August 16, 2011 – Chicken Breast w/Honey Balsamic Glaze, Tri-Color Rotini, and Red Bell Pepper

Walking to work provides me such an intense joy, except when my gimp foot just goes “no please don’t” etc.  Regardless, today was a slow day, where I basically dreamed of things to buy for my apartment and of course, what to make for dinner.  What a delightfully sleepy walk home too, this whole weaning myself off of caffeine is not going so well…so of course when I got home I took an accidental power nap. 

Anyway, post power nap it was time to get down to the cooking.  I found this recipe on food.com for Chicken Breast with Honey Balsamic Glaze.  It seemed like the easiest thing in the world, and the funny thing is, it totally was.  I set the pot of water to boil for the tri-color rotini (my personal specialty and frankly the only pasta I ever make).  Then I got down to business.  The recipe called for:

• Thyme – or its substitute thanks to the internet of Basil
• Salt – check
• Black Pepper – check
• Olive Oil – I’m not sure if I was using veg. olive, or any other kind of oil but I figured it all works relatively the same (the one is unlabeled on accident but womp womp)
• Chicken breast halves – check
• Balsamic Vinegar – check
• Honey – check

Talk about simple.  Put the spices together, done easy.  Cut the chicken into halves, totally simple thank you knives and opposable thumbs.  Sprinkle the spice mixture onto the chicken, fantastically simple.  Throw the rotini in the pot with the water (thought I forgot about that? No dice).  Then throw the chicken into the pan to fry up.  While it fried (with turning) sautéed?  Whatever you call it….I cleaned and cut the red bell pepper, so I’d have some for lunches (yum).  Anyway, then the chicken goes on top of the pasta and you measure in the ingredients to the pan (still easy).  Anyway, plated the whole thing (pasta, chicken on top, glaze on top, bell peppers around the edges on a whim)…and then it was time to consume.

Gotta say, that chicken was BANGIN’.  In full disclosure…it was a weightwatchers recipe too (4points for the chicken) which made me feel even better!

For this foodsperiment: +8 for taste, -2 for using the tri-color, with the chicken it should be rice or potatoes not pasta…, +10 for clean-up while cooking, +2 for the random choice to add the bell peppers.  Def going to try this one again, so quick and easy!

August 15, 2011 – Obas Shoyu Chicken and Rice; Formaggio Con le Pere

While I’ve been incredibly remiss in updating this blog due to such wonderful experiences as…moving, a big visit from my Seestor, the best Cousinmobile known to man woman or child, driving a jet ski, another busy quarter at work, a visit from Momma and Staramama, and accountant spring break…I have not been remiss in my cooking (yum!) or eating (double yum!) habits. 

I won’t go into the gory details, as it really has been a long time…but suffice it to say that I made some EXCELLENT DISHES including but not limited to watermelon gazpacho c/o gluten free goddess, tequila salmon also c/o gluten free goddess, Szechuan shrimp and scallops, edamame.  I ate at the Ritz, and even at the Ale House in Orlando.

Watermelon Gazpacho - Voila!

Tequila Salmon with Rice and Edamame!

Lobster and Crab Bake - Ale House, Orlando Florida - TOTALLY YUM

But I digress.   It was supposed to rain, well, thunderstorm.  I decided to make two dishes at once, while simultaneous doing laundry in my basement. 

I found a recipe for Obas Shoyu Chicken on food.com, because I’d gotten a bunch of chicken breast for sale, and it’s vaguely Asian (technically Hawaiian) and I’m not so secretly, secretly Asian.  The recipe calls for:

• Boneless Chicken Thigh or Breast – clearly I used breast because it was on sale
• Soy Sauce – check
• Water – check
• Garlic, crushed – check
• Onion, chopped – check
• Sugar – check.

This recipe was super easy.  I chopped the onion and threw it in the pot.  Then I crushed the garlic and threw that in the pot.  Everything went into the pot (except the chicken) and heated it to dissolve the sugar.  While it dissolved, on super low heat, I separated my clothes so I could go throw them in the laundry in the basement.  I threw the chicken into the pot and went to go put my laundry downstairs.  It was the perfect plan until I was thwarted by someone else putting in their laundry before I could.  No matter, the chicken simmered in the pot with its Asian-ness while I put together dish number 2 for the night…

Formaggio con le Pere, or cheese with pears (also from food.com).  This recipe is obviously, interestingly, Italian…who knew that Hawaiian and Italian cuisine worked together?  Me neither.  In any case this recipe was just as simple:

• Pear, skinned and cubed - check
• Pecorino cheese – check
• Black pepper to taste – check.

Basically you just, skin (I ate the skin) and cube (I ate some cubes) the pear, then mix with the cheese, let it sit for ten minutes, add the pepper and consume. 

Everything was ready, last night’s ACTUAL Chinese food rice was reheated, the chicken was plated, the formaggio con le pere was all set, and the kitchen was cleaned.  After putting in my laundry I was ready to feast!  

The verdict:  the Obas Shoyu Chicken with Rice was DELECTABLE.  I should have taken it off the heat about a heartbeat before I did, such that the meat would have been just a smidgen tenderer.  Perhaps it should also be cubed next time?  The sauce was just a little tangier, but the next time I’d try the sauce before I put in the chicken to make sure I was in love.  I still really enjoyed it.  Definitely a +5 for taste, and a +5 for the whole thing in the same pot, +6 for using yesterday’s rice, and +8 for having Japanese plates (I just like my Asian plates).

As for the Formaggio con le Pere, it was delish.  I wish the pears were a little sweeter, so that it was a better contrast to the cheese.  Still +5 for taste, +5 for ease of making, and +5 for there being more tomorrow night.

Post dinner it started to thunderstorm.  Nothing like a full tummy and a thunderstorm to make you enjoy your evening :-)  Now I just have to FOLD the laundry…Happy Foodsperiments!

Obas Shuyo Chicken and Rice - tangy, rich, and tender

Formaggio Con Le Pere - tangy and sweet