It is time to post my second recipe in the 2011 Cookbook Recipe Challenge! This time I was rather ambitious and made the meal AND a dessert. Everyone liked both! Read below for the recipes and my additions/suggestions...
Sauteed Chicken Breast with Mushroom Sauce
from Joy of Cooking
Ingredients:
-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
-1/4 c. all purpose flour
-1/2 tbsp butter
-1/2 tbsp olive oil
-2-3 tbsp minced shallots or scallions
-8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
-1/3 c. sweet or dry sherry
-1 c. heavy cream
-1/2 c. chicken stock or broth
-2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
-Pinch of ground nutmeg
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Fresh lemon juice
Instructions:
Chicken
1. Trim fat off the chicken breasts. Sprinkle both sides with Salt and Pepper.
2. Spread flour on a plate and coat the chicken on both sides with the flour.
3. Heat butter in a heavy 10-12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil.
4. Swirl butter and oil together and saute chicken for exactly 4 minutes on one side.
5. Turn chicken over and cook until firm, 3-5 minutes more.
6. Remove from skillet and keep warm in a 200F oven.
Sauce
1. In a skillet over medium heat, add shallots/scallions to 2 tbsp saved from the chicken skillet.
2. Cook, stirring, until wilted, about 1 minute.
3. Increase the heat to high and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.
4. Add sherry and bring to a boil until it is nearly evaporated, 1 minute.
5. Add cream and chicken stock/broth. Boil until sauce is thick enough to lightly coat a spoon, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and several drops of fresh lemon juice.
7. Remove the chicken from the oven and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately.
**I added broccoli to this dish and it made it very yummy! I put them in before the mushrooms and cooked them with the shallots for about 5 minutes. I removed the chicken from the skillet while they were still slightly pink inside...they finished cooking in the warmed oven. This way, they were incredibly juicy and tender! I cooked this meal for 6 people, so I added another 2 chicken breasts and extra mushrooms.**
I served the chicken and sauce over a bed of brown rice and wheat berries. I simmered 1/2 cup of wheat berries in 1 cup of water for 20 minutes. Then I added 1/2 cup of brown rice and another 1/2 cup of water. Continue simmering until both grains are tender...about 40 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and butter. Yum!
Chicken...still pink inside but just put in the oven to finish cooking!
Shallots, broccoli, and mushrooms before adding sauce & stock
Final Product!
and now for dessert...
Vegetable Bran Muffins
from 500 Cupcakes
Ingredients:
-4 c. oat bran
-1 c. self-rising flour
-1 tsp. baking powder
-1/2 c. packed brown sugar
-Pinch of salt
-2 tsp. cinnamon
-2 c. milk
-4 tbsp. vegetable oil
-2 lightly beaten eggs
-2 tbsp. honey
-2 c. shredded zucchini & carrots
-1 1/2 c. raisins
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease/line muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients with a spoon.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the milk, oil, eggs, and honey with an electric mixer until combined.
4. Stir in the shredded vegetables and raisins.
5. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
6. Spoon mixture into muffin tins.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the muffins and cool on a rack.
**These were good! Very healthy. Very healthy tasting. We served them with honey to drip on top, which was very yummy. Probably would also be good with a cream cheese spread on top. Without the raisins, these muffins wouldn't be very sweet at all...I almost cut them out because I don't like raisins in baked goods, but I'm really glad that I didn't!**
