Homemade Chicken and Goat Cheese Ravioli

Do you ever have those ingredients you see in recipes and know how to work with, but you've never tried them before? I've always been intrigued by the art of the wonton wrapper but have never given them a try. Since I had some chicken that needed to be used, I decided to try a chicken and goat cheese ravioli-- and it turned out great! I checked out Gourmet to get tips on technique, and that's also where I got the idea to cook the finished ravioli in butter for a few minutes for added flavor :)

Homemade Chicken and Goat Cheese Ravioli

with Basil Pesto Cream Sauce

Ravioli

3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 cups soft goat cheese (I used basil and onion flavored)

1 cup part-skim ricotta

1/4 cup parmesan

1 lemon, zested and juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

40 medium sized wonton wrappers

Bread crumbs for dusting

3 tablespoons butter

16 ounces linguini

1 roma tomato, diced

Sauce

1/2 cup pinenuts, divided

2 cloves garlic

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups milk

Italian Salad

1 bag hearts of romaine

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal

1/4 thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons balsalmic vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

Start by cooking chicken in a large skillet until brown. Place in a large mixing bowl and add goat cheese, ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest (reserve juice for later) and salt and pepper- combine.

Place a large sheet of wax paper on the counter and lightly dust with breadcrumbs- have a glass of water on the side. Lay out 6 wantons and place a tablespoon size amount of the goat cheese mixture in the center of each. Dip your finger in the water and go around all 4 edges of each wonton. Bring together the 4 corners of the wonton and seal, pressing all sides to that there are no holes. Use additional water as needed. Continue process until all wontons are filled and sealed.

Cook wontons 3 at a time in a large salted pot of boiling water- about 3 minutes. While wontons are cooking, heat butter in a non stick skillet. Place cooked ravioli into butter to brown, about 3 minutes, then remove.

To make sauce, start by making pesto. Toast pinenuts in a skillet until lightly brown and aromatic. Place 1/4 cup pinenuts in a food processor, reserving the rest for later, with the garlic and pulse. Add basil, parmesan and salt and pepper and pulse. Keep food processor on and stream in olive oil until reaching desired consistency, usually about 1/4 cup.

Heat a medium sauce pan on medium low heat and melt butter. Whisk in flour and let cook about 1 minute. Add milk and stir often until sauce thickens to desired consistency, about 7-8 minutes. Stir in pesto and remove from heat.

Place another pot of water on to boil and cook linguini until aldente. Place equal amount of linguini on plates and top with tomato, remaining pine nuts and parmesan to taste. Place 5 pieces of ravioli on each plate and drizzle with pesto cream sauce.

To make salad, combine lettuce, carrots, onions, parmsan and salt and pepper in a large bowl and toss to combine. Stream in vinegar and olive oil and lemon juice (reserved from earlier) and toss and serve.

What is an ingredient that you've always wanted to try but haven't yet?

Macadamia Nut Crusted Chicken with Hawaiian Potato Skins

This was a really exciting meal inspired by my roommate Rachel. It came up that our roommate Luke had never had potato skins (gasp!), something I hoped to rectify. I had some pineapple leftover from my Hawaiian burgers, so we decided to try Hawaiian potato skins. I thought macadamia nut crusted chicken breasts would be a nice pair- and countered with the sweetness and heat of the chutney, it was the perfect combo.

Macadamia Nut Crusted Chicken with Pineapple Mango Chutney
Chicken
2 pounds chicken breasts
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup flour
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Chutney
3/4 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1 jalapeno, halved seeded and diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup rum
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Pound chicken breasts between plastic wrap until about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into thick strips. Place macadamia nuts in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Combine with breadcrumbs, cilantro and salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Place flour in a shallow dish as well.

Preheat a large skillet on medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Dredge chicken in flour, then in egg and finally in macadamia nut mixture and place in skillet, fitting 4-5 strips in the skillet. Cook about 4-5 minutes on each side and remove. Repeat with remaining chicken strips.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat and cook about 8 to 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with chicken.


Hawaiian Potato Skins
6 medium-sized baking potatoes
1/4 pound Canadian bacon
1 1/2 cup Mexican blend cheese
1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro
Sour cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse potatoes and stab with a fork a few times each. Wrap in foil and cook 1 hour. While potatoes cook, heat a small skillet on medium heat. Cut Canadian bacon into small pieces and crisp in skillet, 10 to 15 minutes. Combine bacon and cheese in a bowl and set aside. When potatoes are done, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the potatoes. Reserve for another use. Stuff each potato skin with some of the bacon/cheese mixture and top with pineapple and cilantro. Place back in oven and cook additional 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream on the side.

Hawaiian Hamburgers

This is a new creation that I was SO excited to try this weekend. Inspiration actually came from a few different places for this one. My friend Brittney loves making a version of this burger with her boyfriend, which reminded me that I absolutely love the Hawaiian Fajitas at Hula Hut (I get them every year for my birthday). I was excited to use a whole pineapple, I've never cut one before! It was actually really simple though and totally worth it.

Hawaiian Hamburgers

2 red bell peppers, halved, seeded and cut in strips, divided

1 red onion, diced, divided

1 poblano pepper, halved, seeded and cut in strips

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 large ears corn

1 pineapple, cut into 1/2 inch rings

2 pounds ground sirloin

1/4 cup cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

1 lime, zested and juiced

Sliced cheddar cheese

1 (6 ounce) can pineapple juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

6 kaiser rolls, sliced

Sliced tomato (optional)

First, fire up the grill. Combine red pepper, onion, poblano, salt and pepper and olive oil on a large sheet of foil, reserving 2 tablespoons each of red pepper and onion. Cook veggie mixture on the grill on foil about 20 minutes until soft. At the same time, cook corn on grill as well, in shuck, or wrapped in foil. Once veggies are removed, cook directly on grill about 5 minutes on each side, or until nice grill marks are formed.

While veggies are cooking, combine remaining peppers and onions, sirloin, cilantro, salt and pepper, lime juice and 1 tablespoon soy sauce and then form into 6 patties, about 1 inch thick. Cook on grill about 5-8 minutes on each side or until done. Top with cheddar cheese for last minute of cooking.

While burgers cook, combine remaining soy sauce, lime zest, pineapple juice and brown sugar in a sauce pan and simmer until reduced to about 1/3 cup. Place kaiser rolls on grill for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted.

For serving, place patty on kaiser roll with grilled pineapple, sauteed veggies, pineapple teryaki glaze and sliced tomato. Serve with grilled corn and grilled mango.

Fish Tacos with Poblano Avocado Sauce

A lot of the time my meals are inspired by the herbs I have on hand. I love cooking with fresh herbs and try to get the most use out of them as possible. I had some leftover cilantro which led to making a new sauce, poblano avocado sauce, a mix between a roasted pepper sauce and guacamole. The result was creamy and a little bit spicy, perfect for fish tacos!

Fish Tacos with Poblano Avocado Sauce
Sauce
1 poblano pepper
1/4 cup cilantro
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 large avocado
Tacos
1 pound tilapia
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake
Toppings
Tortillas
Shredded cabbage
1 roma tomato, diced
1 avocado, sliced
1 red bell pepper, halved, seeded and cut into strips
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

First, roast poblano pepper in the broiler for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Place in a ziplock bag for about 15 minutes. Remove stem and seeds and place in a food processor and pulse. Add cilantro and garlic and pulse again. Add cream and seasonings and pulse. Finally, add avocado and pulse until smooth. Place sauce in a bowl.

Heat up a nonstick skillet on medium high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Season tilapia with salt and pepper, cumin, and crushed red pepper flake. Cook on skillet about 4 minutes and flip, cooking about 4 minutes on other side or until done.

Assemble tacos by adding tilapia, toppings and desired amount of poblano avocado sauce. I served this with herbed basmati rice. Enjoy!

Apron Tackles Beer Can Chicken

Having not eaten red meat for half of my child hood, I grew up with a strong appreciation of chicken. Sadly, my knowledge was somewhat limited to boneless skinless chicken breast and the occasional wing. Since I've never made a whole chicken, it was a task I wanted to tackle. My coworker Eric is a grilling expert and recommended beer can chicken, a surefire way to make delicious, moist chicken with little effort. I must say the result was really delicious.

Beer Can Chicken

1 4-lb. chicken
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
2 tablespoons creole seasoning
1 can beer

First, start drinking the beer. You need about half a can for this recipe. Fire up the grill with coals on the left and right side, but don't put any in the center. In the meantime, remove the giblet and innards from the chicken. Then rinse inside and out with water and pat dry with paper towels.

Rub the chicken with the oil both inside and out. Combine the seasonings and thoroughly rub inside and out. Place the beer can right side up in side the chicken and then make the chicken stand up (kind of like a tripod with the beer can and two legs stabilizing it).

Place in the center of the grill and close the lid. Cook about 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until the chicken is 165 degrees. Note: don't open the lid of the grill unless necessary, as that causes you to lose heat and results in a longer cook time.

Luke, Rachel and I enjoyed our new hammock while the chicken cooked. My mom's dog Snickers enjoyed the nice afternoon weather as well.


I thought of purchasing a beer can chicken stand (they sell them at most grocery stores for about $7), but I figured this was one of those kitchen gadgets that wasn't really necessary. My chicken ended up taking a tumble in the grill sometime during the cook time, so I'll be purchasing a stand before my next attempt!

I served this with baked potatoes that I cooked directly on the coals (about 25-30 minutes) and a fruit salad consisting of mango, strawberries, grapes, peaches and blueberries.

Apron Adventures in the Austin American-Statesman

Apron Adventures and my Steak Salad with Roasted Red Pepper dressing made an appearance in The Austin American-Statesman food section on Wednesday. A huge thanks to Addie Broyles for taking an interest in my blog! Check it out here:

http://www.austin360.com/search/content/food_drink/stories/2008/09/0917fillerrecipe.html

I Love Crab Cakes

I do! I love crab cakes. So naturally, I try to make them as often as possible, and I play around with recipes I like to give them a special Lindsay twist. I really like the recipe from Cooking Light's April 2008 issue, but with some changes.

Crab Cakes with Roasted Vegetables and Tangy Butter Sauce

• Crab cakes:
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
• 1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• Cooking spray
• 
  Vegetables:
• 21 baby carrots (about 12 ounces)
• 5 small red potatoes, quartered (about 8 ounces)
• 4 medium shallots, halved lengthwise
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces haricots verts, trimmed
• 
  Sauce:
• 2/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons butter

Preparation

1. To prepare crab cakes, combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Gently fold in crabmeat. Gently stir in 3/4 cup panko. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

2. Divide crab mixture into 8 equal portions (about 1/2 cup each); shape each into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Place remaining 3/4 cup panko in a shallow dish. Working with 1 patty at a time, dredge in panko. Repeat procedure with the remaining patties and panko.

3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat both sides of crab cakes with cooking spray. Add 4 crab cakes to pan; cook 7 minutes. Carefully turn cakes over; cook 7 minutes or until golden. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, cooking spray, and remaining 4 crab cakes.

4. Preheat oven to 450°.

5. To prepare vegetables, leave root and 1-inch stem on carrots; scrub with a brush. Combine carrots, potatoes, and shallots in a small roasting pan. Coat vegetables with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Toss. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes, turning once. Coat haricots verts with cooking spray. Add haricots verts to vegetable mixture; toss. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

6. To prepare sauce, combine broth, shallots, and vinegar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 4 minutes); remove from heat. Stir in butter. Serve with crab cakes and vegetables.

Notes:
I added more panko and mayo to beef up the dish, and I also added about 1/2 of a red bell pepper to add some more texture and flavor. I used all of the sauce on the vegetable mixture, and then used the red pepper dressing from my steak salad as a sauce for the crab cakes, which was DELICIOUS.