Recipe: Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breasts, Spaghetti with Zucchini and Garlic, Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake

Good Morning Everyone!

Last night we watched Rachael Ray prepare this meal we will be enjoying tonight for dinner. It looked so yummy that DH turned to me and asked if I could make it! I said, "certainly", and that is what we will have tonight along with a crusty French bread. To enjoy with coffee afterwards, I will have a delicious Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake.

Happy Holidays! Gina

SPINACH AND MUSHROOM STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
Source: Rachael Ray
Servings: 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 ounces
Large plastic food storage bags or waxed paper
1 package, 10 ounces, frozen chopped spinach
2 tablespoons butter
12 small mushroom caps, crimini or button
2 cloves garlic, cracked
1 small shallot, quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano, a couple of handfuls
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated or ground nutmeg
Toothpicks
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE SAUCE:
2 tablespoons butter (I use Kerrygold Garlic & Herb Butter)
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth

Place breasts in the center of a plastic food storage bag or 2 large sheets of waxed paper. Pound out the chicken from the center of the bag outward using a heavy-bottomed skillet or mallet. Be firm but controlled with your strokes.

Defrost spinach in the microwave. Transfer spinach to a kitchen towel. Twist towel around spinach and wring it out until very dry. Transfer to a medium-mixing bowl.

Place a nonstick skillet over moderate heat. When skillet is hot, add butter, mushrooms, garlic and shallot. Season with salt and pepper and saute 5 minutes.

Transfer mushrooms, garlic and shallot to the food processor. Pulse to grind the mushrooms and transfer to the mixing bowl, adding the processed mushrooms to the spinach. Add ricotta and grated cheese to the bowl and the nutmeg. Stir to combine the stuffing. Return your skillet to the stove over medium high heat.

Place a mound of stuffing on each breast and wrap and roll breast over the stuffing. Secure breasts with toothpicks. Add 3 tablespoons oil to the pan, 3 turns of the pan. Add breasts to the pan and brown on all sides, cooking chicken 10 to 12 minutes. The meat will cook quickly because it is thin. Remove breasts; add butter to the pan and flour. Cook butter and flour for a minute, whisk in wine and reduce another minute.

Whisk in broth and return breasts to the pan. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve.

Remove toothpicks. Serve breasts whole or, remove from pan, slice on an angle and fan out on dinner plates. Top stuffed chicken breasts or sliced stuffed breasts with generous spoonfuls of the sauce.

---

SPAGHETTI WITH ZUCCHINI AND GARLIC
Source: Rachael Ray
Servings: 4-6

2 small to medium zucchini
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 4 turns of the pan
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano

Pile up 2 or 3 layers of paper towels on a work surface. Working on the paper towels, shred zucchinis using a box grater holding the zucchini at an angle.

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan Add chopped garlic to the oil. When garlic speaks by sizzling in oil, add shredded zucchini. Season zucchini with salt and pepper. Saute shredded zucchini 7 to 10 minutes.

Add hot, drained pasta to the pan. Toss spaghetti with zucchini and garlic oil. Add a couple of handfuls of grated cheese to the pan. Adjust seasoning and serve.

---

ORANGE CHOCOLATE CHUNK CAKE
Source: Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties That Are Really Fun by Ina Garten
Makes 1 (10-inch) bundt cake

1/2 lb. unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 extra large eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup grated orange zest from 4 large oranges
3 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 Tbsp.
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh squeeze orange juice
3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups good semi-sweet chocolate chunks
FOR THE SYRUP:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh squeeze orange juice
FOR THE GANACHE:
8 oz. good semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. instant coffee granules

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.

Cream the butter and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, then the orange zest.

Sift together 3 cup flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in a large bowl.

In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with flour.

Toss the chocolate chunks with 2 Tbsp. flour and add to the batter. Pour into the pan, smooth out top.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE SYRUP:
In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, cook the sugar with the orange juice until the sugar dissolves.

Remove the cake from the pan, set it on a rack over a tray and spoon the orange syrup over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.

FOR THE GANACHE:
Melt the chocolate, the heavy cream and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stir occasionally. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake.