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The Chicken Chronicles: Stuffed Grape Leaves

March 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Stuffed Grape Leaves

1 package Gold ‘n Plump 90/10 Ground Chicken (*found at local Targets around the D.C. area)
1 cup Feta Cheese
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic (*finely diced)
Kosher Salt (*to taste)
Pepper (*to taste)
Olive Oil
10-12 Grape Leaves (*I used the bottled grape leaves making it easier to clean)

Carefully remove the grape leaves from the jar and unroll. In a large bowl, run cold water over the leaves to remove the brine. Drain and set aside. In a medium skillet, add in 2 tbsp. olive oil and bring to medium heat.  Add the onions and Gold ‘n Plump ground chicken to the skillet, cook until meat is browning and onions become translucent. Add the garlic to the skillet and season mixture with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and spoon mixture alongside the feta cheese into individual grape leaves. Roll the grape leaves into a cigar shape and fold in ends (*Google has multiple good resources for rolling grape leaves). Bake in the oven at 325 degrees for about 5-10 minutes or until leaves are just about to crisp. Serve.

*Johnna’s tip: I love ground chicken and Gold ‘n Plump’s ground chicken was tender enough to mesh well with my grape leaves. Grape leaves are sensitive and tear easily so it’s important that whatever you put inside not to have a rough abrasive texture. I also decided to think outside the box with my Gold ‘n Plump ground chicken, why not play with grape leaves?? Instead of sticking to the safety net of old spaghetti or chili, pair your ground chicken with grape leaves.

*Johnna’s 2nd tip: I paired with a rice vinegar sauce that literally took me two minutes- 1 part rice vinegar, freshly chopped cilantro, 1 dash of worchestshire sauce and 1 clove (diced) garlic. Serve.

Filed Under: chicken, Product Review, Various Cooking Styles Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Chicken Chronicles: Shrimp and Chicken Etouffee

February 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Shrimp and Chicken Etouffee

Something bad is going on between me and chicken.  I am really beginning to grow a strong disdain for it, which is weird because I never thought my lifestyle might naturally evolve to being a full blown vegetarian.  That was until Gold N’ Plump sent over some of their many chicken selections.  Eyes lit up a like a kid on Christmas, I began thinking of recipes for the ground chicken, skinless/boneless chicken breasts and drumsticks.  Instead of cramming all my goodies into one post I decided it’s time for me to do a series of recipes to see if my relationship with chicken is over because of one of two reasons:  I truly do not like it anymore or I am just bored with the recipes I have been using? We’ll find out together as today is the first of “The Chicken Chronicles”.

Recipe 1:  Shrimp and Chicken Etouffee (*As adapted from The Food Network Magazine)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 Gold N’ Plump Chicken Breasts Fillets

Kosher salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons dry sherry

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil.  Season the chicken with salt, then add to the pot in batches to brown, 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the plate.

Make the roux: Remove the pot from the heat and cool slightly (there should be about 1/4 cup dripping; drain or add oil as needed). Return the pot to medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and stir, scraping up the browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture smells nutty and turns a deep brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic, cayenne, tomato paste and salt to taste. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Whisk in the broth. Return the chicken  to the pot and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let cool slightly while the stew simmers; remove the skin and shred the meat. Return the meat to the pot. Stir in the shrimp and sherry and cook until the shrimp turn pink, 2 to 3 more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.  Serve on top of rice and garnish with fresh parsley.

*Serves 8

Filed Under: chicken, main dish, Various Cooking Styles Tagged With: , ,

World Tour: Jamaican Flavor

November 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Walkerswood Jerk-Seasoned Chicken ©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood

I’m always looking for a way to add some spunk to my meals, because even the most simple meal can take on a whole new meaning with the simple flick of the wrist and the addition of a new, bold flavor. That’s why I love Walkerswood Traditional Jerk seasoning. Just a drop of it in any dish sends my taste buds off to the Caribbean and immediately makes me wish that I was about to board a flight to take in the sites that should accompany a taste so reminiscent of the island of Jamaica.

Recently, I used just a drop of this bold, nostril-flaring seasoning (along with other seasonings I generally use – olive oil, salt, garlic,Parmesan, oregano) to add some “oomph” to one of the most simple meals – chicken and rice. It was just the trick to satisfy my Caribbean craving and hold me over until the time for next year’s trip to Jamaica arrives. There is nothing like finalizing a purchase for an international flight to an exotic getaway like Jamaica, just like there is nothing like savoring the flavors of an island-inspired meal from the comfort of your own home, and I’m thankful for any opportunity to do both!

Filed Under: chicken, cultural cooking, Food.Fun.Stuff., World Tour Tagged With: , , , ,

Product Review: Chicken & Cilantro Wontons

October 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Image via CJ Foods

As I learn more and more about food, frozen foods often scare me.  They are like the prepackaged enemy when you learn what goes into most of the food production, but as with most things in life, there are always the exceptions.  When I received the opportunity to try one of CJ Foods new Korean Pantry products, I was curious to see if this would surely change my mind.  I received the mini Chicken & Cilantro wontons which raised my curiosity to a new level where I am a food snob when it comes to these mini delicacies.

Taking on the task of cooking them two ways proved two things:  (1) all frozen foods are not created equally and (2) these are my new winter buddies!  Being the queen of soup du jour, I began visualizing the endless possibilities of the soups that would be concocted with these mini wontons beginning with chicken broth to simple ginger root soups.  Pan fried was the simplest and most appealing way to prepare the wontons where they did not take on the typical tough and rubbery texture that can result from fried frozen wontons.  The pan fried technique sparked my interest in whipping up some chili and soy based sauces for a quick appetizer to serve to friends.

The thing about product reviews are you can end up with something totally boring and useless or you can end up having a new go-to product.  CJ’s Chicken & Cilantro wontons are my new go-to product.  My food life has drastically changed in the past couple of years where two years ago I could whip up a homemade banana pudding in the middle of the week and now I barely have time to warm up a Hot Pocket in my house.  My schedule has taken over and despite the fact that I absolutely love it, I still yearn for quality and flavor from my kitchen (*but quick…) when I do have the down time.  With these wontons on hand, I can toss the Hot Pockets and get ready for some quick, homemade wonton soup this winter.

Filed Under: appetizers, chicken, finger-foods, Product Review, soup, Various Cooking Styles Tagged With: , , , ,

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie Baby!

November 10, 2010 By 2 Comments

1 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. garlic (minced)

1/4 cup diced onions

2/3 cup diced carrots

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cup chicken broth

2/3 cup corn

2/3 cup chopped broccoli

2/3 cup of milk and heavy cream, whisked together

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 cup of Italian mix cheese (can be found at your local grocery store near the mixed and shredded cheeses)

1 tbsp. 4-cheese Alfredo sauce

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast (cooked and chopped)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup potatoes (chopped)

1 can of crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a pan over medium heat, add in the butter, onions, carrots, garlic, chicken broth, salt and pepper; stir. Bring to a boil and simmer until carrots and onions are softened. In another pot, fill with about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil; add in the potatoes and cook until softened. Add in the corn and broccoli to the carrots and onions mixture; stir and cook for about 5-6 minutes. Whisk together the milk/heavy cream and flour and add to the carrots and onions mixture; stir and cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Add in the chicken, cheeses, potatoes and Alfredo sauce and stir. If you want more salt, this is the point where you taste and add more salt and/or pepper. Remove from heat and set aside. Roll out the crescent rolls and cut in half so that one half can serve as the base and the other half can serve as the crust on top of the pie. Place the rolled out dough in your baking dish and spoon in the carrots and onions mixture; top with the other half of the crescent roll dough (*slice about 2-3 small holes in the top) and bake for 15-20 minutes until done and crisp on top. Enjoy!

*Johnna’s tip: This was the recipe that made it’s TV debut this weekend:-) As a member of the DC Food Blogger’s Challenge Competition, this was the recipe that was made and got some good and not so good feedback…so what tips do we have for you today??

1. Make sure you have that crust totally cooked…

2. Add salt! (*It may be lacking the amount that makes it just right…) and

3. Lighten up on the garlic if that’s not your thing, but if it is, this recipe is on point for the garlic lover in you! 

Picture source: http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/WhatsCookingArchive/2008/Fall2008.aspx

Filed Under: baked, chicken, main dish, vegetarian
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