A Lazy Man's (or Woman's) Pot Pie

Maybe the key to keeping on track with my posting is to not try to be so long-winded in my introductions.  So, I'll get to the point, which makes sense, since this is really about a quick meal.

Basically, I was looking for a chicken pot pie without the pie crust (which I hate to make).  So I settled on biscuits instead, but went with a skillet version, so it didn't even require rolling and cutting.  This was a 30 minute meal that was soul-satisfying.

Lazy Man's Chicken Pot Pie

Pot Pie Filling:

1 rotisserie chicken
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter
3/4 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1 1/2 cups cubed Yukon Gold potatoes (the smaller the cubes, the quicker they'll cook - also, I didn't bother to peel mine)
1/4 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper (I like a lot of black pepper in this - adjust accordingly)
2 Tbs flour
1/2 bottle hard cider
2 - 3 cups chicken stock

Biscuits:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs baking powder
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp black pepper
1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes + 1 Tbs for skillet
1 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 425°.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter.  Allow the butter to melt and just begin to sizzle, then add the onions, carrots and celery.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent.  Add the potatoes, sage, thyme, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.  Sprinkle flour over the top and combine into other ingredients.  Allow to cook for a couple of minutes.  Pour cider and 2 cups of chicken stock over the mixture.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are soft, adding more stock if the mixture gets too thick.

Meanwhile, prepare biscuits.  Add 1 Tbs butter to a cast iron skillet and place in the oven to allow the butter to melt (keep and eye on it and pull out of oven once butter has melted).  In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, Parmesan cheese and black pepper.  Stir to combine.  Add butter cubes and cut into mixture using a pastry blender or two knives.  Pour buttermilk over the mixture and stir just until completely combined.  If mixture is still dry (a lot of loose flour on the bottom), add additional buttermilk, 1 Tbs at a time, just until mixture is moistened and sticks together.

Drop spoonfuls (about twice the size of a golf ball) into the prepared pan, allowing the biscuits to just touch.  Place in oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until tops are golden.

Meanwhile, pull meat off the chicken and cut into large cubes (you will not need to use the entire chicken, unless it is small).  Add to the vegetables in the skillet and stir to combine.  Again, if mixture is getting too thick, add more chicken stock.  Heat through and keep at a low simmer.

Pour mixture over biscuits to serve.

Distractions

Poof.

That’s the only way I can think of to describe what happened to the time and my motivation to keep current on my little blog.

With O2 working full-time now, I could say that my impetus to cook on a regular basis has diminished somewhat, but that’s not really true.  In her stead is this rambunctious little scamp who eats practically everything.  Truly, I think the only thing I’ve seen him turn down is lettuce.  He LOVES food.




 

{side story having little to do with the subject of the current post}

 

I was at the Saturday Market down in Eugene a couple of weekends ago and bought a pint of fresh strawberries.  I had the Munchkin in tow, and when he saw the strawberries, he indicated in no uncertain terms that he wanted them…  like, NOW.  So I handed him one and continued along.  He made short work of it and was given another and another.

 

He was obviously enjoying himself, becoming quickly covered in strawberry juice (in a white polo shirt, no less) and eliciting comments from the occasional passer-by.  About this time, I started to realize that I didn’t see a collection of leaves and stems.  And so I watched him devour yet another strawberry from the top down to the tip, greenery and all.

 

Anyway…

 

That story somewhat ties into this post because it was during that trip that I happened upon a shop selling infused olive oils, balsamic vinegars and other related items (pastas, seasonings, etc).  After a little tasting session, I came away with a nice, fruity, Italian olive oil and a peach-infused balsamic vinegar.  I immediately knew what I wanted to do with them.

 

This makes for a good summer-centric meal since the chicken can obviously be grilled outdoors, and the only indoor cooking would involve making the quinoa on the stovetop (couscous would be another good option here).  But here in Oregon, it’s June, and we’re still enjoying mildly warm days, so I just used my grill pan on the stove.  This was a big hit with the Munchkin (who got it as is, minus the almonds, since I wasn’t confident he’d actually chew them first), even with the heat from the chipotle powder.  He discovered that he loves fresh peaches almost as much as strawberries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grilled Chicken with Almond-Peach Quinoa

 

1/4 cup peach-flavored balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (good quality)

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

 

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

Zest from one lemon

Salt and pepper

2 Tbs lemon juice

About 1 lb boneless chicken thighs

 

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 Tbs olive oil

1 1/2 cups water or stock (chicken or vegetable)

1 tsp salt

1 peach, peeled and diced into small cubes

1/3 - 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

 

Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the balsamic vinegar, basil and salt and pepper.  Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.  Pour out about 1/4 cup of the mixture into a shallow dish.

 

Set a grill pan over medium-high heat and season with a little olive oil (or prepare outdoor grill).

 

Rinse and pat the chicken thighs dry.  Season with mixture of garlic powder, chili powder, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Add to dish with the vinaigrette mixture, along with lemon juice.  Turn to coat chicken with mixture.

 

When grill pan is hot, add chicken and cook, turning when it is brown on one side, approximately 10 minutes total.

 

Meanwhile, set a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat and add 1 Tbs olive oil.  Add quinoa and allow to toast for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.  Add water or stock and 1 tsp salt.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium, cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and allow to sit for another 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.  Pour in remaining vinaigrette mixture, add peaches and almonds, and stir to combine.  Serve with grilled chicken.

 

 



 

Frugal Fridays - Bringing on Fall Weather

With Fall officially upon us (although, to be honest, it really doesn’t feel much different than June), I wanted something quick and hearty that would make use of what was left of a rotisserie chicken I had picked up for another meal (someday I’ll actually post about roasted chicken, which is easy and SOO much better than store-bought - but that actually requires a time span of several hours to prep and cook - something I’ve been in very short supply of lately).

Anyway, I taught my first couponing class last night, and it put me in the mood to tie in a recipe with something I brought up in class, mainly, cooking with what you have on hand.

I do usually have a can or two of enchilada sauce on hand, and chicken stock, whether homemade or store bought, is another staple of mine. The rest of this dish was basically put together with leftovers.

Now, I realize that most people probably don’t keep masa in their pantries. Don’t feel like you need to run out and buy a full bag of the stuff, either, unless you plan on tackling homemade tortillas (which I do at some point) or tamales (Carley and I already have a tentative plan in the works for this). You can actually find this in the bulk section of a lot of stores. Throw a small scoop in a bag, and not only will you have it on hand for this recipe, but it also is a great way to tighten up chili, and it gives a nice undertone of flavor as well. If you don’t have masa, and don’t want to pick any up, I imagine you could do pretty well boiling a potato (russet) until soft and then mashing it really well and adding it to the soup.

Top this with a little sour cream, and in the spirit of using up leftovers, try baking some leftover tortillas until crisp, or tossing in the remainders of that bag of chips you have sitting on the shelf.

You know who you are.

Enchilada Soup

2 - 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans chicken stock (or about 1 qt homemade)
1 cup masa harina
3 cups water, divided
1 cup enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (or a mixture of Cheddar and Monterey Jack is great, too)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin

In a large pot over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic until onions are translucent. Pour in chicken broth. Add chicken and broth to the pot.

In a bowl, whisk together masa harina and 2 cups of water until well blended. Pour into pot with remaining 1 cup water, enchilada sauce, Cheddar, salt, chili powder and cumin. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened.


Toppings:

Sour cream
Avocado
Tortilla chips/strips
Olives

Cost Breakdown:

This one’s a little tough for me to pin down because I already had everything on hand. Even the enchilada sauce was left over from making enchiladas and then freezing what I didn’t use. So in other words, I didn’t spend anything running out and buying stuff. But if I had to sit down and figure out the total, I’m guessing it would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 - $10 total. And this makes a lot of soup - about 8 serving’s worth.

Frugal Fridays - Summer Salad!

It seems that summer has come at last to Oregon. Given what some of my friends east of here have been going through, I’m not going to toss up too many complaints about our belated warm weather. Still, it is nice to break 80 now and again.

There does seem to be a temperature threshold for me when I become unwilling to cook, especially when it involves turning on any heat element of the stove. It usually happens when the temperature inside the house reaches 80 or so. Luckily, I haven’t quite reached that just yet.

But I did decide that rather than spending tons of time inside preparing a meal, I would spend the time OUTSIDE eating one, and so I opted to grab a rotisserie chicken (yes, the old standby) and turn it into a quick salad. I also had some pencil-sized asparagus that needed to be used up, and I thought I’d ramp up the flavor a bit by adding a compound butter - in this case one with garlic and saffron in it. The floral notes in the saffron blended well with the sun-dried tomato and herbs in the chicken.

I even discovered that while I wasn’t looking, my little bean plant was beginning to produce beans, even though it hasn’t been getting very big. But if I hadn’t been sitting there enjoying some quiet, I probably wouldn’t have even thought to check it.

Now if only the tomatoes would grow.

Cost breakdown:

½ Chicken (I was just feeding two of us) - $3.99
½ head of lettuce - .50
Olives, herbs and sun-dried tomatoes - $2.00
½ bundle of asparagus - $1.25
Parmesan cheese - $ .75
Butter - $ .32
Garlic and herbs - $ .15



Total: $8.96 ($4.48 per person)

As you can see, although it was still an economical meal, the ‘frugality’ here was more in time savings than anything else.

Putting it all together:

Pan-fried Asparagus with Garlic Saffron Butter

½ lb asparagus spears (I used the pencil-thin variety, which cooked quickly), washed and patted dry
½ Tbs olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
¼ cup white wine

½ stick unsalted butter, softened
¼ tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 clove garlic
A small pinch of saffron (this goes a long way - 3 or 4 strands will do you)

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, and when it is heated, add asparagus in a shallow layer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus begins to brown in spots. Add the white wine, cover with a lid, and allow to cook 3 or 4 minutes, or just until crisp-tender (don’t overcook). Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, roughly chop garlic on a cutting board. Sprinkle with saffron and salt, and make a paste by dragging the side of a knife across the garlic and seasonings.

Toss with warm asparagus.

Italian Chicken Salad

½ rotisserie chicken, meat removed (about 2 cups)
½ cup mayo with olive oil
2 Tbs sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
2 Tbs fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade
1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
½ cup Kalamata olives
Salt & pepper to taste
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese**

Heat oven to 400º. Cover a small baking pan with foil. Place olives on the baking pan, season with salt and pepper and roast in oven for about 10 minutes. Remove olives from pan and set aside to cool. In the same pan, divide Parmesan in two equal portion, spreading out into a thin layer and leaving about an inch of space between the two portions. Return pan to the oven and allow the cheese to cook just until it turns golden, about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool (the rounds will crisp up as they cool).

In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, mayo, tomatoes and herbs. Stir to combine. Chop the cooled Kalamata olives and add to the chicken mixture (the salt from the olives and chicken should be sufficient, but taste for seasoning).

Serve over lettuce drizzled with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, if desired, and garnish with Parmesan crisp.


** As you can see from the picture, I didn’t have a pretty Parmesan crisp. I grabbed the wrong container of Parmesan, and the grated version had to be scraped off the foil. So I used it to sprinkle over the top instead. Same flavor, just not as pretty.

It's a Wrap!

Had another catering gig at work and was given very little in the way of direction for food. Basically what I got was “Oh, they’re healthy eaters. Just make… whatever”.

Uh… ok.

Since this is the same group I had catered for twice before, I figured they’d be getting tired of the ol’ Build Your Own Sandwich spread plus salads, so I figured I’d give them something with a bit more grab n’ go appeal. And although wraps seems so cliché, that was really the best option I could come up with given the VERY limited space I was dealing with.

Now I had every intention of getting some photos of the finished salads I put together once I had done the last minute ‘dolling up’ of them, but alas, when the time came, it was just a crunch to get everything together and delivered with minimal interruption to a meeting in progress.

But I made a super simple caprese quinoa salad using the basic premise for caprese salad (some heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella and basil) tossed in with your basic cooked quinoa and then topped with a balsamic reduction. Seemed to be quite popular. I also made a Chinese chicken salad (your typical ramen noodle/cabbage/chicken thing, only sugar-free). As an accompaniment to the salads, I made some very pretty little whole wheat rolls, which of course you’re just going to have to take my word on since I was a dope and didn’t snap photos.

I made a large platter of wraps, and naturally, the ones that went together the quickest were the ones that actually flew off the tray. But I can’t say there was anything complicated about any of them.

They had:

Veggie Wraps with Herbed Cheese

6 spinach tortillas/wraps
1 container Boursin cheese
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 orange bell pepper, cut into strips
1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into strips
3 cups (roughly) rinsed and dried baby spinach leaves
1 ½ cups (roughly) shredded carrots
Salt & pepper to taste

Divide the cheese into 6 equal parts and spread on each tortilla to within about 1/2” of the edges. Top the cheese with a layer of spinach and then a layer of carrots. Arrange bell pepper strips and cucumber facing the same direction (parallel to the edge you plan to start rolling up), and season with salt and pepper. Bring in the two sides of the tortilla about ¾” and then roll up the tortilla, beginning with the end closest to you. Press down slightly to ‘set’ it. Cut in half.

Southwest Chicken Rolls

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded
1 cup sour cream
3 Tbs fresh lime juice
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp paprika
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
½ can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ red bell pepper, diced
1 ear corn
Olive oil
1 avocado, thinly sliced
3 -4 slices lavash bread

Brush olive oil on corn and place in a pre-heated grill pan (or on a charcoal grill, or even in a cast-iron skillet - you get the picture). Cook at medium-high heat on each side until kernels are slightly charred. Add ½ cup of water and cover, cooking until kernels are tender, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool completely and then cut kernels from cob.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken meat, sour cream, lime, seasonings, beans and vegetables. Stir to combine.

Divide mixture and spread evenly across each slice of bread, spreading all the way out to 3 of the sides and leaving about ½” of space on the side furthest from you. Top with avocado.

Beginning with side nearest you, make a tight roll, ‘tucking in’ any filling that spills out the side. Press together gently to seal. Cut into 2” slices.

* * *

I also had Cuban Sandwich Wraps, which don’t really warrant a recipe. Basically, I spread course mustard on wheat tortillas, topped with provolone and uncured ham (couldn’t find pork deli meat where I went), laid dill pickle spears down the center, and rolled them up. Pretty basic stuff.

In addition to the above, I had a couple of different chips options (kettle and veggie) as well as a couple of cookie trays. I went with the much-requested Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, as well as these Peanut Butter Cookies. And while I couldn’t tell you how they tasted (bad chef - but I’m really not a fan of peanut butter), I can tell you that they were inhaled. Always a good sign.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
½ cup light brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg, room temperature
1½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add peanut butter and cream until fully combined, about 1 minute. Add egg and mix until fully incorporated.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; add to wet ingredients and mix just until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2" balls, roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet, about 2" apart. Using a fork, press the tops of the cookies, creating a criss-cross pattern.

Bake cookies for 13 - 14 minutes, until golden. Allow cookies to cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Island Time

I will have to say that the inspiration for this month’s dinner didn’t come from the weather, which has been pretty dismal so far. And while I’m extremely grateful not to be living somewhere that’s currently underwater or blanketed in debris from the latest killer tornado, the ever-present rain this Spring has been a little bit… disheartening.

In spite of that, we opted for a little Caribbean inspiration for this month’s dinner. If nothing else, the bright colors and warm weather flavors at least hinted at the promise of better weather.

I hear August is looking promising.

I will have to say that although we still had enough food to feed a small army, we at least were more in the neighborhood of a small regiment than an entire platoon.

No idea if that made a bit of sense.

Anyway…

Carley’s menu was inspired by the cookbook Modern Caribbean Cuisine by Wendy Rahamut. First up was Coconut Crusted Mahi Mahi with a Pineapple Salsa. Carley said the fish pieces were dipped in a little flour, egg and coconut and then simply fried in oil. They were really light and tender, and the salsa was a great pairing.

Pineapple and Fresh Herb Salsa

1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
Juice of 2 - 3 large limes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped chives
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 hot pepper, seeded and chopped

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving with fish or chicken.


* * *

Next was a rice dish which had a nice, subtle spice to it but a lot of flavor all the same.

West Indian Spinach Rice with Nutmeg and Peppers

2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pimento pepper, seeded and chopped
½ hot pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cups fresh spinach leaves, cleaned, dried and chopped
1 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp grated nutmeg
1 cup rice
2 ½ cups water
1 Tbs butter

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion, garlic and pimento. Sauté a few minutes until softened. Add hot pepper and spinach. Cover and cook until spinach is tender. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Add rice and stir to combine. Pour in stock, stirring gently. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Gently stir in butter.


* * *

I believe these were my favorites. The recipe calls for optional cheese, which I don’t think Carley included in hers. If she did, it was very subtle. Anyway, they were REALLY tasty and would make great picnic fare as well. No utensils required!!

Shrimp Arepas with Spicy Tomatoes and Cheese

2 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp brown sugar
½ cup butter

2 Tbs vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 hot pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 lbs shrimp, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup chopped chives
¼ cup French thyme (fresh)
½ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (optional)

To make the pastry, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and sugar. Add the butter and rub it into the mixture. Add enough warm water to make a soft dough. Divide into 16 pieces and cover with a damp dish towel.

To make the filling, heat oil in a sauté pan. Add the garlic, pepper and onion and cook until fragrant. Add the shrimp and cook for a few seconds, then add the chives and thyme and cook for a few more minutes. Add the tomato sauce and season with salt. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes, then add the cilantro (and cheese, if adding). Set aside to cool.

Heat the oven to 375º. Form each piece of dough into a ball. Press down each to form 4 - 5” circles. Fill with cooled filling mixture, then fold into a half moon shape and place on a baking sheet. Brush the arepas with oil and bake for about 20 minutes.


* * *

To get us in the island spirit, I decided to try out the new ice shaver I was given. First I froze a couple of different juices (one was a mango/orange blend and the other was a pineapple/coconut blend) in ice cube trays. We used a combination of the two types of frozen juice and added gold and coconut rums to the shaved ice. This was ladled into glasses with fresh pineapple spears and topped with a rosé champagne (for color). I will have to say, they were pretty tasty.

Next up for me were a couple of appetizers. I’m a big fan of gazpacho and love to try it in different variations. This was a pineapple-cucumber gazpacho…

Pineapple-Cucumber Gazpacho
adapted from New York Magazine

1 medium pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into cubes
4 cups peeled, chopped English cucumber
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
3 Tbs thinly sliced scallions (use mostly the white part)
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 tsp sea salt
½ cup Italian parsley, chopped
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped macadamia nuts for garnish

Combine all ingredients except nuts in a large bowl. Add in two batches to a blender. Using a pulse setting, blend the ingredients until combined but still a bit chunky. Stir in macadamia nuts.

Allow to sit in fridge for at least an hour to combine flavors before serving. Garnish with additional scallion and jalapeno, if desired.


* * *

The next appetizer was a shrimp cocktail using a spicy mango sauce rather than a traditional cocktail sauce. I peeled all but the tails from some large shrimp and boiled them for a couple of minutes in a court bouillon mixture. I served the shrimp and the sauce cold.

Mango Sauce

2 ripe mangos, peeled, seeded and diced
1 ¼ cup water
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs freshly grated ginger
1 Tbs ketchup
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground English mustard
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Add vegetable oil to a saucepan. Cook onion and garlic briefly over medium heat, then add the ketchup and spices. Add mangos and water to the mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Cool slightly and blend using an immersion blender.


* * *

For a main course, I opted for a Jerk Chicken, which I marinated and baked. The weather didn’t cooperate enough to grill it, although that’s the method I would have preferred to cook it. The chicken was garnished with fresh pineapple chunks and sat on a bed of fried plantains. The plantains were easily prepared by cutting them into 2” chunks, frying them in a bit of olive oil until brown on one side, and then I smashed them down to form coins, cooked a bit longer on the first side, and then flipped them over to finish cooking on the other side. Then they were simply seasoned with some sea salt.

I also sautéed a head of Napa cabbage with some onions and a sweet and sour sauce. Nothing terribly special, and at the time of this posting, I haven’t actually found the recipe I used!

Jerk Chicken
adapted from Epicurious.com

3 scallions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 habanero chiles, stemmed and seeded, then finely minced
¼ cup fresh lime juice
3 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs Kosher salt
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs fresh thyme
2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
3 lbs chicken (I used boneless breasts)

Combine all the ingredients but the chicken in a gallon sized plastic freezer bag. Close the bag and shake a few times to combine the mixture. Add the chicken pieces, seal the bag and then turn once or twice to make sure chicken is completely coated. Place in fridge and allow to marinate, turning once or twice, for about 6 hours. Allow chicken to come to room temperature before cooking.

Preheat oven to 375º. Remove chicken from bag and place on a baking sheet lined with foil, making sure not to crowd the pieces. Place in oven and cook for about 20 minutes, or until just cooked through. Turn broiler to high and allow the chicken to brown for a minute before serving.


* * *

For dessert, Carley made a wonderful lime cheesecake with a chocolate crust. I would like to add a photo here, but it appears we were so quick to scarf it down that we didn’t take any. Suffice it to say, it was good. Really good.


Caribbean Black-bottomed Lime Tart

20 chocolate cookies
2 Tbs chopped almonds
4 Tbs melted butter

1 lb cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup sour cream
1 ½ Tbs lime zest
¼ cup fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350º. To prepare the crust, finely crush the cookies and almonds in a food processor. Add the melted butter and combine. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until ready for use.

To make the filling, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Gently beat in the sour cream, lime zest and juice.

Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 40 - 50 minutes until the cheesecake is slightly puffed and the center is set. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

A Bit of the Exotic

Every time I make curry I wonder, “Why don’t I make curry more often?” When O1 was still living at home, I only made it when I knew she wasn’t going to be around (not a big fan), but O2 does like it, so I’m not sure why it’s not more of a staple in our house.

First off, there are so many wonderful variations on it, and it can make for a fantastic and quick weeknight meal. Pick up some curry paste (green and red are my two favorites) at your local grocery store, cook up your favorite meats/veggies, toss in a tablespoon along with a can of coconut milk and serve over rice. Simple, quick, delicious.

Anyway, when I was a college freshman I was invited to someone’s house for some African style curry. The buffet table held a huge pot of this amazingly fragrant chicken curry, another huge dish of rice, and then a spectacular array of condiments. We were instructed to spoon some rice in the center of our plates, ladle the chicken curry over the top, and then make little piles of whatever condiments interested us around the outside edges. That allowed us to try different combinations and flavors.

It was amazing and one of my favorite memories of college.

With G’s official birthday just around the corner, I’ve invited Carley and him over in hopes of recreating this memorable meal. In the meantime, I’ve gotten the curry bug (Hmm. Sounds like something that you have to vacuum out of your carpet.)

I caught an episode of Nigella Feasts a few weeks ago, and she happened to be making Mughlai Chicken, which looked simply amazing. O2 was off to the prom, and I thought I’d try out the recipe for a night on my own. I followed her recipe to the letter (although I added a few more of the sultanas than the recipe called for), and the aroma was incredible. The taste was pretty amazing as well. I think the only thing I’d change the next time around would be to use a mortar and pestle and grind up some of the spices. I followed her instructions and tossed everything in the pan, which made for a really rustic presentation, but the cardamom seeds were a bit much to bite into (for me). Everything else was large enough to fish out.

To accompany the chicken, I made a batch of gingered coconut rice and some flatbread, which are quickly becoming my favorite go-to bread.

Mughlai Chicken

1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
4 Tbs ground almonds
1/2 cup water
5 cardamom pods, smashed
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 bay leaves
4 whole cloves
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 lb boned chicken thighs, cut into pieces
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sultanas (golden raisins)
1 tsp garam masala
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
Toasted almonds to garnish

Put the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, the seeds from the cardamom and chili flakes into a food processor, or into a mortar and pestle, and blend to a paste. Add the ground almonds and water and then blend again, set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces (cook in batches to avoid crowding the pan). Sear on both sides and remove to a plate.

Add the spices (including the cardamom pods - you can fish out later) to the pan and turn them in the oil. Add the onions and cook on medium-low until softened and lightly browned, stirring frequently.

Pour in the blended paste and combine well. Allow to cook 2 or 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the yogurt a bit at a time, stirring as you go, then stir in the stock, cream, and sultanas.

Put the browned chicken back into the pan, along with any juices. Sprinkle over the garam masala, sugar and salt. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes, testing to make sure the meat is cooked through. Serve over rice and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Lunch for a Crowd

Meals for a large group need not be daunting. They just require a bit of planning.

I was asked to prepare a sandwich buffet for a group of 15 at work. And while I opted to provide some home baked breads, it was by no means required. I would recommend at the least finding a decent bakery and adding one or two bakery quality varieties.

My sandwich buffet included the following:

Breads - Potato and Pumpernickel/Hazelnut breads provided by me, Whole Wheat from a local bakery, and Hawaiian rolls straight from the deli of a big box store.

Lunch Meats - I figured about ¼ lb per person and included a seasoned turkey (garlic/rosemary), roast beef, ham, pastrami and chicken.

Tarragon and Walnut Chicken Salad (recipe below)

Cheeses - I offered Cheddar, Muenster, Havarti and Brie.

Condiments - along with the usual mustard and mayo, I included a garlic/saffron aioli and pesto (recipes for these included below).

Misc - I provided some frisee and green lettuce, along with grapes, pickles and banana peppers

Mediterranean Pasta Salad (recipe below)

Cookie Assortment (Chocolate Chip Oatmeal, Browniedoodles, Matcha Almond Butter Cookies (Going to work on this recipe. They were fine, but I wasn’t completely happy with them).

I don’t have a lot of photos to share because I could only snap a few as I was staging things. I did the set up during a meeting, so it was a fast in and out, but I think you’ll get the idea:

Pesto

¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts
Juice from ½ a lemon
2 cups fresh basil leaves
¼ cup olive oil (no, this isn’t a typo - you’ll need about ½ cup total)
½ cup Parmesan or Asiago cheese (freshly grated, please)
Salt and pepper to taste

Layer the ingredients in a blender in the order they appear here (I just find that unless you have a high-end blender, you’ll have more success this way). Using a ‘Grind’ setting, or something similar, pulse the mixture until it becomes a paste. Taste for seasoning and add more oil if the mixture is too thick.


Garlic/Saffron Aioli
Note: I would have made my own mayonnaise for this, but I opted to just go for a good quality store-bought instead. No worries about raw eggs.

½ cup good quality mayo
1 Tbs white wine
Generous pinch of saffron
1 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed into a paste
¼ tsp white pepper

Pour white wine into a small bowl and add the saffron. Allow to steep for about 10 minutes. Add the mayo, garlic and white pepper and stir until well combined.

Walnut Tarragon Chicken Salad

2 roasted chickens (you can use rotisserie if desired)
½ shallot, finely minced
1 Tbs fresh tarragon, cut into a chiffonade
¼ cup white wine
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 cup good quality mayonnaise
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
½ cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove meat from chickens and cut into a small dice. Add to a mixing bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Stir until well combined. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine before serving.

If you are making this in advance, leave out the nuts and stir in at the last moment before service.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

1 lb box orzo, cooked according to directions
2 Tbs olive oil
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, cut into quarters
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (I used an heirloom assortment)
1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped or torn apart
About half a bottle of your favorite vinaigrette, or make your own
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup feta cheese

Cook pasta. Drain, pour into a mixing bowl, add olive oil and stir well. Allow to cool. Add olives, cucumber, tomatoes and spinach. Pour vinaigrette evenly over ingredients and toss lightly. Season to taste. Fold in feta cheese. Serve at room temperature.

Yams... Yum.

Remember when I mentioned that while I’m pretty great at snagging grocery bargains, I’m not so terrific at planning far enough in advance to pull meat out of the freezer? Well, on those occasions when I’m halfway home and realize that I have yet to figure out what to cook for dinner, more often than not, I fall back on rotisserie chicken. The local chain near me actually does a pretty decent rotisserie chicken, and I usually use the purchase as an opportunity to make a batch of stock.

Anyway, it was just one of those nights when I was pressed for time, and so I grabbed a rotisserie chicken and then tried to decide what I wanted to DO with it. So I grabbed a bottle of Hawaiian teriyaki sauce, some edamame (which Offspring 2 loves) and then paused in front of the yams, which were a little on the, shall we say, puny side. Definitely not something I’d bake, but they did give me an idea.

So groceries in hand and plan at the ready, I headed home and set to work.

First up was the rice. This is a favorite way of mine to prepare it. Really simple, but it gives it a nice boost of flavor. I did, however, hold back ½ cup of the coconut milk and just added more stock.

Next, I poured a bit of the teriyaki sauce over the chicken and put it in a 300º oven just to keep it warm and allow the sauce to caramelize a bit. Then I moved on to the yams.

Spiced Coconut Yams

1 lb yams, peeled and cut into ¼” slices*
2 Tbs olive oil
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp dried ground ginger (fresh would be good as well - about 1 Tbs)
½ tsp salt
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk

In a sauté pan (I used my cast iron skillet), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the yams and sauté until they are browned and almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add seasonings and continue to sauté another minute or so, allowing the seasonings to become fragrant. Pour in coconut milk and allow the liquid to come to a boil. Stir occasionally until most of the liquid evaporates. Serve immediately.

*(The yams I was using were pretty small, so I ended up with ‘coins’, but you can certainly use a regular sized yam and just cut it down the center and then cut into slices.)

Happy Birthday, Mom

There are really two versions of this dish. The first time I made it, wanting to impress my guest, I started a few days in advance, roasted a chicken, then used the carcass to make my own stock, then made my own crème fraîche. The result, while basically an amped up mac & cheese with chicken, was really pretty terrific. And it received such high scores that I immediately put it into a mental catalog of good dishes to serve to company.

The second time I made this, I used a rotisserie chicken from the store, but basically that was my only shortcut. I also changed the cheese to a more economical Gouda. It was still outstanding.

I guess what I’m trying to get to in a very roundabout way is that you shouldn’t let the steps involved deter you from making this dish. Buy an already cooked chicken. Use store-bought chicken stock. And if you can’t find crème fraîche, or don’t want to pay the astronomical amount of money that they usually charge for it (and making your own is SO simple and SO MUCH MORE economical, that I highly recommend going that route), you can always substitute sour cream.

I suppose if you’re doing a mental calculation of the number of calories per serving in this, then you could also substitute various low-fat products.

But then you’d have a different dish, wouldn’t you? J

Pasta and Chicken Gratin
Adapted from Epicurious.com

1 fully cooked chicken, meat removed and diced
4 cups good quality chicken stock (or make your own)
1 stick (1/2 cup) + 2 Tbs unsalted butter (use wrappers to grease baking dish)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 cup crème fraîche (8 oz) *recipe below
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 lb Gruyère, coarsely grated (3 cups), or substitute Gouda or another semi-soft cheese
1 cup Parmigiana-Reggiano, finely grated
1 lb penne rigate or other short tubular pasta (I prefer the ‘mini’ version)
3 cups bread crumbs torn from a sourdough baguette

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease an oblong baking dish (9 x 13” works well).

Heat butter (1 stick) in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until foam subsides, then add garlic and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add milk and stock (4 cups) in a slow stream, whisking, then bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in crème fraîche, salt, pepper, cayenne, 2 cups Gruyère, and 1/2 cup Parmigiana-Reggiano.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, according to package directions, then drain in a colander. Return pasta to pot, then add chicken and sauce, tossing to coat.

Pour pasta mixture into baking dish.

Melt 2 Tbs butter and toss with bread crumbs and remaining cheeses, then sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture. Bake gratin until crumbs are golden brown and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.


Crème Fraîche

1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup buttermilk

Pour whipping cream into a non-reactive bowl, add buttermilk and stir. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature 12 to 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Stir well and refrigerate until ready to use.

My mom loves coconut cream pie, so I thought it would be fun to make a slightly more upscale version for her big day. In this rendition, I used a coconut pastry cream and sandwiched it between two light and crispy coconut meringues, then topped it with whipped cream and toasted coconut. Really very simple, but it definitely elevates the original version a notch.

Coconut Pastry Cream

2 cups milk
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbs flour
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Place both kinds of coconut in a food processor and pulse until the mixture becomes about the size of a course meal.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla and flour until well combined.

Combine milk and coconut in a medium saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and stir occasionally, until mixture just starts to simmer.

Temper egg mixture by pouring about a cup of the milk mixture into it, whisking at the same time. Add the warmed egg mixture to the saucepan of milk and coconut. Whisk until pastry cream thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. It should be very thick at this point.

Remove from heat and whisk in butter until it’s melted. Stir every few minutes until it cools enough to place a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper over the surface (to keep it from forming a skin). Cool to room temperature and then move to fridge and store until needed.


Coconut Meringues

2 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup finely shredded coconut
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250°.

Add egg whites and cream of tartar to bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Turn speed down slightly and add sugar a tablespoon at a time until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks.

Turn off mixer and stir in coconut and vanilla.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. For each round, drop 2 heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheet and form into a circle, making sure they are of uniform height and width and spaced about one inch apart.

Bake about 1 hour, rotating sheet halfway through the baking, until they are dry in the middle. Remove to rack to cool.