Creamy Chicken Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Olives

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Olives

1 whole chicken, cut up (I used all dark meat)
1 stick unsalted butter, divided
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine, divided
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock (reserved from the chicken or canned)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup half and half
1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 large can pitted black olives, chopped
1 lb. thin spaghetti, broken in half

Place chicken in a pot of water and boil on medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool slightly. Keep broth in pot.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms, 1/4 cup of the white wine and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove mushrooms from skillet and set aside.
Bring broth to a boil. Add spaghetti pieces to boiling broth and cook to al dente. Remove the spaghetti from the pot reserving the broth. Remove meat from bones and shred until you have 2 to 3 cups of shredded chicken.
Return skillet to medium-low heat. Add remaining butter. Sprinkle flour into the melted butter, whisking to combine. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups broth whisking to combine. Pour in milk and half and half, the remaining 1/4 cup wine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until bubbly and thick. Turn off heat, add Romano cheese, and stir.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add mushrooms, chicken and chopped olives. Stir to combine. Season again if necessary. Add cooked spaghetti and stir.
Pour into a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, sprinkle with addition grated Romano and bake until golden brown and bubbly.

Recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman

Sitting Room...my favorite place to be.

I realized the other day that all of the pictures I have of the inside of the new house were taken with my phone. So I decided to take some with my camera. We have only been in the house for a short period of time (3 weeks today) so its still a work in progress.
I just happen to snap this picture of the sitting room as the sun was setting which, to my surprise, made for an awesome, almost fake looking picture. The room itself is very relaxing and peaceful. There is no TV inside...just the original stone fireplace which makes the room look like something out of a story book.

I still have much to do...hang the pictures of the wall above the table with the lamp, find a small area rug for under the table....but I figured I'd share anyway..LOL!

Sitting room of my home

Spaghetti with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Balsamic Drizzle

Spaghetti with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Balsamic Drizzle

1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, pushed thru a press
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, lightly crushed
2 pints cherry tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup balsamic glaze
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic is very light golden in color. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper; cover the pan and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tomatoes burst, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add the vinegar; reduce the heat to low and reduce for about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted, boiling water to al dente. Reserve about 2 cups of the starchy cooking water just before draining.
Break the tomatoes up a bit with a potato masher; add 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water and parsley to the pan, then toss with the drained spaghetti for 1 to 2 minutes, using a little more of the starchy cooking water to combine the sauce with pasta if necessary. Place the spaghetti into 4 shallow bowls. Add a small drizzle of the balsamic glaze and top with the Pecorino Romano cheese and serve.

Footnote - You can find balsamic glaze at any specialty food store. I found mine at Chef Central in Paramus.

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

Creamy Butter-Garlic Shrimp over Pasta

Creamy Butter-Garlic Shrimp over Pasta

8 oz. pasta
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups half-and-half
3 or 4 fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup good quality fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the butter and garlic until just fragrant and the butter has melted. Add the shrimp and saute for about 4 minutes or until the shrimp is opaque; remove shrimp from skillet. Add the half and half and bring to a boil; reduce heat, add the basil leaves and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, removing the basil leaves after about 8 or 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Add the shrimp back into the skillet.
Place pasta into a large serving bowl. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss well.

Kani Salad

Kani Salad

10 imitation crab sticks
3 to 4 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise
1 cucumber
2 tablespoons tobiko (flying fish roe)
1 scallion, green and white parts, sliced very thin

Shred the imitation crab sticks into very thin strips. Cut the cucumber into thin matchsticks the same size as the imitation crab strips. Place into a small bowl
Gently fold in the mayonnaise. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Top with the fish roe and sprinkle with the scallions.

Footnote - If you prefer your kani salad spicy, mix the mayonnaise with a little Sriracha.

Grilled Potato Salad

Grilled Potato Salad

6 Yukon gold potatoes, should be about 2 lbs.
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for grill
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1 cup celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 small large onion, finely diced
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
Juice from 1/2 a lemon

Preheat your grill to medium heat. Oil the grill grates well.
Slice the potatoes lengthwise into 3/4-inch thick slices. Place the potatoes in a bowl and add the oil, paprika and season with 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Toss to coat.
Place the potatoes on the grill and cook until slightly puffed and nicely golden brown on both sides, 20 to 30 minutes, flipping and repeating on the other side. Remove and allow to cool completely. Dice each potato slice into quarters.
In a large bowl, add the diced potatoes, celery, red onions and parsley.
In a medium bowl, add the sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons pepper and the lemon juice.
Fold the mayonnaise mixture into the potato mixture, cover and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes. Stir and add additional salt and pepper as needed.

Original recipe adapted from Guy Fieri

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream...no ice cream maker required!!

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

1 - 8 oz. package Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
3 graham crackers, honey or cinnamon, coarsely chopped

Beat the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream and lemon zest with a mixer on medium speed until well blended. Scrape it into a resealable container and freeze until almost solid, about 4 hours.
Blend the strawberries in a blender until smooth. Beat the frozen cream cheese mixture with the mixer until creamy. Add the strawberries to the cream cheese mixture along with the graham crumbs and stir with a spoon to combine. Return the ice cream to the resealable container and freeze until firm, about 8 hours or so.
Remove the ice cream from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving and let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Scoop and serve. I like to top with whipped cream and a few pinches of graham cracker crumbs.

Adapted from Spreadphilly.com

Filipino Chicken Adobo

Filipino Chicken Adobo

4 piece whole chicken legs
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 whole garlic bulb, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons corn starch
4 bay leaves
2 scallions, sliced thin, green parts only
Salt to taste

Bring the vinegar, soy sauce, water, bay leaves, peppercorns and 2 chopped cloves of garlic to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Lover heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Place chicken in a large bowl and pour marinate over the chicken; cover and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Remove chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Reheat the marinade. Heat the oil in a large deep-sided skillet. Sear the chicken on both sides. Add the remaining chopped garlic to the pan and fry it with the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes. Pour the marinade into the pan. Bring to a boil then let simmer for about 30 minutes. I usually taste it to see if it needs salt. Place the corn starch in a small bowl. Add a little water to make a paste. Add the paste to the pan and stir well. Continue to cook until the sauce has reduced slightly and has thickened up.
Serve the chicken over white rice (I buy my rice already made from the Chinese food restaurant. Not only does it save time, but it's 1 less pot to clean.)with some sauce and garnished with the scallions.

Ombre Glitter Nails...

Hello. My name is Arge and I am a Pinterest addict. LOL....
My newest project - pink ombre glitter nails.

Here is the how-to -

1 - Paint on your base color and allow it to dry between coats.
2 - Wait for your nails to dry.
3 - Cut off a small piece of a makeup sponge to use as your “brush”.
4 - Brush a small amount of your second nail polish onto your makeup sponge. (I used pink glitter polish...Sally Hanson Gem Crush in Razzle Dazzler).
5 - Carefully dab a very thin layer of the second polish on the tip of your nail. The trick is to use the second polish sparingly & make sure not to be too heavy handed with the application.
6 - Build more glitter at the tips of the nails by dabbing more glitter polish on, making sure to allow the first layer to dry before building on more glitter. You want most of the concentration of the glitter to be at the very tip of your nail
7 - Use a super-shiny fast-dry topcoat to finish your nails off...and you are done!

Rustic Apple Tart

Rustic Apple Tart

1 - 9-inch refrigerated pie crust
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 red or green apples, cored and sliced thin
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tub Cool Whip, thawed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a pie plate with the crust.
In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with the vanilla and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture in a 6-inch circle in the center.
In a separate bowl, toss apples with flour and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Spoon the apple mixture over the cream cheese. Fold the crust partially over the apples. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar and bake for 25 minutes, covering loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes. Cool and serve with Cool Whip.

Dirty Bedtime Story

Because I have been slacking on drink recipes....and I am feeling a bit flirty today....

Dirty Bedtime Story

1 fluid ounce amaretto
1 fluid ounce Irish cream
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons chocolate syrup

In a tall, thin glass, stir together the amaretto, Irish cream and milk. Mix in the chocolate syrup, add ice and serve.

The Best Guacamole Ever...well....at least in my opinion

So I have had this love affair with Rosa Mexicano's guacamole. For a while, I was convinced that they put crack or something in it because we would go on a Tuesday and by Wednesday night I would be talking Billy into going again on Thursday. So here is my take on guacamole from Rosa Mexicano.

Guacamole

3 ripe avocados, diced
1 to 2 tablespoons seeded, chopped jalapenos (depending on how spicy you want it...I leave some seeds in)
3 tablespoons diced tomatoes, seeded (you have to remove the seeds and the slime in the middle. I also dab the insides with a paper towel)
4 tablespoons diced red onion, divided
Salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional....I don't put it in because I don't like it..LOL)

Place the diced jalapeno, 2 tablespoons of diced red onion, salt and cilantro inside a molecajete. If you do not have one, a wooden bowl will work fine. Using the pestle (use a fork and the back of a wooden spoon if you don't have a pestle), mash until well blended and the ingredients start to form a paste. Add the diced avocados and gently fold into the jalapeno paste. Add the diced tomatoes and the last 2 tablespoons of the red onion and some additional salt. Gently mix again. I like my guacamole chunky so I don't really mash them up...but you can if you prefer smother guacamole. Serve with chips!

The Book Pages Wreath...

Finally made it!!!


For the tutorial...go to - www.livingwithlindsay.com

From Living with Lindsay...

So I was browsing Pinterest this weekend and I came across this website - www.livingwithlindsay.com.
She is the same women who posted the tutorial of my favorite wreath of all time...The Book Pages Wreath.
As I was looking around on her website, I found a tutorial for a beautiful initial wreath. So guess who made an initial wreath on Saturday??

Arge's "You'll think you died and went to heaven" Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Arge's "You'll think you died and went to heaven" Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cheesecake

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3-8oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
10 oz. dark chocolate, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3 oz. chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Cocoa powder, for garnish

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.
In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and 3 tablespoons sugar. Mix in the melted butter until the crumbs are evenly moist and clump together slightly. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly onto the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of the pan (to press, use plastic wrap or a flat-bottom measuring cup). Bake until the crust is fragrant and slightly darkened, 9 to 12 minutes. Let the pan cool on a rack. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, melted dark chocolate, flour and a pinch of salt on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the paddle frequently, until very smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure the cheese has no lumps. Add the 1 1/4 cups of sugar and continue beating until well blended and smooth.
Add the peanut butter and vanilla and beat until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until blended. (Don’t overbeat once the eggs have been added or the cheesecake will puff too much and crack as it cools.) Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top.
Bake at 300 degrees until the center jiggles like Jell-O when nudged, 55 to 65 minutes. The cake will be slightly puffed around the edges, and the center will still look moist. Set on a rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days.
In a small bowl, melt the 3 oz. chopped chocolate and the butter. Add the corn syrup and whisk until smooth. Unclasp and remove the side of the springform pan and run a long, thin metal spatula under the bottom crust of the cheesecake. Carefully slide the cake onto a flat serving plate. Pour the ganache on the cheesecake and spread evenly.
Garnish with cocoa powder sifted over the cake and serve immediately.

Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts, Sage Butter and Romano

Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts, Sage Butter and Romano

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
5 or 6 large fresh sage leaves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and ground white pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the squash, cut side down, in a large baking dish. Add about 1/2 cup salted water to the pan. Bake the squash for about 50 minutes or until you can easily pierce the flesh with a fork.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. After the foam subsides, add the sage leaves and cook about 2 to 3 minutes, until the leaves are slightly crispy and the butter is turning slightly brown. Remove from heat.
Scrape flesh of squash from the rind using a fork and place in a bowl. Pour the sage butter over the spaghetti squash. Add the pine nuts and Romano cheese; toss. Season with the salt and white pepper, toss again to combine. Serve immediately.

Orecchiette with Hot Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

I always said that the filling for my Stromboli Bread would be excellent on pasta.....and I was right.

Orecchiette with Hot Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

1 bunch broccoli rabe, I remove the stems and only use the top 4-inches
1 lb. orecchiette pasta
1/3 cup olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, pushed thru a press
Pinch of hot pepper flakes
Pinch of nutmeg
1 lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed
Salt
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped fresh mozzarella, optional

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli rabe. Cook for about 5 or 6 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the broccoli rabe from the pot to a strainer and run under cold water. Once broccoli rabe is cooled, gently squeeze to remove any excess water. Chop coarsely.
Bring the reserved cooking water back to a boil. Add the orecchiette and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into pieces with a fork, until browned and juices form, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic, nutmeg and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe and season with salt to taste. Toss the mixture well.
Add the pasta to the skillet. Add the Romano and Parmesan cheese moistening with the reserved pasta water as needed.
Place pasta into a large serving bowl. Toss with the fresh mozzarella and serve!

Could there possibly be a Guacamole God??

Last night, I sent Billy to the store to get bread for Lobster Rolls. He comes home and says - I have a present for you. Me, loving presents, couldn't wait to see what he had brought me. He puts his hand in the bag and pulls out GUACACHIPS!!!! Guacachips make me seriously believe that there is a Guacamole God. Guacachips look like Doritos...but they taste like guacamole. Ummm hello?? Could there be anything better???

The Food Foo Foo at Frankie's 457 in Brooklyn

So we FINALLY got to go back to Frankie's 457 this weekend and I am happy to report.....it is still one of my favorite places to eat.
We got there at around 3:00 in the afternoon. They were still serving brunch which made it a bit crowded but were were seated right away. Billy right away commented on the fact that they were playing Led Zeppelin which he thought was fantastic. Our table was small and in the back in front of a window facing the courtyard. It was snowing slightly which added to the entire experience and charm of the restaurant.
Our waiter came and took our drink orders...then appetizers. We ordered the spicy soppressata and fresh bufala mozzarella which came out with marinated olives, rustic bread and Frankie's own olive oil.
For lunch, Billy ordered the Sweet Sausage, Roasted Red Pepper & Onion Over Creamy Polenta and I ordered, (of course), the House-made Cavatelli with Faiccos Hot Sausage & Browned Sage Butter.
You know what....I don't even have words. Make your way over to Court Street in Brooklyn and check them out. Trust me...you won't be disappointed!




Frankie's Spuntino - Frankie's 457
457 Court Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
718.403.0033
www.frankiesspuntino.com

View from the park...

Yesterday, Billy and I went to Palisades Interstate Park in Fort Lee. There is this one spot where you get a beautiful view of the George Washington Bridge. LOL...you can see the shadow of my elbow in the lower left-hand corner.


Taken using Hipstamatic on my iPhone
2.26.12