Author Archives: cookingwithcandi

Chicken in a Mustard Cream Sauce

Posted on April 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

This was our dinner this evening. It was easy to prepare and quick to cook. Yes, it has cream in it, but once in a while it’s OK I figure. (If you really are opposed to the cream, then perhaps this recipe isn’t for you. But if you love mustard, chicken and everything else in here, then go for it.) I cooked about 1 1/2 lbs. of chicken breasts; they’re the thin ones. This was enough for 3 people. There were 5 thin breasts in the package and actually more mustard sauce than we needed. For more people, just double the chicken and squeeze as much as you can into the pan, or just do chicken in batches. I served this over rice pilaf with a green salad. Thanks to The Pioneer Woman for this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 package thin skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)

3 whole cloves garlic, minced

1 cup brandy

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 heaping tablespoon grainy mustard

1/2 cup heavy cream (you can add more for more chicken, if you think you’ll need it)

1/2 cup chicken broth (You can also add more cream here, to taste. I liked it just the way it was, though.)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Pat chicken breasts dry on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet pan over medium heat. Cook cutlets on both sides until nice and golden and cooked through, about 6 – 8 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and keep on a plate.

Add the garlic to the pan, and quickly saute for about 1 minute but don’t burn. Pour in the brandy. Then just let it bubble up and cook until it’s reduced (about 1/2), then put mustards in and stir to combine. Next, add the cream and stir. Mine never got that thick. It was just perfect. Allow sauce to cook for a few minutes to just a slow bubble. Add in the chicken breasts and allow to cook for another minute or so. I prepared the sauce, and when the rice was ready brought the sauce to a low boil and then added chicken. Serve over rice with a little sauce on top. Very tasty.

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My Youngest Fan

Posted on April 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

This is just a very cute story. My sister-in-law called me the other day to tell me that I had a very young fan. Assuming it was one of her boys, I asked what she  meant.  It seems that my nephew RJ who is only 9 was very into my Thanksgiving Corn Bread Pudding and wanted to know how to make it himself or get his Mom to make it for him. He overheard her telling her friend about my blog and he went home, googled me, found the site, found the recipe and wrote out all the ingredients and handed them to her to buy for him so he could make the recipe! So psyched, so cute, so happy! I love that my nephew loves my cooking, and I love that he loved it so much he went to the effort of researching it on the web. Thanks to RJ, my youngest fan and my youngest nephew!

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Greek Salad

Posted on April 12, 2012 | 1 comment

I originally posted this way back and figured what a perfect day to re-post. This has become my go to Greek Salad and Salad Dressing when I want to make it at home. I of course love anchovies and feel free to put in there. I didn’t have any whole garlic cloves so I used garlic powder and you know what? it worked out just right. If you’d prefer to use chopped fresh garlic go right ahead. I am going to give you ingredients from tonite’s dressing because it tasted just right. This is salad , so please feel free to substitute and leave out whatever you don’t like and add in whatever you like. Joel only eats the lettuce and cheese, I ate all of the other ingredients.  I like to chop up a grilled piece of chicken and add in or a piece of salmon if you’re looking to make this more of a meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 head of iceberg and 1 whole head of romaine (you can use less lettuce and you’ll just have a little more dressing left over depending on how you like it) you can also use all iceberg or all romaine, I like the combo.

grape tomatoes cut in 1/2 ( about 1/2 the package that it comes in )

1 small cucumber diced up, I take the seeds out first and then slice it up with skin on, do it however you like

red onion diced, use as much or as little as you like

1/4 cup Kalamata Olives cut up without pits

3/4 cup of cubed Feta Cheese – I like it cubed for some wierd reason in this salad, again use whatever you prefer

Dressing:

In a small mixing bowl using a small whisk

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon of oregano, I love oregano so I used a heaping amount, if you don’t use less

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix spices and red wine vinegar and then slowly whisk in the olive oil, when you’re ready to serve pour over salad and mix. Add as much as you’d like. This dressing should dress the whole salad depending on how light or heavy you like your salad dressed.

Enjoy! this is a perfect meal with fish or chicken or any protein you like. I put it on top of chicken and it was really good. Sort of a spin on Chicken Milanese Greek Style.

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Posted in Raw, Salad, salad dressing, vegetables, vegetarian

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You don’t have to be Jewish to love Matzo Brei

Posted on April 10, 2012 | 4 comments

It’s all about the Matzo. Matzo and Eggs or so it seems. I always loved Matzo Brei since I’m a little girl, and I always wondered why it is that we only eat this delicious concoction during Passover.  It’s such a delicious treat why don’t we eat it more often? In our house we usually eat it till the matzo runs out. Usually for the week of Passover, then we stop. It’s so good. Everyone has their own little special spin on it.  Before I met Joel I always ate my matzo brei sweet with maple syrup sort of a matzo french toast. Joel loves it crispy and salty with a lot of pepper and since I know him he always asks for it this way. I sort of grew to love it this way as well. What’s not to love?  You definitely don’t have to be Jewish to love Matzo Brei. This is how we make it around our house.

Ingredients:

*serves 2 just barely (can and should be doubled)

3 Sheets of Matzo broken into little pieces

2 Large Eggs

Salt and Pepper

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Directions:

Break the matzo into little pieces and place in a bowl. Cover with very hot water from tap. Let it stand for a couple of minutes, and then drain it. ( I usually put a plate over bowl and pour out all the water) Beat Eggs in another bowl, season with salt and pepper. Use your own discretion here, Joel likes it with a lot of salt and pepper. Combine the eggs with the drained Matzo till a batter forms. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium -high heat. I add the matzo mixture and start to fry it up scrambling it as I go, we like it in little pieces. ( you can make this batter into small pancakes as well and just fry up until golden brown) I cook it till it is all fryed up and crispy. It should cook up pretty quickly if the oil is hot enough. You can serve it with less salt and pepper and put jam on the side, maple syrup on it, cinnamon , whatever you like! Matzo Brei is awesome even when you feel like you can’t face another piece of matzo.

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Posted in Passover Recipes

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Cooking Notes – Passover is Finally Here

Posted on April 6, 2012 | 2 comments

We are in the home stretch at least as far as cooking goes. I have literally been shopping and cooking all week and I am not even having the dinner in my house which is another job in and of itself. We are going to our daughter Jenn’s house tonite, and I am helping with her Seder.  Bringing a lot of goodies from my house.  Second night I am bringing everything to my Sister in Law’s family, we will just be 6 so it’s not overwhelming but I am sure I cooked enough for 26.   I go a little crazy as I’m sure we all do trying to please everyone with what they love and expect. Of course I’ve enjoyed making everything and am happy to do it. Will be pretty relieved Sunday morning when I can stop thinking about it all the time. We will observe the no bread rules for the week, and I have a few suggestions for that .  Nothing quite like the food storm I hit you with from the last 2 weeks. Also a special shout out to all of those who sent me recipes, I tried to make as much as I could. I am going to try all of them at some point this week, will post as I cook them. Special thanks to Marcy  ,Julie ,  Ellen , Jean , Cathy , Karyn  and of course to my daughter Kerri for all her help with this blog.

This is what I cooked:

Homemade Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

Chicken Marbella

Happy New Year Brisket

Spinach Souffle

Peach Farfel

Grandma Regina’s Farfel

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Macaroons ( both dipped and non dipped)

Julie’s Brownies

Ellen’s Apple Cake

* of course Gefilte Fish which I have never made and buy at Shop Rite in Plainview. If you eat Gefilte Fish, I have to say this is the most delicious gefilte fish I’ve ever eaten, we’ve been buying it there forever. ( they make Kosher and Non- Kosher) we love the sweet one! (they have both sweet and regular)

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Matzoh Pudding – Sweet

Posted on April 4, 2012 | 1 comment

I have no idea where or who this recipe comes from but I’ve made it many times and it’s very tasty. This is sweet–once again with apples, eggs, oil , raisins, and of course, matzoh. Probably best in a rectangular Pyrex dish (9×12 should do it).  After I wrote this recipe, I received the same one from Marcy and she says she puts in a can of pineapple pieces or crushed, sounds good to me. You can serve this with meal or dessert. It’s a very good recipe. Worth keeping.

Ingredients:

12 sheets of matzoh (plain)

9 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 tsp. salt

6 large apples (you can use any kind you like) peeled, cored and cut into slices

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cup pecans

1 1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Break matzoh in a bowl into small pieces and pour warm water on top. Let it soak in and soften then drain well. You can use a colander and do it all in there. In a separate large bowl, beat eggs, then add salt, sugar and cinnamon. Add the drained matzoh then stir in nuts, apples, raisins and oil. Pour all ingredients into the greased Pyrex dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 – 60 minutes.

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Posted in Passover Recipes, vegetarian

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Marcy’s Matzoh Crunch ( like candy)

Posted on April 3, 2012 | 1 comment

Many years ago I made this recipe and it was awesome. I’ve had it in various people’s homes, and it is so good. My gf Marcy ( who is a great cook) says she must always supply it for her kids, and she keeps in tins in refrigerator and sends them home with it ( even better) this is the stuff that I find deadly to keep around. It’s candy, and fun to make with your kids or grandkids. You can use white chocolate or toasted almonds /walnuts etc. or stick with recipe as it is. You would add the walnuts sprinkled on top as chocolate is setting. Thanks for sharing  the recipe Marcy.

Ingredients:

4 – 6 unsalted matzoh sheets

1 cup unsalted butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

3/4 cup chocolate chips or semi-sweet chips

*nuts if you’d like sprinkled on top (almonds/walnuts etc.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Line a cookie sheet with foil and cover bottom of pan with baking parchment on top of foil. ( this is important b/c mixture is very very sticky) Line bottom of pan evenly with matzoh sheets, cutting extra pieces of matzoh to fit on the cookie sheet as even as possible. Combine margarine/butter and brown sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour over matzoh. Place in oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees.  Bake for 15 minutes watching to make sure the mixture is not burning. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let stand 5 minutes, then spread melted chocolate over matzoh. While still warm, cut into squares or odd shapes and put in refrigerator until set. Chocolate will get hard. I think it’s better to go with the “odd shapes” as it may be hard to cut perfectly square. You can use white chocolate, and if you’d like sprinkle nuts on top as I mentioned above.

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Posted in Candy, Passover Recipes

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Julie’s Brownies for Passover

Posted on April 2, 2012 | 1 comment

It’s so good to have friends that share their recipes. Whether it be for holidays or just to share. My friend Julie shared this with me and though I haven’t baked them yet I am pretty certain they will be a winner. Always on the lookout for Passover desserts, I’m excited to give this one a try. It’s also amazing that there are only 2 eggs in this recipe because it seems like every recipe has a whopping 6 eggs in it for this holiday. Just an aside here, my friend Julie has a baking company in Aspen, CO. named Aspen Jewels Bakery. If you live up here and don’t feel like baking you can contact her and she’ll bake for you!

Ingredients: 

1 stick butter, unsalted ( or margarine)

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons matzoh cake meal

1 tablespoon potato starch

1/4 teaspoon salt

* 1 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan. Melt butter and chocolate over double-boiler. (If no double boiler, place an oven proof bowl above pot of boiling water.)  After chocolate melts, set aside to cool. Stir in sugar, eggs, vanilla and beat well. Stir in matzo cake meal and potato starch,  and salt.  Bake for 40 minutes.

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Eggs – a little note

Posted on April 1, 2012 | 1 comment

I always say to use room temperature eggs. Let’s face it sometimes you are just not ready with the eggs. It’s not great to bake or cook with really cold eggs. Here is a little trick if you forget to leave the eggs out.

Take a bowl of water and soak the eggs in the warm water for about 15 minutes. Remember , not hot water we don’t want to cook the eggs just remove the chill.

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Posted on April 1, 2012 | 1 comment

Brisket Recipe

cookingwithcandi's avatarCooking with Candi

Brisket can definitely be an intimidating thing to make. I once made it as a young cook, and it was perfectly inedible. Back then, I couldn’t believe how long it takes to cook, but it does take very long. Now I usually make it in the slow cooker, which is awesome; but I don’t have a slow cooker in New York, and I don’t have time to run out and buy one. So this time I used my trusty Le Creuset, which worked out beautifully. I just finished cooking it and froze it before I took pictures so I will post pics when it defrosts on Thursday. A lot of people have some pretty awesome brisket recipes and I welcome you to send me yours. This really couldn’t be any easier and it’s super tasty. This original recipe came from my friend, Michele (with a few comments from Karyn too.) I did change…

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