Weekday nights can be pretty hectic, especially if you have kids that are involved in extracurricular activities, so dinner on those nights often need to be quick and easy.
But when the weekend rolls around, it’s nice to take a little more time in the kitchen to cook a homey meal. I’m not suggesting that the menu below is difficult to prepare or will keep you chained to the stove for hours. Far from it. But the results definitely merit the time it takes to set the table nicely, open a good bottle of wine and enjoy quality time with family and friends.
Honeycrisp Salad
Vinaigrette:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil or light vegetable oil (such as canola)
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp unsweetened apple juice
1 Tbsp liquid honey
1½ tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large Honeycrisp apple, cored, quartered and cut into thin slices (about two cups of sliced apple). You can substitute any other firm, tart/sweet apple, such as Braeburn or Fuji
Juice of half a lemon
8 cups salad greens (spring mix, baby spinach, arugula, baby romaine, or a combo of your favourites)
½ cup toasted pecan halves (toast in a 300° F oven until fragrant)
1⁄3 cup dried cranberries
½ cup crumbled blue cheese (if you don’t like blue cheese, substitute feta or goat cheese)
To prepare vinaigrette, measure all ingredients into a jar. Tightly screw on lid and shake vigorously until dressing is thoroughly combined (if you make vinaigrette in advance, shake again before adding to salad).
Place apple slices in a large plastic food bag and squeeze fresh lemon juice over them. Close bag and shake gently to coat apples with juice. In a large salad bowl, layer salad greens, apple slices, pecans, dried cranberries and blue cheese. Just before serving, dress with desired amount of vinaigrette and toss until salad ingredients are evenly coated. Makes four servings.
Source: fivehearthome.com
Creamy Chicken with Mushrooms
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
½ cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound brown or white button mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ tsp dried thyme
½ cup grated asiago cheese
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
½ cup whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cooked rice or pasta for serving
In a large skillet, melt butter and olive oil on medium-high heat. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour and cook in butter-olive oil mixture until golden brown, about five minutes on each side.
Remove from pan and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium; add mushrooms, garlic and shallot to pan. Sauté for two or three minutes, until mushrooms are slightly softened. Stir in chicken broth and thyme, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add chicken back to pan and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken from pan; add cream, asiago and Dijon to pan and stir to combine; add salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Return chicken to pan and cook until it is reheated. Serve over rice or pasta. Makes four servings.
Source: laughingspatula.com
Easy Chocolate Pots de Creme
2 large eggs
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp coffee or orange-flavoured liqueur (if you want a non-alcoholic version, substitute an additional 2 teaspoons of hot coffee plus 1 tsp vanilla)
1 dash salt
½ cup very hot strong coffee
Sweetened whipped cream, for serving
Place the chocolate chips into a blender. Crack in the eggs, then add liqueur and salt. Blend for a few seconds, or until combined. With the blender running, pour the coffee in a thin stream through the hole in the blender lid until it’s all added.
Blend another few seconds or until smooth. Pour mixture into four half-cup ramekins, then refrigerate for at least two hours, or until chilled and set. Top with plenty of sweetened whipped cream. Makes four servings.
Source: thepioneerwoman.com
Angela Shellard is a self-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. She can be reached via email at [email protected].
