Chicken Piccata

This dish is usually made with veal, but thinly cut chicken breast works really well, and is a lot easier on your wallet!!!

Chicken Piccata

Serves 6


8 thinly sliced chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup white wine
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
Fresh thyme, or lemon thyme if you can find it
1 lemon, sliced thin


Prepare the chicken:
Pound the chicken breasts until about 1/4-in thick. Flour each lightly and set aside on a board.

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Working in batches, add the chicken cutlets and cook about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a sheet pan and place in the oven, on 230F to keep warm. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked.

Deglaze the sugars in the pan with the wine. Add the garlic, the thyme and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the lemon slices and reduce the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, pour the sauce on top and serve with rice.

Bon Appetit!

Chocolate Muffins

Back to baking! And the theme seems to be...muffins! I love them for snack, for breakfast...anytime! And best of all, they freeze really well and reheat in the microwave so easily. Perfect treat!

Chocolate Muffins

Makes 18



3/4 cup (100g) flour (I used white whole wheat)
1/4 cup (35g) brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter (60) room temperature

1 cup chocolate chips (Guidar dark chocolate)

3 cups White whole wheat flour (480g)
1 cup cake flour (120g)
1 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter (120g)
1 1/3 cup sugar (150g)
6 large eggs
2 3/4 cup sour cream
3 tsp vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 400F.

Streusel:
Combine the flour, brown sugar cinnamon and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer set with the whisk. Beat until mixture resembles coarse meal. Set aside.


Spray 2 muffin pans with baking oil and set aside.


In a large bowl, mix the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and heavy cream. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, in 3 increments, alternating with the sour cream. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, using a 2-oz ice cream scoop.

Top with the Streusel and the chocolate chips.

Lower the oven to 350 and bake for 15 minutes. checking with a toothpick. Remove from the oven and let cool before unmolding.

Bon Appetit!!


These muffins freeze really well. To reheat, place frozen muffin in microwave and heat for 30 seconds.

Lemon Cakes

 We had a bake sale at the restaurant last weekend, and I tried a new recipe I had found in a Whole Living magazine. I modified it a bit and it was truly delicious!

Lemon cakes

Makes 8 small loaves or one large one



Cake:
1 cup olive oil
2 cups flour
1 cup almond flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 cup Greek yogurt
Zest of 2 lemons
1 tbsp vanilla extract, or one vanilla bean, scraped

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Greek yogurt



Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Oil and flour the baking pans and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and the eggs until well blended.
Add the oil, the yogurt, lemon zest and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Do not over mix.

Pour into prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes., until a tester comes out clean.
Let cool.


Topping:

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan.
Add the lemon slices, in batches so the saucepan does not get over crowded. Cook until rind gets translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Keep the syrup.

Reheat the syrup a little and add the olive oil and yogurt. Mix well.
Add a little water if too thick.

Unmold the cakes and spoon the syrup over the top. Decorate with the candied lemon slices and enjoy!!



Notes:
If you make one loaf, bake for 40 minutes.