La Maison de LeBlanc: cooking

So I love my new house and with that comes more cooking!! Here's what I've been cooking up!

William-Sonoma's Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

Serves 4

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons olive oil

salt & pepper

For the sauce

1 shallot, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

salt & pepper

Place a large baking dish in the oven and preheat to 150F. We''ll be using it to keep the chicken warm while we make the sauce.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Use a meat pounder to lightly pound the breasts to an even thickness of around a 1/2 inch or you can purchase the thin sliced breasts from the store. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and melt the butter with the oil. When the foam begins to subside, add the chicken breasts and cook, being careful not to crowd the pan (do them in batches if you need to), until just beginning to brown, roughly 2 minutes. (If the chicken is thicker than 1/2 an inch it will obviously take longer to brown.) Turn the chicken over and cook, around 2-2 1/2 minutes, until firm. With a sharp knife, cut a small slit in the middle of the thickest piece and make sure there is no sign of pinkness. Transfer the chicken breasts to the baking dish in the oven.

Now on to the sauce!

Return the pan to medium-low heat and add the shallot. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about a minute. Add the wine and raise the heat to medium-high. Simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up the tasty bits from both the bottom and sides of the pan. Keep stirring until the wine has reduced to about 2 tablespoons. This should take around 3 minutes. Stir in the cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, and then simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 1-2 minutes.Turn off the heat (if using an electric stove, remove from the element) and whisk in the mustard until smooth. Take the chicken breasts out of the oven and place one on each plate. Top with a couple spoonfuls of the sauce and serve at once.

Pasta A La Betsy (via the Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

3/4 pounds Penne Pasta
1 pound Shrimp
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Onion (small)
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 cup White Wine, Or To Taste
1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
1 cup Heavy Cream
Fresh Parsley, to taste
Fresh Basil - To Taste
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Cook the penne pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente.

Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1 pound of extra large shrimp. Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Now, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite –sized pieces and set aside.

Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic.
In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your white wine. Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would rather not use wine, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead (about ½ cup).

Now add an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.

Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil, or if you’re feeling very proper, chiffonaded.

Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.

This is the most delishous soup I've ever made and we have it ALL the time.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (via Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1-½ teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup Diced Onion
¼ cups Diced Green Bell Pepper
¼ cups Red Bell Pepper
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 cups Hot Water
2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained
3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
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FOR THE GARNISHES:
Sour Cream
Diced Avocado
Diced Red Onion
Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)