Barbecue Spice Oven Fried Chicken

Barbecue Spice Oven Fried Chicken

With the weather warming up this early April and winter relinquishing its grip this month, I am beginning to yearn for the upcoming barbecue and grilling season. Last summer I came up with Smokin' Summer Spice Dry Rub which I have used in many ways since on pulled pork, beef brisket...even as a seasoning for grilled burgers. I really do think it has a great combination of flavors in the herbs and spices that are used in it. 

When I was making dinner last week, I set out to use my original recipe for The Best Oven Fried Chicken which our whole family loves. When I pulled out the spice drawer to get the spices needed, I noticed that there were a few tablespoons of that Smokin' Summer Spice Dry Rub left from the last batch that I made. I decided to give it a shot as the seasoning for the fried chicken and it turned out great!

We served it with some delicious pasta salad for a quick meal but I recommend if you have the time that you try my easy Unfried Crispy Wedge Fries which go great with fried chicken as a lower fat alternative too.

Cut one whole chicken into parts or use 3 lbs chicken parts of your choice. Add the chicken parts to a large Ziploc bag and then mix together and pour in:

• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tbsp hot sauce (optional
• 1 1/2  tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Push as much air as you can out of the bag, close it and place in a bowl in the fridge for 6 - 8 hours or overnight.

Make a dredge for the chicken by mixing together:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 to 3 tbsp Smokin' Summer Spice Dry Rub

Drain the chicken pieces from the buttermilk and then dredge thoroughly in the flour and spice mixture to coat the pieces evenly.

Coat the bottom of a cookie sheet or large baking pan with approximately

• 3 tbsp canola oil  (light olive oil or peanut oil are also good)

Place the coated chicken pieces in the pan and lightly spray the tops with olive oil from a spray bottle. Bake at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes depending on the size of the chicken pieces. Drumsticks and wings will take only about 45 minutes. I use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the largest pieces reaches 165 - 170 degrees F.

Spinach and Parmesan Quinoa

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Here's a delicious healthy side dish, that's sure to please and goes with everything from grilled chicken and fish to baked pork chops. It's a favorite of mine to serve with simply marinated and grilled lamb chops.

Other than a side dish, this would also make a terrific vegetarian lunch idea or as part of a Meatless Monday supper.

Serves 6

Bring to a boil over low heat:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups water

Cover and simmer very slowly for 15 to 20 minutes until the grains are cooked but still a little firm to the bite. As in cooking rice I like to keep the pot covered tightly, turn off the burner in the last five minutes and let it it sit: then fluff with a fork when it's done.

In a wok or large saute pan add:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 small minced shallot

Saute for a moment to soften the shallot and garlic then add:

• 1 small red, yellow or orange bell pepper
• 1/2 cup pitted olives (optional)
• 1 small diced de-seeded tomato
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Saute for only a minute or to heat the peppers through, then remove from the heat and toss in:

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Toss together well until the spinach wilts and serve immediately with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and shards of Parmesan as a garnish.

Spinach and Parmesan Quinoa

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

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

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

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

We don't necessarily always have a "Meatless Monday" on a regular basis at our house but like many other families, we will on occasion have a vegetarian meal as a healthy option and just to keep our diner menus varied. It also gives me the chance to experiment a little with recipes to serve when we have vegetarian guests for dinner.

In order to bump up the protein factor in this vegetarian chili, Spouse came up with the idea of adding cooked quinoa to the mix of flavors which gave it a little bit of a nutty flavor contribution to this delicious dish. The chili was even better the next day and we even served the leftovers as a sort of hot dip, along with tortilla chips when friends dropped over to visit; a very versatile chili indeed.

Serves 6

In a dutch oven or  large saucepan over medium heat add:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large carrot, diced small
• 2 celery stalks, diced small
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 medium sized red onion, diced small

Sauté until the onions soften, then add:

• 4 cups diced canned tomatoes
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 tsp dry thyme
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• salt to season
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Simmer slowly for 20 minutes then add:

1 cup cooked quinoa (about 1/4 cup dry quinoa slowly simmered in 1/2 cup salted water)
2 cups cooked kidney beans (rinsed if you are using canned)

Simmer for only another 10 minutes or so before serving with a dollop of low fat sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Turkey Sage and Roasted Vegetable Soup

Turkey Sage and Roasted Vegetable Soup
Need more leftover turkey ideas? Click here for over a dozen more,

Leftover turkey is never a problem in our house, especially for Spouse who is a big fan of leftover turkey soup. We always make turkey stock from the leftover turkey carcass and neck every single time we roast a turkey. We most often use it in a delicious soup but some gets frozen in small plastic airtight containers to use in soups and other recipes and some of it always gets used to help make the gravy on the occasion of our next roast turkey dinner.

This soup is a great recipe for the day that you make your turkey stock. Our turkey stock normally simmers slowly for a couple of hours which leaves plenty of time to peel, chop and roast the vegetables before a quick simmer together to complete the soup.

Turkey Sage and Roasted Vegetable Soup

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

A perfect soup for the day you make turkey stock and a delicious cold weather, comfort food way to use leftover turkey.

Prep time: Approximately 20 minutes
Cook time: Approximately 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: About 8-10 servings

Ingredients

• 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 large parsnip, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup diced turnip
• 1 large diced onion
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large tomatoes, diced large
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
• 8 cups turkey stock
• salt and pepper to season
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 3 cups leftover roast turkey, diced or shredded

Cooking Directions

1. Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Toss all of the vegetables, tomatoes and garlic together with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast in a shallow pan or on a baking sheet in a single layer for about 45 minutes or until the edges of the vegetables just begin to turn brown and caramelize.
4. Transfer the vegetables to a soup pot and add the turkey stock and sage.
5. Season again with salt and pepper if necessary and simmer for only about 20 minutes.
6. In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, add the leftover turkey.
7. Remove the soup from the heat and just before serving stir the spinach leaves into the pot. Alternatively, you can add some spinach leaves to each of the bowls before ladling in the soup. This is an especially good idea if you expect to have leftover soup for serving later. It is always best to add the spinach at the last minute before serving to preserve the color which makes for a much nicer presentation. 

Need more leftover turkey ideas? Click here for over a dozen more,

Roasted Red Pepper and White Balsamic Salad Dressing

Roasted Red Pepper and White Balsamic Salad Dressing

Our family just returned from our summer vacation road trip from Savannah to Boston and let's just say there was a fair amount of caloric indulgence all up the eastern seaboard of the US. With great summer produce still available, we will be seeing even more delicious salads on the dinner table to balance the excesses of the past few weeks. That's not a bad thing, especially when those farm fresh salad greens and other fruits and vegetables get tossed with this delicious, fat free dressing made from sweet summer red peppers and the savory sharp flavor of white balsamic vinegar.

If you cannot find white balsamic vinegar, a good quality white wine vinegar will also work well. The dressing should keep for a few days in a covered container in the fridge but the recipe is also very easy to make a half batch.

• 2 large roasted red peppers

During the summer months when fresh peppers are more plentiful and less expensive, I like to roast the peppers on the grill, getting them almost black before popping them into a Ziploc bag to sweat it out for 5-10 minutes. The charred skins are then very easily removed and discarded leaving the roasted flavor behind. I have also used good quality bottled roasted red peppers at other times of the year which is very good too.

Skin and de-seed the roasted peppers, chop them roughly and add them to a blender or food processor. Puree the peppers until smooth along with:

• pinch salt and pepper
• 4 cloves roasted garlic
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped herbs (oregano, basil or chives or a combination works very well)

The recipe does not call for any oil but you can add a few tbsp of extra virgin olive oil if you choose.

Curry Pork Chops with Easy Plum Chutney

Curry Pork Chops with Easy Plum Chutney

There's still plenty of great grilling days left in the season but even if there weren't these juicy chops would be easy to accomplish under the broiler as well. The chops need only be marinated for an hour or so but if you want to let them sit overnight to pick up maximum flavor that's perfectly fine too and will give you a head start on this beautifully seasoned pork recipe that's made even better with a sweet and sour, easy plum chutney. I've used yellow plums here while they were in season but the recipe can use any plums you like.

Serves 4

• 4 boneless center loin pork chops

Marinade

Mix together:

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp yellow curry powder
• 2 tbsp peanut oil

Rub the marinade all over the pork chops and place in a Ziploc bag in the fridge for an hour or two or overnight. Grill the pork chops until fully cooked. I use a meat thermometer to cook them to an internal temperature of 145 to 150 degrees F. Let the chops rest for 5 minutes before serving with the plum chutney.

Plum Chutney

Begin by sautéing together in a small pot for a few minutes until softened

• 1 small red onion chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Add:

• 4 cups diced ripe plums
• 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger root 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes (optional) or red curry paste/powder to taste

Simmer together gently for about a half hour until the mixture thickens and resembles a thick chunky jam. Serve over or along side the grilled pork chops.

Strawberry Balsamic Walnut Salad with Grilled Lime Cumin Chicken

Strawberry Balsamic Walnut Salad with Grilled Lime Cumin Chicken

The marriage of healthy and delicious was never more harmonious than in this beautiful salad that is a complete meal for lunch or even dinner. The strawberries get marinated in honey and balsamic vinegar which then serves as an oil free dressing for the entire salad. A few salty olives and crunchy walnuts added with perfectly grilled lime cumin grilled chicken add further layers of contrast in taste and texture. Perfect.

Serves 4

Begin by tossing together:

2 cups quartered strawberries
6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp honey

Let stand for at least a half hour, tossing occasionally.

Marinade for chicken:

Juice of 2 limes
3 tbsp olive oil
2tsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Mix together and marinade 4 boneless chicken breasts in a sealed plastic bag for 1/2 hour. Grill until fully cooked. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before slicing and serving on a bed of  salad composed of:

mixed salad greens
red onion
red pepper
sundried kalamata olives
tomato wedges
toasted walnuts

Top with marinated honey balsamic strawberries.

Chili Lime Coconut Tilapia

Chili Lime Coconut Tilapia

Spouse made this very delicious fish dish for dinner last night and I absolutely loved it. Tilapia is a great fish to bake because it holds together so well and stays moist at high cooking temperatures.

This dish was inspired by my Coconut Shrimp recipe but instead of frying, I wanted to keep this lighter by baking the fish and ramping up the taste with a very light drizzle of  a very flavorful honey glaze infused with ginger, lime and spicy crushed chili paste.

Light , healthy and very, very delicious, this is a great workday meal that can be on the table in a half hour. We served ours with a simple salad and warm couscous prima vera.

• 2 lbs de-boned tilapia fillets
• Salt and pepper to season
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 cups unsweetened dried coconut

Season the tilapia fillets with salt and pepper then dip them in the flour. Next, dip them in an egg wash made from whisking together the eggs and water. From the egg wash, drop the fillets back into the flour, back again into the egg wash and finally into the dried coconut.

Place the fillets onto a parchment lined baking sheet and lightly spray canola oil over the top of the prepared fillets. Don’t crowd the fillets together on the pan. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Serve with Ginger Chili Lime Drizzle.

Ginger Chili Lime Drizzle

• ½  cup honey
• zest and juice of one lime
• 1 tsp red chili paste or ½ tsp chili flakes
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• ¼ tsp salt

Simmer together very gently for 5 minutes. Lightly drizzle over the baked fish fillets.

Low Fat Oatmeal Banana Apple Breakfast Muffins

Low Fat Oatmeal Banana Apple Breakfast Muffins

Here's a great weekend brunch baking idea that also makes a terrific alternative to the Monday morning quick granola bar breakfast if you have some left over. I think these are best served warm as a wholesome quick breakfast. These dense hearty muffins are very satisfying with very little added sugar or oil. The mashed bananas and grated apple keep these muffins particularly moist and a few seconds in the microwave to warm them make them just as good the next day.

Makes about one dozen.

Mix together and set aside:

• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 1 cup all purpose or 60% whole wheat flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Beat together until fluffy:

• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 6 tbsp sugar

Blend in:

• 2/3 cup milk

Fold in the dry ingredients and when the flour is almost incorporated fold in:

• 1 cup mashed ripe banana
• 1 cup grated apple (approximately one large apple)

Do not over mix. Fold in only until the fruit is mixed through the batter.

Spoon into greased or paper lined muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 -25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm. Makes about 10-12 muffins.

Chicken Thyme and Lentil Soup

Chicken Thyme and Lentil Soup

Good Monday morning, got any leftover chicken from your Sunday dinner. This very simple but very tasty soup will make good use of it. Leftover turkey is also just as good.

Chicken Thyme and Lentil Soup

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Chicken Thyme and Lentil Soup - a hearty yet healthy soup that makes the most of leftover roast chicken.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups diced carrots
• 1 cup diced parnsip
• 1 medium red onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• large pinch salt
• 6-8 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 4-6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup green lentils green lentils
• 2 - 3 cups diced fully cooked chicken, grilled or roasted

Cooking Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, parsnip, salt and pepper and saute together until the onions begin to soften.
2. Add the chicken stock, thyme, bay leaves and lentils.
3. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are almost cooked.
4. Add the cooked chicken and taste, seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
5. Simmer for only an additional 10 minutes before serving.

Lemon and Rosemary Marinated Grilled Chicken

Lemon and Rosemary Marinated Grilled Chicken

A lean and light, very easy marinated chicken breast recipe that's ideal to slice and serve atop your favorite garden salad.

To make the marinade mix together:

• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

In a glass bowl or large Ziploc bag place the chicken pieces in the marinade and place in the fridge for 30-60 minutes, no longer. Grill the chicken on medium flame until completely cooked. Makes enough marinade for about 6 chicken pieces.