Apr 19

Chicken and Dumplings

Once again, a Tyler Florence recipe has wowed me and has become a favorite of mine. As we all know, chicken and dumplings is not a quick meal to prepare, but this recipe is so worth the time. The chicken can be cooked ahead of time, shredded and both the chicken and stock can be refrigerated. The stock adds so much flavor to this dish. Enjoy!
Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Stock:
1 (3 to 3 1/2 pound) whole chicken
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs of thyme
4 to 5 black peppercorns
1 head garlic, split through the equator
2 Tbsp. salt

Buttermilk-Chive Dumplings:
2 C. flour ( I used Einkorn)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/4 C. chopped chives
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk

Sauce:
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/4 C. flour ( I used garbanzo bean flour)
6 C. chicken stock (from cooking chicken)
1 C. frozen peas
1 C. frozen pearl onions
1/4 C. heavy cream
Freshly ground pepper, for garnish
Chopped chives, for garnish

For the stock:

Place the chicken and all stock ingredients in a large Dutch oven and cover with water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour until the chicken is tender.

When done remove the chicken to a cutting board. Strain the stock and shred the meat into big pieces – the stock will be used for the sauce and the chicken will be folded into it.

For the dumplings:

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, using a whisk, lightly beat the eggs, chives and buttermilk together; pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold. Mix just until the dough comes together; the batter should be thick and cake-like.

To prepare the sauce:

In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the butter and oil. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, and bay leaves and saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes to coat the flour and remove the starchy taste. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add frozen peas and pearl onions.

Let sauce simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in heavy cream.

Fold the reserved shredded chicken into the sauce and bring up to a simmer. Using 2 spoons, carefully drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling batter into the hot mixture. The dumplings should cover the top of the sauce, but should not be touching or crowded. Let the dumplings poach for 10 to 15 minutes until they are firm and puffy. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and garnish with chopped chives before serving.

Apr 14

Grilled Avocado Halves with Cumin-Spiced Quinoa Salad

Grilled avocados? Yes, what a great way to add another delicious flavor to quinoa salad plus a little elegance! The avocados are on the grill for 5 minutes or less and will add a slight smoky flavor to this dish. So next time you are grilling toss a few on the grill and enjoy!

Grilled Avocado Halves with Cumin-Spiced Quinoa Salad
For the grilled avocados:
3 avocados
1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:
1 C. dry quinoa
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
Black pepper to taste
1 C. diced cucumber
1 C. diced red bell pepper
1/2 C. raw corn kernels (about 1 ear)
1 can black beans, rinsed
10 to 15 basil leaves, cut in chiffonade (thinly sliced)
1/4 C. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Place quinoa in a medium size pot with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Cover the quinoa and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and allow it to rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

While the quinoa cooks, cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Brush the lightly with olive oil and drizzle with lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the avocados, cut side down, on the grill. Allow them to cook for 5 minutes, or until they have nice grill marks. Remove them for the heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, cumin, salt and pepper to taste.

To a large mixing bowl, add the cook quinoa, cucumber, pepper, corn, black beans, basil, and cilantro. Dress the salad and toss gently. Season to taste.

Fill each avocado half til it’s brimming over with the quinoa salad. Serve, and if desired garnish with extra cilantro.

Mar 20

Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Potatoes

These crisp-tender potatoes, which are loaded with garlic Parmesan flavor, are one of the easiest side dishes you will prepare. Whether you are cooking for a special meal or your family’s weeknight dinner these potatoes will delight. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Potatoes 3 lbs baby Dutch yellow potatoes, halved
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried dill
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Lightly coat the inside of a slow cooker with nonstick spray. Place potatoes, olive oil, butter, garlic, oregano, basil and dill into the slow cooker; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours or high heat for 2-3 hours, or until tender. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmesan and garnished with parsley, if desired.

Mar 02

Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken

Here’s a grilled chicken recipe that will perk up your routine weeknight menu or impress everyone at your next cookout. The whole grain mustard not only looks impressive and taste amazing, but it adds a nice bite to the sauce. Feel free to leave out the cayenne pepper, but it does not make this sauce hot. The prep work for the sauce is super easy and quick also. Enjoy!

Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken 1/2 C. whole grain mustard
1/2 C. honey
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne Pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. Reserve 4 tablespoons of sauce and then pour the rest over the chicken, toss and cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for about 30-45 minutes at room temp.

Preheat the grill on medium-high heat, grill chicken for about 6 to 7 minutes per side or until chicken is done.

Pour the reserved 4 tablespoons of honey-mustard sauce over chicken and let rest under foil for about 5 minutes. Serve.

Feb 24

Tomato and Feta Orzo Salad

One of the chefs I love to watch is Curtis Stone. The food he prepares always looks so simple yet so delicious. That is where this salad comes from and it has become a favorite. Although this is a great summer salad I think it is great year round. It’s light and fresh with a simple red wine vinaigrette. Fresh tomatoes and basil, creamy feta and pine nuts, what’s not to love! The orzo and the vinaigrette can both be made ahead of time and refrigerated separately. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before finishing the salad. Enjoy!

Tomato and Feta Orzo Salad
Salad:
1 1/2 C. orzo pasta
3 C. (not packed) fresh baby spinach leaves
15 grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 C. pine nuts
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1/2 C. coarsely crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Vinaigrette:
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 C. thinly sliced fresh basil
Salt and Pepper

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook, stirring often, for about 8 minutes, or until just tender. Drain the orzo, and set aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, Whisk the vinegar, shallot and garlic. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking to blend well. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To the vinaigrette add the orzo, spinach, tomatoes, nuts and parsley. Toss to coat. Fold in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

Feb 18

Flour

I wanted to share with you a couple of types of flours that I have discovered and have incorporated into my cooking.

Einkorn Flour

The wheat we use today is not like the wheat that was used thousands of years ago. Einkorn wheat contains higher levels of protein, essential fatty acids, phosphorous, potassium, B6, lutein and beta-carotene. As far as gluten, Einkorn has a different gluten compared with modern wheat so if you are gluten sensitive this might be an alternative for you. Einkorn flour is not sold in stores yet and can be ordered on-line.

Chickpea Flour

Chickpea flour, also know as garbanzo bean flour, is ground from dried chickpeas. It is often used in dishes in India. I have been using this flour when I need to thicken a sauce. One cup of chickpea flour has 356 calories, 21 grams of protein, 6 grams of total fat and 53 grams of total carbohydrates. You don’t get that with processed white flour!

Feb 01

Sun-Dried Tomato, Feta, & Barley Salad

Barley is a cereal grain with a nut-like flavor and an chewy, pasta-like consistency full of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Besides the barley, this salad is all about the sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese which are two things I love. The dressing is very simple and uses the olive oil the tomatoes are stored in which adds more flavor to the salad. I’m not a big fan of zucchini, but in this salad it is shredded and you don’t notice it. Enjoy!

Sun-Dried Tomato, Feta, & Barley Salad
2 1/2 C. chicken or vegetable stock
1 C. barley
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. honey
1/4 C. (reserved) olive oil
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 C. diced sun-dried tomato (oil reserved)
1 small zucchini, shredded ( about 1/2 cup)
1/4 C. diced onion
4-oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 C. golden raisins
1/4 C. chopped, pitted, Kalamata olives
1 C. chopped fresh parsley

Bring barley and stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook, covered, until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand to room temperature.

In the meantime, whisk lemon juice, honey, and reserved oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Once the barley is cool, toss the tomatoes, zucchini, onion, feta, raisins, olives, and parsley in a large bowl. Add to the cooked barley. Drizzle oil mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Jan 25

Quinoa Salad with Lemon, Dill & Avocado

If you haven’t tried quinoa yet, or if you have and didn’t care for it give it another try. I do not care for it by itself, but love it in a salad. Quinoa (KEEN-wah) is high in protein, fiber, and minerals, but doesn’t contain any gluten. This salad has crunchy bites of vegetables, a light fresh taste from the shallots, dill and lemon, with nuts and dates to round out the dish. Enjoy!

Quinoa Salad with Lemon, Dill & Avocado
1 C. golden quinoa
1-3/4 C. chicken or vegetable stock
8 small red radishes
1/3 seedless cucumber, unpeeled
1 large shallot
2/3 lightly filled cup dill fronds, without stems
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced, about 1-1/2 Tbsp.
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp. liquid smoke*
1/2 C. sliced raw almonds
1/2 C. pitted dates, roughly chopped, or raisins
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado, to serve

Heat a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the quinoa and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Drain.

Spread the cooked quinoa out over a cookie sheet or plate to cool.

While the quinoa is cooking, finely dice the radishes, cucumber, shallot, and dill fronds and toss with the quinoa in a large bowl.

Zest the lemon right into the bowl and fold in the zest. Juice the lemon half and whisk the juice together with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and liquid smoke until emulsified and thick. Toss this with the quinoa.

Fold in the almonds, chopped dates or raisins, and Parmesan. Taste and season with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, top with chopped avocado.

*Note: 1 tablespoon smoked olive oil, can be substituted for the liquid smoke and 1 tablespoon regular olive oil.

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

Jan 17

Creamy Potato, Sausage, and Vegetable Soup

This soup is perfect for the cold, windy, damp day we have had. It’s warm, creamy and comforting. If you are looking to cut a few calories and fat you can always use turkey bacon, chicken sausage and sweet potatoes. Instead of all-purpose flour in this dish I use chickpea flour. It thickens, adds flavor, and is good for you. Enjoy!

Creamy Potato, Sausage, and Vegetable Soup
6 thick slices bacon, diced
3 Tbsp. butter
1 large onion, chopped
6 medium (2 C.) carrots, thinly sliced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C. all-purpose flour
4 C. chicken stock
1-lb. mild ground Italian sausage, cooked and drained
4 C. potatoes, peeled and diced
2 C. kale, packed tight, stem-removed and chopped
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
1 C. heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven until crispy and browned; remove to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Drain off some of the bacon drippings, leaving a few teaspoons in the pan. Add the butter to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring until the onions are just tender ( about 4-5 minutes).

Increase heat to medium-high, and add the thyme, basil, and garlic. Continue cooking, stirring for 1 minute longer. Add the flour and cook, stirring continuously, until the flour is incorporated into the mixture.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil (uncovered), stirring frequently. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the diced sausage and potatoes; cover and cook for 15 minutes longer. Add the kale; cover and cook for 5 minutes, and then add the bell pepper and cook an additional 5 minutes until all of the vegetables are tender.

Stir in the cream. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Heat through.

Top each bowl with crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese.

Yields: 8 servings

Jan 07

Catalina Dressing

I love making my own salad dressings, and this is now one of our favorites. They are so quick and easy to prepare, and it’s so easy to change-up the ingredients to suit your family’s taste. If you are not using white sugar you can try honey or maple syrup. Instead of red wine vinegar you could choose from a list of vinegars to use. Enjoy!

Catalina Dressing 1/2 C. olive oil
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. ketchup
1/4 C. red wine vinegar
1/4 C. grated sweet onion
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 1-1/2 Cups