Turtle Brownie Pudding

I had a craving for something chocolatey, gooey and sinful... don't we all at some point? When I saw Ina Garten make the following recipe on her show, Barefoot Contessa, I knew I had to make it. With only a few basic ingredients from a well stocked pantry, I would be an hour away from chocolate decadence. To make it even more enticing, I drizzled some caramel sauce and sprinkled some toasted pecans over this bowl of deliciousness.

Now this dish is not your 'pick up and devour' type of brownie. It's definitely more of a pudding where you'll want to dish this up with a spoon. When it bakes up, the top will have a nice crust to it, similar to a standard brownie recipe, however when serving it up, you'll notice that the texture is like a thick chocolate soup consistency. Don't let it mess with your mind and think it's not done... because that's the way it should be! If you're skeeved out by the runny texture, you can always bake it a little longer to firm up a bit (which I did myself).

Turtle Brownie Pudding
recipe adapted from Ina Garten

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Caramel sauce, for garnish
1/4 cup toasted pecans, for garnish


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream, drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with toasted pecans.

Moroccan Spiced Chicken over Israeli Couscous

One thing I enjoy after a long day at work is a dinner that takes no time at all. Even better is an easy make ahead meal that requires very little prep time and babysitting on the stove. Our dinner tonight was exactly that - effortless and delicious.

A favorite make ahead meal is where I season meats such as chicken, pork, or even beef with a combination of spices and dry herbs, rub the seasonings in and let the meat absorb all the flavor overnight, a couple days or even under a deep freeze. The meat is left with so much flavor once it's cooked and I find that the flavor intensifies the longer it marinates with the seasonings. This is what I tend to do when there's a great sale of cuts of meat like chicken quarters.

Tonight, we enjoyed the following recipe. Using the spice mixture from a dish I found on Epicurious, I seasoned some chicken quarters last week and placed it in the freezer. This morning, I removed the chicken quarters from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge so it would be ready to bake up when we got home from work. In no time, the chicken was done, just as quickly as it took for me prepare. I served this chicken with Israeli couscous with parsley and sun dried tomatoes (recipe follows).

Moroccan Spiced Chicken
recipe adapted from Epicurious

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika (not hot)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1-2 lbs chicken quarters


Combine the cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper and olive oil in a small bowl. Brush this mixture over the chicken quarters and place in a shallow baking dish; cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Alternately, you can place the chicken in a plastic storage bag and freeze until ready to prepare. When you're ready to prepare, thaw the chicken and continue with the cooking directions.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the chicken in a baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Israeli Couscous with Parsley & Sundried Tomatoes
recipe adapted from Trader Joe's

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 cups Israeli Couscous
1/2 large cinnamon stick
1 dried bay leaf
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
zest of 1 lemon
3 sun-dried tomatoes, diced


Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until golden.

Add the couscous, cinnamon and bay leaf, and stir often until couscous browns slightly.

Add the broth, salt, and sun-dried tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender.

Remove from heat and stir in parsley and lemon zest. Serve warm.

Chicken Fontinella

I've been craving Italian food lately and it's been awhile since I had Chicken Parmesan (or Parmigiana). In order to satisfy my craving, I made this recipe which was adapted from Ina Garten. Without an Parmesan cheese on hand (which is rare), I used Fontinella cheese instead.

Don't confuse Fontinella cheese with Italian fontina cheese! Fontinella is actually a domestic cheese made by one company, Stella/Suputo Cheese Company. This cheese is a semi-hard cheese that has a tangy flavor, creamy texture and melts well. If you can't find Fontinella cheese, you're welcome to substitute it with Parmesan, Romano or Asiago cheese. Fontinella really lends itself well in this dish because it melts right along with the panko to provide a delicious and beautifully golden crust on the chicken. I served this along with angel hair pasta and a homemade chunky pasta sauce.

Chicken Fontinella
recipe adapted from Ina Garten

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 1/4 cups seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Fontinella, plus extra for serving
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil

Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.

Combine the flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the panko bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Fontinella cheese. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts.

Sage & Balsamic Pork with Creamy Pumpkin Polenta

Yeesh! Two days without cooking/baking really makes me miss being in a kitchen! It's been a hectic past few days with wrapping up my last days at work in the corporate world and settling into the suburbs where we have been slowly moving into the past few months. On top of that, I'm fighting a sinus infection and my sense of smell is pretty shot. However I'm back in the kitchen for the next few days so I can catch up and get some kitchen therapy.

This past Sunday I participated in a culinary fundraiser for Haiti, Stir It 28, and here's one of the dishes I prepared for the event - Sage & Balsamic Pork with Creamy Pumpkin Polenta. This was a recipe I got from Rachel Ray's cookbook, 365: No Repeats. I had planned on making this dish for quite some time but it kept getting pushed back for months due to various reasons. Probably the main reason was because the hubby wasn't in the mood for pumpkin or polenta or preparing pork with sage - gah! When this fundraiser came up, I took the opportunity to finally make it and it was well worth the wait.

I don't cook with polenta often but making it with pureed pumpkin was a fabulous way to give it additional flavor and a gorgeous color. As for the pork, it really absorbed the sweet flavors of balsamic and the woodsy notes of fresh sage. Paired together with the pumpkin polenta, it was a great dish that complimented all the flavors. Although the flavors may be reminiscent offall, I think it's delicious even in the winter too!

Sage & Balsamic Pork
recipe adapted from Rachel Ray

3 T olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
5 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/4 c fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
salt & pepper
4 1 1/2 inch thick boneless center-cut pork chops, cut into bite sized chunks


In a large plastic storage bag, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sage, parsley, garlic, salt & pepper. Cut the pork chops into bite sized chunks and place in the storage bag with the other ingredients. Allow the pork to marinate overnight.

When ready to prepare, preheat oven to 375.

Place the pork and marinade in a baking dish and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve with the pumpkin polenta (recipe follows).

Creamy Pumpkin Polenta
recipe adapted from Rachel Ray

2 1/2 c chicken stock or broth
1 c milk
1 c canned pumpkin puree
1/8 t ground nutmeg
3/4 c quick-cooking polenta
1/2 c grated parmigiano-reggiano
2 T unsalted butter


In a sauce pot combine chicken stock, milk & pumpkin & season with nutmeg, salt & pepper. Place over high heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the polenta and stir until it begins to mass together. Add the grated cheese and butter, stirring to combine. Keep in mind that polenta is very forgiving. If it becomes too think, not smooth & creamy, you can always add more warm chicken stock or milk.

Garnish the polenta with extra cheese if you wish.

Stir It 28: Benefit for the Haitian Islands

In light of the unfathomable disaster Haiti suffered a few weeks ago, a group of food bloggers from Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago mobilized and organized a Benefit for the Islands' relief effort. I worked together with my friend and fellow blogger, Courtney of Coco Cooks to offer my help in spreading the word of the event and participating as well. As a result, Chicago foodies gathered for an afternoon of food, music and celebration of life and hope to raise funds for Haiti.

STIR IT 28: Benefit for the Haitian Islands was an uplifting event where the Chicago food community, including food bloggers, chefs, restaurants, home-cooks and "foodies," came together to raise as much money as it can for the people of Haiti. My friends of What's Cookin, Chicago prepared dishes for an amazing spread while attendees of the event purchased tickets to enjoy. We had quite the spread and it was no surprise that my What's Cookin, Chicago friends would pull through with their culinary efforts.

Through my group, What's Cookin, Chicago, we had local cooks, chefs, restauranteurs, food bloggers, personal chefs, home-cooks and foodies participate to help! Money we raised went directly to Share Our Strength, our designated charity organization that is working hard at raising millions and providing manual aide. Share Our Strength has accepted our designation and will help us in any way they can to garner support and get the word out in each city STIR IT 28 is happening. It was a grass-roots effort that was very successful where Chicago raised nearly $400! Check out the delicious dishes we had for the event, thanks to all the wonderful folks of What's Cookin, Chicago...

Thanks to Three Peas Lounge for opening up their retail space for the event. It was a great venue that was perfect for the event. Here are some additional pics of the day...

Fresh Fruit Tart

Tarts are often fancy works of pastry art and make me wish I could be a pastry chef. However, you can still enjoy a tart without all the fancy work. This recipe is a super duper easy one, adapted from Paula Deen. My friend Rich prepare this tart and it couldn't have been more simpler. Rather than making a pastry dough from scratch (to save some time), we used a prepared refrigerated pie crust to serve as the tart base. Another alternative is using either a homemade or prepared sugar cookie dough.

The crust is baked flat until golden brown and cooled. Meanwhile, a creamy filling made with cream cheese, sugar and vanilla is whipped together. Rich prefers using brown sugar wherever possible so he used brown sugar in place of regular white sugar. When the crust is cooled, this sweet creamy mixture is spread on. Finally, fresh berries and sliced kiwi is placed on top for presentation. This makes for a light, refreshing and colorful dessert

Fresh Fruit Tart
recipe adapted from Paula Deen

Crust:

1 prepared, refrigerated pie crust

Filling:
1 (80z) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
Fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi slices


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust:
Remove prepared pie crust from packaging and place the pie crust dough onto a baking sheet. Pat until the crust is even into a round, circular shape. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until very lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

For the filling and topping:
Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust. Cut the strawberries into 1/4-inch slices and arrange around the edge of the crust. For the next circle, use kiwi slices. Add another circle of strawberries, filling in any spaces with blueberries. Cluster the raspberries in the center of the tart.

To serve:
Keep the tart in the refrigerator. Remove about 15 minutes before serving. Slice into 8 wedges and serve.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Potatoes are a staple in many kitchens but sometimes they can be bland and boring. I know I often make mashed potatoes or baked potatoes to serve as a starch to a meal. However, making twice baked potatoes combines the creaminess of mashed potatoes with the presentation of baked potatoes. My friend Rich prepared the following recipe which is a great way to experiment with other ingredients in the future.

- You can prepare the recipe as is or incorporate other ingredients such as leftover vegetables - mushrooms, broccoli, tomatoes, etc.

- If you don't have Parmesan cheese, try a different one like shredded cheddar, creamy goat cheese, crumbled feta, etc - so many endless and delicious options!

- If you like spices or herbs, mix in a bit of various spices or herbs you have on hand for a new twist on flavor.

- You can even substitute the bacon with ham, pepperoni or make it meatless altogether.

Twice Baked Potatoes
recipe adapted from AllRecipes

4 large baking potatoes

8 slices bacon

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fresh chives


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins.

To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese, the thyme and chives. Mix by hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, crumbled bacon and bake for another 15 minutes.

Lemon & Garlic Roast Chicken

If there's one dish I think everyone should know how to make, it's a roast chicken. Today, I had a cooking session with my friend Rich and he learned how to prepare the following recipe. Roast chicken is like a blank canvas where you can infuse any type of flavor you'd like using various spices, herbs, and other aromatics.

Using a recipe from Ina Garten, I thought this would be a great dish for Rich to prepare. This roast chicken used lots of lemon, heads of garlic, sprigs of fresh thyme and plenty of salt and pepper. However you can also add your own touches with other ingredients. In fact, one thing Rich did was threw in some sweet clementines he had on hand to add a bit of sweetness and to compliment the lemons used in the recipe. Another tip for making this or any roast chicken recipe is that you can use the leftovers in other recipes such as soups, sandwiches, salads, etc.

Lemon & Garlic Roast Chicken
recipe adapted from Ina Garten

1 (5-6 pound roasting chicken
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
4 lemons
3 heads garlic, cut in 1/2 crosswise
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 pound sliced bacon
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, reserving enough thyme to garnish the chicken dish, 1 lemon, halved, and 2 halves of the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Cut 2 of the lemons in quarters and scatter the quarters and remaining garlic around the chicken. Lay the bacon slices over the chicken to cover.

Roast the chicken for 1 hour. Remove the bacon slices from the top of the chicken and set aside. Continue roasting the chicken for an additional 1/2 hour, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the gravy.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the bottom of the pan. Add the wine and chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.

Slice the chicken on a platter. Garnish the chicken platter with the bacon slices, roasted garlic, reserved thyme and 1 lemon, sliced. Serve with the gravy.

Cooking Session with Rich!

Before I started baking my own little bun in the oven, I was entertaining and hosting quite a few culinary events for my group, What's Cookin, Chicago. The most popular event I hosted and taught was my hands on, interactive cooking sessions. I'd come up with a various theme, set a multiple course menu and folks would come over, prepare the meal themselves (with my guidance and supervision) while I shared some culinary tips and hints.

Now, with more time on my hands, I've been doing some private interactive cooking sessions with clients. Today I spent the day in the kitchen with Rich. He wanted to learn a few classic dishes with a slight twist so he could incorporate some of his own creativity. Below are the dishes we made with links to the recipes!

Bruschetta al Pomodoro

Lemon & Garlic Roasted Chicken

Twice Baked Potatoes

Easy Fresh Fruit Tart

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Our kitchen is closed tonight but that doesn't mean I don't have anything to share! We have dinner plans with our good friends, Megan and Matt. They always have everything covered for dinner but we don't like showing up empty handed. Tonight I made an Pineapple Upside Down Cake to bring along for them enjoy during the weekend. Megan recently told me how she's been on a citrus fruit kick lately, especially with pineapple, and thought this cake would be something she'd like.

Although this cake isn't completely from scratch, it doesn't mean it tastes like a boxed cake either. With a few additional ingredients thrown in, you can have a semi-homemade cake made and save some time as well. I found this recipe on AllRecipes and it got quite a few great reviews. Some adaptations I made was using a pineapple cake mix instead of a yellow cake mix, so that I could get more pineapple flavor. Also, the original recipe prepared this as a layered cake, whereas I used my springform pan and made it as one, unsplit cake. Using a springform cake made it super easy to unmold the cake from the pan, hence why I don't even own an layered cake pans. I use springform pans instead so I eliminate the fear of my cakes not coming out easily.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
recipe adapted from AllRecipes

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 (8 ounce) can sliced pineapple, drained with juice reserved
1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 (18.25 ounce) package pineapple or yellow cake mix with ingredients noted on box to prepare

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a 10 inch springform pan on a medium baking sheet lined with foil in cake the springform pan leaks. Coat the bottoms and sides of a 9 inch round springform cake pan with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with 1/2 cup of brown sugar.

On the bottom of the pan, lay pineapple rings in a single layer. Place a cherry in the center of each ring.

Mix the cake as directed on package, but substitute the reserved pineapple juice in place of water. If the reserved juice is not enough, use water for the remaining amount needed. Pour the batter into the springform pan over the pineapple and cherries and bake for 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes.

While the bottom of the cake pan is still warm to the touch, invert the springform pan on a serving platter and carefully remove the outer ring of the springform pan, then the springform bottom. Serve either warm or cooled.

Bratwurst Burgers on a Pretzel Bun

Wow... it's like a heatwave here in Chicago today! We reached 40 degrees here downtown and to us Chicagoans, it's hot enough to break out the flip flops (at least for me). Originally I had planned on a cold weather meal for dinner but given the higher temps, it was burger night in our house.

My husband's friend, Gabe, came over for dinner so I wanted to prepare something nice, casual and easy to put together after a day at work. Burgers seemed to fit the bill but I wanted something a little different or burgers with a slight twist. A few weeks ago while at the store, I spotted Pretzel Buns in the bakery section. I immediately put them in my cart because one of my favorite burger joints in Chicago serves all their burgers on pretzel buns. I have yet to make pretzel buns from scratch but for now, buying them out of convenience worked for me.

With these pretzel buns, it would have been easy to just make a good old beef burger but I really wanted to highlight the pretzel flavor of the bun itself. Thinking of meats that would compliment the pretzel flavor, I thought of bratwurst and figured I could make a bratwurst burger to give the buns some justice.

Taking a shortcut, I purchased fresh bratwurst and removed the sausage from the casings. The sausage was then formed into patties and cooked on the stovetop until browned. To tie the bratwurst burger and pretzel bun together, I topped the burger with swiss cheese, a mound of sauerkraut and spread some dijon mustard on the buns. You can't have burgers without fries so I made our staple garlic parmesan fries to pair with these burgers. There you have it - bratwurst burgers on a pretzel bun! It's like a little taste of Oktoberfest in February...

Bratwurst Burgers on a Pretzel Bun
inspired by "Oktoberfest"

4 Pretzel Buns - store bought or homemade, split; toasted
1 lb fresh bratwurst links (such as Johnsonville brand)
4 slices Swiss cheese
1/2 cup sauerkraut
Dijon mustard to taste
salt & pepper to taste


Remove the bratwurst sausage from its casings. Divide the sausage into 4 equal portions. Form each portion loosely into a 3/4 in thick patty and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.

Cook the burgers on a dry skillet over medium high heat. The natural fat in the sausage will render and help cook the burgers so they don't stick and as a result, no oil is needed. Flip the burgers once the bottom side has cooked through and browned. Topping each burger with a slice of Swiss cheese and a basting cover during the last minute of cooking.

Slather each of the toasted bun tops with Dijon mustard as desired. Place the burgers on the toasted bun bottoms. Top the burgers with sauerkraut and then the bun tops and serve immediately.

Bagel Pizzas

Bagels aren't just for breakfast! All day I was contemplating what I would have for dinner. I'm solo for dinner tonight and my initial plan just didn't really sound good, partly because it was a bit time consuming and I'm feeling lazy today. At one point, I was considering breakfast for dinner.... but eh, after having breakfast out with my husband earlier this week, I didn't want to repeat the same meal.

So I'm staring inside my fridge looking for inspiration. Nothing. I look on my kitchen counter and I have a package of onion bagels sitting there. Back inside the fridge, I notice a package of pepperoni and some leftover tomato sauce.... and I always have cheese on hand. Suddenly, the idea of bagel pizzas hit me.

Back in the day, I remember when the popular 'Bagel Bites' hit the stores. They were one of my favorite snacks throughout college and it's been way too long since I had one, much less made them at home. For tonight's dinner, I used regular sized onion bagels, made a quick pizza sauce and topped my pizzas with a combination of shredded Italian cheeses and pepperoni slices. Feel free to top with whatever you have on hand, which is a great way to use up leftover, random ingredients.

Bagel Pizzas
makes 10 bagel pizzas

5 regular sized bagels, split in half
1 cup pizza sauce (recipe follows)
1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
assorted toppings of your choice

Preheat your oven to 375.

Spread each bagel half with a tablespoon or so of pizza sauce. Top with shredded cheese, your preferred toppings and top with another sprinkling of cheese.

Place each topped bagel half on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining bagel halves.

Bake the bagel pizzas in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the cheese melts and turns a golden brown. Serve hot.

Easy Pizza Sauce
recipe adapted from AllRecipes
makes about 3 cups

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground paprika
salt & pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, Mix together tomato sauce and tomato paste until smooth. Stir in oregano, garlic powder and paprika. Add salt & pepper to taste

Cajun Cake

It's Mardi Gras / Fat Tuesday and as much as I wanted to make the traditional 'King Cake,' I really wasn't in the mood for the doughy texture as the dessert for my menu. Instead, I scoured recipes online for a dessert different from what I've made before. That's when I came across this recipe for Cajun Cake.

I'm not exactly sure what makes this cake Cajun but I do think it's extremely fitting for 'Fat Tuesday.' The cake batter seems interesting because there was a high amount of flour called for in the recipe. I hesitated at first but continued on, trusting that the recipe would work out. It was a simple batter with only 2 eggs and a can of crushed pineapple to serve as the wet ingredients. It didn't seem so bad at that point until I looked at the topping for this cake. With two whole sticks of butter, some sugar and my substitution of half & half, this is where the cake was perfect for Fat Tuesday! The topping is brought to a boil, chopped pecans and toasted coconut is mixed in, then it's all poured over the freshly baked cake. This buttery topping was key and allowing the cake to soak all that goodness up made the cake so moist. If you're looking to indulge on Fat Tuesday, this cake is a great place to start!

Cajun Cake
recipe adapted from AllRecipes

Batter:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

Topping:
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup half and half
1/2 pound butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cups toasted flaked coconut
Garnish:
Caramel Sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

To prepare the batter, in a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. Add eggs, pineapple and juice. Mix at low speed until well blended.

Pour batter into prepared 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes or until done. When the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes all over the top with a knife. Have the topping ready.

To make the topping, in a saucepan, combine milk, sugar and butter. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add pecans and coconut and stir to combine.


Pour the topping over the hot cake after you've poked holes over the top of it and carefully spread over the top to cover. Allow the cake to cool at room temperature and then cover with plastic wrap. Let the cake sit overnight for the topping to get absorbed before serving.

To serve, cut into squares and drizzle caramel topping over the top.

Classic Red Beans & Rice

Here's another dish that had to make an appearance on my Mardi Gras menu. It's a nice side dish, especially with southern fried chicken (in my opinion) and I wish we had that on the table for the party! Nonetheless, it was a great dish that really allowed the red beans to take center stage. I made this recipe from Alton Brown. The original recipe calls for the addition of pickled pork, which I omitted so I could offer a vegetarian option. I just might make this again soon (maybe with the pork) and enjoy it with fried chicken to satisfy this new craving I'm having....lol!

Classic Red Beans & Rice
recipe adapted from Alton Brown

For the red beans:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 quarts water
1 pound red kidney beans, rinsed and picked of debris

For the rice:
3 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups long-grain rice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Place the vegetable oil in a 7-quart Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, salt and pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and celery are semi-translucent and the bell peppers are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, water and beans to the pot and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to a boil, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.

Uncover, increase the heat slightly to maintain a steady simmer and continue to cook for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the beans are tender and the sauce is thickened to your liking. If you prefer an even creamier texture, mash some of the beans with a potato masher.

Prepare rice during the last 30 minutes of cooking the beans. Place the water into an electric kettle and bring to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil place the butter into a 3-quart saucepan, set over medium heat. Once the butter begins to bubble, add the rice and stir to combine. Add the salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Carefully pour the water over the rice and stir to combine. Decrease the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the beans over the rice or combine together and fold in to mix throughout.

Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya

It's not Mardi Gras unless Jambalaya is on the menu! For my Mardi Gras potluck I knew this was the dish I was going to prepare and found the following recipe on Cook's Illustrated. As predicted, this was spot on with not too much spice, great flavor and perfect as a meal all on it's own. If you wanted, you could even prepare this dish using pasta in place of the rice. To do so, prepare the recipe as follows without the rice. Boil your choice of pasta separately. When your pasta is done and drained, top with the tomato, chicken & shrimp mixture. Toss to combine and dig in!

What I also liked about this recipe is that it can be prepared in stages so it's an easy recipe to put together and serve when you're ready. To prep in advance:

- Process the onion, bell peppers and garlic beforehand and store in a container until ready to assemble.
- Cook your chicken and sausage beforehand, allow to cool, and shred the chicken. You can store the meats in a storage container and chill until ready to assemble.

On the day you're ready to assemble and serve, cook the rice with the processed vegetables as the recipe notes. Add the shrimp along with the previously shredded chicken and sausage (so they can heat up) and garnish with parsley before serving.

Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya
recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

1 medium onion, peeled, ends trimmed & quartered lengthwise
1 1/2 cups bell peppers (mixture of red, green, yellow, and/or orange), seeded & quartered
5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 bone in, skin on thighs
8 oz andouille sausage, halved lengthwise & cit into 1/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice (10 oz)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained with 1/4 cup of juice reserved
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 pound medium shrimp (31 to 35 shrimp per pound), or large shrimp, shelled
2 tablespooons minced fresh parsley leaves


In the bowl of a food processor, pulse onion, celery, bell peppers, and garlic until chopped fine, about six 1-second pulses, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice. Do not overprocess; vegetables should not be pureed.

Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, skin-side down, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and cook until golden brown on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add andouille; cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to paper towel–lined plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add vegetables, and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon, until vegetables have softened, about 4 minutes. Add rice, salt, thyme, and cayenne; cook, stirring frequently, until rice is coated with fat, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, chicken broth, bay leaves, and browned sausage to pot; stir to combine. Remove and discard skin from chicken; place chicken, skinned-side down, on rice. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir once, keeping chicken on top, skinned-side down. Replace cover and continue to simmer until chicken is no longer pink when cut into with paring knife, about 10 minutes more; transfer chicken to clean plate and set aside. Scatter shrimp over rice, cover, and continue to cook until rice is fully tender and shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.

While shrimp are cooking, shred chicken. When shrimp are cooked, discard bay leaves; off heat, stir in parsley and shredded chicken, and serve immediately.

A Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras Party!

Happy Mardi Gras! Some people make a trek down to New Orleans, others indulge in paczkis or pancakes. But for me, there's only one way to celebrate - a Mardi Gras inspired potluck with friends! After about 4 months of an entertaining and culinary events hiatus, I couldn't take it anymore. As a result, I broke out of my hiatus and hosted a small Mardi Gras potluck with girlfriends. It felt wonderful to have friends over some delicious food, tasty drinks and great company and conversation! Here's a recap of all the great dishes we enjoyed and recipes are soon to follow...

Wines brought in by Jenny

Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya
prepared by Joelen

Bourbon Sweet Potatoes
prepared by Ursula

Heaven on Seven's Cornbread
prepared by Dorothy

Merle's Spinach Balls
prepared by Yumi

Classic Red Beans & Rice
prepared by Joelen

Cajun Cake
prepared by Joelen

My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Probably my most favorite sweet treat even is the focus of today's Tuesdays With Dorie! This week's Tuesdays With Dorie baking challenge is Dorie's My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, chosen by Kait of Kait's Plate (who has the recipe within her blog).

I love, love, love chocolate chip cookies. There's something about the buttery cookie base with hints of butterscotch and the little sprinklings of chocolate swirled about that makes me very selfish when it comes to sharing these cookies. With so many recipes for chocolate cookies and even more variations with countless tips, tricks and hints to make them better, I'll never have a problem trying a chocolate chip cookie recipe. You can only imagine how happy I was when Dorie's recipe for them was chosen this week!

What I realized about this recipe is that these spread out a bit and came out thin with a slight chew, namely because of the amount of butter used. I prefer a big, fat, chewy cookie but for a thin version, this was pretty good. I would make this again in a heartbeat if I wanted thin cookies. I did substitute the chocolate chips for mint chocolate chips since it was what I had on hand. Even with the mint chocolate chips, it was delicious and that just goes to show how versatile the recipe is, or any chocolate chip cookie recipe is for that matter.

Thanks to Kait for selecting this week's TWD baking challenge. Please check out Kait's blog for the detailed recipe and be sure to take a peek at fellow TWD's to see how their recipe came out!

Khra Thong Tong (Golden Cup)

For by first baby shower a few weeks ago, my friend Kelly made these wonderful Thai appetizer cups filled with a savory filling. The filling was made with ground chicken and had such an amazing flavor of sweet, salty, sour and a touch of spice - the unique combination of tastes found in Thai cuisine. I just had to have the recipe since it was a great little appetizer I'd like to serve up for guests in future dinner parties. To my surprise, one ingredient I never expected was included - lemon lime soda! Thanks to Kelly for bringing them in to share and for providing her original recipe!

Khra Thong Tong (Golden Cup)
recipe from my friend, Kelly C

Chicken Filling:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion (fine)
1 pound ground chicken
1 cup peas and carrots
1/4 cup lemon lime soda (Sprite, 7-Up, etc)
1 tbsp ground corriander
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp dried cilantro (fresh ok too)
1/4 tbsp garlic powder
3 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp dark sweet soy sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 pk of Phyllo Cups

Garnish:
1/4 cup cilantro, leave part only
Cucumber, quartered and sliced thing


In a skillet, saute the onion and chicken with vegetable oil until the chicken is cooked through.

Add the peas and carrots along with the lemon lime soda and stir. Once the carbonation subsides, add the remaining filling ingredients except thephyllo cups.

Allow the mixture to cook for 10 minutes for flavors to meld. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. The mixture should be sweet, salty, with a hint of sour from vinegar. You should be able to taste the coriander and the curry powder.

Spoon the mixture into the thawed Phyllo cups, garnished with a piece of cilantro and cucumber. Serve at room temperature.

French Silk Pie

What's Valentine's Day without chocolate?! For a special treat, I made one of my husband's favorite desserts, French Silk Pie. It's no wonder why this pie is a favorite of my husband's. The pie is a dessert that combined creamy chocolate pudding with freshly whipped cream, all encased in a buttery and crispy pie crust. It was the perfect ending to our Valentine's Day and just as wonderful any time of year!

French Silk Pie
recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Prepared pie crust - either homemade or store bought

Filling:
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
4 ounces semi-sweet, finely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whipped Cream:
1 cup chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioner's or powdered sugar
Semi-sweet chocolate shavings for garnish (optional)



Pre-bake your pie crust per your homemade recipe or store bought directions. Allow to cool and set aside.

Whisk together cornstarch, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then gradually whisk in milk. Allow the mixture to come to a boil while whisking constantly. Once it comes to a boil, let it boil for 2 minutes still continuing to whisk. You'll notice the mixture will thicken as it cooks. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the chocolate and vanilla until smooth.

Pour the chocolate filling into the cooled shell. Cover the surface of the filling with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 2-4 hours.

Just before serving, whisk heavy cream and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer until it comes to medium to stiff peaks. Top your pie with the whipped cream and garnish with semi-sweet chocolate shavings.

Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup)

My husband has a habit of giving me culinary challenges, especially when we're dining out in a restaurant. We don't dine out very often but when we do, it never fails. We'll get our order and as he's eating, he'll ask me, "Honey, you could make this, right?" We then spend the rest of the dinner talking about the food, critiquing our meal, talking through how it was prepared, the ingredients used and how we could recreate it at home.

One restaurant we like to go for our Mexican cuisine fix is Nuevo Leon, located in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. Our order is usually the same consisting of steak tacos for me and Caldo de Res, a Mexican Beef Soup, for the hubs. Every single time we go, he asks me the same thing.... "When are you ever going to make this at home?" I usually reply, "I don't know... soon. Sometime soon." He loves this soup so much that he's very specific when he orders it at the restaurant. Along with this steamy, hearty soup, he'll add an order of cilantro rice with a side of limes. Watching him eat this at the restaurant is like watching a little boy playing with his new toys on Christmas morning!

Well, after umpteen visits to Nuevo Leon and providing him the same response time and time again, I've finally made his beloved Caldo de Res soup. The soup's broth is rich with flavor from bone-in beef shanks that have boiled for hours until tender. Mixed in are chunks of potato, carrots, cabbage wedges, and mini corn on the cobs. The addition of fresh cilantro brightens the flavors and compliments the cilantro rice served along side of it. Lastly, freshly squeezed lime juice gives the soup a nice tang that brings it all together. So this dish is dedicated to my love and here's to bringing that happiness in his eyes and in his belly on Valentine's Day.

Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup)
recipe adapted from AllRecipes

Soup:

2 pounds beef shank, with bone

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 onion, chopped

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

3 cups beef broth

4 cups water

2 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 potato, quartered

2 ears corn, husked and cut into thirds

1 medium head cabbage, cored & cut into wedges
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup freshly minced cilantro

Garnishes (optional);

1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapenos

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 limes, cut into wedges


Cut the meat from the beef bones into about 1/2 inch pieces, leaving some on the bones.

Heat a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the oil, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Add the meat and bones, and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until thoroughly browned.

Add 1 onion, and cook until onion is also lightly browned. Stir in the tomatoes and broth. The liquid should cover the bones by 1/2 inch. If not, add enough water to compensate. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour with the lid on loosely. If meat is not tender, continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so.

Pour in the water, and return to a simmer. Add the carrot and 1/4 cup cilantro, and cook for 10 minutes, then stir in the potato, and corn. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Push the cabbage wedges into the soup, add the lime juice and cilantro and cook for about 10 more minutes.

Ladle soup into large bowls, including meat vegetables and bones. Garnish with jalapenos, minced onion, and additional cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over all and serve.

Spinach & Chicken Pizza Blanco

It's Valentine's Day weekend and my husband and I aren't really into celebrating with lavish gifts or going out on the town. We tend to stay in, cuddle up in pajamas and watch movies or catch an episode of America's Funniest Videos on tv. But we did have an impromptu date night last night (hence, no blog update for yesterday.) Normally on Fridays we like to have pizza but instead we went out to one of our favorite city neighborhoods and had dinner at an Indian restaurant. So since we missed out on pizza yesterday, I figured we'll have pizza tonight with a bit of love mixed in. It is Valentine's Day weekend after all and it was a great time to use my heart shaped cookie cutter for something savory.

I was tempted to bake up some cutesy heart shaped sweets today but nothing was really grabbing me or my sweet tooth. I've seen so many heart shaped sweets lately that it seems savory items have gotten left out! For a festive pizza, I rolled out my pizza dough and used my heart shaped cookie cutter to make these individual pizzas. They were a lot of fun to make, especially if you have a special someone to make them with!

Spinach & Chicken Pizza Blanco
original Joelen recipe

1 prepared pizza dough, uncooked and at room temperature
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
1 cup fresh spinach, cut into thin ribbons
1/2 mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
white pizza sauce, prepared (recipe follows)


At least 45 minutes before baking your pizza, preheat your oven to 500 degrees.

Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Prepare a sheet pan by sprinkling cornmeal on the bottom to prevent the dough from sticking.

Form your pizza crust on the prepared sheet pan. Place your dough on the pan and spread out in a freeform style if you wish. If the dough is too sticky to handle, lightly flour your hands before forming into your crust.

Place a few tablespoons of the white pizza sauce on the dough. Top with fresh spinach and chicken. Place a layer of shredded cheese over the pizza and finish off my sprinkling with italian seasoning.

Place the pizza and baking sheet in your preheated oven. Bake the pizza for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.

Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Wait 3 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving, to allow the cheese to set slightly.

White Pizza Sauce
recipe adapted from Recipezaar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan or fontinella cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced


Melt butter in a small saucepan and add minced garlic. Allow garlic to saute for about a minute and then add flour; stir until thoroughly mixed.

Slowly whisk in milk, adding gradually. Stir in remaining ingredients. Will thicken upon standing. Use on pizza dough then top with your preferred toppings.

Cubano Sandwich

When we lived on the north side of the city, our favorite go to place when I was feeling too lazy to cook was this wonderful Cuban market which had an attached cafe. They made one of the best Cubano sandwiches there and it always hit the spot. It's been quite a while since I've been back in our old 'hood and I had a hankering for that Cubano sandwich today. With that sandwich on my brain, I did the next best thing... make the sandwich at home!

The Cubano sandwich is pretty much a grilled ham and cheese variation that includes slices of roasted pork and pickle slices. You really can't go wrong with the combination of ham, swiss, pork, pickle and mustard. Now imagine those delicious fillings in between crispy, hot bread that's been pressed to a golden brown. And in my opinion, this sandwich goes best with some garlic yucca chips, which I picked up from a latin market. Mmmm... say hello to my delicious friend...

Cubano Sandwich
recipe adapted from Food Network

1 loaf Cuban bread or Mexican 'bolillo' roll
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
2 sandwich length pickle slices
5 slices Polish or Virginia deli ham
2 slices roast pork
2 slices imported Swiss cheese
1-ounce butter

Slice Cuban loaf or Mexican bolillo roll in half horizontally. Spread the mustard on both the top and bottom cut sides of the loaf/roll evenly.

To begin building the sandwich, on the bottom half of the loaf/roll, layer the ham. Top with the roast pork, followed by the pickle slices and finally the swiss cheese. Place the top half of the loaf/roll to complete the sandwich.

Heat a cast iron skillet. Spread butter on top of the sandwich (top half of the loaf/roll) and lay the sandwich buttered side down into the hot skillet. Press down on the sandwich with a large spatula to get a nice crisp sear of the bread. Leave the sandwich on the skillet until the buttered side turns a golden brown and is crisp.

Repeat by buttering the other side of the sandwich (should be the bottom loaf/roll) and flip the sandwich onto the newly buttered side down into the hot skillet. Leave the sandwich on the skillet until the buttered side turns a golden brown and is crisp.

After the sandwich is crispy on both sides and the cheese has melted, remove the sandwich carefully and slice it diagonally.

Lemon Herb & Pesto Roasted Chicken

I'm anxious for March to arrive! Every March, the International Home & Housewares Associate has their convention here in Chicago and it's my opportunity to meet and greet some chef celebs who attend. The previous years I've gone, I got to meet Todd English a few times and receive some autographed cookbooks. Sadly, I never made any recipes from his cookbooks... until now.




In his cookbook, The Olives Table, I came across Todd's recipe for Roast Chicken with Herb & Lemon Paste. I love using fresh herbs in recipes and the paste was full of flavor and freshness combining basil, parsley, rosemary, mint, sage and lemon zest. However, when I made it the first time, although it was good, I wanted a bit more basil flavor to come through to compliment the lemon notes. I had some homemade pesto leftover and on a whim, I decided to make the lemon and herb paste again and combine it with the leftover pesto I had. Crossing fingers it would come out, it was a success! The chicken had the perfect balance of lemon and basil I was looking for and kept the chicken super moist and juicy.

Since I love making recipes in advance, this one definitely is make ahead and freezer friendly. Just prepare the paste and pesto, combine and allow your chicken to marinate in it either chilled in the fridge or in the freezer. When you're ready to cook it, just roast in the oven or even place on the grill. Voila... a flavorful roast chicken is never too much effort to make even on a weeknight!

Lemon Herb & Pesto Roasted Chicken

recipe inspired by Todd English

Lemon Herb Paste:
1 Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

To make the herb and lemon paste, place the onion, basil, parsley, rosemary, mint, sage, salt, pepper, and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. While the machine is running, gradually add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream and process until the mixture is smooth and emulsified.

Basil Pesto:
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (2-3 bunches)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Place all the ingredients in a food processor; pulse a few times, then process until fairly smooth, or to the desired consistency, scraping down the sides occasionally.
2-3 pounds bone-in chicken breasts or leg quarters, rinsed and patted dry

Combine both the lemon herb paste and the basil pesto in a bowl.

Place the chicken in a large glass or ceramic bowl and cover with the paste and pesto; toss to cover. Cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours, or overnight. Alternately, place chicken in a gallon sized storage bag and add paste and pesto to the bag. Seal the bag and distribute the paste on the chicken. The next day, remove the chicken from the bowl/storage bag and discard the excess paste.

Preheat oven to 375°. Place the chicken in a baking dish or roasting pan and roast in the preheated oven until the juices run clear, about 45-50 minutes.