Recipe: Pecan Crusted Chicken

Pecan Crusted Chicken
Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless Chicken Breast halves
2 Egg Whites
2 teaspoons Cornstarch
juice of half a Lemon
1 Cup coarse (larger) Bread Crumbs
1 Tablespoon fresh Parsley
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt or 1/2 teaspoon table Salt
Zest of 1 Lemon, minced
3/4 C finely chopped Pecans
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Cut your chicken breasts vertically to create 4 chicken breasts.  Place a piece of plastic wrap over each chicken breast (or place in a freezer bag one at a time), and hammer gently until it’s the same thickness throughout.  Set aside.
In a dish, using a fork blend together the egg whites, cornstarch, and lemon juice.  Set aside.
In another dish, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper, lemon zest, pecans, oregano, thyme, paprika, and cayenne pepper.  Set aside.

To crust the chicken breast:
Dredge a chicken breast in the egg white mixture.  Then, place that chicken breast on the bread crumbs and pat the crumbs on both sides.  Repeat with each chicken breast.  Let sit on a plate for 20-30 minutes to let the bread crumbs set and adhere to the chicken.

To sauté chicken:
Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet (or other ovenproof skillet) over medium-high heat.  Sauté chicken for 3 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.  Turn carefully with a spatula and transfer the skillet to the oven.  Bake the chicken for another 8 minutes, or until done.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.  Cut diagonally into strips to serve over salad.

Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Honey
3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon minced Shallots
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
juice of 1/2 a Lemon
to taste: Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously until homogeneous.

Salad
Ingredients:
8 Cups Mixed Greens
1/2 Cup thinly sliced Red Onion
4 oz. soft Goat Cheese, crumbled
Dried Cherries (optional - this was not in the original recipe, but we added and I would definitely recommend if you have on hand).
Directions:
Mix lettuce and red onion.  Divide into 4 serving salad bowls, toss with dressing, top with crumbled goat cheese and 1 chicken breast.
Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Salad

If you like buffalo chicken and blue cheese, then you will love this recipe. We had it for the first time on our trip to Primland last month. Mom K made it for dinner and we have since made it two more times. It is quick which makes for a nice choice after a long day at work. We made more of the dressing to have on other salads throughout the week.

Buffalo Chicken Salad by Ree Drummond (The PioneerWoman)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/buffalo-chicken-salad-recipe/index.html

 

Ingredients

1 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup cayenne hot pepper sauce
4 cups salad greens, such as romaine or mixed greens
Fast Blue Cheese Dressing, recipe follows
Blue cheese crumbles, for topping
Celery hearts with leaves intact, for serving

Directions

With a sharp knife, carefully slice the chicken breast in half from top to bottom---meaning you'll have two similarly-sized chicken breasts that are much thinner.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breast pieces and pan-fry them on both sides until they're done. Get as much golden brown color on the chicken as you can. When done, remove the chicken from the skillet and pour off any excess fat or oil (but don't clean the pan).

Return the chicken to the skillet and pour over the hot sauce. Turn the chicken to coat it on both sides and let it sit in the sauce while you prepare the other ingredients. (The heat should not be on under the skillet.)

Toss the salad greens in a large bowl with just enough Fast Blue Cheese Dressing to lightly coat (thin the dressing with a little milk if it's too gloopy). Heap some tossed salad into two individual bowls. Sprinkle blue cheese crumbles over the top. Slice the chicken into thin slices (on the bias) and arrange them over the top of each salad. (Dip the slices back into the sauce if necessary to really coat them.)

Top the whole thing with more blue cheese crumbles, and serve with celery hearts.
Fast Blue Cheese Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sour cream
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
Salt and pepper

To a bowl add the mayo, milk, sour cream and Worcestershire, and stir until combined. Stir in the blue cheese and add salt and pepper to taste. Yield: 1 cup

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/buffalo-chicken-salad-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Primland Resort

The third weekend in October marked a getaway that we have been looking forward to all year. Typically, the third weekend in October has always been designated for Peaks of Otter (a tradition going back since R was little). However, last October, it was announced that Peaks of Otter would be closing in November 2012 and gave no idea of when it would re-open. Mom and Dad K decided to look into other places to ensure we could still all get together every third weekend in October and keep the tradition going, even if it was at a new location. They ended up finding a place called Primland Resort, located in the Meadows of Dan, Virginia (http://primland.com/). Primland has additional activities not listed on their website that are catered to each particular weekend (seasonal, etc.). I would say this is one of Virginia's best kept secrets. None of us had ever heard of it and within the year, many magazines and websites have started to catch wind of this gem nestled along the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Mom and Dad were able to score a fantastic cabin (Woodchuck) for the long weekend with some of the most amazing views and incredibly private. The cabin itself was so much more than any of us were expecting. Mom and I especially enjoyed being able to relax and chat in the hot tub each night. The guys spent hours at the disc golf course that runs through the resort. And of course, we all ate really well. First night was hot dogs and s'mores; second night was buffalo chicken salads; third night was seafood and sausage gumbo. One morning was pumpkin waffles and sausage.

We had lunch and probably enjoyed a little too much wine at Chateau Morrisette (http://www.thedogs.com/). Any of the pictures below with scenery are taken from either the back porch or somewhere in the yard at the cabin. Gorgeous views all times of the day! Needless to say, we already have reservations for next year.

Chateau Morrisette Restaurant

Fall pillow that Mom K made for us! :-)

He's awake!!!

Chateau Morrisette Winery

8 Years

I have always loved the month of October, but the year 2005 made this month much more special. Robert and I will always be grateful to Julia. It was her bonfire party on the 29th that got me back down to Blacksburg. Just feeling a little nostalgic on the last day of the month.

September Wrap-up

September had a lot going on for us...

Staycation (we took off work from August 26-September 2) included a lot of relaxing, some winery visits, and spending an outrageous amount of $$ on our fat kitty for removing 23 teeth and cleaning up his mouth from severe gingivitis...the fact that he is more spunky and no longer radiates stink; the $$ was well worth it!

Our favorite winery to date - Glen Manor Vineyards. Small winery but the owners are very passionate and it comes through in their wines. Check out their website to read about the history of the property and owners.

Having lunch on the patio at Delaplane Cellars. Next few pictures below are the view from the patio.

 

Football!!

Gift from DD! Can't wait to see you in December!

 Weekend trips to Blacksburg to visit friends and family!

Celebrating Robert's 35th birthday!

A visit from Uncle Karl, Aunt Norma, Uncle Paul, and our cousin from Germany, Martina!

Last time we saw one another was 2004 on our family visit to Germany.  Here we are 9 years later.