Anna's Tiny Kitchen

This recipe is adapted from Outback Steakhouse's famous Alice Springs Chicken.  It is insanely delicious and fit for company!  The seared, baked chicken breasts are smothered in fried mushrooms, a little bacon, cheesy goodness and chopped fresh parsley.  This is a fairly simple recipe and I serve it over cooked egg noodles.  My recipe serves two, but you can easily double it to serve four!  Yummy! 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (I used Grey Poupon) 1/2 cup honey 1 Tablespoon oil 1  teaspoon fresh lemon juice 2 cups sliced mushrooms 4 strips cooked bacon (extra crispy!) 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/4 chopped fresh parsley salt and pepper Mix the mustard, honey, oil and lemon juice thoroughly with an electric mixer. Pound the chicken breasts slightly so they are a little thinner.  Pour the honey-mustard mixture over the chicken breasts and marinate at least 2 hours (you can marinate overni

This is very simple to make and so delicious!  I love the combination of sweet and spicy.  I used my mother's homemade melageta (hot sauce), but you can use any you prefer.  Enjoy! 1 pound chicken tenders 1/2 cup good quality Teriyaki sauce 2 T. melageta or your favorite hot sauce 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 T. extra virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 pound Penne pasta 2 T. butter Marinate the chicken tenders in the Teriyaki sauce, melageta and minced garlic.  I marinated mine overnight, but if you're pressed for time, marinate at least 30 minutes.  Make sure it is coated well in the mixture. Grill the chicken on both sides.  While the chicken is grilling, boil the Penne pasta in salted water until al dente.  In a saute pan, heat the olive oil until almost sizzling.  Add the sliced onions and cook until caramelized.  Add the grilled chicken to the saute pan along with the pasta and butter.  Stir gently to coat all flavors. Se

This recipe is super easy and so yummy!  It is perfect for chilly Autumn weeknights!  1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 medium onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2 Tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley 1 teaspoon salt plus more if needed 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup all-purpose, unbleached flour 4 cups chicken broth 5 medium-size russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 2 cups milk 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish Chopped fresh chives In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp and nicely browned.  Remove bacon bits from pan and place on paper towels to absorb excess fat. In the drippings from the bacon, saute onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper; cook stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle flour into pot and stir well.  Gradually whisk in the chicken broth.  Stir in potatoes and cook over low-medium heat for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are te

  This delicious pizza is amazing!  The combination of sweet caramelized onions along with the earthiness of the mushrooms & the crispy spinach create a flavor explosion unlike any other.  What a light, healthy dinner for a special night or any night for that matter! Pizza Dough: 1 package active dry yeast 1 cup warm water 2 1/2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour (plus more for kneading) 1 teaspoon garlic salt Combine the warm water with yeast and mix gently.  Set aside for five minutes. In a very large bowl, combine the flour and garlic salt.  Add the warm yeast-water and mix until a soft dough forms.  Knead for about five minutes, adding more flour if the dough becomes too sticky.  Cover and let rise about two hours. Pizza: 4 Tablespoons Marinara sauce Extra virgin olive oil 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese I slice Provolone cheese, cut into strips 1 small onion, sliced thin 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms 2 big handfuls of baby spinach se

These are truly the most amazing, scrumptious, melt-in-your-mouth Chocolate Chip Cookies ever!  The secret lies in using Whole Wheat Pastry flour and instant pudding mix.  The Whole Wheat Pastry flour provides a nutty flavor and just the right texture: chewy, yet soft.  The instant pudding mix adds depth of flavor and moistness.  In addition, I use only the best ingredients like real butter and pure vanilla extract.  I've perfected this recipe over many years and it is exceptional! 1 cup pure, unsalted butter, softened 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour 1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 cups toasted, chopped pecans (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and make sure the oven rack is in the upper third section of the oven.   In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until light and fl

This is a true comfort dish and perfect for leftover chicken or turkey.  It is creamy and full of flavor thanks to the stuffing mix and fresh ingredients! 3 cups cooked chicken or turkey 2 boxes chicken stuffing mix 1/2 cup of butter plus 2 T. 2 cans cream of chicken soup 1 pint sour cream 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/2 onion, diced 1/2 cup shredded medium or sharp Cheddar cheese 2 T. chopped fresh parsley Brown stuffing mix in butter for about three or four minutes.  Set aside.  In a small saute pan, heat 2 T. butter and add the onions and mushrooms.  Saute until tender and browned.  Set aside.   In a large bowl, mix the cream of chicken soup and the sour cream until smooth.  Add the chicken, mushroom and onion mixture, cheese and chopped parsley.  Note: you can choose to leave the cheese as a topping instead. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a greased baking dish, layer half of the stuffing mix.  Spread chicken mixture over this and top with remaining stuffing.  Cover wit

Torta de Çenoura e Laranja This is my mother's prized Carrot-Citrus Roll.  She adapted the recipe from a tattered Portuguese cookbook she found in an old Lisbon bookstore many years ago.  This roll is vibrant in flavor & color.  The citrus cream cheese filling adds just the right amount of richness.  The moist cake melts in your mouth & pairs perfectly with a nice cup of tea! 9 large carrots, peeled & coarsely chopped 1/2 T. salt 9 T. all purpose, unbleached flour 1 1/2 t. baking soda 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (plus a little more for dusting) 6 eggs 2 heaping T. fresh orange zest, divided 4 oz. softened cream cheese 2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar 1 t. lemon extract Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare a jelly roll pan by spraying it with Pam.  Then line the pan with waxed paper, making sure to cut the wax paper to fit so that the edges don't hang out over the edges.  Generously butter the waxed paper and dust with a l

  I simply love a good mushroom cream sauce!  This one is super easy and relatively low-fat.  It is the perfect meal for busy weeknights, yet elegant enough to serve for company.  Pass a loaf of fresh bread around the table to dip in the garlicky, mushroom sauce! 1/2 lb. thin spaghetti pasta 2 T. extra virgin olive oil 1 T. pure butter (optional) 1/2 large onion, chopped 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 cups 2% milk 1 T. cornstarch 1 t. salt 1/2 t. season salt 1/2 t. ground coriander 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper pinch dried thyme 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese chopped fresh parsley Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside.   Meanwhile, heat olive oil and butter in medium skillet till just beginning to smoke.  Toss in onions and saute till slightly browned.  Add mushrooms and saute till mushrooms are soft.  Add garlic and saute till garlic just begins to brown.  Remove vegetables to a bowl and set aside.   In the s

This is sinfully good and pure ecstasy!  The sweetened condensed milk cooks into a luscious caramel swirled throughout the pie.  The trick is to let it cool and then chill the pie for at least three hours, otherwise you will get a gooey, sticky mess on your plate.  Then again, that doesn't sound bad either!  Pass the ice-cold milk, please! 1/2 cup melted pure butter, no substitutes 1 large egg 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 T. pure vanilla extract 1 3/4 cup all-purpose, unbleached flour 1/2 t. baking soda 1/4 t. salt 2 cups chopped, chilled Reese's peanut butter cups 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch pie pan and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter and egg until smooth (be sure the butter has cooled slightly so you don't end up cooking your egg).  Add both sugars and vanilla and continue to beat well, about one minute.  Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix just until incorpo

Prato de Bacalhau, Estilo Portugues com cebola, pimentão e azeitonas pretas M y mom is an absolute amazing cook and all of the Portuguese-style dishes I post here are inspired by her incredible talent and expertise!   This dish is classic Portuguese.   Keep in mind that authentic Portuguese recipes call for dry, salted Cod in their dishes. You can use fresh Cod fillets for this recipe, but I recommend the traditional dried and salted Cod fish, reminiscent of the Azores and the main land of Portugal.  If you are truly dedicated to making a genuine Portuguese dish, you can purchase dried, salted Cod and other Portuguese ingredients from our friends at Fernandes Sao Jorge Linguica in Tracy, California.  They are easy to work with, affordable and provide fast shipping!  Links and phone numbers are provided in our "links" page. 12 oz. dried, salted Cod OR fresh Cod fillets 4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and thick-sliced 3 eggs, hard-boiled and coarsely c

This is a super delicious and easy dish to make!  It is economical because it requires no meat or expensive ingredients.  Serve with some garlic bread and a salad for a hearty, comforting dinner.  P.S. Although this recipe isn't Portuguese, the doily underneath the baking dish is!  24 Jumbo pasta shells, cooked, drained, and cooled 2 T. extra virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 onion, chopped 1 bag frozen spinach, thawed & squeezed tight to remove excess water 1 1/2 c. chopped fresh mushrooms 12 oz. park-skim Ricotta cheese 1 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese 1 large egg 1 - 2 T. chopped fresh basil 1 t. garlic salt 1/2 t. ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups Marinara sauce Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a skillet, heat the olive oil till very hot and add the minced garlic and chopped onion.  Stir well for a minute and then add the thawed, squeezed spinach and chopped mushrooms.  Stir and saute for about 3 or 4 minutes. 

This amazing recipe is adapted from Fran Warde's beautiful cookbook, Simply Delicious Food Morning Noon and Night.  I've made this recipe many times over the years and it is rich and divine!  I love the combination of bananas, caramel and chocolate.  The secret lies in boiling the sweetened condensed milk can in a large pot of water the day before.  Who knew?  Oh and it's perfect for summer because it requires no baking! 1 can sweetened condensed milk (you might not use the entire can) 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup pure butter 3 firm bananas 1 cup heavy cream 3 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar 3 oz. high quality dark chocolate Place the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a large saucepan.  Cover with water, bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the hear and simmer for 3 hours.  Check the water level from time to time and top up as necessary.  Let cool overnight. Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add the cracker crumbs and mix well.  Pour

These Chewy Almond Fruit Bars of goodness are so delicious!  Cake-like, yet dense and chewy like a Blondie, they are irresistible.  And they are so easy to make!  Use whatever preserves or fruit spread you have on hand! 4 large eggs 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup melted butter (no substitutions) 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour 2 1/2 teaspoons almond extract 3 heaping Tablespoons all-fruit spread Confectioner's sugar Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar until the mixture reaches pale lemon-colored.  Beat in the flour and almond extract, scraping the sides the bowl.  Beat until smooth and thick!  Spread into a greased 13 inch x 9 inch baking pan.  Drop the fruit spread all over the dough in the pan and swirl with the tip of a knife.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  Dust with confectioner's sugar and cut into bars.  Yield: 2 dozen chewy

Hello everyone! My name is Anna and I'm very excited to introduce my new blog, Anna's Tiny Kitchen!  I live in a small apartment and indeed have a very tiny kitchen.  I have a passion for cooking and baking and love to create new, delicious recipes in my little kitchen.  With my new blog, I can showcase my goodies and share them with everyone. I love to bake cakes, cookies, bars, muffins, and tarts.  I like to try new recipes and then adjust them according to my creative whimsy.  I hope you enjoy the treats presented here and are inspired to try them out in your own kitchen.  I come from a Portuguese background and am so excited to showcase my mother's delicious recipes as well! Thank you for visiting and stay tuned for my first post coming soon! Thank you, Anna