chicken madeira, please!!!

i have some major cheesecake factory love...and chicken madeira from there is more than
FAB-U-LOUS!

so i found a knock off recipe and i made it...and boy was it good!!!

i substituted port wine for the madeira wine, so i guess it was really port wine chicken.

the recipe is HERE...so go and take a look.  for now, here are the ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 asparagus spears
4 slices mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bella)
3 cups madeira wine
2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup cornstarch (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

a few things...

the sauce never really did thicken up, but was still delicious.  i would definitely take the advice of adding the cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it up!

the sauce makes enough for at least 3 recipes of chicken.  i made 3 extra chicken breasts and still had enough remaining sauce for another meal.  you probably could cut the sauce recipe in half and not be too wasteful.

i made the asparagus my way with steaming it using water and mostly italian dressing.  it was the perfect taste for the dish. yummy!

love it...the kids and hubs loved it!  it's a new fav around our place...so get cooking!

danyele @ a thorn among roses

another fab recipe from my fav little friend, steph, at LIVE.LOVE.EAT. i read this and had to pass it on...i plan to make this recipe this weekend!!!

another fab recipe from my fav little friend, steph, at LIVE.LOVE.EAT. i read this and had to pass it on...i plan to make this recipe this weekend!!!

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

From the Barefoot Contessa, this was one of the best pasta salads I have ever tasted. It was so flavorful due to the roasting of the veggies & fresh simple ingredients like garlic & lemon juice.

I made this last Sunday a few hours before both sets of our parents came over for a BBQ & there just wasn't enough. Everyone devoured it & would have had more. This was so delicious I am planning to make it again this Memorial Day weekend as we have a couple of friends coming over for another BBQ. C'mon by!!!!!

1 small eggplant, peeled & 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled & 1-inch diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lb orzo

For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 scallions, sliced thin (white & green parts)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)
3/4 lb. good feta, 1/2-inch diced (optional)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion & garlic with the olive oil, salt & pepper on a large baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain & transfer to a large serving bowl. 3. Add roasted vegetables to the orzo, scraping all the liquid & seasonings from roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper & pour on orzo & vegetables. Cool to room temperature. Add the scallions, pignolis, feta & basil. Check the seasonings; serve at room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

{My Thoughts}

Instead of using plain feta & adding fresh basil, I just bought the feta already with basil & tomato. While it was wonderful, we plan to enjoy it next time without the cheese for an even healthier dish. I also feel the same way about the pine nuts. While they're delicious, I think it's optional. The dish would be even healthier without them. I also reduced the amount of olive oil to 1/4 cup on both the veggies & the dressing.

It was nice to make this ahead of time & leave it be at room temp. Of course, if you add the cheese make it the last thing you do.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

Come on back tomorrow night for the amazing Grilled Chicken Piri Piri that paired so perfectly with this delicious salad. Just in time for Memorial Day Weekend!

visit steph at live.love.eat. for more super fab recipes and ideas!

banana breakfast sundae

i have uber food love...and jealousy for Live. Love. Eat.

easy peasy and healthy breakfast...i am shouting, bring on the banana's!!! and top it off with a name like sundae and i'm totally in!!
{some non-fat plain yogurt topped with granola, honey & banana makes for a not too sweet breakfast treat!}

steph's banana breakfast sundae

1 small banana

1 small non fat plain yogurt

1/4 cup of plain granola *

1 tbsp honey

Mix first 3 ingredients. Drizzle with honey.

steph is an amazing woman and a delightful recipe maker, cooker {as my girlies call it} and fantastically creative! go visit her HERE at Live. Love. Eat. and i promise you will be delighted!

warm, comfort food

it's cold and snowy in the midwest...

and honestly, i need some old fashioned, warm this body up, comfort food. ok, dessert!

so i made bread pudding...this recipe...
and, i have to say, i think it soothed my ills.


i doubled the recipe..honestly, we'll eat a 9x13 at dessert! this is hubs fav!
i modified a few things to make it ours...and i just don't like following the rules too strictly!

first...we don't like so much of a cinnamon taste, so i cut sprinkled the top with cinnamon and used about 1/2 of what the recipe called for.
second...i used more vanilla than what the recipe called for...about half again...since we love that vanilla flavor.
third...we love raisons, so piled them in. that way can go with "there's fruit in it" when i want seconds!


...and it was delish!!! and the house...boy does it smell yummy!!

hot spinach artichoke dip

the super bowl is this weekend...and everyone needs some good snacks for watching the game.
even if you're not the game watching type, you'll be loving this spinach artichoke dip anyway.

Ingredients:

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (we like it cheesy)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained completely
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream (can substitute mayo or miracle whip)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

preheat the oven to 350 and get your 9x13 or 8x8 pan ready.

In your food processor (or blender), place artichoke hearts, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese and garlic . Chop it, but don't grind it. Set aside. {my family loves it extra cheesy, so this recipe is for us. you can use as little as 1/4 cup of paremesan.}

In a medium bowl, mix together spinach, heavy cream, sour cream and mozzarella cheese.
Stir in artichoke mixture. Spoon into prepared baking dish.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. you'll smell it. it's yummy!!

serve warm with tortilla chips or on triscuits or crackers. a great appetizer option, serve on crusty italian bread slices...and it looks fab too!!!

my kids love it...and it's got some veggies in it!

scroll on down to see more fab ideas from the gals here at project{create a home}. wanna see more of my fam, come on by any time at a thorn among roses.