Chicken in a Love Nest

I got this recipe when my new roofer and I got to talking about our mutual love for cooking. He gave me this recipe and promised that it was delicious - a personal favorite of his. Trust me, he was right! I thought it was amazing. It has a beautiful and stunning presentation and looks like a lot of effort went into it. In reality, it came together quickly and was surpsingly easy to make. The recipe is for two servings, but they are VERY generous servings. I would suggest taking the chickn breasts, cutting them in half, and making 4 servings. It will be more than filling...my husband and I only each at half anyway!

This dish has lemony chicken, brie cheese, and mushrooms all wrapped inside a puff pastry "love nest." The flavors really melt together and make an impressive date night dinner. The wine and dijon mustard really make the mushrooms exquisite and the flakiness of the puff pastry just melts in your mouth. I really hope you try this recipe out and enjoy it as much as we did!

Chicken in a Love Nest

(adapted from John's recipe!)

2 chicken breasts (cut in half if you decide to make 4 portions)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 lemon, zested
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced (use any kind you like, I used baby portabellas)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
A splash of white wine
1 puff pastry sheet
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
6 thin slices of brie cheese

Pre-heat oven to 375°F with the oven rack in the middle.

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season the chicken breasts with salt, freshly ground black pepper, thyme and lemon zest. Add the seasoned chicken breasts to the hot skillet to brown, about 2 minutes each side, until nice and golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined platter and reserve.

To the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter and the mushrooms. Cook until slightly brown and tender, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the Dijon mustard and wine, and cook until there is almost no liquid left in the pan. Remove the mushrooms from heat and reserve.

While the mushrooms are cooking, place the pastry on a clean and flat work surface area. Cut the pastry in half (or fourths if making 4 smaller portions). Position them on an angle so they are facing you in the shape of diamonds.

In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg and water with a fork until well-combined. Brush the outer edge of each sheet of pastry with a bit of the egg wash to help to secure all the yummy-ness inside the love nest!

Place 2-3 slices of brie in the middle of each sheet of puff pastry and top with a chicken breast.

Spoon some mushrooms over the chicken, then fold it up into a neatly formed package: Fold two opposite points of the diamond shape in towards one another over the chicken breast, pinching lightly to secure. Repeat with the other two points of the diamond, pinching gently to make all that all the seams are sealed shut.

Brush the oustide of each packet with egg wash and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Brush each with the remaining egg wash and transfer to the oven on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is a beautiful golden brown.

Pasta with Pesto, Shrimp, and Cherry Tomatoes

I also found this amazing recipe in my Bride and Groom cookbook. It's perfectly portioned for two generous servings. I recommend being adventurous and making your own pesto, but using the convenient premade jars of pesto will work just as well. This recipe comes together quickly for a tasty, elegant, but fast dinner. Served with a glass of white wine, it would make the perfect date night dinner!


Pasta with Pesto, Shrimp, and Cherry Tomatoes
(adapted from Bride & Groom: First and Forever Cookbook)

8 oz. angel hair pasta
1 Tbs. olive oil
salt
freshly ground pepper
8 oz. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp. garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 cup Pesto, homemade or purchased (recipe below)
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
grated Parmesan cheese

Fill a large sauce pot with water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until barely tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the pasta, but reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.

Heat the olive oil in the same pan, over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and add the garlic. Continue to cook until the shrimp is opaque in the center, about 1 minute more. Add the reserved cooking water and pesto and stir until incorporated. Add the pasta and tomatoes and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve and enjoy!


Pesto
Makes 1 1/4 cups

1/2 cup pine nuts
4 cups fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 tsp. garlic, roughly chopped
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the pine nuts on a baking sheet and cook until aromatic and golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir the nuts frequently to avoid burning. Remove and let cool.

Combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the ingredients are well incorporated, about 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the processor back on and slowly add the olive oil. Add the cheese and pulse until the mixture comes together and looks like a thick paste.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

I saw these cookies on the Food Network and thought they'd be great to use up the extra ricotta I had in the fridge. They are so easy to make and remain soft and tender for days after making them. The best part of this recipe is the tart, tangy glaze that tops these tender, lemony cookies. If you know someone who loves lemon, these cookies will be a hit!




Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
(adapted from Everyday Italian)

Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 Tbs. lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbs. lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

For the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

Beef and Cheese Manicotti

This recipe comes from the first Giada De Laurentiis book I ever received. It is a delicious Italian-American staple that requires some time to assemble, but is always worth the effort. This recipe is also great to make ahead and freeze for those nights when you want a hearty, comforting dinner, but don't feel like cooking!


Beef and Cheese Manicotti
(Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbs. flat-leaf parsley , chopped
2 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
1 (8 oz) box Manicotti pasta
2 cups Marinara sauce

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion and saute until the meat is brown and the onions are tender. Drain any grease. Cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in the meat and onion mixture. Stir to combine thoroughly.

Brush 1 tsp. of the olive oil over a large baking sheet. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the Manicotti and cook until softened but still firm, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the Manicotti rom the pot to the prepared baking dish and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the remaining 2 tsp. of oil over a 13X9 pan. Spoon 1/2 cup of Marinara on the bottom. Fill the Manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture.

**I use a gallon Ziplock bag, fill with mixture and cut the corner to make a piping bag. This allows me to neatly fill each of the Manicotti with a lot of filling with less mess!

Arrange the pasta in a single layer. Spoon the remaining marinara over the pasta. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Bake, uncovered, until it is heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 35 minutes.

Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze and Savory Maple-Glazed Carrots

Recently I found a cookbook that my husband and I received as a wedding gift. I collect cookbooks and typically read through them many times, but with the hustle and bustle of the wedding, I never found the time. Now, almost a year later, I decided to check it out and test out a few recipes. I found a recipe for salmon that looked delicious and it didn't disappoint! Also, the subtle sweetness in the carrots combined with the spiciness of the glaze really made the carrots shine and seem anything but ordinary.

I also love how both recipes are perfectly portioned for two people to enjoy a relaxing Sunday dinner.

Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze
(adapted from Bride and Groom First and Forever cookbook)

2 salmon fillets (about 8 oz. each), skin removed
3 Tbs. Spicy Brown mustard
2 Tbs. sour cream
3 tsp. honey
1 tsp. dried dill weed
8 crackers, crushed

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Place the salmon on the baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine mustard, sour cream, honey, and dill weed. Spread over the salmon fillets. Top with crushed crackers just before baking.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked through and flaky.


Savory Maple Glazed Carrots
(adapted from Bride and Groom First and Forever cookbook)

3 carrots, peeled and sliced (about 1/8 inch thick)
¼ C. water
3 Tbs. butter
3 tsp. maple syrup
¾ tsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1/8 to ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (add more or less to desired level of heat)

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and cook on high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce to low heat and continue to cook until the carrots are tender and the sauce is reduced to a glaze, about 7 minutes.