Better for your Budget

Orange Balsamic Chicken Thighs

Here’s a great meal that will make you feel like you went out to a nice restaurant, but your wallet won’t feel that way! This entire meal costs less than $30 and is absolutely stunning on the plate, and even better in your stomach.  Chicken thighs really give you a bang for your buck and this sauce takes them to a whole new level. I served the chicken on a bed of polenta (almost like grits, they are both made from cornmeal, but polenta is sort of the Italian mashed potato) and sautéed spinach to soak up the orange balsamic glaze. This recipe makes enough for you and your honey, grab a bottle of red wine and enjoy!

4 Chicken thighs- skin on

¾ cup Balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp apricot marmalade (you could use peach or orange as well)

½ cup Orange juice

¾ cup low sodium Chicken stock

1 sprig Rosemary, finely chopped

2 scallions (whites and light green parts only)

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp fresh cracked pepper

For Polenta:

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 cup water

8oz instant polenta (you can find polenta in most grocery stores)

1tbsp butter (at room temperature it will melt much quicker)

2tbsp half and half

1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 sprigs rosemary finely chopped

1tsp salt

1 tsp fresh cracked pepper

For the Spinach

1 bag triple washed spinach

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove of garlic, smashed (but not chopped)

1 small shallot, minced

Salt and pepper

Splash of water

This whole menu happens pretty quickly, everything happens in the time it takes to cook the chicken all the way through. To get started, heat a large non-stick pan with rounded sides (you wouldn’t want to lose any of that amazing sauce-trust me) to medium high heat. Add the chicken skin side down sear that side until this skin forms a golden crust. Sprinkle the other side of the chicken with the salt and pepper. While the chicken is searing, begin boiling the liquid combo for your polenta.

Once the skin has browned, flip the chicken-- the skin will have released some fat into the pan which is perfect for cooking on the other side. At this time, lower the heat to medium and add the remaining ingredients for the chicken all into the pan together and cook for 10-15 more minutes until it is cooked all the way through and the liquid in the pan has formed a glaze.

In another pan, add the olive oil for the spinach as well as the garlic clove and bring to medium low heat. By heating the smashed garlic and olive oil, the garlic flavor infuses into the oil. Once hot, remove the garlic clove and add in the shallots. Once the shallots have become translucent, add the entire bag of spinach along with a splash of water to help it steam and wilt, stirring continuously until all of the spinach has wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste and cover with a lid to keep warm.

After cooking the spinach, the water for the polenta should be boiling. Pour in the instant polenta, turn of the heat and whisk until the polenta becomes a smooth creamy mixture. Add in the remaining ingredients and whisk until incorporated. Cover the polenta with a lid to keep warm.

Once the chicken is cooked through, turn to coat all sides of the chicken and turn off the heat.

To plate: create a puddle of polenta on the plate, topping with the spinach and 2 chicken thighs. Spoon sauce over chicken, pop the cork on the wine, and you’ve turned your kitchen into a gourmet restaurant!

Date Night! Lemon Caper Pork Chops, Easy Cheesy Rice, and String Beans

One of the largest complaints I hear about pork chops is that people just can’t seem to keep them moist. For me, the key to juicy piggy deliciousness is to brine them. Brining food in a saltwater mixture before you cook them helps them to become flavorful and tender. You will need enough brine to completely submerge the pork chops without any part being out of the liquid. Ideally, brine the pork for at least an hour, but if you only have a half hour you will still impart enough flavor and juiciness to do the trick.

I like to find a bowl or a Tupperware container that will hold both pork chops. Then, I fill a small amount of the container with hot water and add 3 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of salt (the hot water ensures that they will dissolve into the liquid). Once dissolved, add cold water to fill the container almost completely and put your pork chops into the liquid. I also like to add some fresh course-ground pepper to the brine. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator. The rest of this romantic meal only takes 25 minutes (exactly the amount of time it takes to cook the rice according to the package directions)!

What you need for a romantic candlelight meal:

Pork chops:

2 Pork Chops (about 1 ½ inches thick)

Drizzle of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

Splash of Vermouth (optional)

1 tablespoon of capers

For the Easy Cheesy Rice:

1 box of Rice Pilaf or Wild Rice

1 wedge of Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Cheese

For the String Beans:

1 bag of Steam-in-the Bag string beans

Juice of ½ lemon

Drizzle of olive oil

Salt and pepper

Take the pork out of the brine and place on to a plate drizzled with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Begin cooking the rice according to the package directions. The rice should take approximately 25 minutes to absorb all of the water. About halfway through (12 minutes or so) begin to heat the pan for the pork chops on high. You are going to sear the pork chops first. Searing is creating a crust all over the outside of the chop to seal in the juices, then lowering the heat to cook it all the way through.

Once you create a nice golden brown crust on the outside of the chop, lower the heat, squeeze in half of the lemon along with the splash of vermouth, and cover with a lid to create a lemony hot tub. Allow the chops to cook about 6 minutes per side, flipping once and adding the rest of the lemon juice and capers covering with the lid again.

At this time also microwave the string beans according to the package directions. Once cooked sprinkle with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix to make sure everything is evenly coated.

Once the rice has absorbed all the water, stir in the Laughing Cow cheese.  To plate: place rice in the center of the place with the pork chop laying on top, pouring some of the pan sauce over. Add string beans and enjoy!

Sweet Peas for my Sweet Pea

Sweet Pea Ravioli

When you’re in the mood for something like ravioli, you don’t have to go looking in the freezer section or spend your money at a restaurant. When I get the itch for ravioli I head straight for the supermarket! This time, I thought I’d fill it with some sweet peas for my sweet pea.  Making homemade ravioli not only looks impressive, but is incredibly simple and wonderfully fresh-tasting. Create a great shortcut for yourself by using Wonton Wrapper pasta sheets (you can find them in almost every supermarket) and frozen sweet peas (they are frozen at the very peak of their freshness and taste delish!), and you’ve got an elegant meal in no time. Create a simple sauce with just one pint of bursting cherry tomatoes and sliced garlic and you’re transported straight to flavor town!

You could also make tortellini, which is what I did with the leftover pasta sheets and filling (I’ll give you the how –to at the end of the ravioli recipe). To be totally honest, you may have to control yourself from eating this filling with a spoon! For those of you who have never had the pleasure of the magical combination that is peas and mint, it may quickly become one of your favorites! You could also use it as a dip, spread on a sandwich or appetizer on top of some toasted baguette slices. You’ll notice that this recipe makes a lot of filling, but it’s so delicious and versatile that I love to have extra on hand.

For the filling:

One box of frozen sweet peas

One large clove of garlic, chopped

¼ cup fresh grated Pecorino Romano cheese

3 tablespoons part skim ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint (that’s about 8 medium-large leaves)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Simple Sauce:

Sprinkle of olive oil

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 large clove of garlic, sliced or diced

To wrap the ravioli you need:

Wonton wrappers

Damp paper towel

Small bowl of water

To create the filling, you will need to first cook the frozen peas. Most packages of frozen peas now come with a bag that you can steam the peas right in the microwave. If not, just drop them right into some boiling water for about 3 minutes. While the peas cook, throw a few chunks of Pecorino Romano into a food processor (so much easier than the cheese grater arm workout). Don’t forget to save a little for later to sprinkle on top. Strain the peas and then throw them right into the food processor with the garlic, ricotta, chopped mint and olive oil. Give the mixture a whirl until it begins to form a puree (don’t worry if it doesn’t catch all of the peas, I like mine a little chunky so that you can still tell there are peas in there).  Once the puree has formed, taste it and add salt and pepper accordingly giving it one more whirl in the processor.

To fill your ravioli, create a little assembly line. I find that doing it on a cutting board is easiest with a landing plate next to it for your filed ravioli. Remove some wonton wrappers from their package and place between a damp paper towel so they do not dry out. . I like to suggest about 8-10 ravioli per person if this is your main course (5 for a side dish).   

Place a small dollop (I use a teaspoon) into the middle of the pasta sheet. Dip your finger in the water and spread along two adjacent sides, folding the dry sides to seal (as if you were going to seal an envelope). Make sure to try and press gently squeezing out as much air as possible. If you want to get a little fancy you can crinkle the edges with the back of a fork.

While the water boils, heat up a medium-sized saucepan with a sprinkle of olive oil. Add the cherry tomatoes, once they begin to burst lower the heat and add the garlic and sauté together making sure not to let the garlic turn brown. Once the garlic is cooked slightly, turn of the heat. When the salted water is boiling gently drop the ravioli in one at a time. Since the wonton sheets are so thin they will only take about 3 minutes to float to the top.  With a slotted spoon, gently scoop out the ravioli and place them directly into the saucepan with the tomatoes. Plate your ravioli and sprinkle the remaining Pecorino on top. Simply delicious!

If you want to get REALLY fancy, by adding just a few more steps you can turn this ravioli into tortellini. After folding the ravioli in half into a triangle, take the point (the one that makes a 90 degree angle), brush it with water and fold it up onto the portion of the pasta with the filling.

Pick up the pasta with the folded point facing you. Gently take the 2 ends, wetting one, and folding underneath the dry end.

Voila! Tortellini!