Category Archives: dinner

Greek Chicken Kebabs

Posted by Emily in dinner, gluten free and tagged with ,

We all know it’s picnic season, but let’s not forget grilling season! Here in our apartment we have a great balcony but no grill. On the flipside, we do have a great panini press that has served as our indoor grill. We’ve had great success with hot dogs, turkey burgers and now kebabs. These are dang good, really easy to make and a perfect way to start the grilling season.

greek chicken kebabs

Ingredients
Source: Adapted from Rachael Ray
4 cloves garlic, grated or minced
2 tsp. oregano
6 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
1/4 cup green olives, chopped
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 lemons, juiced and 1 zested
1/3 plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 12 (2-inch) chunks
salt and pepper
1 yellow pepper, chopped into 1-inch squares
1 red pepper, chopped into 1-inch squares
1 onion, chopped into 1-inch squares

Directions
1. In a small bowl combine the garlic, oregano, rosemary, tapenade, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon lemon zest and the juice of 1 lemon with about 1/3 cup EVOO.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to marinade and coat the evenly. Cover with saran and let marinate for at 30 minutes.
3. Skewer chicken on metal skewers, alternating with the peppers and onion. Grill the chicken 10 to 12 minutes until firm and juices run clear, turning the kabobs frequently. Serve with this orzo salad and you’ve got it made.

Voila!

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Posted by Emily in chicken, dinner, gluten free and tagged with , , , , ,

To the tune of Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice:

All right stop collaborate and listen
You’re ‘bout to try a new type of chicken
Something grabs a hold of you tightly
Garlic and onions cooked really slowly
Is it too spicy? Yo, I don’t know
Add some spice and give it a go.
To the extreme you rock the crock like a vandal
Put it on warm and let it melt like a candle.
Wait make a barbecue sauce that booms
The dinner you’re making starts wafting through the rooms
Deadly if there’s too many adobos
Balance it out with a drink from a fire hose
Love it or leave it you’ll prob’ly gain weight
Better serve it with rice or it ain’t right
This bird fulfills all your tastebud wishes
Check out Voila while my hub does the dishes

slow cooker bbq chicken

Ingredients
Source: Adapted from Elly Says Opa
1-14 oz. can diced tomatoes
2-3 chipotles in adobo, finely minced (depending on how hot you want your chicken. Start with two and then go from there.)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3-4 T. honey
1.5 T. paprika
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. mustard
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1-2 tsp. chili powder
3 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion, thinly sliced in half circles
4 cloves garlic, minced

Directions
1. Whisk together the first 9 ingredients in medium bowl (through the chili powder).
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then place inside crock pot. Scatter the onions and garlic evenly over the top, and then pour the barbecue sauce over the top.
3. Cook on low for 5 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks and, if desired, continue to cook for a little bit with the lid off to allow mixture to thicken.

Voila!

Chicken in a Mustard Cream Sauce

Posted by Emily in chicken, dinner, gluten free and tagged with , ,

I really should make this more often. It’s one of those recipes in my archives that I skip over repeatedly in pursuit of other, new dishes. But there’s something to be said for a good ol’ standby. It’s easy, it’s good and it is totally satisfying. What’s your favorite standby meal?

Lesson learned: Photographing chicken is not easy.
chicken with a mustard cream sauce

Ingredients
Source: Martha Stewart
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thin cutlets if you can get them at the store are preferable for this recipe.)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 T. olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 generous tsp. dried tarragon

Directions
1. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; saute until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate; keep warm in an oven heated to 200.
2. Pour wine into hot skillet; cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Whisk in cream, mustard, and tarragon. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Return chicken to skillet and coat with sauce. Serve with long grain wild rice.

Voila!

Parsnip, Sweet Potato and Leek Bread Pudding

Posted by Emily in brunch, dinner, fish, side dishes, Vegetarian and tagged with , , , , ,

This may seem a little heavy for the warm weather but when you serve it with a light, white fish (think: halibut or turbot. See below for a surprise.), you are in for a treat! This makes an enormous amount, too, so get ready to eat it for at least 2-3 days. However, it’s not such a terrible thing to eat such a wonderful dish for a couple days in a row. This may not sound like a ringing endorsement, but it is what it is, and what it is, is great.

parsnip, sweet potato and leek bread pudding

Ingredients
Source: Adapted from Straight from the Farm
1 large or 2 small parsnips
1 medium sweet potato
2 large leeks, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. butter
1 C. vegetable stock
1-2 T. fresh rosemary, finely minced
2 tsp. dried marjoram
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 loaf of challah bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 C. heavy cream
1 cup milk
3 T. melted butter
5 eggs
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 325.
1. Cut challah into 1 inch cubes (should be about 8-10 cups) and spread in one layer on two baking sheets. place in oven and cook for 15 minutes, or untl golden brown. toss halfway through and switching baking sheets from top to bottom of needed. set aside to cool
2. turn heat up in oven to 425, lightly grease or spray 9×13 baking dish
3. Peel the parsnips and sweet potato. Coarsely grating using a food processor. Set aside in a medium bowl. slice leeks, discarding the dark green parts. add to bowl of parsnips and potatoes.
4. In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil and two tablespoons of butter until hot and melted. Add garlic and sautee for about 30 seconds. Add the prepared vegetables and stir briskly to coat evenly. Continue to saute for 2-3 minutes; when vegetables begin to look a little dry, add the cup of vegetable stock and turn down the heat to medium so vegetable can simmer.
5. Add the salt, pepper, rosemary , marjoram and cumin and stir well. Continue cooking for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Taste the vegetables as they cook to tweak the spices. Take off the heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before mixing with the remaining ingredients. It also helps to put the entire pan in the fridge to expedite the cooling process.
6. In the biggest bowl you have, whisk the heavy cream, milk, three tablespoons of melted butter, eggs, and nutmeg until well combined. Add 3/4 cup of the cheese, holding back the remainder to use on top of the bread pudding. Stir in the vegetable mixture and then fold in 8 cups of bread cubes. Use other 2 cups for later use.
7. Carefully pour in the bread mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for about 50 minutes until golden brown and puffed up and the top looks golden and crunchy.
8. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving!

Voila!

Oh wait…BONUS RECIPE!

HALIBUT
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine (i.e. sauvignon blanc)
2 T.dijon mustard
2 T. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
Halibut or turbot filets for 4 people

1. Season halibut/turbot with salt and pepper
2. whisk the rest of the ingredients together. on a plate or shallow baking dish, pour marinade over fish. cover with plastic wrap, place in fridge and let marinate for at least 15 minutes, ideally 30ish minutes.
3. Heat 1-2 T olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. before cooking fish very lightly sprinkle one side of the fish with sugar. place that side of the fish faced down on the pan. cook 5-8 minutes on each side.

Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Posted by Emily in dinner, gluten free, side dishes, Vegetarian and tagged with

This is a tale of changing taste buds. All my life I avoided brussels sprouts. I didn’t understand the appeal, no matter which way they were presented. But now, I can’t get enough! I think James is a little concerned about the new bounty of brussels sprouts in our house. I even look forward to the nights when we have enough leftovers for just James so that I get to make brussels sprouts. How could I have missed so many years of these delightful little buds that pack so many nutrients and taste so good? I hope my taste buds continue to evolve overtime, but I also hope this change is here to stay.

pan roasted brussels sprouts

Ingredients
Source: Me
1 bag brussels sprouts
1 T. olive oil
1 T. apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Slice bottoms off brussels sprouts and remove outside layer of leaves. Slice sprouts in half and place in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil and apple cider vinegar over sprouts. Toss to coat.
3. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add another couple teaspoons of olive oil. Place brussels sprouts face down on skillet. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sprouts are a deep golden brown. Optional: sprinke some freshly grated parmesan cheese over hot sprouts when read to serve.

Voila!

Passover 2010

Posted by Emily in breakfast, brunch, desserts, dinner, holiday, jewish cooking and tagged with

Passover ties for my favorite holiday. Rosh Hashanah shares the top spot, but for different reasons. For those wondering, Thanksgiving is second. I love Rosh Hashanah because that’s where I reflect most on the past year and look ahead to the adventures ahead. I look forward to Passover every year because with it brings a delicious, leisurely meal, family, and a great discussion about how/if the story applies to our lives today.

One of my favorite memories of Passover is helping my mom make the charoset. Charoset is made with peanuts (or walnuts, pistachios, pecans), a variety of dried fruit, apples, sweet red wine and cinnamon. It’s supposed to symbolize the mortar that Jews used to build Pharaoh’s buildings. Now, back to the memory: to make the charoset, we would put the peanuts (or other buts) in a ziploc bag, place it on the floor and hammer the nuts until they were all broken up. We didn’t want crumbs, but chunks. To this day, I pour my peanuts into a bag and hammer away.


Passover Seder, ’10

  • Welcome drink: Sangria
  • Soup: Matzo Ball Soup (Matzo balls with parsley and chives)
  • Seder Plate: Horseradish, Charosis, Parsley, Shank bone, Hard boiled eggs
  • Dinner: Salmon with leeks in parchment paper. Potato gratin with goat cheese. Roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
  • Dessert: Kotecki Krunch, plain and chocolate dipped Macaroons, fresh fruit, Lavender Honey Cheesecake with a Macaroon crust. Tea, coffee.

Other Passover goodies:

Argentinian Empanadas

Posted by Emily in dinner, side dishes and tagged with

Pull out the sangria, slice an avocado and get ready to party. These empanadas are a fiesta in your mouth. They’re a bit spicy, real savory and super easy for a weeknight meal. The green olives and hard boiled eggs are a must. Even if you don’t like either of these (we don’t usually like olives), they are ideal in the empanadas. Thank you Argentina for sharing your recipes, this is delicious!

argentinian empanadas
One Year Ago: Chicken Chilaquiles | Dinner Spanikopitas

Ingredients
Source: Cristina and Epicurious
filling
1 lb. ground beef
1 1/2 onions, diced
3 green onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cube, beef bullion (optional)
3 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
8 oz. diced tomatoes
3/4 cup green pitted olives, halved
2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
paprika, to taste
1 tsp. cumin
dried cilantro, to taste
salt & pepper to taste

empanada dough
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 eggs, divided
1/3 cup ice water
1 T. apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar


Directions
Preheat oven to 425
empanada dough
1. Sift flour with salt into a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
2. Beat together one egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to flour mixture, pulsing in processor until just incorporated.
3. Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface, gather together and knead gently with heel of your hand, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into a flat rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.

filling
Meanwhile…
1. In a large frying pan, saute the all onions and garlic in the oil and butter. Sprinkle the crushed beef bullion cube.
2. Add in the meat. Saute until just cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the tomato sauce. Cook for two more minutes or so. Add in all the spices, the olives and hard-boiled eggs. Tweak spices as needed until you reach desired spicyness and savory levels.

final assembly

1. Roll out dough onto floured surface until 1/8” thick (so very thin). Using a 3-inch or larger cookie cutter, divide into equal rounds. Collect extra dough, roll out again into more rounds.
2. Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling onto center. Wet half of the edge of the round with water, fold dough in half, enclosing filling. Use a fork to press down around edges. Repeat until dough is all used up. (NOTE: iIf there is leftover meat, you can make a new batch of the dough the following night, serve over rice or in tortillas.)
3. Transfer empanadas to baking sheets. With remaining egg, create egg wash and brush over empanadas.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve with sliced avocado and sangria.

Voila!

French Onion Soup

Posted by Emily in dinner, side dishes, soup and tagged with

As the seasons transition from winter to spring, we’re met with some funny weather. The difference between the high and low temperatures each day are wide and it seems we get more rain. Over this past weekend it was drizzly, chilly and perfect for soup. In the coming months we may turn to gazpacho and other summer soups, but for now we can still savor this wonderful, aromatic and delicious soup.

french onion soup
One Year Ago: Minty Fudge Brownies | Lavender Cherry Oatmeal Bars
Two Years Ago: Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce and Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients
Source: Adapted from Williams-Sonoma
2 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
2 red onions, thinly sliced
generous pinch of sugar
2 leeks, including tender green portions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups beef broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1/4 generous tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
4 baguette slices, each 1⁄4 inch thick, toasted
shredded gruyère or comté cheese
2 cups boiling water, plus one beef bullion cube (optional)

Directions
1. In a large Dutch oven, over medium-low heat, warm the oil and butter. Add the onions and sautee, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 15 minutes. Add the sugar and leeks and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until richly colored and caramelized, 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and sautee for 1 minute. Add the stock, wine, bay leaf and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper (I would add a little bit at time, let it simmer, then tweak again. Also, if you want to beef up the flavor – no pun intended – this where you would add the dissolved beef bullion if using. Just add a little at a time, let it simmer and taste.) Remove the bay leaf and discard.
3. To serve, preheat the broiler. Ladle the soup into individual flameproof soup bowls. Place 2 or 3 slices of toasted bread on top of each bowl and sprinkle with the cheese.Place in oven and let broil until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Voila!