Category: PROTEINS

FISHY (in a good way) CHICKEN STEW

FISHY (in a good way) CHICKEN STEW
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 LARGE shallot, chopped fine
1 celery stalk, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
3 sprigs FRESH thyme, minced
3/4 cup white wine
5 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup WONDRA flour
1 pound white potatoes, diced
3 carrots, diced
chopped FRESH parsley for garnish

  • In a large saute pan, cook bacon JUST until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper toweling.
  • Add avocado oil to the bacon rendering in the pan and heat over medium flame.
  • GENEROUSLY season chicken pieces with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Add chicken to hot oil and sear on both sides until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
  • Add onion, garlic, celery, anchovy paste and thyme, cooking 2-3 minutes until well blended.
  • Add wine, 1 cup of the broth and liquid aminos, simmering until almost ALL the liquid is evaporated.
  • Preheat oven to 325°.
  • Add butter.
  • When butter has melted, sprinkle with flour, stirring to combine.
  • Whisk in remaining broth,
  • Shred chicken and add to broth along with carrots and potatoes, stirring to combine.
  • Cover and bake 30 minutes.
  • Stir and bake another 30-45 minutes until carrots and potatoes are fork tender.
  • Season to taste and fold in bacon pieces.
  • Garnish and serve immediately.  We like it over pasta.  I know that’s weird, but it’s a family thing.

SLOW COOKER GINGER CHICKEN & SLAW

SLOW COOKER GINGER CHICKEN & SLAW
CHICKEN
1/4 cup apricot jam
2 tablespoons ketchup (Jalapeno ketchup adds a bit of a kick)
1/4 cup Bragg’s liquid aminos
2 tablespoons FRESH grated ginger
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped small
1 red Jalapeno pepper, chopped small
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

  • Whisk together the apricot jam, ketchup, liquid aminos and ginger in 5 quart slow cooker.
  • Add onion, garlic, jalapeno and chicken, tossing to coat.
  • Cook covered 4-5 hours on low, until chicken is cooked through.
  • Transfer chicken to cutting board and shred.
  • Return chicken to slow cooker.
  • Stir in rice vinegar.
  • Season with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste.
  • 1 cup long grain white rice, prepared 25-30 minutes before serving according to package directions.

SLAW
1/4 small red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 small green onions, sliced thin
2 tablespoons FRESH chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

  • Toss all together.
  • Season to taste.
  • Serve chicken over rice with slaw.
  • Top with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

TAMALE BUNDT PIE with SALSA VERDE CREMA

TAMALE BUNDT PIE
FILLING
1 1/4 pounds ground beef
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
16 ounces thick and chunky salsa
1 small can chopped green chiles, drained WELL

  • Brown ground beef and drain off fat.
  • Add seasonings and salsa, stirring to blend. Cook 5 minutes over medium-high heat.

CORN BREAD
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups WHOLE milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup avocado oil
1 cup SHARP cheddar cheese

  • Sift together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl.
  • Whisk together the milk, oil and eggs.
  • Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients whisking JUST until dry ingredients are moistened.
  • Stir in cheese.

ASSEMBLY

  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • GENEROUSLY spray bundt pan with non-stick spray.
  • Sprinkle green chiles on bottom of pan.
  • Spread half the batter over the green chiles.
  • Top evenly with filling.
  • Add remaining batter and spread smooth.
  • Bake 35-40 minutes until top is lightly browned.
  • Cool 5 minutes on rack.
  • Loosen edges with a knife.
  • Invert onto serving plate.
  • Garnish with crema and chopped tomatoes.

SALSA VERDE CREMA
1 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa verde
handful chopped cilantro
1 lime juiced
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper

  • Pulse all the ingredients together to desired color and consistency. The more you blend the lighter the color will become.

CONVEYOR BELT CHICKEN

I can’t tell you what cook book this is from because it is just a photoed page, not even a good photo or a whole page. 😀 BUT, the title caught my attention so I tucked it away for a future date and guess what, today’s the day. I finally sat down and read the recipe only to find it is SO SO simple and similar to a way grams used to prepare chicken.

According to the author, it’s more the method than the ingredients that led to the name of this recipe. She used bone-in thighs that she de-boned, but retained the skin. I left the bone in though for simplicity and to add some flavor. They are cooked over a medium low heat in pre-heated cast iron with a weighted press. The moderate heat plus the weighted press encourages the fat to render evenly and leaves behind a golden crisp skin and VERY tender meat.

I’ve adapted it ever so slightly by adding minced garlic and chopped thyme during the cooking. In my opinion it ALWAYS creates a golden, crisp skin and super tender meat that presents itself beautiful enough for a company inspired dinner.

I will warn you that this is a horrible picture, but it didn’t change the awesome flavor! Oh and the conveyor belt name?  It apparently came from the author’s friend’s husband loving the chicken so much that he wanted to build a conveyor belt from the plate to his mouth!

CONVEYOR BELT CHICKEN
1 large chicken thigh per person
Avocado oil (or olive oil if you prefer)
1 tablespoon butter
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons FRESH chopped thyme leaves

  • Preheat cast iron pan over medium heat.
  • Reduce heat slightly.
  • Add butter, garlic and thyme, swirling to coat pan.
  • Rub chicken with avocado oil and add to the pan skin side down.
  • Add weight press and cook 10 minutes undisturbed until skin is golden.
  • Remove the weight and cook 2 minutes more.
  • Spoon any remaining butter and herbs over the chicken pieces and serve.

OVEN ROASTED SALMON & FRESH TOMATO RELISH

OVEN ROASTED SALMON
2 pounds skin on salmon fillet, 1 1/2 inches thick
2 teaspoons avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper, to taste
Tomato Relish (see recipe below)

  • Preheat oven to 500° and set rack at lowest position and add baking tray to heat.
  • Cut fillet into equal pieces.
  • Make several SHALLOW slices into the skin side ONLY, DO NOT cut into flesh.
  • Pat salmon slices dry and rub with oil and generously season with salt and pepper.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 275°.
  • Place salmon skin side down on hot baking tray.
  • Return to oven and roast 10-12 minutes until centers are still translucent and edges have reached 125°.
  • Transfer to platter and top with tomato relish.
  • Serve immediately.

FRESH TOMATO RELISH
1 1/2 cups ripe tomato pieces
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 teaspoon apple cider or champagne vinegar* (see note)
2 tablespoons FRESH chopped basil
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper, to taste

  • Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl.
  • Season to taste.

NOTE: Original recipe called for olive oil and red wine vinegar. Personally, I’m not an olive oil fan so I substitute avocado oil AND red wine vinegar just didn’t have enough of a “bite” for us so I substitute a QUALITY apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar.

  • This is another recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Cook’s Science cook book.

MILK BRAISED PORK LOIN

I’m picking a different cook book each month to try new recipes from.  This month 😀 and probably next  is Cook’s Science from America’s Test Kitchen/Cook’s Illustrated.

MILK BRAISED PORK LOIN
2-2 1/2 boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 quarts cold water

  • In a large container dissolve salt and sugar into cold water.
  • Submerge the roast in the brine, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

1/2 cup water
2 ounces salt pork
3 cups WHOLE milk
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon FRESH minced thyme
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup dry wine
3 tablespoons FRESH chopped parsley
1 teaspoon creamy horseradish* (see note)
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper

  • Remove roast from brine and pat dry.
  • Preheat oven to 275°.
  • Bring water and salt pork to a simmer in a dutch oven over medium heat.
  • Simmer 5 or so until water evaporates and salt pork begins to sizzle. Continue cooking until salt pork is browned and fat has rendered.
  • Using slotted spoon remove salt pork and discard.
  • Increase heat to medium high.
  • Add roast and brown on ALL sides.
  • Transfer roast to plate.
  • Add milk, garlic, thyme and baking soda to pot and bring to a simmer, being sure to scrape up any browned bits. Continue cooking 15 minutes or so, stirring frequently, until milk is starting to brown and becoming the consistency of heavy cream.
  • Reduce heat to medium low and cook a few minutes more until mixture becomes the consistency of a thin batter. Remove from heat.
  • Return roast to the pot, turning to coat in milk mixture, cover and transfer to oven for 20 minutes, turn again and roast another 20-25 minutes until roasts registers 140°.
  • Transfer roast to carving board, tent with foil and allow to rest 15 minutes before slicing.
  • Transfer any accumulated juices from the carving board to the pot with the milk mixture.
  • Add wine and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Whisk constantly to smooth out sauce.
  • Simmer 2-3 minutes until gravy thins.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Whisk in Parsley and creamy horseradish.
  • Adjust seasoning.
  • Use immersion blender if necessary to cream sauce.
  • Slice roast into 1/4 inch slices and transfer to serving platter.
  • Spoon sauce over slices and serve immediately.

NOTE:

  • Original recipe called for Dijon mustard, but I have a severe allergy to mustard so I substitute creamy horseradish.
  • Buttermilk is a GREAT substitute for the whole milk that is also a technical fix for the gravy turning lumpy.  There was a technical explanation to the whole reason why, but the bottom line is that it works! 😀

BBQ “ICE CUBE TRAY” BACON BALLS

I found this recipe on Facebook and decided to give it a try for our special Superbowl goodies this year. I try and find “unusual” recipes to try each year for the BIG game. Recipes on Facebook and Pinterest can really be a hit or miss situation.  I’d say we probably have a 75% success rate 😀  But, these were fantastic!

BBQ “ICE CUBE TRAY” BACON BALLS
10-12 thin sliced bacon strips
1 pound hamburger
FRESH ground sea salt and pepper
1/4 cup FRESH chopped parsley
1 egg
1/2 onion, FINELY chopped
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Favorite BBQ sauce

  • LIGHTLY spray ice cube tray with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Overlap bacon slices across an ice cube tray.
  • Gently push bacon into the ice cube holes.
  • Mix together hamburger, egg, parsley, bread crumbs and seasonings until well blended.
  • Divide meat into equal portions and press into ice cube tray.
  • Fold bacon slices over top of meat mixture.
  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Turn ice cube tray over onto a baking sheet and gently lift ice cube tray off.
  • Bake 20 minutes.
  • Remove tray from oven and generously brush with BBQ sauce.
  • Bake 10 minutes more.
  • Remove from oven and cut apart into individual “cubes.
  • Insert toothpicks and serve.

TOMATO BEEF STROGANOFF

TOMATO BEEF STROGANOFF
1 1/4 pounds sirloin tips, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 teaspoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 pound mushrooms, sliced thin **
2 teaspoons hot water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
Fresh sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 large shallot, diced fine
2 tablespoons Wondra flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup sour cream (SEE NOTES)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped flat leaf parsley

  • Poke each piece of meat with a fork
  • In a mixing bowl toss meat pieces with Bragg’s liquid aminos, cover and marinate 1 hour.
  • While meat is marinating prep mushrooms.
  • In a large skillet melt butter over medium high heat.
  • Add mushrooms and sauce until soft and caramelizeng.
  • Drain mushrooms and set aside.
  • Whisk together the water and mustard powder with the sugar, and some pepper just until a smooth paste forms. Set aside.
  • Pat meat dry with paper toweling.
  • Season with fresh ground pepper.
  • Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add beef pieces and sear on ALL sides, reducing heat as necessary to prevent burning. Transfer eat to plate.
  • Add Add onions and saute until caramelized and browning.
  • Add in the tomato sauce and flour, stirring to blend.
  • Stir in beef broth, mustard paste and wine until well blended and bring to a SLOW simmer, cooking until slightly reduced and starting to thicken.
  • Fold meat pieces and mushrooms into the sauce and cook a couple minutes more until heated through.
  • Remove from heat and fold in sour cream.
  • Serve immediately over buttered noodles.
  • Sprinkle with parsley.

*NOTE*:

  • I prefer thin sliced mushrooms, but some prefer larger mushrooms in which case you should use 1 pound and quarter them.  Hubby hates mushrooms and I often omit them all together and it’s still a really tasty dish!
  • Y0u can substitute a whipped cream cheese for a thicker version.

GRAN’S MEATLOAF

Gran’s Meatloaf is a super moist, scrumptious and full of flavor recipe that’s great for any weeknight because it can be prepared ahead of time and baked the next day! It’s a super simple recipe that has been handed down through the generations and comes out perfect each and every time!  The leftovers make WONDERFUL sandwiches for lunch the rest of the week.

GRAN’S MEATLOAF
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
3/4 cup WHOLE milk
1 LARGE egg
3 slices white or sourdough bread, torn up into small pieces
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (or substitute ½ tablespoon onion powder)
2 cloves garlic, minced (or substitute ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder)
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons FRESH chopped cilantro (or substitute ½ teaspoon ground coriander)
½ cup Jalapeno ketchup**

  • Heat oven to 350°.
  • Combine all ingredients except the ketchup in a large bowl JUST until well blended.  Do NOT overwork.
  • Spread mixture into an un-greased loaf pan or shape into a loaf on a sheet pan.
  • Spread ketchup on top of meatloaf.
  • Cook for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, until a meat thermometer reads 160.
  • Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTE: This recipe used to read a tablespoon of hot sauce plus regular ketchup, but now that Jalapeño ketchup is so regularly available I use it exclusively.

AMALFI POSITANO CHICKEN or PORK

I found this scrap of a recipe in my BIG bin of recipe scraps and the name POSITANO chicken intrigued me so I did a little research and decided to make the recipe.  Positano is a cliff side village on the Amalfi coast that is known primarily for seafood, FRESH pasta and Buffalo Mozzarella cheese.  So, I have NO idea why this recipe was originally written for chicken 😀  but it was and I have adapted it to fit not only chicken, but also pork. Since cheese and seafood are not usually a great mix I have no real plans to adapt it to the seafood that the Amalfi coast is famous for.  Overall it kind of reminds me of an Italian version of Chicken Kiev.

AMALFI POSITANO CHICKEN or PORK serves 6
6 – 8 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 pound ground Italian sausage, cooked crumbly, drained of grease and cooled
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
3 cups grated Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup roasted red pepper, diced and cooled
1/4 cup FRESH small torn basil leaves
2 cups all purpose flour
6 eggs, whisked
3 cups seasoned Italian bread crumbs
3 tablespoons avocado oil

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Line a baking tray with foil LIGHTLY sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Cover chicken breasts with plastic wrap and pound chicken breast (or pork chop) until all breasts are the same thickness around under 1/2 an inch.
  • Mix together the Romano cheese, Mozzarella cheese, chopped peppers, crumbled sausage and basil pieces until well blended.
  • Place about 1/2 cup of cheese mixture in the center of each chicken breast. Fold chicken breast over and seal edges with toothpicks.
  • Set up a dredging station with flour, eggs and bread crumbs.
  • Dredge each chicken breasts in flour, then eggs followed by bread crumbs.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add chicken breasts in batches, sauteing 2-3 minutes all sides until golden.
  • Place chicken pieces on baking tray.
  • Bake 8-10 minutes until cheese begins to ooze from the edges.
  • Serve over prepared pasta or mashed potatoes.
  • Top with Marsala sauce. (recipe below)

MARSALA SAUCE
3 tablespoons avocado oil
1/4 cup shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound Beech mushrooms
3 tablespoons WONDRA flour
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1 1/2 cups beef stock
FRESH ground sea salt and pepper, to taste

  • Add oil to heavy hot saucepan.
  • Add shallots, garlic and mushrooms, sautéing until mushrooms are tender.
  • Add flour and cook about 1 minute.
  • Deglaze pan with Marsala wine.
  • Add beef stock and cook until thick and flavors are blended.
  • Adjust seasoning and serve over meat and pasta.

NOTE: When I substitute the chicken for pork, I use center cut pork loin chops.  I also substitute the Romano for Fontina cheese.

BAKED FIRECRACKER CHICKEN

I LOVE Firecracker Chicken, but I also LOVE lowering the caloric intake and was so excited to run across a baked recipe that lowered the oil content and used no breading. The original recipe was a bit vague in actual amounts so I improvised and made it my own 😀  While this is good, there are times that there is NO substitution for a good breading and I love my original recipe for SPARKLER CHICKEN.

BAKED FIRECRACKER CHICKEN
1 cup packed brown sugar
8 ounces Frank’s original hot sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon avocado oil
Prepared white rice

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. This makes for a quick and easy clean up!
  • In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, celery salt, hot sauce and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cooking 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Rub chicken pieces with avocado oil and lay smooth side down in a single layer on the baking sheet.
  • Bake for 5 minutes.
  • Turn the chicken pieces smooth side up.
  • GENEROUSLY brush the chicken pieces with about 1/3 of the sauce.
  • Bake another 5 minutes.
  • Brush again with another 1/3 of the sauce.
  • Bake for 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and beginning to char around the edges.
  • Serve over prepared rice with remaining sauce.

7UP CHILI LOOSE MEAT SANDWICHES

I originally found a recipe, 7-UP CHILIBURGERS, in a loose bound cookbook from 1977.  It was one of those compilation style books written for fundraisers for schools or churches.  I’ve modified it over time, but we love it.

7UP CHILI LOOSE MEAT SAMMIES
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped small
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon WONDRA flour
7.5 ounce can 7UP or Sprite
3/4 cup Jalapeno ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Franks, original hot sauce
Havarti slices

  • Melt butter in cast iron large skillet.
  • Add beef and chopped onion, browning until crumbly.
  • Drain off excess fat.
  • Return meat to pan and sprinkle with flour, stirring to absorb.
  • Whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire, 7UP, hot sauce, chili powder and garlic powder.
  • Add to meat mixture and bring to a simmer.
  • Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cover and cook 10 minutes.
  • Split ciabatta buns in half.
  • Lay a slice of cheese on top of bread.
  • Spoon loose meat over cheese and enjoy!  They are also GREAT, but MESSY as whole sandwiches.

NOTE:  This is a good recipe to make double of and freeze half for a quick weeknight meal.