Caramelized Onion Stuffing with Apples and Sage

Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
1 loaf (small; about 1 pound) country bread, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onions, chopped
Kosher salt
Pepper
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
3 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 crisp red apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 large eggs, beaten

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a 3-quart baking dish. Place the bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until dry and beginning to turn golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Add the celery and parsnips and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the onions are beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes more.
Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the parsley and sage and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more; remove from heat.
Pour the broth over the toasted bread and toss until nearly absorbed. Add the vegetable mixture and the apples and mix to combine. Fold in the egg, then transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.

Spicy Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Shredded Gruyere

I went a little heavy handed with my cave aged gruyere cheese (can you blame me?) But this soup was great! Really could taste the carrot but had some heat to it. Everyone liked it!

Ingredients

1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped
½ lb. parsnips, peeled and chopped
5 cups of vegetable broth or water
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
sea salt, to taste
1 ounce gruyere cheese (optional)

Instructions
Add chopped carrots, parsnip and quinoa to a large pot. Pour in vegetable broth or water. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for about 20-40 minutes until veggies are tender.
Remove from heat and let stand 3-5 minutes until cooled slightly. Using an immersion blender, blend the contents of the pot until a smooth even consistency is reached. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can blend the soup in your blender in small batches.
Return to stove top and add remaining ingredients. Serve immediately garnished with shredded gruyere cheese. Enjoy!

Roasted Leg of Lamb

Got this recipe from Jamie Oliver. It came out pretty good! The meat fell right off the bone; however, I checked my lamb at 3 hours and it was done (even though recipe called for 4 hours). I would say after 2 1/2 hours check your lamb periodically with a thermometer for desired doneness.

Ingredients
For the lamb:
1 (2.2-pound) shoulder of lamb
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh rosemary
1 bulb garlic, unpeeled, broken into cloves

Directions
For the lamb:
Preheat your oven to full whack, (450 to 500 degrees F). Slash the fat side of the lamb all over with a sharp knife. Lay half the sprigs of rosemary and half the garlic cloves on the bottom of a high-sided roasting pan, rub the lamb all over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place it in the pan on top of the rosemary and garlic, and put the rest of the rosemary and garlic on top of the lamb. Tightly cover the tray with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Turn the oven down immediately to 325 degrees F and cook for 4 hours - it's done if you can pull the meat apart easily with 2 forks.

Pork and Pickled Onion Crustini

While my photo isn't the best, I rather enjoyed the flavors in this dish quite a bit. I love lean meat and this pork was as lean as it can get. Moist and flavorful with the rosemary and lemon. The pickled onion really made the whole dish and the fennel seed was a nice touch. I could eat this pork as a main course for dinner too.

Directions
For the Pork:

Ingredients
6-8 boneless pork chops (about 3 lbs), trimmed of fat
Kosher or sea salt
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, plus more for sprinkling
16 fresh sage leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
Freshly ground pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

For the Onions
3/4 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
Kosher or sea salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 large red onion, thinly sliced into rings

Prepare the pork: To butterfly, slice down the middle of the pork with a sharp knife, about two-thirds of the way through. Open the meat like a book and pound with a mallet or heavy skillet into a 1-inch-thick rectangle, about 8 by 14 inches. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the pork with about 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. In a small bowl, mix the lemon zest, garlic, 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, the sage, rosemary and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Rub the mixture all over the pork. (The pork can be prepared up to 3 days in advance; refrigerate until roasting.)

Place the pork roll on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the middle registers 180 degrees, about 15 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

While the pork roasts, make the pickled onions: Bring the vinegar, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the bay leaf, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion slices and simmer 1 minute, then remove from the heat and let the onion cool in the liquid. (Leftover pickled onions will keep in the liquid for weeks.)

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

I made a similar recipe of these little gems on Thanksgiving and decided to bring them out again for New Years. The heat is a nice touch to these Asian-inspired deviled eggs.

INGREDIENTS

12 eggs
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Hard-boil the eggs; cool, peel, and halve them; and carefully remove the yolks. Reserve the whites.
Combine the egg yolks, mayonnaise, Dijon, Sriracha, and lime juice in a medium nonreactive bowl. Season well with salt and pepper, then mix well until the yolks are broken up and the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Evenly pipe or spoon the yolk mixture into the reserved egg white halves. As desired, top with smoked paprika.

Chicken Broccoli Roulade with Chili-Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Having trouble being creative with the staples? Chicken, broccoli, and sweet potatoes get transformed into something fun with this simple recipe...and it's healthy for you too!

BTW - diabetic patients can profit from the sweet potato’s low or moderate glycemic index. Compared to high-GI foods, sweet potatoes break down more slowly in the body, producing smaller fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels. In addition, sweet potatoes are low in calories.

Also, the mash is practically fat-free and the chili powder contains capsaicin, which studies have shown may inhibit fat-cell growth and help people consume fewer calories. And cinnamon is no slacker spice either: It keeps your blood sugar stable and your appetite in check, so you won't be tempted to go back for a second helping.


Make the Roulade:

Ingredients:

3 (24 oz total) large chicken breast halves
2 large eggs
2 tsp water
1 cup whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs or panko
2 cups broccoli floret, cooked, chopped small
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tbsp low fat milk
2 tsp oregano
salt
spray oil
wood toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine 1 egg, milk and a little salt. Beat with a fork to make an egg wash. Set aside. Fill a second bowl with breadcrumbs.

Slice chicken breast halves into thin cutlets. I usually get 3 thin cutlets out of one breast half. Pound them to make them thinner. This helps when you wrap the cutlets.

Put the chopped broccoli on a bowl and add water. Cover with saran wrap and microwave for about 2 minutes until broccoli is cooked. Add 1 egg, parmesan, and oregano. Stir to combine all ingredients.

Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the broccoli mixture on a chicken breast. Then roll the chicken tucking in the sides if possible. Keep in place by using a wooden toothpick. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all chicken is used and bake for 30 minutes.

Make the potato mash:

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, cubed
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions:

Boil the sweet potatoes in a large pot on the stove top about 25 minutes until potatoes are soft. Mash the chunks of potato and add in remaining ingredients. Viola!

Thanksgiving Turkey Brine

I was trolling the internet looking for a good brine recipe for my 19 pound turkey (courtesy of my job - thanks NBTY!) and I was inspired by Alex Guarnaschelli's recipe. 

Ingredients

6 quarts tap water
1 pound kosher salt
2 cups molasses
1 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon dried sage
Large bunch fresh thyme
1 orange, quartered
7 pounds ice cubes
14 to 18-pound turkey, cleaned, innards removed
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 lemon, zested and halved
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper

Directions
In a medium pot, bring 3 quarts of the tap water to a boil over medium heat. Put the kosher salt in a large bowl and slowly (and carefully!) pour the boiling water over the salt. Stir to blend.

Add the molasses, soy sauce, sage, thyme and half the orange to the salt and water mixture. Stir to blend. Add the remaining 3 quarts of cool water. Add the ice to a cooler or bucket large enough to hold the brine and the turkey. Pour the brine over the ice and use a large whisk to blend all of the ingredients.

Submerge the turkey, breast side down, in the brine. Make sure the cavity of the bird fills with the liquid as you are submerging it. Cover the cooler and allow the bird to sit in the brine overnight or for about 12 hours.

Remove the bird from the brine and dry it thoroughly with thick (absorbent) kitchen towels. Take care to wipe inside the cavity as well. Discard the brine. Whisk together the butter and the lemon zest. Gently lift the skin covering 1 breast of the turkey and spread half of the butter right on the meat under the skin. Repeat with the other breast. The butter will add extra moisture and richness as the bird roasts. Rub skin with garlic and crushed black pepper. Sprinkle the paprika. Put the leftover orange and lemon quarters into the carcass of the turkey.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange the turkey in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Put on the lower rack of the oven and roast until the internal temperature of the turkey taken from the thickest part of the thigh reads 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, for my 19 pound bird it will take about 5 to 5 1/2 hours. Remove the turkey from the oven to a cutting board or serving platter and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving.

Prickly Pear Cranberry Sauce

I started making my own cranberry sauce a few years ago. I can never go back to the canned stuff again. This year I made it different - I used prickly pears! Say what?! It really amped it up with that extra ingredient. I would recommend making it this year for your Thanksgiving feast.

1 pound prickly pears
1 cup sugar
1 (12 ounce) bag cranberries
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of half a lemon

I had never handled prickly pears before but I found out quickly that they have fine spines that are uber annoying. You can wash and scrub them off but I personally wouldn't handle them with bare hands. If you have gloves you're golden, otherwise stab them with a fork to balance them and using a knife cut the top and bottom off then the sides. If you managed to scrub them, cut the ends from the fruit, score one side and peel skin from flesh.

Chop up the fruit and put in a pot with 1/4 cup of water. Bring it up to a boil then reduce heat. Cook 5 minutes.

Strain puree through a fine sieve and discard seeds.

Combine prickly pear juice and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Add cranberries, lemon, and orange zest to pot and return to a boil.

Reduce heat to simmer 6-8 minutes, until cranberries begin to split.

Remove from heat to cool completely. Refrigerate before serving.

Slow-Cookin' Pulled Chicken

Headed to Storm King tomorrow and we are packing a picnic! This shredded BBQ chicken is FANTASTIC over salads, piled onto light buns, stuffed inside high-fiber tortillas with cole slaw, or eaten all by itself. Yummmmmm! PER SERVING (1/2 cup): 149 calories, 1g fat, 462 mg sodium, 10g carbs. I chose to do the 8 hour version of this recipe. It shredded on touch. Ridiculous!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breasts, halved
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. brown sugar (not packed)
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. garlic powder
Optional: red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:
Place all ingredients except the chicken in the crock pot. Stir until mixed. Add chicken and coat well with the sauce.

Cover and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours OR on low for 7 - 8 hours, until chicken is fully cooked.

Remove all the chicken and place it in a bowl. Shred each piece using two forks -- one to hold the chicken in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the crock pot, and mix well with the sauce.

If you're serving a group, keep the crock pot on its lowest setting, so the chicken stays warm. If you like, season to taste with red pepper flakes. Eat up!

MAKES 7 SERVINGS

Giada's Roman-style Chicken

 Went to my friends new apt for dinner tonight. Ordering out was mentioned but then I was like, "Wait - does your stove work?" To which I was replied with, "Yes." And I was like, "I'm cooking!!" Man, it felt good to cook on the stove again. I wanted to make something healthy and I found Giada's recipe on Food Network. It sounded good and it was delicious. My sous chef isn't a huge fan of peppers or tomatoes and he loved this. So simple too - one skillet meal, yo!

Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones*
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves


Directions
Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. *I used 4 chicken breasts without skin and bones. It came out superb. Just reduced my cooking time by 10 - 15 minutes.

Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

If serving immediately, add the capers and the parsley. (I forgot the capers - but it came out fine without them). Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the capers and the parsley and serve. I served mine with rice. It soaked up all the sauce perfectly.

SERVES 6; Calories: 266; Total Fat 13 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Protein: 28 grams; Total carbohydrates: 8 grams; Sugar: 4 grams; Fiber 1.5 grams; Cholesterol: 76 milligrams; Sodium: 1,307 milligrams

Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce

My family really surprised me when I made this dish at our family BBQ and it was the one that I got the most compliments on. I really thought the flavors would be too bold for a lot of folks, but they really loved it. I would definitely recommend making for your next BBQ.

Ingredients

For the Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons lime juice from 1 to 2 limes
2 tablespoons Sriracha
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 scallions , white and green parts, sliced thin

For the Satay:
1 large whole flank steak (about 2 pounds)
1/8 cup fish sauce
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Sriracha
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions , white and green parts, sliced thin
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Make it:
1. Whisk peanut butter and hot water together in medium bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients for the peanut sauce; transfer to serving bowl and set aside.

2. Freeze flank steak for 30 minutes until firmed up. While the steak is is in the freezer, combine the fish sauce, oil, chili sauce, brown sugar, cilantro, garlic, and scallions in a small bowl. Remove from the freezer and slice the steak across grain on a bias into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Place the steak in a Ziploc bag, pour in the marinade, seal and toss to evenly distribute; open and reseal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Weave meat onto individual skewers and lay flat in shallow container.

3. Place the skewers on the grill and cook until the meat is cooked through and is lightly charred around edges, about 7 minutes, flipping them over halfway through grilling. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with the peanut sauce.

Tyler Florence's Ultimate Barbecued Chicken

You know you might be overly ambitious when one of the chicken dishes you're preparing for a family BBQ requires a brine and homemade BBQ sauce. Hey - I'm no hot dogs gal. Get used to it!

Ingredients
Brine:
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a large knife
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 chicken legs and thighs, still connected, bone in, skin on, about 10 ounces each

The Ultimate Barbecue Sauce:
1 slice bacon
1 bunch fresh thyme
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika if available
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving along side the chicken at the table. The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used for basing the legs.

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.

Preheat a grill pan or an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and cook, turn once mid-way, and cook for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer the grill marked chicken to a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and then brush liberally, coating every inch of the legs with the barbecue sauce and then return to the oven for 25 to 30 more minutes, basting the chicken for a second time half way through remaining cooking time. Serve with extra sauce.

Zoe's Easy Croque Monsieur

My lovely friend Zoe took a page from her French upbringing and made me Croque Monsieur. It's so simple and easy to make this way and paired with a salad- it's a perfect meal.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Gruyere, grated
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 slices bread
3 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin
2 fried eggs

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Take bread slices and top each one with about half a cup of grated Gruyere cheese, add slices of ham to each, and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Remove and top with a fried egg. Make sure that yolk is runny! Serve hot.

Zoe paired her Croque Monsieur with an arugula and leek salad. Also in the salad: green apple and toasted pine nuts. Dressed with balsamic vinaigrette and EVOO.

Breaking Bad Snacks

My friends and I know how to throw down on snacks. Whether it's outdoor / indoor picnics, game night, movie/ TV night, or "black swan night" - we get it done. Last night was the second episode of the awesome TV show: Breaking Bad. To munch on we had: fresh blueberries, strawberries, and grapes (all perfectly sweet!). Carr's Table crackers with brie, gouda, sharp cheddar and white cheddar (I believe). Sorry for the dark photo! We also had apple slices, a sliced up baguette and some killer giant green olives. Perfect spread! 

Yasmin's Pizza Party

 Our wonderful friends, Ben and Yasmin, had us over for dinner the other night. These snacks greeted us when we arrived. Also, Yasmin made homemade pizza for us. Actually, she made homemade pizzaS! Four of them! All were delicious...

 This was tomato and basil - a classic. The crust was perfect. I need to get a pizza stone. That sucker takes all the moisture out of the dough and it makes it perfectly crispy and crunchy on the outside without burning it. The inside it soft and chewy...it really makes a difference!

 This was one with pepperoni. Mmm...

 This guy had spicy salami on it...

Admittedly, I didn't eat this one because I simply was too full. It was another spicy salami but with arugula on top. I love fresh arugula on a pizza! So - bottom line - need to get a pizza stone. If anyone wants to buy me a present - hahaha.

Indoor Picnic

We had a girls night the other night and this was our fancy spread. Rilletes pur Canard, pâté, truffle cheese, olives...what?! I have to say that I've never had Rilletes pur Canard before, but I love it. What is it you ask? It's a duck spread. Also, the truffle cheese can be purchased right from Fresh Direct! Bonus!

Vacation Eating

 I went to East Hampton with some friends for a week and boy did we have some good eatin'. This pizza was made my my friend Joseph Lee. Tomatillo/Black Bean Pizza With Grilled Lime And Honey.   He cooked it over the grill. It was delicious. He also made a cheeseburger pizza but I failed to get a photo of that one. 

 My friend Monica made these tri-tip meat kabobs with grilled veggies. Amazing! She marinated the meat for a good 5 hours and then grilled them to perfection. 

 This was Monica's homemade chimichurri sauce. It has a lot of parsley and garlic. Here's a link to a recipe (not hers) if you want to make it on your own.

You can't have a July 4th BBQ without hotdogs. We had ours 3 ways! One was topped with chili, crumbled bacon and a red cabbage slaw. Another was topped with a corn salsa with cilantro and cherry tomatoes and the last dog was topped with pureed green apple and cabbage slaw. Amazing! I love having friends that can throw down in the kitchen!

The Picnic Spread

I went to Bryant Park to watch Wizard of Oz with my friends the other night. We had a blast. Before the movie, we had a picnic. I only snapped one photo and didn't capture all the goods, but oh well. Here's what we packed:
Cheese: Fresh Asiago, Drunken Goat (aged with red wine), Light Gouda, Caciotta Delizia (sheep's milk), and Caprina Fresco (goat).
Meat: Salame Affettato
Other goodies: pattee, walnuts, cornichon, pitted Kalamata olives, green olives, Greek Salad, White Truffle Asparagus Spread (IN LOVE with this stuff). Served with Scrocchielle con Rosmarino (rosemary crackers) and a fresh baguette.

To drink: Kir's: Creme de Cassis (the real stuff all the way from Paris!) and white wine and Kir Royale's: Creme de Cassis and bubbly.

Grilled Chicken and Veggie Kabobs

I love grilled veggies! These were tender and paired perfectly with the grilled chicken.

This chicken was sooo good and easy to make! The char-grilled taste from the grill and the sweet sauce really hit it home for me. Step 1: Marinade chicken - my girl, Crystal, used a roasted red pepper and onion store bought marinade (A1, I think?) and then it was basted in Sweet Baby Rays. I need to stock up on Sweet Baby Rays.

Here's the veggie kabobs:

1 small squash, cut into 3/4 inch thick slices
2 small red bell peppers, seeded and cut into wide strips
2 small green bell peppers, seeded and cut into wide strips
3 zucchinis, sliced
6 fresh mushrooms, stems removed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp chopped cilantro


Directions
Place squash, red and green bell peppers, zucchinis and fresh mushrooms in a medium bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, balsamic, and garlic. Pour the mixture over the vegetables, cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
Place vegetables directly on the grill or on skewers. Cook on the prepared grill 2 to 3 minutes per side, brushing frequently with the marinade, or to desired doneness.

Camping 101

 We went camping for Memorial Day weekend in Lake George, NY (about 4 hours out of the city). Definite camping MUST - a cooler full of beers. These koozies really made it more official.

 Another camping MUST - hot dogs for dinner. We had two kinds: tofu pups and beef hot dogs.

 Hot dogs must be grilled on a stick like shown. Otherwise, you're not camping. Duh.

 This is the fanciest I got on the site: Kale salad. I made mine by chopping up the kale into tiny bits then squeezing two lemons in. I waited 20 minutes to "let it cook" then added EVOO and sliced almonds. 

 Another camping MUST - s'mores.  You must cook the marshmallow over the fire on a stick. or you're not camping. Duh.

 Look! How delicious!

This isn't much to look at, in fact, not really sure why it's here other than we made this over a fire. Toasted the homemade bread (thanks Yaz) and the Morning Star sausage in a grill. Eggs took 9 million years to cook in a pot. Major effort for them eggs. Also - I am not a morning person. 

We also made turkey chili. It ended up being 5 alarm turkey chili. It was beyond spicy! I think I mistook the paprika for cayenne pepper. It's the only thing I can think of. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
2 cups water
1 (28 ounce) can canned crushed tomatoes
1 (16 ounce) can canned kidney beans - drained, rinsed, and mashed
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
dash of beer*
one square Hershey's chocolate*

*optional - we got creative while cooking.


Directions
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Place turkey in the pot, and cook until evenly brown. Stir in onion, and cook until tender.
Pour water into the pot. Mix in tomatoes, kidney beans, and garlic. Season chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, beer, chocolate, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.