Herbed Chicken Crepes with Fresh Rosemary Cream Sauce

I found this recipe on an awesome blog called Poor Girl Eats Well. It was delicious and much easier than I anticipated. The crepe recipe is simple and can be used for any crepe dish, including sweet ones. Strawberry crepes, anyone?

Ingredients

• 1/2 c all purpose flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 c nonfat milk
• 1 T butter, melted
• 1 T sugar
• 1/2 T butter for cooking

• 4 chicken thighs, cubed
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 t sea salt
• 1/4 t rosemary
• 1/4 t thyme
• 1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T olive oil

• 1/2 c half & half
• 1 T butter
• 1/2 T fresh rosemary
• 1/2 T corn starch or flour, mixed in with a bit of water
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Season the cubed chicken thighs and heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and heat until just lightly golden brown. Add the chicken, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until thickest part of the cube is no longer pink on the inside. Remove from heat, keep covered, and set aside.

While chicken is cooking, combine the crepe ingredients into a bowl and mix together well with a wire whisk. In a medium skillet, heat the 1/2 T butter and coat the entire pan with it. Using either a measuring cup or ladle with a spout, slowly pour some of the batter into the skillet until it covers the entire bottom. Cook over medium low heat until the edges become slightly dry, about 45 seconds. With a spatula, check to make sure the crepe is starting to turn a golden brown on the bottom. If so, it's ready to flip onto the other side. Cook for about another 30 seconds or until the bottom side is golden brown.

In a small saucepan, heat the butter over medium low heat until melted and add the half & half, whisking to make sure the cream doesn't burn. Next, add the fresh chopped rosemary and salt & pepper and whisk to mix. When the cream barely starts to boil around the edges, stir in the cornstarch (or flour) and water mixture and whisk briskly so that the sauce begins thicken. Cook for another minute or so, or until your sauce thickens well. Don't worry if it's a little runny at first; it will thicken after removing it from the heat.

Assemble your crepes by placing a spoonful or two or chicken in the center of each crepe, drizzle a little bit of rosemary cream on the inside if you like, roll together, and place on a plate. Continue until all crepes have been assembled. Ladle a generous amount of the rosemary cream sauce on top of each serving, garnish with extra fresh rosemary sprigs, and enjoy!

Simple Roast Chicken

I thought I knew how to roast a chicken, but this was definitely the best roast chicken I have ever had. The meat was so juicy it literally fell off the bone. The layer of salt on the skin crisped up really nicely and the trussing made a difference in even cooking.

Ingredients

• 3-4 lb chicken
• salt
• pepper
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.
2. Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. I used this video to help me. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.
3. Salt the chicken evenly, using about 1 tablespoon. Season to taste with pepper.
4. Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. No need to baste. Roast it until it's done, 70-90 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.
5. Remove the twine. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each.
   

Butternut Squash Soup

This is my new favorite soup. So easy, low fat, and super delicious. I had butternut squash soup at One Midtown Kitchen a few weeks ago and have been itching to make it myself ever since. I used smart beat instead of butter, and topped off my soup with a dollop of fat free sour cream, a little cinnamon, and a pinch of curry powder. The curry powder is apparently supposed to bring out the squash flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1 (32 fluid ounce) container chicken stock
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook squash in oven at 400 degrees for about 1 hr. After this, the skin should fall right off. Cube the squash or spoon it out.
   
2. Melt the butter in a large pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Pour in enough of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
3. Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, curry powder, cinnamon, and sour cream.