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Simple, Hearty and Delicious – John Besh’s Classic Creole Seafood Jambalaya

03 Apr

Shrimp is one of those ingredients that is a lot more versatile than many give it credit for. While Sean would be happy if I simply made fried shrimp every time I picked some up from the seafood market, I like to mix things up and try different things with it. A scampi is always a good option or a stir-fry dinner, but one of my favorites is to make jambalaya. There is something about a fantastic bowl if jambalaya with crunchy french bread that is perfect for me for a meal. While jambalaya might seem intimidating to some to try to make, the truth is most recipes for it a pretty easy to put together. More often than not, they have a lot of prep work for you to do, but once that is accomplished everything else falls into place pretty quickly. I decided to make this recipe from John Besh that I found at the Food Republic because, as a classic New Orleans chef, who should know better than Chef Besh regarding how to make this dish?

John Besh’s Classic Creole Seafood Jambalaya

1/2 pound andouille or another smoked sausage, chopped

1 pound fresh pork sausage, removed from casings

1/2 cup bacon fat or vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 stalk celery, with leaves, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups white rice

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 dried bay leaves

1 cup crushed tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 pounds medium wild American shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt and pepper

2 green onions, chopped

Heat a very big, heavy-bottomed pot (like a Dutch oven) over high heat and then reduce the heat to medium. (This lets the pot heat uniformly, preventing hot spots, which are likely to burn.) Brown the andouille and pork sausage in the bacon fat or vegetable oil, stirring slowly with a long wooden spoon to build color.

 

After the sausages have browned, add the onions to the pot and allow them to caramelize, about 15 minutes, to develop more flavor. Add the bell peppers to the onions to save as much of the color as you can in the peppers. Add the celery ( use the leaves too) and the garlic and cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes, occasionally stirring so that everything in the pot cooks evenly.

 

Next add the rice, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaves to the pot and cook, often stirring, for about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the crushed tomatoes and broth. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

 

While the rice is cooking, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. After the rice has simmered for 15 minutes, fold in the shrimp and the green onions. Cover the pot again, turn off the heat, and let everything continue to cook in the hot pot for about another 10 minutes until the shrimp are pink and tender.

 

Fluff the jambalaya with a fork and serve.

I have seen other recipes that can get more complicated, but this one is basic straight to the point, easy to follow and returns an excellent meal. I used red, yellow and orange pepper for some added color to the dish. You can use another sausage if you can’t find andouille, but andouille to me helps to make the dish what it is with its spice and flavor. You might also want to sub in shrimp stock for the chicken broth if you are feeling ambitious. You can make a nice stock with the shrimp shells and add some deeper flavor. The recipe comes together pretty quickly, and all of the flavors are there for you to give a complete, tasty meal in one pot. It often tastes just as great the second day as the flavors come together even more. You can have the whole meal created in about 45 minutes for a different weeknight meal for you and the family.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

 

 

 

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Posted by on April 3, 2017 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Sausage, Seafood, Uncategorized

 

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Delight the Family with Bon Appetit’s Best Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

27 Feb

The weather here in our part of New York has been wild, to say the least. We had days of 70 degrees and higher last week, followed up by torrential rains and the wind and then a plunge back down into the 20s today. It is no wonder that we are all fighting colds here now! So what is better to make when you are fighting the sniffles than a nice stew or soup? I had recently made some homemade chicken stock and was ready to take advantage of it when I decided this would be a very good time to break out some chicken and dumplings. It gave me a great way to use up the leftover chicken I had and combine it with some vegetables, an excellent broth and wonderful dumplings to top it all off. I had seen this recipe in Bon Appetit for the best chicken and dumplings, so it only made sense to give the best a try.

The Best Chicken and Dumplings

4 chicken legs (thigh and drumstick)

1 leek, pale-green and white parts only

4 carrots, 1 whole, 3 chopped into ½-inch rounds

4 celery stalks, 1 whole, 3 chopped into ½-inch pieces

1 medium onion, chopped, divided

3 garlic cloves, smashed

4 sprigs thyme

Parsley stems from ½ a bunch

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons whole peppercorns

Kosher salt

½ cup chicken fat (schmaltz) or butter, melted, divided

Freshly ground black pepper

1½ cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

½ cup heavy cream

Chopped chives (for serving), optional

Bring the chicken, leek, whole carrot, whole celery stalk, half of the onion, garlic, thyme, parsley stems, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 3 quarts of water to a simmer in a large wide pot. Cook, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 40–50 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and let it sit until it is cool enough to handle. Shred the meat from the thighs and legs, discarding the skin, bones, and excess fat. Cover the meat with foil to keep warm. Alternatively, shred any leftover chicken meat you may have (a mix of dark and white meat is great, but use whatever is available).

Strain the chicken stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard the solids. Wipe out the pot, pour the stock back in, and bring the stock to a simmer. Stir in 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of salt. Alternatively, use homemade chicken stock that you have made previously and bring it to a simmer.

Heat ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon of the schmaltz or butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Cook the chopped carrot, chopped celery, and the remaining onion, occasionally stirring, until the vegetables are softened but not completely tender, about 8–10 minutes; season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Add ½ cup of the flour and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are coated, about 1 minute. Scrape the vegetable mixture into the simmering stock and whisk until the liquid is thickened and no lumps remain, then continue to cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10–15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the baking powder, baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and the remaining 1 cup of flour in a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and the remaining 3 tablespoons of schmaltz or butter in a small bowl. Fold the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients just until the dough comes together (be careful not to overmix, or the dumplings will be tough).

Add the heavy cream and the reserved chicken meat to the stew and return the mixture to a simmer. Drop tablespoon-sized portions of the dough into stew (don’t worry if they aren’t perfect, they will puff up as they cook). Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes. Uncover the pot and check the dumplings for doneness: They should be about 5 times larger and should cover the entire surface of the stew. To be extra sure, you can remove a dumpling and cut it in half to see if it’s cooked through; the interior should look like a soft dinner roll. If they’re not fully cooked, cover and cook for about 2 minutes more.

Divide the chicken soup and dumplings among the serving bowls, then top with the chives, if desired.

This is a very hearty and filling stew/soup. The flavor from the broth is splendid and you get a broth that is just thick enough to provide you with everything that you want. The dumplings are also perfectly soft and tasty and add just the right touch to the dish. I used butter since I didn’t have any chicken schmaltz, leftover chicken and previously made stock to simplify the process even more. All of these shortcuts allowed me to save a lot of prep time and get the dinner on the table in about 35 or 40 minutes and it still had all the flavor you want. This recipe makes plenty; Bon Appetit says it is 6 servings, but you could easily get more out of that, and we had leftovers available for lunches for days. The stew actually gets better the next day, and you can thin it out with a little water or stock to get it the way you want it. It is a nice change of pace from the traditional chicken soup when you want something a little different without a lot of extra work.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

 
 
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Posted by on February 27, 2017 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Poultry, Soups & Stews

 

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Make an Effortless Weeknight Meal – Sheet Pan Chicken with Sweet Potatoes, Apples and Brussels Sprouts

16 Feb

There are stretches of time around our house where things are quiet, and I have plenty of time to plan out a menu, go shopping and make an excellent meal. Then there are the rest of the days of the week where everything gets a little hectic, and we need a meal that can get put together quickly and without much fuss. I still would rather cook something at home than turn to getting a pizza or other takeout food, so there is nothing wrong with throwing a one-pan meal in there to make things quick and painless for dinner. Times like this are when your trusty sheet pan can be the perfect vehicle for your entire meal. I make quite a few one pan or one pot meals, often in a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, but a sheet pan is perfect for these meals too. I came across this recipe at Well Plated for chicken, sweet potatoes, apples, and Brussel sprouts that was ideal for dinner the other night and thought I would see how it went.

Sheet Pan Chicken with Sweet Potatoes, Apples, and Brussels Sprouts

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat and lightly pounded to even out thickness

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

4 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quarter if very large), about 1 pound

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 medium red onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1 medium apple, peeled, cored and cut into rough 1-inch pieces 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the chicken breasts in a large, zip-top bag. Drizzle the chicken with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the garlic, 1 tablespoon of rosemary, the cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Zip the bag tightly, then shake and rub the bag to coat the chicken in the oil and spices. Set the chicken aside while you chop the vegetables and apples, or refrigerate the chicken for up to 1 day.

Once chopped, place the Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, onion, and apple on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetables and apple with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle everything with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Toss the ingredients to evenly coat everything, then spread the vegetables and apple into an even layer on the baking sheet.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and place the pieces on top of the apple and vegetables. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast everything until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees, about 18  to 22 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it to a plate to rest and cover it with foil to keep it warm. Toss the apple and vegetables on the pan, then return the pan to the oven and continue baking until the contents of the baking sheet are caramelized and tender, about 10 to 15 additional minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables and apple with the remaining 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary. Serve everything warm with the rested chicken.

This is an excellent meal any time of the year, though it seems particularly cozy and warming in the winter months. The flavors are great with the sweet potatoes, apple and Brussels sprouts all nicely roasted together, and the chicken picks up the subtle flavor as well when it is cooked with everything like this. I made two slight changes to this recipe, cooking the sweet potatoes, Brussel sprouts and apples alone at first for about 15 minutes and then adding the chicken pieces on top of everything to cook for the final 20 minutes, so I didn’t have to take the chicken out to let it rest. I also omitted the rosemary since Michelle is not a fan of it and just stuck with salt and pepper, though there are other herbs you could use instead if you wanted some extra punch and flavor. This is the kind of meal that would work well with any chicken pieces you like (drumsticks or thighs would work too) or even use some boneless pork chops instead for something different. The whole meal takes about 35 minutes to cook so you can’t go wrong giving it a try.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by on February 16, 2017 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Potatoes, Poultry

 

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A Meal of One’s Own – Apple, Sausage and Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

10 Nov

As tempting as it might be to make big ,filling meals all of the time like meatloaf, fried chicken, burgers and the like, sometimes you need something a bit more on a little bit lighter for dinner. Dinners like warm chicken salad or other refreshing salads seem to go well with warmer weather and the summer and fall weather is a great opportunity to not only do things with soups but also with all of the great winter squash that is available. A lot of the squash you find can serve as a great vehicle not only as the vegetable of your dish but also as part of the serving and presentation. My favorite thing is to try to do this with acorn squash. You can get them at just the right size so that when they are halved they make a great serving bowl all of their own that you can eat practically all the way through. Naturally, you want to be able to fill the squash with some great ingredients and I took a cue from this recipe at The Pretend Baker and took the opportunity to not only use some of her ingredients but add my own and use up some of the leftover wild rice we had from a previous meal.

Apple, Sausage and Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

2 medium acorn squashes

2 tablespoons butter, plus more if necessary

1 pound pork sausage, casings removed

1 large sweet onion

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 stalks of celery, diced

1 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, minced

1/2 cup cooked wild rice

1 large egg, beaten

Salt and pepper, to taste

¾ cup shredded white cheddar, mozzarella or Gruyere cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squashes in half, remove the seeds and place the squash halves on a baking dish, cut side down, and roast them for about 30 to 45 minutes or until the flesh is easily pierced with the tip of a knife. Remove the squash from the oven, turn the temperature down to 375 degrees, flip the squash over and allow them to cool until you are able to handle them.

Meanwhile, heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and cook the sausage until it is browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the sausage to a plate.

Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet along with the minced onion, celery and chopped apple. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the apple is soft about 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the garlic and minced herbs and saute for about 30 seconds until they are fragrant.

Remove the onion and garlic mixture to another plate or bowl.

Add the remaining butter to the skillet and return the onion/apple mixture to the skillet along with cooked sausage and all the accumulated juices.

When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out most of the flesh, leaving some in the skin for sturdiness.

Add  the squash flesh to the pan and stir until well incorporated. Add the wild rice to the pan and stir. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Mix in the beaten egg and fill squash halves. You may have leftover filling – just add it to an oven safe dish.

Top the squash with shredded cheese, return the squash halves to the oven on the same baking sheet and bake them for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and brown.

Let the squash stand for 10 minutes before serving.

The blend of flavors and spices here make the kitchen smell great and you end up with a really nice meal all in one package. I loved the mix of the sausage, apple, squash and wild rice together. It was very hearty, warming and filling. While I didn’t top mine with cheese, Michelle and Sean both had cheese on theirs and said it was delicious. The great thing about this meal is that you can leave out the sausage entirely if you want to make this a vegetarian dish. You could also substitute in just about any grain that might you like instead of wild rice – brown rice, barley, quinoa, for example – and still have a wonderful meal. The leftovers are great for lunches as well as they are already nicely portioned out and if you have any stuffing leftover after filling the squash it makes a great side dish for chicken, turkey or even a pork dish.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

 
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Posted by on November 10, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Leftovers, One Pot Meals, Rice, Sausage, Vegetables

 

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The First Soup of the Season – Baked Butternut Squash and Celery Root Soup

20 Oct

Okay, so the weather hasn’t been exactly fall weather here the last 2 days, with temperatures getting up into the 80s during the day on both days, but it still seems to be that soup time of year. Things cooled down quite a bit last night and should be back more towards normal here, which means brisk autumn air that makes for good soup weather. With so many great fall vegetables around right now, particularly a bunch of different root vegetables, the opportunities are there to make all kinds of good soups. One that has always been a family favorite of ours has been butternut squash soup and since squash is so plentiful right now  I knew I just had to make some soup the other night. I had picked up a couple of butternut squash at the farmer’s market last week, along with some carrots, celery root and leeks and I knew this was all going to come together nicely for a soup dinner. I decided to use this recipe from Molly O’Neill at New York Times Cooking for a baked butternut squash soup and adapted it to include some other great root vegetables to make it my own.

Baked Butternut Squash and Celery Root Soup

2 butternut squash, about 1 pound each, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed well and finely chopped

1 celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons honey

⅛ teaspoon each of mace, ground ginger, cinnamon and allspice

 

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, stems removed, finely chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the squash, carrots leeks and celery root in a shallow roasting pan or casserole dish. Sprinkle the olive oil over the vegetables, add salt and pepper to taste and toss the vegetables in the oil to coat them well. Drizzle the vegetables with the honey and add the mace, ground ginger, cinnamon and allspice and toss the vegetables again so they are well mixed. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast the vegetables in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove the foil from the pan and continue roasting the vegetables until they are lightly browned and fork tender, about another 20 to 25 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, heat the chicken broth in a large pot or Dutch oven until it is simmering. Remove the pan from the oven and place the vegetables in the pot with the broth and mix them well. All the broth and vegetables to continue simmering for about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the stove and using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables and broth together until the vegetables are smooth (You can also do this in a blender in batches if you prefer). Return the pot to the stove and bring the soup slowly to a boil over medium-low heat and then stir in the heavy cream. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with parsley, if desired.

You get some great combinations of flavors here with the squash, celery root, carrots and leeks. The honey just bumps up the sweetness a tiny bit here and the spices, even though they are in small amounts, add just the right touch. I like roasting the vegetables before putting them in the soup because they get nice and tender and seem to have better flavor this way than if you sautéed them in a pan or the same pot as the soup. You can leave out the heavy cream if you prefer but I added it because it helps create some great texture to the soup. The soup would benefit even more if you added a peeled and sliced apple to the vegetables when roasting, but I didn’t have any on hand so I left it out. You could also easily make this a vegetarian meal by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth or just using water.This makes a nice batch of soup so you can have leftovers for other meals or lunches and we had the soup with sandwiches for dinner, but you could easily have it by itself, with some croutons, a salad or just with some homemade bread or biscuits. It was a great way to kick off what hopefully is the first of some awesome soups and stews this year.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by on October 20, 2016 in Leftovers, Lunch, One Pot Meals, Vegetables, Vegetarian

 

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Easy From Start to Finish – Peach Glazed Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Broccoli

12 Oct

I find myself more and more trying to figure out ways where I can make meals that are all cooked in one pan. Not only does this make cleanup much easier for all of us after dinner so we don’t have to spend 45 minutes doing dishes (no dishwasher for us; everything is done by hand) but it also allows for dishes that provide a great melding of flavors along the way. I particularly like to do one pan meals with pork and chicken. They seem to be the best for meals of this type and are most adaptable so that you can use potatoes or rice and whatever vegetables you like the most and cook everything together. Of course, adding some great flavor to your protein helps a lot too. I had picked up some peach preserves when I last went to the farmer’s market and have been looking for a meal to use them with. The preserves tasted great on their own so I knew they would really perk up a chicken dish. Instead of going out and finding a recipe like I usually do I decided to wing this one on my own and see how it would turn out.

Peach Glazed Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Broccoli

1/2 cup peach preserves

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces fingerling potatoes, rinsed and halved

2 cups broccoli crowns

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, add the peach preserves, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, ginger and garlic. Whisk the mixture until it is well blended and heat at a low simmer for about 10 minutes.

In a large oven-safe skillet or roasting pan set over medium heat, add the vegetable oil and heat it until it is shimmering. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken thighs in the skillet, skin side down, and cook until the skin is nicely browned, about 7 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces over and heat on the second side for about 3 to 4 minutes just to lightly brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and oil in the pan. Add the potatoes to the bottom of the pan and cook them for about 2 minutes. Add the broccoli on top of the potatoes. Nestle the chicken pieces into the broccoli and coat each piece of chicken with some of the peach glaze. Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, coat the chicken pieces with more of the peach glaze. Return the chicken to the oven and cook until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through and registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted into one of the thighs and the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

The great thing about cooking this way is that you get the great flavors from the chicken and the glaze working their way down through the broccoli and potatoes to give them a touch of the sweetness from the peaches. You also get the nice roasting of the broccoli and potatoes as well, which is my favorite way to have each. You can use your own favorite glaze for the chicken to get the flavor you want (apricot would work well here as well) or even substitute pork for the chicken. You end up with nice crispy chicken that has wonderful taste and you get the entire meal done in one dish.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by on October 12, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Potatoes, Poultry, Uncategorized

 

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Checking In with Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Chorizo

23 Jun

Chicken thighs are pretty much a staple in our house when it comes to dinners. They have great flavor, are versatile and are almost always on sale somewhere. You can get them as they are or boneless and skinless (though they are very easy to bone and remove the skin and can save you money if you just buy them as is) and can use them in nearly any way. They make a great substitute for the typical boneless chicken breasts that you see, cost less and, in my opinion, taste better. I always have some in the freezer available to use for a dinner and this particular dinner, from Cook’s Country, was the one I chose to make. It is for pan-seared chicken thighs with potatoes and chorizo so you get a great mix of flavors here.

Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Chorizo

8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs

Salt and Pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

4 ounces chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise

8 ounces (8 cups) baby spinach

Smoked paprika

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and then season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat until the oil is just smoking. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook until the skin is well-browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken, skin side up, to a rimmed baking sheet and roast the chicken until the meat registers 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer inserted into one of the chicken pieces, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the potatoes to the now-empty skillet and cook, covered, over medium heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach is just wilted and the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Serve the chicken with the potato mixture, sprinkled with the smoked paprika.

You have plenty of options here if you want to change things up along the way. If you and your family prefer white meat you could always substitute boneless chicken breasts or even bone-in chicken breasts. Just adjust the time accordingly so that the chicken is cooked through and not dry. If you prefer a milder sausage, you could always use Italian sausage or even kielbasa with this dish instead, though I liked the spice the chorizo added to the dish with the potatoes. I served the spinach on the side instead of putting it right into the dish with the potatoes, but you could certainly do either. In the end, you end up with some nice crispy chicken pieces that blend well with the potatoes, chorizo and spinach and you get to make a meal that only takes about 30 minutes to do.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another new recipe to try. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by on June 23, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Poultry, Sausage, Uncategorized, Vegetables

 

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Say It’s Simple with Sheet Pan Shrimp and Vegetables

22 Jun

So it’s been way too long since I have done any blog posting at all and I came to the decision yesterday that I need to start making more time to do it, so here I am. Since my last original post I have made lots of great things so I have all kinds of fun recipes to share. Some I have pictures for and some I do not since I had to switch phones in the midst and lost some photos along the way, but I will do my best to keep up with everything.

For the first recipe upon return, we have an easy sheet pan shrimp and vegetables recipe I picked up from the Tasting Table. Sheet pan dinners are just as good as skillet dinners since you can do everything in just one pan for easy clean up and if you use aluminum foil on the bottom of the pan the clean up gets even easier for you. This recipe is a nice combination of shrimp and vegetables and has an Italian/Mediterranean flair to it with a great dressing for the vegetables. It is very much like a panzanella salad meal you might make. Best of all, you can put it all together pretty quickly and have dinner on the table in about 20 to 30 minutes.

Sheet Pan Shrimp and Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

For the Shrimp:

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon lemon zest

2 garlic cloves, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Dressing:

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons honey

¼ cup olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

8 ounces asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces

½ cup marinated artichokes hearts

½ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, halved

½ red onion, large dice

¼ cup (10 each) sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

Dressing

4 cups roughly torn sourdough bread

For Assembly:

½ cup (6 ounces) small mozzarella balls, halved

¼ cup parsley leaves

¼ cup basil leaves, torn

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Prepare the shrimp: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, toss all of the shrimp ingredients together and place the shrimp in the center of the sheet tray.

To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and honey. While whisking constantly, slowly stream in the olive oil until the mixture is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, toss the asparagus, artichoke hearts, olives, red onion and sun-dried tomatoes with the dressing to coat. Scatter the vegetables around the shrimp, then top the salad with the chunks of sourdough bread. Bake the shrimp and vegetables until the shrimp are cooked and the bread is crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Transfer the contents of the baking sheet to a large bowl and toss with the mozzarella balls, parsley leaves and torn basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to a platter and serve.

I did make a couple of slight changes to the recipe. Instead of using sun-dried tomatoes, which I didn’t have on hand, I used grape tomatoes instead. I also added a couple of ears of corn on the cob that I had cut into thirds to roast along with the other vegetables. Personally I liked the way it all turned out this way. I simply served the sheet tray platter on the table for the 3 of us and kept the mozzarella balls on the side for anyone to add if they wanted them. The vinegar dressing went really well with all of the vegetables and left a nice bite on the asparagus, artichoke hearts and red onion. The shrimp was done perfectly. I had used some wild American shrimp I got on sale and they were an ideal size and tasted delicious. The garlic and lemon also worked over to the corn on the sheet to give the corn some great added flavor. The sourdough bread worked nicely as well and was great for sopping up the dressing. It was certainly an easy meal to make and one that you can put together quickly on those busy summer nights.

That’s the recipe for today. I’ll try to be back tomorrow and get on a better routine again to keep things going. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day now that summer is here and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by on June 22, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Seafood, Uncategorized, Vegetables

 

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Healthy Soups and Stews – Recipes from NYT Cooking

06 Jan

With the new year and the cold weather finally settling into this part of New York, I know my attention turns more to making soups and stews for dinner to give you a warm, satisfying meal. It is even better if you can make healthy choices in the soups and stews you make and the New York Times has provided you with some great options. NYT Cooking has put together a batch of healthy soup and stew recipes for you to try out this winter to keep you warm and cozy, your belly full and your body feeling better. Check it out!

Source: Healthy Soups and Stews – Recipes from NYT Cooking

 
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Posted by on January 6, 2016 in Beans, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Lunch, One Pot Meals, Pasta, Potatoes, Poultry, Rice, Soups & Stews, Vegetables, Vegetarian

 

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Our Best One-Dish Dinners – Bon Appétit

17 Jul

Our Best One-Dish Dinners – Bon Appétit.

I love one-dish dinners, especially during the weeknights when getting dinner on the table can sometimes seem hectic as you try to figure out what you can do. When you are able to get your meat and vegetables all in one place and have only one pot to clean up, it is a great night! Bon Appetit has put together 21 of their best one-dish dinners that you can try for any night of the week when you want a great meal with easy clean-up. Check it out!

 
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Posted by on July 17, 2015 in Beef, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Pasta, Pork, Potatoes, Poultry, Rice, Sausage, Seafood, Soups & Stews, Stir Fry, Vegetables

 

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