a chicken and a box of pastry

Last week, I mentioned picking up a rotisserie chicken, which I like to do on occasion, for a quick and easy meal.  Another fun twist is making turnovers using frozen puff pastry. These are incredibly quick and tasty.  I followed this recipe, but endless stuffing possibilities are now rolling around in my head.  I'm sticking to minimal bread for lent, so they're on the back burner, so to speak, for now, at least.

Chicken and Gruyère Turnovers

Cut 2 sheets of thawed frozen puff pastry (one 17 ounce package) in half to form 4 rectangles.  Dividing evenly, top half of each with a mix of 1 1/2 cup shredded rotisserie chicken, 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère, and 1/2 cup frozen peas. Seal the pastries and brush tops with beaten egg. Bake 400 degrees until golden, about 20 minutes. Serve with Dijon mustard. Serves 4.

In Italy, there's always chickens, but no eggs. 

In Africa there's eggs, but never chickens. 

Who separated them?

Caravaggio, The English Patient

more snickety lemon stuff

I've been on a lemon kick this week. After I posted the lemon polenta cake recipe, many readers mentioned having lemon trees, and were looking for new and different ways to use lemons. Well, here is a delicious savory lemon recipe, that's super quick and easy to make.  I don't know about you, but I am always grabbing a rotisserie chicken. Instead of stir-fry or chicken pie, try this for a change.  It's made with egg yolks, so it's not a dish you would want to eat every day, but it is a refreshing treat.  It would also be a great starter for a seafood entree.

Greek Lemon Soup with Chicken

In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups chicken broth to a boil.  Add 1/3 cup orzo and boil until tender, about 8 minutes.  In a bowl, beat 6 egg yolks; slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot broth. Add the egg mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened, a minute or two.  Add 1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken and the juice of one lemon (about 2 tablespoons). Season with freshly grated pepper.  Serves 4.

Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant 

filled with odd little waiters who bring you things 

you never asked for and don't always like.

Lemony Snicket