Chicken Provencal & Stuffed Italian Baked Potatoes

I received some coupons for "Aylmer's Tomatoes" and these recipes were attached to them...tried them tonight and both were DELICIOUS!!!!

CHICKEN PROVENCAL & STUFFED ITALIAN BAKED POTATOES

Ingredients:

CHICKEN

1 1/2 kg chicken pieces (or cut-up a whole chicken like I did)

2 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp Herbs de Provence

Sauce:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 green onion, finely diced

1/3 cup dry white wine

2 cans (540 mL each) of stewed tomatoes (I used Aylmer's Garlic and Olive Oil flavour!)   

• Wash and dry chicken pieces, place in one layer in a large casserole dish or baking pan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Combine butter and herbs and brush over chicken.  Roast uncovered in a 400F oven for 35 minutes.
• Saute garlic and onion in olive oil in butter for 1 minute in a medium-sized skillet over medium high heat.  Add wine and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until liquid reduces and sauce thickens.
• Remove chicken from oven and place on a platter.  Spoon sauce over top of chicken pieces and ENJOY!

Ingredients:

POTATOES

4 large baking potatoes, scrubbed

350g of lean ground beef, chicken or turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can Aylmer's Accent Italian Stewed Tomatoes
1 medium zucchini, finely diced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used goat mozzarella!)

• Pierce potatoes with a fork and microwave for 12 minutes or until potatoes are baked right through.  Wrap in foil to keep warm and set aside.
• Brown meat with onion and garlic in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Stir in tomatoes and zucchini.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat.
• Slice potatoes in half, lightly mash centres and top with tomato mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.
• ENJOY!            

      

Caribbean Sunset Soup

The name, ingredients and ease of preparation attracted me to this recipe...the taste made it a family favourite!  There really is very little not to love in this delicious soup!  (BTW, I really must apologize for the quality of the photographs lately...my camera took a dive down the stairs and is quite sick...so I am currently using my Blackberry.  Hopefully I will get a replacement soon so I can resume my usual "food porn" quality shots!! LOL!)

CARIBBEAN SUNSET SOUP

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil (coconut or olive)

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 tsp mild Indian curry paste

1lb sweet potato (about 1 large), peeled and finely diced

1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped

3 cups vegetable broth

1 cup "Thai Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk"

1 lime

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

•    In a Dutch oven or medium sized pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and curry paste and cook, stirring often, for approximately 5 minutes.  Add potato and garlic to the pot and continue stirring frequently for approximately 10 minutes, or until the potato has softened slightly.
• Stir in the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until potato is completely soft.
• Transfer soup to a blender or food processor and blend until totally smooth.  Return to pot and stir in coconut milk. 
• Using a zester or grater, remove the peel from the lime and add 1 tsp of fine zest to the soup.  Juice the lime and add 2 tsp to the soup.  Stir in the cilantro and pepper.  Heat through on medium low.
• ENJOY!          

Garam Masala Drumsticks with Aloo Gobi

We all love Indian food, but to make it from scratch can be VERY time consuming.  When I found this simplified recipe in February's issue of "Inspiring Ideas for Everyday Living", I decided to give it a try.  I'm so glad that I did!  The result was a delicious Indian meal in a fraction of the time, with minimal clean up!

GARAM MASALA DRUMSTICKS WITH ALOO GOBI

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs (or cornflakes like I used)

4 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp each ground coriander, garlic powder and onion powder

Pinch each cayenne pepper and salt

4 skinless, chicken drumsticks

1 cup medium shredded unsweetened coconut

1 egg, beaten

ALOO GOBI

1 1/4 tsp ground cumin

3/4 tsp each ground coriander, curry powder and turmeric

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

Pinch cayenne pepper

2 tbsp oil (coconut or olive)

2 cups cauliflower florets

340g mini yellow-fleshed potatoes, scrubbed and halved

CURRY YOGURT SAUCE

1/2 cup Balkan-style plain yogurt (or goat yogurt like I used)

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp liquid honey

• GARAM MASALA DRUMSTICKS:  In a resealable freezer bag, combine bread crumbs, garam masala, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt and coconut.  
• Dip chicken into beaten egg and add chicken drumsticks to the bag and shake to coat each drumstick thoroughly.  Remove to a plate.
• ALOO GOBI:  In a small bowl, stir together cumin, coriander, curry powder, turmeric, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper.  Remove 1 tsp and set aside.  Stir oil into remaining spice mixture.
• Place cauliflower and potatoes in separate bowl and divide the oil mixture evenly between the two.  Toss each to coat the vegetables thoroughly.
• Arrange chicken drumsticks and potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake at 400F for 20 minutes.  Turn chicken and stir potatoes.  Add cauliflower to baking sheet; bake until juices run clear when chicken is pierced and cauliflower is beginning to brown (approx. 20 minutes).
• CURRY YOGURT SAUCE:  In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, reserved spice mixture, lemon juice and honey.  Serve with the chicken and vegetables
• ENJOY!            

*I served this dish with lime wedges to give the vegetables more zip!!

Kale Caesar Salad

As you know I'm always on the look-out for recipes that are not only quick and tasty but also nutritious, so when Greg saw this in his "Men's Health" magazine I pounced on it!  All the family loves Caesar salad and by adding kale the nutritional quality of this salad goes through the roof!  Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, and rich in calcium.  It also contains potent anti-cancer properties and chemicals that boost DNA repair in cells.  Since cooking kale does somewhat reduce all these nutrients, eating it raw in this recipe ensures you receive the maximum benefit..all good stuff and a great way to start off the new year!!!

KALE CAESAR SALAD

Ingredients:

1 egg yolk*

Juice of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp anchovy paste (optional)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 - 3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)

1 large bunch of kale

• In a food processor, blend the egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and anchovy paste;  gradually add the oils with the food processor running, until the dressing becomes thick and creamy.  Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
• Holding the stem of the kale leaf, pinch the stem with your thumb and forefinger of your opposite hand and run it from the bottom to the top of the leaf, stripping the leaf from the stem.  Do this for each leaf.  Roughly chop or tear the leaves to bite-sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl.  
• Toss the kale with the dressing, top with more cheese and crumbled bacon, if using!  

*Ensure when eating raw egg yolks that you get your eggs from a trusted source to minimize your risk of foodborne illness.     

Kale with Crispy Salami

This is a super quick as well as super nutritious side dish ... not to mention super tasty!!!  ENJOY!!

KALE WITH CRISPY SALAMI

Ingredients:

1 tbsp honey or maple syrup

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Pinch cayenne

3 tsp sea salt

5 cups of kale leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

3 large shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings

8 thin slices of salami, cut into narrow strips (Italian or Hungarian are our faves!)

Black pepper

• In a small bowl, whisk together honey, vinegar and cayenne.  Set aside.
• Add about 3" of water to a large pot, add salt and bring to a boil.  Toss in kale and parboil about 3 minutes.  Drain, and let kale dry out in sieve.
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and stir-fry until they start to colour (approx 5 minutes).  Remove to a small dish.  Increase heat in skillet to medium high and add salami strips.  Cook until crisp.  Transfer the salami to another dish.
• Add kale to skillet and toss quickly.  Kale should just be heated otherwise it will overcook and become soggy.  Remove from the heat, add honey mixture and shallots and toss.  Season to taste with pepper.  Transfer the kale to your serving bowl or platter and garnish with the salami.
• ENJOY!

Asian Glazed Chicken Thighs

I was appalled to see that my last blog post was in September?!  What the heck have I been doing?? LOL!  I've actually been cooking a lot of the foods that are already posted on this blog (AKA being lazy and not very inventive in the kitchen!)
Last night I decided to try something a little bit different with the boneless, skinless chicken thighs that I had defrosted - and they were a hit with the entire family (PHEW!)  This recipe is easy and tasty, and paired with roasted root vegetables that can be baked in the oven at the same time and temperature as the chicken thighs, you have one super tasty dinner!

ASIAN GLAZED CHICKEN THIGHS

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice vinegar

5 tbsp honey

1/3 cup of soy sauce

1/4 sesame oil

3 tbsp Asian chili garlic sauce

3 tbsp minced garlic

Salt, to taste

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

• Whisk together all the ingredients before the chicken thighs.  Pour half of the marinade into a large freezer bag and add chicken thighs.
• Place bag in fridge and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours, turning often.
• Pour the other half of the marinade into a small saucepan and place over medium high heat stirring often to thicken.
• Preheat oven to 425F
• Remove chicken thighs from the bag and discard used marinade.  Place chicken thighs into a 9x13 baking dish.  Brush thighs with 1/3 of the thickened marinade
• Bake in the oven, uncovered for 30 minutes.  Brush with another 1/3 of the marinade and bake for another 5 minutes.  Check temperature of the thighs with a thermometer - it should read 165F.  Remove thighs from oven and let stand.
• Meanwhile reheat the remaining 1/3 of marinade.  Place thighs on plate and drizzle marinade over top.  
• Serve and ENJOY!      

Turkish Red Lentil & Vegetable Stew

I found this recipe in a magazine and was intrigued not only because of its simplicity, but the fact that the recipe has endeavored to make the lentils a complete protein source by combining them with a grain - bulgur!  I happened to have all the ingredients on hand and I was so happy that I took the time to create this meal because it was delicious!!

TURKISH RED LENTIL & VEGETABLE STEW

Ingredients

Half of a large eggplant, cut into 1" cubes

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

I large onion, roughly chopped

2 carrots, cut into 1" chunks

1 zucchini, cut into 1" chunks

1 each sweet red and yellow pepper, cut into 1" chunks

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 cup red lentils

1/2 cup bulgur

4 cups low sodium beef or vegetable broth

2 tbsp tomato paste

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp dried mint, crumbled

• Sprinkle eggplant all over with the salt and let stand until beads of moisture appear (approximately 1/2 hr).  Blot dry with a towel.
• In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat EVOO over medium-high heat.  Fry onions until lightly golden (approx 4 mins).  Add eggplant, carrots, zucchini, peppers, paprika and cayenne.  Saute until eggplant is almost tender (approx. 10 mins)
• Add lentils and bulgur and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.  Add broth, 3 cups water and the tomato paste.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, covered until lentils are almost dissolved (approx. 1 hr).  Make sure you stir periodically otherwise the lentils tend to stick to the bottom of the pot!
• Stir lemon juice and dried mint into the stew.  Ladle into bowls and ENJOY!

Citrus Salad with Fennel

This was an easy and delicious salad that doesn't wilt easily so it's perfect for leftovers!!!

CITRUS SALAD WITH FENNEL

Ingredients:

1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced (remove top and root ends)

2 carrots, finely julienned

2 small pickling (Lebanese) cucumbers, thinly sliced

4 navel oranges

Zest of half a lemon

2 tbsp of chopped capers

4 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

• Divide the oranges into segments, taking care to retain as much of the juice as possible.  Set aside.
• Place all sliced vegetables and the orange segments in a bowl.
• In another small bowl, mix orange juice with capers, lemon zest and olive oil.  Whisk all.
• Add dressing to salad and mix well.
• ENJOY!!

Peperonata

As I was having my friend Emily over for dinner, who is of Sicilian origin, I decided to make this traditional side dish.  I was a little nervous as I have never made it before - how arrogant to presume to serve a Sicilian a traditional dish without having ever created it before?!  However, Emily assured me that her mother would approve!  I think you will too as it is super-easy and super-tasty!!  It is lovely the next day heated up to compliment your scrambled eggs at breakfast!

PEPERONATA

Ingredients:

1/2 cup EVOO

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely diced

3 bay leaves

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

6 bell peppers (2 red, 2 yellow, 2 green) roughly chopped into 2" dice

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 bunch fresh basil, torn

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

• Heat the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in a Dutch oven or a large skillet.  Saute the onions, garlic, and bay leaves over medium heat until the onion is soft (approx. 6 minutes).  Add the tomato paste, salt and black pepper.  Continue stirring until the tomato paste turns a dark, brick red colour.
• Add the bell peppers and saute until they are softened (approx. 10 minutes).  Add the wine and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook the peppers for a further 20-30 minutes.
• Uncover, increase the heat to medium and stir until most of the liquid has evaporated 20 to 25 mins.  Remove the bay leaves and add in basil leaves, balsamic vinegar and salt and black pepper to taste.
• Serve and enjoy!!

Broccoli Craisin Salad

Our Summer/Fall CSA boxes are in full swing with all the wonderful weather we've been receiving.  This week we got a box brimming with spring onions, broccoli, basil, zucchini and more!  Since I had purchased broccoli (as I didn't expect it to appear in the box for a few weeks, but with the warmer weather it ripened sooner!) I decided that dinner tonight was going to feature a broccoli salad.  I'm fortunate that my children enjoy broccoli and moreso because it came straight from the Cooper's!!!  This is a breeze to put together and so colourful and delicious you might make it a regular part of your family's dinners!!!

BROCCOLI CRAISIN SALAD

Ingredients:

4 cups broccoli florets

1 cup chopped red peppers

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup Craisins

1/2 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds

4 spring onions, diced

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 tbsp dark agave syrup

• In a large serving bowl, combine the first six ingredients.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar and agave syrup until well combined.  Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving.