Happy Anniversary CWC #4

Posted on May 4, 2015 | 9 comments
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Here I am in my pajamas working on my computer. Trying to plan out my next recipe!

I can hardly believe that 4 years have gone by since I started Cooking with Candi. It started as a labor of love and continues to be for me. It is even more satisfying today than when I started . I have so many more subscribers that I interact with and so many people in the blogosphere that have been so supportive. Instagram and Facebook have both been a tremendous boost. Here’s to a new year with more new recipes and of course my tried and true “oldies”.

Thanks to all of my subscribers for your continued support of this pet project of mine. Hope to continue sharing with you for many years to come. I appreciate all of your support and your input in helping me achieve my goals.

I have had a rough couple of months since my shoulder surgery but am on the mend and the good news is that I have a whole bunch of new recipes which I plan on trying out as soon as possible. Tonite is going to be my first time back cooking in the kitchen, We are so tired of take out food!!! Can’t wait to try out some of these new recipes and pass them on to all of you.

Again thanks for all the support and love you’ve thrown my way. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram. If you’re not a subscriber now’s the time, it’s free and fun and so easy to do. Cookingwithcandi.com and follow the instructions. I’ll be looking for you.

 

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Mustard Roasted Chicken

Posted on May 2, 2015 | Leave a comment

I just bought the newest cookbook from Ina Garten titled “Foolproof” . I love her recipes and couldn’t wait to try them. I made her Crispy mustard Roasted Chicken and while it was amazing, it was super super salty. Even for Joel who loves a lot of salt. I went back and read the recipe again and noticed that she never said anything about what kind of Panko , just 2 cups panko. Her recipes while amazing can be a little salty but this was crazy salty. I finally figured out that it should be Plain panko crumbs and I would add 1 teaspoon of salt and taste crumbs and then add the other teaspoon. I think if you start out with plain panko crumbs you’ll be fine following the rest of the recipe. I remade it with plain panko and it was delicious. I also think that if you use seasoned panko you can just omit the salt all together. I was gun-shy about the salt though, so I added 1 teaspoon at a time as I said. Go for it, and her book is fabulous as ever.

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves ( I used a teaspoon of dried thyme)

2 cups Plain Panko Crumbs ( Japanese bread flakes)

2 teaspoons kosher salt ( make sure if you’re adding salt you are using plain panko)

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest ( 2 small lemons)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup Dijon Mustard

1/2 dry white wine, if you’re buying to cook with use Pinot Grigio it’s the dryest, if not use whatever is open unless it’s super fruity

1 3 1/2 – 4 lb. chicken cut up in 8’s

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Place the garlic, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the garlic is finely minced. Add the panko, lemon zest, olive oil, and butter and pulse a few times to moisten the panko. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the mustard and wine.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle chicken with salt and peppr ( I omitted this step or it would have been way to salty) using the plain panko it would be fine, but the 2 teaspoons of salt should be enough. Taste the crumbs before salting the chicken . Dip each piece in the mustard mixture to coat on all sides, and then place skin side down only into the crumb mixture, pressing gently to make the crumbs adhere. Place the chicken on a sprayed cookie sheet crumb side up. Press the remaining crumbs on to the chicken pieces.

Bake the chicken for 40 minutes. Raise the heat to 400 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes, until the crumbs are browned and the chicken is cooked through.

*if you’d like to make in advance, prepare the chicken without baking it. Refrigerate till ready to use and then bake before dinner.

Serves 4 nicely

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Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

Posted on April 30, 2015 | Leave a comment

Looking for a delicious side-dish with cauliflower? This is a hands down winner . If you missed this the first time around here’s another shot at it. Of course if you don’t like cauliflower don’t even bother reading but if you’re like me and can’t get enough of this vegetable this one’s for you. It’s simple and delicious. Enjoy!

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photo 2 (5)photo 3 (4)photo 4 (4)This side dish is so very easy to prepare and so very tasty.  I love cauliflower and it is readily available throughout the year and is a member of the high fiber food club.  While cauliflower may not be very colorful it is one of the healthiest foods out there. This member of the cabbage group is vitamin-packed , high in anti-oxidants, contains anti-inflammatory benefits, increased blood flow and is low in carbs and fats. Granted I am adding some fat here with the parmesan cheese but the cheese packs a wallop of flavor to this dish.

Cauliflower is also good just roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper, and you can always add some other spices.

No special equipment required here and not a lot of ingredients. Just a nice sharp knife to cut the cauliflower into florets and a large rimmed baking sheet.

Ingredients:

Olive Oil –3 Tablespoons

4 peeled garlic…

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Couscous Salad, Real Mediterranean Style

Posted on April 27, 2015 | 1 comment

It’s springtime so I am thinking of lighter food, and of course salads come to my mind. I make this recipe with couscous or quinoa. I have another recipe for quinoa on my website so I figured that I would make one with couscous this time, but feel free to use either one. The dressing has a definite Greek flavor. This dish is perfectly tasty and served with grilled fish or chicken you have a perfect meal. As far as salads go, this one is perfection. This is not an exact science; if you like a lot of tomatoes, add more. If there is another item here that you don’t like, feel free to substitute, and I’d love to hear what you did. I love to hear variations on my recipes. This is so quick and easy to assemble. Can definitely be made ahead of time.

Ingredients: 

Vinaigrette:

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 /2 teaspoon dried oregano (if you like to use fresh, use 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh oregano)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste – I started with a 1/4 teaspoon of Kosher Salt and a few grinds of the peppermill.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (use a good one)

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk in the olive oil slowly. Adjust the salt and pepper and set aside.

Ingredients for Couscous:

Prepare 1  box (usually 10 – 12 ounces) couscous (or quinoa) according to the directions but use 1/4 less water than it calls for. For example, the Near East Couscous calls for 2 cups of water or broth so I would reduce by 1/2 cup. After cooking, allow to cool for a bit then stick in the fridge for about an hour. I usually cook my couscous in either chicken broth or vegetable broth for extra added flavor.

1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half (I like a lot of tomatoes, so use more if you do too) I tend to like my tomatoes cut into smaller pieces but cut however you like just don’t leave whole

1 cup pitted black or Kalamata olives (I prefer Kalamata because they are saltier)

1 roasted red or orange pepper (you can use from jar) I just eyeballed from the jar, use as much as you’d like

1 cup garbanzo beans (drained from the can are fine)

6 ounces cubed feta cheese

1/4 cup sliced green onions or chopped red onion would work quite well here as well

* chopped cucumbers would be a nice addition as well, I didn’t use this time

In a large bowl, gently toss the couscous, tomato, pepper, olives, beans and feta. Add the dressing, transfer to a lovely serving bowl and there you go. This is so delicious and light, it’s a perfect side dish and a beautiful salad .

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Chicken Piccata – simply done

Posted on April 26, 2015 | 2 comments

If you’re looking for something to make for dinner this is a great choice. Pretty easy , not a lot of exotic ingredients and the final product is well worth the effort.  I happen to have 1 package (a little less than 1 lb. of thin chicken cutlets) , lemons, flour, chicken stock, capers, and I even had fresh parsley! ( which if you don’t have is no biggie) I had mushrooms in the fridge, so decided to cook them up as well, added some rice pilaf to serve alongside and we were good to go. What I couldn’t believe was how quickly this meal assembled and how beautiful and delicious it was. In about 45 minutes we were sitting and eating, the kitchen was a disaster but the meal was great! Originally inspired from Giada de Laurentis, thanks Giada.

Cooking Notes for Doubling Recipe:

This recipe served the 2 of us generously, I made this with about 1 lb. of thin sliced chicken cutlets, you’ll have to play with amounts if you double.When you do double don’t double capers, I would increase chicken broth , lemon juice, olive oil, and I would increase butter and olive oil but just as I needed, you’ll be able to tell when you cook up the first batch of chicken,  you’ll add butter and olive oil probably for the third batch of chicken . Add as needed, a little at a time.

Ingredients:

1 package of thin sliced chicken cutlets (as close to a pound as you can get)

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

All purpose flour, for dredging ( just put flour on a plate ,there is no set amount , if you need more add as you go) to dredge just place cutlet in flour on both sides, and shake off any excess

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup brined capers, drained and rinsed off (most capers are sold in brine or salt, buy the brined ones) and just put in a small strainer and rinse off before adding.

a sprinkling of fresh parsley , chopped

Directions:

Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off any excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle up, add chicken (as much as you can in pan with plenty of room around each piece) you can do it in as many batches as necessary. It took 2 batches for me. Make sure the chicken browns up nicely, so let it sit for at least 4 minutes on each side. If pan is hot enough this should be good, be careful not to burn oil. Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate when it is finished.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and rinsed off capers, and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor.  Lower heat to a simmer and place chicken back in the pan, mine all fit because it was just 1 lb. If you need to you can do this in 2 steps for more chicken, you will do this for a few minutes on each side, just to get sauce on both sides and make sure chicken is cooked through.  I then plated chicken, gave the sauce in the pan a good whisk, and poured a little sauce over chicken and I garnished with very thin slices of lemon and fresh parsley. I served with rice and mushrooms, and would have been perfect with asparagus, but no time and didn’t have in house.

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Greek Salad

Posted on April 20, 2015 | 3 comments

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.   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. Last night I made Greek Chicken Patties from Jennifer Fisher  check them out @jenniferfisherjewelery.com

 

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 loved the Greek Chicken Patties on top !

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No Fuss, No Muss Salmon

Posted on April 17, 2015 | 3 comments

This is really the easiest way to grill salmon and truly my most favorite way to cook and eat it! It really takes no time and the ingredients are simple, fresh and tasty. That’s why I call it No Fuss, No Muss Salmon. You can cook it in the oven if you don’t want to grill.  Just bake it in a baking dish at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes depending on the size of the piece of fish.

INGREDIENTS:

I use 2 1/2 lb salmon filets (1 per person)

1 lemon

Capers

Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Take a piece of aluminum large enough to hold 1 filet. Put the filet on aluminum and fold up edges (as pictured), making a little tray out of foil.

First pat salmon dry with a paper towel and very lightly sprinkle salt and pepper on each filet (it really doesn’t need it, but I use a little bit). Next, spread dijon mustard on the filet with a butter knife (all over the top). Sprinkle a few capers on each–as many or as little as you like, I don’t use a lot; just a few is good. I cut the lemon in 1/2 and then squeeze a little all over each piece (1/2 lemon is good for the 2 pieces) and then I slice very thin slices from the other 1/2 of the lemon and place them right on top of the salmon.

I then place the salmon on a hot grill in aluminum, lower heat to a more moderate heat and cook for about 20 minutes. Next, remove from heat, fold up sides and just let it sit for about 5 minutes. When you open up the aluminum and take the salmon out, it should lift right off the skin but you may have to play with it. The skin is actually very crispy at this point. Salmon should be light pink and flaky.

I served this with a beautiful salad, gazpacho and homemade macaroni salad. We sat  outside and ate. It was a beautiful night.

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Salmon Done Simply in Foil

Posted on April 15, 2015 | 1 comment

Again, I need to thank my friend Drew for finding this recipe. It is so good, it’s restaurant worthy. The oregano, lemon and tomatoes give it a mediterranean flavor. It is healthful, simple and very delicious. Joel decided to try to eat more healthfully in 2012 (incorporate more fish, etc.) Usually he doesn’t like to eat fish and if I make it he is disappointed.  But for this, he gave me the green light and the next night I made it. Drew had also tried it, after he came across the recipe from Giada de Laurentis. Really easy and really yummy, this one’s a keeper.  Thanks Drew and thanks Giada!

Ingredients: 

4 (approx. 5 oz. each) salmon fillets (I used 3 6 oz. for the two of us and we finished it all.)

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus another 2 tablespoons

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tomatoes, chopped (I used about 2/3 of the container of the small plum tomatoes; it’s not an exact count but you can eyeball it.)

2 shallots, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle salmon with 2 teaspoons olive oil and a little salt and pepper. In a bowl, stir together the tomatoes, shallots, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper to blend.

Place each salmon fillet on a piece of aluminum foil (make it large enough to wrap ends and tent.)  Spoon the tomato mixture over salmon. Fold the sides of the foil over the fish and tomato mixture, covering completely, then seal the packets closed. Place the foil packet on a baking sheet. (Do whatever works for you, I sort of spiraled the ends, and then folded up the top. As long as aluminum foil piece is large enough to cover it won’t be a problem.) Repeat this step with each piece . Place each individual piece on the baking sheet. Bake until the salmon is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. (That was the perfect amount of time for each piece for me. If your pieces are on the thinner side, you may want to remove before 25 minutes.) At the store, ask for salmon filets from the center; this will be the right size. Using a metal spatula, place the salmon on plate, and make sure to get all the sauce. Delicious! I served with rice pilaf and string beans. Of course, Joel ate the salmon and rice, not the string beans, but that’s okay as it was a very healthy meal.

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Kale Quinoa Bake

Posted on April 13, 2015 | Leave a comment

Meatless Monday re-blog. Original post was last March so if you missed it here it comes again. Check it out for a very delicious meatless meal. Easy to make with delicious flavors and texture. I used Parmesan Cheese but you can substitute with Feta.

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photo 1 (56)photo 1 (58)photo 4 (43)photo 2 (45)photo 1 (59)What a great time to play around with vegetarian recipes while our daughter Kerri is out here visiting in Colorado. This is a new recipe that I got from Jessica Seinfeld’s “Do it Delicious” Blog. My friend Cathy told me about it and she was right and once again Jessica Seinfeld hit it out of the ball park. I love this recipe and anyone looking for a new vegetarian side or main dish this one is just perfect. We ate it cold out of the fridge the next day after skiing and it was still delish! Big thumbs up here . Thanks Cathy and Jessica.

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and rinsed

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups torn kale leaves, I bought the bag of chopped and cleaned at Whole Foods and it is perfect

1 3/4 cups water divided (1/4 cup…

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Banana and Blueberry “Ice Cream” not Ice Cream Frozen Dessert

Posted on April 11, 2015 | Leave a comment

Let’s think dessert and let’s think “light” dessert. This is so delicious and even has a creamy consistency just like ice cream. No dairy , just fruit and a food processor. This is a great one for the kids. Use whatever fruits you prefer. I used Bananas and Blueberries this time. Also check out the Banana Not Ice Cream Ice Cream Recipe on my site. I know you will enjoy this one.

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photo 2 Hummingbirds at sunset in Colorado.

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photo 4photo 3This was a delicious variation of the Banana non ice cream I already posted back on May 29, 2013.  I had bought a lot of bananas and had a giant tub of blueberries so without any milk I made this for my dessert and it tasted so creamy and delicious that it was hard to believe it was not real ice cream.  The natural creamy consistency of bananas makes this taste like real ice cream and yet it’s a delicious frozen treat that’s actually dairy-free.

The only thing is that you have to prep by freezing bananas overnight.

Perfect for little kids. No nuts, No milk, No nothing but fruit and a pinch of salt.

Go for it and you certainly can try and mix it up by using bananas and strawberries, raspberries, etc.

Ingredients:

4 firm ripe bananas, cut into chunks, frozen at least overnight

1 cup blueberries

pinch…

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