Grilled Cajun Chicken Pasta

1/2 pound linguine pasta
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 & 1/2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 cup butter
3 minced cloves of garlic
2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 green bell pepper, chopped
8 fresh baby bella mushrooms, chopped
2 green onion, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 onion
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, grill chicken in a grill pan for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side then finish for 15 to 20 min in 350 degree oven.
Saute the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion in butter. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.
Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

GARNISH: With chopped fresh basil and grated parmesan

This was so, so good...My husband Kino and I loved the way the heavy whipping cream made the pasta so rich and the cajun seasoning gave it the flavor that complements the dish as a whole..

Please leave your comments after you have prepared the dish and let us know your opinion..

Thanks...

Kino & Misha

How to make a roux ?

Roux is a cooked mixture of wheat flour and fat, traditionally clarified butter. It is the thickening agent of three of the mother sauces of classical French cooking: sauce béchamel, sauce velouté and sauce espagnole.

Just as it is in classical French cuisine, roux is a mixture of flour and fat, usually butter or oil. The proportion is roughly 1:1, but I tend to use slightly more flour than oil; maybe 1-1/4 cups of flour to 1 cup of oil.

It is the basis for many Louisiana dishes, particularly gumbo, but also etouffees, sauce piquantes, and more.

There are three basic types of roux: light (or what the Cajuns call "blond"), medium (or "peanut butter" colored), and dark. There is white roux also, which is cooked for just a minute to get the flour taste out, but this is rarely used in Louisiana cooking. For gumbos, for instance, Creole cooks tend to prefer a blond or medium roux, where Cajun cooks tend to prefer a very dark roux, which is wonderfully smoky tasting. There are, of course, exceptions to this. In fact, you'll see people making many different "levels" of roux. Blond, light brown, medium-light brown, medium brown/"peanut butter", and dark browns that range from the color of milk chocolate to the color of bittersweet chocolate. This is the most amazing roux of all in flavor, but the most difficult to achieve; it's really easy to burn it from this point. Use your eyes and nose; if it's gone over to being burned you can smell it. It's like the difference between really dark toast and burnt toast. You also have to take it off the heat slightly before the roux gets to the color you want, because the residual heat in the pan (particularly if it's cast iron) will continue to cook the roux. This is why it's a good idea to add your "trinity" (onion, celery, bell pepper) to the roux before it gets to your desired color, because that'll help slow the cooking process.

Roux is used to thicken gumbos, sauces, étouffées or stews, and in the case of a darker roux to flavor the dish as well. Dark roux has more flavor, a wonderful roasted nutty flavor, but tends to have less thickening power.

Food 4 Thought.....Caring...

Peach Cobbler French Toast

4 Fresh Peaches peeled and cut into pieces or 1 lb frozen unsweetened peaches

1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
5 large eggs
1/2 cup milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 1/2-inch-thick slices egg bread

3 tablespoons butter
Maple syrup

Preheat oven to 300°F. Place baking sheet in oven. Combine peaches, brown sugar, 1/4 cup water, cinnamon and nutmeg in heavy medium saucepan. Cook compote over medium heat until liquid is reduced to medium-thick syrup, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Whisk eggs, milk and vanilla in large glass baking dish until well blended. Arrange bread slices in egg mixture. Let stand until egg mixture is absorbed, turning once, about 60 sec on each side.

Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add 4 bread slices to skillet. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and 4 bread slices. Serve with peach compote and maple syrup.

Just made this tonight for Kino and I... It was delicious and I highly suggest this as a great romantic surprise breakfast for your mate...

Chicken Fricassee --“Cooking is like making love, you do it well, or you do not do it at all”

What Im about to share with you is my husbands favorite recipe..

Chicken Fricassee

My husband says when you cook this for a man he will ask you to marry him... lol

 ( Engagement Chicken )

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs
• 5/8 (12 ounce) package andouille sausage, sliced
• 1-3/4 green onions, chopped
• 3/8 onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2-2/3 cups water
• 1-3/4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions

1. Saute chicken and sausage in a large skillet for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove meat from skillet, add green onions and onion and saute until soft. Set aside.
2. To Make Roux: In a small saucepan stir together oil and flour over low heat; cook until color is caramel and mixture is reduced to 1 cup of roux. Set aside.
3. Put water in a large pot. Add the chicken, sausage, onion mixture, celery, seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt, ground black pepper and garlic. Bring all to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Add 1/2 cup roux and stir together; the mixture should have the consistency of chowder. If necessary, add the remaining 1/2 cup roux.
4. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve hot over rice, if desired.

Cajun Jambalaya....By Us...

3 Chicken Breast and  2 thighs diced in big chunks
12 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped

• 1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 onion
• 2 scallions
• 3 tablespoons of cajun seasoning
• CAJUN SEASONING
• ( 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme )
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups rice
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 4 cups chicken stock

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium high heat. Saute chicken and sausage with seasoning then add onions, celery, tomatoes and rice in pot with chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then simmer on low for 45 minutes and add shrimp in the last 10 to 15 minutes.

Garnish with a drizzle of lemon juice and a sprig of parsley..

Side Dishes:: Salad and or Corn on the cob

From : MISHA & KINO

Welcome 2 Couples Cooking in Atlanta....

Hi Im Misha and I love to cook... along with my husband Kino who has recently discovered his love for cooking as well.. So  like everything else we do it together...Please feel free to share your cooking experiences with us and any comments you have on the recipes we attempt..

Welcome to our kitchen...