Recommended Recipe: Curried Coconut Soup w/ Chicken

image:  Cooking Light

I don't cook from recipes, but I do love Cooking Light magazine.  I just like to browse the pages and get inspired.

On Monday, when we were iced in, I made curried coconut soup with chicken for lunch.  Well, it was almost this recipe.  I deviated a little:  I added a bit of fresh ginger, used vegetable broth instead of chicken, and used cilantro and green onions in place of basil.  Also, I used brown rice noodles.

It was the perfect healthy, warming thing for a snow day, and it only took about 25 min start to finish.  If you are vegetarian/vegan or don't have any roasted chicken on hand, this soup would be just as tasty with some veggies like bell pepper and sugar snap peas.

Roast Chicken and Black Bean Baleada

(Apologies for the blog neglect.)

Early in June I made my long awaited return vacation to Roatan, Honduras.  It had been three years (two full summers!) since I had been on my beloved island.  This trip was extra special because I got to share it with my dad and Louis.  Damn, 4+ years of marriage and this was our first real vacation together!  I was so nervous he wouldn't be as infatuated with it as I am.  By the fourth day though, he was using the phrase, "The next time we come..."  My heart nearly flew out of my chest!

In all the years we've been staying in West Bay, we had never tried Celeste's.  It is literally just up the ally from the hotel we stay at, a 2 minute walk, but it just never happened.  This year I was determined to go and eat a lobster baleada.  Baleadas are sort of a free form burrito with a thick, fluffy flour tortilla.  Traditionally, they are filled with refried red beans, scrambled eggs, and cheese, some times with ham, chicken, etc.  They are probably the most iconic dish of Honduras, and some restaurants are elevating the humble food with fresher and more gourmet ingredients more suitable for lunch or dinner.

That lobster baleada was incredible.  Fresh lobster and homemade tortilla.  I'm not sure how to sell that better.

I don't have access to such tortillas here in Tennessee, and at the moment I don't have time to experiment with making my own.  So regular tortillas have to substitute.  You can make a good baleada with store bought tortillas at home, but it won't be the same, so clearly, you just have to go to Honduras at some point.

Roast Chicken & Black Bean Baleada
1/2 C diced onion
1/2 C diced green bell pepper
1/2 C diced (fresh) tomato
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
~1 1/4 C shredded, roast chicken
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chopped cliantro
4 large flour tortillas
1 Tbsp salted butter
1 C shredded monterey jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste

In a little oil over medium heat, saute onion and bell pepper for 5-7 minutes, until tender.  Add tomato, chicken, garlic, black beans, and cumin.  Cook for ~5 minutes, just to heat through, really.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Toss in cilantro just before filling and serving.

Melt butter with a little oil over medium heat on a griddle or large skillet.  Griddle tortillas for about 2 minutes, until they get some color and just barely start to crisp around the edges.  Fill each tortilla with 1/4 of the filling, top with cheese, fold over, and serve.

Serves 4.  Top with sour cream (or crema), cilantro, and hot sauce, if you like.

Linzano Chicken Sandwiches

I was super excited who I found Linzano salsa at the little Mexican market near my house.  It is difficult to find in the States.  Linzano salsa is a vegetable based condiment that is really popular in Costa Rica.  It is wonderful over simple rice and beans, grilled fish, and I have even seen people put it on fries.  This chicken sandwich is really simple, but packed with tons of flavor.

Linzano Chicken Sandwich
2 chicken breast, filleted (4 cutlets)
1/2 C Linzano salsa
1 1/2 Tbsp cider vinegar
3/4 tsp Tony Chachere's or seasoning salt
4 buns (I used ciabatta), lightly toasted
4 slices monterrey jack cheese
lettuce or baby spinach
thinly sliced red onion
chipotle honey mustard (I added some whole grain mustard to it)

   Combine Linzano, vinegar and Tony's.  Add chicken, marinate for at least 30 minutes.
   Cook chicken in a pan or on the gill over medium, about 4-5 minutes per side.  When chicken is almost done, top with cheese and allow it to melt.
   Assemble sandwiches.
   Serves 4.

Chicken Shawarma w/ Zahtar Flatbread & Tahini Sauce

So, The Avengers comes out on DVD today.  I know many of my friends will be picking it up after work (if they have not already done so) and indulging in a movie night.  In honor of this, I figure I would do a shawarma recipe.  (Also, the hubs has been wanting me to make Middle Eastern food like two weeks now.) This is a variation on a spice blend recipe my husband found on some unknown website.  I was surprised that I had everything to make a good Middle Eastern spice blend; it just goes to show what a well stocked spice cabinet can do!

Chicken Shawarma
~1 lb chicken breast (2 breasts), very thinly sliced or cubed
1 med onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp coriander
1 1/2 tsp cardamom
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion poweder
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp ground clove
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice

   Combine all spices.  Add oil and lemon juice to create a paste.  Marinate chicken in spice blend for 30 min at room temp, or up to overnight in the fridge.
   Heat a little oil in a large skillet over med heat.  Saute onion and bell pepper for about 5 minutes, until starting to soften.  Add chicken and all the extra spice blend.  Cook until chicken is done, about 7-8 minutes.
   Serves 2.

Tahini Sauce
3/4 C plain Greek yogurt
1/4 C tahini
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 med garlic clove, pasted
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
salt

   Combine all ingredients.
   Makes ~1 C sauce.
   Serves ~6.

Flat Bread w/ Zahtar
store bought flat bread (I used Kangaroo)
~1 tsp ghee for each flat bread
~1/2 tsp zahtar spice blend per flat bread

   Brush ghee on flat bread.  Sprinkle with spice blend.  Bake at 375 deg F for 5-7 min.

7 Ingredient BBQ Sauce

A seven ingredient BBQ sauce?  Yup, not kidding.  I think if you have a really flavorful meat, you don't need an overly complicated sauce.  We wanted something tangy to cut through the richness of the smoked pork with the all purpose smoking rub, but for some reason I didn't want to go for a straight up mustard, vinegar sauce, so this came about.  The seven ingredients are cheap things that I always have in the house, I can whip this up in no time for chicken or pork.

w/ Super Thick Cut Homemade Dill Pickles

7 Ingredient BBQ Sauce
1 C tomato sauce (=1 small can)
1/2 C cider vinegar
1/4 C yellow mustard
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lrg chipotle, finely minced (optional)
1 lrg clove garlic, finely minced (~1 1/2 tsp)

   Combine all ingredients.  Bring to a bubble over medium heat, cook until thick, about 20 minutes.
   Makes a little less than 1 1/2 C of sauce.
BBQ Sandwiches:
   When sauce comes to a bubble, add whatever meat you are using.  Heat meat in sauce until sauce is thick. Depending on your sauciness preferences, this is enough for up to 5 C of finely chopped or shredded meat.
   Serves 4-6

Crispy Smoked Chicken Rolls

The inspiration for these tasty little appetizers was Boscos' Smoked Duck Spring Rolls.  Our Father's Day dinner was Southwestern themed so I changed the flavors, but the basic idea of smoked bird in a crispy shell was there.

Crispy Smoked Chicken Rolls
2 C smoked, shredded chicken*
1 lrg carrot, cut in a very fine julienne
1/2 lrg red bell pepper, very thinly sliced
4 lrg green onions, thinly sliced
1 pkg filo dough**
6 Tbsp salted butter, melted

   Take one sheet of filo, lightly brush with melted butter on one side.  Fold in half width-wise.  Add about 1 Tbsp of chicken, a few pieces of carrots and red bell pepper, and sprinkle with green onions.  Roll up like a burrito.  Use butter to seal the dough and brush the top with a little butter.
   This will make about 18 rolls.
   Bake at 375 deg F for about 15 minutes, until rolls are golden brown and crispy.
   Serves 6.  Serve with fresh salsa or black bean hummus (recipe tomorrow!)


*Season 4-5 chicken thighs very will with salt and pepper.  I used Dillo Dust. (Which you cannot purchase, sorry.  If you really want some you need to place an order with LaRue Tactical.)  It is basically salt, sugar, paprika, pepper, garlic and onion.  Smoke for 1.25 hours according to your smoker's directions.  You can purchase smoked chicken from many BBQ restaurants or you can use roast chicken.
**Make sure to to cover filo sheets with damp paper towels while working so they don't dry out.

Lindsay Farms Vidalia Onion BBQ Chicken Sandwich

I will not tell you how long my mom had this barbecue sauce sitting in her pantry.  Too long... waaaay too long. So I confiscated it for my own uses.  And even after 5+ years of pantry storage, it was still absolutely wonderfully perfect and delicious.  Lindsay Farms Vidalia Onion BBQ Sauce is really smokey and slightly sweet; a very well balanced sauce over all.  I am now kind of hopelessly addicted to it and will need to stock up on a variety of their products for summer.
(I did kind of doctor up the sauce just a bit with vinegar and red pepper.  But it was to balance out the extra sweetness the onion and bell pepper added to the dish.  You still taste the full flavor of the sauce itself.)

Lindsay Farms Vidalia Onion BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
2 lrg bone in, skin on chicken breasts
salt and pepper
oil
1 med onion, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, sliced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 C Lindsay Farms Vidalia Onion BBQ sauce
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flake (optional)
4 buns

   Liberally salt and pepper chicken.  Roast at 375 deg F for 35-40 minutes.  Let cool, remove skin and shred chicken.
   Over med heat in a little bit of oil, saute onion and pepper until tender.  Add garlic, chicken, BBQ sauce, vinegar, and red pepper flake.  Simmer until hot.  Assemble sandwiches as desired.
   Serves 4.

Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Wraps

So, these are from a while ago.... I made them for UFC 143.  Sorry about the time lapse.  But, it is getting very spring-y here in the South.  It is a sweet reminder that real spring is just around the corner and with that means Farmers' Markets!  I seriously can not wait for super fresh and ridiculously tasty local vegetables.

Just veg on the left, with chicken on the right.

Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Wraps
6 12in spinach tortillas
2 6oz containers of roasted garlic hummus
~2 C cooked, shredded chicken
4 lrg bell peppers, roasted and sliced (I used red and yellow, but use your faves.)*
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 med eggplant, in 1/4 inch slices
3 med zucchini, thinly sliced
~6 C baby greens
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

   Toss mushrooms eggplant and zucchini with oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast at 375 deg F until tender.  Mushrooms will take 5-6 minutes and the zucchini and eggplant will take 7-8 minutes.  But whenever they are done to your liking, take them out of the oven.
   Spread 2 oz of hummus over each tortilla.
   Evenly distribute roasted peppers over tortillas.
   On three, lay out the mushroom, eggplant, and zucchini.  Divide the chicken among the other three.
   Top with about 1 C of baby greens, or however much you like.
   Tightly roll up tortillas and wrap with plastic.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  Slice and serve.
   Makes 3 roasted veggie wraps and 3 chicken wraps.  Serves 12-16.... or 6 if you are eating them for lunch or a light dinner.


*For roasting bell peppers:  Place rack near top of oven.  Broil peppers on top rack on high until skin blisters and chars.  Turn peppers over while cooking to evenly char skin.  While hot, place in large glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let them cool; then peel and de-seed them.

Granny's Chicken and Dumplings

This picture may not look like an exciting bowl of food, but it is one of the most delicious pieces of my childhood/life-in-general.  Granny could never make a pot of this big enough.  Between me, my brother, my four [male] cousins, my parents, and three sets of aunts and uncles we could polish off any amount that was made, and there were always cries for more.

The secret, and you CAN NOT deviate from it, is Pillsbury blue can biscuits.  You know, the kind that come wrapped in a package of four?  They make the easiest, most delightfully chewy dumplings imaginable!  Those to whom I have revealed this secret never go back to making them from scratch.  I make only two deviation from my granny's original formulation:  I add aromatics to my chicken while it poaches and I add a little bit sage.

Granny's Chicken and Dumplings
8 C cold/room temp water + 2 C
~2 lbs bone-in chicken, skin removed (2 breasts is roughly this amount, but feel free to use chicken thighs or a combination of white and dark meat)
1 small onion, halved
2 carrots, cut into lrg pieces
2 stalks celery cut into lrg pieces,
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
~10 peppercorns
2 cans Pillsbury blue can buttermilk biscuits, biscuits quartered
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
~1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt

   Place chicken, vegetables, garlic, bay leaf, 1 tsp salt and peppercorns in a large pot.  Add 8 C water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to med, simmer for ~30 minutes.
   Remove chicken, strain broth.  Keep liquid, discard veggies, peppercorns, etc.  Shred chicken.
   Place chicken and broth back into pot.  Add sage and ground black pepper  Bring to a bubble over med-hi.  You will probably need another ~2 C water, but liquid may be adjusted as cooking goes on.
  Drop biscuits into bubbling broth.  They will float and then sink and then kind of become neutrally buoyant. When they have reached your desired level of doneness and broth has become like a thin gravy, serve.  For me it takes about 10-12 minutes.  Adjust salt to taste.
   Serves 4 (maybe.)

Mushroom Braised Chicken Thighs

My first really big catering job was this past weekend.  I, along with the help from my wonderful mom, spent all say Saturday and Sunday morning cooking for 105 people (though, only 75 actually showed up.)  It was exhausting and sometimes frustrating, but I had so much fun!

This is the chicken dish that I made, and it went over very well.  And let me tell you, it is easy... even on a large scale.  Also, cheap.  You can make it fancier and more expensive by using different mushrooms, but the plain old button mushrooms work just fine.  I lucked out on Saturday and the potabellas and baby bellas were on a really good sale.  You can even use a variety of dried mushrooms if you like.  This would be perfect for a holiday gathering or for a fuss-free Christmas dinner.

(Picture taken when testing recipe using dried mushrooms, not final recipe.)

Mushroom Braised Chicken Thighs
8 large chicken thighs
1 10oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 C water
~10-12 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper
chopped parsley for garnish

   Cut off excess skin from the bottom of thighs.  Salt and pepper chicken.  Place skin side up in a roasting pan.
   Combine soup, water and mushrooms.  Pour over chicken.
   Bake at 375 deg F for 50 min-1 hr on a middle rack.  (If skin starts to get very brown, cover with foil.)
   Serves 8.  Top with parsley.
   (Really fantastic over rice or couscous.)

I told you that was easy. =)

Pineapple Soy Chicken Skewers

Today I begin my adventure to become a butcher.  A real butcher.  Of animals for consumption.  Seriously.  Yeah, yeah, yeah... I have to, like, stock deli meat for a while.  But whatevs.  I'll do it.  Kroger may not be the ideal work, but it's a start, and maybe I'll get a discount on groceries?  That would be awesome.  My education, my degree, my once-high hopes of curing cancer (just kidding, I never wanted to do that)--I have officially abandoned all that science jazz.  So.... yay!

If you want to celebrate this hard and fast change of career choice on your own personal time, I suggest a mid-fall luau.  And I suggest you serve this chicken.  You could make this the main dish for a Hawaiian or Polynesian inspired meal or serve it as a party food. 

Pineapple Soy Chicken Skewers
2 lbs chicken cut into large pieces
1 20oz can pineapple chunks in juice (you can use fresh if it is season)
1/8 C soy sauce
1/8 C white vinegar
1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
2 tsp sesame oil
salt and pepper
(skewers)

   Combine pineapple juice from the can (~3/4 C) with soy, vinegar, and oils.
   Lightly salt and pepper chicken.  Toss in marinade.  Marinate for 1-8 hours.
   Skewer chicken with pineapple chunks. (If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes before skewering and cooking chicken.)
   Set broiler to high and place rack about 7 inches from top.  Place skewers on a broiler pan or baking sheet.  Cook for 3 minutes, turn skewers over, cook another 3 minutes.  (Or you can grill them.)
   Reduce marinade by 1/3 over med-high.  Pour over cooked chicken.
   Serves 4-6 main dish.  8-10 as an hors d'oeurves.

Fried Vegetable and Turkey Dumplings

I think I was 16 or 17 when my mom and I started making dumplings.  Our first venture took all afternoon.  Getting the folding technique down was... interesting.  We just had a picture to go off of and I am pretty sure it took two of us an hour and half to make 4 dozen.  Now I can knock out 4 dozen by myself in 30-40 minutes (depending on distractions.) 

You can fill these with a variety of things.  I have made many, many variations.  But I do think white meat turkey or chicken works best (if you use meat) because they are low in fat.  This means they cook quickly and there isn't a lot of oil to make the dumpling soggy from the inside.  Pork is really good, but using the store bought wonton wrappers, the amount of fat doesn't allow them to keep very well in a buffet/snacking type setting.  So, if you use pork, eat them right away.

Fried Vegetable and Turkey Dumplings
1 pkg square wonton wrappers
1 lb white meat turkey, chicken, or soft tofu
1 1/4 C finely shredded green cabbage
1/3 C grated carrot
1/3 C grated broccoli stalk (peel stalk before grating)
1/3 C minced red bell pepper
1 egg
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp lime zest
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
water
vegetable oil

   Combine turkey, vegetables, egg, cilantro, zest, salt and pepper.  Cook a small patty to test seasoning; adjust seasoning if necessary.
   Lay out a few wonton skins, keep the rest covered with a damp paper towel to prevent drying.

Filling and Folding Steps (reference picture below):
   1.  Place a rounded teaspoon (about 2 level tsp) of meat mixture in the center of the wrapper.
   2.  Dip a finger into water and run it around the edges of the wrapper to dampen.  Bring opposite corners together.  Pinch.
   3.  Bring a side corner up to the center and pinch sides together.  Do the same for the 4th corner.
   4.  Gently press down on dumpling to remove excess air pockets.  Pinch sides back together if any of them gap.

   Place finished dumplings on a baking sheet covered with a damp paper towel. Dumplings may be assembled and kept in refrigerator for 3-4 hours before cooking.
   In a large skillet with a lid (non stick is best), heat some oil (~1 Tbsp) over med/med-hi heat.  Place dumplings flat side down in oil.  Cook 1.5-2 minutes until bottoms are browned. 
   Add about 1/4 C water and immediately cover with lid.  Cook 2-3 minutes.  (This steams the dumplings to fully cook them.)  Repeat for batches.
   Serves with peanut sauce (this this sauce with some extra vinegar and water) or other dipping sauce.
   Makes 3.5-4 dozen.  They will feed 8-16 people.  (Err on the side of caution and make a lot, they tend to go fast and people usually want more.)

Chili Cornmeal Chicken Tenders

Every once in a while it is really fun to eat like a kid.  That is why I made chicken tenders last week.  But these were so good, that I don't think they should be classified as "kid food".  Sure, kids would loooove these, but they are sophisticated enough for grown-ups.  I like to think of myself as an inbetweener for that area... one of those child-adult hybrids that precariously balance responsibility with ridiculousness. 

Chili Cornmeal Chicken Tenders
4 chicken breasts, cut into 3 or 4 equal strips (or 12 tenders)
3/4 C flour
2 tsp chili powder (divided)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 eggs (beaten w/ 2 tsp water)
1/2 seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 C stone ground white corn meal
vegetable oil

   Combine flour, salt, garlic and onion powder, black pepper, and 1 tsp of chili powder on a plate.
   Combine bread crumbs, corn meal, and other 1 tsp chili powder on another plate.
   Coat chicken with flour.  Shake off excess.
   Roll chicken in eggs to coat.
   Coat chickens with bread crumb mixture.
   In a large deep sided skillet, pour oil so there is a depth of 1/4 in.  Heat over med/med-hi.
   Fry chicken 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown.  Do this in batches.  Keep batches warm on a rack on top of a baking sheet in a 225 deg F oven.
   Serves 4.

I think these tenders are delicious with plain old yellow mustard.  But serve with whatever sauce you like.

Sausage and Pepper Bake

Sausage and peppers is such a classic combination.  Often, we'll do Italian sausage and peppers simply tossed with pasta.  It is fantastic, but this complete meal allows you to be a little more flexible with your cooking and serving times.  You can prep and assemble everything the day before or a few hours ahead of time and then pop it in the oven before dinner.  Not to mention, you get that baked pasta texture with the crispy bits on the top and around the edges.

I used smoked turkey sausage for this because it has a completely unique flavor which gives the dish a decidedly delicious American spin.  Because it is cheap and fully cooked with a good (refrigerator) shelf life, you can always have it on hand.

Sausage and Pepper Bake
1 lrg onion, thinly sliced
1 lrg green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 lrg red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 7-oz link smoked turkey sausage, thinly sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp oregano
1/4 red pepper flake (to taste and optional)
3 Tbsp red wine (or water)
12 oz penne pasta
1 C shredded mozzarella
~1/4 parmesan
( oil and cooking spray)

   Cooked pasta 2 minutes shy of package directions in salted water.
   In a little bit of oil (~2 tsp in a non stick skillet) over med heat, saute onions and peppers until tender, 5-7 minutes.  Remove from pan.
   Sear slices of sausage.  Add tomatoes, herbs and spices, wine, and pepper.  Simmer together for 4-5 minutes.  (Add salt to taste if tomatoes are "no salt added".)  Toss with pasta.
   Pour into a sprayed 13x9 baking dish.  Top with cheeses.
   Bake at 375 deg F for 15-20 minutes.
   *If made in advanced and dish has cooled or was refrigerated:  Cover dish, bake at 375 for 10 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes.
   Serves 4 hearty portions.  (6 if you do salad and maybe some bread with it.)
  
  

Tomato Mustard BBQ Sauce

A couple weeks ago, my neighbors (aka best friends) came over to carve pumpkins.  We also made dinner and ended up played a very heated game of Settlers of Catan.  Smoking has become out go-to dinner guest option.  The day was so beautiful that it made sense to cook outdoors.  I suggested barbecued chicken thighs.  This turned out to be a point of contention because of varying preferences in sauce.  A couple of use like the mustardy, vinegary sauces and a couple like the sticky sweet ketchup based sauces.  I was left with the challenge for a compromise sauce: sweet and tangy and a little bit spicy.  It ended up pleasing everyone!

I used canned tomatoes as the bulk of the sauce because I didn't want all the sugars from ketchup and it lends a certain freshness to sauce.  However, ketchup is an essential flavor in certain BBQ sauces, so I did use some.  It also makes for a very nice texture of the finished product.

Tomato Mustard BBQ Sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 small chipotle, chopped
1 C (heaping cup) crushed canned tomatoes or diced tomatoes
1/3 C ketchup
1/3 C water
1/4 C brown mustard
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp black pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper flake (optional)

   Heat oil over med heat in a medium sauce pot with a lid.  Saute onions for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly so they don't burn.  They should be starting to turn light brown and be soft.  If bits start to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a little bit of water to scrap them up.
   Add the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to a bubble.  Cover and turn heat to low.  Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   Turn heat off and let stand for a least 15 minutes.
   Remove bay leaf and puree.  (Salt and pepper according to taste, but the tomatoes probably have enough salt in them.)
   Makes ~2 1/2 cups.

For smoking or grilling meat, season meat with salt and pepper. Baste with sauce a couple times during cooking process.  Serve more on the side (that has been reheated).
  For baked chicken (picture above), season with salt and pepper.  Halfway through cooking, top with a little bit of sauce.  A few minutes before the meat is done, add more on top and put it back in the oven so sauce is hot.

Lemon and Sundried Tomato Chicken w/ Goat Cheese

Last weekend one of my long time friends got married!  I've known her since she was in 6th or 7th grade (same as my younger brother).  It was surreal watching her walk down the aisle to marry the man of her dreams and celebrate their little family coming together (they have the most beautiful 10 month old daughter!) 

Last February when I was babysitting for them, I happened to come across their menu. I couldn't stop myself from reading through it.  Immediately I knew it was from a pick and choose menu, but the selection sounded really good so I didn't jump to any conclusions.  And I am glad I didn't judge, because the food was seriously delicious!  They used A Dream Come True.  The menu selection is a little overwhelming, but they have some unique offerings in addition to the classic prime rib stand-bys (in every price range!).  If all of their food is as great as last Saturday, I would not hesitate suggesting you use them.

In addition to the fabulous dessert display (which my dad could have devoured by himself), the stand out dish was the "Lemon Dream Chicken".  Perfectly portioned airline breasts in a creamy lemon sauce with sundried tomatoes and goat cheese.  The only thing I wasn't crazy about was that the skin was left on and it hadn't been crisped, so it was rubbery and soggy.  I seemed to be the only person bothered by it though.  I had to recreate this dish, and my result was just as delicious (and probably less fattening.)  I'm telling you this sauce is amazing over the chicken, over vegetables, on a spoon....

w/ Basil Quinoa and Squash Baked in Tomato Sauce

Lemon and Sundried Tomato Chicken w/ Goat Cheese
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
1 C low sodium chicken broth
1/2 C low fat milk
1/4 C chopped sundried tomatoes in oil (+ 1 tsp of the oil)
2 Tbsp low fat cream cheese
1 tsp lemon zest + juice of one lemon
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper

   Roast chicken that has been liberally salt and peppered at 375 deg F for 20 minutes.
   Melt butter with tomato oil in a sauce pan over med heat.  Whisk in flour so it is smooth. 
   Combine broth, milk, and lemon juice (it is best if it is room temp.)  Whisk liquid slowly into pot so there are no lumps and lemon juice does not curdle the milk.  Whisk in cream cheese.  Add sun dried tomatoes and lemon zest.  (It shouldn't need any salt, but adjust seasoning to taste.)
   Pull chicken out of oven and remove skin.  Spread a little bit of the sauce on chicken.  Return to 375 deg F oven for 15-20 minutes until chicken in cooked through.
   Serve chicken on the bone or slice off the bone.  Spoon more sauce over and top with goat cheese.
   Serves 4.

Summer Pastisio

I made this for dinner last night and could not wait to share it with you!  Yes, I have a backlog of a few things, but this is so delicious.  Also, a perfect transition dish from summer to fall.  The air is cooler, but fresh zucchini can still be found.  This is a considerably lighter than the beef/lamb version.  Ground turkey and lots of veggies make for a beautiful end of summer pasta treat.  Don't be intimated by the amount of ingredients and the step.  It is actually very easy and this is a complete meal.

Summer Pastisio
"filling":
1 med onion, diced
1 lrg carrot, diced
1 med zucchini, chopped
5 oz frozen spinach, water squeezed out
3/4 lb ground turkey (90/10 or 93/7)
2 C diced tomatoes (1 15 oz can)
1/2 C dry vermouth (white wine or broth will also work)
2 tsp minced garlic
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1 3in. cinnamon stick
5-6 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp red pepper flake
1/2 lb penne, cooked 3 minutes shy of done
1/4 C chopped parsley
salt, pepper and oil
sauce:
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
2 1/2 Tbsp flour (You may need another 1/2 Tbsp.)
1 C low sodium chicken broth
1 C low fat milk*
1 C shredded mild white cheese (jack, havarti, mozz, etc.)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 C shredded parmesan (for top)

   Heat a little oil over med in a large, deep sided skillet.  Saute onions and carrots until onions are translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Add ground turkey that has been salt and peppered.  Break up turkey and cook about halfway.  Add tomatoes, vermouth, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, bay, and red pepper flake.
   Simmer until liquid has reduced by half, 12-15 minutes.  Then add half-cooked pasta, zucchini, spinach, and parsley.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for 5 minutes.  (Remove bay, cinnamon, and cloves.)
   While filling is cooking down.  Make sauce.
   Melt butter into oil over med heat.  Whisk in flour so there a no lumps.  Slowly whisk in broth and milk.  (*I did not have low fat milk so I used half skim milk and half buttermilk.  That is a really tasty option.)  Cook for 2-3 minutes to thicken.  The sauce should coat the back of a wooden spoon, if it doesn't, whisk in a little more flour.  Melt in cheese and add nutmeg.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat
   Take a small amount of the sauce (~1/4 C) and slowly whisk it into the beaten eggs to temper them.  Then stir in tempered eggs to sauce.
   Pour filling into a greased 13x9 dish.  Pour sauce on top.  Top with parmesan.
   Bake covered at 375 deg F for 25 minutes.
   Bake uncovered at 375 deg F for 15-20 minutes, until top is brown and bubbly.
   Serves 6.

Smoked Chicken and Corn "Creole Chowder"

I love a rich hearty soup... especially one you don't have to feel guilty about.  Cooking the vegetables down then pureeing them gives you a thick creamy base without adding cheese or cream or anything fattening.  The okra acts as a natural thickener.  Don't scoff even if you think you don't like okra.  It's pureed so there are no slimey chunks, and it adds a hint of grassy sweetness and earthiness that is so wonderful.  Fresh is better, but frozen will work just fine.  And if you are really hesitant about the okra, use frozen because the flavor isn't as strong as fresh.  But the smoked chicken and fresh corn are the real stars of this "chowder".

I wrote this recipe using leftover smoked chicken.  It is so so sooo delicious!  However, if you aren't into smoked flavor or don't have a smoker or whatever, a store bought rotisserie chicken will work great.

Smoked Chicken and Corn Creole Chowder

1 lrg onion, chopped

1 lrg green bell pepper, chopped

1 lrg carrot, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 1/2 C sliced okra (roughly 1/3 lb)

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

2 Tbsp minced garlic

~1 lb shredded smoked chicken (4 lrg thighs, save the bones)

2 lrg ears of corn, kernels removed (~2 C corn)

6-7 C water

2 Tbsp Worcestershire

2 bay leaves

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp cider vinegar

hot sauce

Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

oil

   Heat about 1 1/2 Tbsp oil over medium in a large pot.  Saute onion, pepper, celery, and carrot with a sprinkle of Tony's for about 10 minutes.  When the veg starts to stick to the bottom of the pot and turn golden brown, Add garlic, jalepeno, okra, a few chicken bones, 1 Tbsp worcestershire, and 1 C water.  Simmer over med until most of the water is evaprated.

   Add 2 C more of water, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. 

   Remove bones. Add another cup of water and puree using an immersion blender.

   Add last 2-3 C water so soup is at desired thickness.  Add bay, thyme, second Tbsp of worcestershire, vinegar, hot sauce to taste, and Tony's to taste.  Cover, simmer over low for 30 minutes.

   Add corn and chicken.  Adjust final seasoning to taste.  Cover and simmer over low for 7-10 minutes until corn and chicken are hot.

   Serve over rice.  Garnish with chopped green onions and parsley.

   Serves 6

Smoked Chicken Thighs w/ Roasted Garlic Mustard Vinaigrette

My parents were so amazing helping me get the house ready for our stuff to arrive last month.  My in-laws helped move all the crap out before I got here.  And my mom and dad were here with me every day for a week cleaning, repairing, and painting.  The only thing my dad requested in return was a "kick-ass meal."  Direct quote.  (Also, use of our military discount for various Home Depot purchases including new carpet for heir house helped with payment, saving them nearly $2,000 this year in total.)

Smoking was the obvious go-to option for us to make our parents some awesome food.  It isn't fussy or complicated, it just takes some time.  Neither of them have smokers, so it isn't food they can make for themselves on any occasion.  We tested this with skin on and off, thighs and breasts.  We agreed that skin-off thighs (bone-in) were the best.  The interior fat melts out so there no globby bits which is my general issue with thighs.  The dark meat is really delicious with the flavor profile we had chosen and stays juicy.  Also, my dad loves chicken thighs, so I knew that would make him happy.

Kick-ass Smoked Menu

Spicy Smoked Salmon w/ cream cheese, capers, and onion on toasted bread

Smoked Chicken Thighs w/ Roasted Garlic Mustard Vinaigrette

Quinoa w/ Caramelized Onions, Zucchini and Feta

Simple Summer Salad

Cardamom Lemon Rice Pudding

Roasted Garlic Mustard Vinaigrette

2/3 C extra virgin olive oil

1/2 C whole grain mustard

1/3 C white wine vinegar

8 cloves (1/2 head) roasted garlic

2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

   Combine first seven ingredients.  Use a blender (upright or immersion) to emulsify.  Stir in parsley.

   Great on veggies, grilled/smoked meat, salads, etc.

   Will keep in refrigerator for two weeks.

Smoked Chicken Thighs

3.5-4 lbs bone-in chicken thighs (~12 pieces)

oil

1 recipe vinaigrette (above)

mesquite and hickory wood chunks

Our Basic Smoking Dry Rub:

1 Tbsp sweet paprika

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp sea salt

1.5 tsp onion powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp hot paprika

   Combine rub ingredients. 

   Remove skin and large bits of excess fat from thighs.  Spread a little oil over thighs.  Liberally rub with spice mixture.

   Set up smoker according to product specifications with equal amounts of hickory and mesquite wood chunks.

   Smoke for 2 hours.  Turn over once during cooking.  Baste with vinaigrette every 30 minutes, starting as soon as you put the chicken on.  Finish with a drizzle of vinaigrette

   Serves 6.



Keema Bhutuwa

   Louis and I love Indian food.  There are no Indian places within 100 miles of us here.  Sort of hand in hand with that, there are no places to buy Indian spices.  Just finding cumin seeds was a frustrating endeavor.  This means I have to experiment.  Even though we are moving back to Tennessee in about three weeks, I will continue to experiment. 

   And I will definitely make this dish again.  Keema bhutuwa is super easy, delicious, cheap (because it uses ground meat) and does not require any crazy spices.  I used fenugreek, which was fantastic, but you do not need it.  Also, this is a really good intro to Indian food for your kids or ultra-non-adventerous friends.  The flavors are familiar enough that people won't be scared.  Basically, if you like taco meat, you'll love keema bhutuwa.

Keema Bhutuwa
1/2 lrg onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cracked fenugreek*
1 heaping tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red pepper flake (more if you like)
1 lb ground turkey (the white/dark meat mix)
14 oz can crushed tomatoes (~2 C)
1/2 C chicken broth (or water)
1 C frozen peas, thawed
1/2 C chopped green onion
1/4 C cilantro
salt and pepepr
oil

   Heat about some oil in a large skillet over med.  Saute chopped onions for 3-4 minutes until tender.  Add garlic, ginger, cumin, and fenugreek.  Saute about 1 minute.  Add chili powder, turmeric, and red pepper flake.  Saute another minute, stir constantly. 
   Add turkey and some salt and pepper.  Cook turkey until about halfway cooked, break it up as you go.  Add tomatoes and broth.  Simmer for about 15 minutes, continue to break up turkey as it cooks.  Liquid should be mostly evaporated and the whole thing should have a thick meat sauce consistency.  Toss in peas, green onions, and cilantro.  Heat peas through.  Salt and pepper to taste
   Serve with roti, naan, or rice
   Serves 4

*Don't have fenugreek?  Use 1 1/2 tsp chili powder.