The Other Woman Cooks

The rocky economy of contract negotiations and lay offs at the factory where my dad worked sent my mom back to the job market when I was a toddler. The truth is that my mother's feminism was borne more of necessity than her desire to be independent. One dish dinners were the way to go and one of my favorites was chicken and rice. Okay, so I am guilty of being a little snobby about recipes that start with a can of soup. But I loved that casserole and so came up with an alternative that has a little more sophisticated flavor but still satisfies the comfort food zone. There's a song lyric Farmer Paul and I sang to our sons when they were young, "Chicken is nice with palm butter and rice." It's a fun song, one of those catchy tunes kids like and laugh at. There's no butter in my recipe. I tend to substitute olive oil every chance I get.  I'm willing to bet folk singer Dave Van Ronk would have enjoyed this casserole just the same! CHICKEN & RICE 4 b...

When my sons were little, I wasn’t much of a cook. Not that when I did cook it was terrible but between being a Realtor to support my political habit added to family activities like Boy Scout meetings, piano lessons and soccer, we didn’t have much time to cook at home, even on weekends.  I hate to admit it but we downed more than our fair share of not so healthy fast food.  Then I discovered quesadillas in a Tex-Mex cook booklet at the grocery store check-out magazine rack... they sounded easy and lots healthier than B-K or Mickey D’s.   That was 25 years ago, before Chili’s and Chi-chis, On the Border and even Friendly’s came along and made Mexican favorites that rivaled Chinese take-out in popularity. We’ve tried them all but we actually prefer homemade. Easy, fast and always tastes fresher!    CHICKEN QUESADILLAS 1/2 pound thin slices uncooked chicken breast cutlets 1 tablespoon lime juice dash fresh ground salt and pepper  1/8 teaspoon crushed dried...

But didn't. Chicken Marsala is one of those easier than you can imagine dishes that everyone raves about. It goes with almost any starch side: smashed or roasted potatoes, buttered noodles, or a simple risotto. The history of wines have always interested me. Here's a great little website to poke around. And what better place to start then with the Marsala page ! CHICKEN MARSALA 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon basil 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 cup low fat milk 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 4 halves 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup sliced baby Bella or button mushrooms  1/2 cup Marsala wine 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley   Using a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour, basil, thyme and pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly. Soak the chicken breast halves in the milk 2-3 minutes, then quickly dredge each piece in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.  Heat the oi...

Properly sautéed chicken breasts are deliciously simple. Do what you like with them when they're done: make a simple pan sauce: maybe add a few sun-dried tomatoes  and eat them as is, or slice them up to top a salad: or toss with pasta:  or  fill tortillas (throw a few green peppers in the pan and a squeeze of lime). I like a side of risotto but buttered noodles are nice, too.  A few tips for great taste: thick chicken pieces take too long to cook and the middle will be bland. Use small breasts or cut each in half lengthwise to make thinner cutlets. Pounding with a meat tenderizer thins them out nicely as well; Use an all clad stainless pan instead of non-stick for better browning; Slice each cutlet crosswise before serving to allow the sauce to coat each tender morsel. SAUTEED CHICKEN CUTLETS 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves Dash of sea salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup dry white wine or cooking sherry 1/4 ...

Our garden is still producing fresh veggies. We made golumpki with a gorgeous cabbage over the weekend, began a batch of home infused vodka with Concord grapes and tonight, supper was a yummy pasta with fresh picked brussels sprouts and chicken in a tasty olive oil and butter sauce. This recipe is an adaptation from Food and Wine magazine. Recommended wine pairing: a crisp, cool chardonnay from Cakebread Cellars. Backyard fresh is as local as it gets, folks. I love our garden! CHICKEN WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND PASTA 2 tablespoons cooking oil 2 tablespoons butter 1 pound chicken tenders 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper 1 tablespoon red onion, minced 1 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups fresh brussels sprouts, cut into halves from top to stem end (frozen can be substituted) 1 cup chicken broth 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup...

The Chinese method of poaching chicken before baking guarantees a far more tender chicken than traditional western baked chicken and lends itself to using the juicy leftovers for fabulous chicken salad. I learned about this by reading a Chinese cookbook more than twenty years ago. I'd bought the book hoping to learn the secret of making Chinese boneless barbequed pork. The pork was a failure but this chicken method has become my favorite. The glaze is my own version of Chinese plum glaze -- apricot jam or mandarin marmalade make a lovely glaze too but I always come back to plum. All fruit sugar free jams can be substituted for a low sugar diet. Yummy. FRUIT GLAZED CHICKEN 1 whole chicken (3-4 pounds) 3 tablespoons soy sauce 1/ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 2 tablespoons plum jelly 2 tablespoons mango chutney 1/2 teaspoon honey Rub chicken with soy sauce inside and out, generously season with black pepper. Put it in a pan ...

If ever there was a day that chucking the diet was tempting, today was the day. Flat tire, engine light on and then there was that pile of work toppling over on my desk. But John Paul weighed in at his physical on Monday eight pounds lighter and I'm down by a fair number flabby pounds so far. Psyched to be making progress, we needed a healthy low fat, low cal meal in a hurry, and one that didn't make us feel deprived. This chicken tenders recipe cooked up fast, easy and delicious enough to feel like we were cheating -- the perfect way to cheer us through an otherwise crappy day. If I've said it once, I've said it fifty times -- chicken doesn't have to be boring. ZESTY COCONUT CRUSTED CHICKEN TENDERS 1/4 cup plain yogurt 2 tablespoons drained crushed pineapple 1/4 teaspoon orange zest 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 1 pound chicken tenders 1 tablespoo...

Chicken is a staple for those of us trying to get healthier. Chicken day in and day out doesn't have to mean boring dining. Reasonably priced, low-fat, high-protein and it goes well with any side you can think of. What's not to love? Hadley asparagus time here in the Pioneer Valley means steamed fresh and slightly crunchy asparagus spears on the side. But if you're not lucky enough to have local asparagus where you live, some warm wilted arugula will add nice color and flavor. Drop a few raspberries in a glass of white wine and enjoy. So why did the chicken cross the road? Answer: To get away from my hot skillet! ROAST CHICKEN BREAST DIJON 2 boneless, skin on chicken breasts with drumette attached (5-6 ounces each piece) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup flour (oat or whole wheat) dash of salt freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup white table wine 3/4 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon corn starch 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 med...

Part of the encouragement boost in following Flat Belly Diet! are the success stories scattered throughout the book. On page 312 you'll meet Evelyn Gomer who, by her own admission, loves all kinds of nuts. Me, too. But I suspect she was referring only to the food kind. Peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc... all great MUFAs. Evelyn and I have other things in common. Neither of us had a clue what a MUFA was until we started reading the book. On page 30 there is a section titled Good Fats versus Bad Fats. Pretty similar to the good (HDL) versus bad (LDL) cholesterol. Bottom line is that healthy fats remain liquid at room temperature while the bad ones are solid or semi-solid at room temperature. There are three kinds of good fats: Monosaturated Fat (MUFA), Polyunsaturated Fat and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. And two kinds of bad fats: Saturated Fats and Trans Fats. It's important to note that dietary fat is actually an important energy source for our bodies. But eating the bad kind is prett...

The holidays are over. Winter doldrums will soon turn into cabin fever: but it doesn’t have to be so depressing. Serve up some easy oven baked fried chicken picnic-style in your living room. Turn up the thermostat a few degrees and spread a quilt on the floor. Rent last summer's blockbuster movie. And don't forget to bake a batch of brownies! Summer won’t feel so far away… at least for a couple of hours. OVEN BAKED SUMMER FRIED CHICKEN One 3 pound chicken, skin on, cut up 1 cup milk 1 cup biscuit mix 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon salt olive oil or butter flavor cooking spray Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Mix dry ingredients in a one gallon size plastic baggie. Shake well. Pour milk into a medium bowl. One piece at a time, dip chicken in milk then coat with flour mix by shaking each piece individually in the baggie. Place each coated chicken piece in a shallow baking pan in a single layer. Lightly spray the top of t...

The weather was perfect and people were out in droves at the 16th annual Festival de la Consecha. The event, sponsored by Nuestras Raices at The Land of Providence in Holyoke, Massachusetts last Saturday afternoon, was a grand success. So much so that my son, JP, and I worried we’d never find a convenient spot to park. The on street parking situation looked unlikely and the nearby high school lot was not full but fairly packed with cars. On our second sweep we were lucky enough to find an available opening just a few hundred feet from the festival entrance. We were feeling great. The piquant aroma of island cuisine, grilled chicken and penil (spicy pork shoulder) greeted us at the gate. Live music while strolling through the exhibits and gardens made for happy dancing feet. There were lots of fun things to do and watch throughout the afternoon. Succumbing to a plate full of grilled adobo chicken with rice was inevitable. Adobo is a seasoned salt generously sprinkled or rubbed on chicke...