Recipe(tried): My Chicken Dinner - Chicken Fricasse with Orzo, Broccoli Vinaigrette, Poppy Seed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hello all! I am getting so anxious for the arrival of my new little one that I always feel the need to keep occupied! I guess this could be the "nesting" instinct but I'll tell you what every room of my house has never been more clean or organized and my family is up to its neck in baked goods and freezer meals. I figure I should do it now while I have the chance.

For dinner the other night we had Chicken Fricasse with Orzo, Broccoli Vinaigrette and Poppy Seed Cake for desert. It turned out really well and even my picky DH who doesnt like orzo for some reason thought it was delicious and even ate the left overs for lunch the next day.

Chicken Fricasse with Orzo

4 chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless
Salt and Pepper
1 T. butter
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced ham
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup Chardonnay ot other dry white wine
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 cup orzo cooked according to package directions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Melt butter in non stick skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides; Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Add onions, carrot, ham and garlic to pan and saute about 5 minutes or until lighty browned.Stir in broth and wine scraping up the browned bits. Return chicken to pan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm. Add whipping cream and cook uncovered over medium heat about 10 more minutes. Add parsley and stir.
I mixed the orzo into the sauce and served the chicken breast on top of that sprinkled with a little more fresh parsley. The original recipe calls for you to spoon the plain cooked orzo into a bowl put the chicken breast on top of that and spoon sauce over. What ever sounds best to you.

Broccoli Vinaigrette

Steam one pound fresh broccoli florretts until they are cooked like you like them. Meanwhile Heat:
2 tsp. Olive oil
in a small skillet then add
1 shallot chopped
1-2 cloves garlic minced
Saute over medium for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat and stir in:
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. dijon mustard
2 tsp. honey
Toss this with the broccoli. SO GOOD!

Poppy Seed Cake

CAKE:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 oz. fat free cream cheese, block style
1 stick butter, softened
3 large eggs
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 tbsp. grated lemon rind
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Cooking spray

FROSTING:
2 oz. fat free cream cheese, block style, chilled
2 tbsp. butter chilled
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325F.

Spoon flour into measuring cups and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl stirring well with a whisk.

Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup cream cheese, and 1 stick softened butter until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in poppy seeds, lemon rind and vanilla.

Spoon batter into 9-in bundt pan coated with cooking spray and bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes on wire rack then remove from pan and allow to cool completely then frost top of cake.

To prepare frosting beat the 2 oz. cream cheese, 2 T. butter,and 1 t. lemon rind until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until just blended, do not over beat.

This is best served with a drink, coffee, tea or a cold glass of milk.

NOTE: This cake can also be made in a 10 inch tube pan just cook for 30 minutes instead of 40. Or it can be made in a 9x5 inch loaf pan baked at 325 for 1 hour.

Enjoy!