![5 Things You Can Do to Live Well During the Cold Winter Months]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Jan 1, 2018 | LIFE
It’s this time of year when I appreciate home and hearth the most. While I may not have a fireplace (although I’d absolutely love one), its the cold, wintry air and beautiful white snow cover that makes me do a whole lot of nesting indoors to create that inviting, fireside feel that I want my friends and family to enjoy when they visit.
The Scandinavians have this concept of hygge that has gained popularity globally because it’s a celebration of the more positive side of cold and blustery weather that forces us to stay indoors; instead they embrace the chance and the opportunity to buckle down, nestle in and create an inviting and warm space with candles, good food, games and the creation of happy moments with their closest friends and family. I personally love it and have been finding myself utilize this concept for the past several years. By living in the Chicagoland area, we are no strangers to the wind, cold and Chiberia-like weather that can be seen as depressing and uninspiring, but if we look at the positive side of this time of year there is so much to be grateful for and actually anticipate as the season goes from Fall to Winter quite abruptly here.
So what can be done to embrace the weather, the season and all the good things that come along with it? Here’s my list of top 5 things to do to get on with the business of living well during the cold winter months, particularly December and the holiday season that surrounds us.
- Plan to eat indoors– a lot. Why not use this time to not only sharpen your cooking skills, but also to bond with the people you really want to spend more time with? Make a classic roasted chicken, or boneless skinless chicken breast in some sort of creamy sauce- both of which represent the very essence of communicating love and affection across the table.
You feed those you love with the aroma, the warmth and the delicious flavor infused into something you put your heart and soul into- that speaks volumes without saying a word. Of course, we all want baked goods, too, don’t we? 
Can’t forget the lovely aroma those add to the house, as well… - Get out in nature. Yes, it’s cold. Sometimes it’s snowing so much you can’t necessarily drive anywhere, but you can get out and walk along the paths of nature preserves and forests, or get out into your own backyard and explore what’s there.
Get the kids and yourself all bundled up and see what you can find. For example, pine trees aren’t all the same- do your kids know how to identify the difference between the different conifers? 
There are so many, sometimes even in just one yard or space. I have several different ones, some of which produce juniper berries and others tucked away into the landscape I never noticed them until I went outside and focused my attention on what I could use to make a pretty wreath or decoration for my front door.
It’s that attention to detail that makes all the difference. - Make crafts using the natural elements you’ve found outdoors. As I said, I walked my yard to find elements I could use to decorate my home. Not only are there different kinds of greens from pine trees in which you can make beautiful wreaths for doors and mirrors like this boxwood wreath…
…or this pine wreath…
but the pinecones also become a beautiful centerpiece in any dining room just by placing them in a bowl or tall clear container as-is. You can also begin to force branches and bulbs so they will blossom nicely around mid to late January, like these amaryllis plants- one variegated…
and the other all red.
Or these paperwhites…
…both of which can be found at most hardware stores and nurseries. I love to see them start off indoors in dirt and moss and become the beautiful natural eye candy right on my windowsill. 
Nature is the most beautiful artwork and we need only to seek it out and bring it inside. - Go through your pantry and discover everything you’ve not been using- and put them to good use now. The reason foods were preserved were for times like these. Jams, jellies, pickled vegetables, even preserved meats and fish- were meant to be savored at this very time of year when things cannot be grown outdoors.
This is how much of the world survived and even thrived during the unforgiving cold because many of our ancestors knew how to extend the life of their locally grown food products, naturally. If you don’t have any of these kinds of things, all you have to do is visit a local farmers market and see who has been doing just that. Chances are you’ll find someone who thought ahead enough to offer these specialty items and give you an idea of what you can plan ahead for next year, so that you can enjoy your own kind of hygge even more… - Create an ambiance of comfort, warmth and invitation in your home. Environment is everything, isn’t it? No matter the weather or scenery outside, you can make the inside your own palace and lap of luxury on your terms. For me, that means a lot of indoor lights, including candles perched onto wrought-iron candle holders and candelabras, giving my rooms a dramatic but warm feel that seems to embrace everyone who walks in. They also transfer to my table with dinner guests to create an extra special feel of closeness and togetherness you usually can’t get in a restaurant. While I curl up on the couch with my real wool blankets made in New Hampshire found at an antique shop in Vermont, I hold tightly a mug of homemade sipping chocolate or winter herbal teas always warms me up just right.
…and the love one feels surrounded by just doing these small things. 
Doesn’t that all sound so inviting? Let me know in the comments section below…
![Chicken Salad with Homemade Yogurt-Based Ranch Dressing]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Dec 28, 2017 | American, Recipes, Salads
https://billydoemeats.com/?sca_ref=612140.OUBMoNQMp3As we begin to enter the New Year soon, wouldn’t it be nice to actually maintain a goal of eating healthier by cooking more at home, making food from scratch and making a habit out of knowing exactly what’s in your food? Not to mention the inevitable draw this has for other family members in the home and the resulting bonding time with your children when you’re cooking around them and/or inviting them to help you…
Well, when it’s said like that it’s got to be something you’ll want to eat, right?
Start off by sautéing the chicken. It’s an easy process but one in which if you know and master one simple trick, you’ll never have dry boneless chicken again: just memorize the fact that the pan has to be covered at some points. That’s how the meat retains its moisture.
In this recipe, I’m only using one boneless breast, but I cooked two so that I could whip up more of this salad the next day since the dressing is so good and there’s plenty leftover from the recipe I’m going to give you.
How to get moist on the inside and nicely browned meat on the outside:
I use just a bit of olive oil in the pan, not more than 2 tablespoons, and let one side cook thoroughly. The rule of thumb is to leave it alone and let it brown for about five minutes, but the real test of knowing is that when you try to push it over to the other side if it gives easily and turns without a fight, it’s ready; if not- leave it alone until it is.
Then, you do the same thing on the other side and once that browning has happened again, you’ll now cover the pan and turn the heat down to low. Leave there for a few minutes then turn the heat off and let the meat rest. That means, leave it in the pan a few minutes more before even thinking about cutting into it. This is where the moisture retention truly happens.
Now, and only at this point, are you ready to cut into it- or should I say instead that the meat is ready for you.
Now I’ve got all my essentials laid out to finish the dish. The scene below is for the video the was taped to show you how to make this dish. That’s not ready yet, but once it is we’ll post it back here.
For the Ranch Dressing, my essential ingredient is Mountain High Yoghurt. It’s halal-certified so that means there isn’t any funny stuff inside of it- no gelatins or emulsifiers to give us any doubt about its origin. Just the real, good stuff. So, that’s why I’m using it. We’re also using it in this particular recipe because we’re encouraging everyone to find recipes and ways that that last portion of yogurt inside the tub can be finished up. You know, whenever you’re making recipes you use big chunks of the yogurt but what do you do with that last 1/3 or smaller portion of the yogurt? If you’ve got ideas, tell us in the comments section below or use the hashtag #finishthetub and tag @mountainhighyoghurt and @myhalalkitchen on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook so we can see and possibly share your ideas, too!
The salad is super easy to pull together once the chicken is cooked. In fact, you can even cook the chicken the night before and put the remaining ingredients in containers for work the next day where you can easily throw it all together for lunch at your desk- although that’s not encouraged, but just to demonstrate that it really is that simple. Just heat the chicken thoroughly prior to eating- unless you’re okay with it being cold.
To make the dressing you simply combine a few ingredients: yogurt (I like the whole milk yogurt and this recipe has been tested using that), buttermilk, heavy whipping cream, salt and black pepper. To lighten it up you could use milk instead of whipping cream but again we tested this recipe over and over again for taste and texture and this was the best ratio and texture of all the varieties of creams used. To go vegan would be an entirely different story, so let’s leave that variation for another day…
The other few ingredients are Romaine lettuce (I suppose you could use iceberg, too, if you like), good croutons, and Parmesan cheese.
Your colleagues will be drooling over your lunch, which is fine because this recipe makes enough for you to share, and share you should…
How are YOU going to #finishthetub?
To get more recipe inspiration and to find out where you can get Mountain High halal-certified yogurt, visit their Facebook page or their website.
*This post was sponsored by Mountain High Yoghurt. The opinions and content are my own and do not reflect that of Mountain High.
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![Lemon Chicken Paillard]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Jun 23, 2017 | Chicken, French, Poultry Dishes
Paillard is a French culinary term thinly sliced or pounded meat, which is easier to cook and has quicker cooking times as a result of that.
I love pillared and actually do it to beef as well, but this chicken dish has a special place in my heart because of all my favorite flavors in it: sea salt, olive oil, lemon, fresh herbs like oregano and thyme.
I start out with some beautiful boneless, skinless raw chicken like breast meat chicken tenders, which you can get from Billy Doe Meats (everything is Halal).
Then, I wrap it in plastic wrap and use something heavy like a mallet or even my cast iron pan to pound the meat thin.
Once that’s done, I prepare the pan. I use a cast iron pan, but you can use any skillet. My secret to the chicken never sticking is to salt the bottom of the pan then add the frying oil. I season the chicken, too, but am careful with the salt because there will be plenty of salt in the pan. 
I cook it for about 5 minutes on one side and never move it until it’s ready. You can tell by looking at the edges of the meat, which starts to pull away from the pan. Flip the meat over, then add the lemon slices and fresh herbs on top. Let it cook for another 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces, then move to a paper-towel lined plate to soak up any excess oil.
I like to add a few more cut fresh herbs on top for flavor, but what I also love about this dish is that you can lift the meat from the pan and still have the lemons and fresh herbs on top looking untouched, so the presentation is pretty- and all the flavor has been cooked into the meat so nicely. It’s just one of the easiest and quickest things you can do to put a great meal on the table- a side of rice, couscous or pasta would all be fantastic, although even a little rustic bread would be lovely, too. It doesn’t get much simpler or easier than that, particularly for the last Iftar of Ramadan.
[yumprint-recipe id=’111′] ![Hearty Chicken and Zucchini Soup]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Sep 1, 2016 | Soups
What should you do with all of those wonderful summer zucchini squash you’ve got from the local farmers market or your family’s backyard garden? Most people would say to make zucchini bread, which I think is an absolutely fabulous idea! But, I also think making soup is another great idea, too, and I mean a hearty one!
I love this type of weather we’re having right now near Chicago- that steamy hot and humid and wet summer is nearing its end (I hope) and it’s cooling down just enough so I can start to imagine wearing my favorite tall boots, turtlenecks and sweaters again. I just love wrapping myself up and having something nice and warm to eat like a bowl of soup, but not when it’s too cold so this soup is a great reminder that we’re still able to enjoy the hot summer vegetables, too. The addition of chicken makes it a real meal that can be satisfied by itself with a bit of rustic bread or tortillas on the side, whichever you like more.
It uses up about 3 large zucchini and makes about 8 servings, which is quite a lot. I add one Yukon gold potato because they’re soft and cook fairly quickly but they also add starch to the soup, which thickens it slightly.
To make it, I cook the chicken in a separate pan because it’s just easier and cleaner to pull out and chop that way. The first recipe I tested, I used split chicken breast pieces then once they were cooled I de-boned the meat and then shredded it with a fork. The next test I did differently and it was much better. I used boneless skinless chicken breast, boiled it and then once removed from the water and cooled, I chopped it finely with a knife.
The result is that it was so much better because in every bit of the soup there is a generous amount of chicken, which I know most people love. It’s also rich in broth because I used the water that I boiled the chicken in, AND a carton of the Artisan Roasted Chicken Broth by Saffron Road.
*NOTE ABOUT THE BROTH IN THIS RECIPE: It seems as though the Saffron Road halal chicken broth and other broths are not available, so you can replace it with an organic vegetarian broth like this one for this recipe. 
The basic ingredients are simple and easy to get – in addition to what I mentioned, I also added garlic, frozen spinach, salt, pepper and a bit of fresh parsley. At the end, I topped it off with Parmesan cheese (you can find varieties that are suitable for vegetarians at Trader Joe’s stores), which I have to do because that satisfies the Italian in me…
And so does this soup- it’s hearty and rich in flavor yet it’s inexpensive, easy to make and fairly quick. You could easily pre-chop al the ingredients (zucchini, garlic and potato) then come home after work and make it in no time. Seriously…that’s how good home cooking should be, right?
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by Yvonne Maffei | Mar 21, 2016 | Chicken, Cooking Techniques & Kitchen Tips, Mediterranean, Recipes
I recently filmed this quick video to show how I make one of my favorite chicken dishes ever. It’s pretty versatile, but the way I use it most is when making my recipe for Chicken Pita Rolls with Hummus & Tabbouleh.
If you have any questions about the technique please leave them below. Enjoy!
