Spicy Garlic Pasta With Chicken

Here's a little dish I created last week from whatever we had left in our fridge and cabinets. Basically, this is the type of dish that is born from being a broke-ass college student with champagne taste on a beer budget. 

It was so good that I made it twice in the same week. Why? Because bacon. (Yep. Bacon is a legit reason.)


Yields 4 servings (Or two if you're a champion.)

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces spaghetti (about half a box. Other types of pastas work, too)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-4 slices of bacon 
• 1 chicken breast, thawed and patted dry
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• paprika
• cayenne
• salt
• pepper
• freshly grated parmesan

Directions:

1. Generously season chicken with paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Allow to chill in the fridge for about 10-20 minutes.
2. Start a pot of boiling water for the pasta.
3. Over low-medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Set aside on paper towel to drain. Reserve grease in pan.
4. Cook chicken in the pan with the bacon grease until it is almost fully cooked (The internal temp should be about 145 ish)
5. Remove chicken from pan, but leave the grease.
6. Your water should be boiling. Add the pasta and boil for about 9 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, mince the bacon and slice the chicken into bite-sized medallions.
8. Add garlic to the pan with the bacon grease and sauté until fragrant.
9. Put the chicken back in the pan with the garlic and cook it until it is no longer pink in the center.
10. When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the garlic and chicken mixture.
11. Toss pasta with oil, bacon, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
12. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
13. Try not to drool because it's unladylike.

Julia Child's Coq Au Vin

We sure did watch Julie and Julia while making this. And I almost cried when I tasted it. I can't believe I've gone this long without Coq Au Vin in my life. A lengthy process, but so undoubtedly worth it.

Ingredients:

• 4 slices thick cut bacon
• 3 lbs chicken breasts and legs, skin on (two breasts and two drumsticks)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 10 oz sliced mushrooms
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp salt (or, to taste)
• 
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Fry the bacon over medium heat in a dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot. 
3. After it’s fried, remove the bacon and place on paper towels to drain. 
4. Once cool, chop bacon and set aside. Keep the bacon grease in the pot.
5. Turn heat to high and place chicken, skin-side down in the pot. Sear chicken until golden brown on both sides, about eight minutes. 
6. Then, add the onions, garlic, bay leaves and rosemary. Continue sautéing until the onions begin to soften, about six minutes.
7. Add the chicken broth and red wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. 
8. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes.
9. After 30 minutes, carefully remove the chicken from the pot and place in an oven-safe dish. Keep chicken warm in the oven while you work on the sauce.
10. Stir the flour and butter (butter should melt instantly in the pot) into the red wine sauce. Bring back up to a boil and stir constantly----sauce should be begin to thicken. 
11. Add mushrooms, chopped bacon, salt and pepper and continue cooking for 10-12 minutes. Keep in mind that the sauce will also thicken up a bit when it cools.
12. Place chicken back in sauce and serve with roasted potatoes and/or greens.
13. Die of happiness.

Bailey's Irish Cream Cake

I know these don't particularly look like Bailey's irish cream cakes. I got a little fancy for this recipe! My manager and a co-worker were leaving Starbucks last week, so I decided to make them each cakes to say goodbye. I chose this recipe A: because it's delicious! and B: because it's a denser cake, which makes it perfect for stacking and decorating.

I do a lot of variations of Bailey's cakes and cupcakes, trying to find the best one. I think this is it!! You can really taste the irish cream in this cake.

(Adapted from Too Many Chefs)

Bailey's Irish Cream Cake

For the cake:

Ingredients:

• 4 oz semisweet chocolate 
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 Tbs Bailey's Irish Cream
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and butter and lightly flour two nine inch cake pans. (for cakes, I like to use powdered sugar instead of flour so the cake doest get that raw flour taste.)
2. Melt chocolate over a low heat with the Bailey's and the brown sugar. Stir often to blend to a smooth mixture. 
3. In the meantime, cream the butter with the sugar. 
4. Add the eggs one by one. 
5. Sift the dry ingredients over another bowl.
6. Add the milk and the dry ingredients gradually to the egg/sugar/butter mixture, alternating wet and dry. 
7. Once they are completely incorporated, add the chocolate mixture. 
8. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 35 minutes, allow to cool ten minutes in the pans and then turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling.

For the filling:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3 Tbs Bailey's Irish Cream
• 1 small package of vanilla flavored instant pudding

1. Whip ingredients together until it has reached a fluffy consistency.
2. Be very careful not to over whip them or they'll turn into a gooey pudding-like consistency. You really want it to be fluffy.

For the frosting:

• 1/3 cup butter
• about 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 heaping Tbs cocoa powder
• 2 tbs heavy cream

1. Beat the butter with the powdered sugar and the cocoa powder and cream. 
2. If it seems a little dry, add a tablespoon of milk. If it seems a little wet, add a little more sugar. 
3. Ad food coloring if desired. Frost the cake.

Mint Bailey's Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Maybe you don't know this about me, but I'm a stress baker.

When I've had a long day, nothing calms me down as much as the methodical rhythm of baking cupcakes. I know the measurements. I know the steps. I don't have to think about much at all.

These cupcakes were born from getting passed up for a promotion for the third time. So, obviously, they had to involve alcohol! =]


(Adapted from Baking Bites)

Yields 16 cupcakes


Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Chocolate Mint Bailey’s Irish Cream (or regular Bailey’s + 1/2 tsp peppermint extract)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract. 
4. Mix in half of the flour mixture, followed by the irish cream and milk, then mix in the remaining flour mixture. 
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Distribute batter evenly into prepared muffin pan.
7. Bake for 18-21 minutes
8. Allow to cool completely before frosting

Mint Buttercream Icing

• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tbsp irish cream
• 1 tsp peppermint extract

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Add food dye, if desired. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.


I also added some chocolate drizzle to these by microwaving some chocolate chips in a ziplock bag. I cut a tiny hole in the corner and drizzled it over the cakes.

Ale, Cheddar, and Jalapeño Soup

(Adapted from Closet Cooking)

Yield: 4 servings!


Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bacon (double smoked is good), cut into 1 inch slices
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 jalapeño peppers, diced with most of the seeds removed
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 bottle dark ale, like Guinness
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (sometimes I add more!)
• cayenne to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.  Chop bacon and cook it in a pan over medium/low heat. Set aside on paper towels to drain, reserving 1-2 tablespoons of the grease in the pan.
2. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the butter and let it melt and get all bubbly then sprinkle on the flour and let it cook until it starts to turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the ale followed by the broth and bacon and let cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add the cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cheese and cook until the cheese has melted but do not bring it back to a boil.
7. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper to taste

Cheese Cracker, Honey, and Goat Cheese Chicken

(Adapted from Paula Deen!)

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, boneless
• 1 cup cheese crackers, crushed
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 6 oz. goat cheese, cut into 4 equal portions
• 3 tablespoon honey
• 3 tablespoon butter, melted
• Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Make a slit in the side of each chicken breast, being very careful not to go through the other side. 
3. In a medium bowl, add crushed crackers, red pepper, salt and pepper. 
4. Spray the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. 
5. Stuff each chicken breast with equal amounts of goat cheese and place in baking dish. 
6. Press cracker mixture on top of each breast, coating evenly. 
7. Spray the top of each breast with non-stick cooking spray. 
8. In a small bowl, stir together butter and honey. 
9. Bake chicken breast for 10 minutes. 
10. Finally, spoon honey butter over chicken and return to oven for 25 minutes.

Brown Sugar Soy Marinated Salmon

(Adapted from Allrecipes)

Ingredients:

• 4 (6 oz) salmon fillets
• lemon zest from about 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl, stir together lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. 
3. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
4. Preheat grill for medium heat.
5. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade. (We actually saved ours and used it as a sauce!)
6. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Honey Mustard Chicken Marinade

(Adapted from Food Network)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (Or use dried and see my note HERE)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, add the honey, mustard, 1 tablespoon of oil and salt and pepper, to taste. 
2. Mix well and put the mixture into a large plastic resealable bag. 
3. Add the chicken, seal the bag and shake to incorporate. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
4. Cook as desired. (I grilled mine!)
5. Serve with lime wedges.

Chicken and Mushrooms with Garlic White Wine Sauce

Ingredients: 

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into medallion-sized pieces
• 2 tsp butter
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (You can also use dried parsley. See my note here.) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200°. 
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour. 
3. Heat a large skillet on medium heat; when hot add 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp olive oil. 
4. Add chicken to the skillet and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is no longer pink. Set aside in a warm oven.
5. Add additional oil and butter to the skillet, then garlic and cook a few seconds; add mushrooms, salt and pepper stirring occasionally until golden, about 5 minutes.
6. Add wine, chicken broth, parsley; stir, breaking up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. 
7. Cook a few more minutes or until the liquid reduces by half. 
8. Top the chicken with the mushroom sauce and serve over rice.

Red Wine Marinated Steak with Mushrooms

(Adapted from Food Network)


Ingredients:

Marinade:

• 1 cup dry cabernet sauvignon
• 2/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves*
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves*
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves*
• 4 garlic cloves, minced and crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 thick steaks (Food Network used New York strip steaks, but any thick and tender cut works great)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 c. sliced baby bella mushrooms

* You can also use dried herbs if it's easier, just see my instructions here.

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside. 
3. Put the marinade in a bowl with a lid, or a plastic ziplock bag.
4. Trim excess fat from the steaks and make small cuts with a knife into the fat around the edge of the steaks.
5. Marinate steaks for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 6 hours in the refrigerator.
6. Heat a medium-sized non-reactive skillet on the stove over medium heat.
7. Melt butter, then place steaks on the hot skillet for 2-3 minutes on each side to sear. 
8. Transfer skillet to broiler and broil 2-3 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches desired doneness. (See my page here about meat temperatures!) 
9. Allow steaks to rest for at least five minutes.
10. Meanwhile, put olive oil in a non-reactive sauce pan on the stove over medium/high heat. 
11. Add mushrooms to the saucepan with the olive oil and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until tender.
12. Put the leftover marinade from the steaks into the saucepan with the mushrooms and bring to a boil for at least 3 minutes and cook until reduced slightly, or until it has reached a saucy consistency.
13. Plate steaks and top with mushroom/marinade sauce.

Replacing Fresh Herbs with Dried Herbs

As a general rule, you can replace 

1 TABLESPOON of FRESH herbs

with 

1 TEASPOON of DRIED herbs

Internal Temperatures for Meat

(What's Cooking, America?) Beef and Lamb Internal Temperature Chart - Roasts, Steaks and Chops   Degree of Doneness Internal Core Temperature Internal Description Touch Test Description Extra-rare or Blue (bleu)   115 degrees F   deep red color and barely warm   feels soft and squishy   Rare   120 to 125 degrees F   center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion, and warm throughout   soft to touch   Medium Rare   130 to 135 degrees F   center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion, and slightly hot   yields only slightly to the touch, beginning to firm up Medium   140 to 145 degrees F   center is light pink, outer portion is brown, and hot throughout   yields only slightly to the touch, beginning to firm up Well Done   160 degrees F and above   steak is uniformly brown or grey throughout   firm or hard to touch   Ground Meat   160 to 165 degrees F   no longer pink but uniformly brown throughout   Poultry Internal Temperature Chart   Poultry (Chicken & Duck) 165 degrees F cook until juices run clear TurkeyNOTE: A 12-lb turkey can easily handle 60 to 90 minutes of resting. During that time, temperature can rise 30 degrees if not exposed to drafts.   165 degrees F juices run clear - leg moves easily Stuffing (cooked alone or in turkey) 165 degrees F Pork Internal Temperature Chart   Roasts, Steaks & Chops Medium 140 to 145 degrees F pale pink center Well Done 160 degrees F and above steak is uniformly brown throughout Pork ribs, pork shoulders, and beef brisket 160 degrees F and above medium to well done       Sausage (raw) 160 degrees F no longer pink Ham Raw 160 degrees F Pre-cooked 140 degrees F

Fish and Seafood Internal Temperature Chart   Fish (steaks, filleted or whole) 140 degrees F flesh is opaque, flakes easily       Tuna, Swordfish, & Marlin 125 degrees F cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor       Shrimp   Medium-size, boiling 3 to 4 minutes cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Large-size, boiling 5 to 7 minues cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Jumbo-size, boiling 7 to 8 minutes cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Lobster Boiled, whole - 1 lb. 12 to 15 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Broiled, whole - 1 1/2 lbs. 3 to 4 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Steamed, whole - 1 1/2 lbs. 15 to 20 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Baked, tails - each 15 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Broiled, tails - each 9 to 10 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Scallops Bake 12 to 15 minutes milky white or opaque, and firm Broil milky white or opaque, and firm Clams, Mussels & Oysters   point at which their shells open - throw away any that do not open