Spicy Cajun BBQ Chicken

There are a couple great BBQ joints in LA. One is Baby Blues. Another is Mr. Cecil's. I have a couple of Texan co-workers and we seem to end up eating at these two places more than once in a while. The key to any good BBQ dish is definitely, definitely the sauce. After my great satisfaction with the homemade BBQ sauce made for the BBQ chicken pizza, I decided I needed another dish to pair with that sauce. Trusty chicken came through. Some BBQ chicken recipes use a rub. Some use a sauce. This one uses both.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1-1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 large chicken breasts

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (click here for homemade BBQ sauce recipe)

DIRECTIONS:

Combine chili powder, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish. Generously coat chicken breasts, one at a time, with the rub mixture. Using a George Foreman grill (if you're me), or an actual grill (if you have a backyard), grill chicken for about 10 minutes until fully cooked through or when all pinkness is gone. Serve with BBQ sauce on top and mashed potatoes on the side. 

Grub down!

Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce

Brad has this thing against purchasing farm-raised fish. He doesn't like it. And our local Ralph's usually only carries farm-raised salmon. Every time I beg for it, he jokes, 'Just wait 'til we move to Alaska. You can have all the wild-caught salmon you like.' Truly, I am jealous of the salmon abundance there. But back to the grocery store. Last week, Brad spotted wild-caught salmon at our local California Ralphs and we jumped on it, so excited to get our healthy fill of Omega-3s.  

Ah, the simplicity of cooking it with this recipe. Being healthy and tasting mouth-watering goodness never felt so easy.

*from Gourmet Magazine, July 2006 (Ian Knauer)

INGREDIENTS:

3 (6 oz.) salmon fillets

3/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest 

(for lime butter sauce):

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/8 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

Make lime butter sauce. In a blender or food processor, purée garlic with lime juice, salt, and pepper until smooth. With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds. 

Grill salmon. Season salmon all over with salt and pepper. Place fillets on a lightly olive-oiled grill. (I used a George Foreman grill and left it in there for about 8 minutes.) Sprinkle fillets with zest and top each fillet with one tablespoon lime butter sauce.

SERVING SUGGESTION: 

Serve with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes (seen in picture) and a summer salad of fresh greens, tomato, avocado, goat cheese and Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette dressing.

Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Classic, delicious, chunky mashed potatoes.

For an additional picture, see Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce.

Serves: 4
Total cooking time: 25 minutes

*adapted from Gourmet, November 2004

INGREDIENTS:

2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (about six potatoes, depending on the size)
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup whole milk (or a combination of a lower % milk and whipping cream)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare potatoes with potato scrubbing gloves if you have them, or by peeling if you don't have scrubbing gloves. Once potatoes have been scrubbed or peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes. Transfer to a 3-quart heavy saucepan and add 5 cups cold water and 1 teaspoon salt, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Drain potatoes in a colander, then return to pan and cook over moderate heat, shaking pan occasionally, until dry, 1-2 minutes. Heat milk, butter, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan until butter is melted. Add melted mixture to pan and using a potato masher, mash all ingredients together until just combined.

Enjoy.

Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint (or Cilantro)

I do not like coleslaw. There is too much mayonnaise, in my opinion. But I do like mango slaw. This salad is perfect as a summer accompaniment to any grilled meal, including burgers, steaks, or chicken.

*adapted from Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and julienned

1 half head cabbage

1/2-1 red pepper, julienned

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

6 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, from about two limes

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons oil of your choice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup thinly slices fresh mint leaves (I accidentally bought cilantro at the store, instead of mint so I used that instead--still great and maybe even better if you're making this to accompany a Mexican dish)

1/4 cup toasted cashews, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Toss mangoes, cabbage, red pepper and onion in a medium-size serving bowl. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together lime juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle over mango mixture and serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to let flavors meddle for about an hour. When ready to serve, mix in mint (or cilantro) and cashews.

Enjoy!

Burrito Bowl with Seasoned Ground Turkey

Inspired by Chipotle and the ingredients I had in my kitchen, this burrito bowl was born. Ground turkey is my favorite substitute for ground beef, especially when used in Mexican dishes. With some taco seasoning, I can hardly tell the difference between turkey and beef. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground turkey

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (less if you have a more mild palette)

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

2 garlic cloves, minced or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup water

1 teaspoon corn starch

1 can refried beans (or black beans)

2 cups brown rice

1 tomato

1 avocado

2 oz. goat cheese

1/2 cup salsa

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare rice, according to directions. 

Over medium heat, brown ground turkey until fully cooked. Add next nine ingredients, water, and corn starch and simmer until all spices are cooked into the meat, about 10-15 minutes.

Heat beans in a small saucepan over low heat, until warmed through. 

Make your burrito bowl. In a shallow bowl, pour 1 cup of cooked rice and spread on the bottom. Add 1/2 cup beans, followed by 1/2 cup seasoned ground turkey. Top with chopped tomato, goat cheese, sliced avocado, and salsa. Sprinkle with pepper and garnish with cilantro, if available. Enjoy.

German Pancakes/Dutch Babies

Anyone else into the World Cup? I married a pureblood German (a variant pronunciation of Fishback is Vischbach.) So, needless to say, we are excited about Germany's chances in the World Cup. (Although I'm torn about Spain vs. Germany, given my love for España...hmmm.) On the day Germany beat Argentina 4-0, I made German pancakes. I've since learned that these are also referred to as "Dutch Babies." Oh, and what do you know, the Dutch just beat Uruguay today to make it to the World Cup Finals! So, whether you're cheering for the orange and blue, or the red, yellow, and black, whip these up for your World Cup match! (That rhyming couplet was unintentional, but very cool.) This breakfast dish is a thicker, puffier, more protein-filled version of pancakes and we like them! I hope you do too.

*Recipe from Jenna at Just Cook Already

INGREDIENTS: 

3 eggs

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

3 Tablespoons butter

berries or apricots for the topping

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees and place a heat-resistant skillet or baking dish in the oven to heat up. After about 5 minutes, put butter in the pan to melt.

Add three eggs and the sugar to a blender and mix on low speed for about 1 minute. The eggs should be light colored and bubbly. Then add flour and milk and blend on low speed for 10 seconds, until evenly mixed. 

Take skilled or baking dish out of the oven, making sure butter has melted, and carefully pour the batter into the skillet or pan.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the sides and middle have puffed and browned. Serve with fresh fruit and maple syrup or powdered sugar and lemon juice.

Have a delicious morning!!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Happy 4th of July weekend! I think there will be a lot of BBQ-ing going on this weekend. To get in the mood... BBQ chicken pizza.

This pizza is made with a homemade dough and homemade BBQ sauce, but it is SIMPLE. The directions for the BBQ sauce are my all time favorite directions for anything. Ever. You'll see. It is a really great tasting sauce and can be used for so much more than just pizza. It has a little kick, but nothing too crazy.

For the pizza dough, or any bread dough for that matter, if there is any piece of advice I can offer, it is to get a kneading attachment for your mixer or hand mixer. I only have a hand mixer, and my kneading attachment makes any type of bread-making about 100x less annoying. I will promote anything that keeps my hands from becoming a doughy, sticky, crazy mess.

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA (inspired by closetcooking.com)

INGREDIENTS:

1 pizza dough (recipe below)

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (recipe below)

1/2 lb. chicken breast, boneless and skinless

1 handful red onion, sliced

1/4 cup goat cheese, feta cheese, or blue cheese

1-1-1/2 cup colby/monterey jack shredded cheese

1 handful cilantro, sliced (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Grill the chicken until just cooked all the way. Let cool and cut into 1/4 inch strips. Roll pizza dough on a lightly greased surface sprinkled with corn meal. Spread the BBQ sauce on the pizza, followed by chicken, onion, and cheeses. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. 

PIZZA DOUGH (adapted from Jenna at Just Cook Already):

INGREDIENTS:

2-1/2 - 3 cups four

1 Tablespoon (or one packet) yeast

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup very warm water

2 Tablespoons olive oil

corn meal

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast, and salt. Stir very warm and oil into dry ingredients. Stir in enough remaining flour (about 1/2 cup for me) to make soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface, or with an electric mixer and kneading attachment, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 10-20 minutes.

BBQ SAUCE (adapted from closetcooking.com):

INGREDIENTS:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup ketchup

2 Tablespoons dijon mustard

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

DIRECTIONS:

Mix well. (That's it!)

Enjoy!!

Spaghetti Bolognese

There is something about holistic, delicious, meaty, chunky sauces. Spaghetti Bolognese is a fancy way of saying spaghetti with meat sauce, but doesn't bolognese sound so much more fun? In addition to the filling and tasty dinner that results from the recipe below, you'll also get to enjoy the amazing aroma of Italian cooking while this sauce simmers. Mama Mia!!

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cups olive oil

3/4 cup grated carrots

1/2 large red onion, diced

1 lb. ground beef

1 Tablespoon dried oregano (or fresh if you have it)

1 Tablespoon dried basil flakes (or fresh if you have it)

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2-1 cup red wine

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cans (28 oz.) whole tomatoes

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper, to taste

fresh parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Add grated carrots and onions and cook a few minutes. Make a well in the center of the mixture and then add in the ground beef. Cook for a few minutes until brown, gradually stirring it into the carrot mixture.

Toss in oregano and basil. When the meat is browned and combined with other ingredients, make another well. Add tomato paste and let it heat. Add garlic and stir to combine.

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add red wine. Stir together. Add Worcestershire and stir. Add canned tomatoes. Finally, pour in milk, stir, and let simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours--however long you need.

Serve with pasta and good ol' parmesan cheese.

Grilled Nectarine Summer Salad

When summer comes around, there is a lot of talk about grilling. I love it. There's nothing like a fresh meal that has been cooked outside in the open air. BUT...grills are for boys. BIG tools, BIG fire, and BIG slabs of meat. So, my feminine touch on grilling ironically involves a very masculine man...George Foreman. The George Foreman grill is perfect for small bites. Easy clean up. And you can use it year-round. This recipe, of course, can also be done outside--a great option if you're already heating up that fire-breathing bad boy.

INGREDIENTS:

(for the dressing--adapted from organicauthority.com):

1 nectarine, peeled and pitted

3 Tablespoons olive oil

3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (slightly less if you have a mild palette)

(for the salad):

6-10 oz. fresh greens (spinach, spring mix, or butter lettuce would all work well)

1-2 oz. fresh goat cheese (or fresh feta cheese)

2 firm, but ripe, nectarines, pitted

1-2 Tablespoons pine nuts (can also substitute almonds or pistachios)

DIRECTIONS:

Make the dressing. Blend all dressing ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Pour into a serving dish, cover, and let chill in refrigerator.

Prepare the salad ingredients. Slice each nectarine into 8 pieces. On a well-oiled grill (or George Foreman ;) ), place the nectarine slices. Let cook for about 2 minutes and flip, using tongs. Cook about one more minute. Set aside on a plate and let cool. 

Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add pine nuts. Let sit for a minute and stir around. Once toasted, remove pine nuts from heat and let cool.

Once pine nuts and nectarines are cool, mix all ingredients together and let the summer sizzling begin!

SERVING SUGGESTION:

For a more filling alternative, serve with sliced grilled chicken or blackened chicken on top.

Simple Blackened Chicken

We are back. Paradise was amazing. Shave ice, POG juice (Passion, Orange, Guava), teri burgers, loco moco, and, of course, pineapple, are among the food highlights. Spending every day under the sun was a perfect start to summer and this recipe is a perfect, simple way to ease back into a daily cooking schedule. It is great for summer and spring and fall and winter. :) It is savory and, most importantly, juicy delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
(double, triple, quadruple as necessary)

1 chicken breast

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

1 Tablespoon olive oil 

DIRECTIONS:

Using a mallet, beat down chicken breasts until about 1 to 1-1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle garlic salt and lemon pepper on both sides of the breast. Pat down.

In a saucepan over medium heat, pour about 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil and heat through. Add seasoned chicken to the pan and cover with a lid. Let cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked throughout and all pinkness is gone.

Serve and enjoy.

The Land of Pineapples

I'm off to the land of pineapples for a couple weeks. I'll resume posting when I return.

In the meantime, click here for one of my favorite summer recipes: grilled pineapple.

Aloha!

Frrrozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity

(This looks like hot chocolate, but it's not!)

I. am. a. sucker for chocolate milkshakes. I think of it as a good way to get my dairy intake. When I first heard about the concept of Frozen Hot Chocolate, I knew it would be good. And when I experienced Serendipity 3's signature dessert for the first time, it did not disappoint. Since the actual New York restaurant is almost 3,000 miles away, I decided to recreate the experience in my home a couple weeks ago. Ah, it is such a refreshing way to drink hot chocolate, especially in the summertime. It also proved a good use for the extra mint whipped cream I had leftover after baking the Chocolate Soufflé Cupcakes with Mint Cream for the second time (per request) a couple weeks ago.

For this recipe, I believe the better the chocolate you use, the better the drink will be. While my Hershey's chocolate version was delicious, I think this would be exponentially more satisfying the richer and creamier the chocolate you use.

*from epicurious.com

INGREDIENTS:

6 half-ounce pieces of a variety of your favorite chocolates
2 teaspoons storebought hot chocolate mix
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice
whipped cream
chocolate shavings

DIRECTIONS:

Chop or break the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. (I don't have a double broiler, so I just used a pot and glass bowl.) Add the cocoa and sugar, stirring constantly until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk and stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature. (This shouldn't take long if you used cold milk.)

In a blender, place the remaining cup of milk, the room temperature chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet, mug, or any type of serving dish you desire, top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, and enjoy with a spoon or straw.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Despite growing up with Indian next-door neighbors (who, by the way, were not discreet about celebrating Holi--an Indian festival of colors--in their backyard), my first experience with Indian food wasn't until about six years ago in Provo, UT. Bombay House offers a unique slice of authentic culture in a slightly "culture-lacking" city, and the food is flavorful and delicious. Since my first foray with this delightful cuisine, I have ventured into a few more Indian restaurants in the LA area, but Bombay House still remains my favorite. And chicken tikka masala my favorite dish. I really didn't think I would be able to re-create this creamy, tomato-ey, tangy dish without foreign spices and hard-to-find ingredients, but I was wrong. The only ingredient I didn't already have was plain yogurt. 

Hope you enjoy this delicious, flavorful, and grub meal!

*Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

INGREDIENTS:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

(for the marinade):
1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (depending on your "hotness" preference; may also be substituted with paprika)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger (optional)
1 teaspoon salt

(for the sauce):
1 Tablespoon garlic
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup cream

cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Using kitchen shears, cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Combine all marinade ingredients together and pour over chicken cubes. I like to use a large ziploc bag for this, but a shallow dish works well too. Store in refrigerator for an hour.

After an hour, cook chicken over medium heat in a frying pan, until cooked through. Discard marinade. Once chicken is fully cooked, remove from heat and cover with a lid.

For the sauce, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic for one minute. Season with cumin, paprika, and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve with basmati rice and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. Jai ho!

Seasoned Tilapia with Mango Avocado Salsa

Summer is here! Can we sing the Hallelujah praises now? I spent all day yesterday in a swimsuit and fell asleep with  sunscreen on my skin and a bit of sand in my toes. The grills have been smoking in our apartment complex and, well, I could go on and on with reasons why I love summer, but this is a food blog, not a summer blog. But I will list just one more reason why I love summer: dishes like this. Simple, flavorful food with fresh ingredients that speak for themselves. Avocados and mangoes are a magical combination.

For tips on how to cut a mango, click here.

INGREDIENTS:

(for the fish):

3-4 fillets tilapia (or other white fish)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon (or less) cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

juice of one lime (or 1 Tablespoon lime juice)

olive oil

(for the salsa):

3/4 cup red salsa

1 mango, chopped

juice of two limes (or 2 Tablespoons lime juice)

1/2 avocado, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Place the fish on a plate and sprinkle with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and juice of one lime. 

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook until golden on the outside. Remove from heat and cover, until ready to serve.

Make the salsa. In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup red salsa, mango, 2 Tablespoons lime juice, and avocado. Serve immediately with fish. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

This also works well as fish tacos. On a small corn tortilla, layer chopped lettuce (cabbage or iceberg works best), then fish, then salsa. Let the warm summer nights begin. 

Snickerdoodles

I'm not sure if there's any better childhood memory than coming home from school to the aroma of freshly baked cookies. My mom practiced this trick a couple times in my youth and it was just the thing to make me fall in love with her over and over again. Now, I practice this trick on the hubs.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Soften butter. Add sugar and mix with beaters until creamy. Add eggs. Then add combined remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth and creamy. Put in refrigerator for one hour (or longer if needed).

After an hour, mix 2 Tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll batter into 1" balls and roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place on a cookie sheet 2" apart. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Enjoy.