Tag Archives | chicken

Chicken Madeira

By on June 27, 2011 in Making Dinner

Why are so many of us asking, “what’s for dinner tonight?”

My way of cooking is unique from anything on the market today and answers the question “what’s for dinner tonight?” with the answer- “What’s For Dinner This Week”. My signature recipes create healthy, delicious meals using my unique algorithm that plans and organizes family dinners to reduce waste while saving time at the grocery store and in the kitchen. The Weekly Meal Plans include menus, grocery shopping lists, cooking instructions with time and money saving techniques.

Subscribers to The Organized Cook know what’s for dinner this week and Chicken Madeira is at the top of the menu.

The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

Reincarnating The Leftover

Nobody likes to eat leftovers.  Last night’s London Broil may have been fabulous.  But, when you slap the label “leftover” on it, the appeal is lost.

Italy Meets London Broil from The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

Italy Meets London Broil from The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

However, when that same London Broil is reincarnated into Philly Cheese Steak Subs, you have a super simple and tasty dinner recipe.

 

 

Philly Cheese Steak Sub from The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

Philly Cheese Steak Sub from The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reusing Preparation Time

Another cooking technique I use to save tons of time is reusing my preparation time.  When I saute chicken breasts on Monday night for my gourmet Chicken Madeira, I saute a few extra diced chicken breasts to store for Green Coconut Chicken Curry.

Chicken Madeira from The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System

Chicken Madeira from The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

With just this one step I’ve saved myself cooking and preparation time later on the week.

 

Green Coconut Chicken Curry from The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

Green Coconut Chicken Curry from The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So what’s on your dinner menu this week?  Let The Organized Cook do the planning and organization for you.

Subscribe now.

The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

 

 

 

Email this to a Friend Email this to a Friend
Comments { 0 }

Cooking Under A Brick

By on June 13, 2011 in Making Dinner

Chicken Under A Brick

So why would you want to cook anything under a brick?  This was my question before I found out what it meant to cook chicken under a brick.

Basically, when chicken is cooked in a hot skillet with a heavy object on top of it (over foil, of course) it creates a really crispy exterior to the chicken while the interior remains juicy.

Chicken Under A Brick from The Organized Cook

Chicken Under A Brick from The Organized Cook

No, I don’t actually use a brick.  Although, I did the first time, and after making a special trip to the hardware store just to purchase one- sigh.

Actually, any heavy object will do.  What works best for me is to place the chicken in a heated skillet with oil and cover it with foil.  Then I place a slightly smaller cast-iron skillet on top of the foil to create the weight of a brick.  Try my Chicken Under A Brick Recipe below:

Toni’s Chicken Under A Brick Recipe

 

Reincarnating The Leftover

Here is what I love best about Chicken Under A Brick (other than the juicy flavor).  I cook more chicken than my family will eat- only a breast or two extra.  Then store the extra chicken in the refrigerator to pull out a couple nights later to chop up into my Spanish Paella.

Spanish Paella from The Organized Cook

Spanish Paella from The Organized Cook

Combined with a slightly-spicy chorizo and some shrimp, the chicken is now reincarnated into one of my family’s favorite dinners.  It’s one of my favorites too because it requires only one pan… and my favorite pan at that- the “paella”.

 

Spanish Paella from The Organized Cook

Spanish Paella from The Organized Cook

 

If you don’t have a paella pan, any large skillet that can be transferred to the oven will do.  No rubber handles, though.  If you’re in the market for a paella pan, check out my favorite paella pan below.

Paella Pan

16 Inch Large Paella Pan Lid on sale for $21.86

 

Spanish Saffron can be found in the grocery store and from stores like Trader Joe’s.  It can also be purchased in bulk.

Spanish Saffron

Spicy World Spanish Saffron Filaments, 1-Gram Acrylic Box (Pack of 3) $20.77

 

Chicken Under A Brick and Spanish Paella are both on the menu this week from The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System.  Still not sure “what’s for dinner tonight”?  Then ask yourself “what’s for dinner this week” and let The Organized Cook do the planning for you.

Weekly Meal Plan from The Organized Cook

Weekly Meal Plan from The Organized Cook

 

 

 

 

 

Email this to a Friend Email this to a Friend
Comments { 1 }

Chicken Lettuce Wraps At Home

By on May 25, 2011 in Making Dinner

Chicken Lettuce Wraps are probably my most favorite meal during the warm months.  For years I enjoyed these carb-less entrees only at restaurants until I created a recipe to make it simple to cook at home.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps by The Organized Cook

Chicken Lettuce Wraps by The Organized Cook

 

Not only was I able to create an easy recipe, I was also able to incorporate it into my Weekly Meal Plan System.  For subscribers to The Organized Cook, this is what’s on the menu this week.

I will admit it took me about a half dozen times to get the sauce right.  Too much rice wine vinegar can spoil a perfectly good chicken lettuce wrap.

Here’s the brilliant thing.  For my Asian Noodle Soup to serve alongside this easy dish, I used leftover cooked spaghetti.  This soup doesn’t look “leftover” to you, does it?  Of course not!  It’s been “reincarnated”.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps in The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System

Chicken Lettuce Wraps in The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System

The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

 

Email this to a Friend Email this to a Friend
Comments { 0 }

Who Doesn’t Love Fried Chicken?

By on May 17, 2011 in Making Dinner

Well- besides my vegan friend- who doesn’t love fried chicken?

For subscribers to The Organized Cook, Ranch Fried Chicken is what’s on the menu this week and it’s a family favorite for me.

Ranch Fried Chicken by The Organized Cook

Ranch Fried Chicken by The Organized Cook

Doing something as simple as adding ranch dressing mix to the flour coating can make a classic meal like fried chicken something to talk about.  This week’s menu is all about the classics:

The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

Kid Favorites

This week’s menu is both healthy and kid friendly with items like fried chicken, quesadillas and pot pie.  Making dinnertime fun for kids is the trick I find to help get them out of ruts.  Dress up chili with bowls of fun things for them to garnish:

Kid Friendly Chili by The Organized Cook

Kid Friendly Chili

Shredded Cheese The Organized Cook

Garnish Chili with Shredded Cheese

Goldfish Crackers The Organized Cook

Whole Grain Goldfish Crackers

 

And, for all you vegetarians out there…. stuffed pasta shells.

Helping Hands In The Kitchen

Stuffed Pasta Shells is another perfect meal that’s easy for kids to help.  My girls love to help me in the kitchen, and sometimes it feels like more work finding something for them to do.  At 7 and 5-years old, stuffing pasta shells with cheese mixture is easy and fun.  I enjoy sharing my passion for cooking with them.

Stuffed Pasta Shell by The Organized Cook

Stuffed Pasta Shell by The Organized Cook

Stuffed Pasta Shell by The Organized Cook

Stuffed Pasta Shell by The Organized Cook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reincarnating The Leftover

What to do…. what to do… with that leftover fried chicken.  Using a simple technique I like to call “reincarnating the leftover“, that leftover Ranch Fried Chicken- with a little help from my good friend, frozen puff pastry- is now reincarnated into Chicken Pot Pie.  Every time I say or hear “chicken pot pie”, I either hear that chicken from the movie Chicken Run say (in Brittish accent), “I don’t want to be a pie.”  Or, I (depending on who is around) immediately say, “chicken pot pie and I don’t care”…. I’m not sure why, but I can’t help it.

Chicken Pot Pie by The Organized Cook

Chicken Pot Pie by The Organized Cook

Saving Money on Family Dinners

This week’s Weekly Meal Plan will only cost you about $90 in groceries- that’s without sales or coupons.  I would love to hear back from my readers who cooked this week’s menu about how much they spent on groceries with this week’s shopping list.  Just leave a comment below, or email me at toni@tonispilsbury.com, or on Facebook.

 

Subscribe to The Organized Cook

It’s not too late to get this week’s Weekly Meal Plan.  Subscribe now to The Organized Cook.  Remember, you can cancel at any time, but you won’t want to- it’s that good.

The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan

 

 

Email this to a Friend Email this to a Friend
Comments { 0 }