Watermelon Martini

Last summer, my friend, Erika, and I sampled a delicious watermelon martini at a local restaurant.  It was so delicious and refreshing that I knew I needed to find a recipe to make myself.  That night, I googled and searched (not to be redundant) everywhere for the perfect recipe.  All the while, I ended up coming up with something that was better than the original.

Just to be helpful, I went ahead and did the math for multiple recipes (in case you're extremely thirsty). The easiest method for getting the watermelon juice is to cut the watermelon in chunks then throw it into the blender.  I didn't like the texture of the pulp, so I strained it several times after blending it.  Also, simple syrup is just 1 part water to 1 part sugar and boil for a few minutes. If you want your beverage to be a little sweeter, use Rose's Lime juice instead of regular lime juice.

Watermelon Martini

½ cup watermelon juice

1 oz. vodka

1 oz. watermelon pucker

½ oz. simple syrup

½ oz. lime juice

Watermelon pieces for garnish

2 Watermelon Martinis

1 cup watermelon juice

¼ cup vodka (plain or watermelon)

¼ cup watermelon pucker

2 Tbs. simple syrup

2 Tbs. lime juice

Watermelon pieces for garnish

4 Watermelon Martinis

2 cups watermelon juice

½ cup vodka (plain or watermelon)

½ cup watermelon pucker

¼ cup simple syrup

¼ cup lime juice

Watermelon pieces for garnish

Drink responsibly and never drink and drive.  Enjoy!!

Comments welcomed!

Baked Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy

Several weeks ago, my friend, Shelly, came over to cook dinner (because she's just generous like that). It was a delicious pork chop that was baked. I don't really like mushrooms, but this was just absolutely delicious and very irresistible. The mushrooms in the cream of mushroom soup are diced so the texture didn't bother me very much. The next time I make this recipe, I might try the Golden Mushroom soup instead of Cream of Mushroom. The Golden Mushroom adds a hint of tomato which I think will make the gravy have a little more zing. Be sure not to overdo cooking the pork chops when you're browning them in the skillet. This could make them tough. When finished, you should be able to eat them with just a fork (no knife required).

Baked Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy

6 pork chops (or fewer)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. seasoning salt

2 eggs, beaten

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups Italian bread crumbs

4 Tbs. olive oil

1 10.75 oz. Cream of Mushroom Soup

½ cup milk

1/3 cup white wine

Preheat oven to 350º F. Rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with garlic powder and seasoning salt to taste. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, dip in the egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the pork chops 5 minutes per side, or until the breading appears well browned. Transfer the chops to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and cover with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. While baking, combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk and white wine in a medium bowl. After the pork chops have baked for an hour, cover them with the soup mixture. Replace foil, and bake for another 30 minutes.

When Shelly made this for me, we had mashed potatoes and sauteed zucchini. In the picture, you'll see that I made green beans for this meal. Try with whatever side you like and I'm sure you'll enjoy.

Comments welcomed!

Layered Turtle Cheesecake

It has been over a year since my last post and I am going to revive The Orange Skillet.  I have really missed how it inspired me to find new dishes to share with everyone.  In the last year, I have found a few new dishes that I have made and I will begin by sharing some of those.  The most recent was a turtle cheesecake that I made for a few friends.  It was well-received and quite possibly the best cheesecake I've ever tasted. 

A word to the wise, make sure every dish in your kitchen is clean when  you begin making this recipe because you're about to dirty many of them and you don't want to overwhelm yourself.  Also, make sure you read through the ingredients and the directions several times.  There is nothing worse than getting into a recipe of this nature and not having exactly what you need.  As far as equipment, you'll need a 9" spring form pan, roasting pan (the spring form pan has to be able to fit inside of the roasting pan, a deep cookie sheet will also work), 18" aluminum foil (I used and doubled 12", but 18" would be easier), food processor (for the pecans in the crust), and an electric mixer.

Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to complete this recipe.  The cheesecake needs to be prepared the day before you want to serve it.  It needs to be refrigerated overnight before you make the ganache.  Also, allow yourself time on the day you wish to serve it so you can prepare the ganache and then refrigerate the cheesecake for at least another hour before serving.

Layered Turtle Cheesecake

Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup finely chopped pecans

6 Tbs. cold butter, cubed

Filling

4 pkg. 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup plus 1 tsp. all-purpose flour, divided

2 Tbs. heavy whipping cream

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

4 eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup milk chocolate chips, melted and cooled*

¼ cup caramel ice cream topping

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Ganache

½ cup milk chocolate chips

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

2 Tbs. chopped pecans

Additional caramel ice cream topping, optional

 

Directions

Place a greased 9-in. spring form pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and pecans; cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 12-15 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

*Make sure you have melted and cooled the chocolate chips for the filling by this point.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Beat in ¼ cup flour, cream and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Remove 1 cup batter to a small bowl; stir in melted chocolate. Spread over crust.

   

In another bowl, mix caramel topping and remaining flour; stir in pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls over chocolate batter. Top with remaining batter. Place spring form pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.

Bake at 325° for 75 to 90 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove spring form pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.

For ganache, place chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chips; whisk until smooth. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally.

Remove sides of spring form pan. Spread ganache over cheesecake; sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate until set. If desired, drizzle a slice of cheesecake with additional caramel topping just before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

If you are not sure about a cheesecake that has this many steps, I will also post the recipe for a plain cheesecake later on.  Also, a tip for cutting a slice, make sure you use a clean knife with every cut (just wipe it clean with a paper towel). This recipe isn't incredibly difficult, but it does require patience and time.  I hope you enjoy!!

Chicken Breast with Capers and Artichoke Hearts

I love artichokes! Artichokes are a very useful food.  They lend flavor and texture to a variety of different dishes.  One of my absolute favorite recipes is the Spinach and Artichoke dip that I got from the Olive Garden website.  I have since modified that recipe so that I do not have to buy Marscarpone Cheese, but still very delicious.  In this recipe, the artichokes add more than texture to the dish.  They had a very distinct flavor. I also love how the capers interact with the artichokes to give flavor.  In some previous recipes, I have substituted chopped green olives for capers, but I wouldn't make that substitute for this one.  They're just too important to the overall flavor of the dish.  This dish isn't for everyone, but we really loved it.

Chicken Breast with Capers and Artichoke Hearts

1 cup whole wheat or white flour

½ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper, or to taste

1/8 tsp. black pepper, or to taste

2 lbs chicken breast tenderloins or strips

2 Tbs. canola oil

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups chicken broth

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 12 oz jar quartered marinated artichoke hearts, w/liquid

¼ cup capers

2 Tbs. butter

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Combine flour, salt, and white and black peppers. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour and shake off excess. Heat canola oil and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown on both sides, and no longer pink on the inside; set aside. Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve the caramelized bits. Add artichoke hearts and capers, return to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half. Whisk butter into sauce until melted. Place cooked chicken back into pan, and simmer in the sauce for a few minutes to reheat. Serve on a platter sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley.

If you think you might be interested, give it a shot.  I wish I would have used angel hair pasta or rice, but Spaghetti was all I had on hand for some reason.  Maybe next time.  I hope you enjoy!!

Italian Crusted Chicken with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

This dish is sort of inspired by an appetizer. It's a mixture between bruschetta and caprese. Instead of toasted bread I used breaded chicken tenders.  It's a great way to stretch a few chicken breasts between some additional people.  If you find yourself with only three chicken breasts, but four people to feed, pound out those chicken breasts and cut them into strips.  Sliced mozzarella might be easier than shredded.  It would probably stay put on the chicken slightly better. The fresher the mozzarella, the better. If, for some reason, you decide to make this recipe (and you definitely should because it's delicious) do not put the prepared baking sheet into the oven until just before you're ready to serve.  You want them to be fresh right out of the oven.

Italian Crusted Chicken with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 egg

1 cup bread crumbs

2 Tbs. olive oil, or as needed

1 pound chicken tenders

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 can stewed tomatoes (w/ liquid)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

10 fresh basil leaves

1 small onion, chopped

salt and black pepper to taste

mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together the flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, beat the egg. Place the bread crumbs into a third bowl.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Dip each chicken tender into the seasoned flour, then into the egg; roll in crumbs. Pan fry the chicken tenders until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken pieces to a baking sheet.

Heat 2 Tbs. olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and stir in the tomatoes, garlic, basil, onion, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Reduce heat and simmer the tomato sauce until it starts to thicken, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Spoon about 1 Tbs. of sauce over each chicken piece; top with a half piece of mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes.

Definitely try this recipe!  It was very delicious.  I think this recipe could also make a great appetizer.  Cut the chicken breasts into smaller bits and cut your tomatoes up just a little.  Enjoy!!

Chicken Scarpariello

It's been a while since I've cooked or posted any new recipes.  When I went looking for something to post as I return from my little 'blogging vacation' I wanted to find something that didn't have a high fat content.  While this dish isn't really healthy, it definitely isn't laced with cheese and other fatty foods that I love. I felt this dish was very tasty.  I would've made a few changes, however.  I would have pounded out the chicken breasts.  I also would have browned them on a higher temperature before first removing them from heat.  I would then cut the temperature down while reducing the wine sauce.  I feel that chicken is much better when cooked at a lower temperature for a longer period of time.  I'll adjust the recipe that I post to reflect the changes that I would make.

Chicken Scarpariello

1 ¼ lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts

3 Tbs. all-purpose flour

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 tsp. butter

2 Tbs. shallots, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup water

½ cup white wine

1 cube chicken bouillon

½ tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

¼ tsp. salt

1 pinch ground black pepper

Cut chicken breasts into 1 x 3 inch strips, and dredge in flour. In 10 inch skillet, heat oil and butter (on medium-high heat). Add chicken. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides (3 to 4 minutes). Using tongs, remove chicken from skillet and reduce heat to medium. Set aside and keep warm. Add shallots and garlic to the skillet. Sauté until softened (1 minute). Add water, wine, bouillon, and seasonings. Mix well. Cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced by ½ (3 to 4 minutes). Return chicken to skillet, and cook until sauce is thick and chicken is heated through (2 to 3 minutes).

Add a delicious side of green beans and pasta and enjoy!

Hiatus

I'm really sorry that I haven't been posting lately. I have been involvednwith two musicals that have been taking up a large portion of my time. I will give you something to look forward to, though. I am hoping to find some great recipes for the outdoor chef. See you soon!!