Fast & Easy Recipe #1: Chicken Paillard with Primavera Sauce

The French knew what they were doing when they came up with the paillard.   What's a paillard, you say?  First, say it properly okay.  Paillard, sounds just like "pie yard".  And now that you are done laughing, let's talk about what the paillard is and why it is so brilliant.  Paillard is the term for a quick cooking cut of meat, pounded thin with a mallet.  How quick does it cook you ask?  Two minutes quick!  It's genius right?  And almost any meat can be made into a paillard.  Chicken, turkey, pork and even beef.  When you are a working mom like me, paillard becomes synonymous with BIG time saver.    

My most favorite way to prepare a paillard is to give it a light dredge of seasoned flour and saute it quickly in hot olive oil, pair it with buttered pasta and a fresh primavera sauce.  Quick and CLEAN!  

Chicken Paillard with Primavera Sauce

2 chicken breasts

angel hair pasta

2 cloves garlic

2 c. grape tomatoes

fresh basil

1 c. chopped zucchini

olive oil

1/2 c. flour

3 tsp. salt

2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. cracked pepper

butter (or margarine)

Place one chicken breast on a cutting board.  Holding the breast flat on the board with your palm, carefully fillet the breast through its center with a sharp knife.  Using a mallet covered with plastic wrap, pound each fillet uniformly until 1/4" thick.  Repeat with the second chicken breast and set fillets aside.  

Fill a 4 quart pot 2/3 full with water and set on medium-high heat.  Salt the water to your taste.    

While waiting for the water to boil, prepare your veggies.  Using a fresh cutting board and knife, mince the garlic and quarter your grape tomatoes. Chop your basil (using as many leaves as you wish to suit your taste) and cut your zucchini into a large dice.  

TIP:  When chopping basil, first roll leaves together, lengthwise.  

Cut across the length of the basil "roll" creating a chiffonade (thin long strips of basil).     

By now, your water should be boiling.  Add your desired amount of pasta and allow to cook.   Remember to stir the boiling pasta occasionally to prevent sticking.  

While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a medium sized saute pan over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add your minced garlic.  Allow the garlic to brown but stir frequently to prevent burning.  When the garlic is lightly browned, stir in the grape tomatoes and 1 tsp. salt.  Cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat allowing the tomatoes to release their juices.  The tomatoes will soften while cooking so there is no need to "smash" them, but you can certainly do that if you wish.  (Why not make the cooking fun!  If you are in need for a stress reliever, then by all means go for it!)  Stir in the fresh basil and chopped zucchini.  Reduce the heat to low and let simmer.   

In a shallow bowl mix flour, the remaining salt, garlic powder and cracked pepper.  Lightly dredge both sides of each fillet in the flour mixture.   Set the floured fillets aside.  Add olive oil to a large saute pan, enough to cover the bottom of the pan and set over medium high heat.  

While oil is heating, drain the pasta (if ready).  Return the cooked pasta to the warm pot but do not set it back on the heat.  Add the desired amount of butter and an equal amount of olive oil to the pasta and toss.  Salt to taste if desired.  

Return back to your large saute pan and, when oil is hot, add the floured fillets to the pan.  Cook for 1-2 to minutes on each side.  

Plate each paillard alongside the desired amount of pasta and spoon the primavera sauce over both.  Voila!  All done and so good!

Der Dutchman, Sarasota, Florida

Candied Yams at Der Dutchman, Sarasota, Florida

Ever since my first visit to the Pinecraft area of Sarasota this past August, I've been dying to go back.  The Amish-Mennonite community has a certain charm.  And, they of course have pie.  Everyone who has kept up with my blog and Facebook page knows how much I love the pie.  So, after my last post about Yoder's, a friend and Sarasota native told me about another Amish favorite.  Dutch Heritage, now called Der Dutchman, is also situated on Bahia Vista Street in Sarasota.  Although only a few blocks down from Yoder's, its ambiance is entirely different.  Der Dutchman is no small restaurant.  As soon as you drive into the lot, you realize that this restaurant is made for visitors.  The large wrap around porch and wooden rocking chairs seem reminiscent of the Cracker Barrel.  And when you go through the front doors into the large gift and pastry shop, you can't help but think Der Dutchman is indeed the Amish version of the popular country store.  So, it makes me wonder, which came first?  Kind of like the proverbial chicken and the egg.  But now I am digressing and this blog is supposed to be about the food, so ...

What I loved:  Just like its cousin down the road, Der Dutchman is quite popular and diners may also find themselves confronted with a line.  But thankfully the line at Der Dutchman is a lot more tolerable.  This restaurant's dining room is quite large and clearly accommodates many more diners.  Large parties will definitely be more comfortable.  In fact, during this visit I found signs clearly marking seating for members of organizations and businesses who were meeting at Der Dutchman that day.  It's rather comforting to know that this restaurant welcomes large groups because my family, when all together, can be pretty big.  

Another great feature of the Der Dutchman dining room is its large buffet service.  Although Der Dutchman provides diners with a traditional menu, a visitor would be crazy not to partake of the buffet which is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  This is no skimpy buffet and for $14 it is also a great deal.  There are a multitude of offerings on the buffet, nearly guaranteeing that every diner is going to find something to their liking.  And, although it does not include pie, this buffet does include various desserts.  During this visit with my children, sister, brother-in-law and toddler niece, each of us did indeed find something to our liking.  Not an easy feat for a group with diverse tastes.  (The only one who ordered anything from the menu is my burger-obsessed son.)

Some of my buffet favorites include the broccoli salad (yum), three bean salad, macaroni and cheese and candied yams.  The green beans were a surprise.  Clearly they are made from fresh legumes (these are a vibrant crisp green) but they taste nearly like the ones that come from the can.  (I know I'm not the only one who has wondered how and why canned green beans seem to "taste" good; nothing else from a can really does.)  Yes, it's a mystery but I don't care.  These are good.

My biggest surprise favorite?   The fried chicken.  I know what you are thinking.  Didn't I frown a bit the last time I bit into Amish fried chicken?  Didn't I go on and on about the Amish being light on seasoning?  Wasn't I a hair away from daring to call Amish fried chicken bland?  Well, I take it all back.  I don't know what they do different at Der Dutchman that they don't do down the road at Yoder's but Der Dutchman definitely has the fried chicken I've been looking for.  Still lean and not fatty, Der Dutchman's fried chicken has all the flavor that its cousin down the road lacks.  And the fact that they serve it buffet style means that I can select the pieces (the wings) that I like best.  Score!

What I didn't love:  Now, as you all know, I rarely walk away from a restaurant with a 100% scorecard.  Der Dutchman did not meet my challenge without some marks.  I will be blunt and say I won't dare have the brussel sprouts again.  Some of you may not be surprised.  After all, we are talking about brussel sprouts here.  But I happen to like this rather unappreciated vegetable.  I just think that they should be cooked in only one way:  roasted with olive oil, salt and butter.  Apparently the Amish eat them old school - steamed - and, let's face it, steamed brussel sprouts just taste like ...

I also did not love the german chocolate cake, at least I think it was german chocolate cake.  Maybe it was a carrot cake.  It may have had nuts.  All I know is that it had a coconut frosting.  Whatever it was it was overloaded with allspice.  Hmmm... maybe it was a spice cake.  Who cares.  Even Anna did not venture past her first bite.  Crossing that off the list when I make my next trip to the buffet.

How much I spent:   $$.  For myself and my two kids, my bill came to about $45 with soft drinks and tip.  

My overall rating:  3 3/4 spoons.  Tried and true fans of Yoder's may scoff at Der Dutchman, since it is now part of an Amish restaurant chain that includes locations near other Amish communities in Ohio.  But that fact that it is part of an "English-style" commercial enterprise doesn't bother me.  Der Dutchman is a perfect complement to its Amish cousin, Yoder's. Yes, the latter has a pie to die for and I will always be willing to drive 100 miles for that pie.  But, Der Dutchman has a fried chicken that that will always keep me coming back.  My plan for my next trip to Sarasota is already clear.  Dinner at the Dutchman and dessert at Yoder's.  I think I've found utopia.

Yoder's Restaurant, Sarasota, Florida

You've got to love the Amish.  They are hard-working people and I know they do two things really well - woodworking and home cooking.  This blog is all about eating so you can bet that I'm most interested in home cooking.  The Amish live outside of conventional society so when they cook, its good and clean.  Their fruits and vegetables are home-grown and organic.   Their meals are not burdened by the preservatives that many have now come to find unfortunately indispensable.  In short, the food is good and good for you.  Now, I'm not a 100% clean eater.  It's just not practical with my busy schedule.  But, I do cook at least five days a week and, apart from pasta, most of my meals don't come from a box.  So, I can really appreciate the effort that goes into home cooking, not only for one's family but for a whole restaurant of guests.  And that's exactly what the Yoders do.

Those in Southwest Florida are lucky to be close enough to the resort town of Sarasota.  Known for the shopping along St. Armands Circle and a string of beach islands along its coast, Sarasota's hidden gem is its Amish-Mennonite community and Yoder's Restaurant.  Day in and day out, Yoder's Restaurant welcomes Sarasota locals and visitors who come from all over the place to get a taste of all that Amish home-cooked goodness.  And in particular, Yoder's is best known for its pies.   A few years ago, my younger sister moved to nearby Bradenton and converted me into a frequent Sarasota visitor.  Yet, in all that time, I had not yet made my way to Yoder's.  So that the opportunity would not pass me by again,  I used this rare husband-free weekend to bring my kids to Bradenton so that they could guilt their aunt into taking them to Yoder's.

Before I dine away from my own town, I do a little reconnaissance and seek out reviews and recommendations.  Yoder's has been featured on the Travel Channel and other popular food shows so I didn't have to do quite as much research to know that I wanted to put it on my dining list.  But I did go online to their website (yes, these Amish use the Internet) to learn a little more about the restaurant and its menu.  I was pleased to learn that Yoder's (named after the owner-family) has been in business since 1975 and that the family still actively participates in its management.  The location boasts not only the restaurant, but also a deli, produce market and gift shop where gems of Amish goodness are available for you to purchase.  But before you go, there are a few things to keep in mind.  It's a popular dining spot, so expect to stand in line the closer you arrive to traditional dining hours.  There isn't much of a line at 11:30 a.m., but by noon you can expect to wait at least 20 minutes.  And don't try to make reservations or send a friend to hold your place.  Your party won't be seated until your entire party has navigated the line.

Even with the inconvenience of the line, a trip to Yoder's is worth the experience.  The dining room is decorated like a country kitchen and dining there feels a lot like eating around a kitchen table.  So, dining there with my kids, my sister and her family was definitely apropos.  And there is something especially comforting about having lunch in a place that looks like it could be a part of someone's home.

Now, I will confess that I made the errant assumption that Amish-style food would be a lot like  Southern-style food.   I should have known that home-style cooking isn't one size fits all.  Amish and Southern-style dishes may look the same but I think that is where the similarity ends.  After all, I don't think the Amish use Crisco.  It just wouldn't be very Amish to do so.  For lunch, I ordered fried chicken.  Being in the South, I expected to sink my teeth into the same crispy, crunchy, seasoning crusted chicken with which I've become familiar.  The Amish version looks deceptively similar but is not at all.  My first surprise?  This Amish fried chicken was neither greasy or oily.  I know it sounds oxymoronic, but every piece on my plate (including the dark meat pieces) had been rendered of its fat.  (I admit, I liked that my chicken was a little less fatty.)  And my second surprise?  The light amount of seasoning.  The Southern-style dishes I've eaten have been very liberally seasoned.  Not so with this dish.  Clearly, the Amish season their dishes with a much lighter hand.  I don't mean to say that the dishes were bland, but they were certainly more subtle in flavor than I had expected.  That's just a nice way of saying that they were rather under-seasoned.  But ultimately it's much easier to cope with an under-seasoned dish than one that is over-seasoned.  You just need to reach for the salt or for Yoder's house "dressing" which many use as a dipping sauce for the chicken.    So, when you take a trip to Yoder's, keep this in mind.

What I loved:    The only exception to my mildly seasoned plate?  Fried okra.  If you love this veggie  like I do, then you must make it a point to try Yoder's fried okra.  Now, that is some good stuff.  Unlike the chicken, these are perfectly seasoned with right amount of salt and fried to a golden brown.  The crust on these little nuggets isn't thick but is definitely crisp.  And just like the chicken, these aren't greasy.  Better yet, these okra aren't stringy or mushy (which are the two most common objections I hear about okra).  I suppose that is the benefit of growing and cooking your own food.  The farm fresh taste of these okra is apparent in the crispness of the vegetable's flesh and seeds.  Too bad it's just a side, because I could've eaten a whole plate of these ... but for the fact that I needed to leave room for pie.

In fact, next time I've gotta leave room for a whole lot of pie.  That's because the pies at Yoder's are AMAZING.   Yoder's pies are pretty famous so I expected to like the pies.  I even made a plan to order three separate slices to taste for this blog:  dutch apple, peanut butter cream and fresh peach.  I don't think I could have prepared myself enough for how much I would LOVE these pies.  If I could marry one, I would.  If I didn't have to share with my kids, I could have easily inhaled these pies.  Yes, they are that good.  The fruit and cream filings are sweet but not sickeningly sweet, which means that I can eat more than one bite of these pies without wanting to push them away.  The crusts and toppings are flaky, buttery and light.  But the best part of these pies is their freshness.  I could swear that they cut the fruit for my fresh peach pie minutes before it landed on my plate.  Each slice was still cool and crisp.  And even though it was tossed in a light peach glaze, the flavor of this pie came mostly from the natural sweetness of the fresh peach.  Fresh peaches are one of my favorite fruits to eat so this pie became my fast favorite of the three.   The fresh peach pie isn't a regular on the menu so I'm going to have to remember to make my next trip to Yoder's before the peach season ends.

Back to front:  Egg custard pie, peanut butter cream pie and fresh peach pie

What I didn't love:  Since you already know how lightly seasoned the food is, I won't mention it again.  But that didn't bother me as much as the Yoder's menu.  As I expected, Yoder's serves a lot of traditional comfort foods, such as meatloaf, fried chicken, liver and onions, and turkey and stuffing.  I was, however, quite disappointed to see the influence of "modern" fare on the menu in offerings like asian chicken salad, quesadillas and taco salad.  I've seen "Breaking Amish" and "Amish Mafia" so I know the modern-day Amish are not exactly like the caricatures of the past.  But Amish cooking ought to be treated as sacred, so I admit that I made a conscious choice to ignore these "other" menu options entirely.  If I'm going to go to the Amish, I'm going to eat Amish and that's that.

How much I spent:  ($$)  I spent $51 plus tip for lunch for myself and my two children.  This included a cheeseburger and fries for my son, a half order of fried chicken (and two sides) shared with my daughter, soft drinks, an obligatory sweet tea and desserts.  Now, I did order three slices of pie which I would not have normally ordered.  (Each is $4.50.)  On any other day, I would have ordered just one slice to share with my kids.  But now that I've been to Yoder's I know that sharing is simply out of the question.  I suppose one could order - and spend less - at Yoder's but that would be a shame, at least where pie is concerned.

My overall rating:  The pies alone deserve a 5 spoon rating, but Yoder's isn't a dessert-only establishment.  I suppose I have to rate Yoder's on their overall menu.  So for those who are looking to have the full Yoder's experience, I give Yoder's 3 1/4 spoons.  This is good, clean-eating home-cooked food, even with the light-handed seasoning.  You certainly won't feel like you've done your body any disservice by dining there.   Just make sure you don't leave without a pie!