Braised Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Lemon and Greek Olives

Tags

braised, chicken, gluten free, greek, lemon, olives, oregano, thighs

This is one of my new favorite work night meals. The lemon, onion, and olives meld together with the chicken drippings to form a luscious gravy. And it’s even better the next day!

Braised Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Lemon, and Greek Olives (from here)

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (remove the excessive fat and skin)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 12 garlic cloves
• 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds discarded
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup mixed Greek olives, pitted
• Juice of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 350°. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

In a large Dutch oven large enough to hold all the thighs in a single layer, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear until golden brown. Add the garlic and flip the thighs over. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add the onions, lemon slices and oregano. Season with more salt and pepper. Cook, until the onions have wilted and the juices have de-glazed the pan. Place the thighs skin-side up in the onion mixture; add the garlic and the olives. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken and put into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve. Serves 6.

 

 

Ham and Havarti Pizza with Onions and Apples

Tags

apples, cheese, Dinner, ham, havarti, Italian, onions, pizza, quick

These little pizzas are a snap to throw together one a busy work night. Buy the flatbreads so you don’t have to make crust. Even your kids can make these. And the salty/sweet combo is amazing.

Ham and Havarti Pizza with Onions and Apples

• 3 oz thinly sliced deli ham
• 1/3 cup Havarti cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1/2 tart apple, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 2 flatbreads

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the two flatbreads on a pizza stone. In a small bowl, add the onions, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Toss to combine. Spoon evenly over flatbreads. Take the thin apple slices and lay evenly over the onions. Roll the ham into a cigar and slice thinly. Sprinkle ham over apples. Top with the cheese. Bake until cheese is melty and slightly browning. Serves 1 or 2 with a large side salad.

Cheese Ravioli with Asparagus and Walnuts

Tags

asparagus, cheese, Italian, main dish, pasta, pesto, vegetarian, walnuts

I love this recipe because it is delicious, quick, cheap, and easy….. That’s what she said!

Cheese Ravioli with Asparagus and Walnuts

• 20 frozen cheese ravioli
• 1/2 bundle of fresh asparagus, lightly roasted in the oven
• 1/4 cup English walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1/8 cup pesto
• Parmesan cheese to garnish

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain and return to saucepan. Add the asparagus, walnuts, and pesto. Toss to coat. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2.

A Simple Pasta Dinner

Tags

cheese, garlic, Italian, main dish, parmesan, pasta, quick

I love to cook but some nights I am just not in the mood to be in the kitchen for an extended period of time. This pasta dish is quick, easy, and satisfying. Plus the leftovers are good too!

Spicy, Garlicy Pasta

• 1/2 box of spaghetti
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp of chili pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook spaghetti until it is al dente. Drain and set aside. While the noodles are cooking, gently heat the garlic, chili flakes, olive oil, salt and pepper until fragrant. Pour over the noodles and toss to coat everything evenly. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2.

Everything in My Fridge Casserole

Tags

artichokes, broccoli, casserole, cheese, food, main dish, pork, wild rice

I had a fridge full of food but none of it was in any semblance of an actual meal. So I created a dish inspired by this recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Wild Rice, Pork, and Broccoli Cheese Casserole

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2/3 cup wild rice blend
• 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb fresh broccoli, cut into small florettes
• 1 can artichoke hearts, halved (I used leftover artichokes)
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 8 oz cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium sauce pan, melt 1 tbsp of butter. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the rice and continue to cook for another minute. Add 1 1/3 water and a generous amount of salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Cook until soft. When done, set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a cast iron skillet, add the broccoli and the pork. Fry together until the pork is done. Cover intermittently to help the broccoli steam a bit. When done, combine the broccoli/pork mix with the rice and the artichoke hearts.

In the rice pot, melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the mustard powder, cayenne, and garlic. Let cook for a minute then whisk in the flour. Allow to cook, constantly whisking, for another minute or so. Slowly add the milk, continuing to whisk. Then add the broth. Bring to a summer and allow to thicken slightly. Whisk in 1/3 of the grated cheese. Season with desired amount of salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the rice/pork mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese over the top. Bake casserole for 10 to 15 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is slightly browning. Serves 4.

Greek Flatbread Pizza

Tags

asiago, cheese, flatbread, food, greek, kalamata, main dishes, parmesan, pizza, prosciutto, quick

Working late the past couple of weeks has really put a crimp in my cooking style. I can’t stand just eating fast food or frozen junk. This pizza is super quick and very tasty. Thank goodness for flatbreads. You can just throw on your toppings and bake. Poof! Tasty meal in less than 30 minutes. Really.

Greek Flatbread Pizza

• 1 flatbread pizza crust
• Your favorite sauce or pesto
• 3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 10 kalamata olives, halved
• 3 to 4 thinly sliced slices of prosciutto
• 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 5 mushrooms, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the flatbread on your pizza pan (I used a pampered chef stone. LOVE IT!). Top the crust with the desired amount of sauce or pesto. Add the olives, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms. Evenly sprinkle the cheese over the veggies. Scatter the prosciutto over the cheese. Bake the pizza until the cheese is melty and the edges of the proscuitto is lightly browning on the edges. Serves 3.

 

Savory Parmesan Bread Pudding with Bacon and Kale

Tags

asiago, bacon, bread, cheese, kale, main dish, parmesan, pudding, savory, side dish

I just love the photo below. I don’t mean to brag. It just looks so inviting, comforting, nourishing. Like home. This dish was very tasty. The only change I would make is to add about 8 ounces of sauteed mushrooms. And maybe some onions. It could be a main dish with a small salad or a side dish. I reheated the leftovers and served it with Easter morning’s Eggs Benedict.

Savory Parmesan Bread Pudding with Bacon and Kale (inspired by this recipe)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices of thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 5 oz kale, large ribs and stems removed, cut into 1 inch pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 8 cups of good crusty bread, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used sourdough)
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded asiago cheese
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil. Add the bacon and cook until getting a touch crispy. Add the kale, salt and pepper. Toss to coat the kale in the grease and allow to wilt.

In a large bowl, whisk together red pepper flakes, eggs, milk, pepper to taste, and the rosemary. Add the bread cubes; toss to evenly coat. Add the kale, bacon, 1/2 cup of parmesan, and 1/3 cup of asiago.  Toss again and be sure everything is even distributed. Transfer the contents of the bowl into the cast iron skillet. Spread out evenly. Top with the remaining parmesan and more salt/pepper if you desire. Bake for 40 minutes until the top layer of bread is beginning to brown and the egg is set. Top with additional parmesan.  Serves 6 to 8.

Bacon and Asparagus Pasta

Tags

alfredo, asparagus, bacon, food, Italian, main dish, pasta, quick

Here is a quick pasta dish I threw together using the ingredients in my fridge. It took no more than 20 minutes. A perfect dish for a work night meal.

Bacon and Asparagus Pasta

• 1/2 lb raw bacon, diced
• 1 lb asparagus, woody stems removed
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lb pasta of your choice
• Alfredo sauce
• Parmesan cheese to garnish

In a skillet, saute the chopped bacon until crispy. At the same time, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain off all but a tablespoon of bacon grease. Add the asparagus and garlic; saute until the asparagus is bright green and tender. Combine the crispy bacon, asparagus, pasta, and the desired amount of alfredo sauce. Heat until warmed through. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2 to 3.

Salisbury Steak For the Refined Palate

Tags

American, beef, food, gravy, main dish, mushrooms, Salisbury, steak, traditional

When I think about salisbury steak, I think TV dinners, the S&S Cafe, and latchkey kids.  I didn’t ever want to eat it. This recipe changed my mind. Adam from the Unorthodox Epicure has a great website full of tasty recipe. They use normal ingredients to produce amazing results. This recipe is proof of that. I made mashed potatoes and asparagus to accompany the steak, slathering the potatoes in the savory gravy. MMMM! Nothing is better than meat and potatoes!

Salisbury Steak (a variation of a recipe from the Unorthodox Epicure) 

The Steak:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp bbq sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

In a bowl, Combine ingredients and form into 5 patties. Heat oil in large skillet and fry patties on both sides until nicely browned and almost cooked through. Drain the patties on a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

The Sauce:

• 2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• Dark soy sauce, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

The pan should have a nice glaze of oil from frying the patties. If there is extra, drain it off. Add mushrooms and onion slices, frying for about five minutes. The onion and mushrooms should start to brown a bit. Add the wine and reduce until nearly gone. Add the butter and allow to melt. Add the flour. Stir until all mushrooms and onions are coated. Continue cooking and stirring for about 2 minutes. Add stock and combine, mushing out the lumps as needed. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until it has thickened slightly. Add soy sauce to taste (I used about 2 or 3 tbsp). Add meat back to pan and allow warm through for a couple of minutes. Turn off heat, cover and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Serves 5.

Quinoa and Black Beans with Pomegranate Salsa

Tags

black beans, feta, food, main dish, Mexican, pomegranate, quinoa, salsa, vegetarian

I am totally in love with this dish! I have had it about 10 times since it was originally posted by So Hungry I Could Blog. Sarah says it was created from things in the kitchen because it was too cold and miserable to go to the grocery. It sounds much like our Kentucky winter.

This dish combines all the things I love- healthy foods, fresh flavors, and ease of preparation. When I eat it, I don’t feel like I am stuck eating sticks and twigs to get my daily dose of nutrients. I feel like I am eating a huge bowl of deliciousness. And I want to eat it every week. Try it and you will too!

Quinoa and Black Beans with Pomegranate Salsa

For the salsa:

• 2/3 cup pomegranate arils (You could use mangoes or add tomatoes)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes removed then minced
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 2 tsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.

For the quinoa and black beans:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 can or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup feta, crumbled

In a small saute pan, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. When the onions are translucent, add the black beans, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Heat through for another 2 to 5 minutes.

Distribute the quinoa and black bean mixture between two bowls. Top with the pomegranate salsa and feta. Serves 2.