pyrex – Hoots of a Night Al

January 7, 2017 6 Comments

I love baked chicken breasts as a healthy weeknight meal. However, my chicken breasts always used to come out dry, which drove me crazy. That is, until I discovered dry poaching. It’s a basic cooking technique that is used to keep the chicken moist and juicy during baking. Read on to see how easy it is!

All you need is a baking dish (I use and love this one), parchment paper, and olive oil. Pour around a tablespoon of oil into the baking dish, and use a pastry brush to spread it on the entire dish.

Once your dish is coated in olive oil, place your chicken breasts in. You can marinate them beforehand, or add your chosen spices at this point. I have been loving the Grill Mates Mesquite marinade lately.

Next, tear off a piece of parchment paper that is roughly the size of your baking dish. Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil on the parchment paper, and spread it out with a pastry brush.

Finally, place your parchment paper (olive oil side down) into your baking dish and tuck it around the sides of your chicken. It doesn’t have to be tucked too tightly, just enough so the moisture won’t escape during baking.

Bake your chicken at 400 degrees for around 40 minutes (more or less depending on the size of your chicken breasts). Once your chicken reaches 165 degrees internally, remove it from the oven and enjoy!

I have used this method time and time again, and every single time it results in moist, flavorful chicken. I promise if you’re sick of eating dry chicken, this is the answer to your prayers!

Do you have any other easy cooking techniques I should try?

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Classic Baked Ziti

February 17, 2014 4 Comments

This Classic Baked Ziti is delicious, filling, comfort food. Who doesn’t love cheesy, meaty pasta? I’m pretty sure my mom pinned and cooked this first, and it was so yummy, I had to try making it myself! The original recipe is from Budget Savvy Diva, but mine below is halved. I think these portions would easily feed a group of 3-4.

As always, you can change these ingredients to fit your needs. If you want a healthier option, substitute ground beef for ground turkey (yuck.) and select a wheat pasta to cook. If you love spinach, add a few chopped handfuls. Make it your own! Or, if you’re like me, follow the recipe exactly and still probably screw it up.

First,preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Next, in a large skillet, heat oil, and cook onions for about eight minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for about a minute.

Next, you’ll cook your ground beef, drain the fat and add your sauce, broth, and spices. Make sure you thoroughly stir them together and heat it throughout.

Stir one cup of your sauce mixture into the cooked ziti pasta. Make sure to coat all of the noodles.

Place half of the ziti into a baking dish. I use the 1.9L Pyrex that came in my Pyrex set, and it works perfectly. Sprinkle 3/4 mozzarella and 1/4 parmesan over the pasta. Next top with the remaining sauce, and, lastly, top with the remaining pasta.

Cover (or don’t if you can’t find your Pyrex lid for the life of you) and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan and cook until cheese is golden brown.

That’s it! On nights when I’m not sure what time Louis will be home, I’ll do all the prep work earlier, and simply pop it in the oven when he’s heading home. Feel free to add some garlic bread or a side salad if you’re fancy. Or just enjoy the ziti because it’s definitely filling enough on its own! If you’re just cooking for two like me, you’ll definitely have enough leftovers for another meal!

Hope you enjoy!

How to Make the Juiciest Chicken EVER!

Classic Baked Ziti