the constant hunger

Shredded Chicken Tacos

When cooking, any home chef should be able to make last-minute adjustments to his/her menu. This weekend I had planned to make pork carnitas. I had bought a nice chunk of pork shoulder on Thursday along with all the accouterments. When I took out the pork from the fridge yesterday to let it get to room temp before cooking, I noticed something funny. Rather, I smelled something funny. My beautiful cut of pork smelled...well, funky. Perhaps I was too optimistic in thinking that I could keep the meat refrigerated for four days without it going bad. Was I crazy to think this?

Having to scrap my idea of making carnitas, along with my beautiful pork shoulder (the marbling was superb), I had to think of a plan B. I still wanted to keep with the Mexican theme so I took out some chicken breasts from the freezer to defrost and went searching for a chicken taco recipe that would use ingredients I already had at home (it was a lazy weekend. Didn't even feel like leaving my cozy apartment). 

I came across this recipe that fit the bill. I made one big adjustment to it though. Instead of frying the chicken breasts, I decided to poach them using this as a guide. As a result, I did not use one drop of oil in the entire recipe. The only fat came from the avocado and the tortilla. Even though this was a very low fat meal, it was full of flavor. I am definitely going to make this recipe again.

Happy cooking! 

Turkey and Bean Chili

Hello from the West Coast! After all the apartment hunting, dealing with movers and other headaches related to a cross county move, we are finally settled in our new home. What a change from the hectic pace of New York. San Francisco is a beautiful city with a rich heritage and tons to do, but it's definitely more laid-back. What a change! 

With lots more spare time (I'm hunting around for a new job ;-) I have thrown myself back into cooking full force. My San Francisco kitchen is about the same size as my New York one, though it's laid out a little differently. I'm still getting used to it but after the recipes I have planned to make this weekend, I'm sure to find my old groove.

Yesterday, I wanted to make a comforting dish, something that felt homey. What better dish than chili! I remembered that I had once made a turkey chili that was delicious and I was convinced that I had shared it on the constant hunger. Looking through my archives, I couldn't find it so here it is. I used this recipe and doubled it up. I made enough for two meals plus freezing another two meals, at least. Instead of using chili powder, I went with cayenne pepper and I threw in the orange bell pepper I had in the fridge instead of a green one. 

As you can see, I like loading up my chili with toppings: reduced fat sour cream, sharp cheddar, chopped cilantro and a good dose of hot sauce.

Happy cooking!

P.S. I celebrated my anniversary this week at this Italian restaurant. Had an unbelievable white truffle pasta. Any other Italian restaurant recommendations? 

Coq au Vin

The scent of a bouquet garni, peeled garlic and reducing wine fills the air. Sinatra is singing about his woes. I am back in my kitchen, the place where I am at peace, at peace enough to create without thinking "Will this be good enough?" Even after a day in SoHo searching for the perfect pair of black pants (seriously, how hard is it to find a pair of flattering black pants? I'm considering made-to-measure clothes), the only thing I can think about is "I can't wait to go home and make coq au vin."

I've been reading My Life In France by Julia Child. Her charm and passion oozes off of every page. It's absolutely infectious! Not only has she inspired me to get back in the kitchen and cook, but she's made me revisit one of my favorite cusines. French! Who am I kidding? It's my most favorite. The complexity of certain dishes and the simplicty of others, I just can't get enough. 

I used this recipe since it seemed simple enough, but next time I will try Julia's. Oh, Julia, je t'adore! Pair the dish with a bold red wine and enjoy in the company of loved ones.

Happy cooking! 

Chicken and Tortellini Soup

You know those rotisserie chickens they sell at your grocery store? The ones that are always perfectly golden brown and are your go-to last-minute quick meal when you're on your way home from work and have nothing in the fridge? I tend to buy a rotisserie chicken about once a month and usually serve it with a green salad. I know that's not very original, but when you've had a long day at work and you're starving, you just want to fill your belly with something good and wholesome, not creative. 

In last month's issue of Real Simple, there was a whole series of recipes using the infamous rotisserie chicken. One recipe was so quick and easy, I would've been crazy not to try it. The chicken and tortellini soup, recipe found here, was hearty enough to satisfy my endless hunger, yet it promised to be ready in 20 minutes. I have never in my life bought those pre-packed fresh tortellinis (I'm hoping to learn how to make fresh pasta at home one day), but the ease of this recipe was too much to resist. 

The soup was quite delicious and the carrots, peas and flat-leaf parsley gave the dish a nice freshness. If you do have leftovers of the soup, which you probably will, make sure to have some extra broth on hand. The tortellini will absorb a lot of it. 

Happy cooking! 

Healthy Chicken Nuggets

Admit it. You love eating McDonald's chicken nuggets. They are crispy and salty and dipping them in barbecue or sweet and sour sauce makes them even more irresistible. Wouldn't it be great if you could recreate healthier nuggets at home and, get this, only use three ingredients? 

A long time ago I was watching an episode of Nigella Kitchen or Nigella Something and I remember her making homemade nuggets by dipping the chicken in buttermilk and coating them with bread crumbs. But I wanted to make my nuggets a little healthier and luckily the answer was already in my fridge, Greek yogurt. Besides being rich in protein and calcium, yogurt has naturally occurring bacteria that aid in digestion. It's a super food.

One little trick to making these nuggets really outstanding is to properly season them. Salt is important, but for this recipe, use more pepper than you normally would. It really kicks up the flavor. And you can use chicken breast if you prefer, but I think thighs have more flavor. 

Healthy Chicken Nuggets 

Ingredients:

6 small boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into nuggets

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs, more if needed

salt and pepper (okay, so technically there is more than 3 ingredients in this recipe)

 

Method:

Generously season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Mix together chicken with Greek yogurt in a bowl. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for an hour. Remove from fridge and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, add the panko bread crumbs. Coat the chicken pieces with the bread crumbs and place on the baking sheet. 

Bake immediately for 20 minutes. Rotate chicken pieces and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and is golden brown.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and a vinegary salad. 

 Happy cooking!