Grilled Bruschetta Chicken and Lemon Orzo

Presenting a cookbook mashup is such fun!

First up is Grilled Bruschetta Chicken from "Magnolia Table Vol. 2" by Joanna Gaines. This dish was so easy and full of flavor. I paired it with Lemon Orzo with Feta from "Modern Comfort Food" by Ina Garten. I received both books for Christmas from The Husband. I've really enjoyed checking them out.

These recipes were a perfect match together. They were united with a shared ingredient: feta. One of my faves, for sure. I did omit the dill from the orzo and replaced it with basil so that the herb situation between the two dishes didn't clash. Plus, like whoever has dill on hand? 

I hope you enjoy these dishes as much as we did!

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

From "Magnolia Table Vol. 2"

By Joanna Gaines

Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 roma or 1 pint grape tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1 tsp. Greek seasoning

3 Tbsp. olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 350 degrees F)

2. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, feta, basil, Greek seasoning and 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil. Stir gently to mix. Set the bruschetta mixture aside to let the flavors meld.

3. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place it on a sheet pan.

4. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Sprinkle evenly over the chicken. Drizzle the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive over the top. Use your hands to rub the mixture into the chicken breasts, coating well. Be sure to do both sides.

5. Grill the chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 165 degrees F, 8-12 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time. Set aside to rest for 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Serve the grilled chicken hot, with the bruschetta mixture spooned on top right before serving.

7. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used a grill pan on her stove. She used thin cut chicken cutlets, so they cooked just 2-3 minutes per side. She kept the feta cheese separate and sprinkled on top when serving just in case it wasn't desired by the diner. 

Lemon Orzo with Feta

From "Modern Comfort Food"
By Ina Garten

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup orzo

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 Tbsp. good olive oil

1 Tbsp. minced fresh dill (The Jersey Girl used fresh basil)

1 cup small-diced feta, preferably Greek (4 ounces)

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add 2 tsp. salt and orzo. Return the water to a boil and simmer uncovered for 9 to 11 minutes, until the orzo is al dente. Drain.

2. Transfer the orzo to a bowl and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, dill or basil, 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Fold in the feta and serve hot.

Please note: The Jersey Girl uses fresh basil instead of dill, and she adds 1/4. tsp of salt rather than 2 tsp. as listed in the second step. The lemon zest, juice, olive oil, fresh herb, salt and pepper may be whisked together and added all together after the orzo is cooked if you would like to prep ahead. 

Pork Chops Jubilee Style

Pork Chops with Rich Caper Sauce is magnifico! This recipe from the amazing cookbook "Jubilee" is intended for bone-in pork chops, but when I made it I only had thin boneless cutlets on hand. The dish worked beautifully with the thinner cut of meat. I just skipped placing the pork chops in the oven. 

This cookbook is such a treat. It focuses on the history and impact of the African-American community on the cuisine of the United States. I'm so glad to add this book to my collection and I look forward to cooking more from it.

This dish was enjoyed by my family. I will definitely try it again! The sauce is very flavorful.

It's a good plan to prep the sauce ingredients before cooking:

I also like to line up the chops and season them like so:

Be sure to cook in batches so that the meat browns nicely:

Pork Chops with Rich Caper Sauce

Serves 4

From "Jubilee" by Toni Tipton-Martin

4 bone-in pork loin chops (about 8 ounces each)

1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste

1/4 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2 Tbsp. olive oil

4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature

1 tsp. minced garlic

1Tbsp. minced shallot

1 1/2 tsp. all-purpose flour

1 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 Tbsp. capers, drained

1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (optional)

2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place the chops on a board and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt, pepper and thyme, rubbing with your fingers to press the seasonings into the meat. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chops and cook until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side, Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the chops registers 145 degrees Fahrenheit, 5 to 7 minutes, depending upon the thickness. Remove the chops from the oven, transfer to a plate, and cover to keep warm. Drain off and discard the fat.

3. In the same skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of the butter until sizzling. Add the garlic and the shallot and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 2 minutes more. Whisk in the wine and the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping up the browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium high and cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in the capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce (if using), and parsley and simmer 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter to the pan 1/2 Tbsp. at a time, shaking the pan between additions until the butter melts and the sauce looks smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the pan-roasted chops and serve. 

Please note: The Jersey Girl made this dish with thin boneless pork cutlets. Cutlets cooked 2-3 minutes per side. If using cutlets, you may omit transferring the skillet to the oven to further roast the meat. Cutlets may be set aside, covered, while you make the sauce. 

Crispy Mustard Chicken

Crispy Mustard Chicken by Ina Garten is so easy, and soooooo good.

Her recipe calls for serving this over frisee, but I can never ever ever find that in my grocery store, so I served it over arugula dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper.

But about the chicken....

This dish uses thighs, which are so juicy and delish. I know the chicken breast gets all the glory but thighs really are the unsung hero of the chicken. Plus, they are super cheap.

I always have panko, lemon zest, Dijon and white wine on hand. If you don't have fresh thyme, dried would work just as well. Just cut it to 1/2 tsp.

Be sure to dry the chicken for that extra crisp factor. 

Here's my assembly line set up for getting the chickens dipped and coated: 

My husband and son both loved this dish. I will definitely add it to our regular recipe arsenal.

Here you go:

Crispy Mustard Chicken

Serves 4

From "Cook Like a Pro" by Ina Garten

 2 garlic cloves

1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup panko (Japanese bread flakes)

1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

Good olive oil

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1/4 good Dijon mustard

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 large)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the garlic, thyme, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a food processor fitted wtih a steel blade and process until garlic is finely minced. Add the panko, lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. olive oil and the butter and pulse a few times to moisten the panko. Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, whisk together mustard and wine.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Dip each piece first in the mustard mixture to coat the top and bottom and then coat the skin side only in the crumb mixture, pressing gently to make the crumbs adhere. Place the chicken on the sheet pan, crumb side up and press any remaining crumbs ontho the chicken. 

Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Serve immediately.

Please note: The Jersey Girl serves this chicken over a bed of arugula dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. 

Lovely Lemon Cookies

Do you want something sweet and citrusy but not too heavy? These Glazed Lemon Cookies are just what you asked for!

All ages love these circles of sweetness. They are soft and light. A kiss of lemon

This is a great recipe to make with your kids. Using a cookie scooper helps shape the dough into perfect shaped balls. I recommend using Silpat mats on your baking sheets for best results. You can also line your baking pans with parchment if you do not have Silpats.

If you have a squeeze bottle, it is perfect for drizzling the glaze over the cookies. But the plastic sandwich bag with a snipped corner works just fine, too!

Glazed Lemon Cookies

From "Cooking Classy"

Makes about 30-36 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

Zest of 2 lemons (About 1 1/2 Tbsp.)

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, whip together butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium-high speed until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Blend in egg, then egg yolk. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla extract. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Scoop dough out by the heaping tablespoonful, form into balls and drop onto silicone baking mat or parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven 9 - 11 minutes.

Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

For lemon glaze:

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and enough lemon juice to reach a drizzable consistency.

Pour mixture into a resealable bag, seal bag and cut a small tip off one corner then drizzle glaze over cooking. Allow glaze to set at room temperature.

Store cookies in a single layer in an airtight container.

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops over Baby Spinach Salad

 I'm always on the hunt for a main dish salad. I took Giada DeLaurentiis' Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops and combined them with my Baby Spinach Salad with Thyme Dressing, and it was a total knockout. 

Dipping the pork chops in parmesan before the egg and then the bread crumbs gives the chops extra crunch.

The lemon and thyme salad dressing is a bright flavor on top.

Feel free to change up your veggies with the baby spinach. Red onion is nice with this dressing, too. And some grape tomatoes would be fab.

Here you go:

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

4 servings

From "Giada's Family Dinners"

By Giada DeLaurentiis

2 large eggs

1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

4 (1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick) center-cut pork loin chops (about 10 to 12 ounces each)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 Tbsp. olive oil

Lemon wedges

In a pie plate, whisk the eggs to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, coating to adhere.

Heat 3 Tbsp. of oil in each of 2 large, heavy skillets over medium heat. Add 2 pork chops to each skillet and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

Baby Spinach Salad with Thyme Dressing
4 ounces baby spinach
1 carrot, peeled and chopped 
1 red pepper, chopped

Combine spinach, carrot and red pepper in a salad bowl.

For the dressing:
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together. Pour over salad. Toss and serve.

Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Cauda

My son has entered the realm of orthodontics work. As a result, he often requests fish for dinner as it is softer and more gentle to chew than meat. Since the Covid quarantine, I have gotten into the habit of keeping a resealable bag of frozen fish in my freezer such as flounder or tilapia. While these white fish don't pack as much protein as the more colorful tuna and salmon do, they are easier for my little guy to eat. And my husband and I enjoy them as well.

This is an awesome tilapia recipe from Giada. The citrus bagna cauda can be made ahead. It features lemon, orange and anchovy. That combo may sound odd, but it's amazing! The fish cooks in minutes. It is nice with rice and a green veg like string beans or asparagus. I always throw a salad together, too. I love a light dinner!

Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Cauda

From "Giada's Family Dinners"

By Giada DeLaurentiis

6 servings

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

3 anchovy fillets, minced

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp. orange juice

1 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh basil

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. orange zest

Salt

2 tsp. olive oil

6 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets

Freshly ground black pepper

Cook the butter and extra virgin olive oil in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat, just until the butter is melted, stirring frequently. Add the anchovies, and stir until they dissolve, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. Stir in the orange juice, basil and lemon and orange zests. Season the sauce to taste with salt.

The bagna cauda sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before using.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat the 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper. Working in two batches, cook the fish until just opaque in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a platter. Cover with foil and keep warm in the oven while cooking the second batch of fish. When all the fish is cooked, drizzle the sauce over the fish and serve.

Flounder Milanese

During the quarantine, one of the habits my son and I have gotten into has been watching cooking programs together. So during a Barefoot Contessa when she was rocking out a Flounder Milanese, he declared, "Mommy, you have to make that for us." 

I was like, for reals? And he said, "Yes that looks yummy. I want that."

Now I prepared to be punked - you know how children do with food. They love something. You make it again. They are on a hunger strike.

But I gotta say, my kiddo ate his whole plate of this - from the arugula, to the flounder to the frizzled capers to the parmigiano shavings. The kid did me proud.

He was excited that I was blogging about this dish.

This is definitely a nice one to make on summer nights when you don't want a heavy din. Something about the heat makes me not want to eat a lot. I also feel that way due to anxiety, which I've experienced in boatloads these past three months.

I do recommend you heat the fish in the oven while cooking your remaining rounds of flounder. It keeps it nice and hot and crunchy. The greens, the fish, the lemon, the cheese: It's a power combo. 

This recipe is really nice. I hope you get to make it soon!

Flounder Milanese

Serves 6

From "Cook Like a Pro"

By Ina Garten

6 flounder or sole fillets (1 3/4 lbs. total)

1 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 extra large eggs

1 1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs, such as Progresso

Unsalted butter

Good olive oil

6 ounces arugula or mixed salad greens for six

Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

2 Tbsp. drained capers

Freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and fleur de sel for serving

Lemon Viniagrette

Makes 3/4 cup

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup good olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dry the fish on both sides with paper towels. Combine the flour, 2 tsp. salt, and 2 tsp. pepper on a dinner plate. In a low shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with 1 Tbsp. water. Put the bread crumbs on another plate. Dredge the fish on both sides in the seasoned flour and dust off the excess. Dip both sides into the egg mixture, and finally, dredge both sides in the bread crumbs. 

Heat 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan and cook 2 fillets at a time over medium to medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Transfer the fish in one layer to the sheet pan in the oven. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the fillets, transferring them to the sheet pan as they're done. Toss the arugula with enough lemon vinaigrette to moisten. Place one fillet on each plate and pile the arugula salad on top. Heat the capers in the saute pan for 30 seconds and sprinkle over the fish and salad. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, a squeeze of lemon juice and the fleur de sel. Serve hot.