Put a Stick In It!

Is it me or does food on a stick just taste better?  I really think that's why corn dogs have such appeal.  Put that sucker on a bun and it's a whole different animal - and not nearly as tasty a one! I mean, think about it.  Little chunks of meat and veggies that could be stew - add a skewer et voila! Shish kebab - how fun! Corn, ice cream, those deep fried twirly cut potatoes at local fairs, fondue (ok that might be a bit of a stretch but you know I'm right); all better on a stick. And think about what a stick and the freezer did for plain old pudding!  Even comedian Jeff Dunham has a schtick on a stick.  Yep, food on a stick is funnier, funner (aren't made up words great?) and just plain yummier!  And what could make food on a stick even better?  Grilling it!  And dipping it! Put that all together and I get so excited I can hardly eat - or is it hardly wait to eat?!


I'm the kind of person who will grill year round.  And I have. But there's something about grilling on a late spring (or early summer) evening that just makes everything right in the world.  Firing up the grill as the sun slowly heads for the horizon, eating outside, tiki torches ablaze; realizing just as you finish your last bite of dinner that it's cooled off a bit and is a great night for toasting marshmallows and making s'mores.  It's so much better than grilling surrounded by snow - although that has surreal attributes that make it almost as much fun.  Almost.  

Toaster Oven Chicken Tenders & Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Sometimes you just need comfort food.  Today was one of those days.  Actually, many days lately have been one of those days. I've been really needing to cloak myself in a big, enveloping comfort food hug.

You see, I lost my job last year.  A job I loved, working for a company I believed in, where I was successful and well respected. You know, a rarity!  I'd only been with the company for a few short months but had already been promoted, was an integral member of the CEO's management team and had forged some really great friendships.  I was, dare I say it, happy.  Wait...what?  She's happy? Cue disaster. Get misery and depression on the phone, we need them on stand-by. And so, on that balmy Monday afternoon in mid-July, when disaster apparently had nothing better to do, it all came tumbling down.  

I suppose, if you're the kind of person who believes in signs, you may have seen this coming.  What began as a sunny morning commute foretold what was to come when no sooner did I set foot out of the car in the office parking lot than the sky took on an ominous shade of gray.  Every trace of blue vanished and clouds rolled in as I walked into the building, down the hall and towards my office. Plunging the key into the lock on my office door, I turned the handle in synchronicity with the first thunderclap.  The skies opened up and rain pelted my office window, hard.  I gazed outside as my computer booted up, too distracted by the cacophony of the storm to notice the prescient text message that had arrived from my closest work friend.  "Whatever happens today, I love you Jour and am glad you are a part of my life.". Concerned, I frantically dialed Jessica's number. Voicemail, damn.  

Moments later she came sweeping into my office with breaking news, a look of despair on her face.  The CEO's daughter, she had information about events that had transpired over the weekend, and behind closed doors, with teary eyes, we talked about the impending death of our beloved corporation.  Long story short, we were forced into a chapter 7 bankruptcy by lenders and private equities firms who saw us as a write off.  The livelihood of close to 100 dedicated employees reduced to little more than black numbers on a white page.  The shades of gray lie in the bewildered glances exchanged.  In the line of former employees sitting on the curb, boxes holding months and years of their professionals lives next to them, wondering how to get home to loved ones who were hours, if not many states away, when our company cars were no longer company property.  In the farewell hugs and the abundance tears.  In the taxed looks on the faces of people who were, simply, a tax write off.

That evening was one of the hardest nights of my life.  I couldn't take phone calls from concerned friends and family because I couldn't stop crying long enough to talk.  I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep.   Hell, I could barely catch my breath. That was 9 months and countless emailed resumes ago.  In this time, I've gotten, if I'm being generous, maybe 10 responses.  Most emails get ignored leading me to believe that the digital age has done little more than give us yet another medium with which to be rude.  Phone calls go unanswered, messages unreturned and the couple of recruiters I've actually spoken with have been kind enough to make the decision for me that either a) the commute was too far or b) the pay was too low.  Head, wall,  I believe you 2 have met.  Bang, bang bang.

I had my first interview since being laid off last week.  If you ask me, if went really well; I'm perfectly qualified, they didn't blink at my salary requirements, the owner and I are both dog lovers (his Jack Russell even spends time in the office). Yet, here it is, a week later and...nothing.  Obviously, there are good days and bad and I know things will eventually change, but I'm just not feeling the love on the job front.  So, you know that feeling of love that comes from having a belly full of homemade comfort food?  The kind that takes you in, wraps you up and makes you feel like a happy, protected 5 year old?  That is what I needed (albeit with slightly fewer calories)! 

Italian Style Quinoa and Sausage Stuffed Peppers

I've never considered myself particularly trendy, preferring instead to play the chameleon and attempt to blend in in most situations.  However, I will say this:  when it comes to culinary creations, I do like to stay on forefront of emerging eating and cooking trends.  So I was pleasantly surprised when I hopped online today and saw an abundance of recipes featuring quinoa on some of my favorite sites.  I have to admit, I haven't been cooking with quinoa for terribly long, but I enjoy it immensely and have SO many ideas for recipes featuring this amazing little seed!  It's nice to know I'm in good company.

Quinoa has been touted as a "superfood" and the more I work with it, the more I'm inclined to agree.  If you're a quinoa newbie, here are a few things you should know:

1. It looks like a grain, but is actually a seed.

2. It is a complete protein (containing an almost ideal balance of all 9 essential amino acids), is high in fiber, is nutrient rich (calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, vitamin E and B vitamins) and is gluten free.

3. It's a good idea to soak/rinse it before cooking. Quinoa has a coating called saponin on it's surface that can produce a bitter soapy quality when cooked.  Granted, most of what you'll find at the local grocery store has already been pre-washed and dried, but in my opinion, a little prevention never hurt anyone.

4. There are 3 color varieties: white, red and black.  I've only come across the white variety to date but you can rest assured that as soon as I see either of the others they'll be on the dinner table that very night!

5. Working with quinoa is very similar to cooking rice, and a bit like couscous. There are a couple different methods for cooking it: boiling (like pasta) vs absorption (like rice).  I'm still trying to find my preference.

6.  It's delicious!  The texture is somewhere between that of barley and couscous...light and fluffy yet with a toothsome bite and slight crunch.  The flavor has the earthy nuttiness of wild rice but, more reserved, not as aggressive.

7. It's versatile!  Breakfast, lunch or dinner , hot or cold, side dish or main course - quinoa can seamlessly integrate into almost any meal!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Several years ago, I spent 1 or 2 nights a week working as a bartender for an Indian gentleman at a Latin club (don't ask). While Abdul wasn't going to win any employer of the year awards, the man knew his way around a kitchen and seemed to love cooking for me, almost as much as I loved eating my way through his menu.  I spent the time before my shifts sampling Samosas, Tandoori Chicken, Lamb Saag and Chicken Vindaloo but no matter what I tasted, I couldn't shake my affinity for Chicken Tikka Masala. Maybe it's the simplicity of the spices, the perfect kiss of hot pepper or the touch of cream; maybe it's the way they all blend together and embody, to me, a cool evening in Mumbai, sitting at a street cafe watching the hustle and bustle of the city.  I wouldn't know, I've never been there, but in my mind it's as vivid as the brightest of saris.  Perhaps I'll get there someday, but until then, I'll forgo the sari and my Indian travels will remain the culinary variety.

This is my interpretation of the dish Abdul made for me countless times.  I've attempted to "healthify" it a bit by replacing butter with cooking oil spray and heavy cream with fat free half & half.  By doing so, I've slashed 67 calories and 8 fat grams per serving.  Not too shabby! Of course, if you're not feeling particularly health conscious, go ahead and saute your chicken in butter and replace the fat free half & half with 1/3 cup of heavy cream.

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
salt and pepper to taste
cooking oil spray
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (undrained)

1/2 cup fat free half & half

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)

Cal: 220  Fat: 9g  Carb: 10g  Protein: 25g  Fiber: 2g - Original Recipe

Cal: 153  Fat: 1g  Carb: 11g  Protein: 25g  Fiber: 2g - My Version

Serves: 6

Season chicken cubes with salt and pepper.  Spray a large, heavy saute pan with cooking oil spray. Over medium high heat, saute chopped onion and garlic until translucent.  

Add your chicken cubes and cook until the chicken is no longer pink (about 8-10 minutes).  Add all of your spices (except crushed red pepper) and the lemon juice.  Stir well and cook for about a minute.  

Remove chicken cubes and transfer to a serving platter.  


Reduce heat to medium, add canned tomatoes and stir well.  In a small bowl, stir the cream into your cornstarch to make a slurry. Slowly stir the cornstarch slurry into your saute pan, then stir in the crushed red pepper.  Allow liquid to come to a boil.  Once boiling, lower heat and simmer until the sauce thickens. 

Transfer your sauce to a blender and blend until smooth. Remove the cap from your blender lid to allow rising steam to escape, but cover the opening with a folded dish towel to prevent the hot liquid from splattering.  

Pour blended sauce over chicken cubes and serve with Basmati rice (rice not included in nutritional information).

A great veg accompaniment is cauliflower sauteed with a touch of fresh ginger, garam masala and turmeric. Yum!

Forgive the paper plates, we are still without a sink and I'm trying to minimize the amount of dishes I have to do in the bathtub! 
Bon Appetit!

Spicy Asian Glazed Chicken

This dish is one of our absolute favorites! Doug and I could eat it every night and never tire. It is (in my opinion) ridiculously easy to make, handles substitutions very well and is mostly things you'll have on hand in your fridge and pantry. And, the 1 or 2 ingredients you may not have readily available might become staples after just one taste!

When I make this for us, I use a combination of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (usually 3 that I halve) and boneless, skinless chicken thighs (usually 3, halved as well). I'm typically not a dark meat kinda gal, but I find this recipe lends itself very nicely to the darker meats. Doug prefers white meat though, so a breast or 3 always find their way into my pan. Feel free to experiment with other cuts of chicken (skinless legs work really well) and the spicy asian glaze adds a nice flair to boneless pork chops (you'll need to adjust your cooking time based on the thickness of the chops if you go the pork route). I haven't tried this with chicken wings yet, but it's definitely on the menu next time we have a finger food kind of get together!

Spicy Asian Glazed Chicken
Adapted from http://www.skinnytaste.com/

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (halved)
3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (halved)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3-4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1/2 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
4 tsp honey (Agave nectar or sugar can be substituted)
1 tbsp Sriracha
Sriracha is a Thai chili sauce that is readily available at most supermarkets. If you can't find it locally, you can easily find it online. It has an intense flavor and a real kick of heat, so feel free to adjust the amount to taste. You can also substitute another hot sauce but, personally, I like the flavor of the Sriracha best.

1/2-1 tbsp butter (optional)
2 medium scallions, chopped (for garnish)
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

Calories: 286 Fat: 10g Carbohydrate: 13g Protein: 36g Fiber: 0.5g Serves: 6

In a 4 cup capacity measuring cup or medium bowl, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, ginger, Sriracha and honey. Stir well to combine all ingredients and let stand for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Add sesame oil to a large, heavy skillet or saute pan and set over medium high heat (if you've never worked with sesame oil before, it has a deliciously nutty flavor and aroma and a little bit goes a long way). Make sure your pan is nice and hot before adding your meat. A hot pan will assist in getting a nice brown on the chicken as well as help to prevent sticking. Never use a cold pan! Cook the chicken, turning once, until it begins to brown (about 3-4 minutes per side).

Give your liquid mixture a quick stir, pour onto the chicken and cook over medium high heat until it comes to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and set on a serving platter (if you're using chicken breasts you will want to remove them from the pan at about the 15 minute mark to prevent overcooking).

Bring the liquid back up to a boil and cook until it reduces by about half and starts to thicken (a good point of reference is when the liquid coats the back of a spoon).

While you're reducing your glaze, keep a close eye on it. As the liquid evaporates and the sugars caramelize it can burn easily. Once your glaze is done reducing, add the butter and stir well until it is melted and fully incorporated. The sauce should take on a nice shiny and velvety texture once the butter melts. If you're worried about fat and calories, feel free to omit the butter, but if you want that extra little splurge that will take the sauce from yum to YUM! (for about 100 calories and 11 grams of fat for the entire recipe), go for it! Pour the sauce over your chicken, top with scallions and toasted sesame seeds and enjoy!

I usually serve this dish with a homemade "fried" rice (recipe to follow another time...email me if you'd like it before I get it posted) and a steamed veg (broccoli is a fav). Tonight, I opted for plain white rice; brown rice also works well and if you're carb conscious, just add a veggie of choice and you've got a complete meal.

Bon appetit!