Add into the mix that Pixie was a little sick over the weekend, I need to pack for us all to have a weekend out of town this coming weekend, and our own 90 day challenge....GET IT TOGETHER! <Insert slightly insane laughter here>
And yet...I still have had time to cook a couple things! I'm just that badass (and starving after all the go go going). And I only forgot to take pictures of one of our meals....that's an improvement over no pictures last post. Sorry...I'm getting it together! Maybe I need to take Gingko, or use that brain training website; my memory could use a boost.
This was last night's meal, and while good, there are some changes I would make if I did this again in the future: The chicken was a little bland for me personally. I would probably incorporate some finely chopped mint into the flour mix next time. And definitely more lemon zest on top of the breasts!
The couscous is really great with just a little butter and a smidgeon of cheese mixed into it. The cheese gives it just a little bit of salt, and the butter makes it taste creamy...perfect with such simple chicken.
Lemon Mint Chicken with Couscous
Ingredients:
4 skinless chicken breasts, or 8 skinless thighs
Zest and juice of 1 lemon (I would probably zest 2)
1/3 C. Garbanzo flour
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cayenne
4 Tbsp EVOO
2 Tbsp light brown sugar (I used coconut palm sugar as a substitute)
1 lemon, sliced thin
1 C. low sodium chicken broth
1 sprig fresh mint for each piece of chicken
2 C. couscous, prepared as you like.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with non-stick spray.
Place flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne (and chopped mint if you wanna try my experiment) in a gallon ziploc bag.
Drizzle chicken with lemon juice, and place in ziploc bag with flour mix. Toss gently to coat chicken evenly.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-hi heat. Add chicken pieces (in batches if necessary), and sear until golden brown on both sides - about 5 minutes each side. As the chicken browns, arrange it in a single layer in the baking dish.
Sprinkle chicken in dish with lemon zest and brown sugar. Place a slice of lemon on each piece, then pour the broth over. Place one mint spring on each piece of chicken.
Place in the center of the oven and bake 40 minutes, uncovered; juices should run clear. Discard mint sprigs.
Serve over couscous.
Tonight I went to the red meat spectrum. I was reading recently about comfort, or traditional, foods; and how nowadays they are overlooked because the original recipes were pretty well loaded with fat and other tricksy ingredients. In some cases that is true, in others it is just that people don't have (or no longer make) time for proper preparation. One thing I love about cooking is that you can do whatever the heck you want. Whether or not it works out at all is an entirely different matter...but anywho...
I love taking a traditional dish, that may have been 1800 calories per serving at some point, and making it better for you; while maintaining good flavor of course. I make a killer Shepherd's Pie with lamb, and mashed cauliflower on top (instead of potatoes). I'll be sure to post that recipe come fall haha.
Did anyone ever eat TV dinners as a kid? The ones with the penguin on them, and the rock hard brownie that you thought was delicious? We rarely did (my dad being a chef and all); but if my parents went out, or I maybe got to eat at a friends' house, I would get to try these. I am still a firm believer that you can't go wrong with cheese enchiladas...but some of the others weren't/aren't bad either. One of those is Salisbury Steak. I think TV dinners may actually have turned a lot of people off Salisbury Steak, because it can get dry, and somewhat brick-esque in the microwave....but if made right, it is one of the tastiest, simple, traditional dishes out there. Also I am told that kids love it...so if I have leftovers Pixie is getting an experimental lunch tomorrow mwahahahahahaaaaaa! If nothing else I can feed her the mashed cauliflower I'm serving with it...since she loves mashed potatoes so much.
Salisbury Steak
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. ground beef chuck (I use 96% lean)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C. ground flax seed (or you can use bread crumbs if you get scared by flax)
1/4 C. minced onion
1 tsp salt
Dash of ground allspice
1 10 oz. can condensed Golden Mushroom soup (Yes you have to use it. I hate using canned soups, but for this it works...trust me!)
1/3 C water (I mixed this about half and half with red wine)
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
In a bowl, combine meat, egg, flax, onion, salt, allspice, and 1/4 C of the soup. Shape into oval patties (any size you like is fine really), and arrange in a single layer in a shallow baking dish or roasting pan.
Place in oven and bake 30 minutes, spooning off the fat, or soaking it up as it cooks.
I used this time to prepare my mashed cauliflower (which you can find in my archive), but you can prep whatever side you feel like having.
In a small bowl, whisk together remaining soup, water (and wine), and some pepper. Pour over the patties, and return them to the oven for 10 minutes more.
Plate your patties with your side. Spoon the sauce over the patties and serve hot!
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