Christmas cauliflower with grilled chicken

From the always delicious, always reliable Kalyn’s Kitchen. I added some grilled chicken to this, for a complete meal. Very colorful, too.

Christmas cauliflower with grilled chicken

1 head cauliflower, cut into small, consistent-sized pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2″ dice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons pine nuts

2/3 cup sliced green olives

2 tablespoons capers

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 – 2 grilled boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

Preheat oven to 425F.  Put chopped cauliflower and peppers into a plastic bowl and toss with 2 T olive oil, stirring so the vegetables are all lightly coated with oil.  Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and stir again.  Spread the vegetables out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes.

While the cauliflower and peppers are roasting, slice the olives and measure out the pine nuts and capers.  Chop the parsley if using.  After 20 minutes, remove cookie sheet from the oven, put the cauliflower and peppers back into the same bowl, and toss with the olives, pine nuts, capers, and parsley (if using.)  Spread the mixture on to the cookie sheet again and roast an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are starting to brown and the olive pieces are looking slightly cooked.  Removed from oven, place in bowl and toss with chicken. Serve hot, with a slice of lemon to squeeze over if desired.

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Eggnog cupcakes (vegan)

(Same cupcakes, but different post-production on Photoshop. I couldn’t decide which looked better, so I posted them both.)

I love a good vegan recipe, and even though I’m not vegan, I’m always interested in any dairy-free desserts. These were easy to make (mix wet and dry together), and tasted great. I’m a big fan of Silk Nog, and that’s what I used.

Eggnog Cupcakes (from Baking Bites)

1/4 cup dark rum or bourbon

1 cup soy eggnog

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

scant 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup sugar

1 1/3 cup AP flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fill a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.

In a small bowl, mix together the rum, eggnog, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.

In a large bowl, mix together nutmeg, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pour in rum mixture and whisk until just combined. Divide evenly into muffin tins (a 1/4 cup measure is good for this).

Bake for 18 – 20 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the cakes spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in the pan for 3 – 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1/4 cup soy margarine, softened

3 tablespoons soy eggnog

2 tablespoon rum

generous pinch of nutmeg

2+ cups confectioners’ sugar

Cream together margarine, eggnog, rum, nutmeg, and 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar. Add more sugar if needed to make frosting stiff but spreadable. Spread on cupcakes and garnish as desired.

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Paella with chicken

I love paella. Although this is a vegetarian recipe, even the author added some shrimp at the end. The recipe lends itself to innovation and personal tastes. Very delicious.

Paella with chicken

Rice:

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts

1 1/2 cups brown rice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon saffron, crumbled

Vegetables:

2 cups finely chopped onions

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 1/2 cups frozen green peas

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 – 2 grilled boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

salt and pepper to taste

(note – original recipe called for 1 pound asparagus, cut into 2″ piece. I had none, so I did without. Still great recipe!)

First make the rice: Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving the brine from the can. Quarter the artichoke hearts and set aside. Add water to the brine to make 2 1/2 cups liquid and combine it with the rice, salt, and saffron in a heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and very gently simmer until rice is tender, about 40-45 mintues.

When the rice has simmered for about 25 minutes, start the vegetables. Saute the onions, celery, and garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the thyme, bell pepper, and asparage if using; cover and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the peas, tomatoes, reserved artichoke hearts, and chicken. Stir gently, cover, and continue to simmer for another 5 – 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. You may also add a splash of Frank’s Original Hot sauce 🙂

To serve the paella, spread the rice on a large platter and top with the vegetables and their juices. Makes 6 servings.

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Cherry almond smoothie

A yummy reminder of summer. I made this during cherry season and gobbled it up. Totally vegan and totally delicious. Dangerous.

Cherry almond smoothie (thank you, NYTimes)

24 cherries, pitted

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup almond milk

1 plum or peach

2 teaspoons agave nectar

6 ice cubes

Place all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Makes 1 delicious serving.

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Sweet and spicy tomato and pepper chicken stew

I’m a sucker for anything sweet and spicy, so this recipe caught my attention. It was addictive – great flavors and textures, served over brown rice here. A definite keeper.

Sweet and spicy tomato and pepper chicken stew (from Joy of Kosher), ever so slightly modified by me

1 1/2 pound chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cut into 1″ cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 green pepper, diced

2 Spanish onions, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons Garam masala

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed (14.5 ounce can)

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. When hot, add chicken and stir. Saute, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until chicken is browned on all sides.

Add green pepper, onions, and garlic. Stir and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6 – 7 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Add chili powder, garam masala, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and brown sugar. Saute, stirring, for another 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, broth, raisins, and vinegar. Stir, raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for about 25 – 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.

Add beans, stir and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes or until beans are heated through. Serve (over rice, if desired), garnished with chopped parsley. Makes 6 – 8 servings.

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Challah kugel

 

 

So, I tried googling recipes for stale challah, and this bread pudding came up right away. This was made for the lactose intolerant, so no modifications were necessary by me. I added no fruit, as my challah already had raisins in it, but I do think that some fruit would also be a nice addition. This tasted amazing.

Challah kugel (from PrinceClan blog)

2 – 3 cups stale challah

1 1/2 – 2 cups vanilla soy milk

4 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

optional: two large apples, chopped small; or 1 cup raisins

Tear challah into smallish pieces, and drop into large bowl.

Pour soy milk over. Allow to soak for 20 minutes. Add eggs and sugar. Mix well.

Place into a greased pan (8 x 8″ or 9″ round) and bake at 350 degrees F for 50 – 60 minutes, until browned and golden.

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Chicken in beer

Fabulous dinner on a fall evening. Takes about 2 hours to prepare, but well worth it. The flavors are deep and substantial. I added more carrots than the original recipe called for, but I like eating them – they were saturated and drenched in the cooking juices. Just delicious. It will perfume your home while it cooks.

Chicken in beer (from Lidia’s Italy)

4 pound roasting chicken

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 medium onions, peeled and quartered

5 large carrots, peeled, halved crosswise, and quartered

2 medium parsnips, peeled, halved crosswise, and quartered

2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves

4 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 12-ounce bottle flavorful beer or ale

1 cup apple cider, preferably unfiltered

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400 degrees F. Trim excess fat from chicken, and season inside and out with salt. Scatter onions, carrots, parsnips, sage, cloves, and cinnamon in the oven-useable pot, sprinkle salt over this, and set the chicken on top of the vegetables. Put the pot on the stove, pour in the stock, beer, and apple cider, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes on top of the stove. Put the pot in the oven, and roast the chicken for about 30 minutes, basting with the pan juices two or three times. Cover the chicken with a sheet of aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning, and roast another 30 minutes.

Remove the foil, and roast another 20 – 30 minutes, basting frequently, until the chicken and vegetables are cooked through and tender. Remove the chicken to a warm platter, and surround with the vegetables. Bring the pan juices to a boil on top of the stove, and cook until reduced by half.

Carve the chicken at the table, and spoon some of the pan juices on top. Makes 3 – 4 servings.

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Easy peanut butter ice cream (nondairy)

This was my first time trying Mimic Creme, and I loved it. This was delicious, creamy, all things good. The chocolate chunks were the bonus!

Easy peanut butter ice cream (nondairy) from Couldn’t Be Parve, with my big thanks!

1 box (1 quart) sweetened Mimic Creme

1 – 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (I used 1 cup)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

5 ounces chocolate

Combine mimic creme, one cup peanut butter, and vanilla in the blender. Blend to combine. Chill mixture.

While mixture is chilling, make the peanut butter candy.

Line a small cookie sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Combine the peanut butter and powdered sugar and stir well to combine. (it may seem that there’s too much powdered sugar, but keep on stirring). Knead the mixture until smooth. Press the mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet and flatten to 1/3″ thick.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave on low power. Spread half of the chocolate over the peanut butter mixture. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until the chocolate is set. Flip the candy over and spread the remaining chocolate on the other side. Freeze for 10 minutes, or until set. Remove the candy from the freezer and chop into small pieces. Store in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to use.

Freeze the ice cream mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and fold in the candy. Freeze until firm, at least several hours.

For best texture remove it from the freezer and leave it at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

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Chicken and portabello baguette

Another fast and easy lunch or dinner, perfect for summer. Fire up the grill (or your frying pan). The red pepper spread is perfect with the chicken and mushrooms.

Chicken and portabello baguette (from Mayo Clinic)

1 large red bell pepper, roasted and seeded

1 shallot, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 large portabello mushrooms, stemmed, brushed clean, and halved

1 whole-grain baguette, cut crosswise into 4 sections, each about 6″ long

1 tomato, thinly sliced

lettuce leaves

Chop the roasted bell pepper coarsely. In a blender or food processor, combine the roasted pepper, shallot, walnuts, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, the mustard, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Pulse a few times to puree and set aside.

In a large, nonstick frying pan, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and cook, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides and no longer pink on the inside (170 F if using a food thermometer), 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool. Thinly slice the chicken lengthwise into strips. (You can also do this on the grill)

In the same frying pan, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute, turning frequently, until well browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and drizzle with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar. (you can also grill these, too, instead of frying)

Using a serrated knife, split the baguette sections in half lengthwise. Spread about 1 tablespoon red pepper mixture on both halves of each baguette section. To assemble a sandwich, place 1 mushroom half on the bottom half of a baguette section. Top with 1/4 of the chicken, a lettuce leaf, and 1 or 2 tomato slices. Close the sandwich with the top half of the baguette section, and slice in half. Repeat to make 3 more sandwiches, and then serve. If making ahead, omit the red pepper mixture, wrap the sandwiches in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Spread the red pepper mixture on the baguettes just before serving. Makes 4 sandwiches.

 

 

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Asian chicken salad with roasted peanuts and mango

A quick and fabulous salad for summer days and after work specials. Comes together easily. All the flavors seemed to complement each other. Shout out to Chaos in the Kitchen.

Asian chicken salad with roasted peanuts and mango

approximately 1/2 cup Asian-style dressing, to taste (see below)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated or minced

10 ounces fresh baby spinach, arugula, or other salad greens mix

2 cups sliced bell peppers, red, yellow, or orange

3 green onions, thinly sliced

3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped; or the meat from a rotisserie chicken

1/2 – 1 cup honey roasted peanuts, crushed

1 mango, pitted, peeled, and sliced

Mix dressing, cilantro, and ginger in a small bowl. Let stand.

Toss salad greens with peppers, onions, chicken, and peanuts. Dress salad to taste and toss to combine. Add mango and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Asian salad dressing:

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/4 cup peanut oil or other mild salad oil

Combine all ingredients in a small jar. Shake to combine.

 

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