Zucchini Coins with Garlic

Before reading this, you need to know one thing... I really like zucchini. Most people find it tasteless and gross, but I think it's a really great summer vegetable that you can add endless layers of flavor to.

The magic starts here.

Next we need to make the coins. So cut the top and bottom off your zucchini and make slices that are about a centimeter thick. Just do the best you can, nobody's perfect.

That's a nice little stack there. You'll need about half of a zucchini per person. This serving is just for me, so only half of the veggie got used here (expect more zucchini soon, maybe).

Now we're going to do the same with the garlic. Make nice thin slices. Again, half a clove per person is really sufficient.

Then make a layer of coins on the bottom of a baking sheet, then put a layer of garlic over it. You can make it pretty, but you'll just ruin it in a minute.

Drizzle oil over the top, some salt and some pepper. Toss it up while your at it, and put it in a 400 degree toaster oven for about 15 minutes. The zucchini will be falling apart at that point and the garlic will be toasted. YES!

Now, zucchini was made to be covered with parmesean. So after the fifteen minutes take the zucchini out and grate a whole bunch of cheese over it. Pop it back in for about two minutes and then it's all done. You just need to serve it.

A perfect compliment for chicken, or any protein.

So, I know this recipe is simple, but I'm on a simplicity kick lately. Something about having everything you're using represented in what you eat. It seems honest enough, and it always tastes good (unless it's gross)

So, enjoy this nice refreshing side dish!

I'll post a recipe later.

Before I finish, I want to make a toaster oven shout out to my friend Becky.

She made a great meal (in ramekins!), and part of this was a really great french onion soup, which got finished in the toaster. I'm so proud.

A Little Gem from Ann Arbor

Hi all,

This past weekend I was in Ann Arbor for a conference. Being in the middle of Michigan, I was pleasantly surprised at the good food I was surrounded by.

On Saturday night we went to a bar that got major hype for "bacon infused bourbon", and I knew immediately that I was destined to drink this drink. It was calling my name, I had no choice.

The bacon is barely detectable at first, since this cocktail is in disguise as a Manhattan. The sweetness is not overwhelming, and then the soft bacon-ness sneaks up and it gets a little salty and you taste a little bit of smoke. I was crying out for more bacon at the time, but it was just the booze talking... okay, maybe a little more bacon.

The cocktail is garnished with a brandied cherry, and allegedly has orange bitters in it. Really the best part about it is this.

It's only $9! After 10, it's $7! AMAZING.

Chicken in a Balsamic Cream Sauce

Holy crap, I really didn't post for the entire month of March. To be honest, I was having trouble coming up with new recipes to try, and I had some pretty bad failures. Mostly, there were problems in executing actually decent ideas. I did, however, manage to make this little gem. It combines the acid of balsamic vinegar with the smoothness of cream to make a delicious sauce, which doesn't curdle!

Anyway, start by taking two chicken breasts, salt and pepper them and pan fry them.

I feel like so many of my recipes start this way. Anyway, while you're waiting gather these ingredients.

Oh, and butter... I forgot the butter. When the chicken is done, melt the butter in your pan (the same one you just took the chicken out of) and then add in your flour. For a good roux, you typically want about equal parts flour and butter. BTW, that's what we just made, a roux.

You want to cook the roux for about two or three minutes, just to get the raw flour taste out of it. Once that's done, add in your balsamic vinegar. It looks like I used about a tablespoon.

Stir it all around and try to get some of the chickeny goodness off the bottom of the pan. Then let it cook down for about a minute. We just need to allow the acid to cook down a bit. It will stop us from curdling the cream later. The fat may also do that... I'm not a chemistry person.

Perfect! Now it's time for the chicken stock. About a quarter cup will do. This is why we made the roux, so that we can get the chicken stock in our sauce to tighten up. See, it all makes sense... right?

Stir that all up and allow the stock to cook down for around 2 minutes.

Look how dark is got after that little amount of time. The balsamic is really integrated in. Now it's time for the good stuff... heavy cream. Just a tablespoon or two is probably good. I may have done three, I don't remember. Cream makes my memory hazy.

Stir all that cream in, and you will end up with something that is a brown-ish color. Not ugly brown though, smooth brown. At the end, I threw in around a half teaspoon more of balsamic, just to give it a bit of vinegar bite. It was worth it.

Damn, I love balsamic vinegar.

Something possessed me to warm up some tortillas and serve this over rice. It was a momentary thing. So, I warmed up the tortillas in the toaster. Just a minute or two on a low temperature.

Hi Mr. Toaster, it's been too long.

Then serve it up.sa

It's just my bad photography: I promise that the sauce is much more appetizing in person.

Here's the recipe so that you can enjoy this too.

Chicken in Balsamic Cream Sauce

2 chicken cutlets
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
2 tbsp + a dash balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock
3 or 4 tbsp heavy cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Salt and pepper chicken cutlets and pan fry in olive oil.

2. Remove the chicken and add butter and flour. Allow to cook for about two minutes.

3. Add balsamic vinegar, deglazing the pan, and allow to cook down, about one minute.

4. Add chicken stock and stir vigorously. Allow to reduce by about half (2 minutes)

5. Add heavy cream and stir again. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return cutlets to the pan and then serve as you would like.