Chicken Marsala with Gnocchi

As I have been looking at many different Chicken Marsala recipes, I have found that if it has chicken and Marsala wine, its Chicken Marsala. So I started with what seems to be a standard, basic recipe. I then added bacon and some heat to it. And I think I've been cooking for my boyfriend, Stephen, too long because I the spice you get at the end from the red pepper flakes were what made this dish for me. This is also the first recipe that I have made from my Top 100 list!


Chicken Marsala with Gnocchi

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adapted from Tyler Florence

3 chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
Flour, for dredging
Red pepper flakes, to taste
3 slices bacon, chopped
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c. Marsala wine
3/4 c. chicken broth
1 lb. gnocchi
2 T. butter
Fresh parsley

Cook gnocchi in boiling water until they raise to the top of the pot. Drain gnocchi, put butter in pot, stir in gnocchi and let brown for 5-6 minutes. Cut the chicken breasts in half, lengthwise, to make chicken cutlets. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge with flour, shake off excess and saute in large skillet for 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove chicken, add bacon and let cook for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and red pepper flakes, brown for 6-7 minutes. Stir in Marsala wine and let reduce down for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, let reduce for 4 minutes. Add chicken back in and coat with sauce. Top with parsley.

Shrimp and Pasta

Shrimp and pasta has recently become a favorite of my boyfriend, Stephen's. The last several times we have gone out to eat, he immediately looks for it on the menu. And is disappointed if a restaurant doesn't have it. He likes it so much, that it is one of the very few meals that he has actually talked about days after eating. So, I had to make some for him. this is my spicy version for my spicy boy.


Shrimp and Pasta

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1 lb. penne pasta
1 lb. shrimp
10 oz. andouille sausage, cut on bias
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
Creole seasoning, to taste
Ground red pepper, to taste
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. half and half
Fresh parsley

Boil pasta and reserve 1 cup of pasta water. In large skillet, brown sausage. Remove sausage from skillet, add onion and cook for 5-6 minutes over medium heat. Add tomatoes, creole seasoning and ground red pepper, cook for 3 minutes. Season shrimp with creole seasoning and ground red pepper. Add shrimp to skillet, cook for 3-4 minutes. Mix in broth, half and half, and pasta water. Add pasta, mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and top with parsley.

Steak and Dessert

Today was a belated Valentine's Day present for my nephew and niece, Luke and Siena. A family friend, Jackie, gave the kids coupons. Luke got one for steak and Siena got one for dessert. Siena had a great time making the marshmallow pops. Luke went camping this weekend and was really excited to have some steak after 'roughing it' for the weekend.


Steak Canapes
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2 lbs. sirloin steak
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. barbecue sauce
1/2 c. apricot preserves
Italian bread, thinly sliced
Goat cheese
Fresh parsley

In large skillet, caramelized onion over low heat, stirring frequently. This may take 30-45 minutes. Season steak with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sear steak over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes per side. Mix barbecue sauce with apricot preserves and heat through. Lightly toast Italian bread. Top bread with onions, steak, apricot barbecue sauce, goat cheese and parsley.


Marshmallow Pops
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Marshmallows
Pretzel sticks
Chocolate almond bark, chopped
Shredded coconut
peanuts, finely chopped
Dried apricots, finely chopped

Stick the pretzel sticks through the marshmallows. Melt almond bark in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time. When almond bark is almost all melted, stir until smooth. Dip marshmallows in chocolate and then coconut, peanuts or apricots. Let almond bark set on parchment paper.

Asian Chicken Drumsticks

I'm not sure how it happened, but this week completely got away from me. It was a busy week at work, I had some computer issues and by yesterday afternoon I was completely exhausted. I did manage to cook dinner for my boyfriend, Stephen, earlier this week, I just hadn't gotten around to posting it. But next week I'm on Spring Break and I intend to do lots of cooking. I'm so excited.

Asian Chicken Drumsticks with Rice Noodles

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1 1/2 lbs. chicken drumstick

1/3 c. hoisin sauce

1/3 c. soy sauce

2 t. sraracha sauce

2 t. fish sauce

1/4 c. vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. grated fresh ginger

2 t. sesame oil

Ground pepper

1/2 pkg. rice noodles

Green onions, cut on bias

Peanuts, roughly chopped

Mix together hoisin, soy sauce, sraracha, fish sauce, vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and pepper. Reserve half for noodles. Toss chicken with remaining sauce. Let marinade for at least 1 hour. In large skillet, sear drumsticks for 3-4 minutes per side. Place drumsticks on baking sheet and baste with marinade. Finish cooking chicken in 350 degree oven until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Toss noodles with reserved sauce. Top noodles and drumsticks with green onions and peanuts.

Chicken Tostadas

I have friends who talk about how hard it is to cook for just themselves and their husband/boyfriend/whoever, because they get tired of the leftovers and then food goes to waste. I definitely understand that feeling. Luckily my boyfriend, Stephen, is a big eater so leftovers don't usually last very long. But if I do have a lot of leftovers, I try my best to find a way to turn some of the leftovers into a different kind of dish. This uses chicken from the Chicken A l'Orange.

Chicken Tostadas

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2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 can black beans

2 c. frozen corn

1 can chicken broth

1 T. chili powder

2 t. cumin

1 t. ground red pepper

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. oregano

1 pkg corn tortillas

Toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, queso fresco, red onion slices, lime, whatever else you want

In medium pot, bring chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, ground red pepper, garlic powder and oregano to a simmer. Add chicken and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add black beans and corn, simmer for another 5 minutes. Spray both sides of the corn tortillas with cooking spray. Salt one side of tortillas and bake them in a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes, or until they are crispy. Top crispy corn tortilla with chicken mixture, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and queso fresco. Garnish with lime wedge.

Top 100

I recently saw a Top 100 list on Brown Eyed Baker. I loved the idea and wanted to make my own Top 100 list of things I've never gotten around to making. There are lots of things that I have never made before, but this was still more of a challenge than I thought it would be. I thought about saying that I want to make all of these things within the next year, but I already know that wouldn't happen. Breads 1. Naan Bread 2. Biscuits 3. Brioche 4. Challah Bread 5. Yorkshire Pudding 6. Croissants 7. Soft Pretzel 8. Ciabatta Bread 9. Focaccia Bread 10. Irish Soda Bread 11. English Muffins Sweets 12. Coffeecake 13. Coconut Ice Cream 14. Custard 15. Crème Brulee 16. Cannoli 17. Chess Pie 18. Bread Pudding 19. Rugelach 20. Dulce de Leche 21. Pineapple Upside-Down Cake 22. Croquant 23. Ricotta Cheesecake 24. Cream Puffs 25. Lemon Curd 26. Sponge Cake 27. Jam/Jelly 28. Lemon Bars 29. Chocolate Cream Pie 30. Soufflé 31. Black Forest Cake 32. Frozen Yogurt 33. Petit Fours 34. Éclairs 35. Granita 36. Molten Chocolate Cake 37. Frozen Custard 38. Biscotti 39. Mousse 40. Homemade Nutella 41. Chocolate Torte 42. Boston Cream Pie 43. Banana’s Foster 44. Tiramisu 45. Scones Sides/Appetizers 46. Jalapeño Poppers 47. Latkes 48. Fried Calamari 49. Baba Ghanoush 50. Polenta 51. Ratatouille 52. Corn Fritters 53. Jellof Rice 54. Pot Stickers 55. Niçoise Salad 56. Waldorf Salad 57. Stuffed Artichokes Main Dishes 58. African Peanut Soup 59. Egg Drop Soup 60. Lobster Bisque 61. Short Ribs - complete 62. Cornished Hen 63. Lamb Chops 64. Brisket - complete 65. Smoked Chicken 66. Coq au Vin 67. Prime Rib 68. Moussaka 69. African Meat Pies - complete 70. Beef Burgundy 71. Beef Wellington 72. Chicken Cordon Bleu 73. Veggie Burgers 74. Croque Madame 75. Monty Cristo 76. Muffaletta 77. Gumbo 78. Nigiri Sushi 79. Chinese Dumplings 80. Pad Thai 81. Mu Shu Pork 82. Falafel 83. Cioppino 84. Paella 85. Huevos Rancheros 86. Ceviche 87. Frittata - complete 88. Carbanara 89. Manicotti 90. Eggplant Parmesan 91. Chicken Marsala - complete Other 92. Limóncello 93. Fresh Pasta 94. Salsa Verde 95. Homemade Gnocchi 96. Mojo Sauce 97. Homemade Pickles 98. Ricotta Pancakes 99. Dutch Baby 100. Homemade Crackers

Mini Corn Dogs

I love to cook with my nephew and niece. I think it's so important for them to enjoy cooking, and its a great, very messy time. Making these mini corn dogs was no exception. I'm not sure what Luke and Siena liked more, covering the lil smokies with the cornbread mix, or licking the extra mix off their hands. Siena enjoyed herself so much, she thanked me three different times for letting them make them. Seeing how much fun the kids had completely made up for the mini corn dogs looking a little crazy.

Mini Corn Dog

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1 pkg. lil smokies

1 T. cornstarch

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

Toothpicks

Rinse lil smokies well and pat them dry. Toss them with the cornstarch, lightly. Dust off any extra cornstarch. In a small bowl, mix together cornbread mix, egg and milk. Stick a toothpick in each lil smokie. Dip lil smokies in cornbread mix to coat. Place them on a greased baking sheet. Bake them in a 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes, or until cornbread is golden brown.

Chicken A l'Orange

Chicken and rice with vegetables is such a classic meal. But lets be honest, it can be kinda boring. This was such a simple way to make that classic more fun and special. I try to keep things interesting, yet I somehow still always get the same response from my sweet, oblivious boyfriend, Stephen, "Um, yeah, that's nice."


Chicken A l'Orange
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adapted from Melissa d'Arabian

4 skin-on bone-in chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
Fresh thyme
Zest of orange
1/2 c. fresh orange juice
1/4 c. agave nectar
1/4 c. chicken broth

Pull the skin back from the chicken without ripping it or taking it off. Season the chicken breast with salt, pepper and thyme both under the skin and on top of the skin. In small pot, bring orange zest, juice, agave nectar and chicken broth to boil. Let reduce for 5 minutes, until thickened. Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Sear the chicken breast, skin side down. Sear for 7-8 minutes or until skin is crispy. Put chicken on baking sheet, skin side up and pour orange glaze over top. Cook in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Re glaze the chicken with orange glaze every 15 minutes.


Roasted Pearl Onions
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adapted from Cooking Light

2 lbs. pearl onions
1 lb. snow peas
2 T fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
1/2 c. red wine
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1 T. olive oil
2 T. agave nectar

Halve onions and remove peel. stir together rosemary, wine, soy sauce, balsamic, oil and agave nectar. Toss half of wine mixture with onions and other half with snow peas. Roast onions in 450 degree oven for for 25 minutes, after 15 minutes, add snow peas with onions and finish roasting.


Brown Rice with Almonds
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2 c. instant brown rice
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. sliced almonds

Cook rice according to box directions, using broth instead of water. Once cooked, toss with sliced almonds.

And The Winner Is...

First I want to say thank you to all of you who entered into this giveaway. It was fun to find out what kind of cupcakes you like. I would also like to thank CSN promotions for this fabulous opportunity to give something away.

To select the winner, I stayed with the old-fashoined method of putting all the names in a bowl and drew one at random. And the winner is... Robin Weller! Congratulations! If you will please email me your address at lctheivagt@gmail.com, I will have your new jumbo muffin sent to you.

Thank you again to everyone who entered. I hope we can play this game again.

My First Giveaway

Have you ever found a website with tons of things that you want to buy, or items that inspire you to redecorate your house? Anything to do with my kitchen just calls me by name. Things like these nice counter stools at allbarstools.com makes me excited. And sites like cookware.com could get my pocketbook in serious trouble. Well CSN has this collection of 200+ stores where you can find lots of great stuff.

Since I recently made some jumbo cupcakes, I wanted one of you to get this jumbo muffin tin so you can make really big treats too. To enter for this giveaway, just leave me a comment of your favorite kind of cupcake. If you don't have an account to include your name to the comment, that's ok. Post the comment as anonymous, just be sure to sign your name on your comment. You have until Friday afternoon at 4:00 PM central time to enter. Then I will pick a name at random as a winner. Good luck.