Spinach Pesto Pappardelle

Spinach Pesto Pappardelle

I'd never made spinach pesto before but with half a large bag desperately in need of being put to good use I decided to give it a try for lunch. The kids in particular loved it and Olivia even had the pasta for lunch again the next day.

I was a little worried about using the spinach completely fresh as you would use basil in pesto, mainly because I wanted to preserve the color, so I blanched it and patted it dry between layers of paper towels. That method worked like a charm and the color was just as bright and inviting in the leftover refrigerated pesto even 2 days later.

This recipe is a great way to get the kids to eat their spinach and makes for a great side dish as well as a delicious lunch.

• about 4 cups baby spinach leaves (1 cup wilted spinach)

Have a large bowl of ice water standing by. Drop the spinach into boiling water for only about 30 seconds. Drain immediately and plunge the spinach into the ice water. Drain and lay the spinach out on a few layers of paper towels and pat them dry before adding them to a blender or food processor along with:

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• pinch black pepper
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 cloves finely minced garlic

I toast the pine nuts in the oven on a cookie sheet for a few minutes but you can toss them in a non stick saute pan for a couple of minutes until they begin to brown a little. Either way, watch them carefully, they can burn quickly. Process on medium speed until the spinach and other ingredients begin to form a paste, then reduce the speed to low and begin slowly drizzling in:

• 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

If you want to use the pesto as a dip you can cut back on the amount of olive oil to make it thicker.

Makes enough pesto to coat about 1/2 pound dry pasta when cooked, like pappardelle; enough for 4 servings.

Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Spinach Pesto

Fluffy Almond Butter

You should always soak your nuts before eating them. (For more information as to why feel free to read this article.) Basically, in nature nuts are shelled and inside that shell is a small amount of moisture. So if we were all really cave-people, eating nuts straight off of the trees, the nuts would be, essentially, pre-soaked. Also, it allows vital nutrients to be more easily absorbed by our bodies.

This recipe for almond butter uses soaked nuts and a small amount of water. The taste is much more mild than "regular" almond butter which is made of nothing but dried almonds. Perfect for lighter snacks because the texture is fluffier and more airy.

Homemade almond butter is easy with a high performance blender like Vitamix. Really, homemade nut butters of any kind are, as is almond and coconut milk.

Ingredients:

16 ounces plain, raw almonds
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Completely cover nuts in water and soak overnight or at least 8 hours, covered with a light kitchen towel.
Drain and thoroughly rinse the nuts.
Put the nuts and 1/4 cup of water in a Vitamix and add salt.
Blend on high for about 5 minutes, pressing mixture into the blades with the tamper.

Yes, it will get very hot. It's supposed to and it is fine.
That's it. Now you have fluffy almond butter.
Refrigerate after blending.

30 minute Easy Chicken and Chickpea Curry

30 minute Easy Chicken and Chickpea Curry

This recipe was the result of a bit of a challenge that I set for myself based upon an email I got from a reader asking if I had a really quick chicken curry recipe that didn't use a lot of hard to find spices, was only mildly spicy and low in fat. Normally my favorite curries take a while to simmer so the quick requirement was my biggest concern but I decided to give it a whirl anyway.

There are a couple of Asian markets that I go to in my neighborhood for curry spices but for this one I decided to only use spices that were easily found in the spice aisle at the supermarket. This one only has 4 spices and probably the least common of those is the Indian spice blend, garam masala but I checked the last 4 supermarkets I visited and each one of them had it in the spice display so it's now pretty commonly found.


Long story short, even with only a few ingredients and spices, it was terrific. Spouse is not one for hot curries so she was particularly pleased with this one; it's her new favorite. The kids scarfed theirs down too and were even happy to have the leftovers the next day. I would absolutely recommend making a double batch and plan for leftovers of this tasty, economical meal.

Serves 4

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, diced
• salt and pepper to season
• 3 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onion diced fine
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp yellow curry powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup drained low fat yogurt (or low fat Greek yogurt)
• 2 cups canned chick peas, drained and rinsed 

Heat the peanut oil in a large heavy bottomed dutch oven over medium high heat,  Brown the chicken pieces for a few minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and add the onions and garlic. Cook them for a few minutes until they soften then add the turmeric, yellow curry powder, garam masala and cardamom.Stir them well into the onions and garlic and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly.

Return the browned chicken to the pot along with the fresh ginger and and chicken stock. Cover and bring to a slow simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the yogurt and chickpeas and simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Serve over plain basmati rice.

30 minute Easy Chicken and Chickpea Curry

Paleo Turkey Stir Fry (paleo, scd)

One of the advantages of living in a country full of lazy people is that some things are far easier for those of us who normally do not take shortcuts. For example, the steamed vegetables in a bag are becoming ever more popular but the idea of steaming vegetables in a plastic bag is very not-Paleo. However, just because food is packaged and marketed a specific way does not mean that it has to be used as the manufacture intended. I'm sure you've seen pre-packaged items in the store like vegetable stir fry mix. Read the ingredients to make sure there aren't any unnecessary additives, just plain, unadulterated veggies that happen to be pre-cut. Is everything I buy always organic? No. Do I wish it was? Yes. But we can't have everything in life. If you are looking for a quick and easy Paleo meal try this timesaver.

 

Ingredients:

1 package of stir fry veggie mix (12 ounces broccoli, cabbage, carrots, snow peas)

1 pound 99% lean ground turkey

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp pepper

salt, to taste

Directions: 

Heat coconut oil in large frying pan over medium high heat.

Add ground turkey. 

Break into pieces with a spatula, stirring occasionally.

When turkey is about half way cooked through, add stir fry vegetables and spices.

Cover and reduce heat to medium.

Stir occasionally and continue to cook for about ten to fifteen minutes, until veggies are tender-crisp and turkey is cooked thoroughly.

Enjoy.

How to Make Inexpensive No Fuss Chicken or Beef Stock in the Oven

How to Make Inexpensive No Fuss Chicken or Beef Stock in the Oven

I have often talked about making homemade stock over the years here on Rock Recipes. I sometimes refer to myself as a collector of bones because it sounds humorously macabre but the truth is, saving bones from trimming chicken and beef is a great way to make the best, richest flavored stock for soups, stews, gravies and sauces. Supermarket stock is great in a pinch but nothing beats homemade where you can control the amount of salt and seasoning to suit your own taste and purpose.

Of course you can always ask your butcher for bones but I also collect bones for stock in several ways. I often buy whole chickens and break them down myself when I need chicken parts. I very often buy bone-in chicken pieces and de-bone them myself as well, especially when they are on sale. When buying beef for a soup or stew for example, I will buy cheaper, bone-in cuts like blade roast and trim and cut the beef pieces myself to save the bones for later. Currently, because of a recent great sale at the supermarket, there are a bunch of t-bone steak bones in my freezer waiting to be made into stock. I cut the strip loin steaks off the larger side and the beef tenderloin off the smaller side and freeze the bones. I often freeze the tenderloin fillets for the weekend because it's my favorite cut to use for steak and eggs at brunch.

Bones from carving a bone-in roast or from a roast chicken carcass also make their way into my stocks. I treat them exactly the same as I would uncooked bones, very often combining the two at the same time; nothing gets wasted around here. There are always a couple of large Ziploc bags in my freezer to which new bones get added as they are collected. A large Ziploc bag of bones will yield 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of stock in my experience.

My favorite way to make stock is in the oven, most often when something else, like a pot roast, braised chicken or baked beans is being cooked at the same time. This is more economical, saves energy and except for the cost of a couple of veggies, results in delicious stock for practically no cost or extra time dedicated to making it. It's a really efficient way to make stock with practically no extra effort.

I always roast off the bones with the vegetables I'm adding to caramelize them for better flavor and color. You will always have better tasting stock this way. The roasting, along with the slow even simmer in the oven also makes for a more clear broth. It is important to very lightly season the bones before roasting. Use only a fraction of the salt and pepper you would normally use. You want only enough to bring out the meat flavor while roasting; remember the end use of the stock will see extra seasoning and very often the reducing of its volume in many recipes so you don't want to further concentrate the salt content when using the stock in your cooking. Many people I know make their stock in a slow cooker, which is a great idea too but I would still roast off the bones first to ensure the best flavor and color.

Especially when making chicken stock, a tip I learned years ago from a saucier who worked in a fancy hotel kitchen, was to leave the onion skins on during the cooking time. The skins give a natural light amber color to the broth as it cooks and that always looks much more appealing than cloudy, pale, anemic looking stock.

So go ahead, become a collector of bones yourself and get into the routine of making your own stock when making slow cooked meals in the oven. Once you get into this low effort method, you'll wonder why you never did before.

Makes about 2 quarts/liters

• 2 -3 lbs bones and meat trimmings
• 2 carrots, cut in large chunks
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 large onion, cut in large chunks
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a knife blade
• salt and pepper to very lightly season
• water

Toss together all the ingredients in a small covered roasting pan or in a heavy covered dutch oven. Cover and roast at 350 degrees F for about an hour. Pour about 10 cups water (2 1/2 liters) over the roasted bones. cover and return to the oven for about 2 hours. Check it a couple of times. You may have to add additional water during this time to ensure the bones stay covered.

Use a fine strainer to strain the stock off the bones. Skim the fat off the surface. You can chill the stock overnight for easy removal of all the fat if you like. Freeze in 16 ounce airtight plastic containers.

How to Make Inexpensive No Fuss Chicken or Beef Stock in the Oven

Drunken Berry Shortcakes

Drunken Berry Shortcakes

It may be the dead of winter here in the far northeast but this dessert was a ray of summer sunshine despite the bleak temperatures outside. A bottle of good port was the inspiration for this recipe, its flavor reminded me of dark cherries and blackberries and I thought it would be a great addition to a trifle or some other luscious dessert. With not enough time to put together a complicated trifle, I opted instead for quick and simple. I soaked the berries in the port for only a couple of hours before spooning them onto freshly baked drop biscuits with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream. The berries were so delicious after only that short soak but when I tasted the leftovers the next day they were even better, so if you have the time try soaking the berries overnight.

In a glass bowl, toss together:

• 1 1/2 cups sliced of quartered strawberries
• 1 1/2 cups blackberries
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup port wine

Cover with plastic wrap and eave to soak in the fridge for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Give the berries an occasional toss every hour or so.

I use rimmed plates as shown in the photo or very shallow bowls to serve the shortcakes, so as to contain the port and berry jucies. When serving I like to drain the port off of the berries and pour a little of it on the plate or in the bowl, for a pretty presentation. I thin split the biscuits in half horizontally, spoon on a half cup of berries per serving and top with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream before topping with the second half of the biscuit.

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits 

This recipe makes about 6 large biscuits.

I start these in my food processor because it is so fast but they can be made just as easily in a large bowl by cutting the butter in with a pastry blender or even 2 knifes held between the fingers.

In a food processor, combine:

• 1 cup flour
• 3 tbsp sugar cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt

Cut in:

• 1/4 cup very cold butter, cubed

Pulse process until this mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Mix together:

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 ounces buttermilk

Pour this over the surface of the dry mixture. Toss all together gently with a rubber spatula, only enough to form a dough ball.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto a parchment lined baking pan.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 - 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Baking time will vary depending on the size of your biscuits.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Whip together to soft peaks.

Drunken Berry Shortcakes

Steak and Eggs Benedict with Brown Butter Sriracha Hollandaise Sauce

Steak and Eggs Benedict with Brown Butter Sriracha Hollandaise Sauce

I have to confess that this recipe was made just for me. My love of brunch has been well established here on Rock Recipes and this one combines some of my very favorite ingredients. I am an absolute steak addict, so much so that while many people say they couldn't be vegetarian because they couldn't live without bacon, I would equally miss a juicy, medium rare grilled steak. Like many people I know who enjoy breakfast for dinner, steak and eggs tops my list on those occasions; add to that our family's favorite buttermilk biscuits plus rich, creamy, brown butter Hollandaise sauce with a hit of sweet heat from sriracha sauce and this brunch is a complete brunch home run.

I used my recent recipe for Coffee Chipotle Rubbed Grilled Steak  in this particular version which was really delicious but you can use any grilled, sliced steak. I'd recommend using 3 to 4 ounces per person. I love poached eggs but Spouse doesn't so she can attest that this recipe is just as delicious with scrambled eggs instead.

You can of course use toasted English muffins as the base of this brunch idea  but if you have an extra half hour, you can find our easy to make flaky buttermilk biscuit recipe here.

Brown Butter Sriracha Hollandaise Sauce

• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tsp chopped lemon zest
• 1/2 cup hot brown butter
• 1 tbsp sriracha sauce

To brown butter just melt it in a small saucepan over medium heat and watch it until the color turns light golden brown. Pour it off immediately into a heat proof measuring cup, leaving the sediment behind.
 
In a blender combine the egg yolks, mustard and lemon zest and juice for only a few seconds. With the blender on medium speed, slowly pour in the hot butter in a thin stream. The sauce should thicken quite quickly. Pour into a bowl and keep the bowl warm in a warm water bath while preparing the steak and eggs.

Coffee Chipotle Rubbed Grilled Steak

Coffee Chipotle Rubbed Grilled Steak

I first sampled a version of this flavorful steak at a restaurant quite a few years ago when coffee rubbed steaks were a bit of a rage. I loved the earthiness of the coffee with the smoky spices; it is a delicious complement to the flavor of a good quality steak. I've tweaked my version of the recipe a few times and now make it with chipotle powder as the main spicy element rather than the chili power in my original version because I like the smoky flavor so much but you could easily use the chili powder if you like a bit milder spice.

Makes sufficient dry rub for 4  twelve ounce striploin steaks.

Mix together until well blended:

• 3 tsp very finely ground coffee (I grind whole beans to a very fine powder)
• 1 tsp granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper 
• 1 tsp ground coriander seed
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp chipotle powder (more or less to taste, depending on how spicy you like it)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp powdered ginger

Rub each of the steaks on all sides with about

• 1 tsp olive oil

Sprinkle both sides of the steak and the edges with the coffee and spice rub. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or even overnight. Before you are ready to grill the steaks take them out of the fridge to warm up for at least a half hour.

I used an oiled cast iron grill pan to cook this steak but a lightly oiled cast iron skillet also works well if you are not using the back yard grill.

Grill over high heat until your desired internal temperature is reached. I like medium rare at about 135 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Tent the steaks loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax Cupcakes

 

Do you have March 2nd marked on your calendar?

It's almost time to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss,

the beloved author of wonderful, wacky children's books.

I have made Green Eggs & Ham Cupcakes for his birthday,

 because my children adore that book and have it memorized.

This year, I decided to make an edible version of one of my favorite Seuss characters...

The Lorax Cupcakes!

He speaks for the trees, you know.

What You Will Need:

A batch of cupcakes

Orange frosting

Yellow candy melts

Piping bag fitted with small round tip (Wilton #3)

Candy eyes

Orange Sixlets, M&M's or Skittles

  
To download my Lorax mustache template below, click on the image to open it. 

Then right click on the image and select "Save Image As".
Print the template and tape it to the back of a cookie sheet.
Tape a piece of wax paper on top of the template.

Next, melt the yellow candy melts according to package directions.

Fill a piping bag with the candy melts.

  Trace over the eyebrow and mustache outlines, piping lines to look like hair.

When they have hardened, carefully peel them off the wax paper.

Arrange the eyebrows, candy eyes and mustache on a frosted cupcake.

Put a dot of frosting on the back of your orange candy and make a nose.

Enjoy!

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not.”
― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

 Check out my "Dr. Seuss Treats" Pinterest board for more fun ideas!

And my Green Eggs & Ham Cupcakes...

 I share my recipes and tutorials at these fun link parties.
 

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Is removing the skin and bones yourself really cheaper?

Find the links to these chicken thigh recipes and more below.

I've stood there a hundred times I'm sure; halted in my tracks, standing in front of the supermarket chicken display, staring at chicken thighs wondering whether it's best to buy the boneless skinless variety or buy the parts on the bone and do the work myself. The question of which is more economical has always caused me to hesitate and have that internal debate. In my cooking, I use chicken thighs as much as I do breasts. I actually prefer their richer flavor and much better ability to be slowly braised in stews, curries or for pulled chicken so that debate naturally happens quite frequently. With the boneless skinless variety most often being at least twice the price, is it worth the extra cash? Convenience aside, the real question in terms of value though, has to be: How much of that chicken thigh is actually skin, bone and fat and how much is usable meat? I set out to find the answer.

I purchased 3 pounds (1.36 kg) of untrimmed bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and broke them down myself. Having probably bought a ton of the things over the years, I would have to say that this package was pretty typical in terms of lack of trimming. I find that, in supermarkets particularly, there is little to no attempt to trim any excess skin or fat from chicken thighs when packaged. Some markets even appear to hide as much unnecessary excess skin and fat as possible by folding it under the thigh when packaging but thankfully that was not the case with the thighs that I worked with on this occasion. I'd say they were pretty typical but I point out that it is entirely possible based on my experience, that the skin and fat content in some packaged chicken thighs could conceivably be even higher than those used here. I removed bones, all the skin and as much as the visible fat as I could from these chicken thighs for the purposes of this comparison. I should note that part of the backbone was still attached to the chicken thigh joints in those I used.

On to the results. Here's the breakdown:

Starting weight            3 pounds (1.36 kg)
Usable meat                 1 pound 3.6 ounces (0.56 kg)
Bones                           14.6 ounces (0.41 kg)
Skin and trimmed fat   13.8 ounces (0.39 kg)

So that means that of the starting weight of the chicken:

• 41% was usable meat
• 30% was bone
• 29% was skin and trimmed fat

My conclusion is that the numbers support buying the boneless skinless chicken thighs. For example if you needed to buy 1 pound or kg of boneless, skinless chicken thighs you would need 2 1/2 times that amount of thighs that have not been deboned and skinned.



I know that some supermarkets and big box stores do remove the backbone portion of the bone when packaging but this does not affect the usable meat portion. You would still be better off buying the boneless skinless thighs...plus you save all the time and trouble. Just let the butcher do it.

My new rule of thumb is that if the boneless skinless thighs are 2 to 2 1/2 times the cost, I will choose to but them from now on...now, what about chicken breasts? Stay tuned.

Now, how about some recipe suggestions for those chicken thighs. Here are a few of my favorites:

Quick & Easy Butter Chicken 

Low Fat Tomato Tandoori Chicken Curry

Apple Braised Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Pink Peppercorn Pickled Red Onions

Tomato Fennel Braised Chicken Thighs

Easy Chicken Korma

Onion and Fennel Braised Chicken with Brown Butter and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

 

Banana Nutella Ganache Cupcakes

Banana Nutella Ganache Cupcakes

What a great way to beat the mid week blues...and a great way to use those speckled bananas o the counter top too. Great for after school snacks or to pack in lunchboxes, these moist cupcakes get dipped in a rich, chocolatey Nutella ganache glaze to finish them off to pretty perfection.

Makes about 18 cupcakes

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, beaten 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 medium bananas. mashed
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin pans well or use paper liners if you prefer.

Beat sugar and oil in a bowl. Add eggs, vanilla and mashed banana.

Sift together dry ingredients and fold into banana mixture alternately with orange juice. 

Spoon the batter into the cupcake pans, filling them about 2/3 full. Bake for 15- 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before dipping the tops of the cupcakes into the Nutella Ganache Glaze.

Nutella Ganache Glaze 

In a double boiler over medium low heat, melt together:

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup whipping cream

When smooth, remove from the heat. You do not want to overheat the chocolate.

Using an electric mixer, blend in:

• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 2 -3 tbsp milk

You may need to add a little more milk if your glaze seems too thick. Transfer the glaze into a small narrow bowl. This makes it easier to dip the cupcakes. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the glaze, giving them a 180 degree twist to create the swirl on top before pulling them out of the ganache. Allow the ganache to set for an hour or so before serving. Store in an airtight plastic container.

Banana Nutella Ganache Cupcakes

Warm Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa SaladWarm Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa Salad

Warm Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa Salad

Here's an invention of Spouse's that was made to use up some already cooked quinoa in the fridge. She added ginger for warmth and lemon for brightness to the quickly stir-fried peppers and onions and served it over sweet roasted spaghetti squash. This makes a terrific healthy lunch or I'd even serve it as a side dish with lean grilled chicken, pork or fish.

Serves 4
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• salt and pepper to season
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds and fibers from the center. Season with salt and pepper and brush the inside surfaces with the olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes or intil fork tender. Use a fork to scrape out the cooked "spaghetti" stings of squash.

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water (or chicken stock)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Slowly simmer the quinoa in the salted water (or chicken stock for about 20 minutes until fully cooked. Quinoa should be cooked in a similar way as rice. I always turn the heat off for the last 5 minutes, cover and let sit, then fluff with a fork at the end.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp five spice powder
• salt and pepper to season
• zest and juice of one lemon

Heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic and red onion until they begin to soften. Quickly add the peppers and stir fry for one minute before adding the ginger, five spice powder, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Stir fry for only a few minutes before serving over the roasted spaghetti squash. Top with green onions and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if you like.

Warm Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa Salad

Paleo Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Oh, Snack Packs- I remember how you delighted all the kids who found you at the bottom of their lunch pails. Due to the fact that the sugar and artificial ingredients in you, I believe, cause autoimmune disorders, I refuse to indulge in you anymore. Thankfully creative minds find a way, thus this incredibly easy and tasty Paleo pudding recipe came to fruition.
This is quite possibly one of the easiest to make Paleo desserts that exist.

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado
2 Tbsp cacao powder
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
pinch of salt (approx. 1/16 tsp)

Combine all of the above ingredients together in a blender. Any blender will do the job, but there may be some avocado chunks left by a conventional blender. For smoothest results use a high power one like Vitamix.

Easily doubled/tripled based on how many ripe avocados you have.
(We all know that avocados have a ten minute time window between when they go from hard and inedible to way too smooshy.)

Enjoy.

Onion and Fennel Braised Chicken with Brown Butter and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Onion and Fennel Braised Chicken with Brown Butter and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Slow cooked Sundays are pretty common around here, especially on days like today when a winter storm rages outside. There's nothing better than weathering out the storm on a relaxed afternoon while supper slowly cooks away in the oven, practically unattended. A pot roast or pulled pork are two of our family favorites but slow braised chicken is also a delicious choice.

Sweet onions are best for this dish because the higher natural sugar content lets them slowly soften and caramelize along with the aromatic anise-like flavor of the fennel. Chicken legs and thighs actually work best in this very simple recipe because they don't dry out in the long cooking time but if you are going to use chicken breasts, like in the photo, I recommend starting to braise the onions and fennel first for at least an hour before adding the browned bone-in chicken breasts for the last hour or so.

We often roast garlic to add to our mashed potatoes and on this occasion we also browned the butter that we added to them for an outstandingly delicious version of that side dish classic. Topped with the braised onions and fennel and the tender chicken, it really hits the spot for a cold weather comfort food meal.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Serves 4 - 6

• 2 - 3 pounds of chicken thighs, well trimmed of excess fat and skin
• salt and pepper to season the chicken
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat and brown the chicken thighs on both sides. Remove the chicken and set aside.

To the skillet add:

• 3 cloves roughly chopped garlic
• 2 large white sweet onions, thinly sliced (Vidalia onions are a good choice)
• 1/2 large fennel head, thinly sliced

Cook the onions, fennel and garlic for a few minutes until they begin to soften, then transfer them to a  covered dutch oven or medium sized roasting pan. To the pan add:

• 1/2 cup white wine (or chicken stock)
• 4 springs fresh thyme (or 1 1/2 tbsp dry thyme)
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

Toss together well, cover and cook in the oven for about 3 hours or until the onions and fennel have broken down completely and start to turn brown and the chicken thighs are fall apart tender. Serve the chicken with the braised onion and fennel over Brown Butter and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

Brown Butter and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Roast the garlic for this recipe in the last hour that the chicken is in the oven.

• 1/2 head garlic

Cut the half head of unpeeled garlic in half and place on a square of aluminum foil, cut side up. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle on a little olive oil. Bring all sides of the aluminum foil to the center and pinch together to seal. Place in the oven with the chicken for 45-60 minutes until fully softened and cooked.

• 2 1/2 pounds of potatoes

Peel the potatoes and boil slowly in salted water until fully cooked.

To a small saucepan add:

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup butter (only real butter works here)

Melt over medium heat and continue to cook until all the water steams off the butter and the leftover milk solids in the butter start to go brown. At this point the butter begins to smell like caramel.

Mash the potatoes together until smooth with the roasted garlic and brown butter as well as a pinch of pepper to season. You can also add a little cream if you like for extra richness.

Egg Custard Pie

Egg Custard Pie

I love British cooking shows and none more than the baking shows which have always been my favorite, probably because I have been baking from a very early age. I have made a few versions of baked custard tarts and pies myself over the years, including my now famous and very easy Sour Cream Flan.

I saw this pie being baked on a competition show recently and knew I had to try a version of it myself. To me, it does have a bit of a Christmasy vibe because with all the cream, eggs and nutmeg included it is very reminiscent of eggnog. I'm actually keeping this one in mind for Christmas dinner next year, maybe served with a cranberry and clementine compote.

Pastry

This pastry recipe is sufficient for 2 pie shells but the second half of the pastry is easily formed into a flat round, wrapped tightly in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and frozen for several weeks until you need it.

• 2 ¼ cups flour
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup butter (Very cold and cut in small cubes)
• 4-6 tbsp ice water + 1 tsp white vinegar

Pulse the cold butter into the flour, sugar and salt using a food processor or pastry cutter until the butter is reduced to pea sized pieces. Remove to a large bowl. Sprinkle the water and vinegar over the surface and toss with a fork until the water is just incorporated into the dough. Do not over work the dough; handle it only enough so that the dough stays together. 

Separate the dough into 2 balls and wrap in plastic. Place in the fridge to chill well. You can freeze one for another time. Roll out into a 12 inch round and place into a 9 inch deep dish pie plate or tart pan being careful not to stretch the dough or it will shrink during baking. Trim the excess pastry from the edges and chill the pan for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lay a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil over the pastry in the pan and fill the pan with baking weights. If you don't have baking weights, dry kidney beans or rice will do in a pinch; anything that will weigh down the bottom pastry so that it doesn't puff up. Yo can reuse dry beans many time for blind baking so be sure to save them for that purpose.

Blind bake the pastry using baking weights for about 15 minutes, remove the baking weights and bake for another 10-15 minutes to crisp the bottom of the pie shell. Remove from oven while you prepare the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Filling:

In a small saucepan over low heat add:

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• pinch salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• the seed paste scraped from the onside of a small vanilla bean + the remaining vanilla pod

You want to heat this very slowly to almost boiling so the full flavor of the vanilla bean gets infused into the cream and milk. When heated remove the vanilla bean and set aside for a couple of minutes. (NOTE: In a pinch, 4 tsp of pure vanilla extract can be substituted for the vanilla bean.)

Whip together very well:

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

Slowly whisk in the hot milk a little at a time; too fast and you'll scramble the eggs. Remove from heat and pass the cream and egg mixture through a sieve into a large heat proof measuring cup or jug.

Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Place the blind baked pie shell in its pan on a baking sheet. Pour in the cream and egg mixture until it has almost reached the top of the shell. Finely grate or sprinkle on a dusting of

• freshly grated nutmeg

Place the baking sheet in the oven. If you have a little more cream mixture to bring the level to the top of the crust, you can carefully pour that into the pan when it is in the oven to avoid spillage. It's perfectly okay if you have a little of the filling mixture left over, pan sizes do vary.

Bake for 60 -70 minutes. The top should be pale golden brown and the center swill still juggle a little at the center.

Remove from the oven and let cool to almost room temperature before transferring to the fridge to cool and set completely. This will take several hours or overnight. Serve with fresh berries or seasonal fruit salad.

Paleo Dark Chocolate Dip

Is there anything that's not better when it's dipped in chocolate?

Think about it....

The correct answer is no.

Here's a Paleo friendly dark chocolate dip recipe that can be used to cover (*ahem*) a variety of things. For instance, today is close to a day in the US dedicated to love and all that romanticism and mushy stuff, so a lot of people are planning on roses and chocolate covered strawberries. This recipe makes enough dip for about 1.5 pints of strawberries. But feel free to use it for other things as well.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil, softened but not completely liquid
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp honey

Directions:

Combine above ingredients well.

Dip fruit of choice in chocolate and place on parchment paper. (note: put the parchment paper on a baking sheet of some sort before arranging the food on it, this is so you will easily be able to move it.)

Place in refrigerator for at least six hours or overnight, until dip hardens.

Coconut oil will melt in the heat...just a heads up.

Til dia Murgir manxo...( Chicken in black sesame seed gravy)

Ingredients:

• 500 grms Chicken 

• 3 tbsp Til (Black Sesame Seeds-Paste)

• 1 Large Onion (finally chopped)

• 1 tsp Ginger paste

• 1 tbsp garlic paste

• 1-2 Green Chilies 

• 1 tsp Cumin Powder

• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

• 3-4 tsp mustard oil

• Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat mustard oil in a pan and add onion, green chilies, garlic and ginger paste. Cook till it turns brown.

• Now time to add chicken pieces, cumin powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook till it is half done.

• Add the sesame seed paste and 1 cup of hot water. Cover and cook it till the gravy turn thick.

Homemade Chocolate Caramels {Vegan Option}

February is National Chocolate Lovers Month!  With Valentine's Day coming up, why not indulge and enjoy some delicious chocolate?  

These Homemade Chocolate Caramels are sweet, delectable and oh so good!  They remind me of the See's candy that I grew up eating.  

The best part is they're so easy to make and only have 3 ingredients.  Make up a batch in time for Valentine's Day {or any day} and share some with those you love.

Homemade Chocolate Caramels

Equipment: Small Saucepan or Saute Pan, Food Processor, Unbleached Parchment Paper, Baking Tray, Double Boiler or Medium Size Sauce Pan and Medium Size Heat Proof Glass Bowl

{Affiliate Links included help support this blog}

Note: Advance Preparation Required

• 12 Medjool dates
• 1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil {buy my 2 favorite ghee brands here and here}

• 1/2 cup allergy free chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil 

1. Melt 1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil in small saute pan over medium heat.  

2. Prep date pieces - break them in half with fingers and remove the pit.  Add to the saute pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Heating the dates is important, the heat softens them and the ghee or coconut oil brings out their natural caramel flavor.

3. Pour cooked dates into food processor fitted with the "S" blade.  Pulse until dates turn into a paste, about 30 seconds.

4. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Grease fingers with coconut oil {water can be used on fingers too if you do not have extra coconut oil}.  Using about a teaspoon or more, roll date paste into tiny caramel centers - I make them into balls/circles, then form a flat bottom and then make a flat top, which I make a little smaller than the bottom.  This should make about 12-14 caramel centers.  Place caramel centers into the freezer to set for at least 1 hour or overnight.

5. Make a double boiler by setting a heat proof glass bowl over a medium sauce pan that has been filled with about an inch of tap water.  The water should not be touching the glass bowl.  Heat over medium heat.  Add chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon coconut oil to glass bowl.  Stir until melted.  

6. Remove frozen caramel centers from the freezer.  Working quickly, drop one caramel center into the melted chocolate - using a fork or spoon, fully coat the caramel with chocolate and set back onto baking sheet.  Repeat until all caramels are covered in chocolate.  {For an extra touch, once caramels are covered in chocolate, use a fork dipped in chocolate and quickly move the fork back and forth in the air above the chocolates to make chocolate drizzles.  If you find it's not working, place the chocolates in the freezer for one minute to set, then remove and try again.}  Place chocolates in the freezer and freeze for about 1 hour or more. 

7. Serve chocolates frozen, right from the freezer.  Make sure to freeze them at least 1 hour before eating for the full caramel texture.    

Enjoy and share some with someone you love!

Yield: Makes 12-14 chocolates

Vegan Option: Use coconut oil instead of ghee.

Looking for more CHOCOLATE recipes?  Check out some of my favorites:

Mini Warm Chocolate Cakes

Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Chocolate Sunflower Freezer Fudge

Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana Bites

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Honey Sweetened Hot Chocolate

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

... and a few recipes that I have made and loved:

Raw Freezer Fudge from my friend Amber @ The Tasty Alternative 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles from Common Sense Homesteading

Double Chocolate Cookies with Chocolate Chunks from Gourmande in the Kitchen 

Fudgy Brownies from Real Food Girl Unmodified 

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This post is part of Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop.