Tasty Jambalaya

This dish has all the spicy, carb, meaty goodness that I'm looking for in comfort food. And possibly the longest list of spices I've ever put into one dish.

I came to this deliciousness by searching ingredients that I had in my fridge that needed to be used. This is my favorite way of discovering new things to cook while being my thrifty Mennonite self.

I served the jambalaya on top of sautéed kale. The kale really helped balance all the flavors and heaviness out, especially because I made the jambalaya super spicy.

Here's the real recipe from Chow. My modifications are below.

INGREDIENTS
For the spice mix: (I leaned on the heavy side with all these spices)

• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
• Pinch celery salt

For the jambalaya:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
• A good glug of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 large yellow onions, medium dice
• 2 andouille sausages, medium dice
• 4 bacon slices, medium dice
• 3-4 medium peppers, multi-colored and multi-spiciness, medium dice
• 3-4 celery stalks, medium dice
• 1 jalapeño finely chopped
• 3-4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes (I used fresh tomatoes, and a larger quantity)
• 1 handful sun dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water til soft
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 medium scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the spice mix:
Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine; set aside.

For the jambalaya:
Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the lower third. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and set aside.


Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed, ovenproof, 7-quart pot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the chicken pieces in the pot and cook, stirring rarely, until browned all over, about 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside.


Add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the onions, scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions just begin to brown, about 6 minutes.


Add the sausage, bacon, and half of the reserved spice mix. Stir to coat everything with the spice mix and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally, until the meat is browned and the onions are very tender, about 10 minutes.


Add the bell peppers, celery, jalapeño, garlic, measured salt, and remaining spice mix. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally, until the bell peppers have softened, about 10 minutes.


Add the rice and toast a few minutes.


In a food processor, blend the fresh/canned tomatoes and sundried tomatoes in their soaking water until just slightly chunky but mostly smooth. Add to the pot.


Add the reserved chicken and any accumulated juices. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Add the stock or broth, and bay leaves, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, transfer to the oven, and bake until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes.


Remove the pot to a wire rack and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir to evenly combine the jambalaya, taste, and season with salt as needed. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve.

jamie oliver's chicken korma. yum.

serves 4-6 (it makes quite a lot, really)

for the curry paste (if you don't want to make your own, he suggests patak's):
2 cloves of garlic
thumb-sized piece of ginger root
1 1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. garam masala
1/2 t. sea salt
2 T. peanut oil
1 T. tomato paste
2 fresh green chilis (i used serrano)
3 T. unsweetened shredded coconut
2 T. almond flour (i used whole wheat b/c that's what i had)
small bunch of fresh cilantro

spices for toasting:
2 t. cumin seeds
1 t. coriander seeds

first peel the garlic and ginger. put a frying pan on a medium to high heat and add the spices for toasting to the dry pan. lightly toast them for a few minutes until golden brown and smelling delicious, then remove the pan from the heat. Add the toasted spices to a pestle and mortar and grind until fine, or put them in a food processor and whiz to a powder (i did the latter). Either way, when you've ground them whiz the toasted spices in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients until you have a smooth paste.

Now, the chicken korma itself:
1 3/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 medium onions
optional: 1 fresh green chile
thumb-sized piece of ginger root
small bunch of fresh cilantro
1 15oz. can of garbanzo beans
peanut or vegetable oil
pat of butter
1/2 c. korma paste (patak's or homemade)
1 14oz. can of coconut milk
small handful of sliced almonds (i didn't have these)
2 heaped T. of unsweetened shredded coconut
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
natural yogurt
lemon

To prepare:
cut chicken into approx. 1 inch pieces. peel, halve, and finely slice your onions. halve, seed, and finely slice the chile if you're using it. peel and finely chop the ginger. pick the cilantro leaves and finely chop the stalks. drain the garbanzo beans.

To make your curry:
put a large casserole-type pan (i used a large frying pan with high sides) on a high heat and add a couple of lugs of oil. add the onions, chile, ginger, and cilantro stalks with the butter. keep stirring it enough so it doesn't catch and burn but turns evenly golden. cook for around 10 minutes. add the curry paste, coconut milk, half your sliced almonds, the drained garbanzo beans, unsweetened shredded coconut, and sliced chicken breasts. half fill the empty can with water, pour it into the pan, and stir again. bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on. check the curry regularly to make sure it's not drying out, and add extra water if necessary. when the chicken is tender and cooked, taste and season with salt and pepper--please season carefully.

To serve your curry:
serve with rice. add a few spoonfuls of natural yogurt dolloped on top, and sprinkle over the rest of the sliced almonds. finish by scattering over the cilantro leaves, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Enjoy! I surely did.

Indian Peach and Tomato Chicken

Makes 4 to 6 servings

It may seem like an odd pairing, but the tangy tomato and lime juice, the sweet ripe peaches, the onions, and the hot green chile peppers all balance out, and the spices weave their own special magic in the dish. (The writer's gloss, not mine. I would say: damn tasty!)

6 to 8 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger
2 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled
1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed
6 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garam masala + 1/4 teaspoon for garnish
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) chicken, skinned and cut into serving pieces (discard back and wings)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.) In a food processor, process together the ginger, garlic, and green chile pepper until minced. Then add the peaches and tomato and process until pureed.

2.) Heat the oil in a large non-stick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onions until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, black pepper, and salt.

3.) Add the chicken, mix in the pureed peaches and tomato, and cook over high heat the first 5 to 7 minutes, then over medium-low heat until the chicken is tender and most of the juices evaporate and a thick sauce clings to the chicken.

4.) Add the lime juice and 1/4 cup cilantro during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with garam masala, and serve.

Zesty Grilled Chicken

Here's a basic chicken marinade that we've been enjoying lately. I usually let the chicken remain in the marinade at least 6 hours. While grilling the chicken, I boil the remaining marinade for seven minutes & spoon over the meat when it's finished as a sauce. We have enjoyed the chicken with & without the sauce.

6 T. White Vinegar

3 T. Canola Oil

2 T. Ketchup

2 t. Parsley

1 1/2 t. Garlic Salt

1/2 t. Paprika

1/4 Dried Oregano

1/8 t. Hot Pepper Sauce (I use Frank's/Tabasco)

1/8 t. Worcestershire Sauce

1 Bay Leaf

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Place chicken breasts in large, re-sealable plastic bag and pour marinade over chicken. Turn to coat. Refrigerate for 4-8 hours, turning occasionally. Grill chicken on medium heat for 6-8 minutes per side.

Moroccan Chicken Pot Pie

A friend of ours made this for us this weekend. It was SO good. We ate it for dinner one night and breakfast the next morning. I think the original recipe was from epicurious.com


Moroccan Chicken Pot Pie

1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup green olives, pitted, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup raisins
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 refrigerated or homemade pie crust (my friend used spelt flour-- yum!)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix chicken cubes with paprika, cumin, and cinnamon in large bowl to coat. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt and pepper. Cut lemon in half; remove seeds. Using small spoon, scoop out enough pulp and juice from between membranes to measure 2 tablespoons. Add to chicken mixture; stir to blend.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, olives, and raisins. Sauté until onion is almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add chicken mixture and stir 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over; stir 1 minute. Add broth and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Transfer filling to 9-inch-diameter deep-dish glass pie dish.

Place pie crust over dish and seal dough edges to rim of dish. Using small paring knife, cut several slits in pie crust. Bake pot pie until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 25 minutes.

Creamy White Chili

yes, it's still summer but come fall you should make it. someone asked me for this recipe yesterday and thought i'd share.

Creamy White Chili
Serves 7

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into ½” pieces
1 medium onion
1 ½ tsp. chopped fresh garlic
1 T. veg. oil
2 cans (15.5 oz) great northern beans, rinsed and drained (I use more beans and cook up dried beans if there is time)
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth (again homemade is better. i make it from rotisserie bones then freeze it in ice cubes so i have it on hand)
1 can (14.5 oz) chopped green chilies
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp. cayenne pepper (go on, give it a few more shakes)
1 cup sour cream
½ cup half & half

Saute chicken, onion and garlic in oil, until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilis and seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and half & half. Serve immeeejiately.

chicken peanut noodle salad

I made this last night for the fam, and even my toddler loved it. It's easy and tasty (you can dress this dish up or down, depending on your culinary experience). I found it great for a summer evening. This recipe was in the paper awhile ago. I've added my notes in parentheses....

Chicken Peanut Noodle Salad
start-to-finish: 30 minutes
serves 6-8

1 pound spiral pasta (I used whole wheat spaghetti)
1 c. frozen peas
1/2 c. chunky peanut butter (I used natural creamy PB)
1/3 c. lowfat sour cream
1-2 t. hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1 T. cider or white vinegar (I used cider)
2 T. fresh ginger (the dried stuff worked fine)
1/3 c. orange juice
salt and pepper, to taste
3 c. roughly chopped cooked and cooled chicken (about 1 pound - you could use a rotisserie too)
2 large carrots, diced
3 scallions, chopped

Boil pasta according to package directions. Just as the pasta finishes, cooking, add the peas and stir for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse pasta and peas under cold water til cool. Let stand in the colander to fully drain.

Meanwhile, in a blender or with a whisk, combine peanut butter, sour cream, hot sauce, vinegar, ginger, and orange juice. Blend til smooth. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, add more orange juice or water til it is pourable (doesn't need to be runny).

In a large bowl, combine the chicken and carrots. Add peas and pasta; toss. Slowly add the peanut sauce, tossing to combine. Top the salad with scallions. (You could also add cilantro or maybe thai basil?, chopped peanuts or red pepper flakes) Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Tortilla Soup

I just made the best tortilla soup last night. Coule be one of my favorite soup recipes ever. Thankfully I just moved into a neighborhood where we have a mexican grocery right down the street so Caleb walked down for the necessary ingredients. But there are easy substitution options if you don't have stuff like epazote or crema.

This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated. You have to be a member to get their recipes online but I signed up for their free email newsletters that comes every week. free recipes! Check out their website

here's their recipe.

Despite its somewhat lengthy ingredient list, this recipe is very easy to prepare. If you desire a soup with mild spiciness, trim the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño (or omit the jalapeño altogether) and use the minimum amount of chipotle in adobo sauce (1 teaspoon, pureed with the tomatoes in step 3). Our preferred brand of low-sodium chicken broth is Swanson's Natural Goodness. If advance preparation suits you, the soup can be completed short of adding the shredded chicken to the pot at the end of step 3. Return the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat before proceeding. The tortilla strips and the garnishes are best prepared the day of serving.

INGREDIENTS

Tortilla Strips:
8 corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Table salt

Soup:
2 split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds) or 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 1/4 pounds), skin removed and well trimmed of excess fat. we actually used a rotisserie chicken. EASY. i boiled it in the broth for about 15 min for flavor, then deboned it and saved the carcass for broth
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 very large white onion (about 1 pound), trimmed of root end, quartered, and peeled
4 medium cloves garlic , peeled
2 sprigs epazote, fresh, or 8 to 10 sprigs fresh cilantro plus 1 sprig fresh oregano. we used dried epazote from a package. first time! i think it contributed to the authentic flavor.
Table salt
2 medium tomatoes, cored and quartered
1/2 medium jalapeño chile. i used a whole one, but cut out the seeds
1 chipotle chile en adobo , plus up to 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Garnishes
1 lime , cut into wedges
1 Hass avocado, diced fine
8 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled, or Monterey Jack cheese, diced fine
fresh cilantro leaves
minced jalapeno pepper
Mexican crema or sour cream

1. FOR THE TORTILLA STRIPS: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread tortilla strips on rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with oil and toss until evenly coated. Bake until strips are deep golden brown and crisped, about 14 minutes, rotating pan and shaking strips (to redistribute) halfway through baking time. Season strips lightly with salt; transfer to plate lined with several layers paper towels.

2. FOR THE SOUP: While tortilla strips bake, bring chicken, broth, 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, epazote, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil over medium-high heat in large saucepan; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer; discard solids in strainer. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; discard bones.

3. Puree tomatoes, 2 remaining onion quarters, 2 remaining garlic cloves, jalapeño, chipotle chile, and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce in food processor until smooth. Heat oil in Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering; add tomato/onion puree and 1/8 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture has darkened in color, about 10 minutes. Stir strained broth into tomato mixture, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, about 15 minutes. Taste soup; if desired, add up to 2 teaspoons additional adobo sauce. Add shredded chicken and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. To serve, place portions of tortilla strips in bottom of individual bowls and ladle soup into bowls; pass garnishes separately.

Per Serving:
Cal 250; Fat 7 g; Sat fat 1 g; Chol 45 mg; Carb 26 g; Protein 21 g; Fiber 4 g; Sodium 460 mg

Chicken with Leeks

I like cooking with wine because it is a good excuse to drink it while preparing dinner. Here's a very quick and easy meal:

1 leek, discard tough green part and slice the rest into 1/4 inch pieces and separate them
1ish lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
salt and pepper
2 T. olive oil
1 c. dry white wine

Heat large skillet over med-high heat. Season chicken with s/p generously. Add oil and chicken and brown (3-4 minutes per side) Transfer to plate. Add a bit more oil and add leeks. Saute 5 minutes until soft. Add wine and nest chicken in pan. Reduce heat and simmer 5-7 minutes more. Serve with a potato dish or just crusty bread.