Pan-Seared Chicken with Cherry-Tarragon Sauce

So I went to my parents' house on Sunday to have dinner and fill my fridge with whatever they will let me take (which seems to have become a weekly tradition- oh grad school), and came home will a bag of once-frozen pitted cherries. I decided to find a recipe to combine those and the frozen chicken breasts I had in my freezer and came across a recipe from Better Homes and Garden. Of course I didn't follow the recipe exactly due to being cheap and not wanting to buy the proper ingredients- but I had basically the right stuff so I gave it a go! I was very pleasantly surprised! Turned out to be a delicious dinner and the only thing I would change next time was the type of rice I served it with (I didn't notice I made "Santa Fe" rice until it was too late!)

Ingredients: (click the link above for the proper ingredients) :)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 tsp ground mustard
2 boneless chicken breasts
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup cherries, pitted
2 Tbs tarragon
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbs butter
salt and pepper to taste
Serve with rice (or couscous, pasta, etc)

Instructions:
Combine flour, paprika, mustard, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl and coat chicken with the mixture.

In a skillet, heat the oil then cook the chicken for about 8 minutes until the center is no longer pink. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover to keep warm.

Add the cherries, tarragon and garlic to the skillet and saute for about a minute. Stir in the wine and chicken broth and simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce. Stir in butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the sauce and cherries over the chicken, serve with rice, garnish and ENJOY! 

Baked Egg Cups

I decided to try one of the many delicious-looking foods I had "pinned" on Pinterest. I found this recipe, courtesy of "The Simple Delights" (http://thesimpledelights.com/?p=246), for 100-calorie Baked Egg Cups. Not only is it a beautiful breakfast, but very easy to make!

Ingredients:

Thinly Sliced Ham (round)

I suggest having the deli specially slice it for you as packaged ham (like the type I used) is a little too thick.

Eggs

Green Onion

Salt

Pepper

Cheese (I used Parmesan)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray. Form the ham inside the pan to create a cup. Crack an egg inside the ham cup (careful not to break the yolk!), then top with salt and pepper.

Cook for about 12 minutes, or until the egg whites solidify but yolk is still runny. Remove from the oven and use a large spoon to easily remove each egg-ham cup from the pan.

Sprinkle with sliced green onions and cheese and Enjoy!

This recipe was very easy and can make any person look like a great cook! Perfect for a brunch. The best part is you can make a whole pan of them when cooking for others or just one or two for yourself!

Baked Pears with a Raspberry Compote and Walnut-Granola Crumble

This was the final course to our Christmas Eve dinner and the saying "We saved the best for last" couldn't have been more appropriate. This is Delicious!! A great dessert to serve for a dinner party because the prep work can be done ahead of time then about 35 minutes before serving, throw it in the oven!

We felt like iron chefs putting this dessert together! :)

Serves 6.

Baked Pear Ingredients:
1/3 cup apple juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. butter (unsalted)
3 pears (halved, cored, and peeled)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400.

Arrange pears cut side up in a 8-in square glass baking dish.

Whisk apple juice and sugar in small sauce pan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Whisk in butter. Pour sauce over the pears.

Bake about 35 minutes until pears are crisp-tender and begin to brown; baste with juice.

Serve with Vanilla Bean ice cream, Raspberry Compote and Walnut-Granola Crumble.


DELICIOUS!

Brie and Caramelized Onion Stuffed Chicken

My sisters and I decided to make dinner on Christmas Eve for the family. We decided on a four-course meal that featured this dish. Served with sauteed asparagus and risotto- this was a big hit!

Pictured with Waldorf Salad with marshmallows and cranberries.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups sliced onion
4 gloves garlic, thinly sliced
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 oz Brie Cheese (rind removed and cut into small pieces)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 skinned, bones chicken breast halves
2 Tbs mined onion
1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage (or 3/4 tsp. dry rubbed)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10 1/2 oz) can low-sodium chicken broth

Directions:
Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion; sauté 30 minutes or until golden brown. Add sliced garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup wine; cook 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Spoon onion mixture into a bowl; let cool. Stir in Brie, salt, and pepper.

Cut a horizontal slit through the thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the onion mixture into each pocket.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sauté 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from skillet. Set aside; keep warm.

Add 1/3 cup wine, minced onion, sage, and minced garlic to skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Stir in broth. Bring to a boil, and cook 7 minutes or until reduced to 3/4 cup. Return chicken to skillet; cover and simmer 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve sauce with chicken.

Garnish with fresh sage, if desired.

ENJOY!



Courtesy of: Cooking Light (http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/brie-and-caramelized-onion-stuffed-chicken-breasts-10000000234518/)