Zero Effort Chicken For Dinner

Between the humidity coming up from a storm in Mexico and the temperature gauge hovering around the century mark, cooking is the last thing I want to do, but with my surgery date now 10 days away, I know that I will be making very few meals for the family due to movement restrictions, so I’m doing the deed today. 😉

The pressure cooker is definitely a cook’s friend on days like this! With this recipe you get a bonus of 2 recipes in one! The chicken, plus a bonus flavorful chicken stock that I am using as the base for my cabbage soup. Yum!

chicken-on-cutting-board Chicken is the universal meat from which can spring any meal. My Mom’s go-to was the Zacky Farm’s Cut up Whole Fryer, seems like a good place to start, so that’s where I’ll start. I’ll make it early today and then the mood I’m in about an hour before dinnertime will determine how it ends up being served.

Zero Effort Pressure Cooker Chicken + Yummy Chicken Stock

1 – 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lb fryer chicken (cut up)
2 TBLS Olive Oil
Zatarain’s Cajun Spice Mixture (Seasoned Salt)
1/2 Medium Yellow Onion
1 – Large Poblano Pepper
5 Cloves Garlic

It should only take you 5 minutes to get all of the ingredients into the pressure cooker. After that it’s pretty much set it and forget it!

Set your pressure cooker to the “Brown” setting.
Pour the Olive Oil into the pressure cooker pan
Cut the pepper in half, remove the seeds and veins, then cut into about 1″ chunks and place into pan
Peel and chop the onion into roughly 1″ chunks and add to pan
Peel the garlic and add to pan
Sprinkle the Zatarain’s seasoning on both sides of the chicken
Place each piece of the chicken, skin side down (or on edge so skin is in contact with the sides of the pan) into the pan on top of the vegetables
Allow the chicken to brown, undisturbed for about 20 minutes, then close the lid of the pressure cooker and set to cook under pressure for 30 minutes
When cooking cycle has ended, allow the pressure to return to normal naturally

At the end of the keep warm cycle, release the lid and remove the chicken from the cooker to a large bowl. It should be falling off the bones. I take the time to remove the bones, skin and cartilage at this point and use a fork to do a gentle separation of the meat.

Leave the remaining vegetables and garlic in the pan with the meat drippings. Skim ant visible fat and allow to cool.

If you aren’t using it immediately in another recipe, move the cooled Yummy Chicken Stock to a sealable container and refrigerate (up to 5 days) or freeze until ready to use.

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Cleansing Ginger Chicken Soup

gingerchickensoup

Food’s not forbidden on The Prime, but I am not particularly hungry (a good thing) so this recipe for a light soup from the January 2012 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine, with ginger, whose anti-inflammatory properties my body is sorely (pun intended!) in need of, as one of its key ingredients, is definitely on tonight’s menu. After reading the reviews I made a few of the suggested additions and it made a really tasty soup.

Cleansing Ginger-Chicken Soup

1-2 TBLS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Yellow Onion, Chopped
4 Celery Stalks, Chopped
3 Large Carrots, Peeled and Chopped into 1″ Pieces
8 oz Unpeeled, Scrubbed Ginger, Cut into 1/2″ Pieces
5 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
1/2 Large Lemon (seeds removed)
2-3 tsp freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
1 – 3lb Whole Organic Chicken, Cut into 7 pieces (2 Breasts, 2 Legs w/Thighs Attached, 2 Wings, 1 Back)
Cilantro Leaves

In a large heavy pot, place chopped yellow onion, and the chicken, skin side down, in 1 to 2 TBLS Olive oil and cook long enough to brown slightly and pull the fat out of the skin.
Add the garlic and continue to cook over low heat for about 5 minutes then add the celery, carrots, ginger, lemon, pepper and 5 quarts of water (preferably filtered or spring water); bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover with lid slightly ajar.
Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered, until broth is fully flavored, about 2 hours.
Remove chicken from broth. When cool enough to handle, coarsely shred meat; discard skin and bones.
Place a fine-mesh sieve over another large pot; strain broth, discarding solids in strainer (you should have about 8 cups broth). Season with salt if needed.
Rewarm soup.
Divide chicken among bowls. Pour hot broth over, dividing equally. Garnish soup with cilantro leaves, if desired.

Cleansing Sucks. Prime Tea Makes it Better

17 Days until surgery is going to land me on my butt for 12 weeks and I have started the cleanse process. It’s hard but I’m not feeling as rotten as when I did the Nektar Advanced Juice Cleanse in June to prep for my vacation.

I read some great reviews on bn.com about a book by Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary, an Integrative Neurologist who found a way to combine the modern medical advances of Western taught Neurology with the centuries old wisdom of Ayurveda.

Despite the title, The Prime Prepare and Repair Your Body for Spontaneous Weight Loss the book isn’t selling or even really talking about a diet. That, far and above, was what appealed to me.

The main focus of The Prime is to eliminate the effects of stress, inflammation and toxicity on the body. The effects can manifest as:

Bloating and Tiredness after eating
Migraine Headaches
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Diarrhea
Gas
Mental Cloudiness
Weight Gain
Depression
Anxiety

Dr. Chaudhary sought out complimentary Ayurvedic treatment options for her patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease and discovered that some of those patients were able to begin cutting back on the traditional pharmaceutical options that she (and other doctors) had been prescribing to them and they were seeing greatly improved quality of life. It wasn’t any religious chanting, no special oils or anything other than a concentration on regaining the balance in their digestive system which then would allow their other internal organs and systems to detoxify so that the treatments they were receiving could have their maximum effect.

The best thing I read (by page 14 no less) was that a very simple adjustment to refresh the way the body digests food was resulting in:

Sharper and clearer mental focus
Skin regained elasticity, wrinkles began disappearing, skin brighter
Excess weight began falling away, puffiness disappearing
10 pounds gone with no additional exercise and no diet changes
Energy returned
Less pain in joints
Fewer sleep problems
Fewer memory issues
Cravings for sugar and other foods that can lead to weight gain all but disappeared in addition to cravings for excessive sugar, alcohol and caffeine
Cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure levels returned to normal

Since there seemed to be so many pluses to this approach and it’s a very easy to follow cleanse that allows me to eat whatever I feel like eating, I gathered the herbs required and brewed my tea today.

Prime Tea

Boil 4 to 5 Cups of Water in a Pot
In a Tea Ball (Mine is aluminum mesh) combine
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds (I got my herbs at Sprouts but know that my Albertson’s has them in the spice aisle too)
1/2 tsp Coriander Seeds
1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds

Additional Options:

1/2 tsp Manjistha Powder. If you are particularly bloated (if your socks leave marks on your ankles when you take them off, your rings leave dents in your puffy fingers, etc.) you can add this to the steeped tea afterward (it’s a powder)
1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds – if you are gassy
1/2 to 1 inch Peeled Fresh Ginger – if you want to really get the digestive fire started

theprime Let your tea steep in the boiling water at least 10 minutes, get rid of the seeds in the tea ball (you can leave the ginger in if you like) and drink it warm all day – finish by 6 so you’re not up peeing all night.

I made the tea today and have had no problem drinking it at all. It’s got a pleasant kind of nutty flavor with a hint of the ginger. I am going to the bathroom a lot more than I do taking my prescription Hydrochlorathiazide (water pill), so I think it’s doing the job. I haven’t been hungry all day so hopefully it’s doing that job too. Fingers are crossed!

Handy Guide To Chili Peppers

chile-primer-various-peppers My husband and some of my friends see peppers as a challenge. The hotter the better. They love to burn the heck out of their mouths and sweat & suffer afterward.

Not me. I like my food spicy, but I still like the ability to taste and enjoy my food after I feel the burn. Not the “Bern” that Bernie Sanders supporters feel 😉 , but the burn that a zip of spicy pepper adds to a dish.

Peppers, like salt, acid and fat, are essential flavor building blocks upon which dishes are built. In an article at www.bonappetit.com, Amiel Stanek encourages readers to “tease out” the subtle nuances of spice in the season’s crop of peppers using some very specific techniques. As someone who likes the taste, but not necessarily the need for a fire extinguisher after a bite, I appreciate the guidance.

Stanek reminds home cooks that peppers aren’t just spicy. They’re also flavor bombs hiding hints of fruitiness, floral notes, earthiness, and “funk.” To begin to experiment with these hidden flavors, a cook must first work on mellowing the pepper’s spice a bit:

Remove the seeds – Using a paring knife or the edge of a spoon, remove the seed pod beneath the stem and white membranes that hold the rest of the seeds within.
Char – You can do this whole on the grill, under the broiler, or directly on a stovetop gas burner and peel off the burnt layer before seeding them.
Soak – Capsaicin, the compound that makes a pepper hot, is alcohol soluble. When using the hottest peppers, remove membranes and seeds, muddle, and soak in vodka for anywhere from a few hours up to a couple of days.

For a great, printable reference of the varied types of peppers and their levels of spiciness, from mild to “grab a fire extinguisher,” click on this link.

A recipe I shared earlier this year was for one of my favorite cocktail hour snacks on steak and salad night: Blistered Shishito Peppers. Take my advice and make a double batch! These suckers are addicting and one batch is never enough. If you have any left, put them in a re-sealable container or zip bag and toss in the refrigerator. These are easily revived in a hot pan with a splash of olive oil a day or two later.

How to Make 30 Classic Cocktails

This illustration by Mike Houston, originally published at www.foodrepublic.com on July 14, 2015, provided a handy guide to making 30 of the most popular drinks requested of bartenders.

30cocktails

Zucchini Banana Bread

banzucbread

A little different spin on a classic. Honey instead of granulated sugar cuts the sweetness and adds a little moisture to this bread. While the bread is really good the first day, I wrap mine in foil (to maintain the moisture) and put it in the refrigerator so that the zucchini’s moisture can do it’s work. The second and third day, if it lasts that long, the bread gets better and better. I try and double the ingredients to make two loaves, then freeze the wrapped bread (in a Ziplock freezer bag) to enjoy later.

Zucchini Banana Bread

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup mashed overripe (black skins) banana (about 2 medium sized bananas)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups zucchini, shredded (do not drain the natural moisture)

Preheat oven to 350° F
Beat together the oil and honey in a stand mixer
Add in the mashed banana, eggs, and vanilla
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt
Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir on low until just combined
Using a spoon fold in the zucchini
Spray a loaf pan with cooking spay and pour in batter
Sprinkle a bit of nutmeg and cinnamon on top of the batter if you want to
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean – do not undercook

I like to serve this with whipped cream cheese with a touch of nutmeg in it.

It’s Looking Like a Maker’s Kind of Day

I know that not everyone drinks alcohol. Some for health reasons, some for religious reasons, some don’t like the taste, some are underage, some did drink but stopped, some don’t know when to say “when” and were forced to stop, and some are supporting recovering spouses or friends so they no longer imbibe. The reasons are many and I totally respect all of them.

This post isn’t intended for any of those people, unless they happen to be bartenders, frequent party hosts, or are just people who like to know what to serve guests of theirs who do enjoy a drink.

makersneat Regular readers of my blogs here and at www.extremeblondemoments.com know I love my wine, the Grey Goose L’Orange Cosmopolitan is my longtime favorite, I’m a fan of “umbrella drinks” poolside or on the beach, I love a shot of Maker’s 46 neat, my “usual” is a Maker’s 46 Old Fashioned, and I’m a huge horse racing fan so you know I love my Mint Juleps!

Old-Fashioned When my husband asks if I want my usual, he knows that will involve him putting in a little more effort than just pouring me a neat shot of 46. He’ll have to muddle a dark red Bada Bing cherry, in a few drops of Hella Bitters (citrus) ,then drop a single block of ice into the glass, cover it with a splash or two of simple syrup and top it off with a generous pour of Maker’s 46.

I saw a tweet from Maker’s Mark a few minutes ago that gave me a new spin on drinking my favorite just in time for The Belmont Stakes! Have you figured out yet that I’m a Maker’s girl? 😉

makerspomegranate The Trifecta With a Twist combines Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Lemonade and Pomegranate Juice with ice in a rocks glass and garnishes with either a twist of orange or a twist of lemon and a maraschino cherry – you choose. I have all of those ingredients on hand and can’t wait to give it a try!

summersmashup Another drink I found on the Maker’s Mark Twitter Feed, that I am anxious to try poolside, is the Maker’s Mark Summer Smash Up. This sweet and fruity concoction combines Maker’s Mark with Triple Sec, Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, & Grenadine and is garnished with a wedge of pineapple and a maraschino cherry. Bonus! All of the ingredients are in my refrigerator! Looks like it’ll be a great weekend. 🙂

makerspeachtea If you’re an Iced Tea fan, there’s a Maker’s Mark cocktail for you too!

The Maker’s Peach Tea combines Freshly Brewed Iced Tea with Dekuyper Peachtree Liqueur and Maker’s Mark with a garnish of a fresh (or frozen) peach slice. I would muddle the peach at the bottom of the glass with the bourbon before adding the ice, and mixing in the freshly brewed tea and peach liqueur.

makersmintjulep A post about my favorite bourbon drinks wouldn’t be complete without the Mint Julep being properly represented! I like to make my simple syrup a few days before I plan to enjoy my juleps.

My Simple Syrup recipe is simple: Combine equal parts extra fine baker’s sugar (I use C&H) with water in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved then immediately remove from the heat. My usual measurement is 2 ups sugar to 2 cups water. Cool the syrup then pour into a Rubbermaid type sealable drink container where about 5 stems of bruised (put leaves into a bowl and press a spoon firmly on the leaves to open them and release the oils) mint leaves have been placed. Put the syrup into the refrigerator to chill 😉 for at least 24 hours to infuse the mint. If your simple syrup is for anything other than a julep, don’t use the mint.

Maker’s Mint Julep

1-1/2 parts Maker’s Mark^® Bourbon
Fresh mint
Mint Simple Syrup
Powdered sugar
Mint sprig for garnish
Club Soda

Instructions

Place a few mint leaves in the bottom of your glass and muddle with a splash of my Mint Simple Syrup.
Fill glass with crushed ice
Pour Maker’s Mark, another splash of simple syrup, and a splash of club soda over the ice
Sprinkle top of ice with powdered sugar.
Garnish with a mint sprig.

As I always do, I remind you that if you are going to drink, please:

Know your limit / drink in moderation
Never Drink and Drive
Designate a sober driver, know the local taxi company’s phone number and USE IT, ask the bartender or your server to call you a cab, use UBER or LYFT, or have a friend or family member on standby for you to call if you need a ride home

Baked Chicken in Creamy Poblano Sauce

I’ve fallen in love with Amazon Fresh. Not just because I can be lazy and not go into the grocery store, although that keeps me from making impulse buys which is a definite plus, but also because the quality of the produce allows me to be creative when I cook on the weeknights. Not only is the produce generally larger than what I am seeing in my local grocery store, but it stays fresh longer, and I’m paying less money per pound. Win, Win, Win!

I hadn’t decided what to do with the chicken breasts I thawed this morning then remembered that two large Poblano chilies have been in the crisper for just over a week – in my eyes they are begging to be made a couple! Throw some rice into the pressure cooker and we have a trio!

Baked Chicken in Creamy Poblano Sauce with Mexican Rice

2 Poblano Chilis
1/2 Yellow Onion
2 TBLS Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic
3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 – 8oz Package Cream Cheese
2 TBLS Dried Cilantro
1 Can Evaporated Milk
Juice of 1/2 a Lime
2 TBLS Flour
4 TBLS Butter
1/4 Cup Milk
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F)
Cut the poblano peppers in half, stem & seed, then slice thinly with a Mandoline
Cut the cleaned and skinned half white onion into thin slices on the Mandoline
Peel the garlic
Place these above items in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil, turn to coat completely
Place in the oven and roast for approx 20 minutes
In the meantime cut your chicken breast halves with the breast flat on the cutting board use your knife to cut parallel to the board to divide it into two equal pieces
Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides
Remove the roasted veggies from the oven & lower the temperature to 350 degrees
Place the roasted veggies, cilantro, salt and evaporated milk in a blender
Puree the mixture
Saute’ the chicken breast pieces in the 2 TBLS oil for about 2 minutes per side until they have a little color on them
Remove the chicken to the baking dish you used to roast the veggies
In the same pan you used for the chicken, over medium heat, melt the butter
When the butter is melted add the flour and stir for a minute until fully incorporated and brown bits are scraped up
Add the poblano puree to the sauce pan and stir
Add the 1/4 up Milk to the pan and stir
Add the Cream Cheese to the sauce pan and stir constantly for a couple of minutes until fully incorporated – it will be thick
Remove from the heat an add the juice of the half lime, stir to incorporate
Pour the Poblano Cream Sauce over the chicken
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through

Serve with your favorite version of Mexican or Spanish rice and a salad or sliced and roasted zucchini squash.

A New Take On Banana Bread

I need to go buy 8 bananas and wait for them to get ripe ASAP so I can try this new take on banana bread. Really it’s more like a cake, but I can’t wait to try it either way! Thanks Buzzfeed!

Upside Down Banana Bread

4-5 ripe bananas
3 eggs
½ cup oil
½ cup sugar
1 TBLS ground cinnamon
2 cups flour
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2-3 bananas, sliced
Vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350°F/175 C.
In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas.
Add the eggs, oil, sugar, and cinnamon, mixing until evenly incorporated.
Add the flour and mix until the batter has no large pockets of flour. Set aside.
In a pot over low heat, melt the butter, then mix in the brown sugar until dissolved.
Bring up the heat to medium, cooking until the mixture starts bubbling.
Remove the caramel from heat and pour into a greased 9×9 baking pan.
Lay the banana slices evenly on top of the caramel.
Spread the banana bread batter on top
Bake 40-50 minutes.
Cool until the bottom is barely warm & use a knife to loosen the edges from the pan.
Place a plate upside-down on top of the pan, then invert the pan, flipping the banana bread onto the plate.

Slice, then serve with vanilla ice cream.

No fail Deviled Eggs

FullSizeRender_1 According to Wikipedia, “Deviled eggs (US) or devilled eggs (UK), also known as stuffed eggs, angel eggs, eggs mimosa, Russian eggs, dressed eggs, picnic eggs are hard boiled eggs shelled, cut in half, and filled with the hard-boiled egg’s yolk mixed with other ingredients such as mustard and mayonnaise, but many other variants exist internationally. Deviled eggs are usually served cold. They are served as a side dish, appetizer, or a main course, and are a common holiday or party food.”

I couldn’t come up with a better description than theirs, but I’d add that every chef, chef wannabe and home cook adds their own touches that make their deviled eggs anything but ordinary.

Some of the exotic ingredients I’ve seen included in other recipes for deviled eggs:

Greek Yogurt
Sour Cream
Cream Cheese
Sweet Pickle Relish
Horseradish
Wasabi Powder
Dill Pickle
Sugar
Cayenne Pepper
Jalapeno/Habanero Chilies
Chipotle Chilies
Turmeric
Green Olives
Black Olives
Shredded Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese
Pimentos
Poppy Seed
Thyme
Cilantro
Parsley
Salsa
Minced Onion
Caviar
Cream
Capers

The ingredients that people top their deviled eggs with are as diverse as the ones they put inside, but those most commonly found include:

Old Bay Seasoning
Paprika
Curry Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Chopped Chives
Dill
Caviar
Anchovy
Bacon Bits
Shrimp
Herring

I prefer mine as simple as can be:

Lisa’s Basic Deviled Eggs

In a medium saucepan, in about 1 quart of cold water, place fresh eggs (I do 6-12 large or extra large)
Over medium-high heat, bring pan of eggs & water to a boil
When you reach a boil, set timer for 20 minutes and reduce heat to medium
When timer goes off, immediately remove eggs and place into a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process
Peel the eggs, cut each in half lengthwise and place the yolks in a bowl
Mash the yolks with a fork then add approximately 1 TBLS Spicy Creole Mustard (I like Zatarain’s)
Add approximately (to your taste) 2 TBLS (1 TBLS per 6 eggs give or take) Mayonnaise (I like the taste and consistency of Best Foods) and stir with a fork until well blended and you have enough volume to fill all of the halves
I use a pair of spoons to mound the egg yolk mixture into the empty egg white halves, but you can also put the mixture into a plastic bag (to pipe out with the end snipped off) or a pastry bag with a star tip attached for a neater presentation

I add a turn or two of freshly ground pepper and nothing else, but will occasionally sprinkle a little bit of paprika on the egg white halves BEFORE I fill them with the yolk mixture if I’m feeling fancy.

The temperature deviled eggs are served at is as varied as the ingredients people use to make them. I prefer to loosely cover the eggs and quick chill them in the freezer, if I am short for time, or in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Chilling Tip: If you don’t have a covered, locking storage/ transportation dish made specifically for deviled eggs, here is a simple way to protect your refrigerator (or freezer) and the food inside from absorbing the overpowering smell of egg: Put a plate inside a gallon sized zip bag then place the eggs on the plate in the bag and close securely before chilling.

Picnic or tailgate tip: Prepare filling and transfer to a plastic zip bag. Carry whites and yolk mixture separately in cooler. Fill eggs on the spot, pressing filling out of snipped corner of bag.

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Maker’s Mint Julep

Instructions

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