We spent a few days in Dallas this week, visiting my friend Julie from Charlottesville. We walked around downtown, saw the JFK memorial, enjoyed the beautiful weather outside, explored the Bishop Arts district (finding excellent coffee, macaroons, and fun little shops!), and ate great food!
I'm hoping, as the weather warms up here, to be outside seeing and doing as many things as we can around our own neighborhood.
I haven't completely quit cooking... However, the amount I'm eating out is at an all-time high. Every time we ask someone what they do for fun here or what kind of things we should do, their answer is a place to eat. Not that I'm complaining! Not at all :) I need to try all these recommendations, and I think we are doing a pretty good job! We have had great sushi (a new taste I have acquired), Mexican/Tex-Mex, and some of the best Thai.
Tonight I made the 3rd recipe from Pioneer Woman's 16 Minute Meals Around the World. (One of my favorite pre-nightshift activities: catching up on my shows) I didn't take step-by-step pictures, but hey, I at least am blogging again.
The first, Thai Beef with Peppers, was pretty good. The meat was well flavored and tender, though I would probably add more peppers next time.
The second was surprisingly good! Mulligatawny is a type of Indian soup. If you like curry, you will love this interesting way to use it. I bought some naan from the bakery section of the grocery store and toasted it before dipping it in the soup :) Don't leave out the apples- they are a sweet crunch that really brings it all together!
And tonight, I made Chicken Piccata with Buttery Lemon Noodles. This will definitely be put into my rotation of quick meals. While it may have taken me almost twice the time it takes PW, that's still only 25 minutes!
Chicken Piccata with Buttery Lemon Noodles
courtesy of Pioneer Woman
Buttery Lemon Noodles
- 8oz pasta (I used penne, cause I had it, but can be fettuccine, linguine, angel hair)
- 1 Tbs butter
- 1/4 C finely minced fresh parsley
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and Pepper
Chicken Piccata
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbs butter
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 C chicken broth
- 1/2 C dry white wine (or chicken broth)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 C heavy cream, plus more if necessary
- 1 Tbs drained capers
1. Start the noodles by bringing the water to a boil, adding the noodles, and cooking 8-10 minutes, until al dente.
2. Place the chicken in a resealable bag and pound until thickness reduced by half. Cut chicken breasts in half. Sprinkle flour, salt, and pepper on both sides.
3. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side, until cooked though. Remove to a plate.
4. Add garlic to the skillet and saute. Pour in the chicken broth, wine, and squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Stir the sauce, scraping the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook, thicken, and reduce by half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream. Add the capers and cook for a couple minutes more. Taste! If the sauce has too much of a tang, balance with more broth or cream.
6. Finish up the noodles- melt the butter in a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cooked pasta, along with the parsley. Cook in the butter for a few minutes so that a few of the noodles get a little bit of pan-fried texture. Grate in lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve chicken over pasta with pan sauce, garnish with Parmesan and chopped parsley.
Here's the last picture I snapped before devouring it!
Yes, those are brussel sprouts on my plate. Tried something new and it was delicious! Roasted with olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. 400* for 25-30 minutes. Who knew?
"Lead Me"- Kip Moore
