shut down as I type this.  The real problem is the ice...If there wasn't so much ice on the roads, we'd be doing a lot better.  What a mess!

This Yellow Chicken and Rice makes the perfect cozy meal when the weather outside is cold and icy!  It made a beautiful presentation, but tasted just as delicious, too!  Like most of Rachael's "foolproof" recipes, this one was packed with flavor, while not being too complicated to make.  The cinnamon and turmeric in this recipe give it a yummy Indian feel, along with great depth of flavor.

Bon Appetit!***

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon (about 2 pinches) saffron threads
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, cut in half
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup (a couple of handfuls) broken spaghetti (I used whole grain spaghetti)
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch of turmeric
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped 

Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, turmeric, saffron-infused stock and reserved chicken to the pan. Bring the liquid up to a bubble, cover the pan, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Stir in the peas and parsley, remove and discard the bay leaf, and serve.

• 1 pound pappardelle pasta or 12 ounces fettuccine
• 2 pork tenderloins, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds total, trimmed of connective tissue and silver skin (a task your butcher can do for you)
• 5 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, as needed for coating
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup Marsala wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Preparation:
Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil. When the water is boiling, add some salt and cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions.

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts or any combination of light and dark meat
• Salt and coarse black pepper
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
• 1/3 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 scallions, whites and greens, finely chopped
• 4 cups baby arugula

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat the EVOO over medium-high to high heat.

Season the chicken liberally with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. When the EVOO ripples, add the chicken and brown for 5 minutes, then turn and sprinkle with rosemary. Cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.

In a small bowl, stir together the marmalade, vinegar and stock and pour over the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and becomes a thin glaze. Arrange the chicken on a serving platter and serve topped with the glaze, scallions and arugula greens.

• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1 pound ground veal
• 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 4 portabello mushroom caps, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 crusty Kaiser or ciabatta rolls, split
• A chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for shaving

***Have you ever had one of those days where you knew exactly what you were going to make for dinner that night, and you couldn't wait to get into the kitchen?  Well, that was me today.  This lasagna has been in my head all day long.  One of my little sisters, Maranne, asked me for a good lasagna recipe recently.  I thought about THIS RECIPE for "Lasagna of Emilia-Romagna" that I posted back in March of last year.  It was a Daring Bakers recipe, which called for made-from-scratch pasta!  Needless to say, it's not the easiest lasagna recipe out there, although it was amazing.

After a little searching, I came across this recipe by Giada de Laurentiis.  It sounded delicious, and I adore homemade bechamel sauce.  My little sister has been on a baking/cooking phase lately, and I'm loving it!  She's constantly texting me photos of her latest successes in the kitchen.  I'm so proud of her....She's making some major progress in the kitchen, and her repertoire of homemade goodies is growing by leaps and bounds.  You might even say she's taking after her older sister.  ;-)

 Now, I just need to convince her to start a food blog.  After all, she's finally realized the powers of a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, which she wants for Christmas...That's one of the signs of a true foodie/baker, don't ya think?  

When Maranne made this lasagna a few weeks ago, she got RAVE reviews.  My dad even declared that it was some of the BEST lasagna he'd ever had.  So, I was naturally excited about making it too.  The results were just as fabulous as I had dreamed about all day!  While this recipe isn't complicated, it takes a little bit of time to put everything together.  Once it's in the oven, it only needs 30 minutes to bake up into a bubbly, cheesy, decadently delicious dish of lasagna.  The flavors are incredible, and the spinach adds the perfect layer which isn't too heavy.  Pair this with a fresh side salad and Italian bread, and you're in business!

Make this soon...I KNOW you'll love this recipe!***

Fresh out of the oven...

Classic Italian Lasagna
Source:  Giada de Laurentiis

Ingredients:
Bechamel Sauce:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons for the lasagna
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk at room temperature
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, recipe follows
• Salt and white pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound ground chuck beef
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese
• 3 large eggs
• 1 pound lasagna sheets, cooked al dente
• 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Simple Tomato Sauce:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional