Chili Glazed Chicken Wings

I was looking for an easy bbq chicken wing recipe and I found it in my grilling magazine.  It was easy and really good and it went perfect with my Southwestern Potato Salad.

Chili Glazed Chicken Wings

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 lbs chicken drumettes or wings

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. chili sauce

1 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 tbsp. fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

For the marinade, in a small bowl, combine, oil, soy sauce, honey, chili sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, crushed pepper and salt and pepper.  Place chicken in a ziploc bag and pour marinade over it.  Seal bag, turn to coat chicken.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, turning bag occasionally.  Drain chicken and reserve marinade.

Grill on medium-low heat for about 40 minutes or until chicken is done and no longer pink basting with reserved marinade.  Discard any remaining marinade.

Enjoy!

Mesa Grill's Southwestern Potato Salad

I was looking for a side dish to go with my Chili Glazed Chicken Wings and I wanted a potato salad but not the regular ordinary potato salad as I have had that so many times and it is rather boring.  So I looked around and found Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill's Southwestern Potato Salad.  Bobby Flay is the owner of Mesa Grill New York which is a Southwestern restaurant here in New York that is on my "to try" list.  This potato salad will go perfect with my wings as it has all the great flavors of the American Southwest....Cilantro, Lime and chili powder. 

Mesa Grill's Southwestern Potato Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 pounds new potatoes
Kosher salt
1 cup prepared mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
Freshly ground black pepper
3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno, finely diced
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves

Directions

Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover by 1-inch with cold water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until fork tender, 12 to 15 minutes and drain well. Let cool slightly then slice into 1/4-inch thick pieces and add to a large serving bowl.

Stir together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour the mixture over the warm potatoes and mix gently until combined, mashing the potatoes slightly. Season again with salt and pepper, to taste, before serving.

Enjoy!

Spanish Rice and Beans

I am eventually going to be trying to make fusion recipes...Asian Fusion. Tonight I made some Asian dishes....I haven't posted them because I have posted them previously but I am posting a Spanish rice and bean recipe.  This is an easy dish that feeds many and is real good...so give it a try. I got it from Ingrid Hoffmann at the Food Channel.

Spanish Rice and Beans

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 tbsp  olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell peppers, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tsps. ground cumin
1 cups long-grain white rice
2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (I used a combo of pink beans and kidney beans...you can use whatever combination you have on hand)
1 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles drained
1 cups water
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Stir in the onions, peppers, garlic, bay leaves and cumin. Stir and cook for 8 minutes.
Stir in the rice, black beans, tomatoes, water, vinegar and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Curried Fish with Peppers

The original recipe called for Tilapia but I don't have any so I will be using Scrod.  You can basically use any firm white fish.  So let's imagine that you are heading over to Bangkok tonight with all the wonderful flavors and textures that Thai food is known for.

Curried Fish with Peppers

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

2 bell peppers (1 red and 1 green), sliced (I used all red)

1 tablespoon Fish Sauce, or salt to taste

1 tablespoon Red Curry Paste

1-13.5 oz can Coconut Milk

Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat oil in large skillet over a medium high heat. Add onions and peppers. Stir fry until tender-crisp.

Add Fish Sauce and Curry Paste to vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly, until Curry Paste is dissolved. Pour in Coconut Milk and bring to a boil.
Salt and pepper tilapia on both sides (to taste) and place in pan. Spoon vegetables and sauce on top of fish. Turn heat down to an active simmer. Cook 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Fish is done when it's opaque all the way through and flakes easily with a fork.
Serve immediately with lime and cilantro. This dish goes especially well with a side of Jasmine Rice or Rice Noodles.

Enjoy!

Mango Margarita

I love margaritas and I especially love mango flavored ones.  They are perfect for a summer day.  Make up a big batch and have your friends over for a Mexican Party. Ole!

Mango Margarita

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients

6 oz. Margaritaville Mango margarita mix or any other mango margarita mix

2+ oz. Tequila

Directions

Mix ingredients with 1.5 cups of ice and pour into a glass (with or without ice)

Garnish with lime and/or slice fruit, as desired.

Enjoy!

Italian Eggplant Salad

If you like eggplant, you are going to love this recipe.  I have been making this for several years now.  The amounts that I give are not exact as you will have to play around with it and taste it.  When I first made this recipe I used 3 cloves of garlic....and that was way too much so I cut it down to one.  Raw garlic is very strong so you only need a little bit.  Of course, if you absolutely love lots of garlic then by all means put it in.  Like I said, my amounts are just a guide.  This also makes a wonderful dip for crackers.

Italian Eggplant Salad

Makes a lot

Ingredients

6 eggplants
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil (today I used fresh)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Puncture eggplants with a fork, and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until soft, turning occasionally. Cool, then peel and mash.
Add the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, sugar, parsley, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Stir and taste to see if it needs more of any of the ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.


Enjoy!

Lemon, Garlic and Basil Slow Roasted Chicken

I had a chicken in the freezer that I wanted to use up....seems I have a lot of things I want to use up lately...LOL!!! I got this recipe from Pam at For the Love of Cooking  Another one of her great recipes.  The chicken was very moist and flavorful and my family loved it.

Lemon, Garlic and  Basil  Slow Roasted Chicken

Serves 5

Ingredients

5 lb  chicken
Juice of one lemon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 leaves of fresh basil, chopped (I used more cause I love basil)
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, sliced into large chunks
4-5 garlic cloves

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Clean chicken and pat dry. Mix the lemon juice (reserving the lemon halves), minced garlic, chopped basil and olive oil in a bowl then rub evenly over the entire bird. Carefully, lift the skin over the breasts and rub the mixture directly on the breast meat. Place onion and garlic inside the cavity along with some extra basil leaves and the used lemon halves. Sprinkle more salt and pepper on top of the chicken.
Place chicken in a roasting pan.Roast uncovered for 3 1/2 - 4 hours until the juices run clear. Baste after 2 hours, every half hour. I turned up the heat to 350 for the last 45 mins of cooking so the skin would crisp up.  Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!

Beef Stew

I had some stew meat in the freezer that I wanted to use up so I got this recipe from my friend Mary from Scotland.  Another great recipe that she gave me!!   Serve this with mashed potatoes....preferably homemade!

Beef Stew

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 lbs. stew meat cut into chunks (I used chuck)

1/4-1/2 cup flour

2 tsp. smoked paprika

3 carrots, sliced thin

1 large leek, sliced

2 shallots, minced

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 cup red wine

2 beef stock cubes

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large ziplock bag add the flour, pakrika, salt and pepper.  Add the meat to the bag and shake until coated.  Add oil and butter to a large skillet and saute carrots, leeks and shallots until softened, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the pan and put into a casserole dish.  Put coated beef into the skillet and cook until browned. Add beef to the vegetable mixture in the casserole dish, add stock cubes that were soaked in a small amount of boiling water to soften.  Add the wine, bay leaves and parsley.  Cover and cook for about 2 hours until beef is tender.  Serve with mashed potatoes.  

Enjoy!

Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes

I wanted something really easy tonight and sometimes I buy canned soup and make meals out of them.  This recipe comes from the Campbell's Soup company.  It was easy to make and very flavorful.  I served it over mashed potatoes. You can serve it over noodles or even rice.  Just be careful as it will splatter all over the stove while cooking.

Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 shallot finely chopped (if you don't have a shallot, use a small onion)

1 can (10 3/4 oz) Cambell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (regular or fat free) or any other type of canned Cream of Mushroom soup

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup thinly sliced sun dried tomatoes

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 shredded parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Heat 2 tbsp oil in skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook 10 mins or until well browned on both sides.  Remove chicken from the skillet.
Heat remaining oil in the skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots or onions and cook and stir 2 mins.  Stir soup, water, tomatoes, vinegar and basil in skillet.
Return chicken to skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook 5 mins or until chicken is cooked through.  Serve chicken and sauce over either mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.  Sprinkle with cheese and thinly sliced basil, if desired.


Enjoy!

Pork tenderloin with a Smoky Barbecue Marinade

I found this marinade recipe in my grilling magazine and it says it's for chicken but it can definitely be used for pork or even beef.  It's really quick and easy to do.

Pork tenderloin with a Smoky Barbecue Marinade

Makes  1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup ketchup

juice from 2 lemons

4 tbsp. cider vinegar

2 tbsp. dark brown sugar

2 tbsp. soy sauce

hot pepper sauce (optional)

Directions

Mix everything in a bowl and pour over the pork in a zip lock bag....marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, turning occasionally.  BBQ pork until no longer pink inside, turning once on the bbq.  Let meat rest for 10 mins under foil and then slice.  If you want to use the marinade on the side, make sure you boil it for 10 minutes on top of the stove first.

Enjoy!

Easy Sticky Buns

The other day I was watching the Food Network. (So what else is new...LOL!!)  I was watching the Barefoot Contessa, a show that I love cause I think Ina Garten is really great and I have made many of her recipes.  She was making easy sticky buns and I thought well I could do that.  They really were easy as I am NOT a baker.  I just changed the recipe around a bit as when I was reading the reviews on the food network, most everyone said to cut down the butter and turn down the temperature.  Actually you can even cut down the butter more than what I did.  Ina says to use 1 1/2 sticks, I used 1 stick but I think 3/4 of a stick would be plenty.

Easy Sticky Buns

Yields 12 sticky buns

Ingredients

1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
1 package (17.3-ounces/ 2-sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2-inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Be careful - they're hot! Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon) and cool completely.

Enjoy!

Cherry Coke Chicken Wings

I got this recipe from one of my grilling magazines and it looked really good so I wanted to try it.  I think from now on all I will be doing is grilling as the weather has been real hot for a while now.

Cherry Coke Chicken Wings

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 (12 oz) can Cherry Coke or other cherry cola

2 tbsp. chopped ginger

1/4 cup cherry preserves

24 chicken drummettes (not pictured)

salt and pepper to taste in the marinade

Directions

For the marinade in a small saucepan, combine the cola, ginger, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Biol gently, uncovered for 8-10 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1 cup.  Cool slightly.  Transfer 1/2 cup of the mixture to a small bowl, stir in preserves.  Cover and chill until needed.

Place chicken in a zip lock bag, pour the remaining marinade over the chicken. Seal bag and marinate at least 2 hours, preferably more.  Turning the bag occasionally....Drain chicken, discard the marinade.

Preheat grill.  Grill on medium heat for 45 minutes, or until no longer pink, turning once.  During the last 10 minutes of cooking brush with the remaining marinade.

**I made a separate batch as a dipping sauce but I put in a pinch of cornstarch to make it nice and thick.  When you are making a slurry you need to take about a teaspoon of cornstarch and add it to about 1/4 cup of water, mix it up and then add it to boiling liquid.  It must be boiling otherwise it won't thicken up.

Enjoy!