Sunday, April 30, 2017

Garlic Dill Broiled Catfish with Creamy Dill Wasabi Sauce


This dish includes many of my favorites: catfish, garlic and dill! First of all, check out the recipe for the Creamy Dill Wasabi Sauce. 

It's an important component of this dish. Trust me, you'll be glad you took the few minutes to whisk this one together! 

Now on to the catfish.

1 lb. catfish fillet
salt and black pepper
Wild Fernleaf and Dill Olive Oil

Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Pre-heat broiler on high.

Place catfish on a plate and lightly salt and pepper both sides. Lightly drizzle equal amounts of Garlic Olive Oil and Wild Fernleaf Dill Olive Oil on both sides of the fish. Place on baking sheet.

Place under broiler for 7 minutes. Watch carefully. You may need to move the baking sheet to a lower rack or decrease the broiler to low setting. Rotate baking sheet several times during the 7 minutes.

When fish flakes easily, you're ready to eat!







Creamy Dill Wasabi Sauce

This is an easy dipping sauce for fish or chicken!

2/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/3 cup Wild Fernleaf Dill EVOO
1 t. wasabi powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. chopped fresh dill

In a small bowl, add the 2/3 cup of plain low-fat yogurt, 1 teaspoon of wasabi powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, and the 1/3 cup of dill-infused EVOO along with the fresh dill. Mix together with a whisk, add any additional salt to your taste and let stand for about 10 minutes.
Makes about 1 cup


Thanks to King's Olive Oil Company for the recipe.

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Succotash


I love this dish. It's so very simply prepared with just a few ingredients. This allows the flavor of the vegetables to shine. When you are serving a heavy or cheesy dish, a light side dish is perfect.

1 T. butter
1 red jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups frozen lima beans
2 scallions, chopped

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the jalapeno and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.

Add the corn, lima beans, 1/2 cup water, and a pinch of salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the water has evaporated. Season with a little more salt, and stir in the scallions.

From Food Network Magazine May 2017

Friday, April 28, 2017

Mushroom Quesadillas



If you'd like a vegetarian version for a tasty quesadilla, give this one a try.  The mushrooms and red onions pair very well together, but with the addition of the melty Havarti.......Yum. This is a great weeknight meal.

2 T. unsalted butter
12 oz. sliced white mushrooms (5 - 6 cups)
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups grated Havarti cheese (about 6 oz.)
1 t. dried Mexican oregano

Melt 1 T. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 t. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until browned and tender, 5 - 7 minutes. Add 1 T. butter, the red onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a plate; let cool. Wipe out the skillet.

Toss the cheese with the oregano in a large bowl. Sprinkle on one side of each tortilla and top with the mushroom mixture. Fold the tortillas in half to cover the filling. 

Return the skillet to medium heat. Working in batches, cook the quesadillas, flipping once, until the cheese melts and the tortillas are browned and crisp, 5 - 7 minutes.

Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve with succotash.




From Food Network Magazine May 2017

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Garlic Fig Grilled Pork Chops


These gorgeous pork chops were on sale this week. Lucky us. And lucky you for reading this blog post for the recipe!

The main ingredients in the marinade are Black Mission Fig Balsamic Vinegar which is thick and has an amazing fig flavor that pairs perfectly with pork and Garlic Olive Oil which is both pungent and sweet.  Click on the links to go to King's Olive Oil's website to order!

1/4 cup Black Mission Fig Balsamic Vinegar
3 T. Garlic Olive Oil
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
4 bone-in thick cut Pork Chops

Pour vinegar into a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle olive oil into vinegar while whisking constantly. The marinade will thicken nicely. Whisk in salt and pepper.

Place pork chops into a gallon size Ziploc bag. Pour in marinade. Seal carefully and turn the bag over to completely coat pork chops. Refrigerate for 1 - 2 hours. 

Preheat gas grill to 400 degrees F. Remove pork chops from marinade and let excess drip off. Place on grill. Let pork chops cook 3 - 4 minutes until they release easily from grates. Lift an edge of the pork chop and if you're happy with the grill marks, rotate 1/4 turn. Repeat with remaining pork chops. 

Turn pork chops over and repeat the process. When the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F., remove from grill and lightly tent with foil. Allow for a three minute "rest period" before serving.


Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Wing Wednesday: Greek Seasoned Wings


For this week's Wing Wednesday, I chose a "dry" wing meaning there's no sauce on these little morsels. Sometimes it's nice to have a baked wing that has the crunch of a fried wing, but without a lot of sauce to ruin the crunch!

2 - 2 1/2 lbs. of wings, separated, tips removed
2 - 3 T. olive oil
2 T. Greek Seasoning blend
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray.

Place wings in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat thoroughly. 

Sprinkle with Greek seasoning blend and stir or toss to evenly season the wings.

Place them in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven, turn the wings over, and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Bake for an additional 20 minutes or so.

Remove from oven and serve immediately.

I served these wings with a tomato and cucumber salad.

Greek Styled Salad


A wonderful combination of fresh vegetables with a flavorful Greek Vinaigrette mixed with crumbled feta. This salad is a delightful spring/summer salad when you tire of the normal "green salad."

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup chopped seedless cucumber
1/4 cup quartered Kalamata olives
1/2 t. salt
A few grinds of black pepper
1 t. Greek seasoning
1/3 - 1/2 cup of Greek Vinaigrette
1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese (add more if you like)

Add vegetables, salt, pepper, and Greek seasoning to a medium bowl. Stir to combine. 


Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Add slowly and stir so you can adjust the amount you'd like on the salad. Add feta cheese and stir to blend in with the vegetables and the vinaigrette. 

Greek Vinaigrette


Granted, I should have tripled the recipe to fill up the cruet in this picture. I did swirl the vinaigrette around a bit so you could see the herbs, lemon zest, etc. that makes this healthy dressing so flavorful.

When I think Greek flavors, garlic, lemon, and oregano come to mind. By using Garlic Olive Oil and Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar, your base flavors are there!

Not only is this an amazing dressing for green salads, it also doubles as a marinade for seafood or chicken.

This recipes make about a half cup. It will keep for about a week in the fridge. 

1/4 t. salt
a few grinds of black pepper
zest and juice of one medium lemon
1/2 t. minced garlic
2 T. Greek Seasoning blend

Pour olive oil into a medium bowl. SLOWLY drizzle in the vinegar while whisking constantly. The vinegar will incorporate with the oil and thicken.

Add remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. 

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Chili Spiced Haddock over Roasted Cabbage Slaw with Spicy Mayo Sauce


You've heard the saying that you "eat with your eyes first." Another colorful, healthy, easy to make weeknight dinner that is special enough for guests. If haddock isn't available, substitute cod or another mild white fish. Everything is cooked under the broiler on one sheet pan so you have easy clean up as well!

1/2 head green cabbage, halved and thinly sliced (about 7 cups)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 T. vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T. fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro, plus 1/4 cup whole leaves
8 pickled jalapeno slices, finely chopped, plus 2 t. brine
1 t. ancho chili powder
4 - 6 oz. skinless haddock or cod fillets

Preheat the broiler and spray a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray or line with foil. Toss the cabbage, onion, and bell pepper with 1 T. plus 1 t. of vegetable oil along with 1/2 t. salt and a few grinds of black pepper on the prepared pan. Broil, turning occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and lightly charred, 6 - 8 minutes.


See the light char? The vegetables have just begun to soften. These are perfect.


Transfer to a large bowl and stir in 1 T. of lime juice; season with a little more salt.

Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, the remaining 1 T. lime juice, the chopped cilantro, jalapenos and brine, and 3/4 t. chile powder in a small bowl; set aside.

Rub the fish with the remaining 2 t. of vegetable oil and 1/4 t. chile powder; season with salt and arrange on the same baking sheet. Broil the fish until just cooked through, 5 - 7 minutes

Serve the fish with the mayonnaise sauce and slaw along with lime wedges. Top with the cilantro leaves.

From Food Network magazine May 2017

Monday, April 24, 2017

Charred Corn & Black Bean Salad


I served this dish alongside the Monterey Chicken. Don't skip the step of charring the corn! It add a delicious smokiness to the salad.

2 ears fresh sweet corn, shucked
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. agave nectar or honey
1 t. each ground cumin and coriander
salt and black pepper to taste
1 can black beans (15 oz.), rinsed and drained
2 scallions, thinly sliced
4 cups romaine hearts
1 avocado, thinly sliced (optional)

Heat grill pan or grill over medium heat. Spray with nonstick spray.

Grill corn, turning occasionally, until charred, about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut kernels off cobs.

Whisk together lime juice, oil, agave, cumin, and coriander for the vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper.

Combine corn kernels, beans, and scallions. Divide romaine between plates, top with the corn/bean mixture, and sliced avocados if serving, then drizzle with vinaigrette.

From Cuisine at Home Issue No. 122.


Monterey Chicken with Pico de Gallo


If you're craving Tex-Mex and want tons of flavor, try this recipe now. Like tonight now. The recipe was originally written for two servings; however, I used four chicken breasts and there was sufficient marinade for the chicken. I doubled the bacon strips and the amount of cheese to make sure there was enough of those two ingredients because it's BACON AND CHEESE.  

There's two different methods to prepare the chicken, you can cook the chicken in a large skillet and, when cooked through, add the cheese and bacon, cover the skillet and allow the cheese to melt.

OR

You can grill the chicken, remove the chicken from the grill to a baking sheet, add the cheese and bacon and place it under the broiler for a minute or two to melt the cheese.  

Don't neglect to make this simple pico de gallo to serve alongside. It was the perfect condiment.

Marinade for chicken:
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. EACH brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and olive oil
1 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5 - 6 oz. each), pounded to 1/2" thickness

Whisk marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add chicken breasts, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

For the topping:
4 strips thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled (reserve drippings)
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

Heat a grill pan or grill over medium heat. Brush pan with some of the bacon drippings. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off; discard marinade.

Cook chicken, covered, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 degrees F., about 5 minutes per side.

Top chicken with bacon-cheese mixture, cover, and cook until cheese is melted, 1 minute more.

Serve chicken with Pico de Gallo.

1 tomato, seeded and diced, about 1 cup
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 T. minced fresh jalapeno
1 T. minced cilantro
1/4 t. minced fresh garlic
1 T. reserved bacon drippings
1 T. fresh lime juice
1/4 t. salt (or more to your taste)
1/4 t. black pepper

In a small bowl, combine tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and garlic.  Stir in 1 T. reserved bacon drippings and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.


Aren't the colors amazing? This meal would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo!



From Cuisine at Home Issue No. 122

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Tuscan Herb Marinara Sauce with Three Cheese Tortellini



It's been a very busy day. No time for a lot of cooking, so I headed to the pantry and the refrigerator to see what I could come up with for dinner.

Canned tomatoes? Check. Garlic and onions? Check. Italian Seasonings? Why, of course. Refrigerated fresh pasta? You betcha, and deliciously, in the form of Cheese Tortellini.

The stars of the recipe are the Tuscan Herb Olive Oil and Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar from our friends at King's Olive Oil.

Instead of running to the grocery store to buy a jar of marinara sauce, in about 30 minutes, I had a nice pot of marinara simmering away on the stove top.  About an hour later, dinner was served. 


1 small yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. salt
1 t. fennel seeds, crushed
2 T. Italian Seasoning
1/2 t. dried red pepper flakes
12 oz. can of tomato paste
3 oz. red wine (optional)
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
12 oz. water
1 t. capers with brine
1 T. sugar
few grinds of black pepper


In a 3 quart Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and let cook 4 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, salt, crushed fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stirring constantly, let cook 2 - 3 minutes.

Add tomato paste and stir to incorporate with the vegetables. It will thicken quickly. Stir constantly and let tomato paste cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Add wine, if using, diced tomatoes, and water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in capers, sugar, and black pepper. Lower heat to lowest setting and let simmer for 30 - 45 mintues, stirring occasionally. 

A few minutes before serving, add Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar. You will be amazed at the brightness and freshness the Balsamic Vinegar adds to the dish. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Serve over your favorite pasta.



The Ants Go Marching One by One.......


The twin granddaughters learned about insects this week at kindergarten. They were spending the night with us, so I knew exactly how I wanted to set their table. We had an indoor picnic table complete with ants. Granddaughter #2 was more than happy to share what they had learned this week about ants including the facts that they have six legs and three separate body parts! They listened to their teacher that's for sure.

Thanks to Hobby Lobby for the Ant Salt and Pepper Shakers, the glasses and the ant filled platter!





And, as always, Fiestaware can be mixed and matched for ANY table theme!


Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Honey Ginger Stir Fried Vegetables


This was the side dish I served with the Sticky Orange Glazed Chicken Wings. The fresh vegetables were quickly stir-fried in garlic olive oil just until they were tender crisp. The Honey Ginger Balsamic Vinegar adds the perfect addition with a gentle, spicy heat.

1 yellow squash, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 zucchini, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 T. minced garlic
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
2 T. Honey Ginger Balsamic Vinegar

In a wok, or large skillet, add garlic olive oil and heat over high heat until the oil shimmers. Add vegetables and quickly cook, stirring constantly.
 

Continue cooking until vegetables are cooked until just tender-crisp. Add salt, pepper, and Honey Ginger Balsamic Vinegar. Cook 1 minutes longer.  Serve immediately.


Sticky Orange Glazed Chicken Wings


Orange chicken is one of my favorite dishes at the local Chinese restaurant. In this recipe, bright citrus flavor from the orange juice (plus the Blood Orange Olive Oil) is a great match with the savory elements of the soy sauce. Once again, I baked the wings instead of frying them. In my opinion, they're much more tender and you save calories!

1/3 cup fresh orange juice
Zest from one orange
1 T. minced garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 T. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t. dried red pepper flakes
3 lbs. chicken wings, separated and tips removed

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.  

In a large bowl, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Add the chicken wings and toss to coat.

Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray (use two if needed so the wings won't be crowded). Arrange the wings in a single layer.

Add the orange mixture to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, bake the wings for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, turn the wings over, and baste with the remaining orange sauce. 

Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F. and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. Watch carefully, so the wings don't burn.

Serve with stir fry veggies or rice.  And LOTS of napkins.


Monday, April 17, 2017

Coconut Poke Cake


Although I'm not a fan of coconut, Sweet Harold loves coconut cakes and pies. He requested this cake specifically for Easter and I was happy to bake it for him. It's referred to as a poke cake because when the cake is still warm from the oven you poke with a fork all over the top of the cake and let the coconut / Eagle Brand goodness soak down into the cake.  

1 box white cake mix 
15 oz. cream of coconut 
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
1 large container of Cool-Whip, thawed
2 cups flaked coconut

Bake cake according to package directions in a 13 x 9 baking pan. While cake is in the oven, in a medium bowl, combine the cream of coconut and Eagle Brand milk.

When cake is finished baking, remove from oven.  With a fork, gently poke holes all over the top of the cake. Slowly pour the cream of coconut and Eagle brand mixture all over the top of the cake allowing it to soak down through the holes.

Let cool completely and refrigerate for at least 3 hours; overnight is even better.

Top cake with Cool Whip and sprinkle on flaked coconut before serving.




Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Sesame-Ginger Grilled Salmon served with grilled vegetables and a Spinach Salad with Oranges & Cucumbers




You get a three-for-one recipe blog post with this one! I love grilled salmon. Aside from the wonderful Omega-3s salmon provides us, it's delicious! We all know that the pairing of sesame-ginger is a perfect union. This is a great meal for entertaining. I served it with veggies cooked in a grill pan at the same time as the salmon along with a fresh spinach salad with a vinaigrette from the same marinade. Delicious flavors throughout this meal!

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 T. minced fresh ginger
1 T. wasabi powder
2 T. sugar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
4 salmon fillets, skin-on (4-5 oz. each)

Whisk together the vegetable oil, ginger, and wasabi in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in vinegar, sugar, and lemon juice; season with salt.

Transfer marinade to a bowl. Reserve 1/3 cup to use as a vinaigrette for spinach salad.

Add soy sauce and sesame oil to remaining marinade in bowl; whisk until emulsified (thickened). Place fillets in a glass baking dish; pour marinade over top, then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Then, transfer fillets to a plate and marinade to bowl.

Preheat grill to medium. Brush grill grate with oil.

Grill fillets, skin side down, uncovered, until firm to the touch, about 8 minutes. You don't need to turn the fillets over while grilling.

Baste fillets every 2 minutes with marinade. Remove from grill and top with sesame seeds and thinly sliced chives.

While the salmon is resting in the marinade, let's make our salad.

1 bag fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup seeded and diced cucumbers
1 Cara Cara orange, peeled and cut into 1/2" segments
1/4 cup diced yellow bell peppers

1/3 cup of the reserved marinade
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Just before serving, toss spinach and other ingredients with the marinade. Top with slivered almonds.


Now for the veggies! Wash and separate into cauliflower and broccoli into florets. You'll need about 3 cups. I use a grill pan that is placed directly on the grill grates. After the vegetables cook for 3 - 4 minutes, drizzle with Garlic Olive Oil. Using a potholder, carefully hold the handle and shake the basket like you're popping popcorn on the stove. Let vegetables cook until they are tender crisp, another 4 - 5 minutes.


Season with salt and pepper before serving.


Isn't that a lovely meal?



Adapted from Cuisine Celebrate the Seasons

Steakhouse Chicken Wings


It's Wing Wednesday once again! I hope y'all are enjoying these different versions as well as we are. Today's recipe has big bold flavors. You choose your favorite steak sauce. I'm using A-1 for my wings. Sweet Harold declared this one his personal favorite so far.

3 lbs. chicken wings, separated and tips removed
4 T. all-purpose flour
4 T. Canadian steak seasoning
3/4 cup of your favorite steak sauce
3 T. butter

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.  Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray.

Combine flour and steak seasoning in a large bowl. Toss chicken wings in flour mixture until fully coated and then place wings in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.

Place in oven and cook for 30 - 35 minutes. Increase heat to 400 degrees F. and cook for an additional 30 - 35 minutes. You can turn the wings over midway through cooking time if you'd like.

While wings are in the final bake, make the sauce. 

In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt butter. Add steak sauce and stir to thoroughly combine. Let simmer for 5 minutes. 

When wings are cooked, place in large bowl. Toss with steak sauce and serve immediately!



Monday, April 10, 2017

Greek Shrimp Salad


This recipe is a breeze to make. You can use either or spinach as the base for the salad. I chose spinach. Slice the shrimp lengthwise, you'll have twice as many pieces of shrimp for the salad and when they cook, they will twist into small corkscrew shapes. 

1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and halved lengthwise
4 T. Garlic Olive Oil, divided
Salt and black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. prepared yellow mustard
2 t. sugar
2 t. minced fresh garlic
1 t. minced fresh oregano
pinch of red pepper flakes

2 cups shredded spinach or lettuce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup seeded and diced cucumber
1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup halved kalamata olives
1/4 cup cubed feta cheese

Sear shrimp in 1 T. of the olive oil in a saute' pan until cooked through, about 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Puree' crumbled feta, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, sugar, garlic, and minced oregano in a food processor; season with salt and red pepper flakes. While food processor is running on low speed, slowly add remaining 3 T. olive oil.

Lightly toss spinach (or lettuce) with some of the dressing. Then divide the salad between serving plates.

Place tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, onion, olives, and cubed feta with dressing to taste in a large bowl.


Add shrimp and remaining dressing.  Gently fold dressing into shrimp and vegetables.  Spoon over spinach or lettuce.


Serve with Cheesy Flatbread.

Adapted from Cuisine at Home Celebrate the Seasons

Cheesy Flatbread (or Pitas)



For this cheesy bread, you'll need to select unsplit pitas or flatbread. What is Farmer Cheese you might ask?  It's almost a combination between a ricotta and cream cheese.  Technically, it's a pressed cottage cheese, an unripened cheese made by adding rennet and bacterial starter to coagulate and acidify milk. You can find it in the dairy case near the cream cheese. The combination of the farmer cheese with the Greek Seasoning will definitely hit the spot.

2 pitas (6 inch) OR 2 flatbreads
1 cup shredded farmer cheese OR a few tablespoons of a 6 oz. block of farmer cheese
1/2 t. dried Greek seasoning
salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat broiler to high and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Arrange bread on prepared baking sheet and divide cheese and Greek seasoning between them; season with salt and pepper.

Broil bread until cheese melts and bubbles, 3 - 5 minutes.  Cut each pita into four wedges or slice flatbread into serving size pieces.

Serve immediately.

Adapted from Cuisine at Home Celebrate the Seasons

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Sheet Pan Dinner: Garlic Honey Chicken with Potatoes and Broccoli



We all love the ease of sheet pan dinners for quick weeknight meals. The chicken was tender and juicy and the garlic honey glaze with delicious. The potatoes and broccoli cook right alongside for a one pan meal. The addition of the Garlic Olive Oil seriously amps up the flavor.

3 T. Garlic Olive Oil, divided
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
2 T. honey
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. spicy brown mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. Tuscan herb seasoning blend
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups halved baby red potatoes
3 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cups broccoli florets
2 T. fresh chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with non-stick spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 T. garlic olive oil, butter, honey, brown sugar, mustard, garlic, and seasoning blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Place potatoes in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining 1 T. olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken in a single layer and brush each chicken breast with half of the with honey mixture.

Place into oven and roast the chicken for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with remaining honey mixture. Return to the oven and roast until the chicken is completely cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 15 - 18 minutes longer.

Stir in broccoli during the last 10 minutes of cooking time.  Then broil for 2 - 3 minutes, or until caramelized and slightly charred.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.


Adapted from www.damndelicious.net 

Buffalo Wings Supreme


For this week's Wing Wednesday, I decided to grill the wings instead of baking or frying. These wings definitely picked up the char-grilled taste. While the wings were grilling, I mixed up the sauce to toss them in as soon as they came off the grill and were piping hot. The addition of blue cheese crumbles and celery leaves definitely made these wings "supreme." The crumbles melted onto the hot wings...yum!  I also added about a 1/2 teaspoon of chopped chives to the blue cheese dressing.

2 - 3 pounds chicken wings, separated and tips removed
salt and black pepper

For the sauce:
6 T. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 t. celery salt
3/4 cup of your favorite wing sauce
Whisk together all ingredients and set aside.

blue cheese crumbles
celery leaves 
celery sticks
blue cheese dressing

Preheat gas grill or prepare charcoal grill for grilling. Place chicken wings on the grill and let cook on medium high heat for 8 - 10 minutes. 

Turn wings over and allow to cook for another 8 - 10 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees..  


When wings are done, place in a large bowl and slowly pour the sauce over the wings. Toss to completely coat the wings. Place on a serving platter and top with the blue cheese crumbles and celery leaves.

Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese (or ranch) dressing on the side.



Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Spicy Beef Empanadas



This is an easy version for baked empanadas. I used refrigerated pie crust dough and simply rolled it out to remove any creases and wrinkles. I have a dumpling maker similar to this one. It made quick work of making the empanadas.

For the filling:
1 T. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 t. minced garlic
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced
1 pound ground chuck
1 T. chili powder
1 t. ground coriander
1 t. dried thyme
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 package prepared pie dough (2 crusts total)
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute' until softened, 3 - 4 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno and saute' until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Add the ground chuck and cook until well browned, 5 - 7 minutes. Add the chili powder, coriander, and dried thyme. Stir to combine. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the shredded cheese and stir until it is well mixed with the ground chuck mixture.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

For the dough:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to flatten any creases. Using a cookie cutter, a rim of a glass or anything about 3 inches in diameter cut circles from the dough. You may need to flour the cutter in between uses.  You can reroll the scraps of pie dough to cut more circles.

Place 2 T. of filling in the center of the dough. Brush one side with water then fold the dough over the filling pressing gently to seal.

Use the tines of a fork to seal the edge of the dough. Repeat with the remaining dough circles and filling.

If you'd like, at this point, you can freeze in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.

Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheets.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 T. water to combine. Brush the egg wash onto each empanada.

Bake until golden brown, 15 - 17 minutes. Cool at least 10 - 12 minutes before serving. You can serve either warm or at room temperature.