Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July! Russ and I are flying our American flag for the first time today and are going to a 4th of July celebration tonight with friends for dinner. We didn't want to go all out cooking bbq today since we'll be having it tonight, but we did want to grill out something for lunch. We decided on chicken wings. Russ and I both love wings and have tried grilling them out at home once before with great results. We decided that it would be a very American lunch for the 4th!

Today Russ picked a new method for preparing the wings. He decided to go with a salt water brine to start the process. The wings sit in the brine for 40 minutes and then are patted dry. Once dry we decided to test out several different seasonings we have to see what we like best. We went with Huey's, Mr. P's, Butt Rub, and some with just salt and pepper. All of them will end up being tossed with some of our favorite wing sauce, Phil's Wing Sauce.

All of the wings turned out really well, but our favorite were the ones that had Mr. P's seasoning followed by the Butt Rub. The plain ones were too plain. All were a little on the salty side, so next time we will use a modified brine (listed below) with less salt than the one we used today. We also will do a taste test doing have in the brine and half not in the brine. All in all they were very yummy, but I forgot the carrot and celery sticks and the ranch... Russ rates the wings a 7.

Russ' Modified Brine

1 gallon cold water
1/2 cup kosher salt (or 1/4 cup table salt)
1 cup sugar

Let the chicken wings hang out in the brine for 40 minutes. Then drain them and pat dry.

We take dinner on the road!

Tonight Russ and I are making dinner at home and taking it over to eat with his grandparents and Great Aunt Eunice. So when we were deciding what to make we kept in mind that we would want dishes that transfer well and will stay hot or work well at room temperature. We decided on marinated, grilled flank steak, orzo with roasted vegetables, fresh tomato slices, and corn on the cob.

Russ marinated the flank steak in Mr. P's Original Marinade. This is our new find from a local butcher shop. We tried the spice blend (in spicy original) the other night and liked it, so this time we decided to try the marinade. We timed it to have it come of the grill right before we left and then it would rest while we drove over and be ready to slice once we arrived and were ready to eat.

The marinade tastes similar to Dale's or Moore's only less salty and with a more complex flavor. Russ and I both agreed that we preferred Mr. P's to the others. The flank steak had great flavor and Russ grilled and sliced it perfectly. (Flank steak should be cut thinly against the grain.)

As I mentioned in an earlier post we have lots of yummy fruits and veggies from the Farmer’s Market to eat this week. I decided to use some of them in Ina Garten’s Orzo with Roasted Vegetables. I did make one major change in substituting the bell peppers with squash and zucchini since this is what I had from the market. I also used a small white and purple eggplant in mine. I peeled the eggplant and then diced it along with the squash, zucchini, and onion. These are tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted for about 40 minutes. While they are roasting I cooked the orzo (which being small cooks very quickly), made the dressing, and prepped the topping. Once the vegetables are done they are mixed with the orzo and dressing and at the last you add the toppings.

I doubled the orzo because I was worried that we wouldn't have enough for everyone and that was a mistake. While the flavor was wonderful and all the elements mixed together really well there was too much pasta (as you can see from the picture). The extra pasta mainly made it harder for the vegetables and other flavors to show through as I had wanted them to. Next time I will definitely not increase the pasta. The dressing gave the dish a wonderful lemony flavor that complemented the roasted vegetables, fresh basil, and feta perfectly. This was a delicious side dish that definitely should be served at room temperature making it great for transporting it or using it this Fall for tailgating.

We also served fresh corn on the cob and tomato slices. For dessert we had blueberries, strawberries, and peaches. It was a very summery meal that transported well and everyone enjoyed. Russ and I had a wonderful time eating with his grandparents and Great Aunt Eunice. We may have to take the food on the road to Somerby again soon! Russ rates the flank steak a 8 and the Orzo a 9.

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables, Ina Garten

1 small eggplant, peeled and ¾ inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1 inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1 inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1 inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ pound orzo or rice shaped pasta

For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:
4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
¼ cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted
¾ pound good feta, ½ inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

Mom's Chicken and Pasta

Tonight Russ and I wanted to get a few things done around the house, but we also wanted to eat at home. So, I decided to make one of Mom’s recipes that is both quick, easy, and yummy. It is her Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken and Tomatoes.

To make this recipe you cook the chicken first. You can cook it in water or sauté it on the stove. I tend to cook it in water as it stays moist and doesn’t form any type of a crust on the outside. The down side to cooking it in water is that it doesn’t flavor the chicken. So, to solve this you can add to the water to flavor the chicken (which is optional as the dish will still taste great if you don’t flavor the water). This time I added some pepper, onion (large chunks), and some garlic cloves. Bring the water to a boil with the pepper and veggies and then add the chicken. I usually boil it for a few minutes with the lid off and then turn it off and put the lid on and leave it until it is cooked through. If you would rather sauté the chicken you can do it with olive oil and a little salt and pepper.

Once the chicken is cooked and cooling you sauté the chopped garlic in a little olive oil. You then add the canned tomatoes, V-8 juice, salt, pepper, and basil. While this starts to simmer you cut the chicken up into chunks and add it to the dish. Cook this all covered over low heat for 20 – 30 minutes. While the sauce simmers you cook the angel hair pasta and when they are both done you toss them together and serve.

This pasta to me is very tasty with a comfort food feel to it rather than a complex flavor. One of my favorite things about it is that I almost always have all the ingredients on hand in my pantry and freezer. It is a great dish for when you are about to go out of town or just coming back in from being away. I really like how simple and quick it is to put together. Russ also loves this dish and rates it a 9.

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken and Tomatoes
Mom’s recipes (with a few of my changes)

1 (12 oz) package of angel hair pasta (you could use spaghetti or linguine instead if you prefer)
2 medium / large chicken breasts cooked, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 – 4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes (I use either the one with Italian seasonings or with garlic and onion - do not use the petite diced)
1 tablespoon of dried basil (may need more, I also usually also add some dried Italian seasonings)
2 cans V-8 juice (5.5 oz) (I use the spicy kind, but either works well)
Salt and pepper, to taste (only if needed)

1 small onion and 3 cloves garlic (optional if you want to include them when cooking the chicken in water)

Cook the chicken and let cool (see notes in 2nd paragraph about options for cooking the chicken).

Sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil until tender. Add the dried basil and cook over low heat with the garlic and onions for a little less than a minute. Add the tomatoes (undrained), V-8 juice, and basil let it simmer covered over low heat. Cut the chicken into chunks and add to the sauce. Check for seasoning and adjust as needed with salt, pepper, basil or Italian seasoning. Let the sauce continue to simmer for 20 – 30 minutes. I usually uncover it for the last 10 minutes or so.

Cook the pasta according to package directions.

Once the sauce and pasta are done then toss them together and serve.

Another night of 10s!

July 1st and we are already cooking and blogging. After a slow June for cooking we started July off with a bang – two new recipes that were both hits! Russ and I went to the farmer’s market yesterday, so many of the yummy fruits and veggies we got there will be showing up in this week’s meals. Tonight we had some of the corn we got there – fixed a new way. To go with the corn we had steaks and a salad that have wanted to try for some time.

The corn and salad are both Ina Garten’s recipes. I was looking through her cookbooks to find the salad recipe and thought I would browse to see if she had a creamed corn recipe. Ends up that I found a yummy recipe for Sautéed Fresh Corn instead of creamed corn. The recipe is very simple and takes less time than boiling water for corn on the cob. You cut the kernels off the cobs as close to the cob as possible. Then you melt butter and add the corn, salt, and pepper to the pan. I used my cast iron skillet for this which I think worked really well and only enhanced the flavor. You simply sauté the corn for about 10 minutes until it is done. The corn tasted fantastic! It was so easy and very flavorful. I think I may prefer it to boiled corn on the cob. This may be my new go to method for cooking fresh corn. Russ loved it too and rated it a 10!

The salad we had tonight is one that I have wanted to try for a while as it incorporates several of my favorite foods and flavors. I love onions and love them raw, cooked, roasted, sautéed etc. For Ina’s Red Lettuce with Balsamic Onions you roast the onions in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper for about 15 minutes. While they are cooking you mix together the vinaigrette and toss it with the lettuce. The vinaigrette has red wine vinegar, minced shallots, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, olive oil and blue cheese. Once the onions have cooked and cooled you plate the lettuce and add the onions and additional blue cheese crumbles on top. I love onions, balsamic vinegar, blue cheese… so I thought this salad was a wonderful mix of great flavors! Ina’s vinaigrette didn’t wow me though, so I think I will make it a little differently next time to have it more to my taste. I’ll probably use Creole mustard instead of Dijon, more vinegar, less olive oil, and a pinch more salt and pepper. Russ also loved this salad and he is not as obsessed with onions as I am. The salad was a perfect complement to the steaks with the onions and blue cheese. We will certainly be making this salad again. Russ rates the salad a 10 too!

Tonight’s dinner was a wonderful surprise. While I was excited about trying the salad and Russ and I both love fresh, summer corn I don’t think either of us expected such great results. Russ grilled the steaks on the Egg using a new seasoning blend we picked up this weekend at a local butcher shop (Mr. P's Original Bold and Spicy Seasoning). It had great flavor with a nice kick to it and Russ, as always, grilled the steaks perfectly.

Red Lettuce with Balsamic Onions, Ina Garten

3 small red onions
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
1 cup good olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons minced shallots (2 large)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup good red wine vinegar
3/4 to 1 lb Maytag blue cheese, or other crumbly blue
2 heads red-leaf, washed, spun dry and torn into pieces

Preheat oven to 375.

Cut onions in 1/2 and slice 1/4-inch thick, place on a baking sheet and toss with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until onions are tender. Remove from oven and toss with 2 more tablespoons balsamic vinegar and cool to room temperature.

Whisk together shallots, mustard, red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper in small bowl. While whisking, add 3/4 cup olive oil until emulsified. Mash 1/4 pound blue cheese with a fork and add it to the dressing.

To assemble, toss enough lettuce for 6 people with dressing, to taste. Place the lettuce on 6 plates and arrange onions on top. Coarsely crumble the rest of the blue cheese on top. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper and crumbled and serve.

Sautéed Fresh Corn, Ina Garten

8 to 10 ears of corn on the cob (yellow or white corn)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Remove the husks and the silk from the corn and cut the kernels off as close to the husk as possible without removing any of the husk. You should have about 7 cups of kernels.

Melt the butter in a large, heavy sauté pan. Add the corn, salt, and pepper and sauté uncovered on medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the starchiness in the corn is gone. Taste, for salt and pepper, and serve.

A Tasty Take on Grilled Chicken

Russ and I went to the beach this past weekend for a long weekend to celebrate our first anniversary. We had a wonderful, relaxing time and the only thing we cooked were eggs two mornings and Russ cooked them. I can’t believe how little I have cooked this month. I have actually really missed it and am anxious to get back in the kitchen. I did take my two latest issues of Fine Cooking with me to the beach. I have cooked some out of each, but wanted to spend some more time checking out the other recipes. Tonight I picked one recipe out of each for dinner, Grilled Thai Chicken Breasts with Herb-Lemongrass Crust and Roasted Asparagus with Lemon and Olive Oil.

The Grilled Thai Chicken marinates in a fragrant coconut milk, spice blend for at least two hours. To make the marinade you combine the coconut milk, lemongrass, cilantro, basil, garlic, jalapeno, salt, pepper, ground coriander, and brown sugar. This is all supposed to pureed in a blender or food processor, however, I forgot this step and did not puree the mixture. I halved the marinade since we only used three chicken breasts instead of twelve. Also, I marinated my chicken in a ziploc bag instead of a shallow pan. I tend to always marinate in a ziploc bag, so that I can just toss it when I am done and have one less dish to clean. It needs to marinate at least two hours, so I did the marinade at lunch and let it marinate for about five hours until we were ready to grill it for dinner. Russ did an excellent job grilling it on the Egg.

The chicken had a wonderful flavor to it. We didn't think it screamed Thai, but maybe more Caribbean in flavor. No matter the nationality it was nice sweet, fresh, and a little bit spicy. Next time I think I'll try to start it marinating in the morning to capture a little more of all the flavors. We also thought it could have used a little more kick from the jalapeno. My jalapeno was a little small, so I probably should have used two. I also think that had I pureed the marinade that it would have given more of a crust (hence the name) to the chicken. As a bonus it smelled very fragrant from the coconut juice and all the fresh spices. All in all we thought is was an excellent dish that gets a 10 from Russ!

For the sides I decided to keep them simple, so as not to compete with the chicken. The asparagus is a quick and easy recipe that roasts the asparagus in a little olive oil and salt. Once they are roasted you season them with fresh lemon juice and salt. I also served fresh tomato slices with it. The asparagus was also a winner tonight. It was a very simple dish that produced asparagus with a great, fresh taste to them. The lemon juice was a nice complement to the roasted flavor of the asparagus. This is a great, easy way to prepare asparagus when you want a solid side that won't take center stage. Russ also rated the asparagus a 10!

Both recipes were hits tonight receiving 10s from Russ! I have only been receiving Fine Cooking since the beginning of the year, but it is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. We have had great success with all the recipes we have tried from it. Both the chicken and the asparagus will be repeaters for us.

On somewhat of a side note, I was excited to use basil and a jalapeno out of my garden in the marinade for the chicken. I have a small herb and vegetable garden in pots this summer. Russ and I will be redoing some of our backyard later on this summer, so I decided to do a smaller garden and keep it all in pots for now. I have already picked out a spot for my future garden once the backyard is complete. I hope to make it a year round garden with lots of herbs and vegetables. I’ll try and remember to take a picture of my current potted garden soon to post.

(Cash also went to the beach and had a blast! I have included a few pictures of him from this past weekend.)

Grilled Thai Chicken Breasts with Herb-Lemongrass Crust
Serves twelve.

1 ½ cups chopped fresh cilantro
¾ cup coconut milk
¼ finely chopped lemongrass (from about 2 stalks)
12 fresh basil leaves
3 Thai bird chiles, 2 jalapenos, or 2 medium serranos, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ Tbs. Kosher salt
2 tsp. packed light brown sugar
1 ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¾ tsp. ground coriander
12 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves (5 to 5 ½ lb.), trimmed
2 limes, cut into wedges for serving

Combine 1 ¼ cups of the cilantro with the coconut milk, lemongrass, basil, chiles, garlic, salt, brown sugar, pepper, and coriander in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Arrange the chicken breasts in a nonreactive baking dish or other vessel large enough to accommodate them in a snug single layer. Pour the marinade over the breasts and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Heat a gas grill to medium / high or prepare a medium charcoal fire. Grill the chicken (covered on a gas grill) until it has good grill marks on the first side, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken (cover a gas grill) and continue to cook until firm to the touch and completely cooked through (check by making a cut into one of the thicker breasts) about 5 to 6 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup cilantro and serve with the lime wedges.

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon and Olive Oil
Serves six.

2 lb. Asparagus, preferably think spears (about two bunches)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
2 to 3 tsp. fresh lemon juice; more as needed

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 450 F. Snap off the ends of the asparagus spears. Put the asparagus on a large, rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Gently toss the asparagus with the oil until it’s evenly coated. Distribute the asparagus so that it’s in an even layer. Sprinkle generously with salt and roast until tender (bite into a spear to check), 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a platter, toss with lemon juice, and salt to taste, and serve.

Summer Grilling and Bread Baking

Russ and I went to the Pepper Place Farmer’s Market for the first time this season on Saturday. We really enjoy going and getting some of the wonderful produce there. This was Cash’s first time to the market and he loved it! Russ and I got lots of peaches and some fresh corn on the cob. I decided to try another new recipe out of the June CL to go with the corn and peaches. It is Marinated Chicken Cooked Under a Brick.

This recipe calls for using a whole chicken. Last year I decided to try roasting a whole chicken and was pleasantly surprised how easy it is. It sounds intimidating (at least it did to me) because I think of people talking about cooking whole turkeys and how much work it is, time it takes etc. Well a whole chicken is a lot smaller and very manageable to cook even for a weeknight dinner. I highly recommend you try cooking a whole chicken if you haven’t done it before. We have now roasted and grilled them on with great results. Not only are whole chickens very inexpensive to buy, but we have always had them turn out to be very moist and flavorful. Roasting a whole chicken is especially easy and a good way to cook your first chicken.

You use a whole chicken in this recipe and it has to marinate for 8 hours or overnight. I had intended to prepare the marinade and get it going last night, but I got too tired and did it this morning. It took a little longer than I expected though, so I would recommend doing it the night before if possible. The marinade has minced garlic, chopped shallots, honey, dijon mustard, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chopped fresh rosemary and thyme. The part that took a little longer than when I normally marinate chicken is that you also have to prepare the chicken. I skinned it this morning and Russ cut the wings off and cut it so it laid flat prior to grilling it. Russ grilled it on low heat for an hour with the bricks (wrapped in foil) on top.

The chicken smelled and tasted fantastic. The marinade gave the chicken great flavor and cooking it for an hour made it very tender. It was moist, but Russ said next time we'll just served the breasts whole (he sliced it) to keep them even more moist. I think we will repeat this chicken again this summer. The only thing I will do differently is to prepare it the night before and let it marinate overnight. I think marinating it for a little longer will only enhance the flavor and not overpower it and it won't make my morning as rushed. Russ rates the chicken a 9.

While the chicken was grilling I had some spare time on my hands, so I decided to do a little baking with the peaches instead of serving them as a side with the chicken. I have been wanting to try more recipes out of my King Arthur Whole Grain Baking cookbook, but have not found time to bake recently. My peaches from the market were ripe, so I decided to try the Peach Oatmeal Bread.

The recipe is a simple one for bread since you just mix the dry ingredients together and then add the oats and sliced peaches to it. Then you mix the wet ingredients together and I did this by hand with a whisk and add it to the flour / peach mixture. I did drain the peaches as the recipe stated, however, next time with fresh peaches I won't bother draining them. Despite the juiciness of the peaches very little juice drained out and to be honest I would have rather had the juice in the bread. If you used canned peaches (which I wouldn't recommend) then do drain them. The only changes I made to the recipe was that I made 4 smaller loaves instead of 1 larger one and I sifted the dry mixture before adding the peaches and oats.

Russ and I both liked this bread. I think I could have taken it out a couple minutes sooner as I thought it was a little dry. I really liked the oatmeal / peach flavor combination, however, I think the bread as a whole could have been a little better. Next time I will add more peaches though as I would have liked to have more in there and cook it a little less time. I think I may even bump it up from 2 to 3 cups leaving everything else the same. I may also bump up the almond extract just a pinch as it adds a nice little extra flavor. I liked that this recipe doesn't use any butter, uses not a lot of sugar, very little oil, and does use whole grain flour. I am anxious to try the bread again today as usually whole grain baked goods are better the next day. This recipe did not call for any resting during the baking process, so I am thinking that sitting overnight has probably only enhanced its flavor. Russ rates the Peach Oatmeal Bread a 8.

* Pictures of the Peach Oatmeal Bread and the recipe will be posted shortly.

Spanish Style Chicken

Russ and I have had lots of fun dinner plans lately that have all involved me not cooking or just doing simple dishes like burger or steaks, so I have not blogged once this month. So, after slow start to June as far as cooking I did try my first recipe out of the new June CL tonight. This issue had a few that caught my eye, but overall was not a winner for me. The Spicy Basque-Style Chicken did stand out to me as a tasty recipe that would be great for a weeknight dinner. I also have a soft place in my heart for any Spanish cuisine after having lived there for a semester during college. While I haven’t been in the Basque region the tomato / green olive combination does remind me of Spanish cuisine.

Jess and Hugo came over for dinner tonight. Cash was very excited as this meant he had buddies over to play two nights in a row since Chester and Wag (and their parents) came over for a Corn Hole tournament last night. Since Jess spent a year and a half living in Spain and is a fan of CL I thought the Spicy Basque-Style Chicken would be the perfect dish for tonight.

You start by sprinkling the paprika and pepper on the chicken and sautéing it. Then you add the garlic and once the chicken has sautéed for a little longer you add the olives and tomatoes. This comes to a boil and then you bring it down to a simmer. Lastly you remove the chicken and bring the tomato /olive mixture back to a boil for a few minutes and then you sprinkle the basil and prosciutto on top. For the cans of tomatoes with chiles I used one mild and one hot. I did make a few minor changes to recipe including using chicken breasts (not tenders) cut into strips, adding sliced onions, and using speck instead of proscuitto (per Russ’ request). I served the chicken over saffron rice with a side of steamed broccoli.

The chicken with the tomato, olive mixture had great flavor to it with a kick from the chiles. We all really liked it and it definitely had a Spanish taste to it. I especially like the green olive / tomato flavor combination. I definitely think two cans of tomatoes with chiles that are hot would be too spicy for me. Unless you can handle lots of spice I would use at least one mild.

CL touts it as a 20 minute meal which it could be, but it took me a little longer. I sliced my own olives and chopped fresh garlic both of which would add a little time into the preparations. It is quick and easy dish to put together and cook. The part that took the longest for me was waiting for the rice to finish, however, in hindsight I should have started the rice sooner than I did.

It was a good Spanish style meal that made me start thinking that I need to make Gloria's paella sometime soon. I have only made it once before and it is a lot of work, but very tasty (although it falls very short of Gloria's who makes the world's best paella) and brings back wonderful memories. Gail - You and Martin will have to drive over to join us for paella when I do make it.

Russ and Jess rate the Basque Style Chicken a 8. Hugo had a small bite and gave it two paws up. Cash was too busy playing to try the chicken. He and Hugo got new stuffed animals from Mom tonight. Cash promptly set a personal best with destroying the bunny doll in five minutes. I have included a picture of him almost done with the bunny - stuffing was flying everywhere.