Lemon Chicken Breast

Chicken! Hip- hip- hooray for chicken! This chicken was SUPER juicy and lemony and amaze. Super simple to make to. Get down on it. Get down it. How you gonna do chicken if you don't want to dance by standing on the wall? Get your back up off the wall tell me. How you gonna do chicken if you really don't want to dance...by standing on the wall!!!

Ingredients
1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
1 lemon

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Haricot Verts with Herb Butter

I remember about 7 or 8 years ago asking a friend what haricot vert was. We were dining in a restaurant and I saw it on the menu and was like, "Hmm...this sounds fancy!" To my surprise my friend Lisa said, "Like skinny green beans." Oh word? I love a green bean and I love a skinny green bean. They cook so fast and they look so pretty. Get on the haricot vert train friends!

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 lb haricots verts or other green beans, trimmed


Make it:

Stir together all ingredients except haricots verts with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until combined well.

One way to cook: Cook beans in a large pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 6 quarts water), uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes, then drain.

Another way: Put in tupperware and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes.

Toss with herb butter. Amaze!

Brie Stuffed Potatoes

I love brie. I love potatoes. Well...isn't this a splendid idea! I adapted this version off another recipe I found online that involved eggs and baking the potato. I made my recipe for my NYC kitchen. Now anyone can do it! This recipe will serve 2 people. 

Ingredients
1 potato (idahoes or russets are good)
1ounce brie cheese
1/2 tbsp margarine (I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light)
1/4 tsp salt
pinch black pepper
1 tbsp shaved parmesan or asiago cheese (optional)


Slice the potato lengthwise. Cook in microwave at normal potato setting. Taking care not to pierce the skin, scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4 inch thick shell. In a medium size bowl, mash the potato flesh until smooth. Add the Brie, butter, salt, and pepper. Mash again. Stuff each potato shell with the mixture, mounding it in the center; transfer to a toaster oven dish. Run under the broiler until lightly browned- 3 to 5 minutes.

Shells and Goat Cheese

This mac and cheese is really yummy and really mild. I liked it because it was different. The goat cheese flavor was prominent and the pasta was really creamy. My favorite pieces of pasta were the crispy ones from the sides of the pan. Mmm...

Ingredients:
1 box pasta shells (or macaroni)
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 green onions, diced (I didn't have this)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups reduced fat milk
2 tbsp sour cream
1/2 cup goat cheese
1/4 c plain bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
4 pieces crumbled bacon (optional)

To make it bad for you, add crumbled bacon!

Let’s Cook:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, green onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Set green onions aside.

2. Cook pasta shells according to directions on package, then drain and set aside.

3. For the sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour while stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Then slowly add in milk until combined well. Reduce heat to medium low and let the mixture simmer until it thickens, stirring occasionally (about 4 to 5 minutes). If the mixture isn’t quite thick enough, sprinkle in some more flour and mix until the sauce reaches a consistency that you like.

4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the sour cream, goat cheese, salt and pepper to taste and green onions. Stir until cheese melts, then stir in pasta shells.

5. Transfer to pan and top with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Top with bacon if desired. EAT!!!

Breaking Bad Snacks

My friends and I know how to throw down on snacks. Whether it's outdoor / indoor picnics, game night, movie/ TV night, or "black swan night" - we get it done. Last night was the second episode of the awesome TV show: Breaking Bad. To munch on we had: fresh blueberries, strawberries, and grapes (all perfectly sweet!). Carr's Table crackers with brie, gouda, sharp cheddar and white cheddar (I believe). Sorry for the dark photo! We also had apple slices, a sliced up baguette and some killer giant green olives. Perfect spread! 

Grilled Corn with Lime Butter

 Want to know what's better than grilled corn on the cob? Grilled corn on the cob with lime butter! So easy to make and so freaking tasty! Perfect summer time food!


Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted (I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light)
1/4 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
8 ears shucked corn
Cooking spray

Preparation
Prepare grill or broiler. Combine butter, rind, juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Place corn on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Cook 10 minutes, turning frequently. Remove from heat; brush corn with butter mixture. Eat and enjoy!

Yasmin's Pizza Party

 Our wonderful friends, Ben and Yasmin, had us over for dinner the other night. These snacks greeted us when we arrived. Also, Yasmin made homemade pizza for us. Actually, she made homemade pizzaS! Four of them! All were delicious...

 This was tomato and basil - a classic. The crust was perfect. I need to get a pizza stone. That sucker takes all the moisture out of the dough and it makes it perfectly crispy and crunchy on the outside without burning it. The inside it soft and chewy...it really makes a difference!

 This was one with pepperoni. Mmm...

 This guy had spicy salami on it...

Admittedly, I didn't eat this one because I simply was too full. It was another spicy salami but with arugula on top. I love fresh arugula on a pizza! So - bottom line - need to get a pizza stone. If anyone wants to buy me a present - hahaha.