Lime-Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean & Corn Salad

Today, I bring you a beautiful dish that tastes just as pretty as it looks.  It makes a beautiful presentation and takes minimal time to put together.  Sounds pretty awesome, right?

It's been a rainy, cloudy and generally dreary day here in Birmingham.  There's some ugly, severe weather headed our way late tonight...Let's hope it doesn't get too bad!  So, just how do you brighten up a rainy day?  This cheerful dish is the perfect place to start.

Watch out...The colors of this recipe pop right off the plate and almost slap you in the face!  The lime juice really adds a great citrusy note, and the honey balances that by adding the perfect amount of sweetness to the glaze.

Mmm!

Salmon is such a wonderfully healthy ingredient that I love to use as often as possible.  I'm always on the lookout for new salmon dishes, and this recipe from Rachael Ray is definitely one that I'll refer back to in the future.  It's a keeper!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

The warm black bean and corn salad cooking in the skillet...Yum!

  

Lime-Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean & Corn Salad

Source:  365:  No Repeats by Rachael Ray

Ingredients: 

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium Red Onion, chopped

2 large Garlic Cloves, chopped

1/2 to 1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes 

1 tsp. Ground Cumin 

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Juice of 2 limes

3 Tbsp. Honey 

1 tsp. Chili Powder 

4  6oz. Salmon Fillets 

1 Red Bell Pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

1  10oz Box Frozen Corn kernels, defrosted 

1/2 cup Chicken Stock

1  15oz. can Black Beans, rinsed and drained

2 to 3 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

6 cups Baby Spinach

Directions:

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO (twice around the pan).  Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally , for 3 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO.  In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, salt and pepper.  Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly.  Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

To the cooked onions, add the bell peppers and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.  Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through.  Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro, and spinach.  Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning.  Serve the lime-and-honey-glazed salmon on top of the warm black bean and corn salad.

Scrumptious Strawberry Pancakes

Our little ritual of Sunday morning pancakes has to be one of my favorite parts of the week.  It's hard to beat sleeping in a little bit and enjoying a homemade breakfast consisting of a tall stack of mouth-watering pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs.  You know that any day that starts like that is bound to be a pretty fantastic day!

Last Friday was my birthday, and what a great day it was!  I got to see my family, and my sisters got to come stay with us all weekend.  When they are in town, I don't think we slow down the entire time....we just go, go, go!  Needless to say, this weekend was filled with a beautiful hike at Ruffner Mountain, meandering the booths at Homestead Hollow, pumpkin AND mum picking, and lots of shopping!  What fun!

On Sunday morning, I got up and made these pancakes for everyone.  I was thrilled with the way they tasted.  They were super easy and all the fresh strawberries were amazing.  One of my sisters isn't really crazy about pancakes and even she LOVED these!  

Make these on a Sunday morning and you'll be in love with them too.  :-)

Bon Appetit!

Halfway through our hike...

 

Flower power!  

 

I made pretty flower wreaths for their hair...

 

 

Me and the hubby

 

Suzanne and Maranne

 

Even Hannah had a blast!

Strawberry Pancakes
Source:   EveryDay with Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for serving
• 2 cups sliced strawberries
• Pure maple syrup, for serving

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla. Preheat a nonstick griddle over medium heat.
2. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir in the melted butter. The batter should be thick and smooth. Fold in the strawberries.
3. Spoon the batter onto the griddle 1/4 cup at a time. Cook the pancakes until set and thoroughly bubbly, about 3 minutes. Flip them with a spatula and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Quick, Homemade Pickles - So Delicious!

Who knew homemade pickles were SO easy??  I can't believe I haven't made these before now!  The other day, I was watching Kelsey Nixon's show on the Cooking Channel.  She started making homemade pickles and was describing how incredibly easy it is.  She also said that once you've tasted a homemade pickle, you'll never want to buy the store-bought variety again...They just don't compare!

Boy, was she right!  Brad and I made turkey burgers over the Labor Day weekend, so homemade pickles were the perfect way to use the kirby cucumbers that I had on-hand.  I looked up Kelsey's RECIPE, but I didn't have all of the ingredients that she called for.  After a little more searching, I found a recipe from Rachael Ray that had great reviews.  It was easy, quick (only takes 15 minutes!), and I had everything I needed.

This recipe only takes a few minutes to put together, and it sure is delicious!  These pickles are flavored with fresh garlic, mustard seeds, a bay leaf and dill.  If you don't have fresh dill, you can easily substitute a little dried dill instead (that's what I had to do).

I did only have 2 cucumbers, so I halved the recipe.  However, I did have to double the amount of brine so that all of the pickles would be covered.  After reading the reviews, I realized that several other people also doubled the brine for this reason.

If you've never made pickles before, this is a wonderful recipe to start with.  You may never buy store-bought pickles again!

Bon Appetit!

Quick Pickles
Source:  30 Minute Meals;  Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white vinegar, eyeball it
• 2 rounded teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove cracked garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves, chopped or snipped
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 kirby cucumbers, cut into 1-inch slices on an angle

Directions:

Heat small saucepan over medium high heat. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt, and garlic to the pan and cook until it begins to simmer and sugar dissolves. Toss the dill, bay leaf, and sliced cucumbers together in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the simmering liquid over the cucumbers and stir to evenly coat. Allow to cool to room temperature or chill before serving. 

Chicken Brasciole

Filled with yummy stuffing...

***There aren't many recipes that I make more than once in one week, but this recipe made its way onto our dinner table twice somehow.  This can be explained by 2 perfectly good reasons:

1.  It was delicious, of course!

2.  I ended up with lots of extra stuffing, and it was so fabulous that throwing it away would simply be a travesty! 

After all, the stuffing consists of such wonderfulness as plump golden raisins, toasted pine nuts, fresh parsley, lemon zest, flavorful garlic, bread, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheesy goodness.  

The chicken is butterflied and pounded out into thin pieces and then then stuffed with the stuffing.  The chicken is simmered to perfection in a white wine and tomato sauce, which all comes out finger-licking good.  

Try this soon, and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Bon Appetit!***

Chicken Cutlets Brasciole

Source:  Look + Cook by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup hot water
• Handful golden raisins
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 slices white sandwich bread, torn
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, a few sprigs, leaves chopped

Directions:

Pour very hot tap water into a small bowl. Add raisins and plump 5 minutes.

Lightly toast nuts in a small skillet over medium low heat.

Drain raisins and pat dry. Place raisins, nuts, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, torn bread and cheese into processor and pulse into a stuffing.

Butterfly the chicken open by cutting into and across the breast but not all the way through. Pound out the cutlets and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Fill the breasts with stuffing, roll and secure with toothpicks.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the brasciole all over 7 to 8 minutes, remove and set aside. Deglaze pan with wine, scraping up the drippings. Stir in tomatoes and tarragon, add chicken back, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

Florentine Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken

***Prosciutto...Just the word brings back delicious memories from our time in Italy.  That's where you can find the finest Prosciutto di Parma in all the world.  I remember waking up at our hotel in Florence, Italy and walking downstairs to a gorgeous array of breakfast food - prosciutto included!  Sadly, the packaged prosciutto that you can find in the grocery stores here in the USA just doesn't compare.  However, I will say that The Fresh Market has some of the best that I've been able to find.  There, they cut it fresh for you.


This recipe for Florentine Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken is simply delish.  The toasted pine nuts and nutmeg both add such wonderful flavors to this dish.  In fact, if you don't have nutmeg, don't make this chicken without it - It makes such a difference!


When a trip to Italy isn't possible, this yummy dinner sure does do the trick!


Bon Appetit!***

Florentine Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken
Source:  Look + Cook cookbook by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 1 box frozen spinach, defrosted
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A few grates nutmeg
• 6 chicken breasts
• 6 slices prosciutto di Parma, 1/3 pound
• 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  

 Butterfly each chicken breast, then add the spinach stuffing.

All wrapped up in prosciutto and ready to go!

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
Wring out defrosted spinach in clean kitchen towel.

Toast nuts and combine with spinach in a bowl, mix in cheeses, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Cut into and across but not all the way through the chicken breasts, opening them up like a book with a sharp knife. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Fill each with a small mound of stuffing. Flap chicken breasts back over stuffing and wrap each breast with prosciutto to seal them, carefully covering the whole breast. Brush chicken all over with some EVOO and roast 18-20 minutes until cooked through.

Citrus Chicken Stir-Fry - Perfect for the Chinese New Year!

***Just in time for the Chinese New Year, here is a stir-fry recipe that's packed with delicious, citrusy flavors.  I was so pleased with the way this dinner came out, and I'm thankful there are leftovers in the fridge!  The sauce is incredible...It's made up of orange marmalade, fresh ginger, soy sauce, and chicken stock, which couldn't be any easier.  The sauce has a fresh, delicate taste that isn't overpowering.  The orange flavors and fresh ginger are definitely the star of the show.

This dish comes together so fast.  Take Rachael's advice and have all the veggies prepared and next to the stove.  As you can see, I used thinly sliced chicken when I prepared it.  Like Rachael mentions, you can also use pork or shrimp.  If you're feeling extra ambitious, you could even use all three and make it a stir-fry combination!

WATCH THE VIDEO:

You can watch Rachael Ray make this dish HERE!

If you want to learn more about the Chinese New Year, here are a few interesting links that you can check out.

Wikipedia - Chinese New Year

The Holiday Spot

123 Chinese New Year

Citrus Soy Chicken Stir-Fry
Source: Look + Cook cookbook by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• Salt
• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 cup stock, chicken or vegetable
• 1/2 cup Tamari (aged soy sauce...I used reduced sodium soy sauce)
• 1 inch ginger root, peeled grated
• 1 cup orange marmalade
• 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (I omitted this)
• 2 tablespoons high temp oil such as safflower, peanut or vegetable
• 1 pound thinly sliced chicken or pork or peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1 cup shelled edamame
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound snow peas, halved on an angle
• 1 small bunch of thin scallions, thinly sliced on an angle into 2 inch pieces, whites and greens

Preparation:

Heat a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water and cook pasta to al dente. Prepare all ingredients and pile them near the stove top. Mix together the stock, Tamari, ginger, orange marmalade, black pepper and hot sauce in a bowl. 

Once the pasta is dropped into the pot, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. When oil smokes add meat and stir fry 2-3 minutes then add vegetables and stir fry 3 minutes more (or until meat is cooked through).  Stir in the sauce and toss for 1-2 minutes, then drain the pasta and combine.  

For shrimp, stir-fry it for 1 minute, add the edamame, snow peas and scallions.  Stir-fry for 3 minutes more, then add the sauce and toss with the pasta.

Zin-Zen Chicken

***Do you love Chinese food?  I know I do! This recipe from Rachael Ray is like having Chinese takeout at home.  It's packed with amazing flavors - orange, bell peppers, red onion, fresh ginger, Chinese Five Spice...I mean, wow!  This was the first time that I've cooked with 5-spice powder, but I liked it.

And the rice...YUM!  The rice is flavored with orange zest, orange juice and scallions, which results in one amazing side dish.  The citrus adds such a fresh taste to this entire dish and will leave you wanting seconds.

It's easy to halve this recipe too.  I made dinner for just Brad and myself, so I simply cut all the ingredients in half.  It worked like a charm.

Next time, skip the expensive Chinese restaurant and make your own delicious meal at home!

Bon Appetit!***

Zin-Zen Chicken
Source:  Look + Cook cookbook by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Zest and juice of 1 orange, divided
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 red onion, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1-inch chunk ginger, peeled and grated or 1 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup Zinfandel wine
• 3 tablespoons tamari
• 2 teaspoons Chinese Five Spice powder
• 4 scallions, sliced on bias

Preparation:

In a medium pot over medium-high heat combine the rice, chicken stock and zest of the orange. Bring the liquids up to a bubble and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the rice until it has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes. 

While the rice is cooking, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, 6-7 minutes. 

Remove the chicken from the skillet and reserve it on a plate. 

Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the peppers, onion, garlic and ginger to the pan. Sauté until tender, 4-5 minutes. Season the veggies with salt and pepper, and push everything over to the sides of the pan. Add the butter to the flour to the pan and sprinkle the flour over the melted butter. Cook for about 30 seconds then add the wine, tamari and Five Spice powder to the skillet and stir to combine. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until thickened and heated through, 2-3 minutes. 

When the rice is ready, fluff it with a fork and stir in the scallions and orange juice. Serve the stir-fry over the rice. 

Leeky Chicken Soup

***With all the snow and flurries that have been floating around outside lately, a delicious and hearty chicken soup is the perfect remedy to warm you up from your head to your feet!  Rachael Ray's recipe for Leeky Chicken Soup does the trick and takes regular ole' chicken soup up a notch!  I recently had some beautiful leeks in the fridge, so this dinner sounded perfect on a cold winter evening.  It's easy to throw together and will feed about 4 people.

I paired the soup with an easy grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough bread...Yummy!  You'll notice in my photos that I used whole wheat rotini pasta instead of egg fettuccine or tagliatelle.  It just came down to what I had in the pantry.  The rotini tasted fantastic!  That's really the only major change or substitution that I used. 

WATCH THE VIDEO:

If you'd like to see Rachael Ray in action, you can click HERE to see her making this Leeky Chicken Soup in real time!!  She gives lots of great advice and pointers along the way.  Just click the link above, and you'll see the video for this dish towards the bottom of the page.

Bon Appetit!***

Leeky Chicken Soup
Source:  Look + Cook cookbook by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved
• 1 large bay leaf, fresh or dried
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 4 large leeks, trimmed, washed and dried
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups chicken stock (32 ounces)
• 2 cups egg pasta, such as broken egg fettuccine or tagliatelle
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Crusty baguette, sliced
• Soft cheese, such as goat cheese, robiola, Camembert or Boursin

Preparation:

Cook's Note: To clean leeks, chop them first and then wash them. Trim the tough tops and root ends, halve them lengthwise, then slice them 1⁄2-inch thick. Fill a large bowl or sink with water, add the leeks and separate the slices to let the grit fall away. Remove the leeks with a skimmer and dry in a salad spinner or on a clean kitchen towel.

Place the chicken and bay leaf in a small pan and add water to almost cover. Place over high heat, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and poach the chicken until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the EVOO in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt and pepper, then stir, cover and cook for 7-8 minutes. Add the wine and cook out for 1 minute, then add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and dice, then stir into the stock. Strain the poaching liquid and add it to the soup. Add the egg pasta, thyme and lemon zest. Cook at a low boil until the pasta is tender. Stir in the parsley and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread spread with soft cheese.

 

Piquillo Pepper Chicken with Spanish Rice

***I don't know what I did to deserve such awesome readers, but I tell you what - You guys ROCK!  I keep getting such sweet e-mail messages from you all...I can't explain to you how much I appreciate these messages.  They always make me smile!  You guys are the reason that I keep writing this blog.  You continuously inspire me to keep cooking and sharing it with the world! 

On that note, I couldn't wait to share this recipe.  We had this for dinner tonight, and it was delicious!  You know what they say - "You eat with your eyes first."  This meal is the perfect example of this.  The vibrant colors of this dish just make you WANT to eat it!  The gorgeous yellow of the rice...the ruby red pepper sauce on the chicken...the green speckles of fresh parsley spattered about throughout the dish...WOW!  This chicken dish is both beautiful on the plate and in your mouth!

The rice just might even be better than the chicken...The rice has the perfect little touch of sweetness from the golden raisins, paired with the savory goodness of toasted almonds.  This rice kicks butt!  I will definitely be making this rice again and again.  It will pair easily with so many other main courses.

This recipe is yet another from Rachael Ray's Look + Cook cookbook.  If you can't tell already, I am really enjoying this new cookbook.  In fact, I gave an autographed copy to one of my little sisters for Christmas, and she's hooked too.

Try this soon...You'll love it!

Bon Appetit!***

Piquillo Pepper Chicken with Spanish Rice
Source:  Look + Cook by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 small handful golden raisins
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 pinch saffron threads or 1 envelope saffron powder
• 1½ cups white rice
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-3/4 pounds)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 jarred piquillo peppers or 2 jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
• ½ cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into pieces
• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (a generous handful)
• ½ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted (a generous handful)

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the broth, raisins, 1 tablespoon EVOO, turmeric and saffron to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 18 minutes.
2. While the rice cooks, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper; add to the skillet and cook for 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Add the piquillo peppers to the pan and heat through, about 2 minutes. Add the sherry and boil until slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the butter and half the parsley and turn off the heat, stirring to melt the butter. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
3. Add the remaining parsley and the almonds to the rice and fluff with a fork. Serve the rice alongside the chicken.

Yellow Chicken and Rice - Rachael Ray

***Wow...what a fun and adventurous day we've had around here!  Last night, a winter storm blew through our area, so we woke up this morning to everything covered in several inches of snow and a thick layer of ice.  Needless to say, businesses, schools, and virtually everything shut down.  

A few days ago, the bread aisle at my local grocery store was nearly wiped out.  See, the thing is, we don't get that much snow here in Birmingham, AL.  So when we do, everyone sort of freaks out and goes and buys up a bunch of break, milk, etc...all the essentials.  In fact, some folks are lovingly referring to this storm as "Snowpocalypse 2011!"  Here's a pic that I took with my camera phone, so you can see what I'm talking about...I think it's sort of funny:

Brad and I had a lot of fun playing in the snow and ice today.  We hiked about 1/2 mile to his parents' house to surprise them.  The roads were incredibly icy, so we didn't want to risk driving anywhere.  In fact, all of the interstates and state highways are still shut down as I type this.  The real problem is the ice...If there wasn't so much ice on the roads, we'd be doing a lot better.  What a mess!

This Yellow Chicken and Rice makes the perfect cozy meal when the weather outside is cold and icy!  It made a beautiful presentation, but tasted just as delicious, too!  Like most of Rachael's "foolproof" recipes, this one was packed with flavor, while not being too complicated to make.  The cinnamon and turmeric in this recipe give it a yummy Indian feel, along with great depth of flavor.

Bon Appetit!***

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon (about 2 pinches) saffron threads
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, cut in half
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup (a couple of handfuls) broken spaghetti (I used whole grain spaghetti)
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch of turmeric
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped 

Directions:

Place a medium-size pot over medium heat with the saffron and chicken stock. Bring the up to a simmer and reserve warm.

Place a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon, and 1 tablespoon butter. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook in the pan until golden brown, 4-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate and reserve, covered with foil.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the pan. Add the pasta to the pan and cook until toasted and golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Add the rice to the pan, tossing to coat in the butter, along with the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, turmeric, saffron-infused stock and reserved chicken to the pan. Bring the liquid up to a bubble, cover the pan, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Stir in the peas and parsley, remove and discard the bay leaf, and serve.

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Marsala Sauce and Pasta

***Once again - Thank you ALL for sharing the past year with me.  I've gotten some of the most awesome e-mails from some of you lately, and your comments always make me smile.  I hope you all are blessed with a very prosperous New Year!  I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store!

While thumbing through Rachael Ray's new Look + Cook cookbook, I came across this recipe and realized something - I've never made a pasta dish with pork!  Can you believe that?  It's always the same ole' chicken or beef.  I've never really thought about it, but this dish struck me as something that would be delicious.  I gave it a whirl, and it was indeed scrumptious!  

We had leftovers the next night, and it tasted even better after all the flavors had time to sit there in the fridge and get all cozy together.  ;-)

Rachael's method of pounding out pork medallions from the pork loins is genius.  Because I was making dinner for just the two of us, I was able to use only half of one loin and put the other half in the freezer for later use.  I simply halved the rest of the ingredients, as well.  

The flavors in this dish are heavenly, and are perfect for the cold winter months that are upon us.  Marsala wine is always divine with sauted mushrooms, and the combo makes for a killer sauce in this dish.

Bon Appetit!***

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Marsala Sauce and Pasta
Source:  Look + Cook cookbook by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pappardelle pasta or 12 ounces fettuccine
• 2 pork tenderloins, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds total, trimmed of connective tissue and silver skin (a task your butcher can do for you)
• 5 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, as needed for coating
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup Marsala wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation:
Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil. When the water is boiling, add some salt and cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions.

While the water comes to a boil for pasta, slice each of the pork tenderloins into 2 inch pieces. Arrange meat in batches between parchment paper and pound meat into thin medallions, 1/8 inch thick. Season meat with salt and pepper and dredge in about 1/2 cup flour to coat lightly.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of EVOO at a time in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brown medallions about 2-3 minutes on each side. Keep cooked meat on platter covered with foil.

When the pork is finished cooking, add the butter to the skillet. After it melts, add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook until golden brown, 7-8 minutes, adding garlic to the pan after 3-4 minutes. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the mushrooms with 2 tablespoons flour and cook for a minute more. Add the Marsala to the pan and cook until reduced by about a half, a minute or so. Add the chicken stock to the pan and bring the sauce up to a bubble, stir in parsley and slide meat back in.

Remove the pork cutlets and arrange on a platter or dinner plates. Toss the cooked pasta with the remaining sauce and serve.