Pan-Fried Goat Cheese and Balsamic Strawberry Salad

I am feeling like Noah's wife this week.  It has rained, and rained and rained here and will not stop. Oh wait, except that they are saying it will snow tonight...not kidding.  

The only wonderful saving grace is that I am saving money on not having to water the lawn...and my husband's cancelled rounds of golf. The drawback to that though is he gets cabin fever really bad.  Thank goodness I bought him a practice golf net for the garage last winter, so he can keep busy with that until the sun decides to return here.

The other downside to all the gray skies and dreary weather, it makes me want to bake like crazy...and I'm not even that good of a baker.  I have been trying out new recipes and flavor combinations which makes the house warm, cozy and smell amazing.

That being said, I (and my tight pants) needed to take a break from the desserts and I made this salad for dinner the other night.  It goes together fairly quick and has incredible layers of flavor.

Pan-Fried Goat Cheese and Balsamic Strawberry Salad

6 ounces goat cheese
1 egg, beaten
4 Tbls. canola oil, divided
1/2 cup bread crumbs (or panko crumbs)
Salt
Pepper
3 Tbls. butter
1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbls. olive oil
1 Tbl. freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 to 6 cups mixed salad greens
1 cup thinly sliced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Slice goat cheese into 12 small rounds, about one-third of an inch thick.  If you freeze the goat cheese for about 15 minutes before you cut it, this should help the ease of cutting the soft cheese.

Combine the egg, 1 tablespoon canola oil and 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl and mix with a whisk.  Spread the bread crumbs over a plate and season with salt and pepper.  Dunk the cheese rounds, one at a time, into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, then roll in the bread crumbs to fully coat on both sides.  Refrigerate for about 15 minutes.

Heat the butter and remaining 3 tablespoons canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Carefully place the breaded cheese rounds in the pan and fry until light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.  Drain on paper towels.

After skillet has cooled enough, carefully drain out any excess oil from skillet and clean off.  Add the chopped pecans and cook on medium heat until just starting to get fragrant and turn light brown.  (Watch carefully, so you do not let them burn)...I speak from great experience here!!  Remove pecans from pan and let cool.

For the vinaigrette, place 1 tablespoon vinegar in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and slowly beat in the olive oil and lemon juice.  (If you like more dressing on your salads, you may want to double the vinaigrette ingredients here).

Combine the salad greens, sliced strawberries, vinaigrette and chopped pecans in a bowl.  Place a small amount of salad greens in the center of 4 (side salad size) or (2 dinner/meal size), surround each plate with 3 (or 6 for dinner size) cheese rounds.  Enjoy!!

**Served with mushroom-Parmesan flatbread and a chilled bottle of Butternut Chardonnay.

Pecan Pie Bites

I'm back...after a week of Thanksgiving time with our family, I have been taking this past week to recover...emotionally and physically.  The little darlings were nice enough to give Nana Suzie a departing gift.  Upon their departure day, they gave me the most awful head cold and sore throat. That being said though, I am still having baby withdrawals and missing their precious faces. I have even woke up two times this past week at 3 am, thinking I am hearing a baby cry.  I guess that motherly instinct never goes away.

The good news of the week is that I was able to curl up in a cozy blanket and watch my favorite Polar Express movie all by myself the other night.  I smiled, cried, laughed and then took a deep sigh knowing that Christmas is here once again.

I always cry at the end of the movie when he finally hears the bell and he says "I Believe".  It is always tears of joy though and makes my heart feel happy and spiritual at the innocence and hope in the children.

These little desserts have absolutely nothing to do with the movie, but would be great to serve holiday party guests instead of a heavy full size pecan pie.  I made them on Thanksgiving Eve for our dinner guests and they really hit the spot for a bit of an after dinner sugar fix.  The best part was they were so easy and super fast to make while I was chasing toddlers around our house.

Pecan Pie Bites
Courtesy of Plain Chicken

1 egg
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup Karo syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
3 boxes mini phyllo tarts (45 tart shells)

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk together egg, butter, syrup, sugar and vanilla. Stir in pecans. Spoon filling into tart shells.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

One Year Ago: World's Best Lasagna

Sun Valley Pecan-Crusted Chicken in Idaho

Our family had the pleasure of taking a quick weekend trip to visit Dick and JoAnne (Aunt JoJo) at their summer home in Sun Valley, Idaho last week.

Sun Valley welcomes United Airlines' direct flight from Denver - love it !!

The Sun Valley / Ketchum / Hailey communities are truly beautiful, charismatic and filled with culture, art and incredibly quaint, culinary wonders.  Upon arriving we headed to Despo's "Mexican with Altitude" for a late dinner in Ketchum.  Excellent margaritas, salsa and shrimp tacos.  My daughters even loved their made-to-order bean and cheese burrito for one and the carne asada street tacos for the other.

Sun Valley Lodge

The next day we started off touring the breathtaking Sun Valley Lodge and its beautiful resort.  They have anything you could think of for both summer and winter stays, complete with ice shows, concerts, sports and family activities, not to mentioned the shopping village that has everything you could imagine.

The tranquil lake in front of Sun Valley Lodge

We then headed into town late afternoon for all the items needed for our happy hour platter, wines and JoAnne's amazing Sun Valley Pecan-Crusted Chicken, made famous by Chef Jeff Keys Vintage Restaurant
in Ketchum.  He even wrote a beautiful cookbook (that I immediately ordered and it arrived yesterday, thank you very much) featuring his world class dishes from the restaurant.

It was a perfect and most welcoming evening.  Great food, wines, laughs and conversation......

Our wonderful happy hour complete with roasted garlic, Cambazola cheese
and mango salsa paired with Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc

All happy hours should be enjoyed while dancing.

Beautiful sunset from their deck.

Sun Valley Pecan-Crusted Chicken with Sour Cream Mustard Sauce,
 Tomato and Black Currant Chutney,
Baked Yukon Gold Gorgonzola Smashed Potatoes and Caesar Salad

Sun Valley Pecan-Crusted Chicken
from the "Vintage Restaurant" cookbook by Jeff Keys

For the Pecan Saltine Cracker Crumbs:
1-1/2 cps coarsely ground pecans
1-1/2 cups ground saltine crackers

Mix the ground pecans and saltine crackers in a medium size bowl.  Set aside.

Four the Sour Cream Mustard Sauce:
1-1/2 cups sour cream
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

Blend well in a small bowl and set aside.

For the Dijon-Mustard Butter Rub:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

For the Chicken:
(4) 5-ounce boneless and skinless chicken breasts

To make the chicken, lightly pound each breast to about 3/8 inch thick.  Take each chicken breast and coat one side with the painting of the mustard butter.

  Put the breast, mustard-butter-side-down, in the saltine cracker crumb mixture.  Give it a firm press so the crumbs adhere.  Repeat for the other side.  Do this to all of the chicken breasts and put them on a platter until you are ready to cook.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  To cook the chicken, melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a 12-inch saute pan.  When the butter is hot, add the chicken breasts.  Cook them for about 3 minutes.  They should be turning a nice, crispy medium brown color.  Turn them over and cook for 3 more minutes.  Remove the chicken breasts to a baking sheet, saving the crumbs that remain in the saute pan.

Put the baking sheet int eh oven and cook the breasts for about 5 more minutes.  While the chicken is cooking, add 8 tablespoons of the Sour Cream Mustard Sauce to the saute pan that the chicken cooked in; blend the crumbs and juices from the chicken with the sour cream mixture, just before the chicken is done cooking, heat up the sauce until it is just bubbly.

Take the chicken out of the oven and place 1 breast on each plate and serve with a dollop of the Sour Cream Mustard Sauce.

Chocolate Layered Pudding with Chocolate Box Wine and the ER

We experienced many broken hearts on Valentine's Day this year...not our best year for the holiday.

My oldest daughter woke up Thursday morning, bent over in pain and very nauseous.  I have had sick kids before but this one was completely different and I knew something was wrong. I immediately took her to urgent care and after a quick check-in there, daughter feeling faint and very dehydrated, we were immediately sent to the emergency room.

After spending most of the day in the ER we learned that she has a stomach virus that is running ramped through our city and does not let up very easy.  She looked so helpless but was very brave through all the tests and waiting, my heart just went out to her....broken heart # 1. 

My poor daughter who was supposed to leave for her New Mexico volleyball tournament had to be given the bad news that she needed to stay home and not go...broken heart #2.  Supposedly this virus can last at least a week.  Even as I write this, she is home with Dad and still on a liquid diet.

That left me and her sister to hit the road alone and attend the New Mexico tournament without her.  My twins have virtually been together almost 24-7 their whole lives.  This is the first time they have ever been apart this long and the younger one is really missing her sister...broken heart #3.

I tried to cheer her up and we went out for pizza our first night here on Valentine's Day.  They were serving up heart shaped pizza - very cute and definitely put a smile on our faces.

Our special Valentine's Dinner

The night before we left, I felt absolutely terrible about leaving my husband alone with our sick girl.  We usually team together and get through these things as a family, as he was really sad that she could not go either...and there we have broken heart #4.

The whole ER day threw our plans in a tailspin, so none of us celebrated the holiday.  I did my best though and brought home a special bottle of "Chocolate Box" Red Blend Wine.

My husband has also given up sweets since January 1st.  He definitely has more willpower than me.  Not to worry though, I am eating all of his sweets so nothing goes to waste....it's just now going to my waist. 

One of my most favorite deserts comes from my Grandma.  It is sinfully delicious and I could easily eat the entire pan of this if next week continues to go the same as last week did. 



Layered Pudding

Courtesy of GGMa

For The Crust Base:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup powder sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Mix well and pat out in a 9 x 13 pan.  Bake in 325 degree oven for 15 minutes.

For The 1st Layer of Filling:

1 8-oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature

1 9-oz. container of Cool Whip

1 cup powder sugar

Mix well and spread on cooked and cooled crust.

The Next Layer:

1 small package instant chocolate pudding

1-1/2 cups milk

Mix together and spread on top of cream cheese layer.  Let set in refrigerator 1 hour.

(this is where I stopped, due to lack of remaining ingredients, but there is more to come)

Do the same with one package of instant vanilla pudding and let set one hour.

Spread with (1) 4-1/2 oz. container of Cool Whip and sprinkle with chopped nuts.  Chill one more hour and serve.