Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce

I love recipe swaps. I never know what I'm going to get. Sometimes it's a completely new recipe that I have not seen before. Other times, it is a recipe that I have seen around my favorite blogs and websites. I saw this recipe popping up all over the place. When I received it for the recipe swap, I was so excited. The coordinator for the recipe swap has made this dish too at her blog, A Taste of Home Cooking. By the way, head over to her blog to see all of the recipes from the healthy recipe swap. 

Food is constantly on my mind. Whether I'm thinking about which meals I'll be adding to my meal plan soon, what cookie recipe I'm trying next, or surfing the web for new recipes - it's all food. Jessy from Gourmet Day To Day had the same predicament. She found herself constantly thinking about food - so she left her 9 to 5 to pursue culinary school. I am definitely jealous and love the fact that she made a change. What a strong woman she is. 

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 pound), trimmed of fat

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 large shallots, finely chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup chopped chives, (about 1 bunch)

Directions

Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow glass baking dish and dredge the chicken in it. Discard the excess flour.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour; stir to coat. Add wine, broth and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil, stirring often.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until heated through and no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes. Stir in sour cream and mustard until smooth; turn the chicken to coat with the sauce. Stir in chives and serve immediately.

Source: Gourmetdaytoday.com

Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese Dip

I love recipe swaps. It is a wonderful thing to be given a blog and told to make a certain recipe. Even better - when I get to pick the recipe that I get to make from the blog. Jenna is a lot like me. She didn't start cooking until college and has had mishaps of her own. I love that she is a woman on a mission in the kitchen. She has a wonderful eye for recipes and I honestly had a hard time picking which recipe to make - thank goodness I took my phone into a department store while waiting in a thirty minute line to return a gift. It did not take me long to decide that I positively would be making these bites. 

This recipe sounds more complicated than it is - and the pretzels are absolutely delicious. The beer cheese dip I adapted a tiny bit to fit my tastes. The garlic, beer, and cheese perfectly blended together and the whole really was greater than the sum of the parts. The Steelers may have been a man down on Sunday, but this recipe definitely did score. For fun, I leave you with a picture of our mayor making good on his bet loss. 

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl tebowing - fulfilling his bet with Denver mayor. 

Pretzel Bites

Ingredients 
4 tsp active dry yeast 
1 tsp white sugar 
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 
5 cups all-purpose flour 
1/4 cup white sugar 
1/4 cup brown sugar 
1 1/2 tsp salt 
2 Tbsp butter, melted 
1/2 cup baking soda 
4 cups hot water 

Directions
In a bowl dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Set aside. (Mixture should become foamy, if it doesn't your yeast may be bad or your water too hot) 

In the bowl of a standing mixture fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, sugars, and salt on low speed. Turn off the mixer and pour the yeast mixture and melted butter into the bowl. Turn the mixer on and knead for 8 minutes or until the dough is smooth. If the dough is too dry, add extra water, a tablespoon at a time. 

Lightly oil a large bowl. Remove the dough from the mixer and shape into a ball. Place the dough ball in the bowl, cover with a clean towel, and allow to rise for one hour (*or until double in size). 

Towards the end of rising, preheat oven to 450 degrees and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper and cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the hot water and baking soda. 

After the dough has risen, punch down the dough and then knead with hands for one minute. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide dough into 12 even portions. Roll each portion into a snake then cut the snake into bite size pieces, about 1 1/2 inches in width. 

Dip the pieces in the baking soda water and place on the baking sheet (dab the pretzels with a paper towel if they seem too wet) then sprinkle with kosher salt. 

Bake for 7-8 minutes, until browned.

Beer Cheese Dip
Ingredients 

6 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup good quality beer  
1/2 tsp garlic powder 
1/2-3/4 cups cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Microwave cream cheese for 30-45 seconds until very soft. Stir in the beer, horseradish, and garlic powder. Microwave again for 30-45 seconds. Add the grated cheese and stir until smooth, microwaving again if necessary.

Source:

Pretzel Bites - Adapted from Allrecipes.com and Sunny Side Up in San Diego 

Beer Cheese Dip - adapted from Jenna’s Cooking Journey, originally seen in Sunny Side Up in San Diego 

Hoisin-Ginger Beef Skewers

Hello, my name is Lisa...It's been awhile since I've been here. No, I am not pregnant with major food aversions. Yes, I still love making new things and blogging about them. I have actually missed blogging.  I no longer have internet connection in my classroom and haven't had the time to devote to writing an entry. I would always use free time on my planning periods to draft future entries. I would rather take my time on an entry and have some time pass than to post a crappy entry just for the sake of posting something.

This was a recipe from Jenna for a Recipe Swap that was due quite a long time ago. I adapted the recipe slightly because my family can not handle a lot of heat. The original recipe called for 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Feel free to add them if heat floats your boat or finds your lost remote. The delicious side will be posted tomorrow and made the perfect companion to the beef. See all of you tomorrow!

Ingredients

2 pounds flank steak
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

20 (8 inch) bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes (optional)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

2 chopped green onions (optional)

Directions

Thinly slice the flank steak across the grain and at an angle, creating slices 1 inch wide by 1/4 inch thick.

Whisk together the hoisin sauce, lime juice, honey, garlic, salt, ginger, sesame oil,  and black pepper in a bowl; pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the sliced flank steak, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 12 hours.

Preheat a grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate. Remove the flank steak from the marinade, and discard the remaining marinade. Thread the meat onto the skewers, if desired.

Cook the meat on the preheated grill until cooked to your desired degree of doneness, 2 to 3 minutes per side for well done.

Source: Pat Conley, Allrecipes.com

Recipe Swap - Whiskey Glazed Carrots

I am not even done telling you about Michelle's meal, but I have to share these carrots with you. And not just because they are absolutely delicious, but it is also for a recipe swap for What's Cooking? This recipe comes from Taste of Home Cooking...one of the blogs that I frequently read. I was so excited to see my swap recipe from her.

Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, says that these carrots are major league yum. She is right on. I ate half of the batch before they even made it to the table. I don't really cook with booze too often. When I told my mom that I was making whiskey glazed carrots, she looked confused. Then I explained that I am going to get buttery, sugary carrots nice and schnookered (her word for drunk.) Then she asked me to bring them for Easter dinner.  Sure thing, Mom.

Ingredients
1 stick Butter, Divided
2 pounds (to 3 Pounds) Carrots, Peeled And Cut Into Thick Circles
½ cups Jack Daniels Or Other Whiskey
¾ cups (to 1 Cup) Brown Sugar
½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste

Directions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add carrots in two batches, cooking for 60-90 seconds each batch. Remove from skillet.

Pour in whiskey and allow to evaporate 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium, and add remaining butter. When butter melts, sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Stir together, then add carrots to skillet. Cover, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

Remove lid and add salt and pepper. Continue cooking until carrots are done and glaze is thick, about 5 more minutes.

Pour onto a platter and serve immediately. Sprinkle with chopped chives if desired.

Source: originally fromPioneer Woman