Deux Maisons

The biggest problem with my favorite single-girl “meal” of triple cream brie, baguette and truffle oil is the leftover bread. (Calories don’t count for something as delicious as triple cream brie, so no, that is not a problem.) The brie can obviously be used for a million different uses later, but baguettes go stale quickly and after the second day it’s no longer worth trying to pretend it’s still good. (Also, stale bread calories are NOT worth it.) Enter panzanella. Crisped croutons soaked in tangy vinaigrette are a very, very good use of stale bread. And note to self, panzanella is also a good solution for weeks when you go crazy at Central Market Passport to France and end up with way more produce than you can possibly eat.

Late Spring Panzanella, serves 2-4

2 cups cubed wheat bread (I used a wheat baguette and chopped it small)
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1 small or 1/2 large shallot, sliced thinly on a mandoline
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup haricots verts, cut into 1 inch pieces (or thin green beans)
1 cup thin asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
8 radishes, sliced thinly on a mandoline
1/2 cup grated Cantal cheese (any mild, hard cheese would work)

Dressing:
juice of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon of champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon minced herbs (I used a combination of chives, marjoram and dill)
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add bread cubes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until golden and crispy. Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine shallots in a small bowl with vinegar, salt, sugar and about 1 cup of water. Let them sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will “quick pickle” them for a milder flavor.

Mix first four ingredients for dressing together, slowly whisk in oil. Set aside.

Steam asparagus and haricots verts for 2 minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain and place in an ice bath for a minute to stop the cooking. Drain again.

Combine pickled shallots (drained), asparagus, haricots verts, radishes, and cheese in a large bowl. If you’re preparing in advance, stop here.

When ready to compile salad, add the croutons and drizzle with dressing. Let sit for 15 minutes or more to let the dressing soak into the bread.

by Elizabeth

This is a “I really need to get some recent revelations off my chest” post, disguised as a “delicious recipe for non-boring chicken breasts” post. Delicious recipe for Artichoke Crusted Chicken below if you want to skip my rambling.

1. Pinterest can be infuriating. Apparently Sarah posted this recipe on her Pinterest page, but I didn’t see it. Now most of your probably think this isn’t a big deal, but I am an obsessive Pinterest checker. Like, I need to see every.single.thing. my friends pin, or I feel like I am missing out and my nosy soul might shrivel up and die. Also, I am actually very selective about who I follow on Pinterest because I don’t want my feed junked up with weird hairstyles or babies in costumes or red and black bridesmaid dresses – so I really do want to see everything my choice few pin. So Pinterest – whatever you’re doing in your weird computer programming world to only let certain pins show up on my feed, STOP IT. My friends have this problem too so I know I’m not the only one.

2. Which brings me to my next obvious realization. The importance of seeing your girlfriends in real life can not be underestimated. Checking up on them via gchat, facebook, texting, or pinterest (clearly pinterest), does not sustain a relationship forever. I laughed more last weekend with Sarah and Christina than I had in months. Much needed. Also, when you see your girlfriends in real life you talk about things like the aforementioned missing from Pinterest chicken recipe. You know, really important life changing issues.

3. We also talked a lot about Greek yogurt (I promise we’re actually fun people). I only became a Greek yogurt convert about six months ago. It always gewwed me out because I could never understand how the same yogurt could work for breakfast and as a mayo/sour cream replacement. The idea of eating a bowl of sour cream with blackberries in it really didn’t sit well with me. But I finally gave in and tried it, and I swear it’s a miracle food. It has tons (literally) of protein, no fat, low sugar, and no mystery ingredients (I eat Fage Plain 0%). In the morning I sweeten it up with fresh berries, a little honey and some low-sugar granola, and then for “real” meals I use it as a replacement for mayo or sour cream in certain foods (salad dressings, sauces, etc). Also, it makes tzatziki which is delicious on pretty much everything. I swapped it for mayo in the original recipe for this Artichoke Crusted Chicken, and I got fewer calories and extra protein with no taste difference. Win, win, win.

Artichoke Crusted Chicken, via SugarLaws

Serves 2

2 6-ounce chicken breasts, pounded flat to even thickness (1/2 inch or less)

Salt and pepper

Garlic powder

Paprika

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (or mayo)

1/4 cup chopped artichoke hearts (canned or frozen)

1/3 cup grated white cheddar cheese

1 green onion, minced

dash of cayenne pepper

dash of paprika

salt and pepper

Pound your chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap (prevents splatters). Sprinkle lightly on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet (or other oven-proof skillet). When hot but not yet smoking, place chicken breasts in skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through but not overdone.

Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl. When chicken is cooked, spoon mixture on top of each chicken breast. Place skillet under the broiler on high for 3 minutes. Watch carefully! Your broiler might take less time. Remove when the crust is lightly browned and melted.