Grilled Chicken with Green Olive Salsa Verde

I found another awesome recipe from my favorite cooking blog, Closet Cooking. This would make a great topping for chicken or fish, or just use as salsa for chips.

 

 

Makes 1 cup

 

½ lb tomatillos, husks removed

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and deveined

¼ cup green olives

½ small onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove

Juice and zest from one lime

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

½ cup cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Place the tomatillos on a baking sheet under broil until skins blacken and bubble. Remove from oven and place in a covered container for 15 minutes; remove skins. Add tomatillos and remaining ingredients in a food processor and puree.

Served over grilled chicken with rice and beans, or enjoy as a dip for chips.

 

Grilled Pork Loin with Mustard Sauce with Capers and Parmesan

I found this sauce recipe from one of my new favorite cookbooks, At Blanchard's Table. I served it warm over a grilled, sliced pork loin.

 

1 lb pork loin

Italian salad dressing (for marinade)

 

Mustard Sauce with Capers & Parmesan:

(Sauce is enough for about 3 servings)

2 Tbsp drained capers

2 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese

½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

½ Tbsp Dijion mustard

Salt and Pepper, to taste

3 Tbsp sour cream

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

 

In a bag or bowl, marinate pork loin in Italian salad dressing overnight. Start grilling over high heat, to get good grill marks and crispies going on, then turn heat to low and continue cooking until pork reaches 160 degrees in the middle. Let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. 

 

In a small food processor, combine all ingredients for the sauce. Transfer to a small sauce pan over low and heat until warm.

 

Serve sliced pork with wild rice and steamed broccoli. Drizzle sauce over sliced pork.

Chimichurri Salmon with Roasted Cauliflower

Chimichurri Sauce & Marinade:
½ cup firmly packed fresh flat leaf parsley, remove stems
3 garlic cloves
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp red pepper flakes

In a food processor add parsley and garlic; process with a few pulses. Stir in EVOO, vinegar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Use half of the sauce to marinate the salmon filets for at least 30 minutes. Save the rest to use as a topping once fish is grilled.

Roasted Cauliflower:

2 cups of cauliflower florets
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Salt and pepper
Fresh lemon juice
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place cauliflower on a baking tray, drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast cauliflower for 15 minutes. Using tongs, flip florets over, spinkle with lemon juice and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until florets are browned and just fork tender. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

 

Serve grilled fish over a bed of rice with cauliflower. Drizzle fish with extra chimichurri sauce.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Chimichurri Steak

Chimichurri Chicken Pita

 

NY Strip Steak Hash with Eggs

I created this breakfast using all the leftovers from our Valentine’s Day feast … and then added two eggs! Yum … and Valentine’s weekend continues!

 

 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

2 large red skinned potatoes, steamed or boiled, cubed

½ cup diced cooked steak

½ cup chopped steamed cauliflower

½ small yellow onion, diced

2 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

 

In a frying pan over high heat, drizzle EVOO. Add potatoes and cook until all sides are browned and crispy. Turn heat to medium, add steak, cauliflower and onion; mix together.

 

Create two holes in the hash mixture and crack an egg into each hole. Cover pan and let egg cook until the whites are settled, but the yolk is still soft (or cooked to your liking). Season with salt and pepper.

 

Enjoy with a few dashes of hot sauce and a side of fresh fruit.

 

Valentine's Day Feast featuring a 3-Cheese Fondue

Our Valentine's Day feast. It was a lot of work to prepare, but fun to enjoy this hands on meal together.

 

Our menu, except I forgot to add the fondue to the main course! :-(

To start, a mixed greens salad with sliced apples, spicy candied pecans and blue cheese.




Ben's signature NY strip steaks...cooked to a medium rare perfection!

Let the cheesy fondue fun begin!

3-Cheese Fondue

About 4 servings

½ Tbsp butter

½ Tbsp flour
½ cup white wine
½ tsp Dijon mustard
3-4 oz Gruyere cheese, grated
3-4 oz sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
3-4 oz Swiss cheese, grated
½ Tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and whisk in flour. Stir constantly to prevent burning. Slowly whisk in wine. Add mustard. Add cheese and stir until melted. Stir in lemon juice.

Before transferring to a fondue pot, rub a raw garlic clove on the inside of the pot.

Enjoy with your favorite steamed veggies and cubed bread.

Check out my NY Strip Steak Hash recipe that I made with the leftovers for breakfast the next morning!

Honey Lemon Chicken

I found this recipe on a blog that I follow – Closet Cooking. It was so easy to make and super tasty. I look forward to making it again.

 

2 chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 lemon (juice and zest)

2 Tbsp honey

¼ cup chicken stock

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 green onion sprigs, chopped (for garnish)

 

Cut chicken breasts into cube sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper. In a frying pan over med-high heat, drizzle EVOO and brown all sides of chicken; cook until almost done. Remove chicken from pan; set aside. 

 

In the same pan, add ginger and cook for about one minute. Add lemon juice, zest, honey, stock, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and allow to thicken. (NOTE: if sauce is too thin, whisk in a tablespoon of cornstarch.) 

 

Add chicken breast, coat with honey lemon mixture and let chicken finish cooking all the way through.

 

Serve over rice and sprinkle with chopped green onions.

 

Kung Pao Chicken

In the spirit of Chinese New Year, I decided to make this spicy Asian dish. I always enjoy a trip to the Asian market because there are so many different things to check out (and they have cheap veggies!). On this visit, I had to pick up the dried red chilies for this dish. You can also pick up some fortune cookies for a fun, festive dessert.

新年快乐！

For Chicken Marinade:

2 ½ tsp soy sauce

1 tsp corn starch

½ tsp sesame oil

 

1 lb chicken breasts, cubed

 

For Sauce:

1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp chicken broth

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

 

3 Tbsp oil

½ cup diced red bell pepper

½ cup diced yellow onion

10 dried red chilies

1 Tbsp fresh cracked black pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

4 green onions, sliced

¼ cup peanuts

 

In a small bowl , whisk together ingredients for the chicken marinade. Marinate chicken cubes in sauce for at least 30 minutes.

 

In a separate small bowl, whisk together ingredients for the sauce; set aside.

 

In a large frying pan over high heat, add oil and cook chicken until almost done and all sides are browned. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

 

In the same frying pan, sauté peppers and onions for about 3-4 minutes. Add dried chilies, pepper, garlic and ginger. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Mix in sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Add chicken, green onions and peanuts, turn heat to low and mix together. Continue to cook until chicken is cooked all the way through.

 

Serve over rice.

 

Shrimp Etouffee

Happy Mardi Gras...now let's eat!

 

4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
1 cup diced onion
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced bell pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shrimp stock (If you don’t have this just boil the shrimp tails in vegetable broth for about 20 minutes)
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 Tbsp Creole or Cajun seasoning
1 Tbsp Worcestersire sauce
1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
Tabasco sauce to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp lemon juice
½ cup green onions, sliced
½ cup minced flat leaf Italian parsley

In a large pan over medium heat, melt butter until it starts to brown and then sprinkle and mix in flour; mix and simmer. Add onion, celery and pepper and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Whisk in stock, tomatoes, creole seasoning and Worcestershire sauce; simmer for 20 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes, until pink or heated all the way through. Season with hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Mix in lemon juice, green onions and parsley. Serve with rice.

Chicken Sausage & Vegetable Soup with Pasta

A tasty and healthy soup to enjoy on a chilly day. 

5 cups of broth

½ cup dried pasta (I used Ditalini pasta)
1 can of diced tomatoes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
2 large carrots, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
2 cups chopped fresh kale
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 precooked Chicken sausage links
Dash of Tabasco
A few dashes of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, bring broth to a boil and add pasta. Cook for about 8 minutes.

In a large sauce pan over med-high heat, drizzle EVOO and add veggies. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.

Once pasta is al dente, add a can of diced tomatoes and sautéed veggies. In the same sauce pan, add sliced sausage and brown both sides. Then add to soup. Season with Tabasco, pepper flakes and salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve with a nice crusty bread.

Stuffed Pork Loin

I hope you enjoy this pork on pork action as much as we did!

 

 

1 pork loin (about 2 lb)

Salt

Pepper

¾ cup frozen, chopped spinach (defrosted and water squeezed out)

¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes (jarred in oil, drained)

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

About 4 oz goat cheese crumbles

4 slices of thick bacon

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

Cut horizontally through the center of the pork, but not all the way through. Open flat, like a book. Place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to about ½” thick using a meat mallet. Season with salt and pepper.

 

In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except bacon). Leaving a 1” border, spread filling over pork and roll up pork like a jelly roll. Cover pork roll with bacon slices. Secure with cooking twine at approx. 2” intervals.

 

Move pork loin to a casserole dish and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the middle registers 138 degrees. Remove pork from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. 

 

Serve over couscous with sautéed veggies.

 

Chorizo Chili Stuffed Potatoes

I made these tasty little guys for a Super Bowl party. They were a hit with the crowd, but unfortunately they didn't help the 49ers win!

 

Chorizo Chili (recipe here)

Or a quicker version of the a Chorizo Chili:
1 link of chorizo sausage, removed from casing
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 can of your favorite chili
10 small red skinned potatoes
Grated cheddar cheese

In a large pot, cook chorizo over medium heat. Add jalapenos; cook for 2-4 minutes. Add a can of chili. Mix together and cook until chorizo is cooked all the way through.

Cut potatoes in half and boil or steam until fork tender; drain. Using a melon baller or a small spoon, scoop out centers of potatoes. Do not pierce potato skins. Fill with chili and top with cheese.

Place filled potatoes on a baking sheet and under broiler for 2-3 minutes.

Key Lime Bars

When life gives you limes....make key lime bars!

 

Crust:
1 1/4 cups of cinnamon graham crackers crumbs (pulse in food processor)
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
pinch salt
4 Tbsp melted butter (allow to cool slightly)

½ cup pecan pieces (add to crust after baked)

Filling:
2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 Tbsp grated lime zest
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup juice

Garnish:
3/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted until golden brown

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8” square baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray.

To make crust, in a food processor, pulse cinnamon graham crackers into crumbs. Add brown sugar and salt; pulse to combine. Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter. Press crumbs evenly and firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Evenly sprinkle crust with pecan pieces. Do not turn off oven while making filling.

To make filling, in a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, zest and salt until thoroughly combined. Whisk in condensed milk until no lumps of cream cheese remain; whisk in egg yolk. Add lime juice and whisk gently until incorporated.

Pour filling into crust, over pecans; spread to corners and smooth surface with spatula. Bake until set and edges begin to pull away slightly from sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack, about 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled at least 2 hours.

Cut bars into squares and sprinkle with toasted coconut. Refrigerate leftovers.

Creamed Hearts of Palm & Jalapeno Soup

My husband and I went out to dinner one night and had a hearts of palm and white corn chowder. It was delicious and we still talk about it. Ever since then, I love to experiment with hearts of palm puree and different creamed soup variations.

 

4 servings

3 Tbsp butter

½ yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 16-oz can hearts of palm, drained and chopped
2 large fresh jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 oz of lump crab meat
Salt and pepper, to taste
Freshly minced parsley leaves to garnish

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add hearts of palm and jalapenos; stir to combine. Add wine and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by 1/2, about 3 minutes. Add broth, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Using a blender, puree the soup. Return to medium heat and add the cream. Stir in the crabmeat and cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve in a shallow bowl and garnish with parsley. Enjoy with garlic bread or cheese toast serve.

Variations:

·         Add a can of corn
·         Substitute the crab for ½ lb bay shrimp
 

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

 I think some people are turned off by cabbage but my mom always made it growing up so it was normal in our household. My husband said he was pleasantly surprised by this dish and didn’t even douse it in Frank’s hot sauce (total compliment!). I even hid mushrooms in the filling and he didn’t notice. Score!

If you like this version, you can also try this version stuffed with beef and topped with mushroom gravy - Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in Mushroom Gravy.

 

1 head of green cabbage, leave leaves removed

Filling:
1 lb ground chicken
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
2 baby Bella mushroom, chopped
1 large carrot, shredded
2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
A few dashes of red pepper flakes

water

Gravy:
1 packet of gravy
Juices from cabbage rolls, after cooked

¾ cup of water

In a large pot of boiling water, add the cabbage leaves and cook for about 3-4 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the filling. Lay each cabbage leaf flat and place a little loaf of chicken mixture in the middle; tuck in ends and roll. Place in a casserole dish, seam side down. Add 1/2” of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes or until meat is cooked all the way through.

 

Once rolls are cooked, pour juices into a small sauce pan over high heat, add 3/4 cup of water; whisk in gravy mix. Once gravy boils, remove from heat and set aside.

Serve cabbage rolls on rice. Spoon gravy over dish.

Shrimp & Vegetable Stir Fry

This is an easy dish to get your daily servings of veggies, if you don't mind all the prep work of slicing and dicing.

 

 

1 Tbsp sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil

1 large carrot, sliced

1 small zucchini, sliced

½ small yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ red bell pepper, sliced

2 green onion sprigs, chopped

1-2 baby bok choy, roughly chopped

¼ cup Ponzu sauce

A dash of red pepper flakes

½ lb raw shrimp, peeled and tails removed

½ cup slivered almonds, for garnish

 

1 package of Chow Mein noodles (I prefer the fresh, refrigerated ones vs dry) 

 

In a large wok, or frying pan, heat oil over med high heat. Add carrots and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add remaining veggies with Ponzu sauce and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until veggies are tender. Add shrimp at the end and cook until they turn pink. Remove from heat. 

 

In a pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to directions. Drain. Toss noodles with vegetable and shrimp stir fry. 

 

Serve in a shallow bowl and top with almonds and extra fresh green onions. Drizzle with extra Ponzu sauce, if desired.

 

Variations:

·         Substitute or add sliced yellow squash or mushrooms

·         Add sliced water chestnuts, bamboo shoots or hearts of palm

·        Substitute almonds for cashews

·        Substitute  bok choy for regular or nappa cabbage

·         Add freshly grated ginger

·        Serve over white or brown rice instead of noodles

Chicken Top Ramen Salad

I’ve been on a cabbage kick, preparing it in different ways - cooked and raw. Here’s a little spin on the traditional top ramen salad where I’ve fancied it up a bit by adding some additional veggies and colors. This is even good the next day, so I like to bring it to work for lunch. The dressing marinates into the cabbage similar to a coleslaw.

 

Chicken:
2 chicken breasts
Italian dressing

Salad:

1 head napa cabbage, shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled into ribbons
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup slivered almonds
1 package of chicken flavored ramen noodles, crumbled

Dressing:

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 package of chicken ramen seasoning

Marinate chicken in Italian dressing, overnight preferred or for at least 30 minutes. Grill chicken over medium high heat, for about 4-6 minutes per side depending on thickness. Grill until cooked all the way through and no longer pink in the middle. Let rest before slicing.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for salad; set aside.

In a small bowl, add ingredients for dressing and whisk together. Drizzle over salad and toss.

Serve salad with sliced chicken on top.

3 x 4 Spicy Turkey Chili

Three types of beans and four types of peppers.

We are having a chili cook off at work, so I tested out two recipes. This is a white chili using turkey. I think it might stand out more against the traditional red. It is healthy and spicy. My other batch was a Three-Bean Chorizo Chili.

Which one do you like better?

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 lb ground turkey
1 14.5 oz can of pinto beans
1 14.5 oz can of white beans
3/4 cup cooked lentils
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup minced cilantro
Salt, to taste
Juice from one lime

In a large pot over med-high heat, cook onion, garlic and peppers in EVOO for 4 minutes. Add turkey. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking apart meat and mixing together. Turn heat to med-low and mix in remaining ingredients (except salt and lime juice). Cover and cook for 1+ hours, stirring occasionally. Add salt to your liking. Do not boil, otherwise the beans will turn to mush. Mix in lime juice before serving.

Serve chili topped with grated cheddar cheese, diced raw onion and/or a dollop of sour cream.

Note: I cooked mine on the stove top over low heat for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally, allowing the flavors to mingle. You can also use the crock pot or slow cooker.

Three-Bean Chorizo Chili

We are having a chili cook off at work, so I tested out two recipes. I wanted to do a spin on the traditional chili by adding the chorizo pork and lentils. This batch was spicy and full of flavor. My other batch was a Three-Pepper Turkey Chili.

Which one do you like better?

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
½ cup diced green bell pepper
10 oz chorizo pork, remove from casing
½ lb ground beef
1 14.5 oz can of red kidney beans
1 14.5 oz can of pinto beans
3/4 cup dried lentils
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
¾ cup chicken broth
Salt, to taste

In a large pot over med-high heat, cook onion and garlic in EVOO for 3-4 minutes. Add peppers; sauté for 3 minutes. Add chorizo pork and beef. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking apart meat and mixing together. Turn heat to med-low and mix in remaining ingredients (except salt). Cover and cook for 1+ hours, stirring occasionally. When lentils are tender, taste and add salt to your liking. Do not boil, otherwise the beans will turn to mush.

Serve chili topped with grated cheddar cheese, diced raw onion and/or a dollop of sour cream.

Note: I cooked mine over the stove top  on low for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally, allowing the flavors to mingle. You can also use the crock pot or slow cooker.

If you have leftover chili, try these stuffed potatoes.

Spinach Shrimp Fettuccine

Over the Christmas holiday while my parents were in town, we made fresh raviolis. They turned the leftover dough into fresh fettuccine for us. We hung the pasta in the laundry room to dry and now are enjoying it a month later. Perfect!

 

 

¼ stick of butter

1 cup half and half

2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1 ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ cup chopped frozen spinach

Salt & pepper, to taste

1 tsp butter

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

½ raw shrimp, peeled

Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

 

In a pot over medium heat, add butter and melt. Add half and half and garlic; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in spinach, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low until ready to use. Do not boil.

 

In another pot, boil water and cook fettuccine according to directions.

 

In a sauté pan over med high heat, add butter and EVOO. Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add shrimp. As soon as one side turns pink, turn. Add cherry tomatoes. Sauté together until both sides of shrimp are pink. Remove from heat immediately, to not overcook. 

 

Drain fettuccine. Add pasta to pot with spinach Alfredo sauce; toss to coat. 

 

Serve pasta in a shallow bowl and top with sautéed shrimp and tomatoes. Sprinkle with extra grated parmesan cheese.

Creamed Spinach and Artichoke Rice

 

1 cup of white long grained basmati rice (Royal Basmati Rice is my favorite brand)

2 cups chicken broth
½ stick of butter
1 small onion, diced
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups chopped frozen spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup quartered artichoke hearts

In a rice cooker make rice using rice and chicken broth.

In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and cook onion for about 3 minutes. Add flour and mix to coat onions. Cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add cream while whisking, to prevent lumps; turn heat to low and simmer, whisking, for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in spinach and salt and pepper, to taste.

Once rice is cooked, mix in creamed spinach and artichokes.

Enjoy with grilled salmon and steamed asparagus.