Herb and Citrus Roasted Chicken

Tags

chicken, citrus, easy, gluten free, herb, meat, oven, quick, roasted

Busy fall weekends full of football and pumpkin patches and hiking through the leaves needs a quick main dish that required only a bit of prep for a lot of flavor. This recipes gets you there…

Herb and Citrus Roasted Chicken (from the Comfort of Cooking)

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 whole lemons, one juiced and one sliced
• 2 whole oranges, one juiced and one sliced
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 lbs of chicken thighs (leave the bones and skin intact)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp dried rosemary
• Chopped fresh herbs), for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, garlic, sugar, lemon juice, orange juice, Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper.

Place chicken in a rimmed 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Place parts skin side up and spread them out evenly in the pan. Pour olive oil mixture all over chicken, turning pieces to coat all sides. (If you marinated the chicken in this mixture, still add it all in). Arrange slices of lemon, orange and onion around and under the chicken. Sprinkle all over generously with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked and juices run clear. Remove parts to a serving platter and garnish with additional chopped fresh herbs, if desired. Serves 8.

Limoncello-Gin Cocktail with Thyme

Tags

citrus, cocktail, gin, Italian, lemon, limoncello, thyme

Here is the first recipe I made using my Homemade Limoncello. It turned out pretty tasty. I plan on a part 2 post; I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. So much has been going on this summer. It’s hard enough to get a blog post up some day. Good thing I like the blog world and all it’s lovely people so well!

Limoncello-Gin Cocktail with Thyme (a variation of this recipe)

• 2 large sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 fl. oz.  fresh lime juice
• 1-1/2 fl. oz. gin
• 1/2 fl. oz. limoncello

In a mixing glass or cocktail shaker, gently muddle the thyme with the lime juice. Add the gin and limoncello and fill the shaker with ice. Stir well. Strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with fresh ice, garnish with thyme, and serve. Makes 1 cocktail

¡Olé!

Tags

beer, Cinco de Mayo, citrus, cod, fish, fruit, Mexican, salsa, tacos

I am so tired of hearing Republicans and Democrats bicker over immigration. I bet if Obama and McConnell sat down over plates of Mexican food and a bucket of cold beer they would get over their issues, work things out. I volunteer to act as chef for that day…

Citrus and Beer Marinated Cod Tacos with Fruit Salsa

The Fish:

• Juice and zest of a lime
• Juice and zest of 1/2 an orange
• 1/4 cup Corona
• 2 cloves of garlic, microplaned
• Cayenne powder to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb cod or other firm white fish

In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Marinade the cod for an hour. Grill over medium coals until flaky. Serve with the fish salsa in corn or flour tortillas.

The Salsa:

• 1 kiwi, peeled, quartered and sliced
• 1 mango, cubed
• 1/8 cup thinly sliced cucumber
• 1 roma tomato, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, diced
• 1/8 cup onion, finely diced
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Cilantro to taste

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Allow salsa to chill and the flavors to meld. Serve over the fish.

Limoncello ~ Part 1

Tags

adult, beverages, citrus, cocktails, digestif, Everclear, Italian, lemons, limoncello

Limoncello is an Italian digestif normally served cold. Prior to this little experiment, I have never tried it but when Greg from Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide posted it, I knew I had to make some of my own. Be sure to click on the link above. He has tons of cocktail ideas to use your limoncello. As soon as mine is done, I’ll start posting some of my own. I can’t wait to taste the results. Expect to see Part 2 in about 2 weeks or so.

Limoncello ~ Part 1

• 20 normal lemons
• 750ml pure grain alcohol (one bottle of Everclear)
• 2 3/4 cups water
• 3 cups sugar
• A large glass container

Wash lemons and dry completely. Make sure to remove any dirt, adhesive or writing on skin. Using a potato peeler remove the rind only of each one. Try and have as little pith (white part) on the back of the strips. Place in container. Pour in grain alcohol. Seal and place in a cool (68-70 degrees) dark area. Store for 13 days agitating (shaking) it once a day.

Part 2 will show this part of the recipe:

On the 13^th day mix sugar and water together in a large pot. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Cool completely. Strain lemon liquor into simple syrup. Discard lemon rind. Mix liquid together and pour back into storage container. Seal and store in same cool dark place for three weeks agitating twice a day. When time is up, enjoy.

Perfectly Tart Lemon Bars

Tags

citrus, dessert, lemon, shortbread, Southern, sugar, summer, tart

I am desperate for a bit of summer. The warmth soaking into your bones. The fresh produce. The smell of freshly mowed lawns. The cheeping of happy birds. The bright colors of newly bloomed flowers. Even though Punxsutawney Phil predicts the quick arrival of spring, it seems so far away.

Lemon bars with their dusting of powdered sugar are served regularly at summer picnics, church homecomings, and backyard barbecues. If I can’t have the warmth and outdoor fun, I guess I’ll just have to settle for the flavors.

Perfectly Tart Lemon Bars (from Baking Bites)
The Shortbread Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

The Filling:

• 4 large eggs
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed and strained
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9×9-inch baking pan with non-stick aluminum foil. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Cut butter into small chunks and add into the flour using a fork, mixer, or food processor (which I used). A dough ball will form. Be sure the butter is mixed into the flour well then press into the pan in an even layer. Bake for 18 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned around the edges.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, sugar, and lemon juice. Remove a few tablespoons of the mixture to whisk into the flour. When it is smooth, add to the rest of the filling, whisking to combine. Very gently pour the filling into the crust and bake for 20 minutes or until the filling is set. Cool completely before you cut the bars. Top with confectioners sugar. 

 

The Perfect Paloma

Tags

adult, beverages, citrus, cocktails, grapefruit, mezal, paloma, sotol, tequila

One of my good friends, Jason, gave me a great Christmas gift – Sotol. What is sotol? An alcoholic beverage made from the Dasylirion wheeleri, an evergreen shrub native to the arid dessert of northern Mexico and the southern US. I must stress that Sotol is NOT tequila. I repeat, NOT TEQUILA. It is more like tequila’s cousin. It still has that smokey flavor without all the heaviness. And none of the cat cough inducing, nasty after taste at the end. Some people enjoy it enough to drink it straight. If that’s not you (it’s not me, for sure), try this paloma.

The Perfect Paloma (from Annie Eats)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/8 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup Sotol
1 tbsp simple syrup
1/4 cup club soda

Rim a cocktail glasses with juice from a grapefruit wedge and dip in coarse salt.  Fill glasses with crushed ice.  Combine the grapefruit juice, lime juice, tequila and simple syrup in a liquid measuring cup or cocktail shaker.  Mix well to blend. Pour the club soda into the glass. Top each serving off with half of the cocktail mixture.  Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

In My Kitchen – February 2013

Tags

citrus, February, Julia Child, Mardi Gras, NOLA, tangelos, truffle butter

In my kitchen…

… is an exciting used book store find – Mastering the Art of French Cooking Book 1 by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck. I got it for a stunningly cheap $14.50 and just had to have it. This month I hope to read it through cover to cover. It does such a wonderful job telling the reader the practical reasons behind why we do what we do in the kitchen.

In my kitchen…

… is a little tub of black truffle butter. I have yet to find a recipe worthy of it’s awesomeness. I want the butter to be the star of the recipe. Any ideas?

In my kitchen…

… is a Minneola tangelo. This little baby is a new variety carried by my grocery and is a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit. I just had to try one. Characterized by an easy to remove peel, this citrus is sweet with only a mild tartness. Best of all- no seeds!

Sorry this month’s In My Kitchen is so short. There are a bunch of new ideas but nothing tangible enough to photograph. Stay tuned for future awesome posts devoted to NOLA cuisine and bachelor friendly food. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out figjamandlimecordial for more In My Kitchen posts.

Fennel and Orange Salad

Tags

balsamic vinegar, citrus, fennel, gluten free, orange, salad, vegetarian

I have always seen chefs use fennel but have never really had a reason to try it at home. When I saw this salad, I thought it sounded seasonal and crunchy, a perfectly refreshing winter salad. I love the crisp texture of the fennel with it’s subtle licorice flavor. I can’t wait to use them in even more ways. And apparently they are easy to grow… One bad thing about winter- the garden you imagine for next spring becomes unreasonably large.

Fennel and Orange Salad (a variation of this recipe)

• 2 oranges, pith and rind removed, thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt to taste

In a dry saute pan over medium heat, toast the fennel seeds for a few minutes until the aroma is nicely released and they change color slightly. Combine fennel seeds, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and sea salt in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Arrange the orange slices and fennel on your plate. Spoon dressing over the layers. Serves 2.

In My Kitchen – January 2013

Tags

blogging, citrus, January, kitchen, tools

2012 was a year of growth.

Growth of this blog – AnnaShortcakes reached 20,000 views and featured 253 new posts.

My cousins and I at Big Ed’s Pizza in Oak Ridge, TN.

Growth of this novice chef – I tried new things like wine tasting, smoking meat, canning Pear Vanilla Jam and Lemon Curd, gardening on my own (normally done with my extended family), and traveled to new places like Mount Vernon, Virginia and Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia.

I can’t wait to see what the New Year holds. I am adding a new monthly post called “In My Kitchen” inspired by Fig and Lime Cordial‘s Celia. I have already added a Twitter account; you can follow me at @annashortcakes.  I also plan to travel more, try new foods, and continue my search for fantastic new recipes.

In my kitchen…

… is the KitchenAid Stand Mixer Attachment Pack that includes a slicer, a grinder, and sausage stuffer attachment. A gift from my thoughtful hubby. I cannot wait to try it out. If you have meat you want fresh ground, we can go halves on the meat. I hope someone brings me a deer carcass. I am going to use the grinder to quick chop all kinds of summer vegetables to speed the canning process for my mother-in-law’s tomato soup recipe.

In my kitchen…

… is a gorgeous Pampered Chef baking stone. Thanks to my in-laws for this awesome gift. I can’t wait to bake like crazy!

In my kitchen…

… is a bowl full of real Florida grapefruit. Picked by a family friend from the tree in their yard, these grapefruits are way better than any you might buy in the store. And the uglier they are, the better they taste.

In my kitchen…

… is a bottle of Cranberry-Lime Infused Vodka ready for me to buy the limeade concentrate so we can try the crantini.

What is in your kitchen this month?

Lemon Curd

Tags

breakfast, canning, citrus, curd, dessert, food, lemon, preserving

Don’t you wish this was your Christmas gift? I can’t wait to open a jar. I want it over pound care with raspberry syrup…. MMMM!!!

Lemon Curd (thanks to The 350 Degree Oven)

• zest of 14 meyer lemons
• 2 cup lemon juice (about 14 lemons)
• 8 whole eggs
• 14 egg yolks (you can use the whites for macaroons)
• 2 tsp salt
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, melted
• 9 half pint jars, rings, and lids

Soak your citrus in a 4:1 combo of water and vinegar to help remove all that funk and some of the wax that may be on the fruits. Dry with a towel. Using a zester or a microplane, zest each fruit, avoiding the pith as it is bitter and will ruin the flavor. Juice each lime. If you have a double boiler, heat it up. Since I don’t have one, I used a cobbled together version; you can place a metal bowl over a sauce pot. Make sure that the water in the sauce pot is enough not to boil dry but not so much as to allow the water the hit the bottom of the bowl; the idea is to cook with steam.

Before you put the metal bowl over the steam, combine the sugar, whole eggs, egg yolks, salt, and lime zest.  Mix thoroughly with a whisk. Place on top of boiling water. Continuing to whisk, add in lemon juice. Whisk whisk whisk until combined, then add the melted butter. Continue whisking the mixture until it reaches 170 degrees F on your candy thermometer. Remove the metal bowl and place on a hot pad or trivet; be careful because the bowl is hot. One ladle at a time, strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the zest and any seeds that might have gotten away.

To can the lemon curd, sterilize the jars, rings, tongs, and ladle in boiling water for 10 minutes.  Remove the hot jars to a kitchen towel, and fill with hot lemon curd, leaving a 1/2″ head space.  While filling the jars, soak the new lids in the hot water. Wipe the rims, top with the lids, and screw the rings down finger tight. Set the filled jars on the rack inside the stock pot.  Make sure the water covers the tops of the jars by at least one inch.  Turn on the heat, and bring the water up to a boil (covered).  Once boiling, let the jars process for 15 minutes.

Carefully remove the jars from the water and place on a dish towel. Allow to cool. As the seal, you will hear that lovely little ping, indicating your hard work has paid off. Use home canned curd within 3-4 months, separation or color changes may occur with longer storage and indicate it might be bad. Makes 9 half pint jars.