Another sunny day here, and after a morning of weeding and getting the vegetable garden ready for planting, we had friends and their kids over for dinner. I fired up the grill, baked some potatoes in the oven, threw together a mixed salad with feta cheese, steamed some broccoli, and grilled hamburgers and boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
People often times make the mistake of grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts and they invariably end up dry and tough. Thighs are delicious and always end up moist when grilled. I made them similarly to last night, a drizzle of olive oil, kosher salt and ground pepper. They are so delicious and incredibly easy. They only need to be turned once. The other trick I've found for moist grilled chicken is when it is finished, wrap all of the chicken in some foil and keep it warm in the oven until ready to serve.
Unfortunately I need to go back to the market again tomorrow as we don't have any leftovers from tonight.
On second thought, we always have pasta with tomato sauce...
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Redemption
Tonight's meal was a HUGE improvement from last night. This was the first officially glorious day in New England. It was over 70, and I sent my husband to fuel up the propane for the grill.
I had bought some frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs from Trader Joe's and wanted to see how they tasted. Although I buy a lot of frozen veggies and shrimp, I don't usually buy any other frozen products.
In the morning, I took out 4 thighs and stuck them in a Ziploc bag with some soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, a little peanut oil and a drizzle of honey. When we got back from the beach, I fired up the grill to high, and once it was really hot, turned it down to medium. I placed the thighs on the grill, closed the top and went inside to assemble the rest of dinner. I peeled 2 sweet potatoes, cut them into thick fries, drizzled them with olive oil, cumin, a hearty shake of pepper and Lawry's season salt. They went into a 425 degree oven on a Silpat lined cookie sheet for about 30 minutes.
I also assembled a salad of arugula, frozen peas (they thaw in a few minutes in the salad), some feta cheese, and some diced cucumber. I made a quick dressing from the juice of 1 lime, olive oil, kosher salt, pepper and cumin.
Once the roasted sweet potato fries were done, I squeezed the juice from 1/2 lime over them with another shake of cumin and let them sit. I brought the chicken in, sliced it, and added it to the salad. I brought out some leftover whole wheat tortillas as the kids like them, and we ate our first meal outside.
My kids LOVED the chicken that we picked out from the salad, and ate theirs wrapped in a tortilla with guacamole (Trader Joe's and Costco both sell really good "fresh" guac-in-a-bag).
The next three days are supposed to be beautiful, I guess the soup pot will be replaced with the grill!
I had bought some frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs from Trader Joe's and wanted to see how they tasted. Although I buy a lot of frozen veggies and shrimp, I don't usually buy any other frozen products.
In the morning, I took out 4 thighs and stuck them in a Ziploc bag with some soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, a little peanut oil and a drizzle of honey. When we got back from the beach, I fired up the grill to high, and once it was really hot, turned it down to medium. I placed the thighs on the grill, closed the top and went inside to assemble the rest of dinner. I peeled 2 sweet potatoes, cut them into thick fries, drizzled them with olive oil, cumin, a hearty shake of pepper and Lawry's season salt. They went into a 425 degree oven on a Silpat lined cookie sheet for about 30 minutes.
I also assembled a salad of arugula, frozen peas (they thaw in a few minutes in the salad), some feta cheese, and some diced cucumber. I made a quick dressing from the juice of 1 lime, olive oil, kosher salt, pepper and cumin.
Once the roasted sweet potato fries were done, I squeezed the juice from 1/2 lime over them with another shake of cumin and let them sit. I brought the chicken in, sliced it, and added it to the salad. I brought out some leftover whole wheat tortillas as the kids like them, and we ate our first meal outside.
My kids LOVED the chicken that we picked out from the salad, and ate theirs wrapped in a tortilla with guacamole (Trader Joe's and Costco both sell really good "fresh" guac-in-a-bag).
The next three days are supposed to be beautiful, I guess the soup pot will be replaced with the grill!
Friday, April 20, 2007
Melange of leftovers
Tonight's dinner is something I hope many of you can relate to. "Clean out the fridge" night. We ate the little bit of Chinese takeout from last night, a bag of edamame I boiled, and an interesting idea, but not-so-great vegetable stir fry.
I sauteed a little onion in a pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil. I added in a cup of assorted mushroom and sauteed for a few minutes. Then I added in about a cup of shredded cabbage and a cup of shredded carrot. I added a few cubes of frozen garlic and ginger, a little hoisin sauce, about 1/2 C. of coconut milk and a little soy sauce. Long story short.... It was ok, not great.
While we were away, I had an amazing Tom Yum Soup and must get a recipe to recreate it. Tonight's vegetables were a sttttreeetttchhh of the imagination.
I'd love to hear other people's dinner mishaps.
I sauteed a little onion in a pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil. I added in a cup of assorted mushroom and sauteed for a few minutes. Then I added in about a cup of shredded cabbage and a cup of shredded carrot. I added a few cubes of frozen garlic and ginger, a little hoisin sauce, about 1/2 C. of coconut milk and a little soy sauce. Long story short.... It was ok, not great.
While we were away, I had an amazing Tom Yum Soup and must get a recipe to recreate it. Tonight's vegetables were a sttttreeetttchhh of the imagination.
I'd love to hear other people's dinner mishaps.
Return from paradise.
After a lovely vacation to St. Barths, I am back to the grind. We had an amazingly relaxing trip and like a Hoover, I was sucked back into daily life in .5 seconds.
I was coming down from grilled lobsters for lunch and felt the need to purify. What better to do that with than a chicken soup. The recipe is basic and yields a delicious clear broth.
You will need:
1 whole smallish chicken
3-4 peeled and sliced carrots
1 whole head of celery sliced
olive oil
salt
pepper
Greek Seasoning
6 C. chicken stock
In a large soup pot set to medium high heat, add about 2 tsp. olive oil, add in the carrots and celery and stir for about a minute. While that is cooking, rinse and pat dry the chicken. Season with a generous amount of kosher salt, pepper and Greek Seasoning. Add the chicken to the pot and add the chicken stock. Cover and keep at a simmer on medium low heat. Cook for about 1 1/2-2 hours. Before serving, remove the skin from the chicken using a fork and peel off the meat from the bones. It will separate easily and the meat will be very tender.
I was coming down from grilled lobsters for lunch and felt the need to purify. What better to do that with than a chicken soup. The recipe is basic and yields a delicious clear broth.
You will need:
1 whole smallish chicken
3-4 peeled and sliced carrots
1 whole head of celery sliced
olive oil
salt
pepper
Greek Seasoning
6 C. chicken stock
In a large soup pot set to medium high heat, add about 2 tsp. olive oil, add in the carrots and celery and stir for about a minute. While that is cooking, rinse and pat dry the chicken. Season with a generous amount of kosher salt, pepper and Greek Seasoning. Add the chicken to the pot and add the chicken stock. Cover and keep at a simmer on medium low heat. Cook for about 1 1/2-2 hours. Before serving, remove the skin from the chicken using a fork and peel off the meat from the bones. It will separate easily and the meat will be very tender.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Roasting chickens.
Last night my mother-in-law made dinner for the girls and Kirk and I went out for sushi. We are leaving for vacation tomorrow, and I am making a roasted chicken with vegetables and roasted sweet potato coins.
Roasting a chicken is one of my favorite things to cook. It's incredibly easy and produces a great meal that can be eaten for at least a couple of days. To make the chicken, preheat the oven to 425 and rinse the chicken. Make a paste with a couple tablespoons of unsalted butter, about 1/4 C. olive oil, kosher salt, a good amount of cracked pepper, juice from a whole lemon, and about a teaspoon of Greek Seasoning (you can use Italian Seasoning if you don't have the Greek). Mix it all together in a bowl.
With your index finger, separate the skin from the chicken breast side without tearing it. Pour 3/4 of the mixture between the skin and the meat, and rub the rest of the smear with the remaining mixture and an extra sprinkling of kosher salt.
Add a little water (about 1/2 C.) to the bottom of the pan and throw in a few carrots.
For the roasted sweet potato coins, peel 2-3 sweet potatoes and slice into about 1/4" thick rounds. Line a cookie sheet with foil and lay the sweet potatoes in the sheet so they don't overlap. Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes, and flip them over so they are coated on both sides. Sprinkle a little Lawry's Seasoning Salt over the potatoes.
Roast the potatoes on the lower rack of the oven and cook the chicken on the upper rack. The chicken does NOT have to be basted or covered. It takes about 45 minutes to cook. The potatoes need to be turned about 20 minutes into the cooking. They will take 40-45 minutes also.
I'm going to make an easy salad with hearts of romaine, celery and and tomatoes. One of my favorite ways to dress any salad is to use the juice from 1/2 a lemon squeezed directly over the salad with 1/2 c. olive oil and a couple pinches of kosher salt and pepper. Toss and serve.
Roasting a chicken is one of my favorite things to cook. It's incredibly easy and produces a great meal that can be eaten for at least a couple of days. To make the chicken, preheat the oven to 425 and rinse the chicken. Make a paste with a couple tablespoons of unsalted butter, about 1/4 C. olive oil, kosher salt, a good amount of cracked pepper, juice from a whole lemon, and about a teaspoon of Greek Seasoning (you can use Italian Seasoning if you don't have the Greek). Mix it all together in a bowl.
With your index finger, separate the skin from the chicken breast side without tearing it. Pour 3/4 of the mixture between the skin and the meat, and rub the rest of the smear with the remaining mixture and an extra sprinkling of kosher salt.
Add a little water (about 1/2 C.) to the bottom of the pan and throw in a few carrots.
For the roasted sweet potato coins, peel 2-3 sweet potatoes and slice into about 1/4" thick rounds. Line a cookie sheet with foil and lay the sweet potatoes in the sheet so they don't overlap. Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes, and flip them over so they are coated on both sides. Sprinkle a little Lawry's Seasoning Salt over the potatoes.
Roast the potatoes on the lower rack of the oven and cook the chicken on the upper rack. The chicken does NOT have to be basted or covered. It takes about 45 minutes to cook. The potatoes need to be turned about 20 minutes into the cooking. They will take 40-45 minutes also.
I'm going to make an easy salad with hearts of romaine, celery and and tomatoes. One of my favorite ways to dress any salad is to use the juice from 1/2 a lemon squeezed directly over the salad with 1/2 c. olive oil and a couple pinches of kosher salt and pepper. Toss and serve.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Girls night out.
We had a preschool moms night dinner out tonight. It was at a restaurant called The Beach Cafe. I must admit that I was not going to go as I'm usually pretty pooped out by the end of the day, but I thought, "what the hell, all of these moms are all pooped out too by the days end!"
It was a nice evening, and I had steamed mussels and a side of sauteed sugar snap peas. The peas were a little over cooked, which is very easy to do, and I've had better mussels, but it was a fun night and I got to talk to a lot of moms I hadn't ever gotten to know.
Kirk took the easy way out tonight for dinner and went to our local deli down the hill. He got the girls tuna salad and crackers, and a chef's salad for himself with some of the leftover Chinese food.
We have dinner out with friends for tomorrow night, but I am going to make the girls edamame, rice and honeydew melon for dinner.
It was a nice evening, and I had steamed mussels and a side of sauteed sugar snap peas. The peas were a little over cooked, which is very easy to do, and I've had better mussels, but it was a fun night and I got to talk to a lot of moms I hadn't ever gotten to know.
Kirk took the easy way out tonight for dinner and went to our local deli down the hill. He got the girls tuna salad and crackers, and a chef's salad for himself with some of the leftover Chinese food.
We have dinner out with friends for tomorrow night, but I am going to make the girls edamame, rice and honeydew melon for dinner.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Hoppy Easter.
Is beginning the day with Skittles and a Twix bar a bad thing? The girls came downstairs this morning and were thrilled to find Easter baskets filled with goodies. I said, "let 'er rip, it's Easter." Truth is, even though there are so many more holidays that are being defined by candy, the girls don't eat candy all that often and if they want to start 5 days of the year with candy, that's ok with me.
We had 13 kids over today for Egg hunting while the 10 adults drank coffee and enjoyed a leisurely Sunday together. Everyone had a good time, and after the last person left, I went upstairs for a decadent Sunday afternoon nap.
I couldn't bear cooking tonight, so we had the ever popular Chinese takeout. The girls are expanding their rather limited repertoire of spareribs and rice to include won ton soup, moo shu pork (which they loved tonight), and the vegetables they picked out of the sesame chicken.
I'm having dinner with the class moms tomorrow night, so Kirk and the girls are on their own. Will they shop to cook a meal, eat peanut butter, or do take out again?
Tune in to find out...
We had 13 kids over today for Egg hunting while the 10 adults drank coffee and enjoyed a leisurely Sunday together. Everyone had a good time, and after the last person left, I went upstairs for a decadent Sunday afternoon nap.
I couldn't bear cooking tonight, so we had the ever popular Chinese takeout. The girls are expanding their rather limited repertoire of spareribs and rice to include won ton soup, moo shu pork (which they loved tonight), and the vegetables they picked out of the sesame chicken.
I'm having dinner with the class moms tomorrow night, so Kirk and the girls are on their own. Will they shop to cook a meal, eat peanut butter, or do take out again?
Tune in to find out...
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