Fruit Salad with Orange-Vanilla Syrup & Homemade Whipped Cream

 I was watching an episode of the Pioneer Woman over the weekend, where she has her entire brood of friends and family over for a “Sunday Spring Brunch.” In the episode, she serves a glazed ham, biscuits and gravy, a potato dish and a fruit salad. I’m thinking yeah, everyone makes a glazed ham and coordinates their napkins with their floral centerpieces because it’s Sunday.

So what I took away from this (wink, wink, nudge, nudge Easter) episode was that I need to make more fruit salads. The Pioneer Woman’s recipe looked delightful, so I figured I could rework it with what I have in my refrigerator.  I also thought that if I added my recipe for simple, homemade whipped cream, this would feel like a real dessert, even without a slice of cake or ice cream.  I cut down the sugar and replaced the orange with cuties to be sure that it had a fresh, sweet taste. This recipe can also sit in your refrigerator overnight and be packed for a sweet treat at work or spooned over some French Toast.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

Simple Syrup:

½ Cup Sugar

½ Cup of Water
Zest and Juice of 3 Cuties

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Fruit I had on hand:

1 Pint of Strawberries - sliced
1 Bunch of Green Grapes – sliced in half

Fruit that can also be used:

Blueberries

Red Grapes

Whipped Cream:

½ Cup Heavy Cream

½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 ½ Teaspoons Confectioners' Sugar 

Directions:

Put the sugar, zest, water and juice into a small pot and bring it up to a boil. Reduce the heat all the way down to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and place the pot on a cool burner, allowing it cool for at least 15-20 minutes before pouring over the fruit.

Wash, dry and cut up your fruit. Place the fruit in a medium-sized bowl and toss with the simple syrup. Place the bowl in the refrigerator. I like to let the fruit sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, only taking it out to stir it a bit once or twice.

In a large, metal bowl, whip cream with hand or stand mixer on medium speed until it begins to look thick and a bit frothy. This will take about 45 seconds to a minute. Slowly pour in your vanilla and sugar until peaks form, which should only take another 15 seconds.

Spoon your fruit with a bit of syrup into individual bowls or over some angel food cake. Top with a dollop of the whipped cream.

Rigatoni with Chicken in an Oven Roasted Tomato Tarragon Sauce

I don’t know exactly what it is about tarragon that conjures up images of spring. Maybe it’s that sweet, earthy smell that makes it seem like it I just pulled the herbs from the ground and not a plastic bag in my refrigerator. To commemorate the first day of spring in Chicago (where we hovered around a balmy 24 degrees) I decided to revamp a pasta dish with some fresh herbs, including tarragon. I figured, why not fake it ‘til we actually make it to some Spring weather?

Now I must go on a tomato sauce tangent. While I adore the tomatoes that my husband’s family makes from scratch and jars in the summer, sometimes I like using one particular kind of canned (gasp!) tomatoes when experimenting with new sauces. If you are going to go canned, I recommend these San Marzanos. They don’t say anything else on the label as far as a brand name goes. They are whole and peeled - nothing else. As a general rule of thumb, less processed equals better, fresher food. As much as I’d love to do all the processing myself; good tasting, fairly-priced, fresh tomatoes in March in Chicago is essentially a mythical fairytale wish from a genie in a lamp. I have found these tomatoes at Fresh Farms, Artizone and some Whole Foods locations.

Wow, you made it through a coffee-fueled tomato tangent. Congrats! Now to contradict myself a bit. I do use a handful of little, grape or cherry tomatoes in this recipe. For some reason, these tomatoes are plentiful all year round and actually have a real tomato flavor to them. 

Before you begin cooking, make sure you have a skillet that can go from the stove to the oven, preferably a sturdy, cast iron skillet. If you don’t already have one, it is a worthwhile investment. Go to HomeGoods or T.J. Maxx this weekend and I bet you will find some brand name skillets at discount prices. Many of them will even have pretty, candy-colored enamel outer coatings.

So to summarize; fresh tarragon plus good canned tomatoes and a skillet to get you that oven roasted flavor, equals a hearty family dinner that will give everyone a glimpse of Spring!

  

Ingredients
 

• 1 Handful Cherry Tomatoes - cut in half
• 1 28 oz. Can of San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes
• Olive Oil for sautéing
• 1 Tbsp. Herbes de Provence
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Large Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
• 1 Shallot - minced
• 2 Tbsp. Dry White Wine or Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. Parsley - minced
• 1.5 Tbsp. Fresh Tarragon – minced
• 1 Bag Rigatoni

Directions

Preheat your oven to 450°. 

Combine the cherry and San Marzano tomatoes, 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, and the Herbes de Provence in a large, ovenproof skillet. Toss in a few grinds of both salt and pepper.  Toss everything together to coat. Turn the skillet on over a medium-high heat. Cook the tomato mixture for about five minutes, then transfer it into the oven. Allow the tomatoes to roast for about 20 minutes. Check half way through and carefully rotate any that appear to be blackening. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and place in a bowl. Toss in the Worcestershire sauce and set aside. 

 

Season the chicken all over with a bit of salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in your large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken breast on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake chicken until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and place on a plate to rest for at least 5 minutes.

Add a 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet and turn the heat to medium. Add the minced shallot and sauté to soften for 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with wine or vinegar. Cook liquid down for 2 more minutes. Add the shallots to the tomato mixture and puree with immersion blender or food processor until you reach your desired smoothness.  I leave a few large pieces of tomato for texture.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 Tbsp. of salt and cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.

Toss your tomato sauce with your drained pasta. Toss in your minced herbs.  Slice your chicken in ½ inch strips on the bias and divide it and the pasta among your bowls.  

Enjoy!

 

One Pot Indian Chicken with Chickpeas & Spinach

While I have enjoyed my recent foray into the Betty Crocker-less world of baking, I started to miss something about cooking savory dishes. I missed the Oh heck; I think I’ll add a bit of this attitude that has served me well in my experimental dinner escapades. I’m sure great bakers can add a bit of this or that to their cakes and breads, but when I’ve tried most things have (literally) gone flat.

Enter my latest experiment. Braised Indian Chicken with Chickpeas and Spinach.  I admittedly cook a lot of Italian, a decent amount of Latin influenced dishes and I even dabble in Chinese. But I feel that I have yet to reach my potential in Indian inspired dishes. I love the way Indian cuisine melds together so many spices to create the most aromatic and colorful dishes. I am also fascinated with the tradition of the Masala Dabba, a box of spices that are unique to each family, and were often given as a rite of passage to Indian women.  I love the concept of giving the next generation their own set of ingredients or tools. This allows them to feel that they can take the reins and make their own creations in the kitchen as well as carry on family traditions.

I found a recipe similar to this while leafing through a magazine. I was excited by the prospect of combining these spices in just the right way to make something beautiful. However, I did play with the recipe a bit. First, I replaced Canola oil with Grapeseed Oil. I find that is less-greasy and has a higher smoke point to prevent burning. I also decided to use full fat Greek yogurt. I feel that when you buy low-fat dairy products, you often pay the price by finding fake, processed ingredients in your food.

3 final tips: Even though this is a one pot dish, it does have a decent amount of components. Make sure you Mise en Place (prep your ingredients) so you can seamlessly move through the recipe. Buy better quality chicken in a more whole state and save buy breaking it down yourself. I love the chickens at Whole Foods and usually purchase whole chicken, break them down and freeze them in parts. Finally, if you have a local spice merchant, go get yourself a free education. In Chicagoland, we have the Spice House. If you are in Chicago and haven’t checked out the Spice Houses' offerings, you have to! You will have a foodie, sensory overload in the best way possible. Plus you can get smaller bags of spices, if you just want to try something out for fun.  Plus, at these local merchants; as well as at many Whole Foods locations, you can buy small amounts of freshly ground spices to see if you enjoy adding them to your arsenal. Happy Cooking!

                                                                       Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Grapeseed Oil
• 9 bone-in chicken drumsticks (thighs will work as well)
• 2 Tbsp Flour
• Sea Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper
• 1 tsp Unsalted Butter
• 2 Yellow Onions – sliced into strips
• 4 Cloves of Garlic - minced
• 3-4  ½ cubes of fresh, peeled Ginger
• 2 tsp Ground Coriander
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 2 tsp Ground Turmeric
• A pinch to ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper (depending on your heat preferences)
• 1 15-ounce can Chickpeas - rinsed  
• 2 cups (plus a bit extra) Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 bunch of Spinach – thick stems removed
• 1/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt (full-fat)
• 2 tsp Cilantro Leaves – minced (optional)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 325°. Heat the grapeseed oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. I choose to leave the skin on my chicken, to prevent it from drying out. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and lightly coat it with flour. Brown the chicken in batches on all sides. I try not to overcrowd the pot, to better control the cooking. Transfer the finished pieces to the lid of the pot. 

Once the chicken is complete, add the butter the onions to the pot. Turn the heat down to medium and allow the onions to soften, but not brown. This usually takes 5-8 minutes.

Toss in the garlic, ginger pieces, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne. Once the spices start going in the pot, it is important to constantly stir, to prevent burning. Allow the spices to open up and become fragrant, this only takes a minute. Stir in the chickpeas and add 2 cups broth. 

Return the chicken to the pot. Add more broth if needed to cover chicken about half to three quarters of the way.  Allow the pot to come up to a simmer. Pour the excess juices from the lid into the pot and cover it. Place the pot in the oven for 50 minutes.  

Pull the pot from the oven and remove lid. Transfer you the chicken to a plate and cover with a large lid from a pot or foil. Stir the spinach into the sauce and cover the pot for 3-5 minutes to allow the spinach to cook.

Uncover the pot and add in the yogurt, constantly stirring until it is incorporated. Taste for seasoning. Turn the heat back on low, add allow the sauce to get nice and warm.

Transfer the chicken to plates. Pour the spinach and chickpea sauce over each plate of chicken. If using cilantro, feel free to sprinkle the desired amount on each plate.