Lemon Tree Chicken with Fettuccine Alfredo

Greetings Blog-lings,

Well another week has passed and another scrumptious dish has been made. Truth be told I made this two weeks ago, but hey, pictures don't go bad.  This recipe is a family favorite and is one of the first "real" meals I learned to make. 

For this recipe you will need:

Lemon Tree Chicken:

• 4 WHOLE CHICKEN BREASTS
• I TSP. SALT
• 1/2 TSP. PEPPER
• 3/4 CUP FLOUR
• 1/2 STICK OF BUTTER
• I TSP. GRATED LEMON PEEL
• 2 TBS. LEMON JUICE
• 2 TBS. DRY WHITE WINE
• 1/2 CUP HALF & HALF OR CREAM
• 4 to 6 slices of Swiss cheese. 

Salt and pepper your chicken and then dredge it in flour.  Brown the chicken in butter for about 4 to 5 minutes per side.  Remove the chicken and add the rind, lemon juice, and wine to the pan. Heat up these ingredients and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove the brown bits.  Return the chicken to the pan and cover, simmering for at least five minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and place in a broil proof pan.  The trick is that you want the chicken to fit as tightly as possible so the cream sauce doesn't drip off.  Add the cream to the frying pan and cook/stir until bubbly.  Then pour the cream over the chicken.  Place the Swiss cheese on top of the chicken and broil until brown.  Pay close attention so that you don't burn the cheese. 

Again ** THE TRICK: YOU MUST USE THE CORRECT SIZE OF PAN SO THE CHICKEN
FITS TIGHTLY - SO THE CHEESE AND CREAM STAY ON TOP FOR
BROWNING.** Failure to do so will result in mediocre Lemon Tree Chicken.


Fettuccine Alfredo

• 1 POUND PASTA (Fettuccine, or linguine) must be a flat noodle
• 1 stick of buffer (1/4 of a pound)
• 1/2 cup of grated cheese (Parmesan, or Romano or some of each)
• 1/4 cup of half& half (cream and milk) if no cream available can use milk
• 2 eggs

Using a hand mixer (if not available, use a whisk) fluff the softened butter, add the eggs, one at a time, and beat in.  Gradually add the half&half, be sure to mix it in thoroughly. Gradually add in the grated cheese and mix in until all parts are combined. You can definitely use more cheese/Cream (I certainly did and received no complaints).  Add the sauce to your freshly cooked pasta and toss it to coat. 

And there you have it. Lemon Tree Chicken (On our fancy new china, if you didn't notice).  Same bad cell phone photo, but the same tasty food as the rest of the blog.  Let me know what you think in the comments section.  This certainly isn't a healthy dish, so I don't wanna hear about that. 

Slow Cooker Pork Tacos

Greetings Readers,

This past weekend I ventured someplace I've never really dared to venture before; the Pork cooler. Pork, the other white meat, has long frightened me in the kitchen, but alas it has no sway over me no more.

For this recipe you will need a slow cooker, obviously, and the following ingredients:

2 cups store-bought salsa, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 2.5-pound boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
18 corn or flour tortillas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 lime, cut into wedges

Combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa powder, and salt in the slow cooker. Since I didn't have any unsweetened cocoa powder I used regular, but omitted 1/2 a tablespoon to compensate. After stirring ingredients in the slow cooker, place the pork in the cooker and turn to coat, ensuring all sides are covered in the sauce. Cook the pork for 4 to 5 hours on high, or 7 to 8 hours on low (I cooked mine on low). Heat your tortillas in the oven or lightly brown them in oil in a pan for an even better taste. Serve your tacos garnished with fresh cilantro, fresh salsa, cheese, and a squeeze of fresh lime.


(Photo courtesy of Becky Reed)

Overall my first foray into pork was a success.  If I were to make these again, and I will, I would try it with unsweetened cocoa powder, and I might add a chili pepper or two to the cooker to add a little more kick to the meat.

Don't forget to tell your friends about my blog, and to check back often for more great recipes.

Recipe from http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pulled-pork-tacos-00000000008021/