Monday, May 9, 2011

Taco Chicken (From our Best Bites)

1 lb. chicken breasts or thighs
A couple of juicy limes
A splash of red wine vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or coarsely chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Juice the limes and combine with a couple splashes of red wine vinegar. Add garlic. Pour over chicken. This will not completely cover the chicken; just turn it occasionally as needed. Marinate for at least 4 hours, no longer than 8.

Heat an outdoor grill (you can also use a grill pan inside. Or your broiler in your oven.) Combine salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper in a small bowl. Remove chicken from marinade and rub the spices all over the chicken.
Grill about 7 minutes per side. Remove from heat and allow to stand a few minutes so it doesn’t lose its juiciness

Grilled Pork Tenderloin & Asparagus with Peanut Dipping Sauce

In this recipe, half the marinade is used to flavor the meat and vegetables. The other half is whisked with peanut butter to create a tasty dipping sauce.
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, rinsed and snapped
• 2 pound pork tenderloin
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

Instructions

1. Make the marinade by whisking together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger, garlic, and lemon pepper in a bowl, and reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture in a separate container. DONE

2. Place the asparagus in a ziplock bag and pour in 1/4 cup of the marinade from the bowl. Work the bag gently with your fingers to distribute the marinade. Do the same with the pork tenderloin, using a second ziplock bag and the remaining marinade from the bowl. Let the meat and vegetables marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill to medium-high, and oil the grates.

3. Add the peanut butter to the reserved marinade and whisk the mixture until smooth. DONE

4. Grill the tenderloin for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, rotating it a quarter turn at a time, until the internal temperature registers 145º in the center. Remove the meat from the grill and let it rest for about 5 minutes (the internal temperature will rise to 150º). Meanwhile, grill the asparagus spears for 2 minutes per side.

5. Slice the pork diagonally into 1- to 2-inch slices. It should be juicy and slightly pink inside. Serve the meat and the asparagus with the peanut dipping sauce. Serves 4.

Monday, May 2, 2011

CARMALIZED BAKED CHICKEN


CHICKEN


Ingredients
3 pounds chicken wings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup honey
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1.      Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.      Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mix together the oil, soy     sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken. (DONE)
3.      Bake in preheated oven for one hour, or until sauce is caramelized.

RICE

Ingredients
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 cup of Basmati Rice
3/4 Cup of Coconut Milk
1 cup of Chicken Stock

Directions
1.     Saute rice in oil until slightly brown.
2.     Add milk and stock and cook covered on low for 13 minutes.
3.     Turn off heat and let sit for five minutes.

Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken & Jasmine Rice
A few options:

Mix egg and cornstarch, dip chicken in mixture and fry until chicken is fully cooked--then add the sauce.

Saute the chicken in olive oil or butter until no longer pink and then add the sauce.

Prepare the chicken how you like (fry or saute), add the veggies and then the sauce.

Saute the veggies separate.

Each of my children prefer a different option...of course.  So many options, so little time.

Thanks ladies.  Have a wonderful week.

Chipotle Shrimp Taco's

Avocado Salsa:
1 small onion, quartered
1 jalapeno, quartered, seeds optional
1 garlic clove, smashed
4 medium tomatillos, (about 8 ounces) husked, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
1/2 Hass avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
Shrimp:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chipotle or blended chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound medium shrimp (about 20), peeled and deveined
8 corn tortillas
8 sprigs cilantro for garnish
2 limes, cut into wedges
Directions
Put the onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a food processor and finely chop. Add the tomatillos, avocado, and salt and pulse until chopped but still chunky. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cilantro.

Heat a stovetop or outdoor grill to medium-high. Mix the olive oil, chipotle or chili powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Grill the shrimp until translucent, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side.

Grill tortillas, until slightly charred and pliable, about 20 seconds per side. (Alternatively, wrap in a damp paper towel and heat in a microwave.) Spoon sauce on the tortilla, then top with about 2 or 3 shrimp and a sprig of cilantro. Serve 2 tacos per person, with a lime wedge on the side.