This is not your mother’s chicken and rice casserole—this version has definitely been kicked up a notch. It is ideal to make and share when friends gather or you want to contribute to the potluck. Not sure buffalo flavor is for you? Read the Tip below for a south-of-the-border version.
1 CUP REDUCED-SODIUM CHICKEN BROTH OR WATER
½ CUP UNCOOKED LONG-GRAIN WHITE RICE
1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL
1 POUND BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS, CUT INTO BITE-SIZE CUBES
2 MEDIUM STALKS CELERY, THINLY SLICED
½ CUP CHOPPED YELLOW ONION
1 (14.5-OUNCE) CAN PETITE DICED TOMATOES, WITH LIQUID
½ CUP BUFFALO WING SAUCE
¼ CUP BLEU CHEESE CRUMBLES
SERVES 4
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray.
Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the broth is absorbed and the rice is done.
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, celery, and onion. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through and the onion is tender. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the wing sauce to the chicken mixture; stir to combine.
Spoon the cooked rice evenly into the prepared baking dish. Spoon the chicken mixture over the rice (do not stir). Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with the bleu cheese and continue to bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, or until the center is hot and a thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F. Serve hot.
TIPS:
Prepare as directed, except substitute salsa for the buffalo sauce and substitute shredded cheddar cheese for the bleu cheese.
This is a classic, and just about any time you serve a pasta dish in the United States, the natural accompaniment is crusty garlic toast. Easy-Peasy Garlic Toast may be easy, but it is packed with flavor.
1 LOAF ITALIAN OR CIABATTA BREAD
6 TABLESPOONS (¾ STICK) UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
3 TO 4 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
KOSHER SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
2 TABLESPOONS MINCED FRESH FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY
SERVES 6
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Split the bread loaf in half lengthwise. Place each half, cut-side up, on a baking sheet.
Stir together the butter, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and the parsley in a small bowl. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the bread.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until hot and lightly browned.
Cut each half into thick slices. Serve warm.
TIPS:
Try cheesy garlic bread: Stir 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese into the butter. Spread on the bread and bake as directed.
If desired, add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning to the butter or substitute minced fresh basil for the parsley.
PENNE IN HERBED BRIE SAUCE with MUSHROOMS & SPINACH
Invite your friends for a dinner party! Penne in Herbed Brie Sauce with Mushrooms and Spinach lets you entertain in style and not break the bank.
12 OUNCES PENNE
2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
1 MEDIUM SWEET YELLOW ONION, CHOPPED
8 OUNCES BUTTON OR WILD MUSHROOMS, SLICED
3 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
¾ CUP DRY WHITE WINE
1 TEASPOON DRIED BASIL LEAVES
KOSHER SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
2 CUPS FRESH, TRIMMED SPINACH LEAVES, COARSELY CHOPPED
1 (7-OUNCE) WEDGE BRIE, TRIMMED OF RIND AND CUT INTO ½-INCH CUBES (SEE TIPS)
½ CUP HEAVY CREAM
2 TABLESPOONS MINCED FRESH BASIL, PLUS FRESH BASIL LEAVES (OPTIONAL), FOR SERVING
SERVES 6
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the mushrooms and cook, stirring continuously, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the onions and mushrooms are tender and the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the wine, dried basil leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the spinach and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Stir in the Brie and the cream, and stir until the Brie has melted and the sauce is smooth and begins to bubble. Stir in the cooked pasta.
Spoon into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with the minced fresh basil. Toss to combine. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.
Can you eat the rind on Brie? Sure, and many feel it is the best part. However, the texture of the rind varies—sometimes it is dry and leathery, and other times, thin and softer. To be sure the sauce is smooth and all of the cheese melts evenly, trim away the rind, especially if it is dry or leathery.
This versatile dish is a great vegetarian main dish, or serve it as a side dish and accompany it with grilled or roasted chicken or pork. If you would like meat in this pasta dish, stir in 4 slices bacon or pancetta, cooked until crisp then crumbled, or 1 to 2 cups cooked cubed chicken or grilled shrimp just before serving.
What is a serving of pasta? Many restaurants serve such large portions that we forget that 2 ounces of pasta is considered a standard serving. If you are preparing this recipe to serve as a main dish for six hearty eaters, you might want to double the recipe, sautéing the onions and mushrooms in a Dutch oven.
If desired, sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese just before serving.
CHICKEN PAILLARDS with GREENS & PEPPERED PARMESAN DRESSING
There is no need to fuss or worry when your in-laws come to dinner. When they do, serve this delicious dish. They will be impressed with how good it tastes and how easily and quickly you prepared it. Since this dish features both meat and salad in one dish, just accompany with crusty bread and dinner is served.
CHICKEN PAILLARDS:
4 BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN BREAST HALVES, ABOUT 6 OUNCES EACH
¼ CUP OLIVE OIL
¼ CUP FRESH LEMON JUICE
2 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
2 TABLESPOONS DIJON MUSTARD
KOSHER SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
PEPPERED PARMESAN DRESSING:
¼ CUP LIGHT MAYONNAISE
3 TABLESPOONS FRESH LEMON JUICE
2 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
½ TEASPOON COARSELY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
KOSHER SALT
3 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
⅓ CUP SHREDDED PARMESAN CHEESE
TO ASSEMBLE:
1½ TO 2 CUPS TORN ARUGULA LEAVES OR SPRING SALAD GREENS
SHREDDED PARMESAN CHEESE
COARSELY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
SERVES 4
MAKE THE CHICKEN PAILLARDS: Pound the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap until the chicken is very thin, about ¼ inch thick. Place the chicken in a zip-top bag.
Stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Pour the olive oil mixture over chicken. Seal the bag and massage to coat the chicken evenly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat a grill to medium-high or allow the coals to burn down to white ash.
Grill the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the meat is browned and no longer pink inside and a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
MAKE THE PEPPERED PARMESAN DRESSING: Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, and salt to taste in a small bowl. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and continue whisking until combined. Whisk in the shredded Parmesan.
ASSEMBLE THE DISH: Arrange the arugula on the center of each chicken breast. Drizzle with the dressing. Garnish with additional shredded Parmesan and pepper.
PORK MEDALLIONS with SAGE & MUSHROOM SAUCE
This dish is elegant with flavor that rivals a five-star restaurant. The sauce is divine and would be equally delicious with boneless skinless chicken breasts.
1½ POUNDS PORK TENDERLOIN, SLICED CROSSWISE 1½ INCHES THICK
2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
8 OUNCES BABY BELLA MUSHROOMS, SLICED
3 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
2 TABLESPOONS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1¼ CUPS LOW-SODIUM CHICKEN BROTH
2 TABLESPOONS WHITE WINE VINEGAR
2 TABLESPOONS FRESH LEMON JUICE
2 TABLESPOONS MINCED FRESH SAGE
2 TABLESPOONS MINCED FRESH FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY, PLUS ADDITIONAL FRESH ITALIAN PARSLEY LEAVES FOR SERVING
KOSHER SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Pound the pork between sheets of plastic wrap until about 1 inch thick.
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until browned on both sides and almost cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pork from the skillet and set aside.
Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring continuously, for 30 seconds. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to moisten the flour and coat the mushrooms evenly. Gradually stir in the broth. Cook, stirring continuously, until the broth boils. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Continue to cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the vinegar and lemon juice. Add the minced sage and parsley.
Return the pork to the skillet and simmer until the pork is cooked through and a meat thermometer inserted in the center registers 155°F. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
TIPS:
Substitute any variety of mushroom for the baby bella mushrooms (these are also known as cremini mushrooms). Wild mushrooms would work nicely in this recipe as they are more flavorful and provide a deeper, earthy accent. Buttons mushrooms are readily available and provide a milder flavor.
We like the tangy flavor added to the sauce by the lemon juice. If you don’t have fresh lemon juice, you could eliminate it.
The sauce on this pork is very flavorful and we enjoy serving it accompanied by hot cooked pasta, rice, couscous, or mashed potatoes.
PHYLLO-WRAPPED BEEF TENDERLOIN
Is it time for romance? There is no finer way to celebrate your anniversary or that new job than with this recipe. Yet, there is no need to wait for an excuse to celebrate—just set aside an evening as a special date night. Best of all, you can assemble the beef wrapped in the pastry early in the day and refrigerate it. When dinnertime comes, pour the wine and pop it into the oven—it’s that easy.
2 BEEF TENDERLOIN STEAKS 4 TO 6 OUNCES EACH
MUSHROOM FILLING:
1 TABLESPOON UNSALTED BUTTER
4 OUNCES BUTTON OR WILD MUSHROOMS, STEMMED AND FINELY CHOPPED
1 SHALLOT, MINCED
1 CLOVE GARLIC, MINCED
1 TABLESPOON MINCED FRESH THYME LEAVES
KOSHER SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
TO ASSEMBLE:
1 TABLESPOON VEGETABLE OIL
KOSHER SALT AND COARSELY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
10 (14 X 9-INCH) SHEETS PHYLLO DOUGH, THAWED
4 TABLESPOONS (½ STICK) UNSALTED BUTTER, MELTED
SERVES 2
Set the beef out of the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to allow it to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spray the foil with nonstick spray.
MAKE THE MUSHROOM FILLING: Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and shallot and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender and all the liquid has evaporated. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 seconds. Stir in the thyme and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
ASSEMBLE THE DISH: Heat the oil in a skillet (you can use the same skillet you used to cook the mushrooms) over medium high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Place the beef in the hot skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until well browned. Turn the meat and brown the second side. Turn and brown the outside edges of the steaks. Remove the beef from the skillet and set aside.
Remove the phyllo sheets from the package, unfold them, and place the sheets on a clean tray. Cover them with plastic wrap and then a damp towel to prevent drying. Remove one sheet and place it on the work surface. Brush it lightly with melted butter. Stack a second sheet of phyllo crosswise over the first and brush it with butter. Continue crisscrossing the sheets until 5 are stacked, brushing each with butter. Make a second stack in the same fashion with the remaining 5 phyllo sheets. Place a browned beef tenderloin steak in the center of each stack. Divide the mushroom mixture evenly between the tenderloin steaks, mounding as necessary so the mushrooms are on top of the meat. Fold one side of phyllo up over the meat and mushrooms. Fold each end up over the meat, smoothing gently as you go. Fold the remaining side up over the top, then smooth gently, taking care to encase all of the meat and mushrooms completely in the phyllo.
Place the pastry-wrapped meat on a baking sheet. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 145°F for medium-rare. Remove the meat from the oven and let rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Carefully lift the steaks off the baking sheet and place on the dinner plates.
TIPS:
Make-ahead convenience: Assemble as directed and place on an aluminum foil–covered baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, for up to 8 hours. When ready to bake, let stand at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before baking. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven as directed above, increasing the baking time to 16 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry is browned and a meat thermometer registers 145°F for medium-rare. If the baking sheet will not fit in your refrigerator, place the pastry-wrapped beef on an aluminum foil–lined plate, then lift the foil off the plate and place both foil and beef on the baking sheet. (The unbaked pastry may stick to a tray or plate, so leave it on the foil and reposition the foil on the baking sheet, so the pastry does not tear.)
Do you like peppercorn-crusted beef? Generously season the beef with freshly cracked black pepper.
Beef tenderloin steaks are often called filet mignons or beef medallions. Read the label carefully, for some shops sell sirloin fillets, cut to resemble the medallion shape. Those cut from the sirloin are less expensive but will not be as tender and flavorful as medallions cut from the tenderloin. Sometimes, the medallions available are quite large and you can ask the butcher to cut them into the 4- to 6-ounce size.
GLAZED CRANBERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE
You may think that you need to be a pastry chef to construct this showstopper. Think again. The parts go together easily enough and you will be the star of the holiday buffet with this dessert.
1½ CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1½ CUPS GRANULATED SUGAR
¾ CUP UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER
1½ TEASPOONS BAKING SODA
¾ TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
½ TEASPOON TABLE SALT
2 LARGE EGGS
¾ CUP BUTTERMILK
3 TABLESPOONS VEGETABLE OIL
1 TABLESPOON PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
¾ CUP HOT STRONG BREWED COFFEE
CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
8 TABLESPOONS (1 STICK) UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
⅓ CUP UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER
3 CUPS CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR
1 TEASPOON PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
3 TABLESPOONS BREWED COFFEE, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
GLAZED CRANBERRIES:
3 CUPS FRESH CRANBERRIES
½ CUP GRANULATED SUGAR
¾ CUP CHOPPED PECANS, TOASTED (OPTIONAL)
TO ASSEMBLE:
CHOCOLATE FROSTING AND GLAZED CRANBERRIES ON here
MAKES 1 (8-INCH) DOUBLE-LAYER CAKE
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Butter or spray with nonstick spray two 8-inch round cake pans. Cut parchment rounds to fit and place them in the cake pans. Butter and spray the parchment.
Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer at low speed, until the mixture is combined. Beat in the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds and scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the coffee and continue to beat for 1½ to 2 minutes, or until smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the racks and allow to cool completely.
MAKE THE CHOCOLATE FROSTING: Beat the butter in a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer at medium-high speed, until the butter is fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth and spreadable.
MAKE THE GLAZED CRANBERRIES: Place the cranberries on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with the sugar and stir well to distribute. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°, stirring every 5 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Frost the top of the bottom layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting on the bottom layer and frost around the sides of the cake. Frost the top of the cake with a thin layer of frosting.
Top with the glazed cranberries. If desired, press pecans onto the sides of cake.
TIPS:
If you want to make the cake extra fancy for a festive presentation, double the frosting recipe. Pipe the frosting around top edge of the cake, using a star tip on a pastry bag. Carefully fill the center with the glazed cranberries. Use a toothpick to arrange the cranberries.
If this still seems intimidating, why not bake the cake layers a few days ahead, wrap each layer in plastic wrap, and freeze them? The cake is much easier to frost and work with when frozen, and it will thaw beautifully in a few hours.
Omit the cranberries and turn to this recipe for a traditional chocolate cake with frosting.
Cranberries may not be available year round at your grocery store, but they are easy to freeze. Just pick up an extra package of fresh cranberries in November or December when they are readily available and place it in the freezer to use when you want them during the upcoming year.
