Crab Rangoon Stuffed Mushrooms–Great Savoury

Looking for a great savoury? Well, there goes my Britishness–savoury is just their word for appetizer. These crab rangoon stuffed mushrooms are also a great snack for tailgating or sports watching.

They’re pretty easy to make because you can start with canned crab if you wish. Crab has always been pricy in any form but fortunately the canned flaked stuff is pretty reasonable as crab goes. Any shellfish you like or have on hand can stand in for the crab and it will still be totally delicious.

Imitation Crab?

Oh you betcha! I actually love this stuff better than the real thing. It’s got a wonderful slightly sweet flavor and I make a great seafood salad with it.

In fact, I used it here to make these stuffed mushrooms. I usually have a packet in the freezer so why not.

If you’ve never used it or bought it, it can either be found in the seafood area of the supermarket if it’s not been frozen, but many stores do sell it frozen so look where they keep the frozen seafood.

Another great thing about imitation crab meat is that it’s far cheaper than the real deal. Calling it “imitation” may conjure up some laboratory creation, but it’s actually white fish; usually cod so it’s a “real” product.

Great In The Air Fryer

These are a natural for the air fryer even though I mostly do these in the oven.

They’d require about 10 minutes at 400F/200C if you want to make them in your air fryer. The only thing I do with air frying them that I don’t do with the conventional oven is give them a spritz of oil to help them brown.

The Recipe

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Crab Rangoon Stuffed Mushrooms

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Air Fryer Cook Time10 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer stuffed mushrooms, fancy stuffed mushrooms

Servings: 6

Calories: 148kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 12 medium baby Bella mushrooms
• 6 oz cream cheese softened
• 1 green onion finely chopped
• 3 tbs Panko breadcrumbs
• 4 oz flaked crab
• 1 clove garlic finely minced
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbs butter
• 1 tbs Panko crumbs for topping
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
• Carefully remove mushroom stems an chop them finely.
• Heat butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Sauté the stems with the garlic until mushroom stems begin to lightly brown. Let them cool slightly.
• Mix the cream cheese, green onion, crab, soy sauce, Panko crumbs and pepper in a small bowl. Add the sautéed mushrooms and garlic. Mix well.
• Fill the mushroom caps with cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the additional Panko crumbs. Place the stuffed mushrooms on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
• Bake at 400F/200C for 15-20 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Notes

For air fryer: see in-post instructions

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 249mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 461IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 0.5mg

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Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms–YUM!

Is there anything more yummy than a jalapeño popper? Since they contain some delicious savory ingredients, they are a perennial favorite.

So why not extend that terrific filling to a mushroom? Stuffed mushrooms are experiencing a real surge in popularity lately too. And with air fryers being so popular too, let’s combine these trends to come up with, you guessed it, air fryer jalapeño popper stuffed mushrooms.

If you don’t have an air fryer (why are you waiting???) they can, of course, be made in a conventional oven.

Choosing The Mushrooms

Baby or button mushrooms are definitely out for this recipe. You’ll need ones with larger caps so they will stuff easily. However, try to avoid varieties such as those huge portabella caps. Something so large would amount to overkill and it’s just too much of a good thing. However, if it appeals, then by all means.

Nothing fancy is needed. I used those good old generic white mushrooms that come pre-packaged. If you’re lucky enough to shop where you can pick bulk mushrooms by the pound, you’re golden. Since you get to choose the size you can have a mostly uniform set. They’ll also cook more evenly.

As an aside, these can be made ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to cook them.

Basket Or Oven-Style Fryer

I have a basket-style air fryer so naturally I based times and temps on the machine I have.

If you have an oven-style machine, I’d recommend cooking on an upper or upper-middle shelf so you get good air circulation.

Whatever machine you use, you don’t have to worry about these mushrooms flying around because of the fan. The filling has enough weight so they remain stable–at least in my basket machine.

The Recipe

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Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms

Cooks in 10 minutes

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: jalapeno popper mushrooms, mushrooms stuffed with cream cheese, tailgating appetizers

Servings: 6

Calories: 204kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 16 oz white mushrooms

Filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 green onions minced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tbs mayonnaise
• 3 tbs crisp cooked bacon crumbled
• 1/4 cup jalapeño pepper finely diced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Remove stems from mushrooms--reserve them for future use. Brush off any dirt on the mushrooms.
• Mix all filling ingredients in a small bowl and distribute evenly to all mushroom caps/
• Air fry at 370F/185C for 10 minutes. Check them in 8 minutes as air fryers vary. Mine took 10.
• Conventional oven--bake at 400F/200C for 20 minutes

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2mushrooms | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 615mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 638IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Chicken In Bacon Mushroom Cream Sauce

If you’re looking for a really deliciously gourmet meal that’s easy to make, this recipe is for you.

While it’s fancy enough for a “date night” or guests, it’s equally great as a weeknight family meal. The reason for that is that it is easy.I know I say this a lot but some of the best-tasting meals are those with the simplest ingredients and are ridiculously easy. That pretty much sums up this recipe. And I bet you have most, if not all ingredients on hand too!

Chicken Thighs

I used boneless skinless thighs for this. The original recipe called for skin on, bone in thighs. Honestly, that’s what I prefer but I had a package of the boneless skinless in the freezer so that’s what I used. And my followers know my mantra of “use what you have.” In this recipe, I feel the boneless skinless actually work a bit better. Since the sauce contains cream and bacon, the extra fat would probably detract from the flavor. Trust me, I’m NO health nut but sometimes fat is overkill. Personally, I’d rather have bacon and cream than chicken fat. Don’t think I’m alone there.

Chicken breast would work just as well. I’m sure mostly everyone has these in their freezer as they are on sale quite frequently. However, if you do opt to use boneless skinless breasts, I’d advise pounding them down with a meat mallet so the thickness is pretty much even. That way, you won’t have the thin parts overcooked.

Don’t Like Mushrooms?

Simple–leave them out and this dish is just as good.

You can always add some spinach or peas if you leave out the mushrooms. In fact, either of those would be a great addition even with the mushrooms.

The Recipe

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Chicken Thighs in Mushroom Bacon Cream Sauce

Simple and delicious chicken

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy gourmet chicken dinners, one-dish chicken dinners with cream sauce, one-skillet dinners with chicken

Servings: 4

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 2 tbs oil divided
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 6 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup white wine or vermouth
• 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Sauce:

• 5 slices bacon cooked chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Season chicken thighs with the salt, pepper & Italian seasoning.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet and brown chicken over medium-high heat on both sides; remove from pan.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same skillet and sear the mushrooms until they begin to brown. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Add the thyme and the chicken back to the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken tests done.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and add the bacon, cream and salt. Cook over medium heat until the sauce is reduced about 50 percent and it coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Notes

For UK/EU readers--the bacon used in this recipe is streaky bacon.

Canned mushrooms may be used if you don't have fresh.

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Mushroom Wild Rice Soup–The Instant Pot Way

Have you discovered that your Instant Pot or electronic multi-cooker really makes flavors blend so well?

I’ve been pressure cooking for ages and discovered their trick long ago. I was doing this even before these new-fangled and automatic pots became the vogue. What I’m trying to say is you don’t need the fancy equipment to make this recipe or any other labeled “Instant Pot.” Your trusty old Mirro or Fagor stovetop model will do very nicely too.

I love these appliances/pots for soups and especially this one. Sure you can do it conventionally but you get better flavor from pressure cooking and more importantly here is that the wild rice will cook in a jiffy!

Wild Rice

If you’re in the midwest and Minnesota in particular, I’m sure you can tell me a thing or two about wild rice!

I do find wild rice a bit difficult to get here where I live. I know there’s places I could order it online, but the prices are, in a word, outrageous. I know it’s an expensive ingredient, but some of the prices I’ve seen made me keel over.

For that reason, I used a readily-available wild rice blend. It’s pretty easy to get and truthfully–I liked the little variety in the mix. I feel it made this mushroom wild rice soup a lot more interesting. So use what you can get that doesn’t wreak havoc on your purse.

Vegetarian?

If you’re a vegetarian–meaning you eat eggs and dairy products but no meat–use the also-suggested vegetable stock.

This is a tough one to make vegan since I don’t think substituting nut or grain milks would result in a good flavor. If you want to try it and let me know how it tasted, I’d appreciate it since I like to give a vegan option where it’s possible.

The Recipe

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Instant Pot Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

A wonderful and filling soup

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Natural Pressure Release30 minutes mins

Course: Main, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: instant pot soups that are meals, vegetarian instant pot soups, wild rice soup with mushrooms

Servings: 6

Calories: 423kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 lb mushrooms fresh, thickly sliced
• 1 cup rice wild rice or wild rice blend
• 1 cup carrots diced
• 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs diced
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp thyme dried or 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 8 oz chopped spinach fresh or frozen
• 1/2 cup cream

Thickening:

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 tbs flour
• 4 tbs butter

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Place the mushrooms, wild rice, carrots, onion, celery, stock, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper in the Instant Pot.
• Seal and set on "soup" setting, or 30 minutes at high pressure. When time is up, let the pressure reduce naturally--this will take approximately 30 minutes.
• Remove lid when pressure has dropped and add the spinach and cream. Stir. The residual heat is enough to wilt the spinach.
• For thickening, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour and let it cook and bubble for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook over medium heat until it begins to boil; cook for 2 minutes then whisk into the soup.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 951mg | Potassium: 672mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 8683IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2mg

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Creamy Pork Chops: Cooks In One Skillet

One thing I hate is having a sinkful of dishes to wash. The older I get, the more I shy away from recipes–no matter how good they look–that seem to use every bowl, plate, cutlery and whatever to make it. The less I have to clean up the better in my opinion.

Since I like to keep cleanup to a minimum, I love meals that cook in one pot or skillet. This creamy pork chops dinner is one of them

Vary The Herbs

You can change the flavor of these creamy pork chops by just varying the herbs you use. Since it will have a different flavor it becomes something different each time you make it. I consider this a boon and a great recipe to have in your arsenal.

Thyme or savory is my herb of choice to use with pork. However, if you’re not too keen on those, sage is very nice too, but be careful with sage as it’s quite powerful. Start small and work your way up. Italian seasoning is nice too as is rosemary. Although with rosemary, follow the caveats for sage because it’s another powerful herb. Too much and it tastes medicinal.

Don’t Like Mushrooms?

That’s easy–leave them out. It’ll taste really good even without them.

But you can substitute other veggies for those mushrooms. Off the top of my head, peas would be a good choice. So would cut green beans or even asparagus. That way, you don’t have to dirty another pot making a side veggie.

The Recipe

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Creamy Skillet Pork Chops with Mushrooms

Great tasting and quick pork chop dinner

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamy pork chop recipe, one-pan pork chops, pork chop skillet dinners, quick pork chop dinner

Servings: 6

Calories: 437kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 6 boneless loin pork chops about 1-inch/2.5 cm thick
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs butter divided
• 1/4 cup flour
• 10 oz fresh mushrooms sliced
• 1/2 tsp thyme or savory
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Pat pork chops dry.
• Add the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Dredge the chops in the flour and brown in the hot skillet. Cook each side until it’s golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes total time. The chops should be 140 F/60C at the thickest part. Remove the chops to a plate and cover with foil.
• Add the remaining butter to the same skillet, let it melt then add the sliced mushrooms. When the mushrooms start to release water, add the garlic and thyme. Continue cooking until the water has evaporated. Remove the mushrooms from the pan—you can put them on the same plate as the chops if you wish.
• Add the chicken stock, Dijon mustard and the lemon juice to the skillet. Let this reduce by 50%. Add the cream, stir well then add the chops and mushrooms back to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes to heat through letting the cream reduce a bit— to the consistency of a thin gravy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1chop | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 715mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 707IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg

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A Great Meatless Meal

Quite a while ago, a friend and I were discussing how much our eating habits and tastes have changed after reaching 50.

With me it was a case of not being able to eat huge meals anymore since too much food on a plate was actually intimidating. With her it was that she really didn’t want to eat meat every single night. That was in my top 10 as well. It really has nothing to do with any “cause,” it’s merely that your taste changes when you age.

Even if you have no age-related inclinations as my friend and I did, you surely won’t miss eating meat when you have this scrumptious mushroom and pasta dish placed before you. If you hate mushrooms, just skip this post LOL. I can’t think of an adequate substitute!

Mushrooms

In this recipe, the more “gourmet” the mushrooms are, the better it will taste.

It’s not really easy to find a good selection of gourmet-type mushrooms (i.e. Trumpet Royale, etc) in most food stores. But I’m sure everyone can find portabellas, baby bellas or cremini.

The mushrooms I used in this were re-hydrated ones I got off of Amazon. I generally prefer fresh, but that wasn’t a possibility here. The big surprise here is that since they are dehydrated, they last forever so I don’t have to worry about them going bad and having to throw them away.

Another good thing about dehydrated mushrooms is that the liquid you use to re-hydrate them can be used as stock. That’s a win-win the way I see it.

Pappardelle

I’ve never seen this pasta variety in the store brand or even a national brand. This is one pasta shape that you can only seem to find the imported variety. It’s also available in the fresh refrigerated pasta section.

Pappardelle is wide and thick so it’s good for hearty and rustic pasta dishes. It’s one of my favorites and I make sure I have it on hand when I make my bolognese.

However, if you can’t find it or if you just don’t want the extra expense. a regular thick spaghetti such as bucatini or a thick non-tubular shaped pasta such as gemelli is a good substitute.

The Recipe

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Mushrooms With Pappardelle

A hearty meat-free meal fancy enough for company

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course, vegetarian dishes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: meatless dinners with mushrooms, using gourmet mushrooms, using pappardelle

Servings: 4

Calories: 612kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup olive oil plus more for drizzling
• 1 1/2 lb mixed fresh mushrooms shiitake, oyster and/or cremini, trimmed and sliced
• 2 tbs unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 12 oz pappardelle
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
• While the water is heating, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil until shimmering. Add about half the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they begin to wilt and make space in the pan; then add the remaining mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until they give up their liquid; then increase the heat to boil the liquid away and caramelize the mushrooms, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and let it melt. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, salt and red pepper flakes just until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, add the pappardelle to the boiling water, and cook until al dente, 1 to 2 minutes less than the package directions. When the pasta is ready, use tongs to transfer it to the sauce, reserving the pasta water. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the parsley and toss to coat, adding a little reserved pasta water if the pan seems dry. Remove the skillet from the heat, and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Toss and serve hot,

Notes

I used dried gourmet mushrooms that I re-hydrated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 612kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 530mg | Potassium: 766mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 678IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 3mg

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French Onion Burgers

How do you dress up regular burgers and make them into a family favorite?

Well, you make them into oniony burgers with a great gravy and some roasted Yukon gold potatoes. That’s how!

This is so great, it’s sure to become a permanent part of your dinner rotation since it’s so easy too.

Mushroom Choices

Baby bella or chestnut mushrooms (available in UK) are the first choice for this dish. If you can’t find the baby bellas, crimini mushrooms will make a great substitute. In a pinch regular old white fresh mushrooms can pinch hit. Canned mushrooms are not a good substitute because you cannot get a good sear on them because they are too wet. Searing the mushrooms contributes a great deal to the wonderful taste of these burgers, so using fresh is the way to go.

Onion Soup Mix

Most folks have this on hand to make a quick dip. One thing I noticed with these packets of dry soup mix is that the bouillon granules seem to always sink to the bottom. Since you don’t use the whole package in this recipe, then what I suggest you do is dump the envelope out into a bowl and mix it up a bit so when you take the necessary amount out, you get a pretty good mix of the both.

Now, if you don’t have any of this on hand, It’s pretty easy to make your own. Just use 4 tablespoons of beef bouillon granules and 2 tablespoons of dehydrated onion flakes which makes approximately one envelope of the ready-made mix. There are recipes on line that make a more copycat version of the store-bought kind so you might want to make some up for future use.

The Recipe

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French Onion Burgers (with roast potatoes and gravy)

Quick meal that's super delicious

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: burgers with gravy, fancy hamburgers, french onion burgers, salisbury steak recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 465kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb small yellow-flesh potatoes unpeeled, halved
• 1 tbs unsalted butter melted, plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 tbs dry onion soup mix
• 8 oz baby bella or chestnut mushrooms thinly sliced
• 2 tbs flour
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 tbs chopped fresh parsley optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450F/230C. Lightly spray a non-stick rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray.
• Place potatoes in a medium bowl and drizzle the 1 tablespoon of melted butter over them; toss to coat, then add the salt and pepper and toss again.
• Arrange potatoes, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are done and nicely browned on the cut side.
• While the potatoes are baking, mix the ground beef, panko crumbs and onion soup mix in a large bowl. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into burgers about 1/2-inch/1.25 cm thick.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties to the pan and cook for about 4 minutes each side. Patties should have an internal temperature of 130F/55C. See NOTES
• Remove patties from the pan and tent with foil to keep warm.
• In the same pan, increase the heat to medium-high, add the mushrooms. Cook until well seared. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the beef stock whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Remove from heat and add the final 2 tablespoons of butter; stir to combine.
• Pour the sauce over the patties and serve with the potatoes.

Notes

If you want the patties more done, place them on a baking dish and put them in the oven with the potatoes for about 5 minutes while making the sauce.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 465kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 892mg | Potassium: 1711mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 172IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 6mg

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Creamy Mushroom Chicken Is A Winner

This is one of those simple yet elegant chicken dinners that serves double duty. It’s simple enough for an every-day family meal since it’s easy. It’s also got a gourmet touch that makes it excellent for a company meal.

It works better with boneless skinless breasts but is very good with boneless skinless thighs as well. There’s very little prep with this recipe and it has a short cook time. That means you can have a meal on the table in no time at all.

Prepping The Chicken

If you can get thinly sliced small to medium-sized chicken breasts, that’s the perfect variety for this recipe. If that’s the case, you’ll need six thinner breasts.

However, they’re always higher priced than the regular kind that are frequently on sale so if that’s what you have that’s what you’ll use. To prepare them properly, especially if you have huge pieces, you have to slice them in half through the middle. This is just like butterflying except you cut right through instead of leaving the pieces attached at the end.

Here’s a really good video on how to do this: Butterflying a chicken breast.

Make It New Each Time

The best part of these types of recipes is you can change the whole dish by just changing up the herbs used.

I used Italian seasoning in this.But any other herb or blend would work just as well. Flavor it to suit the tastes of your family and guests.

This also uses some dijon mustard. Vary that by using other interesting mustards such as whole-grain mustards. Those mustards will also add a bit of texture into the mix.

If you’re serving heartier appetites, this is great over pasta.

The Recipe

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Creamy Mushroom Chicken

Great tasting and quick chicken dinner

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamy chicken dinners, one pan chicken dinner recipes, quick recipes with chicken breast

Servings: 6

Calories: 295kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs butter divided
• 1/4 cup flour
• 10 oz fresh mushrooms sliced
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise; pat them dry.
• Add the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour and brown in the hot skillet. Cook each side until it’s golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes total time. The chicken should be 165 F/74C at the thickest part. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover with foil.
• Add the remaining butter to the same skillet, let it melt then add the sliced mushrooms. When the mushrooms start to release water, add the garlic and Italian seasoning. Continue cooking until the water has evaporated. Remove the mushrooms from the pan—you can put them on the same plate as the chicken if you wish.
• Add the chicken stock, Dijon mustard and the lemon juice to the skillet. Let this reduce by 50%. Add the cream, stir well then add the chicken and mushrooms back to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes to heat through letting the cream reduce a bit— to the consistency of a thin gravy.

Notes

If you're using thinner, smaller chicken breasts, you'll need 6.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 538mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 717IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

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Juicy Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite cuts of pork since there’s so much you can do with it.

It can be either elegant like this stuffed and rolled one or every day and that makes it very versatile too. It’s for that reason that I always have at least one–but more often two–in my freezer at any one time.

I’ve done this tenderloin with a slightly Asian flavor because that’s one flavor of marinade that I am particularly fond of and it’s also a perennial favorite with most folks.

Prepping The Meat

Pork tenderloin comes in two pieces.

When you begin marinating it, leave it in the two separate pieces so the flavor can distribute evenly. After the marinating time is up, you tie the two pieces together so it resembles a roast. You’ll need some butcher’s twine–that’s the same string you truss chickens with, but any cotton heavy-duty string will do. My mom used to save the string they’d tie boxes with at the bakery for this purpose–she saved aluminum foil too but that’s another issue.

Tying the tenderloin up in roast form makes it so much easier to slice and the pieces will fuse together whilst cooking.

Mushrooms Or Not

This is an excellent way to use up any small amounts of fresh mushrooms you may have left over. I had about a cup of cremini mushrooms that I wanted to use so they ended up in this.

All you have to do is when the roast is done, set it on a plate and tent it to rest then in the same pan. toss in the mushrooms. Make sure to turn up the oven to 425F/220C and roast for 10-15 minutes. I think it makes a nice addition, but if you can’t stand mushrooms or don’t have any, they’re not a necessary part of the recipe.

The Recipe

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Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Easy and delicious

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Marinate8 hours hrs

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: marinades for pork, pork tenderloin recipes, preparing a pork tenderloin

Servings: 6

Calories: 262kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin
• Olive oil for drizzling

Marinade:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tbs honey
• 1 tbs rice vinegar
• 6 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tsp ginger
• 2 green onions chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Mix all the marinade ingredients together and pour in a large zipper freezer bag; place tenderloin in the bag, seal and marinate in the fridge overnight.
• Drain and discard marinade. Tie the 2 pieces of the tenderloin together with butcher twine or food-safe string to hold it together.
• Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Spray a large baking dish (13x9-inch is good) with non-stick spray or line with parchment. Place in the prepared pan.
• Bake for 1-1 1/4 hours or until internal temperature is 160F/70C. Remove from oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice in 1-inch/2.5cm slices.
• Serve with roasted mushrooms if desired (recipe in notes section)

Notes

While meat is resting, turn oven temperature up to 425F/220C and in the same pan you cooked the tenderloin in, add the mushrooms and toss to coat with the dripping. Roast for 10-15 minutes.

If you don't tie up the 2 pieces to form a "log" then reduce cooking time to 40 min (a clarification brought to my attention from a reader)

Nutrition

Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 781mg | Potassium: 503mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Marinated Pork Tenderloin appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Easy Gourmet

Do you have any chicken breasts in the freezer? If you do, you are lucky because for some reason, chicken is a hot commodity with all of us stay-at-homes who need to shop.

But if you’re lucky enough to have some–heck even thighs will do–this is a recipe where two chicken breasts will serve four people. That really helps if you’re trying to stretch your food budget during this difficult time.

This also lends itself to substitutions. Chicken saltimbocca is pretty much the same as chicken marsala, but for a couple of different ingredients.

Don’t Have Prosciutto?

Well, I don’t imagine too many people have that on hand. At least I don’t. It’s something I had to buy specifically to make this back when I did.

In this case, ham is a pretty good substitute. Prosciutto, also known as Parma Ham in UK, is just that–ham. However it is dry and not wet. Basically I find it to be more of a seasoning, much like anchovies. It’s very salty and if I eat it plain, all I can taste is salt, so use it sparingly.

In a pinch, crispy crumbled bacon will do. But if you don’t have any of these things, then leave it out. Trust me, it will still taste good.

The Other Stuff

Any recipe for this calls for fresh sage. If you have a windowsill garden and grow it, you’re all set. But if you don’t, use about 1/2 teaspoon of ground sage from the jar. Start with a small amount because sage is strong and overpowering. Too much will ruin the dish.

I always prefer to use fresh mushrooms, but nowadays, getting groceries is like fighting on the battlefield so if you have canned, then by all means use them. And yes, you can use stems and pieces if you don’t have button mushrooms.

Lastly, the wine. No marsala? No problem. Just substitute a sweetish white like moscato, a rose or white zinfandel.

The Recipe

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Chicken Saltimbocca

Dress up ordinary chicken!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Course: Chicken, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: chicken saltimbocca, chicken with mushrooms recipe, italian chicken recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 274kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves large size
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 8 oz button mushrooms
• 1/2 cup marsala wine
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 2 oz prosciutto optional but nice if you have it
• 2 tbs fresh sage chopped
• 2 tbs unsalted butter

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Place each piece between plastic wrap or wax paper and pound with a mallet until it’s 1/3-inch thick. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.
• Saute 2 pieces at a time in the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken.
• Cook the mushrooms in the same pan over high heat—about 5 minutes or until they start to brown. Add additional oil if necessary to prevent scorching.
• Deglaze the pan with the marsala wine and bring to a boil. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half-about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add the prosciutto, sage and butter. Add any additional salt and pepper at this time.
• Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Notes

Substitute 1/2 tsp ground sage for the fresh. Add a tad more if you like a strong sage flavor.

Ham or bacon may be substituted for the prosciutto.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 225mg | Potassium: 513mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 194IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

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