Danielle Dishes Up - Dinner & Dessert

Chicken & Artichokes over Orzo

Recipe from: Some random magazine

Taste Rating: 7.9 out of 10

Execution Rating: 6

Learned: The texture of orzo, the flavor of cherry peppers, that you can reduce a sauce too much.

This dish was very tasty and included artichoke hearts mixed in orzo with onions, garlic, cherry peppers, & dill.  By making this dish I got to cook two ingredients I've not cooked before - orzo and cherry peppers (the red strips in picture).  The orzo is going to be my new staple as I loved it's tiny oval pasta shape and the smoother texture it has than rice.  The cherry peppers added a nice kick to the dish and the onions sauteed in chicken broth, cherry pepper juice and white wine (I had to use Mascato as it's the only white wine I always have on hand) had me eating out of the pan on the stove with a spoon.  What I would change is to use boneless, skinless chicken breast in addition to thighs to make this lighter and easier to execute.  I would also use more cherry peppers for taste and flavor and would keep an eye on my sauce so it doesn't reduce too much (as mine did).
 

White Chocolate Creme' Brulee

Recipe from: Back of Ghiradelli White Chocolate Bar Package

Taste Rating: 7 out of 10

Execution Rating: 4

Learned: Only use fresh Chocolate

Okay so this dessert was. . .well. . . let's just say, a challenge.  First of all let me tell you the history of the main ingredient. I have had a Ghiradelli White Chocolate bar in my pantry for a looong time.  I don't even know why I got it in the first place but when I discovered the easy creme' brulee recipe on the back of it I knew exactly what I'd be doing with it.  I guess that was like a year ago because in mid-stream of making this dessert I actually took a bite of the chocolate and it had that rancid-been sitting in your cabinet too long-taste.  I thought with enough cream, eggs and sugar it would hide that nasty rancid flavor but no, not so much. If that wasn't enough it took almost 2 hours for the brulee to set (was only supposed to take 45 minutes).  I followed instructions to a tee so really can't put my finger on where I went wrong.  When I finally did get it to set and was even pleased with my broiled carmelization I was hit hard with that nasty rancid taste.  What a disappointment as the texture was divine and the taste was superb until the aftertaste hit.  Will I try again....maybe as I really want to taste this as it was meant to be.