Jenn’s Cook Book

Pears and parsnips are in season during the fall, but also work well in the winter. Parsnips will be easy to find, but use a careful eye to avoid pears that are past their prime as the selection will be picked over this time of year. This recipe comes from Everyday Food magazine and originally called for chicken thighs and legs, but I substituted boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The recipe also calls for 1 large parsnip and 1 large white turnip, but I used 2 large parsnips instead. I am going to post the recipe as I prepared it.

2 large parsnips, peeled, halved length-wise and cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
2 small or 1 large red onion, cut into 1 inch wedges
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp dried thyme, divided  
2 tbsp fresh or 2 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp honey
2-3 medium to large pears, firm but ripe, halved, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch wedges

Preheat oven to 375F

On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss parsnips and onions with vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 1/2 tsp thyme. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Rub parsley and remaining 1/2 tsp of thyme on chicken. Push vegetables to edges of baking sheet and arrange chicken breasts in the middle. Bake 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine honey and remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. After 20 minutes, brush chicken with honey glaze. Toss pears with vegetables and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until pears are warmed through and chicken is no longer pink. Serve immediately.

Shown below served with Vigo’s Yellow Saffron Rice:

This simple and delicious recipe is a Jenn Original! Use pre-sliced mushrooms or buy whole and slice your own.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large pkg (8 oz) mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 cup water or white wine

Over medium heat, warm oil in a large skillet. Trim fat off of chicken and pound chicken to an even thickness. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.

Add chicken to warmed skillet and brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.

Add butter and sliced mushrooms to skillet, scraping the bottom of the pan. Saute for 5 minutes and add tarragon and water (or wine, if using).

Return chicken to pan, along with any accumulated juices on the plate. Cook until chicken is done and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.

Serve chicken with mushrooms and sauce on top.

 Shown below, with brown rice and vegetables:

From Cooking Light magazine, here is a great way to spice up chicken breast without adding fat to your dinner.

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp dark sesame oil
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp five-spice powder
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders

Preheat broiler

While broiler heats, combine hoisin, honey, vinegar, and oil in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Combine cornstarch and water, add to hoisin mixture, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly, and remove from heat.

Combine salt and next 4 ingredients (through five-spice powder) and rub evenly over both sides of chicken. Coat broiler pan with cooking spray and arrange chicken in an even layer. Broil 5 minutes, then brush with hoisin mixture and broil another 4 minutes. Turn chicken and brush with remaining hoisin mixture, broil 4 minutes or until done.

Serve with heated hoisin sauce on the side, if desired.

This recipe originally was called “Pre-Game Paella” from Campbell’s kitchen and includes shrimp, turkey kielbasa, and chicken. I substituted some fresh vegetables for the chicken, but you could also go vegetarian in this dish by using beans, eggplant, or another hearty vegetable in the dish. And, as promised, here is Recipe #4 for Turmeric-mania!

1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
4 cups (32 oz) heated chicken broth
1 cup chunky salsa or picante sauce
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 pkg (16 oz) turkey or pork kielbasa
1 pkg (12 oz) frozen shelled and deveined small cooked shrimp, thawed
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen or refrigerated cooked chicken breast strips

Heat oil in a 12 inch or larger skillet. Add rice and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, salsa, and turmeric and heat to a boil. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes.

Stir in kielbasa, shrimp, and chicken. Cover skillet and cook until rice is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10-15 minutes.

Seen below, with a vegetable medley replacing chicken breast strips:

Here is Turmeric-Mania Recipe #3, also from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. “Curries can be quite mild or extremely spicy. It all depends on the type of curry powder that is used to make them - and how much is added. Feel free to adjust the recipe according to your own taste.” I served this dish with Coconut-Ginger Rice and raisins.

2 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 oz each)
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp curry powder (mild, medium, or hot)
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 lb small red potatoes, cut into 1/2 in chunks
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, preferably “zesty” flavored (do not drain)

suggested accompaniments:
rice
plain yogurt
raisins
toasted almonds
store-bought mango chutney

Place flour on a plate. Dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off excess. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a bowl and set aside.

Heat remaining 2 tsp olive oil in the same skillet. Cook onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder and salt, cook for 1 more minute.

Add potatoes and 1 cup water, bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender but still offer slight resistance when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 7 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice and 1/4 cup water.

Return chicken to skillet along with any juices in the bowl, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot with desired accompaniments on the side.

Shown below, served over Coconut-Ginger Rice and sprinkled with raisins. The slightly sweet flavor of the rice and raisins compliments this dish well. The potatoes, onion, and garlic used were all from the Farmer’s Market:

Here is Turmeric-mania Recipe #2, from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. This recipe comes from the winter section of the book, but uses produce that is in season and available at Farmer’s Markets right now. Next time, I would use 4 bone-in chicken breasts instead of 8 bone-in chicken thighs. The spice combination is intriguing, cinnamon mixes with turmeric, ginger, and chili powder to create a sweet-spicy taste, but the real flavor comes from the broth, where all of the vegetables and chicken have been simmering.

8 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 lbs)
3 carrots, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
3 onions, thinly sliced
1 can (14.5 oz) whole tomatoes, drained
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp chili powder 
1/8 tsp pepper
2 medium or 1 large zucchini (about 1 lb), halved crosswise and quartered lengthwise
couscous, for serving

In a Dutch oven (or other 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid), combine all ingredients except zucchini and couscous. Break up tomatoes with a spoon.

Bring to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add zucchini and cook until the chicken is cooked through yet still tender, about 15 minutes more.

Divide couscous evenly among 4 bowls or plates. Spoon the chicken, vegetables, and broth on top. Serve immediately.

Combine ingredients in a large pot:

Add zucchini to simmering pot:

Serve with couscous:

The couscous I used is a tri-color mixture of regular, tomato, and spinach flavored couscous. Plain couscous would work fine.

Want to try something new? Check out this recipe using Chinese Five Spice, a combination of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel, and pepper. The combination used in this spice encompasses the five basic flavors of Chinese cooking: sweet, sour, bitter, savory, and salty. Add to that some ginger, garlic, and sesame seed, and you have my latest chicken dish. Enjoy!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp sesame seed oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Preheat broiler

Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Combine remaining ingredients except sesame seeds in a small bowl. Place chicken in a large bowl or pan and pour five spice sauce on top. Toss and let sit 15-20 minutes.

Coat broiler pan with cooking spray. Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer and cook 20-25 minutes or until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink. Sprinkle chicken with sesame seeds after removing from broiler.

What to add a little zest to your chicken? Try this recipe using the Lemon-Herb Rub. Tarragon is one of the basic herbs used in French cooking (think Julia Child).

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3-4 tsp Lemon-Herb Rub
juice from 1/2 small lemon
pinch dried lavender, crushed (optional)

Preheat broiler.

Spray a broiler pan with cooking spray. Use Lemon-Herb Rub on both sides of chicken breasts and arrange on broiler pan. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with crushed lavender, if using.

Broil for 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness of the meat, or until chicken thoroughly cooked and no longer pink.

Serve with a side of red-skinned potatoes, steamed or mashed.

A Jenn Original Recipe! I wanted to make a simple dish to go with the Macaroni & Zucchini Salad the other night, and this is what I came up with:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup basil, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Combine basil, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a large bowl. Finely dice about a third of the chopped onion and add to basil mixture. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and place in basil mixture, turning to coat.

In a large non-stick skillet coated in oil or cooking spray over medium heat, arrange coated chicken breasts and top with any remaining basil mixture. Cook 8-10 minutes on each side, or until chicken is well browned and cooked through.

Add remaining chopped onion and green onions to skillet. Saute with chicken, scrapping any browned bits from the pan, until golden. Remove from heat and serve chicken breasts topped with sauteed onion mixture. Season with pepper as desired.

Pictured here with Macaroni & Zucchini Salad and fresh tomatoes from the Farmer’s Market:

A Jenn Original Recipes, this was inspired by items I already had on hand: lemon, fresh rosemary, chicken breasts, and Parmesan cheese. Add some pantry staples, and here is a fresh and fulfilling dish that mixes a bright citrus flavor with a savory fresh herb. Dried rosemary can be substituted if necessary.

2 lbs chicken breasts or tenders
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges 
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
sliced green onions (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F

Brush 1 tbsp olive oil in a 2 1/2 to 3 quart baking dish. Arrange 3 springs of rosemary in the bottom of the dish and top with chicken.

In a small bowl, combine leaves from remaining 3 sprigs of rosemary with lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, remaining olive oil, garlic, and salt. Mix well and spread over chicken. Arrange lemon wedges around chicken. Top with fresh ground black pepper. Top chicken with sliced green onions, as desired.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.

If you don’t feel like heating up the oven, this dish could just as easily be prepared in a skillet on the stove. Juice lemon and add to olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and salt to create a sauce. Omit Parmesan cheese and pepper until the last five minutes of cooking time and sprinkle on top. Green onions can be added at any time.

Pictured here with wild rice blend and steamed vegetables. In the interest of clarity, the lemon wedges are not from the same lemon that was zested (long story). If you would rather use 2 lemons, save the zested lemon for another time.