Bee Cave "Original Recipe" Chicken & Pork Poppers

It's a rainy Memorial Day and while normally we'd be sitting poolside throwing something on the grill, we are forced indoors due to much needed rain and grey skies. It gives one pause to think of those who sacrificed their lives for our freedoms. Granted, everyone likes a day off to sleep in and let loose, but the significance of the day weighs heavy on the mind. I was named after my great uncle who was killed by vicious Germans in the Ardennes Forest during WWI. He was only 27 years old but apparently a brave and kind young man who's life was cut short fighting for what was right and good. I'm proud to carry his name.

Since we are indoors and may have a few friends over later, we decided to make some small bites. As a girl I loved Kentucky Fried Chicken like no one's business (except for my grandmother's recipe which was like no other). The original KFC recipe was so tasty and back then they weren't using these freakish lab chickens (so cruel) and harmful GMO stuff. Apparently they did use MSG, and since I'm allergic to it, I'm better off having not enjoyed KFC since the late 80s. These little meatball poppers have a taste surprisingly similar to the KFC original recipe and are delicious little morsels that also freeze quite well.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 pounds ground chicken thighs
1.5 pounds ground pork (the pork adds a nice richness)
1 small yellow onion
1 small bunch of parsley
2 organic eggs
4 spring onions- light green parts only
2 tbs onion powder
2 tbs garlic powder
2 tbs paprika
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Sea salt to taste
1.5 tbs chicken soup base
1 tsp celery salt
a few pinches of dried sage

In a food processor finely chop onions, parsley and eggs. Add mixture to meat with the seasonings and blend well. Form into meatballs and deep fry in grapeseed or peanut oil preheated to 350 degrees for about 4 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve on skewers or toothpicks for easy finer food. Goes great with Ranch, honey mustard or tzaziki sauce for dipping.

 

"Beer Can" Chicken on the Big Green Egg

Sadly our egg got a crack in the fire box, but luckily the Big Green Egg has a lifetime warranty, so they replaced the parts free of charge. This warranted a trip to BBQ Outfitters, where we picked up the new parts and their ceramic "Sittin' Chicken" stand, which emulates beer can chicken without the bad paint chemicals leaching into my organic, happily raised, free-roaming chook. This was hands down the VERY BEST chicken we have EVER EATEN. EVER!!!!!

Glorious. Thank you sweet little chook.

Here's how it went down...

Brine the chicken in 1/4 cup fine grain sea salt, 2 quarts water, a sliced lemon, 4 bay leaves, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tbs onion powder, fresh thyme for 8 hours. Rinse. Pat dry and let it air chill in the fridge for an hour. Crack some fresh pepper all over the chicken plus some garlic and onion powder. We stuffed some sinful truffle butter under the skin of the breast for good measure.

Meanwhile, light the grill and bring it to 400 degrees.

Pour a bottle of beer in the stand (As an homage to my Belgian heritage we used a delicious Belgian beer called Blanche de Bruxelles). We added fresh rosemary, another bay leaf, a celery stick and a few sprigs fresh thyme to the beer. Stuck the stand in the chook's bum and roasted it about an hour until the skin was crisp and the chicken was cooked through. We let it rest under a tent of foil for 20 minutes before carving and reduced the remainder of the beer/chicken juice over low heat in a pot with a dash of sherry vinegar until reduced by half.

Drizzled the sauce over the chook and garnished with fresh tarragon and a fresh tomato salad. THIS is what summer is all about. 

Pugs reflecting on the perfect summer dinner and dreaming of chicken bites.

 

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Another freezing cold day brought on a craving for some hot soup with a Tex Mex flavor profile. I used to love Chili's enchilada soup, but I'm not a fan of the quality of their ingredients, so I rooted around on the internet and found a pretty good knock off at www.iwashyoudry.com and used it as inspiration for this rich, decadent and GLUTEN FREE soup. This makes about 8 cups or servings and freezes really well for another cold winter's eve.

INGREDIENTS
8 cups organic chicken stock
2 whole roasted organic chicken breasts
1 large diced onion
1 12 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 can red enchilada sauce
10 ounces velveeta cheese
1 cup Masa Harina (superfine ground corn meal)
1 tsp cumin
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup olive oil

I sprinkled two whole chicken breasts with salt and pepper and roasted them at 420 for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile I sweated some onions in olive oil until softened, stirred in the masa and stirred it for about 3 minutes until it became fragrant and toasty. I then added the chicken stock, enchilada sauce and tomatoes plus spices.

I pulled the meat from the bones and stored it in the fridge and added the bones to the soup for enhanced flavor. Covered and let it simmer about 30 minutes. I removed the bay leaf and bones and I then poured the soup in our vitamix blender in small batches and pureed until smooth. I transferred the blended soup back into the pot, added the cheese and shredded chicken and reheated it to melt the cheese. Serve with a drizzle of sour cream or fresh chopped cilantro (which I didn't have and that was a bummer).

Rosemary & Garlic Grilled Chicken & Skillet Potatoes on the Big Green Egg

It's back to reality after two glorious weeks in Maui. We actually were having so much fun we moved from Kaanapali to Wailea for three extra days. I knew it was time for me to go home when I was tiring of fresh ahi tuna or macadamia crusted ono- life's tough!! So I was craving some good Southern European flavors and had missed firing up the Big Green Egg, so we got to grilling right after we returned. This is a simple and flavor packed dinner that could be made on any grill, though indirect cooking is a must to prevent the chicken from burning.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN
1 whole organic chicken, split in half
4 sprigs rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbs sweet paprika
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tbs fresh cracked pepper
2 tsp sea salt
2tbs butter

Generously coat the chicken halves with dry rub, rub butter under the skin and let the flavors soak in overnight. I actually used white truffle butter for an extra kick, but regular butter is also fabulous.

INGREDIENTS FOR SKILLET POTATOES
10 baby Yukon potatoes, cut in half and par cooked in the steamer for 20 minutes. This extra step is worth it- trust me. Yields a creamy interior and crispy skin once you throw it in the oven. Try this also with oven roasted potatoes too.
1 medium red onion cut into chunks
1 tbs grape seed oil
salt and pepper to taste and a sprinkling of fresh rosemary leaves

 Ready to Grill!

About 20 minutes in... the whole neighborhood smelled wonderful.

We lit the Big Green Egg to 425, threw the onion and potatoes and seasonings in a small cast iron skillet alongside the chicken and cooked the whole thing about 30 minutes before lowering it to 400 and cooking about another 30 minutes until the chicken read 170 degrees in the thigh.

I smoked some little heirloom tomatoes earlier in the day over 200 degrees in the BGE for about 30 minutes until they were still a bit firm but starting to blister, cooled them and served them with balsamic vinegar, fresh torn basil and buffalo mozzarella balls with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. See this post for the recipe and pictures. It was an easy and fun dinner to enjoy al fresco on a warm early summer evening...

Chicken Braised with Peppers and Lemon

My mother used to braise a chicken with peppers, onions, lemons and capers and it' was so simple and satisfying. It's rather grey and rainy out, so I thought this would be the perfect dish for a damp spring evening.  Serve with crusty bread and a side salad.

INGREDIENTS
3 bone in skin on chicken breasts
1 whole chicken leg
1 medium yellow onion cut into strips
1 red bell pepper cut into strips
12 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 lemon, sliced
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 splashes of sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar
2 dried bay leaves
4 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary (tie the herbs into a bundle with kitchen string or make a sack with cheesecloth)
1 tsp capers
1 dash celery salt
2 tsp Hungarian paprika
salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION
Generously season chicken with sea salt and fresh pepper. In a large heavy oven proof pan, heat about 1 tablespoon of olive or grapeseed oil.  Place chicken skin side down and cook on medium high until skin is crispy- about 7 minutes (if it doesn't release from the pan it's not ready to flip).

Flip the chicken and brown the other side for about 5 minutes, remove the chicken and set it on a plate.

Lower the heat to medium low and add onions and pepper and cook until softened- about 5 minutes. Then add garlic and cook until fragrant- about 1 minute.

Add wine and reduce about 3 minutes. Add stock, herbs, capers and seasonings except paprika.

Return chicken skin side up to the pan and season with paprika (you could stir in a few dollops of sour cream to thicken the sauce and make it richer).  Scatter half the lemon slices across the pan- cover and cook at 220 in the oven for 1.5 hours.

Remove from the oven and discard the cooked lemons and herb bouquet and garnish with remaining fresh lemon slices and thyme sprigs.

Grilled Chicken Pitas with Bacon and Lemon, Chive Aioli

Ever have one of those days when you've got a bunch of leftovers and you find the perfect way to marry them? We recently had one of those moments. We had a head of local butter lettuce, some leftover grilled chicken paillard, some sugar cured bacon and fresh pitas. I uncovered a nice organic lemon and some chives and thought, "aoili!".

I have a friend who hates leftovers, but I think if you get a little creative, you can make great use of them. This wasn't exactly too creative, but it certainly was tasty and you could just make lettuce wraps if you want to go low carb or gluten free.

This "cheaters" aioli is very fast and easy to make:
Simply add 1/4 cup mayo or low fat Greek yogurt, zest one small garlic clove, zest a lemon and stir in 1 tsp fresh chopped chives. Voila!

Gather the ingredients...

Stuff them in a pita and there you have it! Super easy!

Achiote Grilled Chicken with Poblano Avocado Cream Sauce

Achiote, or Annato is a popular spice used in Latin/Caribbean dishes and adds a nice burst of color to marinades. It has a slightly floral undertone, but isn't overwhelming and compliments other spices such as smoked paprika and garlic. I like to marinade it overnight and pair with a creamy sauce and cilantro/lime rice.

MARINADE & INGREDIENTS
4 bone in chicken breasts
1.5 tsp achiote powder ( a little goes a long way or it will end up too perfumed tasting)
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tsp smoked Spanish Paprika or regular paprika
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp sea salt
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil.

In a ziploc, mix chicken and marinade and let it sit overnight in the fridge. We cooked this on the green egg for about 35 minutes indirectly at 350 degrees, but any grill would work- or the broiler.

While the chicken was grilling, following the direction on the rice package, I cooked a cup of white rice in 2 cups chicken stock with 2 minced garlic cloves, the zest of 1 lime, 1 tbs butter (or Smart Balance)  and a dash of tequila. Cover and cook about 30 minutes or according to directions. when the rice was cooked, I added about 1 tbs finely chopped cilantro, the juice from a lime and another tablespoon of butter plus sea salt to taste.

SAUCE INGREDIENTS
1Poblano pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion chopped
a handful of golden grape tomatoes, or just regular grape tomoatoes
1 bay leaf (optional- but it would flavor the sauce nicely)
1/4 cup chicken stock
dash of white wine
4 tbs sour cream
1/2 avocado
sea salt to taste - don't be afraid to salt! It makes the flavors burst!!

 

 Saute the onions and pepper until softened- about 10 minutes on medium, add garlic last minute

 Add the wine and broth and tomatoes and cover and simmer 15 minutes...

 

Pour the ingredients in a blender, add sour cream, salt and avocado and blend till smooth.

Return to the pan to warm, then drizzle over chicken once cooked. Enjoy!!

Chicken Paillard with Asparagus

 Shot with my Iphone- not kidding when I say this was a fast and easy weeknight meal!

Something I've been doing to make veggie making a bit easier, is blanching them and storing in the fridge for a quick reheat in the skillet.

We wanted a quick and easy meal and this whole thing came together in less than 30 minutes. Paillard is basically a French term for pounding- and it's a great way to cook a chook fast! Place a boneless, skinless breast between a few layers of plastic wrap and smash it with a mallet. A great way to pound out any aggressions from a stressful work day ;-)

I found some gorgeous little asparagus at the store and quickly boiled them for 1 minute and dunked in an ice bath. Patted them dry and stored in a Tupperware. They cooked up perfectly in a non stick skillet with a few drops of olive oil, sliced grape tomatoes and a dash of balsamic at the last minute. Salt, pepper- easy!

We pounded the chicken breasts, seasoned with some tarragon, garlic powder, celery salt and fresh pepper. Seared them in the panini press for 10 minutes and voila. We made fast n easy mashed potatoes by peeling and dicing a potato and boiling till soft- about 20 minutes. Mashed them with a masher over a double boiler while the chook cooked. Easy, fast... Perfect for a weeknight.

King Ranch Chicken- Bee Cave Style

Whenever someone mentions they're bringing King Ranch chicken to a pot luck or event, I do a little happy dance. I'll admit, I've never made it before... and have no idea why! The King Ranch was always that last stop for gas on the way to some wild adventure to South Padre Island, but apparently it may have not been the origins of this wildly popular Tex-Mex casserole. Either way, it is fantastic and I'm looking forward to making some again soon.

I based my recipe on the one from Austin's lovely and quite famous Casserole Queens cookbook. Of course I had to place my own stamp on it and added a little roasted poblano, velveeta and other little spices. After I baked it and let it rest, I served it up in individual cocottes, sprinkled my favorite new Kraft brand Mexican Quesadilla Queso, popped it under the broiler and brought it to the table steaming hot. A little Mexican beer such as Pacifico and a fresh salad brought the whole thing together.

INGREDIENTS
4 bone in organic chicken breasts
1 can organic cream of mushroom soup
1 can organic cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 small can rotel
2 tbs velveeta cubes
1 package Mexican cheese blend
1/2 package Kraft Mexican Quesadilla Queso blend
12 corn tortillas
1 large onion, diced
4 whole garlic cloves
4 chopped garlic cloves
1 tbs butter and 1/2 tbs olive oil to sautee onion
1 poblano pepper, roasted in 350 oven 20 minutes, then diced
1 bay leaf
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs dried garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tbs paprika
2 tsp cumin, halved
Salt and pepper to taste

I cooked the chicken in the pressure cooker with a bay leaf, 4 cloves garlic, pinch of cayenne for 40 minutes until tender. You could cook it in a slow cooker or just used rotisserie chicken too.

I don't like soggy tortillas! So I first brushed them with a little olive oil and placed them in a 350 degree oven on a cookie sheet to crisp up- about 17 minutes. This really helps create a nice stable layer to hold up the casserole.  I put the poblano pepper in there too to roast about 30 minutes.

 

Once the chicken cooled, I manicured and shredded it. I cut the tortillas into quarters, sauteed the onion in the butter and olive oil for 10 minutes, added chopped garlic and sauteed 5 more minutes, diced the poblano pepper and got ready to mix it all together.

After the onions and garlic softened, I added the soups, velveeta, spices, rotel (Hatch brand), broth left over from cooking the chicken and mixed it all together until warmed through.

In a buttered casserole dish, I layered the tortillas, spooned the sauce mixture over them, placed another layer of tortillas, spooned remaining sauce, placed another tortilla layer, sprinkled packet of Mexican cheese blend and baked at 350 for 40 minutes until golden and bubbly.

I sprinkled some cilantro before cutting and adding MORE cheese. Sinful!

I let it cool for about 15 minutes, spooned it into individual ramekins, sprinkled with the Kraft Quesadilla Queso blend, broiled till bubbly and served. What's not to love about a double layer of cheese!!!???

Serves 10- freezes great.

Avgolemono-Greek Chicken Soup with Lemon & Egg

My husband took me to his family's steakhouse on one of our first dates and I ordered their famous "Quail Soup" which was really a traditional Greek avgolemono soup garnished with quail and red bell pepper for a "Texas Twist".  I could have devoured a gallon of the stuff! It is rich and creamy and has a bright lemon flavor and the perfect comfort dish for a chilly night.  I'm very fortunate that my mother in law showed me how to make the soup and it's really not hard at all if you are just patient and slow while tempering the eggs. You can use a homemade stock, or just a good quality kind like Pacific naturals or Imagine brand. The whole thing can be put together in about 25 minutes. I suggest adding the cornstarch as it does help stabilize the soup and makes reheating a snap (in a double boiler to prevent curdling- never boil the soup after adding the lemon/egg sauce).

INGREDIENTS
makes four hearty servings
49 oz chicken broth
1/2 cup Orzo or long grain white rice for a gluten free option
Juice of 3 lemons
1 dried bay leaf (my addition- makes it richer tasting)
4 eggs
1/2 tsp corn starch mixed into 1 tbs cold water
OPTIONAL: Shredded chicken and sauteed bell peppers and chopped sauteed onions could be added along with the lemon/egg sauce. Makes it very hearty and more like the restaurant's soup (or you could add quail meat too!)

Bring broth to boil and add orzo. Cook for about 9 minutes until orzo is cooked and then remove from heat.

Remove one cup of broth and allow it to cool a few minutes until lukewarm.

Meanwhile, in a bowl beat eggs and lemon juice until foamy.  Stirring constantly, slowly add the lukewarm broth to the egg mixture to temper them and keep them from curdling.

Then, VERY SLOWLY add the egg/broth mixture back into to the soup on medium low heat stirring constantly until soup thickens (This is when you add the cornstarch if you like).

Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh herbs such as pasley, dill, thyme or oregano. The francophile in me likes Tarragon (or would I be a belgophile since I'm half Belgian??) Tonight we did roasted bell pepper and fresh lemon thyme. Served with toasted pita and salad for the perfect weeknight dinner!