Baked Chicken Panzanella

Baked Chicken Panzanella

2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with garlic, onion and oregano, drained
1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)
1 package (5 oz) Italian-seasoned croutons
1/4 cup Italian dressing
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil leaves

Heat oven to 350°F. In ungreased 11x7-inch (2-quart) baking dish, layer chicken, tomatoes, green onions and croutons. Drizzle with Italian dressing.

Cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Uncover; top with cheese. Bake about 10 minutes longer or until hot and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with basil.

From here.

Broiled Fish with Summer Grape Tomato Sauce

Broiled Fish with Summer Grape Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 lb grape tomatoes, cut in half
• salt and fresh pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
• olive oil spray
• 4 pieces (7 oz each) flounder (or tilapia or sole)

Directions:

In a large skillet heat oil on high heat. Add garlic and cook until golden. Add tomatoes, salt and fresh pepper and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, add fresh basil and cook another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, while sauce is simmering, season fish with salt and pepper and lightly spray with oil. Broil or grill fish on medium heat until cooked through. When fish is cooked top with tomato sauce.

From here.

Spicy Tomato Compound Butter

Spicy Tomato Compound Butter

1/2 t smoked paprika
pinch chipotle powder
pinch of kosher salt
3 sundried tomatoes, the dry kind not the kind in oil
1 clove garlic
2 T unsalted butter

Purée all the ingredients until the tomatoes and garlic are well chopped and everything is blended.

Makes about 3 Tablespoons (you can freeze any butter you don't use for another time)

From here.  

Spicy, Garlicky Cashew Chicken

Time: 45 minutes, plus optional marinating

1 cup roasted, salted cashew nuts
6 tablespoons chopped cilantro, with some stems
1/4 cup canola or safflower oil
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, sliced (discard seeds or not, to taste)
Juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds chicken thighs and/or drumsticks.

1. In a blender or food processor, combine nuts, 2 tablespoons cilantro, oil, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, jalapeño, lime juice and 2 tablespoons water. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
2. Season chicken all over with salt and pepper. Smear on enough cashew mixture to thoroughly coat pieces. (Set aside any remaining mixture.) Let marinate at room temperature while you heat grill or broiler. Or refrigerate for up to 12 hours before cooking.
3. Preheat broiler or grill. Grill or broil chicken, turning frequently, until it is crisp and golden on outside and done on inside (cut a small nick to check), 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Sprinkle chicken with remaining cilantro and serve with lime wedges and remaining cashew mixture.

From here.

Avocado Fries

Avocado Fries

Printable Recipe
Recipe Adapted from Sunset Magazine
Canola oil for frying
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 firm-ripe medium avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-in. wedges
Grated parmesan for serving (optional)


1. Preheat oven to 200°. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 in. oil until it registers 375° on a deep-fry thermometer.
2. Meanwhile, mix flour with 1/2 tsp. salt in a shallow plate. Put eggs and panko in separate shallow plates.
3. Sprinkle the avocado slices with the remaining ½ tsp salt.  Dip each slice in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, then panko to coat. Set on 2 plates in a single layer.
3. Fry a quarter of avocado slices at a time until deep golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer slices to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining avocados. Sprinkle with salt and a little grated parmesan.

From here.

Missy’s Marinated Tomatoes

Missy’s Marinated Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 cup Canola Oil
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 4 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 3 whole Green Onions, Sliced
• 1/4 cup Chopped Parsley
• 18 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced Finely
• 2 pounds Tomatoes, Cut Into Quarters (if Big) Or Halves (if Small)
• 1 whole Baguette, Sliced
• 1 clove Garlic, Peeled

Preparation Instructions

Combine all ingredients except tomatoes in a large glass bowl. Whisk to combine, then add tomatoes. (You can up the quantity of tomatoes if need be.) Use regular red tomatoes, or a mixture of red, yellow, heirloom, etc. Use different sizes of tomatoes, too--pretty!
Allow to marinate for at least 3 to 4 hours, several hours if possible. Tomatoes will give off liquid as they marinate.
Use leftover tomatoes to make bruschetta: slice baguette and brush slices with olive oil. Grill on a skillet or grill pan until golden. Rub slices with garlic cloves. Top with tomatoes, allowing juice to drip on the bread.

From Pioneer Woman.

Peanut Butter Granola Balls

Peanut Butter Granola Balls

Yield: 24 granola balls

Ingredients:

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine honey, peanut butter, and butter. Stir until melted and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cereal, oats, and dried cranberries. Let the mixture cool for about two minutes and stir in the chocolate chips.
2. Drop mixture by the tablespoon into mini paper cupcake or candy liners. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Corn Soup with Harissa Yogurt

I like this soup just like this, but if you're looking to make more of a meal of it - try serving over a bit of hot farro or barley. Or alternately, topped with a poached egg and sprinkled with toasted, sliced almonds.

6 ears corn, husks removed
7 cups / 1.65 liters water

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 medium shallots, chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
freshly ground pepper
plain yogurt, harissa, and fresh dill, to serve

Start by bringing the water to a boil in a large pot. While it is heating use a knife to cut the kernels from the cobs of corn, reserving them in a bowl. Take the cobs and place them in the water. Let them simmer there into a stock/broth while you're prepping the rest of the ingredients, ideally 15-30 minutes. Remove the cobs from the broth when you're ready to use it.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, stir until they are well-coated, add a big pinch of salt, and saute until the potatoes are cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. When the potatoes are nearly cooked, add the shallots and garlic.

Add this mixture, along with the corn kernels and the salt, to the corn broth. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes. I like this soup a bit chunky, so I remove about half of the soup while I puree the rest, then stir the reserves chunky portion back in - combining smooth/chunky in the end. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper, to your liking.

Serve dolloped with a bit of plain yogurt, salted, then swirled with a spoonful of harissa paste. And a sprinkling of fresh, chopped dill.

Serves 4.

Prep time: 15 min - Cook time: 10 min

Recipe from 101 Cookbooks.

Firecracker Chicken

Firecracker Chicken  

Recipe from Chelsea at www.mmmcafe.blogspot.com

Marinade

½ tsp. salt

1 small egg white, beaten

1 Tbs. cornstarch

2 tsp. peanut oil

1 Tbs. Sherry wine

2 chicken breasts, diced

Coating

1 ½  cup cornstarch

¼  cup peanut oil

Sauce

4 Tablespoons ketchup

½  cup chicken broth

2 Tablespoon sugar

½  cup sweet chili sauce

6 cloves garlic, grated

4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the marinade. Set aside.

Add chicken to marinade and cover the bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. While chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce by whisking together all of the sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Set the prepared sauce aside.

Place the 1 cup of cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the marinated chicken to the cornstarch, tossing to evenly coat. Transfer the coated chicken to a colander and shake off any excess cornstarch.

Place a large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add peanut oil.

Add prepared chicken to the pan, spread out so they aren't touching each other. 

Allow them to cook, tossing when necessary, until they are fully cooked throughout.

Remove chicken from pan and place on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Drain the excess oil from the pan and return the pan to the stove, placing it over medium heat. Add the prepared sauce and bring it to a boil.

Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and toss to evenly coat.

Spoon Firecracker Chicken on top of rice or quinoa and serve.

No Bake Chocolate Cake

butter, to grease pan
8 ounces / 225 g 70% chocolate, well chopped
8 ounces / 225 g heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon allspice (optional)
2 teaspoons finely ground espresso (optional)
1/4 teaspoon fine grain salt
cocoa powder, to serve

Lightly butter a 6-inch / 15cm springform pan or equivalent - I typically use little loaf pans which are less common, but many small pans will work here (see main entry). Line with parchment paper and set aside.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over gentle heat.
In a separate medium pan heat the cream over gentle heat. Stir in the allspice and the espresso, if using. When you see little bubbles at the edge of the cream, remove from heat and stir in the salt.
Pour the chocolate into the cream and stir until everything come together smoothly. Make sure the components aren't at all separate.Pour into the prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled throughout, a few hours, or overnight.
When ready to serve, remove from the pan, let set at room temperature for ten minutes or so, dust with a bit of cocoa powder, and slice. Alternately, you can slice and serve from the pan.
Serves 12.

Prep time: 10 min 

This recipe is from 101 Cookbooks.