Tyler Floreance's Chicken Marsala with Mashed Potatoes

By now you all know of my secret love for Tyler Florance. I swear if he were to cook for me my butt would be 2-3 time bigger. Over the passed 3 years I've have tried many of his recipes and I've always been impressed. This time around he has taken it all to a new level. This chicken Marsala recipe is so good and I was amazed on how good it turned out, just when you think it can't better it really does.

The only added a half cup of cream, to make it a little thicker and smooth it. Another thing I did was double the ingredients to make the sauce, this because I knew I wanted to pair it up with mashed potatoes and I would like to have extra sauce. I'm happy that I did that because even having had doubled the sauce...it was just enough. So this recipe has been modified just in the liquid portions.

I highly recommend this recipe, my husband who loved chicken Marsala states that this was the best he has ever had!


SOURCE OF RECIPE: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chicken-marsala-recipe/index.html

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

4 chicken breasts cut into thin cutlets (about 1 1/2 pounds)
AP flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, stemmed and halved
1 cup sweet Marsala wine
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cream


WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO:

Cut chicken breasts into thin cutlets about 1/4-inch thick.

Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper.

Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet.

When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and shake off the excess.

Put cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden.

To avoid over crowding, do this in batches if the pieces to insure even cooking.

Once chicken is done transfer to a platter and keep them warm.

Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, saute for 1 minute to render out some of the fat.

Then add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated.

Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol.

Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly.

Stir in the butter, cream and then return the chicken to the pan.

Simmer for 1 minute to heat the chicken through.

Serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.

Italian Sausage with Broccoli Rabe and Pasta

Is it just me, our does everyone fall into a food rut every once in awhile? I love food and trying new dishes. This that said...working long days, and then coming home to a three year year old, sometimes is easier to go to your staple recipes. You know what I'm talking about... the recipes that you don't need to think about it, you just go into auto pilot and before you know it dinner is served.

Yeah, I too am guilty of this, more so when winter rolls around because it get darker earlier, and I associate darker with later, which means make something fast. Now that the holiday are right around the corner I came up with the idea of keeping a food log. This is where I write what plan on making each day, giving me the opportunity add something new into the rotation. This has helped me a lot and I've worked it out so that on nights that I know I'll be coming home early, I plan on trying something new. And tonight was one of those nights...here is my spin on the traditional sausage and broccoli.

Hope you enjoy! And like always, Happy Cooking!


WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1 package of whole wheat pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound bulk Sweet Italian sausage (I like to use a turkey sausage)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup of white wine
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon of sugar

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat.

Add in pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes, once done drain pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Stir in the sausage until crumbly and no longer pink, this will take about 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, and continue cooking until the sausage begins to brown, for another 5 minutes.

Pour off the excess grease, then add chicken broth, white wine, and red pepper flakes.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then add the broccoli rabe, and cover. Cook until the broccoli rabe almost done about 2 minutes.

When the broccoli rabe almost done, stir in the butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, a sugar until sauce has thickened.

Add everything in with the pasta and and serve hot.

Crusty French Boules (Cooking Light)

I have to say that this month's Cooking Light magazine was the best issue yet this year. It had a ton of great recipes that I can't wait to try. One of the best things I found was the French Boules recipe. OK, I know what your thinking..."it can't possibly taste like the real thing!" Well your right it doesn't taste like the "real thing"...it's even better! I kid you not when I say, that this loaf of bread disappears within a matter of a day in my house. My husband who isn't big on bread will take a huge slice, toast it, slap some butter and eats it as a snack.

I think that one of the best things about this bread is that while the crust is crisp and hearty, the inside is light and flavorful. The only down falls is that it takes a few days to prepare. However it truly is well worth the time. I've made this recipe 3 times already and it has now become my go to bread recipe.

If you do try this recipe I would love to here your input, and I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I have. Like always happy baking!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

For the Pâte fermentée:
1 1/4 cups of AP flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
Cooking spray

For the dough:
3/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 cups of AP flour
2/3 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornmeal

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO DO:

Prepare the pâte fermentée, by weighing 1 cup of AP flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon yeast, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.

Add 1/2 cup warm water, and beat at low speed until mixture is thoroughly combined.

Add enough of the remaining 4 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough just begins to pull away from sides of bowl.

Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat for 2 minutes.

Place dough in a small bowl coated with cooking spray.

Place a piece of plastic wrap coated with cooking spray directly on dough. Refrigerate 48 hours or up to 3 days.

Once you're ready to bake your bread, remove pâte fermentée from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Next prepare the dough, by placing 3/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon yeast.

Let mixture stand for 5 minutes or until bubbles form.

Add pâte fermentée to yeast mixture; let stand 10 minutes.

Spoon 2 cups flour, 2/3 cup of bread flour, and 1 teaspoon salt to bowl; beat at low speed until flour is incorporated.

Increase mixer to medium speed, and beat for 6 minutes. Dough will form a ball.

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; lightly coat dough with cooking spray.

Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm, dry place, free from drafts, for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

Punch dough down, and divide into 2 equal portions.

Knead each portion for 1 minute. Shape each dough portion into a 5-inch round by pulling the sides down, pinching and tucking them under the bottom center of dough, forming a smooth, taut surface on the top.

Place dough rounds on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Lightly coat surface of dough with cooking spray.

Cover and let rise 1 hour and 15 minutes or until doubled in size.

Place a small ovenproof saucepan with 3 inches of water directly on the floor of oven. Preheat oven to 450°.

Uncover dough. Spray dough lightly with water. Make 4 (4-inch) cuts 1/4 inch deep in dough to form a grid across top of each loaf using a sharp knife.

Bake at 450° for 10 minutes.

Remove water pan from oven.

Bake an additional 15 minutes or until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when bottom is tapped.

Cool on a wire rack. Cut each boule, crosswise, into 12 slices.

Recipe source Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2011

Serves 24 (1 slice) Calories 82, Fat 0.3 Protein 2.5g CARB 17G, Fiber 0.6g

Skinny Mini Oreo Cheesecakes!

It's that time of the month again, and that means that it's time to get our What's Baking entries in! This month Jessica from http://www.thejeyofcooking.com decided that this month's challenge would be "Something Savory" and to be honest, I really had a hard time with this one. Not because it couldn't come up with something, but more so because when I went to buy the ingredients either I couldn't find what I was looking for, or the product seemed to be below par.

The fact that I've been consumed with work and the holidays didn't help matters either. My mind was going a million miles an hour that I couldn't tell you how many things I baked/cooked that I could have used for this What's Baking Challenge. The sad thing is when I did realize it, we were almost done with our meals or I had already cut into the baked goods without taking a picture.

Lucky for me, my husband and I were hosting Thanksgiving, and in his opinion, not having cheesecake at a holiday party is like having Thanksgiving without turkey!
This year I took my skinny mini cheesecakes and changed them up a little, just to do something a little different while still trying to keep things lighter. The great thing about this recipe is that you get that wonderful cheesecake flavor and each cheesecake and each is just under 90 calories. How can you go wrong with that! Do you know how many calories are in a piece of cheesecake at the cheesecake factory?

All I am going to say is even if you had all 12 mini cheesecakes you would still have consumed less calories then you would in one slice from the cheesecake factory! I have always been big on finding ways of eating everything without the guilt. It's so true, you really don't have to give up all foods to maintain weight, you just have to use the right ingredients, and of course have everything in moderation.

Recipe adapted from The most decadent diet cookbook

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Butter flavored cooking spray
12 reduced fat chocolate wafers cookies
8-10 Oreos finely crumbled in the food processor to mix into your batter
12oz of fat free cream cheese at room temp
1/3 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons fat free vanilla yogurt
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon unbleached all purpose flour
2 large egg whites


WHAT TO DO:

Preheat oven to 300

line 10 cups of a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Lightly mist them with cooking spray

Place one wafer in the bottom center of each cup, flat side down.

In food processor added or Oreos and grind until fine.

Now in your mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium until well combined. Add yogurt, vanilla, and flour and mix on low until just combined.

Fold in Oreo and set aside.

In another bowl whisk together egg whites until soft peeks form.

Use spatula and gently fold the eggs into the cream cheese until mixture is just combined. (You don't want to over mix)

Divide the mixture among the muffin tins.

they will puff up and the tops will crack once the are baked.

Transfer cheesecakes to cooling rack and cool at room temp. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours.


I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does.

1 Cheesecake has 90 calories, 6g protein, 17g carbohydrates, 1g fat.

Creme Brulee

The past few months I feel like all I've been doing is working, working, working. Which means that dinner in our home has been very basic. Not that basic meals are a bad thing, it's just that I found myself making the same things each week.

This weekend I was thinking about it, and I really feel like my husband and son haven't had anything special in a long time. So I decided to hold off on my original recipe for the What's Baking Challenge, and I was determined to make them something new. The plan was to make something healthy and that was a little more time consuming, and was a recipe that I knew I could not make on a weekend after working a 10hr day.

Therefore, Saturday night I made a beautiful piece of grilled salmon, with a side broccoli risotto, and for dessert you guessed it I made CREME BRULEE for the first time.

And if you haven't guessed it....it was delicious!!! The Brulees had a perfect smooth creamy texture and a nice crisp sugar topping. Both my son and Husband were very pleased and since my husband has asked when I was going to make it again. Therefore I plan on making it for Thanksgiving this year.

I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did and like always...Happy Baking!

Recipe source: Allrecipes.com

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

6 egg yolks
6 tablespoons white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F

Beat egg yolks, 4 tablespoons sugar and vanilla in a mixer until thick and creamy.

In a saucepan heat cream over low heat until it almost comes to boil.

Remove the cream from heat immediately.

Take a cup of the cram and stir into the egg yolk mixture; to make sure that it tempered before adding it to the reminder of the cream, stir until combined.

Pour cream mixture into the top of a double boiler.

Stir over simmering water until mixture lightly coats the back of a spoon; this will take about 3 minutes.

Remove mixture from heat immediately and pour into a shallow heat-proof dish.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Before serving Preheat oven to broil.

In a small bowl combine remaining 2 tablespoons white sugar and brown sugar.

Sift this mixture evenly over custard. Place dish under broiler until sugar melts, about 2 minutes, make sure to keep a watchful eye so doesn't burn.

Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate until custard is set again.

Tapioca Pudding

This month's what's baking challenge had me super excited. I planned on baking one of my family's favorite desserts, however I had to pick our second favorite due to the it being so humid lately. The humidity doesn't help for the Portuguese cookies I had in mind, so my second thought was to make a nice tapioca pudding, this month and then bake the cookies next month.

A little secret about this recipe is it's so easy and so basic, that anyone could make this. Over the years my mother has adapted this recipe so that the pudding is extra creamy. One of the things she has done is use half whole milk, and half skim milk. By doing this she was able to cut back on the fat and calories. Something else she did was add more milk to achieve a creamier texture which has been a great hit in our house. I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as my brother and I have when we were growing up. Like always Happy Baking!

Recipe Source my mom

***TIP*** Some small pearl tapioca requires a few hours to an overnight soaking in water. Make sure that when you buy your tapioca pearls that you read the package to see if it's an instant tapioca, or what the soaking requirements are.


WHAT YOU'LL
1 cup of small pearl tapioca (Make sure that they have soaked)
4 cups whole milk
3 cups skim milk (you could use all whole milk if you like, we use skim to cut back on the fat and calories)
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs beaten
3/4 cup of sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1 tablespoon of cinnamon

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO:

After soaking the tapioca, combine tapioca, milk, and salt in 1 1/2 quart pan on medium high heat.

Stir until boiling and then let simmer for about 5 minutes.

Uncovered and allow it to cook at the lowest possible heat, adding sugar gradually.

Beat eggs in a separate bowl.

Mix in some of the hot tapioca into the eggs very slowly to equalize the temperature of the two mixtures by doing this you will avoid curdling.

Mix eggs mixture in pan with the rest of tapioca.

Slowly bring mixture barely to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat and stir several minutes at a low simmer, stirring constantly until you get a nice thick pudding consistency.

Once thick add vanilla and cinnamon and continue to stir until well combined.

Pour into serving dish and serve either warm or chilled.

Sweet Potato and Pecan Pancakes

I can not tell you how excited I was when I found this recipe. As you all know, I'm always looking for ways to get Jonathan to eat more veggies, and I could not tell you when the last time he eat pancakes...that is until now! Mashing up a sweet potato and adding it into this pancake mix is the perfect way to ensure that he gets an added severing of veggies.

My husband stated that this recipe was really good and in his own words "savory" Jonathan stated that they were "yummy, yummy for his tummy" Which makes this mommy, very happy! Drizzle with maple syrup and butter, or serve with a side of fresh fruit.

Happy eating!

Recipe adapted: Cooking Light 2006

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup fat-free milk
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO:

Add AP flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.

Combine the next 4 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Combine milk, sweet potato, sugar, oil, vanilla, and egg yolks, stirring until smooth; and then add to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form; fold egg whites into batter. Let batter stand 10 minutes.

Heat a nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Coat griddle or pan with cooking spray.

Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle or pan.

Cook 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.

Carefully turn pancakes over, and cook 2 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.