Lemon Garlic Chicken

As requested: a stovetop recipe. A friend of mine teaches English in Korea and requested more stovetop recipes because they don't have ovens in Korea! Or at least, not in her apartment.

This is one of my favourites - it's quick and easy to make, but you would never think it to taste it.......



Lemon Garlic Chicken
Serves 2

• 2 chicken breasts cut into thin strips
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 lemons, use zest of one lemon and use juices of both
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsbp chopped fresh parsely
• Salt and pepper

When cooking the chicken it is best to use a flat-bottomed, stainless steel, heavy skillet, rather than a non-stick pan, with a wooden spoon to properly deglaze the pan (it will taste better this way!)

Pour olive oil into the pan and heat at medium to medium high (remember, if your olive oil smokes - turn it down! It's too high. Olive oil smokes at 325°). Add onions, let cook for a few minutes, but not until browned. Add chicken, brown. (*note: do not overload the pan, or else the chicken will not brown. Cook in batches if necessary. Divide the onion so there's some in each batch).

Once chicken is browned (if you have done multiple batches you can throw it all in the pan at this point) add the juices of both lemons, the zest, and garlic. Turn the heat down to medium–low and let it bubble. Scrape up (or deglaze) all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with your wooden spoon (this whole process takes about 3-4 mins).

Remove from heat and add a little salt and pepper and the parsley, stir. You can reserve some zest and use it as a garnish.

And that's it! Pour all the contents of the pan (make SURE you get the juices!) and serve with wedges of lemon, crusty French bread or rice.

Enjoy!!

p.s. This dish is very worthy of being served with a nice wine. Serve with a zippy Sauvignon Blanc.

Rosy Mango and Coconut Milk Jello

This time it's elegant....

That's right - more jello! But this time it's virgin - that is, no booze! This jello creation is also much more elegant than shooters, making it a cheap and creative way to serve dessert for a dinner party or a romantic meal.



For this jello dish I used Mango jello and substituted the cup of cold water with a cup of coconut milk. Other variations could include sweetened condensed milk or cream. Use other jellos too - I think strawberry with cream would be divine, garnished with a fresh strawberry.



To jazz this up even more I added a couple drops (yes, only drops, it's potent) of rose water - so this jello really had an Eastern flair! Try to think of other additional flavours, I know not everyone has access to rose water (I got mine at Superstore). You could try almond, vanilla, lemon or orange extract, or orange water, the list goes on.

I picked a little mint from my garden to garnish. If I'd had some fresh mango it would have ended up on top too!
















Rosy Mango and Coconut Milk Jello:

• 1 pkg mango jello


• 1 cup boiling water


• 1 cup coconut milk


• a couple drops of rose water


• a sprig of mint for garnish


• And if you have them, clear serving dishes, so your eyes can enjoy the feast as well.

Dissolve jello in one cup of boiling water. Let cool a little, until warm. Add coconut milk and rosewater, stir. Pour into serving dishes and chill until set. And that's it! The mixture of coconut milk and jello separates - but this is part of the allure - the top is mousse like and the bottom is a nice clear jello. Food isn't only about taste, presentation goes a long way.

This is a nice refreshing dessert, not too heavy and just perfect for the last lingering days of summer.

Enjoy!

Jello Shooters

The Joys of Jello!

Well, I'm back from vacation and as promised I'm going to share a cabin favourite: jello shooters! These are a family favourite for parties - they really pack a punch! We have these so often that my dad said he can't even remember the last time he's had regular jello! Indeed, he even made a "jello shooter tree" which my parents decorate differently depending on the theme or holiday. He cut out 5 circles of styrofoam, each a little smaller than the first, the largest of which serves as the base, the smallest circle being the top. Then, depending on the occasion, decorate the tree!

However, the creativity doesn't stop there; just think about the myriad of possibilities there are when it comes to jello flavours and booze. Here's how you do it:

Jello Shooters

• 1 pkg jello
• 1/2 cup booze
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 cup boiling water

As per packet instructions, dissolve the jello crystals in the cup of boiling water. Next, add your booze and cold water. My mom is able to get paper medicine cups from a general supply store. I have not been able to find these (well, I haven't tried that hard!) so I use dixie cups. Next, pour your jello into the cups and chill until set.

Experiment with different flavour combinations, here are a few ideas: vodka & orange, white rum & strawberry, tequila & lime, melon liqueur & mango, malibu rum & pineapple, the list goes on.

If you have the inclination to be fancy, do it! Jazz up your
jello by piping some whipping cream on the top of each
shooter. My favourite idea is to make orange, lime or
lemon jello shooter wedges. Simply slice fruit in half,
spoon out the flesh, and pour in your prepared jello. Chill
until firmly set and cut into wedges - 3 from an orange and
2 if using a lemon or lime.

Try this recipe next time you are hosting a party, your guests will be sure to enjoy!