PEACHES & BACON!!! A beautiful Summer Salad

Peaches & Bacon Salad

& 16 Health Benefits of Peaches!

Great summer salad with a ridiculous amount of nutrition (read article below!) and perfect for the summer! Not to mention it’s tastes Gorgeous!

Mixed greens with Arugula

Peaches -sliced

Bacon -cut (not crunchy)

Chopped Shallots

Chopped Oregano

Balsamic Glaze ( reduce for 15 minutes, add a teaspoon of honey and pinch of salt)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper.

16 Health Benefits of Peaches

By: Diana Herrington

Peaches have been grown for centuries. They were first cultivated in China where they are considered a symbol of immortality and friendship.

I consider them a key powerfood along with staples like apples and pears. I just wish they were available longer!

16 Ways Peaches Fortify Your Health

1. Peaches are the perfect snack food for losing weight. A peach makes you feel full and keeps you from overeating. The bonus: one peach only contains about 35-50 calories and no fat!

2. Fight obesity-related diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Peaches are rich in phytochemicals called phenols that act as antioxidants.

3. Keep the skin healthy. Vitamin A and C make peaches a great natural moisturizer; they’re often used in cosmetics. These vitamins can help regenerate skin tissue.

4. Reduce hair loss with its positive effect on the scalp.

5. A healthy stress-reliever that helps reduce anxiety. Peaches are often referred to as the ‘Fruit of Calmness’ in Hungary.

6.  Helps prevent cancer with selenium — a mineral with antioxidant properties that may help protect cells from damage.

7. Peaches can help remove worms from the intestines.

8. Have a diuretic effect which helps cleanse your kidneys and bladder.

9. Peaches can calm an upset stomach.

10.  Compounds in stone fruits could help with “metabolic syndrome,” according to Dr. Luis Cisneros-Zevallos, AgriLife Research food scientist involved in a study at the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia.  Cisneros-Zevallos says, “Our work indicates that phenolic compounds present in these fruits have anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties in different cell lines and may also reduce the oxidation of bad LDL cholesterol which is associated with cardiovascular disease.”

11. Those suffering from gout and rheumatism are recommended by dieticians to eat peaches because peaches tend to have a diuretic and a light laxative effect.

12. Peaches are thought to be an aphrodisiac.

13.  Peach flowers have sedative properties .  A remedy for restlessness includes boiling peach flowers in water along with some honey.

14.  Inhibit tumour growth activity. Peaches have excellent antimicrobial and antioxidant activity according to research.

15.  Chronic bronchitis, coughs and gastritis are relieved with the medicinal tea of the leaves and bark of peach trees.

16. Peach tea is used as a kidney cleanser in China.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/16-health-benefits-of-peaches.html#ixzz4CnZ38ouk

Paired perfectly with a Cheese Souffle

READ MORE ON MY WEBSITE

#TimeCrunch #DIY #SummerSalad #Salad #Peach #Bacon #Balsamic #ChefCaylena #PowerFood

Chicken Piccata - A Classic Favorite!

#TimeCrunch

Chicken Piccata

Simple, Easy, Delicious.

A classic Italian dish that is perfect just the way it is. We don’t deviate too much from the traditional Italian version here. That adage “if it ain’t broke…” However I am highly aware of the awful renditions that are just horrible enough to make you steer clear…  

We’ve all had that really bad experience with a terrible Piccata, where it was too greasy, too oily, or crunchy, or just didn’t taste that great. On the other hand we will all swear by -insert your favorite experience here- and no one’s ever made it like that before. This savvy citrus sauce soaks into a slightly browned, sauteed, piece of tenderized and marinated chicken breast, leaving you craving more.  

The technique is simple, and recipe has been perfected… this is a fool’s proof, step by step, way to a 30 minute, one pan, Gourmet meal.  

This rendition should put you on the Best Ever list for everyone else to say about yours!

DIFFICULTY: Moderate $$ SERVINGS:4  TIME: 30 & marinade(time available)

Ingredients -

• 4 Chicken cutlets, or 2 Breast sliced along the width into 4.
• ½ Cup Chicken Stock

• ½ Cup dry White Wine -cooking wine
• ⅓ Cup Lemon Juice

• ½ Cup Flour, 1/4 Cup Flour
• 4 Tbsp unsalted Butter (divided in half)
• ¼ Cup Capers, drained & whole
• ¼ Cup chopped Parsley & 2 Tbsp Parsley (not together)
• ½ Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp crushed Garlic
• Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
• Salt & Pepper

Procedure

Start with the Chicken…

1. Rinse Chicken well. (slice in half lengthwise if thick.) Drain water, pat dry.

2. Line cutting board with plastic wrap.

3. Place Chicken on board, then cover with plastic wrap.
1. I wrap up the sides so raw chicken juice doesn’t escape, and easier clean up.

4. Take your Steel, or meat mallet to pound out meat (without piercing plastic) until nice and thin but still holds together well.

The Marinade…

1. 

   In large bowl combine: ½ cup Olive Oil, Garlic, 2 Tbsp Parsley, Cayenne, Salt & Pepper.
2. Place Chicken in the bowl, mix, and make sure chicken is coated. Put bowl in refrigerator until ready to cook. (10-15 minutes - can last over night it covered.)

Dredging the Chicken…

1. Put the ½ cup Flour with Salt and Pepper in a bowl.
2. Pour oil from marinade (not parsley) in a Large Skillet.
3. Sprinkle with hand, and pat in flour to lightly coat the chicken.    

Lightly coating.

Cooking The Chicken…

1. Turn Skillet on Med-High, add 2 Tbsp butter. Heat until butter foams.
2. Place Chicken in the skillet.
3. Cook 4 minutes on each side. You’re sauteing until slightly browned. You can drop your heat to Medium if chicken is browning too much, or fast.
4. Set Chicken aside.

The Sauce…

1. Delase pan: Pour the white wine in the pan.  Scrape all the sucs off the bottom of the pan, don’t worry about straining them, they’ll mostly dissolve, and add texture (& flavor) later on.
1. If for whatever reason you’re pan and sucs are burnt - discard them, clean the pan and start from there.

2. Turn heat to high. Add Chicken Stock and Lemon Juice, bring to boil and reduce by ⅓.
3. Take the 2 Tbsp Butter, and ¼ cup flour and mix together by hand forming a beurre manie

4. Once reduced, turn heat to med, and add the beurre manie to the sauce.

5. Stir until smooth and all flour is incorporated.
6. Then stir in Capers and Parsley.

7. Let sit 5 minutes to thicken and take on the flavors, stirring occasionally.
8. Then Place Chicken in the sauce. Turn off heat.

9. Let soak up the sauce on both sides for 2 minutes or until service.

*You really want to serve immediately for best sauce! It will seize rather fast, if this happens add a little bit of hot water at a time until thinned out.

Plate with pasta noodle or whatever you’d like.

Take additional sauce and top Chicken.

Or if you’re a traditionalist - after the pasta. Either way… Enjoy!

READ MORE ON MY WEBSITE

#ChickenPiccata #LemonCaperSauce #ItalianAmerican #AffordableGourmet #EasyCooking #FamilyFriendly #Pasta #CuisinArt #ChefCaylena #TimeCrunch #30MinuteMeals #EverydayGourmet

Wine Braised Short Ribs!!! - Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father’s Day!!!

Wine Braised

SHORT RIBS!

Pictured with Wild Mushroom Ravioli’s

There is no other piece of meat that will bring tears to your eyes than a gorgeously braised Short Rib! There are a million ways to serve, but the only way to prepare it - perfection! Prepared with just as much flavor and emotion to hold it’s own against the legendary Boeuf Bourguignon.  A gorgeous piece of meat that melts off the bone and in your mouth.

Beautiful for a special occasion and to impress, showing just how much you appreciate that someone. An excellent choice for Father’s Day!

Braised dishes get better with age, so take the time to develop this into something Far Beyond what you started with. It will develop characters and deep layers of flavor that will leave you salivating days after you've finished your meal!

On the bone, over Roasted Vegetables, with Red Wine Sauce.

With time, and a few step by step instructions- know that you’ll be able to understand and complete the techniques involved here.  With patience and excitement knowing how amazing it’s going to taste!

There are no substitute for the wine to achieve this richness or exact magic. However know that you will be cooking the alcohol out.

Marinade - *You will be using this exact marinade as your braising liquid too.

• 1  - 750-ml bottle Red Wine
• ½ cup each: Celery, Carrot, Onion / shallots - small chop
• 3 cloves Garlic Crushed
• 10 Sprigs Parsley - whole
• 6 Sprigs Thyme - whole
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 5 Cloves
• 

*Place all in Large Dutch Oven with a lid. Set Aside.

UTENSILS:

• Dutch Oven w/ Lid
• Skillet
• Tongs
• Strainer

SHORT RIBS -

• 1-2 BONE ON Short Ribs per serving. 6-8 Short Ribs per recipe.  (1 inch thick, 1 ¼ -½ pounds each.)
• 4 strips of Bacon.
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• Oil for searing
• Salt & Pepper
• 2 Tbsp unsalted Butter - for sauce

You can buy packaged, or have butcher cut - but they’ll come ready to start cooking. You really want to get the Bone On because it adds to the intense flavor while braising!

Don’t worry about trimming these up at all, use as it.  

*Place the ribs in the marinade, bone side up, and make sure meat is completely covered. Cover with the lid, and put in refrigerator for minimum 12 hours! Best if 24 - 36 hours!

PROCEDURE:

*Preheat Oven 350

*Coat Skillet with Oil, heat over Med- High

*Remove the meat and drain on paper towels, meat side down.

*Make sure all sides a dry before searing or it will spit at you once in pan!

*Salt & Pepper on every side before searing.

*When the oil starts to smoke barely, carefully place meat side down on skillet to brown, each side.

*Make sure it’s Brown on every side - you’re only searing not cooking all the way thru.

*Place on paper towels to absorb extra grease, meat side down.

This is going to look much darker than you might like, it’s perfect! The caramelized meat will add to the braising liquid… This is one of those dishes where every technique makes the entire dish that much better.

*Discard excess oil from Skillet. Place bacon in until cooked half through.

*Put the short ribs On TOP of braising liquid, bone side down - meat up.

*Lay the bacon on top, and drizzle the bacon grease over as well.

*Season well with Salt and Pepper. Cover and place in middle rack for 2-2 ½ hours.

*Take the Ribs, ever so carefully and gently, out of the pot with a slotted spoon, so they don’t fall apart, allowing the meat to rest while making your sauce (10-20 minutes.)  

Brilliant Sauce! All this work and you’re almost finished!

* Take the braising liquid and strain very well removing all the aromatics.

*Place in a sauce pan or pot and reduce by ½ or until it’s the thickness you desire. Remove from heat.

*Stir in 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar. Salt and Pepper to taste.

* Finish with swirling in 2 Tbsp Butter on top. Add extra parsley if desired.  

Finally You’re finished! Trust me it’s been worth the work and wait!

Plate with whatever you’re serving.  As below over Roasted Vegetables.  

Over Ravioli

#ShortRibs #Braising #BeefBourguignon #Father’sDay #CookingWithWine #FrenchClassics #AmericanCuisine #InternationalCuisine #CuisinArt #SpecialOccasionFood  #RomanticEats #ChefCaylena