Cafe Rio Chicken

I hate to admit it, but I've started to use Pinterest and now I like it more and more!  As I stalk the pages/boards that my friends create I frequently come across some yummy ideas!  I saw this online last week and decided that if I was going to sit and salivate in front of my computer then I may as well try the recipes I pin!  Cafe Rio chicken (http://mandysrecipebox.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/cafe-rio-chicken.html) was really easy and to be honest, when it's almost 100 degrees outside the thought of turning on the HOT oven is not appealing!  Frank actually made this recipe for us while I was at work...shhhhh...

2 lbs chicken breasts

1 C. Zesty Italian dressing

1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 pkt ranch dressing mix (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)*

1/2 Tbsp. chili powder

1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin

 

Place everything in the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5-6 hours.  

*Note: Frank is not a fan of Mexican food (unless he is in Mexico) and this has been a hit this week!  He gave it a 7 out of 10 and said it only needed to be spicier!  We've made pulled chicken tacos this week and I bet it would be tasty on a taco salad, enchilada casserole, or quesadillas.  It almost reminds me of Carla's Cuban turkey, minus the citrus.  

Esperamos que disfrute de!

(Healthier) Fried Chicken Salad

We have to give credit to Rocco Dispirito for this - we saw this on the Food Network and thought that it would be fun to try for lunch - the short version is that this was GREAT! 

Ingredients:

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 quarts Canola oil (we were supposed to use grape seed oil but it was too expensive)
1 TB diced feta cheese
4 TB olive oil
2 TB balsamic vinegar
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Ground black pepper
2 1/4 tablespoons Goya Adobo seasoning
2 egg whites
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
2 cups rough cut green leaf lettuce
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 ripe Hass avocado

The salad is the easy part here -cut things up and mix the salad, without the olive oil and vinegar, and set aside.  The chicken should be trimmed and quartered then laid flat on a plate.  Cover with a paper towel and microwave for 1:30.  Remove from microwave, flip and rotate the chicken pieces so that the ones in the middle are placed on the edge of the plate (they should be the least cooked) and then re-cover and microwave for an additional 1:30.  Start heating the oil to 375.

Beat the egg whites until they are very foamy and mix the Adobo seasoning, paprika, and flour. Once the Canola oil is heated, toss the chicken in the egg whites and then in the flour / seasoning mix, drop in the hot oil for about 30 seconds - remove and drain on a paper towel.  The chicken will come out crispy and moist (nearly flash fried)... we were supposed to use grape seed oil and cook at 400 for about 12 seconds, but we didn't want to spend the $20 it would have cost to buy the oil!  FYI - we cooked the chicken in two batches. 

Once the chicken is ready, place on the salad and then mix the oil and balsamic dressing over it all.  We added some fresh ground pepper and this was REALLY TASTY!  (if you have lime, try some on this as well)

We hope you enjoy - Rach and Matt

Catch of the Day

One of the best restaurants in Athens, The Last Resort, has a daily feature they call the "Catch in parchment".  I decided to make my own version tonight wrapped in tin foil.  The grocery had some fresh grouper filets on sale this week and I quickly grabbed up 2 of them yesterday!  Here's what I did to them:

1 grouper filet (1/2 a pound)
fresh lemon slices
garlic powder
onion powder
salt & pepper
about 1/8 cup of chicken stock
Italian seasoning
1 tsp of butter

Tear off a large sheet of tin foil and spray with non-stick spray.  Place the filet in the center and top with all of the seasonings, butter, and 3 slices of lemon.  Pour in the chicken stock and seal it up on the sides and on the top.  (It will look like a little tin foil boat!)  Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 for 20 minutes. 
*If you have a bottle of white wine open it would be great to add a splash of it to the fish rather than the stock*