3rd Date Chicken - SRC

 I love receiving my Secret Recipe Club assignment each month!  It's so fun to meet new bloggers and decide which recipe to make.  My assigned blog for this month is The Bad Girl's Kitchen.

 After I receive the blogger's name, I go to the blog and browse the recipes, making note of the ones I might like to make.   I try to choose a savory recipe since I seem to find plenty of sweet recipes on my own.  Some of the ones I noted were Paltrow's Pancakes, Chicken Breasts in Lemon and Sage, Bruffins and 3rd Date Chicken.  I narrowed it down to the Chicken Breasts in Lemon and Sage or the 3rd Date Chicken.    I decided on 3rd Date Chicken, who could pass up a recipe with this title.  You know what they say about 3rd dates :)....

The recipe called for olives and prunes.  This wasn't the first time I've seen prunes as an ingredient in a savory recipe, does anyone know why these are sometimes added? Tim is not an olive fan and I didn't have any prunes, so I substituted brussels sprouts.  Not sure if that was a good substitution or not but as it turns out, they were delicious.  This is a wonderful chicken dish.  The combination of the red wine vinegar in the marinade and the brown sugar gives the chicken a nice mix of sweetness and acidity.  This would make a great dish for a dinner party or if you're single a great recipe for that 3rd date. 

3rd Date Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbs dried oregano

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

salt/pepper to taste

1/2 cup pitted prunes

1/2 cup small green olives

3 bay leaves

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white wine

parsley for garnish

• Combine the chicken, garlic, oregano, salt/pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives & bay leaves in a bowl. Cover, refrigerate and marinate for a few hours or overnight.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Arrange chicken in a single layer in a baking dish (9X11 glass pan works great). Pour marinade over evenly.

• Sprinkle chicken with brown sugar and pour white wine around the bottom of the pan

• Bake for 60 minutes, basting frequently.

• Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

• Serves 4-6

I am linking this to On the Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

Honey Cinnamon Creme Brulee

I know a lot of chefs and foodies consider Creme Brulee a passe dessert from the 80's.  Regardless, it's still one of my favorite desserts, one I love to eat and often make at home. I've used the same Creme Brulee recipe for years.   I've tried a couple of variations, Chocolate and Raspberry but have yet to find one I like nearly as well as plain. Until now, that is, this Honey Cinnamon Creme Brulee is delicious. The texture is smooth and creamy, very similar to my favorite recipe but has a beautiful hint of cinnamon.

Honey Cinnamon Creme Brulee

Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living
Ingredients For the Custard
 3 cups heavy cream
 1 cup whole milk
 4 cinnamon sticks, 2 inches each
 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup clover honey
 1/2 cup sugar (1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup)
 9 large egg yolks

 For the Topping
 1/2 cup sugar
 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions Make the custard: Bring cream, milk, cinnamon sticks, and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, and let steep 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Place six 6-ounce creme brulee dishes or heatproof ramekins in a large roasting pan. Pour cream mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, then return to pan. Add honey and 1/4 cup sugar; bring to a simmer. Stir to dissolve. Whisk egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. One ladle at a time, whisk hot milk mixture into yolks. Pour custard through sieve into a bowl, and ladle into dishes. Place pan in oven, and add enough boiling water to pan to reach halfway up sides of dishes. Bake until custards are just set, about 35 minutes (may take longer if using ramekins). Transfer dishes to a wire rack, and let cool. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Make the topping: Before serving, place dishes in freezer 20 minutes. Mix sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle a thin layer on custards. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize sugar, or put custards under broiler, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with another layer of cinnamon sugar.

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday and Sweet Tooth Friday.

Weekend DIY

Are you addicted to Pinterest?  Not only I am I using it to keep track of all the recipes I want to try, I am inspired to be crafty.  There's so many great ideas,  even a non crafter (like me) can be crafty! 

 After searching all the big box stores for pots for the front porch, I turned to Pinterest.  I love tiered planters and found detailed instructions to make these here.  With Tim's help, new pots for the front porch at a fraction of the cost.

I needed candles to round out my mantle.  I searched Pinterest for  inspiration and found lots of posts where items were wrapped with jute.  Why not votives?   Even better, the votives were in my closet, not being used.  I found these stars at Hobby Lobby and painted them to add to the votives.  How easy and thrifty was this?!!!

What are your favorite Pinterest inspirations?

Sauteed Sweet and Spicy Aspargus

Asparagus season was earlier than usual in the Midwest this year. Our favorite way to eat asparagus is usually roasted because you taste nothing but it's flavors.  Since we'd had a longer season to enjoy, when I saw this recipe, over at One Perfect Bite, I decided to give this recipe a try.  The soy sauce and chili flakes gives the asparagus a nice a nice kick.  I topped mine with almonds instead of the sesame seeds Mary uses.   Next time I make this I don't think I will blanch the asparagus first, the asparagus was a  little too done for our tastes.

Sauteed Sweet and Spicy Szechuan Asparagus
Recipe Courtesy of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 pounds asparagus, ends discarded
1/4 cup soy sauce, low sodium
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, unseasoned
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted (I used almonds instead)

Directions:
1) Diagonally cut asparagus into 3 inch pieces.
2) In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, chili flakes and pepper. Set aside.
3) Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add 1/2 cup water and asparagus. Cover and cook until asparagus is still crisp to the bite, about 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and pour off any remaining water.
4) Add oil, garlic and ginger to pan with asparagus. Sauté until lightly browned.
5) Add soy sauce mixture. Bring to a boil. Cook until sauce coats asparagus.
6) Sprinkle in toasted sesame seeds. Transfer to a serving platter. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 - 8 servings.

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

Hasselback Potatoes

I first bookmarked these potatoes at least a year or so ago. I can't believe it took me so long to try them. They're delicious and easy to put together. These are the perfect potato for a party. I love anything that looks this good but takes so little time to prepare.

Hasselback Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 Russet potatoes, cleaned, skin on
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 3 tbsp fine bread crumbs
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped

To each potato, using a sharp chef’s knife, begin making about 1/4 inch slices, working your knife all the way near the bottom of the potato, but not slicing all of the way through. If it help you, can you lay out two chopsticks, placing the potato in between the chopsticks, and using them as your guide. Make your slices on each potato. Think of this as practicing your knife skills. Take your time and get as precise as you can. Do this for each potato.
Melt three tablespoons of butter, then add in the olive oil. Mix well.



Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Add the potatoes to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and with a spoon, begin drizzling the butter and olive oil mixture into the gaps of every potato. You will want to be sure that every potato gets a generous amount of the melted butter. Shower the potatoes with the salt and pepper.
Add the potatoes in the preheated oven and cook for 45 minutes.
About 40 minutes into the cooking process, add the parsley, minced garlic, rosemary, and breadcrumbs, a pinch of salt and pepper, and give a good stir. Melt the additional three tablespoons of butter, and add the butter to the breadcrumb mixture.
After 45 minutes, remove the potatoes as they should be fork tender and already looking delicious. Spread the breadcrumb mixture on top of each potato.
Preheat your broiler to 425 degrees.
Add the potatoes back into the oven, under the broiler, for about 5 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are a golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve.

I am linking this to On the Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

Sweet Camelina Oil Dressing

I'll admit it, I rarely make my own salad dressing. We have salad several nights a week for dinner and it's so easy to just grab that bottle out of the fridge. A few months ago, I was introduced to Camelina Oil by my friends at the Solar Drive In.  When I spotted this recipe for dressing on their blog, I decided to give it a try.  We found the flavor intensified after the dressing was in the fridge for a day or so.  

Sweet Camelina Dressing
Recipe Courtesy of Solar Drive In

• 1 cup camelina oil (purchase online, look for it at Minnesota co-ops or buy it at Solar)
  
•  1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
•  1Tbsp + 1tsp dijon mustard
  
•  3 Tbsp honey
•  1 tsp ground cloves
•  1 tsp ground nutmeg
•  2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp salt

Whisk ingredients together and refrigerate until use.

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

Happy Father's Day, Dad

We made a day trip to see my Dad in Kansas City yesterday.  At 93, I can't help but wonder how many more Father's Days we will celebrate.

His legs are failing, his hearing is terrible but for 93 he's still in pretty good shape.  His long term memory hasn't faltered, it's what it was 30 years ago.  He reminds me of the things I said when I was a little girl, like running to the door when he came home saying Deedo, Deedo, Deedo.  Guess I couldn't say Daddy?  He says some of my first words were iee keem (ice cream).  Thanks Dad for creating this sweet tooth I still harbor today!!!

My Dad's a true gentleman, the kind of man every woman hopes her daughter will marry.  He opens doors, pulls out the chair and of course, always orders for the lady!  Although he doesn't speak of it much, he's a Pearl Harbor Survivor, one of only a handful still alive in our country.  Aging is hard for my Dad, he's a proud man who struggles with not being able to do those things he's always been able to do!

We've had our challenges over the years.  As I reflect back on this Father's Day,  I realize just how much he's always loved me and I hope he knows just how much I love him!