Roasted Tequila Lime Chicken

Original recipe found at http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2007/04/chicken-jealousy/

Original source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

In this recipe I doubled nearly everything from the orginal to make sure the chicken would be fully coated...but this might not be necessary. 

Ingredients

1 cup gold tequila

12 oz 100% lime juice

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp minced jalapeno pepper (I used jarred sliced jalapeños and just squished them up in my hands)

2 tbsp minced fresh garlic

1 tbsp salt

2 tsp  freshly ground black pepper

Original: 3 whole boneless chicken breasts 

Adapted: 1 - 4 lb roasting chicken, quartered 

Olive oil

3 tbsp Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped 

Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large container. Add the chicken. Refrigerate and let marinate for 8 hours or overnight.

Original: "Heat a grill with coals and brush the rack with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, and grill them skin-side down for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove from the grill to a plate. Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature." 

Adaptation: (Used whole bone-in chicken breasts (chicken halves) with 6 drumsticks, with skin) 

Place Skin side up in baking dish. Brushed with olive oil. 

Preheat oven to 450.(Roast setting)

Bake for 40 min.

Tent with foil after about 15 min or when the skin is nicely browned. 

Cover with foil for 15 min after removing from oven, before serving. Internal temp must reach 165 (can take out at 160) to be done.

Sprinkle with cilantro to serve. Serve hot! 

Easter Dinner

My mom and I received so many kind words about our Easter dinner dishes, and I must say it really meant a lot to me, after all our hard work! I hope that everyone enjoyed themselves at the party, enjoyed the food, and hopefully were pleasantly surprised to have some new dishes to try, mixed in with some long-standing family favorites!

Here is the complete menu! Send me a message if you are interested in one of the recipes without a link—those are from cookbooks I have!

Beverages
Sunny White Sangria

Appetizers

Garlic Herb Hummus with assorted vegetables (DF)

Black Pepper-Crusted Herbed Goat cheese with crackers

Parsi Deviled Eggs

Dinner

Onion & Thyme Tart (GF, DF)

Chicken Marbella 

Hoisin-Glazed Beef Tenderloin

Green beans, blue cheese, & walnut salad with vinaigrette

Warm Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad with Tahini dressing

Dijon Vinaigrette Potato salad

Ratatouille

Strawberry Jello Mold

Black Skillet Baked Beans

(Dinner rolls and sliced French bread)

Dessert

Pear & Almond Frangipane Tart (GF, DF)

Dark Chocolate Sunbutter Crisp Bon Bons (I followed all the directions from the original recipe, Peanut Better Balls, only I swapped out the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter)

Carrot Pineapple Loaf

And...here are some other tasty treats family members brought! 

Carrot Cake with cream cheese icing

Chocolate-covered strawberries

(Blueberry Pie)

Irish Potato Candy

(Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake)

Assorted Cookies: (Chocolate chip blondies, wedding cookies, sugar cookies)

Chicken Marbella

This has to be one of my new favorite ways to prepare chicken. And one of the best things, is that it uses the whole chicken (well, the major meaty parts anyway...thighs, legs, breasts), so you could actually save $$ by not buying boneless, skinless, breast meat. Additionally, I am not usually a fan of the dark meat, but this preparation actually makes all of the meat equally yummy! Win-win, I think! Yes, dark meat is higher in calories and fat, but as long as you are not overdoing these things in other meals, etc, you should not be afraid to go for these pieces, for they are succulent and super flavorful! 

For more information on the nutrition of white v. dark meat, there is a short article on the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics website.

http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442471213

It also explains that dark turkey meat is an even healthier option than dark chicken meat! And this recipe would be probably equally as good if you used all turkey pieces too! 

I copied this from a printout my mom had…there weren't many clues to its source, but I think it's from The Silver Palate recipe book? If there is such a thing...haha. 

This dish is best if served hot or at room temperature.

If you're feeling confident and/or adventurous, buy a whole chicken and chop it up yourself. I recommend that you watch a quick tutorial if it's your first time! I watched 3 different videos and it was still tricky! Here is one I recommend:

http://youtu.be/BwVWOo_mYF8

Otherwise, you could purchase bone-in chicken pieces with skin.

Serves 10-12

4 chickens, quartered (about 2.5 lbs each)

1 head of garlic, peeled, pureed (equivalent to about 10 large cloves, or 3 tbsp minced or puréed garlic)

¼ cup dried oregano

coarse salt

fresh ground pepper

½ cup olive oil

1 cup pitted prunes

½ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup pitted Spanish green olives (many jarred ones are stuffed with pimientos--if you care to take them out, go ahead, but I don't feel like it makes a difference)

½ cup capers with a bit of juice

6 bay leaves (break into a few pieces by hand )

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup dry white wine (I like using a good non-oakey Chardonnay; and it's recommended that you never cook with a wine you wouldn't want to drink!)

¼ cup italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

In a large bowl, combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper & coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil. prunes, olives, capers, juice, and bay leaves.

Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

Bake for 50 min. to 1 hour, basting frequently (try every 15-20 min?) with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces pricked with fork at thickest part, yield clear yellow rather than pink juice. (Or, if you would rather use a trusty instant-read cooking thermometer, insert into thickest part of thigh, but not touching bone, and aim for about 170 deg F-- if you shoot for 5 degrees less than "done", the "carryover" cooking that will happen after taking it out of the oven will finish the cooking, and you will avoid over cooking. In my experience, it seems a number of people think chicken has to be firm and dry to be cooked sufficiently, but chicken can be juicy and tender when cooked properly!)

Serving the dish:

With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to serving platter.

Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and and sprinkle generously with parsley. Reserve the remaining pan juices to be served on the side. (You can decide if you want to first strain this through a mesh strainer or not).

To serve Chicken Marbella 'cold,' cool to room temperature in cooking juices, before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juice over chicken. 

Hope you enjoy!

Here's a shot of the leftovers we had at Easter...not the best picture, but we were so busy that day I forgot to take pictures beforehand!

Cauliflower and Broccoli in Cashew Cream Red Curry Sauce

Spicy warning! (about as spicy as "medium" salsa)

This recipe is more of a side dish, but could be made into a main dish by adding a protein, like meat or beans (there are a few suggestions at the end of the recipe). 
If you would like to make this a main dish, you will probably want to double the sauce recipe, so there will be enough to cover everything well.

About 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups cauliflower florets
• 3 cups broccoli florets

Curry-cream sauce:

• 2/3 cup cashew cream
• 2/3 cup red curry sauce*

*Red curry sauce (For the original recipe, go to About.com Thai Food)

• 1/4 cup white onion, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. prepared lemongrass 
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb-size piece ginger, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper 
• 2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce, however, original recipe called for fish sauce)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp coconut liquid aminos (or use more soy sauce)
• 1-1/2 to 2 Tbsp. chili powder (use less if you don't like it too spicy)
• 3 Tbsp. thick coconut milk, or just enough to keep the blades turning (reserve remaining for cooking the curry)
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

First, prepare red curry sauce. Chop, peel, grate, etc. ingredients as listed and add to a food processor. Process until smooth.

In a small bowl, mix together the equal amounts listed of prepared curry sauce and cashew cream. Set aside. 
Note: this ratio of sauce to nut cream can be adjusted to taste… If you want it more spicy, add more curry sauce, if not, add more nut cream. Also, if the sauce is too thick, you can thin it out, adding a few tablespoons of coconut, soy, or almond milk at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

Steam vegetables until tender.

Add the vegetables to a skillet, and toss with the prepared curry cream sauce, making sure everything is coated well. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is heated through. Serve hot, and enjoy!


Main dish add-in variations:

Meat-lovers:

• Cooked and cubed chicken breast

Vegetarian:

• 1 can (15 oz) rinsed, drained chickpeas

Easy Mushroom-Tomato Pasta Sauce

A super easy, tasty, accompaniment to your favorite pasta! 

Fresh whole wheat pappardelle with sauce

Ingredients 

1 large onion, diced (about 1-1/2 cups)

1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

1-1/2 cup diced plum tomatoes (remove pulp and seeds)

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt

Black pepper

Optional: 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

If you are starting with whole mushrooms, very quickly rinse them under cold water to remove dirt (don't soak, because mushrooms easily absorb water and then you are left with yucky soggy mushrooms!); afterwards, gently dry them on a clean towel, and spread out to let dry further.

Heat oil in large non-reactive skillet (stainless steel preferably; don't use aluminum as the acids in the tomato can discolor and give an off flavor to the sauce ). 

Add mushrooms, and add a dash of salt. Stir to coat, and sauté over medium-high heat for about 4-5 min. Stir in onions, sprinkle another dash of salt in, and cook another 5 or so until onions are translucent. Add in tomatoes, add a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and cook about 4 min. Season to taste with salt and pepper to finish the sauce.  

If you are ok with cheese, you can stir in about 1/3 cup grated Parmesan at this point. 

Toss the sauce with cooked pasta and fresh parsley (you can reserve some to around on top or mix it all in). Now, dig in!

Italian Turkey Meatloaf springpad.com Ingredients 1-1/2 pounds 93/7 lean ground turkey 1 egg  1/2 cup coarse ground rolled oats (or steel cut oats) 1/4 cup sweet vermouth 2 tbsp olive oil 4 oz basil pesto (dairy free) 4 large cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped 1-1/4 cups tomato sauce (could use canned crushed tomatoes, with 1/2 cup liquid reserved) 1/4 cup tomato paste Small handful of Fresh, chopped parsley 1/2 tsp fresh ground black peppercorns 1 tsp onion powder 1 cup diced onion 2 tsp oregano 2 tsp basil 1 tsp Salt Directions Preheat oven to 375°F.  Heat oil in skillet. Sauté onions for several minutes: add vermouth. Sprinkle a little salt. Cook several min. Until onions are tender and liquid is mostly cooked out. Add garlic and cook for another couple minutes. In a medium bowl, combine ground meat, egg, oats, cooked onion mixture, pesto, half of chopped parsley, sun dried tomatoes. In small bowl, mix together tomato sauce, paste, herbs & spices. Add 3/4 cup of sauce to meat and mix well.  Baking options: 1) lightly form meat into a long loaf about 8 inches by 3 inches, on an ovenproof casserole dish, or 2" deep baking pan.  OR 2) lightly press into a 8x4" baking loaf pan.  Pour remaining sauce over top.  Cheese variation: Mix in shredded Parmesan or small cubes of mozzarella, and sprinkle cheese on top before baking.  Bake 60 minutes; meat loaf will have shrunk some from the sides of the baking dish, with an internal temperature (use instant thermometer inserted into middle) should be 150 degrees F.

Chicken Tikka Masala

The sauce in this recipe was one of those lick-the-plate kinds for me. It was the perfect blend of rich tomato flavor, spice, and creaminess. Though there is a small amount of prep work involved, the sauce and nut cream can be made a day ahead, so the next day you can have a meal ready in 30 min! (My favorite kind of meal!)

Some notes about the ingredients I used:

I made this recipe with 8 chicken breast tenderloins, which I thought seemed equivalent to 4 chicken breasts at the time, but I ended up with much more sauce than was appropriate for the amount of chicken. Hence, the potatoes. So as you'll see below, I put what was originally listed along with what I did. I had so much sauce that I needed to spread it out by mixing in something else, so I boiled some diced potatoes until they were just tender and mixed those in. (You want the potatoes just soft enough for fork to easily puncture; you don't want them to be super soft, because then they turn to mush when you mix them in). Anyways, potatoes are beside the point of this post. (If you're really interested, if you ask me, I will be happy to explain the potato bit more). Onto the deliciousness of the masala sauce!

Also...

I tagged this as vegetarian and vegan because this could easily be adapted, taking out the chicken and replacing it with vegetables, legumes, seitan, tempeh, or whatever meatless protein or starch you prefer. I am not too familiar with tofu products and seitan, but I'm sure you can find something on the web where it explains how to sauté or otherwise prepare these to be incorporated into a recipe. 

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken breast tenderloins, cubed  [original: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed*]
• 2 medium potatoes [original did not call for this]

• 2 tbsp olive oil

[*If you go with the 4 chicken breasts, don't bother with the potatoes]

Masala sauce:

• 1/2 cup (4 oz) tomato paste
• 2 hot cherry chili peppers, deseeded, chopped (2-3 tbsp, or to taste) (these are technically 'medium' hotness, as a reference for substitutions)
• 3 garlic cloves (1 tbsp minced)
• 2 inch piece of ginger root, peeled, grated
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp garam masala (spice blend)
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp honey
• 1-1/2 tbsp Earth Balance (vegan, non-dairy margarine)
• 2 tsp dried cilantro OR 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 cup cashew cream

Additional/optional garnishes:

• chopped roasted cashews
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Puree masala sauce ingredients, from tomato paste to the olive oil into a food processor. Process until smooth. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan (preferably one with a thick bottom for more even cooking) on the stove, medium heat. Cook chicken, stirring to turn over pieces occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until outside is lightly browned.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high, and mix in the masala sauce. Bring to a low bubble, then reduce heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. If sauce gets too dry, add a little water. Stir often to avoid burning the sauce on the bottom. 
4. When chicken has cooked through, mix in the cashew cream, and cook through on low for several more minutes. 
5. Serve hot with rice or vegetables. Optional: Sprinkle with chopped cashews and/or cilantro.

I have only skimmed the cookbook that has the original recipe, but I bought it as an ebook and even though it's a small book, it's full of recipes that actually seem doable, not full of complicated ingredients, techniques, etc. as some special dietary (gluten-free) cooking sometimes appears. And they all look delicious, of course, too!

Source:

Cheetham, G. (2011). Simply gluten-free & dairy-free: Breakfasts, lunches, treats, dinners, desserts. London, U.K: Duncan Baird Publishers.

Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage

Adapted from a Cooking Light recipe.

Makes about 2 quarts

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 tbsp minced garlic

6 oz andouille sausage, sliced

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 tsp sweet paprika

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp marjoram

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp onion powder

3/4 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 bay leaves

2 cups fat free low sodium chicken broth

1-1/4 cups water

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce (I like Franks Red Hot)

14.5 oz can no-salt diced tomatoes

1/2 lb. peeled, deveined shrimp

1 tbsp dried parsley 

Directions:

Sauté sausage in large Dutch oven Until browned. Remove from pot and set aside, and add olive oil to heat  over medium heat. Add onions and bell pepper and cook for about 5-10 min or until tender and lightly browned. Add garlic and spices, stir, and cook about a minute. 

Add rice, water, broth, tomato paste, and other remaining ingredients. Bring just to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer for 40 min. or until rice is cooked. Add shrimp and cook for 5 min or until pink and no longer translucent. 

Discard bay leaves before serving. 

Another option with the shrimp is to get already cooked shrimp and just toss them in at the end, heat through, and then serve. 

Original recipe found here:

http://www.myrecipes.com/m/recipe/jambalaya-with-shrimp-andouille-sausage-10000001041904/

Dill pepperoncini tuna salad

This was such a pleasant change from the common mayo & celery type tuna salad! I will definitely be making this again, since it's so easy and quick to put together!

Slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Makes about 2 cups, or four 1/2 cup servings 

10 min prep. time

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces (white solid albacore) tuna in water, well drained
• 2 scallions washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 6 pepperoncini peppers, stems and seeds removed,  julienne-cut
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (I used 3 tsp dried)
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts*
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil **
• 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or more to taste
• 1/4 (to 1/2 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Whisk olive oil, Dijon and whole grain mustards, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, lemon juice, and dill together in bowl. Toss with tuna, scallions, pepperoncini, and pine nuts in a non-reactive bowl. 

Serving suggestions: Wrap in butter or Bibb lettuce, in whole wheat pits pocket, or whatever other cracker, bread, etc you prefer! 

Original recipe notes: This can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.

Other notes:

*To toast pine nuts:

Heat nuts in single layer in small pan on the stove top, over medium high heat. Watch closely, stir/toss every 30 sec or more if needed, to avoid burning the nuts. Remove from heat when golden. 

**original recipe used 1/4 cup EVOO

Maki sushi

So... This year started with my first homemade veggie-filled sushi rolls... And since I bought a package of nori with 10 sheets in it, not really thinking about how quickly I would need to use it before it absorbed moisture and became stale or unusable...  Well, that led to what has felt like a LOT of sushi rolls this month! Today I finally finished off the last roll, and needless to say, as yummy as they were, I don't think be making these again for quite a while!

Sweet potato, cucumber, & avocado for New Years Eve dinner

Sushi overload!

Carrot, avocado, and ginger

To make Sushi rice: 

These quantities makes enough rice to make 5 rolls. Though I didn't really measure it, it ends up being about 3-4 cups cooked. I used about a 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of rice per roll.

• 1 cup sushi rice (short grain white, sticky)
• 1 1/2 cup water
• Seasoned rice vinegar

Directions: Add rice and water to a pot on the stove. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, and cover. Cook for 20 min. (Make sure heat is low enough so the rice won't burn on the bottom; it will stick, but you shouldn't need to stir the rice at all) Remove from heat and let stand, covered for additional 10 min. (This finishes cooking the rice by steaming and will also release any rice stuck to the bottom of the pot). Fluff with fork; drizzle about 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar over rice and mix to distribute.

To make the rolls, I used:

• 8x7" sushi nori sheets
• Assorted vegetables, julienne-cut
• Sushi rolling mat

If you check out Allrecipes' YouTube channel, they have a great tutorial video for assembly (I found it much easier to watch how to do this instead of reading instructions):

http://youtu.be/XKUSI8ElgRc