Let the Free Market Decide

Remember that little graphic I posted a few days ago about why salads cost more than Big Macs?

"...My pie in the sky dream is to end subsidies for agribusiness and end subsidies for animal production and basically let the free market decide the cost of a pound of beef and a pound of chicken. If there were no subsidies for beef, a pound of beef would cost around $25, and if every aspect of animal production wasn't subsidized, a family of four going to McDonald's for a quick meal would spend $75. So really it's like the silver bullet that fixes the problem. And I would almost think it would make for interesting bedfellows, where you might even get some libertarian Tea Party people to talk about ending giving subsidies to animal production. But then again, not to be too inflammatory, but thus far every single person in the Tea Party is a raving lunatic, so I don't expect them to join our cause any time soon."

-- Moby, author of Gristle: From Factory Farms to Food Safety (emphasis mine)

Amen, Moby. It thrills me to just imagine it.

My First Post / Cashew Chicken

My first post over at The Jew & The Carrot, that is!

I just posted my recipe for Cashew Chicken, which I have to say is really delicious and easy to make. When I start to crave Chinese food (which is often), I grab my trusty iron skillet and some eco-kosher chicken and whip out this recipe.

I am so thrilled to be blogging over at The Carrot -- it's a really wonderful blog and I'm so honored to be a part of it. I had to screw up my courage and get over my intimidation that everyone else blogging over there was "more Jewish" than I am and had "more eco-kosher" food cred than I do. So I just posted my recipe and now I'm a long way over that intimidation. Someone even left a comment! :-)

Dena's Cashew Chicken & Snow Peas

I am lucky enough to live in Eugene, Oregon. I’ve got it pretty good here – great weather, great outdoors, great Jewish community, great abundance of local organic food. But Chinese food? Not so much here in Eugene.

As a Bay Area transplant, I crave Chinese food. I often feel like I literally NEED it. After months searching for something that would quench my Chinese food tastebuds – and realizing that to keep my version of kosher (which is eco-kosher: less about what is and what is not treyf and more about eating only meat that is ideally organic and pasture-raised – and if not, is absolutely free-range, never given hormones or antibiotics, and was humanely slaughtered) – I came to the conclusion that I’d have to make it myself. For both taste and my personal kashrut reasons. Which is some kind of a life lesson right there, I’m sure.

I stumbled upon a recipe for Cashew Chicken from the inimitable Martha Stewart and decided to give it a whirl – and my own flair. And to tell the truth, it is delicious and happily graces our Friday night Shabbat table pretty often.

Read more...

A Passover Feast with Bubbe Winston

The last time I was in San Francisco, my dear friend Winston had a little surprise in store for me: a preview of a Pesach (Passover) feast!

Knowing I am on my path of conversion to Judaism -- and knowing I don't have a Jewish grandmother of my own to teach me her secret recipe for matzoh ball soup and other Jewish culinary delights -- Winston decided to play bubbe and share his love of Jewish food and culture with me.

Boy, am I a lucky girl. Today, I'm sharing with you almost all of it -- I'll post his amazing flourless dessert tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Bubbe Winston's Pesach/Passover Feast (minus dessert)

Now remember: Passover is the holiday when, according to the wonderful JewFAQ, Jews remove all "chametz (leaven) from our homes. This commemorates the fact that the Jews leaving Egypt were in a hurry, and did not have time to let their bread rise. It is also a symbolic way of removing the 'puffiness' (arrogance, pride) from our souls."

Because Passover is the commemoration of the Jews' exodus from Egypt and slavery. The word for Egypt in Hebrew is mitzrayim, which also happens to be the word for "the narrow places." So we're contemplating not just the historic exodus from Egypt, but our own personal coming through and out of our own personal narrows. DEEP.

Spring Matzoh Ball Soup

Matzoh Balls
2 eggs
1/4 cup seltzer
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch fresh dill
salt and pepper
1/2 cup whole-wheat matzoh meal

Soup
1 quart home-made or store-bought chicken broth
1 boneless, skinned chicken breast
Mix of asparagus, zucchini, carrots, fresh shitakes, fresh ginger, lemon
Salt and pepper

Rinse, stem, and loosely chop dill; reserve some for serving.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until they are pale and frothy. Add seltzer, olive oil, and dill; season and mix well. Add matzoh meal and mix well, cover, and refrigerate at least one hour to overnight.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Oil or wet your hands and form very small, loose ½” balls (they will at least double in size). Gently drop matzoh balls directly into boiling water and cook for 15 minutes or until they all float to the surface. Taste one for doneness. Rinse original bowl, and use slotted spoon to remove matzoh balls and reserve in bowl.

Empty pot and place stock and chicken breast in pot and bring to a boil; lower to a simmer for 10 minutes. Thinly slice asparagus diagonally, and thinly julienne zucchini, carrots, shitakes, ginger, and lemon peel. Slice lemon wedges for serving.

Check chicken breast for doneness and remove and cool. Add vegetables and peel to the broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Thinly slice chicken and add with matzoh balls to re-warm briefly and serve with dill garnish and lemon wedges.

Will serve 4-6 people.







Minimalist Latkes
Because these have no eggs or flour, they are also fine for Pesach.

2 large russet potatoes
6 scallion bulbs
1 shallot
salt and pepper
olive oil

Either by hand: grate potatoes, cut scallions into 3” lengths and thinly slice, and peel and thinly slice shallot; or use feeding chute and grating attachment on food processor to grate halved potatoes, 3” lengths of scallion, and peeled shallot.

Season well and mix together in large bowl and let sit for at least half hour to allow potatoes to release their starch—that starch is what holds these latkes together. Heat olive oil at a depth of 1/8” in a cast-iron pan until shimmering. Set oven to 200’ and line an oven-safe platter with parchment paper and paper toweling.

Mix potato mixture again, and use a stainless steel fork to place about a tablespoon of mixture in the oil and use the fork to spread out into a lacy pattern; do not crowd pan. Use spatula and fork together to turn when golden and to transfer to oven until ready to eat. Add oil and heat before adding new mixture. Serve with applesauce and Greek-style yoghurt.

Yields approximately four dozen latkes.







Coleslaw

½ head red cabbage (or green, or savoy, or any combination)
1 carrot
1 pear (or apple, peach, mango, papaya, according to season or availability)
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Greek-style yoghurt
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon honey

Core and finely slice cabbage, grate carrot, and core and julienne pear. Mix in large bowl, salt and pepper well, and add remaining ingredients and mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight; toss, taste,and adjust before serving.



Don't forget: dessert tomorrow! Yum yum.

Company Dinner

Once in a while I will come up with a recipe from scratch, without any help, on my own. Sometimes those recipes turn out okay, sometimes not-so-much, and sometimes they are really great.

A few weeks ago, the muse of delicious food was clearly sitting on my shoulder. This recipe is easy, quick, and makes a weeknight supper seem special. You could easily serve this when company comes over and impress everyone.

(Does anyone else remember that term from childhood books? I seem to remember reading some book that MUST have been written in the 50's about a girl named Betsy* who got married and when she and her husband moved in together after their honeymoon, he invited his boss over, and Betsy was so glad that her mother had taught her to "make one good chicken dish for company - that will become your company dinner." WTF, right? Somehow that stuck with me. Scary.)

Anyway....this could be your company dinner. It's definitely going into my repertoire.



Dena's Company Dinner (aka Dijon-Caper Chicken Cutlets)

- Chicken cutlets (as many cutlets as people you're serving -- ie, 2 cutlets for 2 people.) (A note about cutlets: you can easily make your own, or ask your butcher to cut them for you: just take a boneless, skinless chicken breast that has been in the freezer for ~15 minutes and slice it in half, horizontally and length-wise. Ie, hold your knife parallel to the cutting board and run it through the breast to make two much thinner breasts.)
- 1 cup (or so) good quality dry white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc
- 2 tbsp (or so - can you tell I eyeball this recipe?) dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp-ish lemon juice
- capers to taste (lately I've been using caper berries, which are delicious!)
- 2 tbsp-ish olive oil

Salt and pepper the chicken cutlets on one side.

Heat the olive oil in a not-nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Let it get good and hot and shimmery. Then add the cutlets to the pan, salt-&-pepper side down. Once they're in the pan, don't move them! You want them to get a nice little saute crust. Meanwhile, salt and pepper the side facing up.

Let them cook for about 3 minutes per side, depending on how thin they are and how hot your stove gets. Check on them when they're done with the second side by cutting a small slit to make sure they're cooked through.

Cook them in batches if you need to -- you don't want to crowd the pan!

When they're cooked through, remove them from the pan but don't turn the heat off! Add the wine and begin scraping up the fond (aka the yummy brown bits at the bottom) with a spatula as you deglaze the pan.

Let the wine reduce a bit, then add the lemon juice and mustard. Stir and whisk together; let simmer for a minute or so. Add capers, then turn off heat.

Pour sauce over cutlets and enjoy a gourmet meal. Delish.

I like to serve these with Winston's Roasted Cauliflower or sauteed kale and some roasted baby potatoes.



And oh yeah! This is National Delurking Week! Please come out of the quiet readership and leave a comment! :-)


* OMG I found the Betsy book. Best part of the review: "But as Betsy discovers, marriage isn't all candlelight, kisses, and roses. There's cooking, ironing, and budgeting as well--not to mention forging her career as a writer! For Betsy, the writing part comes naturally, but cooking is another matter. It's even harder than algebra--and much messier." Good god. Where did I find this to read?

My Favorite Thanksgiving Food Network Special

Hands-down, it is Paula Deen's Southern Thanksgiving episode from 2005.

And apparently the people over at the Food Network know how special this Special is, because they re-play it every year.

I've already set our DVR to record it -- run out and set yours now, too! (Only two more showings left, my friends! Nov 20, 2008 @ 3:00 AM ET and Nov 23, 2008 @ 4:00 PM ET!)

You do NOT want to miss Paula and the boys cooking up the most insanely un-healthy-looking meal of all time. How does this family not have diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart attacks every day?!?

And you really, really do not want to miss hearing Paula say "sweet potato balls!" over and over. That line is a classic in our house, no matter the season.

Plus you get to see her make a turducken, which...holy moly has there ever been a weirder and yet awesomer idea for a dish? I thought it was an urban myth until not too long ago. And then I saw Paula make hers and WOW. Just wow. It is real. Very real. If any of you out there have ever made one, I want to know: does it really turn out like hers does? Can you really just carve into it and get a helping of tur, duc, and ken all in one?

My brother has been obsessed with turducken for quite some time. Maybe this is your year to GO FOR IT, bro. Seriously. If you make one, I want pictures!

I also love how she sneaks bites from all her dishes, including her pies, and covers it up with icing or a strategically placed garnish. That is so me.

Spa Dinner

As I mentioned in my menu plan for this week, we had a "Spa Dinner" last night. Which really has nothing to do with a spa or a spa diet other than I for some reason associate curried chicken salad with spa fare. That with artichokes and you're practically wrapped in a towel in the steam room.

As promised, here is my recipe for the super easy and really delicious Curried Chicken Salad. This is a great spring dinner and makes excellent lunch leftovers. I got the inspiration from Epicurious and then made it my own from there. Feel free to do the same!

Dena's Curried Chicken Salad

2 boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain organic yogurt
4-5 teaspoons good quality curry powder, depending on how you like it
Juice from 1 lime
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 medium organic red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
Half a large, firm, crisp organic apple (like a Fuji or a Granny Smith), chopped
1/2 cup salted roasted organic cashews, roughly chopped

Bring enough water to cover both chicken breasts to boil in a saucepan. Add chicken and simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cover, then let stand until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate and let cool, about 10 minutes. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

While chicken is cooling, whisk together mayo, yogurt, curry, lime juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken, onion, apple, and cashews and stir gently to combine.

I like to add raisins in on occasion, or use fresh organic grapes instead of apple, depending on the season and my mood.

As for the gorgeous and delicious artichokes, a brilliant step-by-step tutorial on how to make them (it's easy) is here on one of my fave food blogs, Citymama. I serve it with a simple garlic aioli -- combine mayo with finely minced garlic, add some lemon juice, and voila: you're instantly fancy.

To roast asparagus: preheat oven to 350F. Cut off ends, about 2-3 inches from bottom depending on their tenderness. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss asparagus with extra virgin olive oil, plenty of salt and pepper, and chopped garlic. Pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy your version of Spa Dinner!

Dinner Tonight and other musings

Tonight we're having Sesame-Soy Chicken and Kale. Hubby's getting some quinoa on the side.

I am not, because....looooong story, but the short version is that I have been put on an Absolutely No Refined Sugar or Carbs diet for one month. (Including no lactose -- only yogurt and hard cheeses for me for this month!) After which I'll be able to add in some sugars (like other forms of dairy) and some carbs (like my beloved quinoa). But I won't really ever be able to eat refined sugars or white flours like I wish I could.

Why? Because of a medical condition, which is very similar to being pre-diabetic. And sugars, in all their forms (including lactose), are hormone disruptors. So: no sugars. Though happily, I can have honey and agave, since they do not cause blood sugar to spike like other sugars do. Thank goodness.

When they say "sugar addiction," they're not kidding. That addiction is real! Of course all that I currently crave is bread and cookies. And cake. Ah well.

Dena's Sesame-Soy Chicken Breasts

Chicken Breasts
1/4 cup Soy Sauce or Tamari
1/8 cup Sesame Oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup Sesame Seeds, toasted (toast on pan in oven or toaster oven til they are fragrant but not too long or they will burn!)

Pre-heat oven to 400F. Mix soy sauce and sesame oil in baking pan; marinate chicken in soy sauce mixture for 5-20 minutes (whatever you have time for), turning every so often. Sprinkle chicken breasts liberally with toasted sesame seeds.

Roast for 30-35 minutes, remove, and enjoy.

My First Chanukkah

Last night was the first night of Chanukkah. As someone studying to convert to Judaism, it was my first one that I celebrated for me. In high school, I went to a friend's house for their Chanukkah celebration a few times, which was great and I loved it, but that was for and about them. This was the first time Chanukkah felt like it was mine, too.

So to celebrate in style, I wanted to do it right, with a proper Chanukkah dinner after we lit the candles. Given that Chanukkah is a "festival of lights," a celebration of the miracle of the drop of oil that should have lasted one night but lasted eight instead, traditional Chanukkah food is all about oil. And dairy, to commemorate Judith, who got Holofernes drunk and full on wine and cheese before she beheaded him. (As a former Art History major, the subject of Judith and Holofernes was one that was done by some of my very favorite artists. And I never knew what the story was until now!)

The Menu:

• Potato Latkes with applesauce and sour cream


• Broccoli with Crispy Shallots


• Garlic-Lemon Roast Chicken Breasts

So.... as you know, I was looking for recipes to make my own potato latkes. Well, friends, not only did I not receive any, the ones I found online looked great, but a little over my head to make for the first time on a school night. So I went with my standby -- you may not believe, you may cringe, you may say "oy vey" -- Trader Joe's frozen latkes. And I am not kidding, they are actually really pretty good! They're not the BEST latkes I've ever had, but they are far, far from the worst, and they are tasty if you fry them up in some oil in a skillet. They're not homemade, and they're not made by me from scratch, but they worked. I commit to working on my own potato latke recipe for next year.

I also made an adaptation of the fantastic French Green Beans with Crispy Shallots recipe I recently discovered. Since my market had no french green beans this week, I mixed it up and made it with broccoli instead. It was still delicious. I think I prefer the green beans, but I love broccoli and let's face it: crispy shallots and a dijon-lemon dressing make anything taste phenomenal.

Here are my shallots crisping up in oil, making this a perfect Chanukkah dish:

As for the chicken, I marinated boneless, skinless breasts in a garlic-lemon-herb concoction and popped them into a 400-degree oven for 40 minutes. Easy peasy. I made everything else while they were roasting.

For dessert, hubby and I shared a doughnut, as doughnuts are another traditional Chanukkah food, being fried in oil and all. We also nibbled on some delicious Gruyere cheese in honor of dear Judith, and of course, no celebratory Chanukkah table is complete without Manischewitz. For my first Chanukkah, I wanted to go classic, so I had to have the Manischewitz. Besides, it'll keep in my cupboard forever.

All around, it was a lovely first Chanukkah celebration. Hubby and I had a great time. And boy was the food yummy!

Zoe's Bachelor Dinners

One of my very best friends in the whole world, Zoe, has graciously responded to my call for quick and easy recipes with her very favorite go-to meals, which most definitely fall under the Bachelor Dinner category. And this one's a two-fer! I quote verbatim below.

(And no, she's not kidding. This is really how she's always eaten for as long as I've known her, which at this point is going on 13 years.)

Zoe's notes: honestly, it's usually popcorn! for real. mmm.

a few ways i like my popcorn:

• canola oil and kernels in pan on stove - then add sea salt


• airpopped, with lots of butter and salt


• laziest of all: microwave mmm.


• south beach alternative? edamame, sea salt...

sometimes, chicken smashed thin, dipped in egg, panko crumb things, olive oil all pan fried up. mmmm.

Robin's Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala

Remember my friend Robin? There is a reason she's one of my food heroes. She's a tester for America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated! Did I tell you or did I tell you.

Turns out she was inspired to make homemade Indian food last week, too, but her recipe is...well, let's just say there's no jarred simmer sauces involved. Her recipe sounds delicious, so I'm sharing it here on what has turned out to be Indian Food Monday.

Robin's Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala

Robin's note: I tested Chicken Tikka Masala for Cook's Illustrated and although it doesn't match the restaurant version, it's still damn good and 2 lbs. of chicken means you are not fighting over the 8 skimpy pieces take-out places usually serve you. Make the whole friggin batch because it makes good lunches for the next day....

This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.

INGREDIENTS
Chicken Tikka
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala (see note above)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

See Illustrations at Cook's Illustrated for Chicken Tikka Masala

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

Moroccan Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew with Quinoa

As predicted in my menu plan for the week, last night I made a new recipe for the first time: taking a cue from my Everyday Food magazine, I made Moroccan Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew. They suggested putting it over cous cous, but I opted for quinoa instead.

It was delicious. I'll definitely be making this one again, with some tweaks for the future. Hubby doesn't love sweet food, so I'll be lowering the amount of cinnamon, and we both think garlic makes everything better, so I'll be adding that in next time.

This is a perfect hearty autumn meal. It seemed very Halloween-appropriate, too, given its stunning orange colors.

Dena's Twist on Moroccan Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew with Quinoa

Serves 4

1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 piece fresh ginger (2 inches long), peeled
1 cinnamon stick
1 32 oz. carton reduced-sodium, low fat chicken broth
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound total), cut into 1-inch chunks
2 pinches ground coriander
2 pinches ground cumin
Pinch of curry powder
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups quinoa
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish (optional - hubby doesn't like cilantro so we skipped this, but I can see how it'd be yummy)

Place flour in a wide, shallow bowl. Season chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in flour, shaking off excess. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken, and cook in batches until browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.

Add onion, ginger, and cinnamon to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and pinches of seasonings, and as much broth as needed to cover sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Return chicken to pot when a few minutes are left so as to cook it all the way through and let it absorb flavors. Discard ginger and cinnamon. Stir in lemon juice, and season stew with salt and pepper.

While stew is simmering, prepare quinoa: rinse quinoa under running water. Combine 3 cups water (I use chicken stock to give it that nice rich flavor – low sodium and low fat, of course) and 2 cups rinsed quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Serve chicken stew over quinoa, garnished with cilantro, if desired.

Andrea's White Wine Chicken and Pasta

So far, I am loving this blog because I am getting some great dinner ideas from folks! A friend of ours, Andrea, who is of Italian descent and grew up in San Antonio (so she's got GREAT food in her background!), submitted this recipe, which I am dying to try. It's one of her go-to meals -- you know, the meals you make when you need dinner to happen quickly but also deliciously.


Andrea's White Wine Chicken and Pasta

Andrea's notes: I threw all of these ingredients in a pan one night in hopes of making a different recipe. After getting half-way down the ingredient list, I realized I was missing an ingredient (even though I was so sure I had everything I needed to begin with). The modified result wasn't too shabby. It's simple, quick, and can be as flavorful as desired, so it's something everyone can enjoy.

Ingredients: chicken breasts, pasta, white wine, garlic, oregano, parsley, ground pepper

Step 1:
On medium heat, warm 1 or 2 cups (depending on how many servings you desire) of your favorite white wine (something smooth, not incredibly fruity so that you avoid blending contrasting herbs with fruit. One of my favorites is a 2003 Andretti Estate Chardonnay. It has a low alcohol taste. Andretti is very crisp and light. I'm sure you could also do this with a dry wine or a red wine of choice).

2. Add crushed garlic and season to taste with oregano, parsley, and fresh ground pepper.

3. Add in chicken breasts and turn as needed. Keep on medium heat so as not to boil/thicken the wine.

4. Bring a pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook until al dente .

5. Once the chicken is done (for me, this is about 12 -15 minutes), pour wine sauce and chicken over pasta.

Goal: as the chicken cooks, it will absorb the wine creating a moist, flavorful chicken.

Considerations:
Serve with bread and side salad. Use whole-wheat pasta, or organic ingredients including a semi-organic wine.