Belated Thanksgiving Dinner

We had to delay our Thanksgiving dinner, so tonight was the night. We went shopping early, and the Thanksgiving turkey breast was still really frozen solid, so a couple hour's bath in a cool bath in the sink helped that while we were shopping for fresh vegetables and such. 

I seasoned with Herbes de Provence, even beneath the skin, and even added a little to the stuffing mix and gravy to help tie it all together.

The turkey was still partially frozen when it was put in the oven, but that just meant that it would take a little longer.

That additional time allowed us to cook the mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. We tried to get it all to finish at the same time, and were pretty successful!

Turkey breast was good, the "Herbes de Provence" seasoning was very tasty since some was beneath the skin, and some was deep inside, along with a quartered lemon.

Not bad considering that this was the first time we had had done a turkey breast (we had done a roast duck a couple times in the past...).

Very tasty, and we have the option of making turkey enchiladas con mole poblano for supper tomorrow! 

Healthier Orange Peel Chicken

I had a taste for Chinese-style Orange Peel Chicken, and thought it could be healthier to grill the chicken instead of breading-and-frying... I split three breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled them, and cut them into bite-size slices. 

Prepped the broccoli and jasmine rice, so they could finish together. Then I peeled the zest from two oranges, juiced them, chopped up some fresh garlic and ginger, and fried the zest until almost crispy. The garlic and ginger went in next, fried a minute or so until fragrant, then the brown sugar and orange juice go in. Allow the sauce to sizzle and reduce and caramelize, use a touch of soy sauce to moderate the sweetness. Add the sliced grilled chicken, toss to combine, and anoint with a sprinkle of sesame oil.

Very tasty, only a tablespoon or two of oil was used. If I were cooking only for myself, I would have added several dried red chilis when frying the orange peels, to add a little heat! 

Strip Steak Saturday

Saturdays we need to do the weekly grocery shopping, and cooking for dinner. Luckily, today the local store had strip steaks on sale! I decided to give it another try, the last few "sale" steaks from this market have been really tough and flavourless.

I rubbed the steaks with Szeged Rib Rub (yes, I know it's beef rather than pork, but the seasoning is one of my FAVES!), and really brings out the meaty flavour without being too salty. 

Today's strip steaks were still not butter-tender (fine with me, but I like a steak with texture) but had awesome flavour along with decent tenderness. Slapped them on a hot grill, and served with green beans and couscous flavoured with garlic and fresh thyme, and dinner was on!

Tasty, nutritious, and thankfully I did not overcook the steaks! 

Fajitas!

Skirt steak was on sale today at the grocery, so I thought that maybe fajitas would be a good dinner entree. I grabbed two steaks, tortillas, red bell peppers, some potatoes and broccoli, and used a red onion we had from last week. 

I spiced the steaks with something mild - Penzey's Chicago Steak seasoning, and quartered the red onion, and it all went on the grill. The bell peppers I had to pay a lot of attention to so the bell peppers so one side did not get too charred...

A couple of flips, and maybe fifteen minutes later (it's a little low-BTU grill), everything was ready. I let the steaks rest under some foil while I sliced the peppers and onion quarters and cooked the broccoli and potatoes, and warmed the tortillas. 

Finally I sliced the steak, and it was dinner time! The meat was a little tough but delicious, testament to Penzey's Chicago Steak seasoning and my remedial ability to slice against-the-grain, but it was a delicious and nutritious supper!

Sunday Pastitsio Supper

A cool and rainy Sunday lends itself to a comforting dinner cooked in the oven, as it warms the house before warming our bellies! Pastitsio is one of my fave Greek dishes, and this was the first time I cooked it myself, using a recipe from the Recipe Girl website.

The three components - pasta, meat, and bechamel sauce, came together easy enough, but made enough for our two largest casserole dishes. Next time I will halve it and have plenty for dinner and some leftovers.

Overall the flavour was good, but seemed to lack something. I will have to consult other recipes to see what other flavourings to use to step it up a bit. 

Still not bad for a first time effort, and next time will be easier and be more authentic too! 

Saturday Roast Chicken Supper

We had gone shopping intending for a grilled chicken dinner, but last minute family issues rearranged dinner into a cozy oven-roasted spread! 

Chicken thighs were trimmed of excess fat and skin, and seasoned with Goya Sazon Con Azafran (one of the more-often seasonings we use!). I was sure to get some beneath the skin too so the flavours permeated the meat from both sides. 

We roasted them in a 400F oven, along with purple potatoes and Brussels sprouts (which both had a head start), and after around 45 minutes, they were safe to eat and dinner was ready!

The thighs were tender and flavourful with nice crispy skin, and the purple potatoes were soft on the inside but the skin was slightly crispy. The Brussels sprouts crisped up nicely, even though they were roasted whole rather than halved.

Plus the oven helped warm the house on a chilly autumn evening! 

Saturday Quick Rotisserie Chicken Supper

A time-condensed Saturday supper used a store-bought rotisserie chicken, with additional seasoning and flavours, fingerling potatoes, and acorn squash, and a deli antipasto salad really hit the spot tonight. 

We had small potatoes, halved and roasted, steamed asparagus, and the antipasto deli salad, and a small rotisserie chicken that we re-seasoned with Goya Sazon con Azafran (1 packet) and re-baked a little bit.

The squash was cut in half, then de-seeded, and roasted in the oven at 350F. The potatoes were sliced in half and roasted with oil and salt, and the asparagus was steamed about 10 minutes before we pulled the chicken from the oven. 

Yum! I know that Sazon Goya has been panned on the internet, but when time is of the essence, you can't get much better bang-for-the-buck, especially with chicken! 

Even if you don't use Goya Sazon, try re-baking a rotisserie chicken with a favoured seasoning - it might save you a lot of time on a busy day! 

Tuesday Patty Melt

The Jewels had pub burgers on sale, so I bought a package, and thought one would be very tasty grilled-up! It took a day longer to defrost in the fridge than I thought, so what was meant for Monday was pre-empted by cheese quesadillas. 

I seasoned the patty with Szged Rib Rub (from the company that sells the awesome Hungarian paprika!), prepped some broccoli and a foil packet of green beans with garlic, olive oil, and berbere (Ethiopian spice blend). It all went onto the grill and started sizzling immediately, even the foil packet... 

A couple flips later, and I toasted the rye bread on the grill, garnished the patty with a slice of horseradish cheddar cheese, a pickle wedge, and a splat of whole-grain mustard, and it was dinnertime!

Fat, juicy burger bursting with flavour, with garlicky green beans and smoky grilled broccoli - yummy! A peaceful dinner listening to the cicadas calling as the sun slowly sets!

Saturday Chicken Supper

A mid-afternoon grocery shopping trip didn't leave much time for prep and cooking before suppertime... I had a taste for on-the-bone chicken, and did not want to use the oven since the air conditioner was on... So I browned some chopped onion, then some bone-in chicken thighs in our big nonstick pan... And seasoned with Sazon Goya con Azafran, cumin, thyme, garlic, rosemary, cinnamon, and salt and pepper. 

I added garlic, chicken bullion, and grape tomatoes, and let it simmer while I cooked the green beans and rice. The beans I sauced with leftover tahini sauce from yesterday's shawarma dinner, and anointed with sumac. 

I transferred the chicken to the serving dish, and thickened the gravy with cornstarch slurry, and dumped it over the chicken. 

Not bad for about an hour, and most of that was trimming the excess skin and fat and mincing the garlic, thyme, and rosemary.

Tacos!

Ground turkey tacos on a steamy Saturday! 

Parmigiana-Style Sauteed Chicken

Boneless/skinless chicken breasts are a healthy but usually boring protein, so I wanted to try my own spin on Chicken Parmigiana. 

I split each of the two giant chicken breasts into three cutlets (tail, then butterflied the thicker front), and pounded them to flatten them so they would cook more quickly. A dusting of Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper on each side, and a quick dredge in flour before sauteeing in a couple tablespoons of olive oil got things going. Even with the huge nonstick frypan, I only sauteed three cutlets at a time. 

When all were nicely browned and up to temperature, each was garnished with a fresh basil leaf and a slice of mozzarella cheese. The cheese melted and it was time for supper!

Served in a pool of spaghetti sauce, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, we also had twice-baked potatoes and Italian vegetable blend. Yummy - and lots of leftovers too!

Pan Pizza with Spinach, Meatballs, and Garlics

We had a taste for pizza, and had an available Pillsbury crust in the fridge, and frozen meatballs too. The spinach was frozen too, so I defrosted it and squeezed it as dry as I could. 

Meatballs were defrosted and halved, and the garlics sliced. Oiled up my deep dish pizza pan, spread out the dough and patted it into place, topped with sliced mozzarella cheese and then a nice thick tomato sauce.

Spinach went on next, Italian seasoning, garlic slices, and the meatball halves. Twenty minutes in the oven at 475F got the pizza nice and brown and the crust crispy!

Asian Orange Peel Chicken

It has been a long time since we have had any sort of Asian cuisine, so I thought that Orange Peel Chicken would be a good Saturday supper choice. 

Rather than a batter for the chicken, I dredged the sliced chicken breast in cornstarch before frying in a lightly-oiled nonstick pan until browned.

I made the sauce from the peels of two oranges - minus the bitter pith, the juice, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 5 minced garlics, similar amount of minced ginger, and a splash of soy sauce to prevent it from getting too sweet. Sautee the peels until both sides have some browning, then add the garlics and ginger to cook thru. Before the garlics and ginger start to brown, add the orange juice and brown sugar. 

When the sauce had boiled down into a sort of caramel, I folded the chicken in to reheat.

Served with Thai jasmine rice and green beans, it was very tasty and a lot healthier than the battered-and-deep-fried version that restaurants tend to feature. 

Sunny Citrus-Roasted Chicken

A rainy holiday weekend is a good excuse for a sunny Saturday supper! Chicken thighs marinated with lemon and lime juice, and spiced with Sazon Goya Con Azafran and garden-fresh thyme made for a bright and sunny entree!

We combined with fresh green beans, broccoli, and cornbread, for a great start to the Memorial Day holiday!

Turkish Tepsi Kebab

A weekend during quarantine calls for comfort food, something nurturing and familiar. Meat loaf has been a natural comfort food for generations, hearkening back to a childhood of simipler pleasures.

Turkish tepsi kebab (tray kebab) is very much like a Turkish form of meat loaf, warm and comforting and vaguely familiar for those unfamiliar with Turkish food. Rather than a loaf pan, it is prepared in a wide tray, sometimes with two meat layers separated by a layer of cheese. The meat is mixed with spices and minced bell (or hot) peppers, onions, and garlic. Garnished with chunks of peppers, onions, tomatoes and such, it is doused with tomato sauce before being baked in a hot (400F) oven.

We added small potatoes to the garnish, and served with steamed broccoli. Not only did the flavours warm us, but the oven took the chill off a cool, damp day. 

Tepsi Kebab

For 16" deep-dish pizza pan

3lb ground beef or turkey

4 cloves garlic

1 red or yellow onion

1 red bell pepper

1 orange, green, or yellow bell pepper

2 tbsp Turkish seasoning (I used the one from Penzey's) 

--or--

2 tbsp seven spice (middle eastern spice blend, different but still tasty) 

1 tbsp ground sumac

Salt & pepper to taste 

1 small can tomato sauce

1 or 2 packages sliced mozzarella cheese

1 handful fresh parsley, optional

Cut the garnish vegetables by cutting the tops and bottom off the peppers, and a couple chunks of the onion. 

Mince the remainder of the onion, garlic, parsley, and peppers, finely, I used a food chopper (mini food processor). Place the minced veg in a colander lined with paper towels to allow excess moisture to drain. 

Squeeze/press excess moisture from the minced veg, and combine the squeezed veg with the meat and spices. 

Oil the pan, then press 1/2 the meat/veg mixture evenly into the pan, covering the bottom completely. Cover the meat layer with a layer of sliced cheese, then top with the remaining meat/veg. Pat out into an even layer. 

Scatter the garnish vegetables over the top, and anoint with tomato sauce. 

Bake in a hot oven (400F) until the meat is 180F.

Remove, allow to rest a couple minutes before cutting into wedges or rectangles. 

Sunny Roasted Chicken Thighs

It was a reasonably sunny day today, and for dinner I took my inspiration from Nigella Lawson, who is this incredible English chef that not only recommends fantastic short-cuts on classic techniques, but also spins her own distinction recipes from her experiences and travels. Today is an Italian roast chicken dish, inspired by her tastes and techniques.

I marinated chicken thighs in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and Italian seasoning, before roasting in my deep-dish pizza pan (deeper than the half-sheet pans I usually use). I added fresh green onions and tbyme from the garden, and a scattering of yellow mini potatoes.

I thickened the leftover roasting juices with cornstarch slurry, and added a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving alongside green beans and corn casserole. 

Sunny flavours to match the lovely spring day! 

Self-isolation Steak Supper

We are ordered by the governor to Stay-at-Home to try to short-circuit the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic, so we went to the market last night to shop for the near-term perishables. Originally I intended to get some form of chicken, but the market had no chicken, no turkey, and no pork. They had plenty of beef/steak, but we had a good stock of frozen steak at home...

So, we grabbed some asparagus and Brussels sprouts, and back-filled our meager supply of couscous. Arriving home with our groceries, we defrosted a tomahawk ribeye overnight. 

The steak was beautifully marbled, so we just seasoned with Kosher salt then slow-roasted it to 125F, then pan-seared and seasoned with Szeged Rib Rub, flavoured the couscous with Turkish seasoning and garlic, and roasted the asparagus and Brussels sprouts. 

I had used the bread machine to make a loaf of whole wheat bread to accompany the meal. I was surprised how long that cycle ran! Over four hours, but great results - light and fluffy like good bread should be! 

A nice tasty gin martini cocktail made with Door County Distillery gin was the perfect accompaniment ! 

Plus... I got to chew the bone! 

Pollo Sudado (Colombian "Sweaty" Chicken)

Tonight's dinner was a very traditional Colombian dish, Pollo Sudado, which translates to "Sweaty Chicken". Nothing fancy, not likely to be a restaurant entree, but good solid home-style food.

It takes about an hour to prepare, more or less, after the mise en place has been completed, but absolutely delicious.

    8 Chicken drumsticks or thighs, without the skin

    1 tablespoon vegetable oil

    ½ cup chopped onion

    ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper

    1 minced garlic clove

    2 cup chopped tomato

    1 chicken bouillon

    1 tablespoon sazon goya with azafran

    ¼ teaspoon cumin powder

    ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

    ¼ teaspoon salt

    ¼ teaspoon pepper

    8 small yellow potatoes, peeled and cut in half

    3 cups water

In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. 

Add the onion and red pepper and sauté until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. 

Then add the tomatoes, garlic, salt and ground pepper and sauté for 5 more minutes.

Add the chicken, water, chicken bouillon, sazon Goya and cumin powder. 

Cover and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the potatoes and cilantro and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. 

Serve over white rice.

Snowy Saturday Middle Eastern Feast

With a little advanced warning of the approaching storm, we grabbed the fixins last night and this afternoon I was busy in the kitchen! On the menu was mussakhan - Palestinian roast chicken with sumac and onion, roasted Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower with za'atar and butter. We served over naan flatbread - both whole wheat and garlic - in lieu of traditional flatbreads. 

The chicken was vacuum marinated for three hours, with sumac, lemon juice, olive oil, and seven-spice powder. Roasted in the oven, it created lots of juice to soak into the bread. The onions roasted to sweet perfection and were the perfect accompaniment to the chicken. 

The sprouts were nicely browned and crispy, and the butter and za'atar gave the cauliflower a nice savoury kick. 

Hit me up if you're interested in the recipes!