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Lemon & Garlic Roasted Chicken Breasts

I was craving grilled chicken - and our plan was to make this recipe and grill the chicken.  Turns out the day was cooler than expected, and husband was coming home a bit late - so I opted to make the chicken in the oven and altered my original recipe to the makeshift recipe below. 

Ingredients:
 - 4 chicken breasts (bone in)
- 1 lemon zest
- 4 cloves of garlics, minced
- cilantro
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsps dijon mustard
- 1/2 jalapeno



Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, cilantro, dijon mustard & jalapeno.  Coat the chicken breasts with the marinade.  Place in a roasting pan.

3.  I opted to add some yellow squash and threw some into the roasting pan.

4. Roast for about 45 minutes.

Verdict: It was pretty good.  It was an easy recipe that was full of flavor.  Great for leftovers too.  We made a side of orzo with peas, basil & tomatoes.  

White Bean & Kale Stew

I decided to make this white bean stew as I needed to make a big batch of something, that would be good for leftovers.  This turned out perfect & I actually doubled the below recipe.  I also added in some jalapeno to give it a kick & some Romano cheese at the end.  Sorry for the horrible photo - it was a last minute thought to take a pic of it! 

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bunch kale, rinsed, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
• 1/8 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

Directions
1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat for 6 minutes or until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add onion to pot and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in beans and rosemary and cook 1 minute. Add broth to pot; bring to simmer.
3. Stir kale into beans in pot and cover; cook 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir kale until wilted. Stir in reserved bacon, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Verdict
It was good & will definitely make it again.  Probably will make it more as a side next time.  It's filling, but you can only eat so many beans in one sitting! 

Gim Bap: Korean style rolls

My husband has been busy interviewing and jetsetting around the country.  Unsure of what time he would be coming home before catching his flight, I wanted to make sure he had some dinner, and make it travel friendly just in case he couldn't eat at home.  I made what my mom use to make whenever we would go on road trips.  Gimbap!  I must admit, they can take a lot of work if you don't have everything already.  I had luckily marinated the meat the night before. 

 

 You can also use different vegetables but the staples typically include:
- julienne carrots sauteed in sesame oil
- spinach blanched then seasoned with sesame oil & garlic
- egg made flat and cut into long strips

- takun - a Japanese yellow pickle
- crab - imitation crab
- bulgogi - Korean style meat
- julienne cucumbers

 

You want to make sure that your rice isn't too hot & too cold.  

Mix your rice with some sesame oil & seeds and spread out onto a piece of nori (seaweed).  

Roll them in a bamboo roller & voila!  

 

Verdict: He ate them, he ate them all & fast.  I thought for sure I would have leftovers! 

Fish Tacos

 

Don't really have a recipe for this - but a quick post about how awesome these were.  We made fish tacos over the weekend, and not only were they easy to make, but really delicious.  I got some mahi mahi, panko coated them and baked them in the oven at 350 degrees and flipping them half way thru.  I cut them into small pieces before coating them.  I made some guacamole, coleslaw and chopped up tomatoes, onions, peppers, cheese, corn, and limes.  And voila!  Will definitely make these again! 

Ole!

Beef & Broccoli

I keep trying new recipes for Beef & Broccoli.  This one was pretty easy to make and came out really good.  I will definitely use this recipe again.  Sorry for the bad photo - but we ate it so fast, I forgot a photo.  Here's the leftovers I took for lunch!

Ingredients:

2	tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1	tablespoon cornstarch
1	tablespoon white vinegar
1	tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4	teaspoon crushed red pepper
2	cloves garlic, minced
12	ounces boneless beef top sirloin steak
1	small bunch broccoli (about 1 pound)
2	teaspoons cooking oil
2	medium carrots, bias-sliced 1/8 inch thick
3/4	cup reduced-sodium beef broth
4	green onions, bias-sliced

1. For marinade, in a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, cornstarch, vinegar, ginger, crushed red pepper, and garlic. Trim fat from meat. Cut meat across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Add meat to marinade; toss to coat. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes. Drain meat, discarding marinade.

2. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems. If desired, peel stems. Cut stems into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

3. In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add meat; cook and stir in hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly pink in center. Remove meat from wok or skillet.

4. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to hot wok or skillet. Add broccoli and carrots; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add beef broth: cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of wok or skillet. Return cooked meat to wok or skillet. Add green onions; heat through. Serve immediately over rice!

Verdict: it was easy & delicious!

Spicy Thai Marinade with Basil and Cilantro By Bill Kim

We love Bill Kim from Urban Belly.  When he was featured in Food & Wine Magazine for his Spicy Thai Marinade with Basil and Cilantro, we made it immediately. We've already made it on pork, skirt & last night flank steak.  It's so good. 

Ingredients:
-1/4 cup basil leaves
-1/4 cup cilantro leaves
-8 peeled garlic cloves
-2 tablespoons sambal oelek or other Asian chile sauce
-2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
-1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
-1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
-1/2 cup vegetable oil

In a mini food processor, pulse the basil, cilantro, garlic, sambal oelek and fish sauce until finely chopped. Add the lemon and lime zests and oil; pulse until the marinade is fairly smooth. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Verdict:
I think so far, it's the best on skirt steak.  I took the leftovers and put it on the remaining salad for lunch the next day.  Delicious.  2 thumbs up!

BLT Bucatini

I know it's been forever since we last updated!  From our honeymoon, to summer travels, and a starting work, it's been difficult to update.  But, we still have been cooking delicious meals.  Last night, we made this awesome dish that Marc heard from NPR.  Sadly, I didn't get a picture of ours, but will attach the photo from the BLT Bucatini recipe from NPR.  It was so delicious.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes, slow roasted,* with their juices
• 1 pound dried bucatini or spaghetti
• 8 ounces arugula, coarsely chopped or torn
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded pecorino romano cheese for serving

Recipe:
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt generously.
While the water is heating, warm the olive oil in a large frying pan placed over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pancetta begins to render its fat and turn somewhat crispy. Stir in the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until they are heated through. Turn off the heat and cover the sauce to keep it warm.

Add the pasta to the boiling water, stir to separate the noodles and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until al dente. Reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink.

Transfer the pasta to the frying pan and gently toss the pasta and sauce to combine thoroughly, adding a splash or two of the cooking water if necessary to loosen the sauce. Add the arugula by the handful and continue to toss for a minute or so, or until the greens are just wilted. Transfer the dressed pasta to a warmed serving bowl or to warmed shallow individual bowls and sprinkle the pecorino over the top. Serve immediately.

*To make slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, heat the oven to 275 degrees. Cut the tomatoes in half and arrange them in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil over the tomatoes, then scatter 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves over them. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 2 hours, or until the tomatoes have collapsed and shriveled a little but are still moist. Let cool and use immediately, or store in a tightly lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Verdict:
It was pretty easy to make.  We used the pre-cut pancetta from Trader Joe's which makes it that much easier.  I also just roasted my cherry tomatoes at 425 for about 30 minutes.  I added onions and this awesome basting oil that I got from my sister Jane.  I left my tomatoes whole and then squished them in the pan with the pancetta.

Pork Fried Rice

We were pretty lucky this week as my mother in law gave us tons of delicious leftovers from Easter dinner.  She made the most delicious pork roast & ham and we took advantage of all that was left!  I had just gotten a box of vegetables from Door To Door Organics (which I'll review), so I decided to make pork fried rice last night since we still had meat left.  You can use any vegetables you want.  Here's what I put in my last night. 

Pork Fried Rice

Ingredients:
- Pork
- Ham
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- handful of baby carrots
- handful of bok choy, sliced
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 2 eggs
- frozen peas, and vegetable mix
- 3 cups of rice (cooked)



Secret Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 5 teaspoons mirin or sake
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Combine the sauce together in a small bowl.  Add some butter or oil into a pan saute garlic & onions.  Then add in pork & ham.  Once full heated, stir fry all the vegetables until soft.  Then scramble in eggs into the pan until fully cooked.  Mix in rice then add in the sauce.  Mix well until rice is fully heated.  Eats well with Cucumber/Bok Choy Kimchi. 

Verdict:
Husband loves fried rice.  I wouldn't tell him what was in the sauce for the longest time, so it was always considered secret sauce! 

Fried Tofu - Dubu Buchim

I decided to make some Korean food for dinner.  I knew I wanted make bulgogi but I felt like we needed some other items to accompany.  I made some korean spinach, miso soup & fried tofu.

Ingredients:
- 1 Pack Firm Tofu
- 2½-3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Red Pepper Powder
- ½ Tbsp Minced Garlic
- ½ Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- Some Green Onion (to garnish)

Directions:
Cut the tofu into 1 x 1.5 inch pieces.  In a bowl, combine 2½ to 3 Tbsp of soy sauce, 2 Tbsp of red pepper powder, ½ Tbsp of minced garlic, ½ Tbsp of sesame oil, 1 tsp of sesame seeds, and 1 Tbsp of sugar. Mix everything together.

Add some oil in a nonstick pan and then place the tofu pieces in it.  Fry the tofu pieces until they become golden brown.  Add sauce on top!


Verdict:
They were delicious!  A perfect side to any meal!  

 

Lemon Pound Cake

I for some reason have been wanting to eat pound cake.  So when this recipe came in from America's Test Kitchen, I immediately knew it'd be perfect to bring over to my in-laws for Easter breakfast. 


Cake
- 16    tablespoons  unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened but still cool, plus extra for greasing pan
- 1 3/4    cups  all-purpose flour , plus extra for dusting pan
- 1/2    teaspoon  baking powder
- 1/2    teaspoon  table salt
- 1/4    cup  sour cream
- 1 1/2    tablespoons  lemon juice
- 1 1/2    tablespoons  grated lemon zest
- 1    cup  granulated sugar plus 2 additional tablespoons
- 5    large eggs , at room temperature, beaten
- 3 lemons







Syrup
- 1/4    cup  granulated sugar
- 1/4    cup  lemon juice

Glaze
- 1/2    cup  Confectioners' sugar , sifted
- 1    tablespoon  lemon juice


Directions:
1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with butter; dust pan with flour, then tap out excess. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into bowl. Stir sour cream and lemon juice together in second bowl.

2. Using fingers, toss lemon zest and sugar together in large bowl until clumps are gone. Add butter and beat with electric mixer at medium-high speed until smooth and light, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add beaten eggs in three additions, mixing until smooth and scraping down bowl after each addition (mixture will begin to look curdled). With mixer on low, add one-third of flour mixture, followed by half of sour cream mixture, stopping as necessary to scrape down bowl. Repeat, ending with flour mixture. Scrape down bowl, then mix on low until smooth, about 30 seconds. Use rubber spatula to give batter final stir.

3. Pour batter into pan and smooth top. Gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 55 to 70 minutes.

4. For the syrup: While cake bakes, stir sugar and lemon juice together in saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat, and set aside.

5. Cool cake in pan on cooling rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Brush top and sides of still-warm cake with syrup and cool completely, about 2 hours.

6. For the glaze: Whisk confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in bowl until smooth. Spread glaze over cake, allowing some to drip down sides. Let glaze set for at least 15 minutes before serving.


Make Ahead
The test kitchen found this cake to be more moist the day after it was baked. In fact, when tightly wrapped, the cake will stay fresh up to 5 days. This cake also freezes well. Apply syrup, let cool, and wrap, unglazed, in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze in a zipper-lock plastic bag for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, defrost the cake, still wrapped, at room temperature, then remove the plastic wrap and proceed with the recipe from step 6.


To Make Two Cakes
Double all ingredients except the eggs, using 9 eggs (instead of 10). Cream the butter and sugar in step 2 for 6 minutes (rather than 3 minutes) and add the eggs in four additions (rather than three). Divide the batter between two buttered and floured loaf pans and bake as directed, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time.

Verdict:
It was a bit more lemony that I had expected.  The actual cake and the texture was perfect!  I will however next time I make it will skip the syrup & the glaze.  I don't think it's necessary and makes the cake too lemony. 

Eggplant Pasta

I oddly like to watch the food network while at the gym.  It's like motivation to run more so that I can eat whatever the Barefoot Contessa makes!  The other day, she had a friend on and made this delicious eggplant pasta.  It was perfect for our one day a week veg day.

Ingredients:

- olive oil

- 2 tbsp butter

- 1 large vidalia onion, chopped

- 2 large eggplants chopped

- 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled

- leaves from 10-12 sprigs of fresh basil

- salt

- 10-15 plum tomatoes

- fresh ground pepper

- pinch of sugar

- 1 lbs dry fettucine

- 1 lb mozzarella

- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat 1/2 cup of oil and the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and eggplant and cook gently over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until tender. It may be necessary to add more oil as the eggplant soaks the oil up quickly. Towards the end of cooking time, add the whole garlic cloves and half of the basil leaves.


In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the tomatoes for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin splits and the tomatoes are softened. Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place them in a mesh colander set over a large bowl. Reserve the cooking liquid.


When they are cool enough to handle, core the tomatoes and peel off the skin. Using clean hands, squish the tomatoes, pushing the pulp through the sieve into the bowl underneath. At first you will have a watery liquid. Add the tomato liquid to the eggplant and then continue to push the tomato pulp through the sieve, until you have only seeds and hard pulp pieces left. Finally, add the rest of the pulpy liquid to the eggplants and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the sugar and continue to cook for 10 more minutes, until thickened.


In the meantime, bring the reserved cooking liquid back to a boil, add additional salt, and cook the fettucine according to directions on the package. Drain well.


To serve, spoon a third of the eggplant into a bowl and set aside. Toss the pasta in the saute pan with the remaining eggplant and mozzarella. Place the mixture in a large serving bowl and top with the reserved eggplant and Parmesan. Garnish with the remaining basil leaves and serve hot.

Verdict:
It was really good.  We modified the recipe slightly.  Minor changes like less fettuccine.  I used 13 plum tomatoes and that seemed good.  I think however, using a can of diced tomatoes would be great too, and much easier.  I also added in crushed red peppers as I like all foods with a kick.  It's pretty cheesey with the mozzarella, which beware is a bit of a pain to wash everything!  We drank it with a delicious shiraz. 

Zucchini Bread

We got a new bread pan, so I decided to make some zucchini bread!

 Ingredients

- 3 cups flour

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 3 tsp ground cinnamon

- 1/4 tsp baking powder

- 1 cup vegetable oil

- 3 cups grated zucchini

- 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, baking powder.
3. Beat eggs. Add and mix well sugar, vanilla, and oil. Add zucchini to egg mixture. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour into 2 ungreased loaf pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. 

Verdict

It was dense, moist and delicious.  I made 1 loaf since my bread pan is big and 6 muffins.  I baked the muffins for 30 minutes. 

Leftovers: Chicken Taco

The perfect meal with leftover roasted chicken is taco night!  We used the leftover chicken for the roasted chicken, made some fresh guacamole and pico de gallo.  Some sour cream & cheese with corn tortillas.  An easy, new meal with no fuss!

 

Verdict: This is one of our favorite meals!  Ole!

Guacamole & Pico De Gallo

I love guacamole!  I personally like mine with avocado chunks instead of creamy.  You also already have the ingredients, so you may as well make fresh pico de gallo!

Guacamole:
- 2 avocados - chunked
- 1/2 red onion - diced
- 1 jalapeno - diced
- 1 clove of garlic diced
- 1 lime (or lemon)
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 cup of diced tomatoes
- cilantro
- salt & pepper to taste

Chop & mix all the ingredients together!  Let it refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. 

Pico De Gallo:
- 1 pint of grape tomatoes
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 jalapeno
- cilantro
- 1 clove of garlic - diced
- 1 lime (or lemon)
- salt & pepper

Chop & mix all the ingredients together!  Let it refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Honey & Lemon Glazed Roast Chicken

I wanted to try this new honey and lemon glazed roast chicken recipe from the Food & Wine magazine.  What was neat about this roast, is that it made more of a glaze for the chicken which nicely crisped the outside.  The recipe called for cornish hens, but I instead got one large chicken instead (3 lbs ish).  It went perfect also with taco night!

The chicken looks small next to the spoon & fork, but those are extra large!

Ingredients:

- 1/4 cup of honey

- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

- 2 tbsp soy sauce

- 3 lb chicken 

- salt

- 9 rosemary sprigs

- 9 cloves of garlic

- 1 lemon cut into wedges

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. In a small bowl, combine the honey, lemon juice and soy sauce. Set the chickens on a large rimmed baking sheet and tuck the wing tips underneath. Season the cavity with salt and stuff with rosemary sprigs, garlic cloves and lemon wedges. Brush two-thirds of the honey glaze over the chickens and season lightly with salt. Roast in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes.
2. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°. Rotate the chickens in the pan and brush with the remaining glaze. Roast the chickens for about 45 minutes longer, until the juices run clear when the thighs are pierced; turn the pan halfway through roasting. Transfer the chickens to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes. Carve the chickens and serve. 

Verdict:
Amazing.  It made the whole place smell so delicious.  It was crispy on the outside and so moist in the inside.  It was really easy to make and will definitely make it again.  We used the leftovers to make chicken taco night!

Fish Fillet with Herbs & Tomatoe & Onion Pasta

Please disregard the photo - it didn't seem to want to plate well.  It definitely was tastier than the photo!   I found these Martha Stewart recipes that I had cut out awhile ago and never made.  So, I decided to make them for dinner.  The pasta recipe is a separate recipe, but I felt like we needed more substance with dinner. 

Fish Fillets with Herbs & Zucchini

Recipe:
- 6 scallions, chopped
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup packed fresh mint
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch-thick spears
- 4 skinless fillets firm white fish (5 ounces each),  such as hake or black cod

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pulse scallions, cilantro, mint, oil, ginger, coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until a coarse paste forms. Season with pepper.
2. Toss zucchini with 3 tablespoons herb paste in a bowl. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 5 minutes.
3. Rub remaining herb paste onto both sides of fish fillets. Push zucchini to edges of baking sheet, and arrange fish in center, leaving about 1/2 inch between each fillet. Roast until fish is opaque and semi-firm to the touch, about 15 minutes.  

 
Pasta with Tomatoes & Red Onions:

- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 medium red onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
- 8 ounces dried pasta
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1. Preheat broiler. Toss tomatoes and onion with 2 teaspoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the red-pepper flakes. Broil on a rimmed baking sheet until tomatoes are just starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
3. Toss warm pasta with garlic, remaining 2 teaspoons oil, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in tomato mixture and the oregano. Add 1/4 cup reserved cooking water to moisten; stir in remaining water as needed. Divide pasta among 4 bowls, and stir 1 tablespoon ricotta into each.

Verdict:

It was good, not my favorite so far.  The herb paste for the fish was really delicious.  I think I would make that again.  But perhaps if we were grilling outside?  The pasta was really good.  The roasted tomatoes & onions were super delicious.  It was an easy pasta that was light.  

Chickpeas in Spicy Tomato Gravy

Due to Lent, we have been eating one vegetarian meal a week.  I think however, we'll try to keep this up moving forward (once I get the OK from the husband!).  Not only is it good for the environment, but great for our bodies.  I got this chickpeas in spicy tomato gravy recipe from the March 2011 Food & Wine magazine.

Recipe:
- 8 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 jalapeños, chopped

- One 2-inch piece of fresh ginger
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin 

- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves 

In a mini food processor, combine the garlic, jalapeños and ginger and process to a paste. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions and cook over moderately high heat until sizzling, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer over moderate heat until thickened, about 6 minutes. Add the chickpeas and water and simmer until the chickpeas are flavored with the gravy, about 8 minutes. Season the chickpeas with salt, garnish with the cilantro and serve with yogurt & naan.

 

Verdict:  

It was so delicious.  I would recommend adding the 2 cups of water in slowly, not all at once.  I think it may be a bit too much water.  I will definitely make this again. 

Chicken Masala

I originally got this recipe from Bon Appetit's magazine.   I have made this recipe over and over again and love it.  This last time, I did make a few changes, and was awesome.  I'll keep the recipe original and add my additions in the verdict section. 

Ingredients
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 large garlic clove, pressed
- 1 4- to 4 1/2-pound roasting chicken, cut into 8 pieces, backbone removed
- 2 small onions, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices


Preparation
Mix yogurt, chopped cilantro, olive oil, garam masala, salt, and garlic in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add chicken to marinade, 1 piece at a time, coating all sides. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.

Position racks in top third and bottom third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Arrange onions in thin layer on large rimmed baking sheet to form bed for chicken. Top with chicken pieces in single layer, spacing apart for even roasting (chicken will still be coated with marinade). Discard remaining marinade.
Roast chicken on top rack until cooked through and juices run clear when thickest portion of thigh is pierced with knife, about 1 hour. Serve chicken atop onion slices. Spoon pan juices around.

Verdict:
I typically buy chicken pieces I want to eat, already cut.  For example, thighs & drumsticks.  I tend to choose thighs (bone in) as it's moister.  This time, we got skinless thighs (bone in).  I think I will moving forward always buy skinless.  It made such a nice crispness to the chicken.  I also added 1 teaspoon each of the following: coriander,  cayenne pepper, cumin, & turmeric.  YUM!

Julia Child's Spinach Gratin

I love spinach, and when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it.  I adapted my recipe from Julia Child's Baked Spinach Gratin with Cheese.  I made this to accompany my Roast Beef. 

{See pic below}

Serves 3
- 1.5 pounds fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
- 2 tablespoons panko


I decided to use baby spinach.  Place spinach in a large pot over high heat.  Cook, covered, with just the water clinging to leaves, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 2 to 4 minutes.  Transfer to a colander, immediately fill pot with cold water, transfer it back to the pot of cold water and drain. Squeeze a small amount of the spinach at a time in your hands to extract as much water as possible. Chop the spinach coarsely.

Melt 1 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat and stir in the spinach. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until all of the moisture from the spinach has boiled off — you’ll know you’re done when the spinach begins to stick to the pan.

Lower the heat and sprinkle with flour and stir for 2 minutes to cook the flour. Add 2/3 of your stock a tiny bit at a time, scraping up any stuck spinach as you do. Once the liquid is added, simmer for another minute or two, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. If needed, add all or part of remaining liquid. Season with salt and pepper.  Stir 1/4 cup of cheese into the spinach. 

I decided to use ramekins and split the spinach equally amongst the 3.  Be sure to spray the ramekins first (or butter them).  Mix the remaining cheese with panko and sprinkle on spinach.  Add a little butter on top of each ramekin to golden the panko. Bake until heated through and slightly brown on the top, about 30 minutes.

Verdict:
Amazing.  It was so good and can't wait to make it again!