Easy Roast Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole free-range or corn fed chicken, broken down into 8 pieces

(or 8 of your favorite chicken pieces, skin on and bone- in preferable)

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp light brown sugar

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

4 shallots, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Handful of fresh parsley

Salt and Pepper


DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 (220)

2. In a large baking dish, combine marinade and toss with chicken. Season well.

3. Place chicken pieces skin side up and roast for 30 minutes until it begins to brown. Remove and baste with marinade. Flip pieces and bake a remaining 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

4. Garnish with lots of fresh parsley

Mac-N-Cheese

Yield: 5-6 servings

Ingredients

• 8 oz. (1/2 pound or about 1¾ cups) macaroni or other medium tubular pasta (like penne or conchiglie)*
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika plus more for sprinkling on top
• 2½ cups 2% milk
• 3 cups grated medium cheddar cheese*
• 1/2 cup aged cheddar cheese
• 4-5 slices of bacon cooked and then crumpled.

Instructions

1. Boil the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking, and return to the pan you boiled it in. Set aside. (Mix in a little butter to keep the noodles from sticking if it’s going to be awhile before you make the sauce)
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Over medium heat, melt the butter.
4. Add the flour, salt, dry mustard, pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika. Stir constantly over medium heat for about three minutes.
5. Stir in the milk.
6. Keeping on medium heat, whisk constantly for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
7. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 cups of the cheese, stirring until melted.
8. Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and toss gently until all noodles are covered.
9. Add half the noodles to a two quart casserole dish.
10. Sprinkle on half the cheese.
11. Add the rest of the noodles.
12. Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese, and dust lightly with the smoked paprika.
13. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until it starts getting a slightly dry and a tiny bit brown on top. Serve, topping individual servings with cooked, chopped bacon if desired.

Teriyaki Sauce (Tyler Florence)

Ingredients
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
Juice of 2 oranges
2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 cup scallion, chopped
2 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour. May also be used as a great marinade for chicken, shrimp or beef.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/teriyaki-sauce-recipe2.html?oc=linkback

Teriyaki Chicken Meatball Kebobs

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 cup panko or Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1/2 red onion, shredded
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 red pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 yellow pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks

Directions:

1. To make the meatballs, mix together the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, teriyaki sauce, carrot, red onion, garlic, egg, salt, and pepper. Then, take 1-tablespoon scoops and form them into small meatballs. (If the mixture seems too wet, add a bit more breadcrumbs until the meatballs keep their shape.)
2. Refrigerate the meatballs for about 20 minutes, or while you’re cutting the veggies and preheating the grill (medium heat) or oven (375 degrees F).
3. Thread each skewer with a meatball, pepper, meatball, and alternate leaving enough room on each end of the skewer for picking up with your hands.
4. If you want to grill the skewers, spray the grill with nonstick spray or brush with olive oil. Then, gently place the skewers on the grill and grill for about five minutes on each side – make sure to test the meatballs to be sure the center is cooked.
5. If you want to bake the skewers, then lightly grease a baking sheet and gently place the skewers on it. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the meatballs are golden brown and cooked all the way through. Turn the skewers halfway through the baking process.
6. Serve with rice and extra teriyaki sauce for dipping, if you’d like.
7. Enjoy!

Brussels Sprout Slaw with Bacon

Yield: Serves 4 as a side dish.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Brussels Sprouts, sliced or shaved thin
• 1/2 t Celery Salt
• 1/2 cup Mayo
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 1 t Lemon Juice
• zest of one Lemon
• 1 T Dijon Mustard
• Sea Salt to taste
• about 4 slices of fried Bacon, broken into small pieces
• about 1/4 c toasted Pecans

Directions:

1. Wash and trim edges of Brussels sprouts. Slice Brussels sprouts very thin.
2. In large bowl, combine celery salt, mayo, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard and salt. Add shaved Brussels sprouts and combine well.
3. Then add bacon and pecans to the mixture. Toss well, but gently.
4. You can serve immediately or allow to chill in refrigerator.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

Ingredients:

makes 10 large muffins

for the muffins:

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups sour cream
• 2½ cups (280 grams) cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt 

For the streusel:

• ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions (batter):

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

Cream together the butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time and mix for 20 to 30 seconds for each addition or just until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix an additional 30 seconds. 

Weigh 280 grams of cake flour into a bowl and add baking powder and baking soda. Mix with a wisk and sift through a strainer to remove or break up any lumps. Add the 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix for 20 seconds. Add 1/3 of the sour cream to the mixing bowl and mix for 20 seconds. Continue to add the dry and wet ingredients by thirds until all has been blended together. 

Directions (streusel):
Add all ingredients and mix with a pastry blender or by hand until well incorporated and the butter is the size of small peas.

Prepare approximately 10 large muffin cups with liners (Tulip liners or Regular). Add 1/4 cup of batter to each muffin cup and then sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of streusel. Add a secon 1/4 cup of batter to each muffin cup and top with an additional 2 teaspoons of streusel.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Check with a toothpick after 25 minutes.

Ciabatta Bread

Ciabatta Bread

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk room temperature (or even slightly warmer)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

1. Whisk together flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Pour in the warm water and milk and beat for 5 minutes with a wooden spoon until the dough is well combined.
2. Once the dough is combined, flour your hands and knead the dough for 5 minutes, pushing air bubbles into the dough.
3. Oil a large bowl, and place the dough inside. Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the dough then cover with plastic wrap, and cover that with a towel, and place the bowl in a warm spot. Allow to rise for 2 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour. Turn the dough out onto a floured workspace and shape the dough into a long loaf, about 12" long and 4" wide. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour (if desired. It's purely aesthetic). Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the bread is light golden and a tap on the trust should sound hollow.
5. Place the bread on a cooling rack and allow it to cool for 20-30 minutes before serving.
6. Enjoy!

Shrimp Curry with Yoghurt and Peas

Shrimp Curry with Yoghurt and Peas (Cooks Illustrated)

Serves 4 to 6

Gather and prepare all of your ingredients before you begin. Garlic and ginger may be pureed by hand or in a minichop food processor. If using a minichopper, process the garlic and ginger with one to two tablespoons of water until pureed. You may substitute a scant half teaspoon of cayenne pepper for the jalapeño, adding it to the skillet with the other ground dried spices. Feel free to increase the wet (garlic, ginger, jalapeños, and onions) or dry spice quantities. Serve the curry with basmati rice.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (canola oil)
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin
• 4 large cloves garlic, pureed
• 1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and pureed
• 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and cut in half through the stem end
• 1 cup green peas (thawed if frozen, or fresh)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

1. 1. Heat oil in large deep skillet or soup kettle, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add onion to skillet; sauté until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
   2. Stir in garlic, ginger, ground spices, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and yogurt; cook, stirring almost constantly, until liquid evaporates, oil separates and turns orange, and spices begin to fry, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on skillet or kettle size. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until spices smell cooked, about 30 seconds longer.
   3. Stir in cilantro. Add 2 cups water and jalapeño and season with salt; bring to simmer. Reduce heat; cover and simmer.
   4. Stir in cilantro. Add shrimp and peas. Simmer 3 minutes longer and serve.

Step-by-Step

Six Steps to Aromatic Curry

1. Cook the whole spices in the oil until the cinnamon sticks unfurl and the cloves pop, about 5 seconds.

2. Add the onion to the oil and sauté it until it is soft and translucent, until browned, or until fully caramelized, depending on the individual curry.

3. Add the spices, salt, tomatoes or yogurt, and the chicken, meat, or fish.

4. Cook until the oil separates, then continue to cook until the oil turns orange, about 5 minutes longer.

5. Add the water and cook until the meat is almost tender, about 20 to 30 minutes for the chicken or 30 to 40 minutes for the meat.

6. Add the vegetables and cook until both the meat and vegetables are fully tender, about 15 minutes longer.