Friday, December 5, 2008

~Rachel Ray Recipe Recommedation

Try saying THAT 5x fast! ~Rachel Ray Recipe Recommedation~Rachel Ray Recipe Recommedation~Rachel Ray Recipe Recommedation~Rachel Ray Recipe Recommedation~Rachel Ray Recipe Recommedation
Rachel made this recipe on the show Wednesday, It looked yummy and I had all the ingredients here so I gave it a test run last night. Yummmmy! And it smelled heavenly! I highly recommend this one. So do Duane and Cody. I love my boys! They totally don't mind that I'm always experimenting in the kitchen, and they usually eat & like my creations too :-) Now Courtney on the other hand.........she's not willing to try much-she's too much like me at her age. I didn't try much (even coffee!) until I was about 30!!! Now that I'm a coffee addict and killed all my tastebuds, I eat all sorts of crazy things :-) I add spinich, edamame, sweet potatoes or flaxseed to anything I can. I added emamame to this recipe too-it just seemed to need a little more color. who would think butternut squash, dates and chicken go together?......not me!!! But it works. Try it!

Baking the butternut squash
simmering the chicken and spices
the finished product and almond citrus couscous

eatin' time!!!!!!


Spicy Chicken with Dates and Butternut Squash
Ingredients
1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), seeded, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)l, divided
Salt and ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs, chopped
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
12 dried pitted dates, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup cilantro or flat leaf parsley leaves (a large handful), roughly chopped
Preparation
Pre-heat oven to 400ºF. Arrange the squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat and roast in the hot oven until tender, about 30 minutes.While the squash is working, place a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the chicken to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown and almost cooked through, 6-7 minutes.Add the onion, dates, spices, bay leaf and cinnamon stick to the pan, and continue cooking until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the pan and cook for about 1 minute. Add the stock to the pan and bring up to a bubble. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened and dates are plump, 5-6 minutes.Remove and discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick from the stew. Stir in the roasted butternut squash. Garnish with the cilantro or parsley and serve with Citrus Couscous alongside.
Citrus Couscous

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup slivered almonds
2 cups chicken stock
Zest of 1 lemon or orange
2 cups couscous
Preparation
Place a medium saucepan over medium heat with the butter. Add the nuts to the melted butter and toast until golden brown, 4-5 minutes.Add the stock and zest of the lemon or orange to pot and bring the liquid up to a bubble. Stir in the couscous, cover the pan and remove from heat. Let couscous sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve. *add more liquid if needed, mine was a lil dry.

2 comments:

angie {the arthur clan} said...

You'll swear on a stack of Bibles that it really tastes good?? Because I would have never imagined those ingredients together...but you make it look good at the end.

I might just have to try that sometime!

Rue said...

Hi Lori :)

That looks really really good. I'll have to make it sometime when Rich is gone, because he wouldn't eat it for all the tea in china. He's such a meat and potatoes Ohio boy LOL I have to say he's been pretty good putting up with this California girls idea of food though ;)

It looks like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I love that picture of your family praying. It gave me goosebumps.

Have a great weekend!
rue