French Chicken in Vinegar

Here is yet another chicken recipe. I tend to like vinegary dishes, and this is a favorite. As usual, the original recipe, from Cooking Light magazine, comes first, and my notes follow.

French Chicken in Vinegar

Olive oil-flavored cooking spray *

2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion

8 (3-ounce) skinned, boned chicken thighs

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon minced fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper

Dash of black pepper

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add chicken; sauté each side 3 minutes or until browned. Combine wine and next 8 ingredients (wine through black pepper) in a medium bowl; stir well. Add wine mixture to chicken mixture; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. 4 servings

DONNA'S NOTES: I buy Trader Joe's canola oil cooking spray, so that's what I use. I've made this with bone-in, skin-on thighs, too, and simply made sure I cooked them long enough. I usually brown the onion along with the chicken thighs, or they tend to burn. Instead of wine, I use just chicken broth, and I rarely add red pepper.

Green Beans with Hazelnut-Lemon Butter

Since we're starting to see fresh green beans in the stores, I thought you might enjoy this easy treatment of them. This recipe is from Taste of Home magazine, and I've made it countless times. Last night, I even used the sauce for asparagus, and that was delicious, too!


GREEN BEANS WITH HAZELNUT-LEMON BUTTER

1 pound fresh green beans, cut
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup toasted, chopped hazelnuts
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, cover beans with water; cover and cook until crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the butter. Add the hazelnuts, lemon juice, parsley, basil, and salt; heat through.

Drain beans; add the butter mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately.


DONNA'S NOTES: I always steam my green beans. I substitute sliced almonds for the hazelnuts, just because that's what I always have on hand. I probably don't have to tell you by now that I don't use medium-high heat for much of anything; I just cook the butter longer on a low setting.

Mango Sundae Salsa

Here's a delightful dessert addition from Pampered Chef. I had this years ago and just made it again yesterday, and I still love it! Fresh fruit, easy to put together, and delicious! I served it over ice cream this time, but it's also good over pound cake. 

It's intended to be made with Pampered Chef's Salad Choppers, but you could just as easily use two knives or chop the fruit before putting it in the bowl. As you can undoubtedly imagine, I have the Salad Choppers! :-)

MANGO SUNDAE SALSA

2 mangoes
1 pint of strawberries
2 kiwi
1 lime

Peel and wedge mangoes and place in 2-quart. Wash and hull strawberries; place in bowl. Peel kiwi and place in bowl. Using Salad Choppers, chop all fruit until desired size. Zest 1 lime and add to chopped fruit, and then juice lime and add to bowl. Stir and serve over ice cream, pound cake, cheesecake, waffles or pancakes.

DONNA'S NOTES: I made a smaller portion of this for the two of us. I don't usually have limes around, but I always have lime juice. I used 1 teaspoon of lime juice and tossed the fruit in it. Worked perfectly.

One-Pan Roasted Asparagus and Halibut

This recipe is from our local, wonderful, organic grocery, PCC Natural Markets. I've made it once and consider it a definite keeper. Since halibut and asparagus are coming into season, I wanted to get it posted right away.

Naturally, I didn't make 4 fillets. Easy recipe to cut in half. I also didn't make the lime butter, only because Matt doesn't like citrus.

One-Pan Roasted Asparagus and Halibut

Ingredients

            3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

            1 pound pencil-thick asparagus

            Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

            4 (1-inch-thick) halibut fillets (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)

            3 tablespoons butter, melted

            1 Roma tomato, minced

            1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

            1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

            1/4 teaspoon lime zest

            Juice of 1/2 lime

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Oil a shallow 12-by 18-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Remove any tough ends from asparagus, and then toss with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, salt and pepper. Spread over 2/3 of the oiled baking pan.

Rinse the fish and pat dry. Place on the other end of the oiled baking pan. Combine melted butter, minced tomatoes, herbs, zest and lime juice in a small bowl; brush or spoon over the fish.

Place the uncovered pan of asparagus and fish in the oven and roast for 10 to 12 minutes or until the fish is opaque inside. Serve immediately.

Each serving: 380 cal, 23g fat (8g sat), 75mg chol, 310mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 38g protein

Rosemary-Roasted New Potatoes

If you've ever been disappointed by the flavorless new potatoes served in a restaurant, as I have, you might want to try this recipe. It's very easy to put together, and the flavor is delicious. I've been making this for years, and it has been a big hit at Christmas brunches we've hosted, and it's simple to increase the number of servings. It's also easily cut in half, which is what I usually do for the two of us.

ROSEMARY-ROASTED NEW POTATOES

 2 pounds new potatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper


In greased 13X9X2 baking dish, arrange new potatoes.

In bowl, stir together oil, garlic, and all seasonings. Pour over
potatoes and toss to coat.

Bake uncovered at 450 degrees about 25 minutes or until brown and

tender.

Servings: 4

Pork Medallions in Dijon and Lemon Sauce

This recipe comes from my friend, Jeanne Luchtel, via the Beyer Family Cookbook. It's a real favorite of mine. It goes together quickly and is very easy.

Making a full pork tenderloin for two people is a waste of effort, especially when one of the two doesn't like leftovers! I've found this to be a simple solution. I buy a tenderloin and cut in in half or in thirds, depending on its size. I freeze the cut portions. When I'm ready to make a recipe like this one, I have a piece that will work well and not leave waste. Naturally, you could make this with a full tenderloin, if you're serving several people.

I'm giving you the full recipe. I only modify it by using less than a pound of pork. I generally make the full amount of sauce, because I like it!




Pork Medallions in Dijon and Lemon Sauce

1 pound pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon parsley or chives
(optional), minced

Servings: 3


 Cut tenderloin crosswise into 1 inch thick pieces. Pound with mallet to
1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with lemon pepper.

Heat butter in heavy skillet and cook tenderloin medallions 3-4
minutes on each side. Remove medallions to serving platter and
keep warm.

Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard to skillet. Cook,
stirring with pan juices, until heated through.

Pour sauce over medallions and serve or return medallions to skillet
and rewarm.


Sprinkle parsley or chives over medallions and serve.


DONNA'S NOTES: I don't pound the pieces of tenderloin. Pork is best when slightly rare, and that's how we like it. I've played with the cooking time, and about 3 minutes per side is best for our taste.

Creamy Apple Squares

Well, Matt is home from Arizona, so my cooking has ramped up again! I can't give him credit for my trying this recipe again, however; I made this for Easter dinner with my older daughter, Laney Reeves, and her family, before he cam home. They loved it - even Laney, who doesn't usually like apple desserts!

This is an old recipe in my files - cannot tell you how long I've had it. I've resisted making it over the last many years, because it requires a cake mix. Now, I know I could probably figure out how to make the crust and topping without using a mix, but simplicity is part of the charm of this recipe. I finally looked at the mixes in my favorite organic grocery, and I sprang for the $5-plus one of them cost! This is so good that I may play around with it more, just to cut the cost, but I may also bite the proverbial bullet and make it from a mix.

Creamy Apple Squares

1 package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup soft butter
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 apples, thinly sliced
1 cup sour cream
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first two ingredients; mix until crumbly. Reserve 2/3 cup for topping; add brown sugar and cinnamon to reserved topping mix. Mix well; set aside.

Press remaining mixture onto bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Arrange apple slices over base. Blend sour cream and egg; spread evenly over apples. Sprinkle reserved topping mixture over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 12 to 15 squares.