Dinner #2: Feta Cheese Crustini, Chicken Cacciatore & Mint Strawberry Shortcake with Fresh Cream Sauce

Step 1 -- Appetizer: Feta Cheese and Bacon Crustini

Ingredients:
Mini French Roll Sliced in ½ Inch Slices
Bacon
Fresh ground pepper
Crumbled Feta Cheese
Olive Oil





Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut mini-French bread loaf into about 8 even slices about ½” thick. Brush each slice with olive oil. In a separate pan, fry 4 slices of bacon until it is crisp but not overcooked. Place bacon on paper towel to cool and to drain. Immediately sprinkle each piece of bacon with fresh ground black pepper. Place pieces of French bread in a shallow oven pan and place in oven until firm but not too toasted – about 5 minutes. Take out of the oven and sprinkle each piece evenly covering French bread pieces with crumbles feta cheese. Cut each piece of bacon in half. Place one piece of bacon on top o each piece of bread with feta cheese on it. Place back in the oven and bake for 5-6 min until cheese melts. Take out of the oven, allow to cool for 3 minutes and serve.

Step 2 -- Main Course: Chicken Caccatori

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
5 large mushrooms, cut into pieces
1 bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 cup pasta sauce (I used mushroom flavored)
½ tsp basil leaves
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp crushed red pepper (use more if you like it a little spicy)
¼ c dry red wine
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 TB Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Sprinkle chicken with basil, oregano and red pepper. Pour the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 3 minutes until browned. Add the bell pepper and mushrooms and simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the pasta sauce and wine and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Step 3 -- Dessert: Mint Strawberry Shortcake with Fresh Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
½ pound of Fresh Strawberries
1/8 cup raw sugar
1 Tb Fresh Mint, finely chopped
½ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
2 slices of Angel Food Cake

Directions:

Wash and slice strawberries. Place strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with a little bit of sugar. Chop fresh mint finely and stir into strawberries. In a separate bowl, add heavy whipping cream, remaining sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix with an electric hand mixer until thick. Place slices of Angel Food Cake on a plate. Spoon a generous portions of strawberries over the cake and top with fresh cream sauce.

Our First Feast for Two: Lemon Garlic Romain Salad, Poulets Grilles A La Diable & Fresh Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

A word before we get started: The purpose of this blog is to enjoy and to experience foods which can be shared on a smaller scale. The writers, Suzy & Brian, share not only a love of food, but also really enjoy spending time in the kitchen together preparing and experimenting on these meals. Each meal is meant to be shared in groups: an appetizer, a main course and a dessert. When possible, please buy locally and organic if possible. It makes all the difference not only in your cooking but also to the environment and our health.

Step 1 -- Appetizer: Romaine Lettuce Salad with Light Lemon and Garlic Olive Oil Dressing

Ingredients:
1 Head of Romaine Lettuce
1 regular sized lemon (you don't need the mammothed sized lemon some grocery stores now sell.)
3 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Minced Cloves of Garlic (not through a press)
1 Teaspoon of Crushed Black Pepper
A pinch of Salt to Taste
2 Tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

This recipe is our own invention, although something similar has been done many times by many other people. The ingredients are classic and fresh. This is a really fun and fresh dish and ideal for a date night. The idea behind this salad is to really get in and get your hands dirty. First, thoroughly wash the head of Romaine Lettuce. Then pat the leaves dry and put in a salad spinner to get all the excess water off the leaves. When the excess water is removed from the leaves, tear the leaves by hand into small bite sized pieces. Place them in a bowl. In a different and smaller bowl, take the lemon and squeeze the juice out. Be sure and remove the seeds. Then, take all the rest of the ingredients and mix them together. Pour the delicious sauce over the Romaine Lettuce pieces and blend well with your hands. Viola!

Step 2 -- Main Course -- Poulets Grilles A La Diable (Chicken Broiled with Mustard, Herbs & Bread Crumbs)

Ingredients:
Two Chicken Breasts: Ideally Free Range and Veg. Fed
3 Tb softened butter
Salt
3 Tb prepared mustard of the strong Dijon type
3 Tb finely minced shallots or green onions
1/8 tsp Fresh basil
1/8 tsp pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup of Italian Style Bread Crumbs
A broiling pan with rack

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees. Wash both of the chicken breasts and place them in a baking pan which you have rubbed with a little bit of butter. Place the chicken breasts in the oven for five minutes, then remove. The idea is just to get them warm. Rub a little bit of melted butter on each of the chicken breasts and then coat them in Italian Style Bread Crumbs. Place the chicken breasts back into the baking pan and put them back the oven. In a small bowl, mix the chopped shallots, basil, pepper, Dijon Mustard, salt and softened butter together. Open the oven and evenly distribute the mixture across each of the chicken breasts by dropping little spoonfuls on each one. Continue to bake until chicken breasts are done, about 10 minutes. This meal will not disappoint!

Step 3 -- Dessert -- Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose four
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions:

This recipe makes lots of great cookies. Our suggestions is to make the cookie dough, then divide it in thirds. Freeze 2/3 in separate bags and freeze for another night. We got this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa, "Back to Basics" cookbook, but we changed it up a little. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pecans on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes. Chop the pecans. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together. You can use an electric mixer but it worked fine for me to blend by hand. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together into a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Pour in the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix. I used a large tablespoon to scoop the cookie mix into about 2 inch cookies. Leave enough room between cookies because they will expand a little. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, and enjoy!