Creamed Chicken

I am so behind with my posts! This week my friend Monica got married and I was busy making the wedding cakes ( 3 of them) and finishing with the biscotti that were handed out as thank you present for the guests ( pictures of those coming soon).

Now, I had a pool on my blog for which recipe to post next, and the creamy chicken won by far....

That tells me that every one has problems with their "left overs". This dish is very easy and tasty. That tasty that my son Brandon  that just walked by my computer and saw the pictures has asked for creamy chicken. Lucky for him I'm making chicken soup and I can use the chicken meat from the soup and make the creamy chicken.

Ingredients:

4 tbsp of unsalted butter (or 3 tbsp of light olive oil )

1/2 cup chopped shallots ( or red onion)

2 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley

2 tbsp of all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups of heated chicken stock ( or vegetable)

1/2 tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup of light cream ( 5% or 10% )

2 cups of cooked chicken diced.

1/2 cup parmesan ( optional)

Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a frying pan ( or 2 tbsp of oil), add the shallots and cook stirring for 3-4 minutes. Add the parsley .

Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter to the pan ( or 1 of oil). Add the flour and cook stirring for 1 minute. Gradually add 1 cup of the stock and cook stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add the paprika and salt and pepper. Simmer gently over low heat for 5 minutes.

Dice the chicken.

Add 1 cup of heated chicken stock, and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Gradually mix in the cream and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the rest of the stock and the chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes until chicken is heated thru and the flavors are blended.

Remove from stove. Stir in 1/2 cup of parmesan if desired.

Garnish with more parsley and serve over steamed rice or mashed potatoes.

Enjoy!

Tiramisu Cupcakes

Classic tiramisu is one of my boys favorite dessert, even Cass who doesn't like coffee  flavored desserts loves tiramisu. So, Brandon was asking for a wile now when are we going to try the tiramisu cupcakes?

Translation! Mom when are YOU going to make the tiramisu cupcakes?

Well, finally the day arrived when the tiramisu cupcakes got their turn. Needless to say these were devoured that very afternoon. I got to taste one myself, and I have to say they were delicious, probably they would have taste better if given the chance to rest in the fridge for 2 or 3 hours, but no chance with my boys. Makes 18 cupcakes. The recipe is from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups cake flour ( not self rising)

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup milk

1 vanilla bean split length wise, seed scraped and reserved

4 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature cut into pieces ( 1/2 stick)

3 large whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks, room temperature

1 cup sugar

coffee marsala syrup ( recipe follows)

        1/3 cup strong espresso

        1 once marsala

        1/4 cup sugar.

mascarpone frosting ( recipe follows)

        1 cup heavy cream

        8 ounces mascarpone cheese room temperature

        1/2 cup confectioners sugar sifted

Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting.

Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Line standard tins with paper liners, and set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds.

Heat the milk, vanilla pod and seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat just until bubbles appear.

Remove from heat and add butter whisk until melted. Let rest for 15 minutes. Strain the milk mixture thru a fine sieve into a bowl and discard pod.

With a mixer on medium speed whisk together the eggs, eggs yolks and sugar. Set the mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk by hand until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm ( about 5-6 minutes). Remove the bowl from heat.

With an electric mixer on high speed whisk until mixture is fluffy,  and pale yellow, and thick enough to hold a ribbon on the surface for several seconds.

Gently but thoroughly fold flour mixture into the egg mixture in three batches.

Stir 1 cup of batter into the strained milk mixture to thicken. Fold the milk mixture into the remaining batter until until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins. Bake, rotating tins, for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

To make the coffee-marsala syrup.

Stir together coffee, marsala and sugar until very well combined.

Transfer tins to wire rack to cool completely before removing the cupcakes.

Brush the cupcakes with the syrup. Repeat until all the syrup has been used. Allow the cupcakes to absorb the syrup for 30 minutes.

To  make the frosting.

Whisk mascarpone and icing sugar ( confectioners sugar) until smooth.

Beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone cheese until completely incorporated.

Decorate the cupcakes with dollops of frosting, and dust with cocoa.

Enjoy!

Apple-Oatmeal Cookies

My son Brandon adores oatmeal cookies. I always have the cookie jar filled with oatmeal cookies. From all the recipes I have tried those ones are by far his favorites, Cass for example loves the tofu oatmeal cookies so, I have to alternate the recipes so everybody is happy. Luckily, Alex loves both kinds the apple ones and the tofu ones.

Here are Brandon's apple oatmeal cookies. I used home made apple sauce, but the one bought from the store works just as well.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter or hard margarine
• 2/3 cup apple sauce
• 2 tbsp apple juice
• 1/2 cup brown sugar or raw brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon mat, set aside.

Place the butter, sugar, apple sauce and apple juice in a food processor.

                            

Blend until smooth and fluffy.

                           

In a small bowl mix the baking soda, vanilla extract and water. Add to the food processor and mix well.

                           

In a different bowl mix together the flour, oats and pinch of salt.

Pour the apple mixture into a large bowl. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the apple mixture.

Drop spoon full of mixture onto the prepared baking sheets, ensuring that they are well spaced.

Bake into the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve with a cup of hot chocolate.

Enjoy!