Ponzu Chicken over Rice

1 lb. chicken breast (skinless and cut into bite size pieces)
1/4 c Ponzu sauce (bottled)
2 tbsps soy sauce (preferably light)
1 tbsp line juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tsp sesame seeds
2 small heads broccoli (cut into bite size pieces)
4 cups cooked brown rice (I used Uncle Ben's Instant Brown Rice)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cut up the chicken and place into a bowl. Tip: chicken cuts easily if slightly frozen. Mix chicken with all ingredients except the broccoli and rice. Cover and let it sit for 1 hour in fridge. When ready, cook in a frying pan on medium heat until chicken is golden brown. I sprayed my pan with non-stick cooking spray instead of using any oil. Steam broccoli separately until almost done and add to chicken for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve mixture over rice. Serves 4.

Honey Garlic Greek Chicken

This is simple, light and super yummy!

Ingredients:

12 oz Chicken breast sliced thin

2 cucumbers diced

4 tbsp feta cheese (reduced-fat)

1/2 c cherry tomatoes halved

1/2 sliced red onion

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp honey

4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Prepare the chicken by covering them in the salt, pepper, garlic and drizzling one tbsp of honey on each breast. Grill on the stove top until cooked.

In a separate bowl combine tomatoes, cucumber and onion. Mix and then place a handful on your serving plate. Top with 1 tbsp of feta, EVOO and balsamic vinegar. Put your chicken on the plate and viola! Dinner is ready! Serves 4.

Potato Shrimp Salad

Ever bought potato salad pre-made from the grocery store before? It's great when you need it but have no time to make it but usually, if made by the grocery store it's just potato and mayo and not a whole lot else. Here is a way to take it and make it amaze-balls.

1 small container of red-skin potato salad (pre-made)

1/2 lb cooked shrimp , peeled and deveined

1/4 cup chopped celery
1/8 cup finely diced red onion
1 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (I used Henderson's Relish)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons white wine or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Sprinkle the old bay over the shrimp. Combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl adding the shrimp last. Serve or cover and refrigerate for a few hours.

Note: I made a small batch (2 servings). Double the portion sizes if you want 4 servings.

Edi and the Wolf

I spent New Year's Eve day with my lovely friend Sara having brunch at Edi and the Wolf in the East Village. I've been here three times already, it's a super cute brunch spot. (Never tried dinner - one day I will). I noticed when I came in that they changed their menu slightly (they got rid of their Toasted Tartines (aka "Belegtes Brot") and added a poached egg dish). All my last visits involved me ordering the prized Schnitzel Burger: heritage pig, sliced challah, cucumber salad, shredded cabbage, lemon aioli and spicy tomato. If it's your first time at this Austrian joint, I'd go with the Schnitzel Burger, but since I was looking to change things up I tried the poached egg dish. (Pictured above). The dish itself was good but the eggs were a little under to my liking. I prefer the whites cooked a bit more through - but that's my taste. The concept of the dish was right up my alley though - fresh cooked spinach with runny egg yolk and nuggets of yummy goat cheese and pumpernickel croutons. Delish! It was a light way to start the day, but I ruined that when I sat down and devoured a nice slice of challah bread with butter and jam and ordered a mimosa to wash it all down. Duh - this is how brunch works, ok?

I mentioned it being a cute place. Here's a photo. I didn't take this photo. NY Mag did in an article I found here, so take your credits NY Mag. :) In the summer they open up the garage door in the front of the house and really gives you the feeling of dining al fresco. But it's equally enjoyable in the winter too when the door is down. All the green makes me feel like I've got this secret hidden garden to eat in only a few blocks from me. Me likey!

How to Cheat at Poaching Eggs

I love eggs - particularly ones with a runny center and cooked whites. Poached eggs are the best, but unless you have great technique (or waste a carton of eggs and a few hours trying to master this technique), making a perfectly poached egg can be quite frustrating. Unless, that is, you have a cheat method like I do. I got this tip offline so it's not my own but it works perfectly. All you have to do is take 2 measuring cups or coffee cups and line with a square of saran wrap. Make sure it's a big enough piece because you need to tie the egg up. Crack the egg and place it in the cup. Tie him up. I grab the opposite corners and make a loose knot.

Drop your egg bundle into a pot of boiling water. It must be at a rapid boil or this won't work. I set my kitchen timer to 4 minutes but for you first timers I would do 3 min and 45 seconds. Unwrapping these suckers can be a slow process and the egg will continue to cook. When time is up carefully pull the eggs out of the boiling water one by one and set them on the counter. (I usually hold onto a piece of saran wrap that isn't touching the water so I don't burn myself). Carefully untie your egg. The saran wrap should pull off easily but you have to do it slowly.

You can put your poached egg onto anything - I put mine on a bed of arugula with light balsamic dressing, cherry tomatoes, 1 tsp feta cheese and 1 piece of crumbled bacon. Since it's New Year's Day - I'd though I'd start off with a salad for breakfast.

Cranberry Orange Biscuit Pudding

• 4 leftover biscuits (I used Pillsbury Grands)
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar in the raw
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/3 c cranberry sauce
• 1/4 c cran-raisins
• 1 tsp orange zest

Preparation:

Cut leftover biscuits into cubes. Place bread in a baking dish. In a bowl combine all other ingredients. Pour over bread pieces and soak until soft. Bake at 350° for 35 to 45 minutes, or until custard is firm. This can be served for breakfast or as a dessert!

Adrienne's Chicken Empanadas

I made a whole roaster chicken for Xmas dinner and had tons of leftovers. I decided to make empanadas but I went a little non-traditional with the filling: no olives or hard boiled egg.

The filling:

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken shredded (mine was leftovers and had a hint of rosemary!)
1/4 cup extra sharp cheddar finely grated

1/4 cup super finely chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 c diced red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tsp I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light

In a pan combine onion, garlic, and fake butter. Stir occasionally and after onions are cooked add all remaining ingredients except for the cheese. Turn off heat and stir in cheese last. Set aside to cool in fridge.

Empanada dough:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup partially frozen butter (cut into small cubes, place the butter cubes in the freezer until ALMOST completely frozen)
1 large egg
1/3 cup ice water
1 tablespoon vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl sift together flour and salt.
2. Blend in the cold butter cubes using you fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal (the mixture should be pea-size).
3. In a small bowl whisk together egg, ice water and vinegar.
4. Add to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork just until incorporated (the mixture will look somewhat lumpy).
5. Transfer the mixture onto a LIGHTLY floured surface.
6. Gather the dough together with your hands and gently knead with the heel of your hand once or twice (just enough to bring the dough together, do not overwork the dough or it will be tough!).
7. Form the dough in a semi-flat ball or rectangle.
8. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
9. Roll out the dough, then cut into desired size circles.
10. Fill with favorite fillings then close the dough over the filling as you would a pierogi.
11. Brush the ends with egg wash then seal together with a fork.
12. Pan fry in vegetable oil on each side till golden brown. I made mine early in the day so I plan to reheat in the oven later.

At first they were really big and awkward.

But then I got the hang of it! YAY! Trick: A wine bottle can be a great rolling pin substitute!