Peach and Sriracha Chicken Over Coconut Rice

This recipe comes from Jessica Seinfeld. We love it and are always tweaking the ingredients. We like to use a pre-cooked Rotisserie Chicken, because the chicken stays really tender if you simmer it in the sauce.

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For the chicken:

4 skin-on, bone-in, chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
4 chicken drumsticks (about 1 pound total)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
1/2 cup peach jam or preserves (we’ve used lemons or grapefruit, or any other sweet citrus… be daring!)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce (we like Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
3 scallions (white & green parts, sliced)
1/4 cup peanuts (chopped)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

For the rice:

1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk – about 1 3/4 cups (we use whole coconut milk)
1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

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Preheat the oven (with the oven rack in the middle) to 425˚F.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with the salt.

In a large bowl, stir together the jam, ginger, Sriracha, and soy sauce. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Arrange in a large baking dish or rimmed sheet pan and pour any remaining jam mixture over each piece.

Roast for 35 to 40 minutes. After about 20 minutes, if the sauce starts to burn, add about 1/2 cup of water or just enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan. This will simmer away and give you a delicious sauce in the end. Continue to roast the chicken until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes more. You can cut into a piece to make sure it’s no longer pink.

For the rice, in a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, the rice, and the salt over medium-high heat. Let come to a boil and stir a few times. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes more.

Serve the chicken over the rice and spoon the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the scallions, peanuts, and cilantro.

Tip: Make the marinade and the rice in advance. Marinate the chicken up to 1 day in advance and keep in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator. Reheat the rice and bake the chicken for an easy weeknight meal.

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

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Packed with protein, omega-3, antioxidants and calcium.

2 cups non-dairy milk ( I like almond or coconut milk )
1/3 cups chia seeds
¼ cup cacao powder
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup ( or less ) pure maple syrup ( can use 5-9 dates, pitted )
pinch sea salt

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Place all ingredients in blender and blend on high 1-2 minutes until smooth.

Pour pudding into 4 4-oz. small ball/mason jars and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Serve with desired toppings, such as granola, toasted almonds or coconut whipped cream.

Since this recipe uses all natural ingredients, it will only last in the fridge for about 2-3 days. So enjoy it quickly!

Quiche

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Simple and tasty.  This quiche calls for a store-bought frozen piecrust, which is a wonderful time-saver.

3/4 pounds thick cut, bacon (optional)
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 cup white mushrooms, washed and sliced
4 eggs
1 to 1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream)
salt and pepper, to taste
dash of nutmeg
fresh parsley, fresh chives (optional)

1 frozen store-bought deep dish frozen piecrust

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Heat oven to 350° F.

In a skillet, fry bacon until crisp. Crumble and set aside. Pour out excess grease but don’t clean the pan.

Melt butter in the same skillet. Add onions and cook for a few minutes. Add mushrooms and green peppers and cook for a few more minutes. Salt mixture to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with cream. Add grated cheese, salt and pepper, and set aside. (Add cayenne pepper if you’d like a little kick.)

With a slotted spoon, add onion/mushroom mixture into egg/cream mixture. Stir together. Add bacon and stir. Add parsley or chives, if desired.

Pour into pie shell and bake for about 35 minutes at 350°.  Bake for slightly longer if quiche is still jiggly.

Remove from oven and allow to set for about ten minutes before serving.

Remove quiche from pan and slice into wedges.

Red Lentils

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so yummy. recipe from Whole Foods Market.

2 cups ( dry) red lentils
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large red onion, finely sliced
12 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
6 cups ( cooked ) organic brown Basmati rice

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Rinse lentils and add to water. Add tumeric and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are very soft and pulpy, about 25 minutes.

Add salt to lentils after cooking, then purée in blender.

In a skillet, sauté the onion and garlic slivers to a golden brown, taking care not to burn them.

Add the onion mixture to the lentils, stirring well.

Serve piping hot with basmati rice.

 

Balsamic Marinated Chicken

 

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Serve up this tasty and easy chicken recipe for supper tonight.  Recipe from Southern Living, May 1998.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoons salt

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon pepper

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Combine first 5 ingredients in a large zip-lock plastic bag or large shallow dish, and add chicken. Seal or cover, and chill at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove chicken, and place in a lightly greased 13×9-inch baking dish; pour marinade over chicken.

Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until done, basting often with pan drippings.

or

Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Sprinkle evenly with pepper and 1 teaspoon salt.

Heat a large ungreased cast-iron skillet or grill skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook chicken, in batches, in hot skillet 3 to 4 minutes per side or until browned. Place chicken in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until done.

Meatloaf

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Classic meatloaf made delicious using Progresso® Italian style bread crumbs – a scrumptious dinner.

2 lbs. ground chuck ( or turkey, or a mixture of both )
1 package Lipton® onion soup mix ( or 3 cups chopped yellow onion )
1 cup Italian style bread crumbs ( we like: Progresso® )
2 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 ( 8 oz. ) can tomato sauce ( we like: Hunt’s® )

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preheat the oven to 350° F.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, eggs, salt, pepper, and tomato sauce and mix lightly with a fork.  Don’t mash or the meat loaf will be dense.

Shape the mixture into a loaf in a baking dish.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients, and spread evenly over loaf.

1 ( 15 oz. ) can tomato sauce
1 ( 8 oz. ) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons vinegar ( we like: apple cider vinegar )
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
3 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup water

Bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until done.  Baste occasionally.

Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve with green beans and mashed potatoes. Yummy!

 

photo credit:  food network

Red Lentil Dal

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this traditional Indian dish is usually served with basmati rice and Naan, Indian flatbread.

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1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups roughly chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups water
1 cup dried red lentils
3/4 teaspoon turmeric ( 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp = 3/4 tsp.  or 1/4 tsp 3x 😉
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup basmati rice, cooked according to package directions
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño chili pepper, seeded, chopped

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Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup onion and 1 minced garlic clove and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Combine 3 cups water, lentils, remaining 1 cup onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, turmeric, cumin and ginger in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer half of lentil mixture to processor; purée until smooth. Return purée to same saucepan. Mix in sautéed onion mixture. Simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon rice into bowls. Spoon dal over. Top with tomatoes, and garnish with minced cilantro.

 *This freezes well, so feel free to also make a double batch and freeze it in smaller containers.

 

Honey-Grilled Pork Tenderloins

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2 ¾-pound pork tenderloins
¼ cup soy sauce
5 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger

2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

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Make a lengthwise cut down the center to within ¼-inch of opposite side; press to open.

Combine soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in a shallow dish. Add tenderloins.

Cover and chill at least 3 hours, turning meat occasionally.

In separate mixing bowl, stir together brown sugar, honey and sesame oil.

Grill tenderloins, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat ( 350-400 degrees ) 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 160-degrees, turning occasionally and basting with honey mixture.

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Serve with a side of rice or cous-cous and your favorite salad for a complete meal.

easy roasted chicken dinner

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easy and delicious.

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1 Reynolds® oven Bag, large size

1 tablespoon flour ( I use coconut flour or almond meal )
1 teaspoon garlic salt, divided
1 pound baby red potatoes, quartered
8 oz. carrots, peeled
2 stalks celery, cut in ½-inch slices
1 onion, quartered
4 to 5 pound whole chicken roaster
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika

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Preheat oven to 350°F.

Shake flour and ½ teaspoon garlic salt in Reynolds® oven Bag; place in a 13x9x2-inch or larger baking pan.

Place vegetables in oven bag. Turn bag to mix vegetables with seasoned flour; push vegetables to outer edge of bag. Brush chicken with oil, if desired. Sprinkle and rub chicken with remaining garlic salt and paprika.

Place chicken in center of vegetables in bag.

Close oven bag with nylon tie; cut six 1⁄2-inch slits in top. Tuck ends of bag in pan.

Bake 1 1⁄4 to 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is tender.

birthday buddies

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made these for my daughter’s birthday party and they were a huge hit!  hello, sugar!

i’m also a huge fan of almond flavoring so, if a recipe calls for a teaspoon of almond extract, i usually pour two.

recipe inspired by Chex™ Muddy Buddies™ … here’s our version:

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5-6 cups Rice Chex™ cereal ( Rice Chex™ have little flavor, so makes them perfect for this recipe )
1/4 cup salted butter
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup ( 8-oz ) white chocolate candy melts OR pure white chocolate ( I used Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers; from 12-oz bag )
1 teaspoon pure almond extract ( i used more …  2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
1 ½ cups powered sugar

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Pour the cereal in a large bowl; set aside.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, cream and white chocolate. Stir constantly until mixture can be stirred smooth/melted.

Remove from heat. Stir in almond extract.

Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.

Stir in sprinkles. ( adding the sprinkles to the coated cereal now, before adding the powered sugar allows the sprinkles to “stick” better to the mix ).

Pour cereal mixture into a food-storage plastic bag or covered container.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool, about 15 minutes.

Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, if it lasts that long!

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*Sooo good.  I used coconut oil instead of butter and added ½ teaspoon sea salt and we. can’t. stop. eating. them!