Category Archives: Ethnic – Regional

Chicken, Italian, Pasta

Olive Garden’s Chicken Milanese

October 7, 2011 Sharon Leave a comment

Sauce & Pasta:

1/2 cup butter, unsalted

4 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 Tbsp)

1 cup white wine

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 tsp black pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp salt

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup spinach, chopped

8 roasted garlic cloves, minced (or 4 Tbsp)

1 20-oz package tortelloni or tortellini, cooked according to package directions

Chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup flour

3 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

3 tsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 Tbsp garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp black pepper

4 Tbsp Colavita Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

4 lemon wedges

Flatten chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap by pounding gently until chicken is approximately ½” thick.

Whisk eggs and milk together in a flat-bottom bowl. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic and pepper. Transfer to a flat plate. Dredge chicken in flour, coating both sides. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, coating both sides. Dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating completely on both sides. Set aside. Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add flour and stir well until well-blended. Add white wine, chicken broth, heavy cream and cheese. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture starts to thicken. Add roasted garlic, pepper and salt. Stir until well blended. Add tomatoes and spinach to sauce and allow to simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Heat olive oil in frying pan over medium-high heat. Add breaded chicken to pan and cook until both sides are golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Add cooked, drained tortelloni pasta to sauce and blend well. Transfer chicken to a large platter and serve with hot, creamy tortelloni. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

4 Servings

Chicken, Italian, Main Dish

Olive Garden’s Chicken Marsala

October 7, 2011 Sharon Leave a comment

1/4 cup cake flour (Wondra)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

4 tablespoons oil

4 tablespoons butter

4 chicken half breasts -boneless, skinless

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup Marsala wine

In shallow dish, combine flour, salt, pepper and oregano; stir to blend. In heavy skillet, heat oil and butter until butter melts and mixture bubbles lightly. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour; shake off excess; sauté in pan 2 minutes for the first side or until lightly browned; as you turn chicken, add mushrooms around the chicken pieces. Cook about 2 more minutes, until lightly browned on the second side; stir mushrooms. Once the second side is lightly browned, add wine around the pieces; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve.

4 Servings

Asian, Chicken, Main Dish, Wraps

Moo Shoo Wraps

October 7, 2011 Sharon Leave a comment

8 flour tortillas

1 package broccoli slaw

1 cup chicken breasts, cooked and cut bite sized, or use frozen bourbon chicken nuggets

1 onion, sliced

6 mushrooms, sliced (or small can of mushrooms)

2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon molasses

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (or dried ginger)

dash hot pepper flakes

dash balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 1/4 cup water

Heat wok or large skillet. Stir fry meat until cooked. Add onion and cook for a couple minutes. Add slaw mixture and mushrooms. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook until vegetables are crisp tender and sauce is thickened. Serve in wraps.

8 Servings

Casseroles, Chicken, Main Dish, Make Ahead, Mexican

Monterey Tortilla Casseroles

October 7, 2011 Sharon Leave a comment

Nonstick spray coating

6 6-inch corn tortillas, each cut into 6 wedges

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 cup loose-pack frozen whole kernel corn

1 (16-ounce) jar salsa verde

3 tablespoons light dairy sour cream

3 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup crumbled Mexican Chihuahua or farmer cheese (4 ounces)

Light dairy sour cream (optional)

Snipped fresh cilantro (optional)

Chopped tomato (optional)

Jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (optional)

Spray four 10- to 12-ounce baking dishes with nonstick coating. Place 5 tortilla wedges in the bottom of each dish. Place remaining tortilla pieces on a baking sheet; bake in a 350 degree F oven about 10 minutes or until crisp and golden. Meanwhile, combine chicken, corn, salsa, the 3 tablespoons sour cream, cilantro, and flour. Divide mixture among dishes.

Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes. Arrange baked tortilla pieces atop casseroles. Top with cheese; bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until heated through. If desired, garnish with additional sour cream, jalapeno slices, cilantro, and tomato.

To bake frozen casseroles: Bake, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake about 20 minutes more or until heated through. Top with tortilla pieces and cheese; bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until heated through. Garnish as above.

To micro-cook frozen casseroles: Cover microwave-safe casseroles with waxed paper; micro-cook on 30% power, allowing 4 minutes for 1 casserole and 5 minutes for 2 casseroles. Continue cooking, covered, on 100% power until heated through, allowing 2 to 4 minutes for 1 casserole or 3 to 6 minutes for 2 casseroles, rotating the dishes once. Top with baked tortilla pieces and cheese; micro-cook, uncovered, about 30 seconds more or until cheese is melted. Garnish as above.

*Make-Ahead Tip: Assemble casseroles as directed above, except do not top with baked tortilla pieces; place baked pieces in a moisture- and vapor-proof plastic bag. Freeze casseroles and tortilla pieces up to 1 month.

4 Servings

Italian, Soups

Minestrone Genovese

October 6, 2011 Sharon Leave a comment

1oz. dried porcini mushrooms

1/4 lb. Swiss chard, stems removed

1/4 lb. spinach, stems removed

Salt

2 small zucchini, diced

2 medium white potatoes, peeled and diced

2 Japanese eggplants, peeled and diced

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups pasta

2 cups cooked white beans

2 tbsp. pesto (see recipe below)

Freshly ground black pepper

Soak porcini in 2 cups warm water until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove porcini, rinse, chop and set aside. Pour porcini water through a coffee filter and reserve. Chop chard and spinach leaves. Bring porcini water and 6 cups salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add porcini, chard, spinach, zucchini, potatoes, eggplant and oil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Add pasta to soup. Cook pasta for about 10 minutes, add beans and cook 5 minutes longer. Stir in pesto and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or, in the Genovese tradition, at room temperature. Sprinkle with parmigiano-reggiano, if you like.

Pesto

2 tightly packed cups stemless fresh basil leaves

2 tbsp. pine nuts

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped Coarse salt

1/2 cup mild extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano

Crush basil, pine nuts, garlic and a large pinch of salt into a fine paste with mortar and pestle. Drizzle in oil, stirring constantly, then stir in parmigiano-reggiano. Put plastic wrap directly on surface of pesto, then set aside. If using a food processor, put pine nuts, garlic and salt into the bowl of the food processor fitted with a metal blade and blend to a paste. Add basil, drizzle in oil and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in parmigiano-reggiano.