Healthy Chicken-Zucchini Alfredo

I write this post as I'm eying the digital clock at the upper corner of my computer screen. Not since kindergarten have I started classes after 11 a.m. and let me tell you, it feels weird. The culinary arts program I attend only offers night-time classes and the concept is still bizarre to me. I bolt out of bed every morning ready to start the day when I have to remind myself I still have over nine hours till class starts.

I usually work nights during the week at my part-time job, so my days have become spare. I've started to get used to this new schedule, though, especially when I realized it opened up a glorious amount of time for cooking and taking photos during when the sun is flooding through my windows (yay!). This Chicken-Zucchini Alfredo was a by-product of my newly discovered day-time freedom when I went through all of my old cooking magazines and organized my favorite recipes into a binder. This gem made it into that binder and now onto your screen where I hope you'll save it to your list of favorite recipes. I usually don't go for "low-fat" anything but sometimes you want to feel like you're indulging without also feeling the side effects (for example: "Since when do these jeans not fit...?"). I wouldn't trust anyone else to nail a "low-fat" recipe except for Ellie Krieger, who wrote this one in March's issue of Food Network Magazine. Its healthy, easy, and utilizes the perfect compromise of pantry ingredients and fresh ingredients.

How do you pass the time when you manage to snag a spare day?

Recipe Rundown
Taste: Looking at the low-fat and otherwise inconspicuous ingredients made me wonder if this dish would have any flavor. Turns out I had no need to worry as this dish, while simple, was tasty. Sometimes the best meals are the simplest ones where every single ingredient is registered by your taste buds, like a speck of pepper or parsley.
Texture: The thick and silky sauce coats your tongue while you sink your teeth into the firm pasta and tear apart the tender chicken and soft zucchini. This is the best textured low-fat Alfredo sauce I've tasted.

Ease: This recipe does make a bit of a mess in the kitchen with multiple pots, pans, bowls, and utensils but there is nothing complicated about making it.
Appearance: The half-moon shaped green zucchini really pop out among the otherwise bland colored long pieces of chicken and fettuccine.
Pros: No guilt inducing, simple ingredients makes this dish a summer staple.
Cons: None, really.
Would I make this again? Summer staple!

Chicken-Zucchini Alfredo
From Food Network Magazine March 2010

• kosher salt 
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 zucchini, thinly sliced into half-moons
• 4 4-oz thin skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• freshly ground pepper
• 12 oz whole-wheat fettuccine
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup cold low-fat milk (I used 2% because that's what I had)
• 1/2 cup evaporated nonfat milk
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan chese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half the garlic and cook 30 seconds, being careful not to burn. Add the zucchini, cover and cook until tender, stirring, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Heat another tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook through, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3. Cook the pasta in the boiling water as package directs. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water; return the pasta to the pot.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the flour and low-fat milk in a bowl. Place the remaining garlic and 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, 30 seconds. Add the flour-milk mixture and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring; 2 minutes. Add the evaporated milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the cheese; stir to melt, 1 minute.
5. Cut the chicken into strips. Toss with the pasta, sauce, zucchini, and parsley, adding the reserved pasta water to loosen if necessary.

Chocolate Chip & Chunk Cookies

 Quite a while ago I posted Alton Brown's recipe for "The Chewy" Chocolate Chip Cookie. I was very much satisfied with the recipe and it ended my quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie that had been in progress since before I started this blog. Since then I've moved on to other types of cookies and have all about forgotten my search. Then I saw a recipe for cookies on Food Gawker that led me to Babble's Family Kitchen blog which is updated by several lovely food bloggers and has become a recent favorite of mine. Brooke, who posted the recipe, made a pretty wild claim, "This is the recipe to end all recipe hunting." When someone makes a claim like that, I have to verify if it's true. So I went out to the store and bought the entire one pound of chocolate the recipe calls for and got to baking. The results can be read mostly below in my Recipe Rundown but I have realized that these quests for the "perfect" version of a well-known food are futile because in reality, there is no perfect recipe. My tastes and preferences are constantly changing, along with everyone else's. What is nearly perfect to one person might be repulsive to the next. Luckily though, that one pound of chocolate didn't go to waste because these cookies were quite close to perfection. The only thing I didn't love was how flat these cookies ended up being. I like my chocolate chip cookies to have chewy thickness to sink my teeth into. Even with that small gripe, these cookies are the current favorite in my house.

Recipe Rundown
Taste: These cookies have a warm, balanced sweetness thanks to the granulated and brown sugar combination. The whole-wheat flavor adds a slight nuttiness without having to add any actual nuts which is perfect (I enjoy my desserts sans-nuts). The cookies also have a subtle chocolate flavor all over thanks to the finely chopped pieces but every other bite a gooey chunk of chocolate coats your tongue with luscious confection.
Texture: These cookies are more flat in shape than I was expecting but still manage to possess enough of that crisp at the edges while soft in the middle textural perfection.

Ease: The recipe itself is very simple, especially if you have a stand mixer. My only issue is that the dough requires chilling time so it has to be made ahead. I've frozen half of my dough which would make baking these cookies very easy the next time I make them.
Appearance: Cookies will always look deliciously innocent.
Pros: While this dish uses a whole lotta butter, sugar, and chocolate, it utilizes whole wheat flour which is at least a small health victory (right!?). Also, depending on the size of your family, I was able to freeze 3/4 of the dough for later and still end up with a dozen cookies for now.
Cons: I'm not a big fan of chopping chocolate with a blender or food processor because I think it dulls the blades and also heats the chocolate. After a few pulses in my food processor, I finished off the rest of the chocolate pieces by hand with a knife. I think this gave the cookies the perfect balance of finely chopped chocolate and chocolate chunks.
Would I make this again? I actually froze some of the dough from my first batch so I will inevitably be baking these up again!

Chocolate Chip & Chunk Cookies
From Brooke at Babble

• 1/2 pound butter, slightly softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 pound high quality chocolate chunks, chopped well in a blender or by hand with a knife, or a mixture of both methods (see above)

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, cream together butter, sugars, and eggs until very light and fluffy.
2. Add dry ingredients; flours, salt, soda, baking powder and vanilla, and beat just until well-incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chunks.
3. Refrigerate for 2-24 hours before baking.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Roll into tablespoon-sized balls (I like to use a spring-loaded ice cream scoop).
4. Bake in an oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are slightly browned.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly on cooling racks.

Essential Skills: How to buy a knife

This is the first post in what I hope will become a prolific and useful set to a new series I'm calling "Essential Skills" where I'm taking everything I've learned from personal experience in the kitchen, culinary school, and my time working at Sur la Table and putting it into useful tips, tricks, tools, and ideas for you. My hope is that through this series you will save time, effort, money, and hassle in the kitchen whether you are a busy mom trying to feed her family or an enthusiastic home cook. I'd love to see what you think of this first post and what you'd like to see in the future so leave a comment below, email me, or tweet me.

 

Whether shopping for your first great Chef's knife or registering for a set for your wedding, purchasing knives and knife sets can be a confusing and overwhelming experience. There are so many styles, sizes, materials, and brands. Santoku, what? Pakkawood, huh? When I was first trained on knives at Sur la Table I was completely dumbfounded by the amount of facts about each and every knife. You may see some of your favorite chefs on television using one brand while your friend swears by a different brand. When purchasing a knife, I believe the most important thing you can do is "test drive" the knife. Go to a store that offers display knives and hold as many different knives in your hand as you can. Try different brands, styles, and sizes. Even if your favorite chef uses one brand or style, that knife may not feel right in your hand. Once you find something that feels right, check the characteristics that are listed below to ensure it is of high quality and will last your lifetime. 

Once you think you've found a brand or set of features you like (you don't have to swear your life to one brand of knives; having multiple brands and styles in your kitchen is fine) it is important to do your research. Look online at what people have to say about the integrity of the knives and the customer service of the company (some companies offer free annual professional knife sharpening). Don't let the high prices of some brands scare you away, if you treat it with proper care a good knife or entire set should last for a very long time. Also, it makes cooking and getting through prep work not such a chore when you have the proper tools. I'll never forget the first time I glided my high quality chef's knife into an onion and was amazed at how much easier chopping and dicing can be with a great knife. I actually wanted to chop up vegetables and managed to get through peeling and dicing two onions so quickly I managed to avoid staining my cheeks with mascara-tinted tears.

If you don't want to invest in a high quality full knife set just yet, you can instead slowly build your collection (see How to Build Your Knife Set below). I promise you that once you fork out (ignore that pun, please) the money for your first high-quality chef's knife (if you haven't already), you'll appreciate its value in the kitchen.  

Anatomy of a knife

Handle Material: One type of handle isn't necessarily better than another but there are disadvantages and advantages to each. Ultimately, what feels the best in your hand and what is important to you should dictate the material of the handle of the knife you purchase.

• Rubber or plastic
• Advantages: hygienic, can be ergonomic and textured to provide a nice grip
• Disadvantages: can appear cheap and unattractive in appearance, may be too lightweight, may crack over time
• Metal
• Advantages: Strong and sturdy, sanitary, attractive
• Disadvantages:  May feel cold, may feel slippery if not textured, increases the weight of the knife
• Wood
• Advantages: attractive, traditional
• Disadvantages: requires most care, may become unhygienic, may become water-damaged

• Composite (such as Pakkawood, Dymondwood, etc., see photo below for example)
• Advantages: easy to care for, comfortable, attractive, sanitary, durable
• Disadvantages: can result in higher expense

Photo I took of my Miyabi Fusion by Henckles 8' Chef's Knife from Sur la Table

Heel: the rear part of the blade. It is also the widest part of the blade. If your knife skills are average you will probably want a rounded heel because sharp heels can pose a danger to your fingers and hand.

Bolster: the portion of metal that connects the blade to the handle. It can provide balance and act as a guard to your hand. The bolster can sometimes be an indicator of whether the knife was forged or stamped (more on that below).

Spine: the spine runs along the top of the knife, opposite the blade edge.

Tang: unfortunately this doesn't refer to the artificially neon orange drink from the 60s but to the strip of metal that protrudes from the blade and sometimes into the handle. It can provide balance and stability. Most consumers are under the impression that a "full tang" (when the metal strip runs from the blade all the way through the handle) is superior but in actuality whether the knife has a full tang or half tang will not always indicate the overall quality.

Cutting Edge: When purchasing a knife in store, the sharpness of the display knife is irrelevant. Instead, judge a knife by the characteristics that cannot be altered such as those listed above and below, especially the blade material. Another important aspect to consider when examining the cutting edge is the blade curvature. Some blades curve up towards the tip while some remain straight (such as Santoku-style knives). This is important because some people have different chopping styles than others; for those of you who utilize a rocking style chop may be better suited with a curved blade while those who use a straight up-and-down chop may like the Santoku-style better.

Other things to consider
Blade material:

• Carbon Steel:
• Advantages: inexpensive material, holds a sharp edge
• Disadvantages: may give off a "metallic" taste to food, may rust or stain
• Stainless Steel:
• Advantages: won't rust
• Disadvantages: won't hold a sharp edge well, must be sharpened frequently 
• High Carbon Stainless Steel:
• Advantages: combines the advantages of both carbon steel and stainless steel; won't discolor, maintains a sharp edge well, strong and durable
• Disadvantages: more expensive
• Titanium
• Advantages: won't impart flavor to food, durable, lightweight, flexible (good for fillet and boning knives)
• Disadvantages: expensive, doesn't hold a sharp edge well
• Ceramic
• Advantages: lightweight, maintains a sharp edge for a very long time, won't rust or impart flavor to food
• Disadvantages: requires specific sharpening equipment, brittle; will chip, crack, and break easily

Weight: most of the time the weight of the knife does not indicate quality and is a matter of preference. Some users enjoy lightweight knives because they feel they are easier to handle and maneuver whereas some users prefer heavier knives because they feel sturdier. This is why it is important to "test drive" a knife in the store before you purchase.

Balance: high quality knives should be well balanced, meaning that the weight of the handle should not outweigh the blade and visa versa.

Flexibility: the flexibility of the knife should relate to its use. Boning and fillet knives should be flexible whereas Chef's knives should be sturdy.

Blade Manufacturing: The notion that forged knives are better than stamped knives can often be true but thanks to modern technology the stamping process has improved dramatically, producing high quality less expensive stamped knives. 

• Stamped: blade is cut from a piece of steel then heated for durability then ground and sharpened.
• Advantages: less expensive, easier to sharpen, lightweight
• Disadvantages: less sturdy and durable, not as well-balanced, won't hold sharp edge for a long period
• Forged: a fully forged knife is made from a complicated craftsmanship process where a piece of steel is heated then pounded to form the blade, tang, and bolster then tempered to a specific hardness, ground and sharpened.
• Advantages: thicker, heavier, sturdier, well-balanced
• Disadvantages: more expensive

How to Build Your Knife Set: 

The 3 essential knives to every kitchen:

• 8-inch chef's knife 
• popular length, used for everyday tasks such as slicing, dicing, chopping, mincing
• 3 1/2-inch paring knife
• used for tasks that require precision such as coring, peeling, de-veining, seeding, and trimming
• 9-inch serrated bread knife
• this knife is serrated so instead of applying downward pressure, the user can apply horizontal pressure (sawing motion) preventing the bread from being squished; offset bread knives are preferable.

Expand:

• 10-inch chef's knife
• one of the longest lengths of chef's knives, sometimes preferred by users with big hands or who tackle lots of prep chopping or large pieces of food
• 5 1/2-inch ceramic Santoku
• the ceramic material will make this one of the sharpest knives in your collection. Santoku style includes a granton edge which are evenly spaced indentations on the blade created to reduce fiction and keep food from sticking. This knife is best used for chopping vegetables.
• kitchen shears
• used for everyday tasks like cutting herbs, twine, wrapping, parchment, etc. Durable stainless steel shears can be used for cutting lobster or poultry. 
• 5-inch utility knife
• shorter, lighter version of a chef's knife, used for cutting jobs such as slicing small pieces of meat
• 10-inch carver or slicer
• used to cut through large pieces of meats and roasts
• serrated tomato knife
• the serrated blade of this knife helps to cut through the soft flesh of tomatoes without squishing them. Also useful for cutting sandwiches, bagels, etc.
• skeleton cheese knife
• used to cut though soft, sticky, mushy foods (not only soft cheeses)
• boning knife
• this knife is usually narrow and slightly curved so it can easily work between meat, bone, tendons, and cartilage. 
• 6-inch chef's knife
• smallest of the chef's knives, sometimes preferred by users with smaller hands

What are your favorite knife brands, materials, and styles? I love my Miyabi Fusion by Henckles 8-inch Chef's knife and I also love all my Wusthof knives. If there's one thing I hope you learned from this post it is the importance of holding a knife in your hand and seeing if you like it before buying it. I've been known to go to a store to inspect a knife only to drive back home to review and purchase it online for cheaper. Stay tuned for upcoming Essential Skills posts about how to maintain and care for your knives!

Healthy Breakfast Recipe: Greek Yogurt Parfait

When a recipe so perfectly parallels a season it produces an enjoyment that is beyond something simply tasting good. Take this healthy breakfast recipe for Greek Yogurt Parfaits and the summer season for example. The berries, besides being seasonal in the summer months, are bright and flavorful with a refreshing pop of juice in each bite that remedies the sweltering heat. The cool Greek yogurt is thick and creamy without being dense. The grains are toothsome and nutty and remind you with comfort of the cooler months to come. One bite and you know its summer (even if its the last month).

Recipe Rundown
Taste: This parfait is what a perfectly bright and blithe summer day would taste like. It is vibrant, fresh, nutty, and subtlety sweet.
Texture: A complimentary trinity of textures; the satisfactory chewy bite of the grain, the luscious thickness of the Greek yogurt, and the juicy goodness of the berries.

Ease: This recipe is mostly about assembly, especially if you have already cooked the grain you decide to use.
Appearance: This is my favorite part of this recipe. The contrasting colors and layers inside a pretty glass jar make this parfait look sophisticated yet slightly rustic.
Pros: This dish is healthy, easy to make, and tastes as good as it looks. Plus, you can use any nutritious grains you happen to have. I used pearled barley because I had it in my pantry. It has a fantastically firm texture but is not the healthiest choice since it is slightly processed.
Cons: None really.
Would I make this again? Very likely.

Greek Yogurt Parfaits
Yield: 8 servings
Inspired by Cooking Light July 2010

• 3-4  cups cooked grains (grano, barley, wheat berries, brown rice), from about 1 cup of uncooked grains
• 1/2  cup orange blossom honey, more or less depending on your preference, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 4  cups plain Greek-style yogurt
• 2  cups fresh berries (such as blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and sliced strawberries)

1. Stir in half the honey and salt with the cooked grains. Stir in the other half with the yogurt.

2. Layer equal spoonfuls of yogurt, grains, berries into 8 parfait or glass containers. Enjoy!