Good Cooking Weekend

[PA Baker]

Hi all
I just wanted to share with you what a nice change of pace I had cooking this weekend. I know you can all relate. We had company so rather than cooking for just my hubby and myself, I was able to cook for 5 of us. Even though I didn't make anything too new and different it was just so nice because: 1--I was able to cook in a little bit larger quantity than I normally do for just 2 people and 2--it's not like I was doing it for the complements, but it's nice to be able to "wow" people with your cooking every once in awhile. This isn't to say that DH isn't appreciative--he is, but I guess it's just old hat to him anymore. (I hope that doesn't sound awful. I'm trying to cut out caffeine so I'm having trouble being articulate this morning! )

I was in charge of dinners. We had:

Friday--whole-wheat crust pizzas (shrimp and garlic, roasted vegetable white pizza, and plain). Mixed field greens, and cookies (incl. fall cut outs that I'll post a picture of as soon as DH downloads them) and ice cream.

Saturday--Chicken valdestano (chicken in a white wine mushroom sauce topped with proscuitto and fontina), butter roasted halved parsley potatoes, julienne stir-fry veggies and parmesean basil twists (rolls). Dessert was a cider oatmeal apple upside down cake with caramel.

Sunday--turkey sloppy joes with chedder cornmeal buttermilk biscuits.

All in all a fun and yummy weekend!

 

[thumpershere2]

Sounds good pa baker. I cook only for the 2 of us also but all summer i cooked enough for a week at one time as my hubby worked out of town and came home on weekends. I would cook a large dinner on sat and then there is enough left over for him to take back and the same for Sunday dinner. I made enough food so he would have a supper for Mon to thursday. Then I always made something different for his lunches. Tried to make a differnt kind of sandwich for each day.I like to cook so it wasn't really hard. I have 5 guys to cook for during hunting season and I have already made up a menu to kinda follow.I'm not much into deserts and we usually just have ice cream in the evening.

 

[sarah]

wow baker u did some nice cooking,ummm yummy...well u know i love cooking and can do it almost all the time,its just that i had never cooked in large quantities before i got married which was only 2 months back ,i used to do cooking just when i felt like or when i had some free time,everyday coooking was my mom's department,but now i've even started entertaining friends on my own,and my hubby thinks i'm terrific at it ...... ok i'll tell u about the 1st dinner we gave to some of my husband's friends and colleagues,there were 8 people including the 2 of us.

Starters:
1- Garlic bread(in which i used olive oil instead of butter and it tasted better)
2-broccoli and mushroom fritters(i've invented this recipe,its simple and really tasty,everyone loved the fritters).

Main course:
1-chopped beef cooked with lots of red,green,and yellow bell peppers and peas.
2-chicken and egg fried rice(chinese style)
3-baked chicken with potatoes fried in butter.
4-sausage and olive cream salad.

Dessert:
1-pineapple casserole(thanks to Paula Dean,it was a real nice recipe).

so what do u think?

 

[Audeo]

Outstanding, PA! It sounds wonderful and I can't wait to see the pics!

 

[PA Baker]

It's good to see your picture back, audeo!

(The DH can be a little slow on these projects so it might be closer to Christmas until I get the pictures posted!)

 

[Audeo]

Thank you, PA! Sorry to shock everyone there (actually, I'm not), but when I woke up from my nap and saw the thing, even I was shocked.

Back to normal. Feeling my old self again!

 

[norgeskog]

Hey PA Baker, why did you not invite me so you could cook for an even 6. You should post that chicken recipe and the pizza shrimp. I am sure every one wowed throughout the meal. I would have brought the wine.

 

[PA Baker]

You all would be welcome at my home any time! Even more so if you do bring wine! We'd have a blast!

Chicken Valdostano

2 Tbsp flour
6 bonless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded thin
1/4 c unsalted butter
10 fresh mushrooms, sliced (I use Crimini)
3/4 c dry white wine
3/4 c chicken stock
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp freshly ground white pepper
6 slices prosciutto
6 slices fontina cheese

Lightly flour chicken breasts, shaking off excess flour. In a large skillet over low heat, melt butter/margerine. Add chicken and saute until lightly browned, about 2 min. each side. Remove with slotted spatula and set aside, covering with foil to keep warm.

Increase burner heat to medium low. Add mushrooms and saute until juices are rendered, about 4 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced by 1/4, about 3-4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high. Add stock, parsley and pepper and simmer until sauce is reduced until 1 c., about 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Top each chicken breast with a slice of prosciutto and a slice of fontina cheese. Return chicken to skillet and cook just until cheese melts. Transfer chicken to individual plates and top each with some of the mushroom sauce before serving.

 

[pst1can]

What a great looking chicken recipe PA....will have to surprise the dw

 

[SierraCook]

PA Baker that recipe looks so good. I will have to try it, also. Here is a recipe that I have made that is similar.

Chicken and Prosciutto

4 chicken breasts
Olive oil
Flour
Salt and pepper
4 slices prosciutto
4 slices mozzarella cheese
Fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup white wine
Capers
Fresh parsley, chopped
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 minced green onion

Pound chicken breasts, slightly. Mix the flour, salt and pepper together and dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. Sauté dredged chicken in olive oil until lightly browned on both sides. Meanwhile, sauté the green onion and spinach in a little olive oil and set aside. Pour broth and wine around the chicken. Lay a slice of prosciutto on each breast, a little of the
spinach, a slice of mozzarella, a sprinkling of capers, and a little Parmesan, salt, pepper, and parsley. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Garnish with a little more parsley and Parmesan.