Braised and Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

I love the braised chicken that I've ordered in high-end restaurants that is super moist and flavorful, with crispy skin.  I wanted to create my own version for home that is quick, easy, and delicious using Marsala cooking wine and my Homemade (Chicken) Broth.  This recipe is very simple to make, is extremely moist and flavorful, and the skin is crispy.  The sauce goes great over side dishes such as rice or potatoes to compliment the meal.

Braised and Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

4 to 6 chicken thighs, bone-in with skin
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup Marsala cooking wine

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Drizzle olive oil over the skin of the thighs and salt and pepper to taste.  Using a large, stainless steel, oven-safe pan, heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil over Medium High heat.  Add the chicken thighs skin-side down brown them for 8 minutes (do not move them during this).  Salt and pepper the up-side of the thighs while the skin side is browning.  When the 8 minutes is up, use tongs and turn the thighs over for 5 more minutes undisturbed.  When the 5 minutes is up, use a spoon to remove any extra oil from the pan, and then add the chicken broth and Marsala cooking wine around the thighs.  Use the spoon to scrape any bits from the pan into the sauce.  Bring the sauce to a boil.  Transfer the pan to the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes if 4 thighs, and up to 45 minutes if 6 thighs.  When the time is up, remove the pan from the oven and transfer the thighs to a high-sided serving dish.  Spoon the sauce over the thighs and pour the rest of the sauce around them.  Serves 2 to 4 people as a main course.

Baked Empanadas Recipe

 I love simple, hand-held meals like pasties and taquitos, so it made sense for me to come up with an empanada recipe for my family. The ground beef seasoned with my taco seasoning (linked below) is the perfect empanada filling, along with hard-boiled egg and black olives.  Also, these empanadas are baked, not fried. When baked, the dough is chewy and crispy, so it is almost as if they are fried. They go great with guacamole, or sour cream if you eat dairy.

Baked Empanadas Recipe

For the empanada dough:

1-1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp water
Olive oil to brush over tops of empanadas before baking

Mix together dry ingredients with a fork. Add the oil and cut it in with the fork until the mixture resembles course meal. Add the water and mix thoroughly, just until the dough forms a ball. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and cover with plastic wrap until ready to make empanadas.

For the empanada filling:

1 lb extra lean ground beef
Taco Seasoning Recipe
3 hard-boiled eggs
12 medium black olives (whole)

Cook the ground beef per the instructions in the Taco Seasoning Recipe.  While you are browning the ground beef, hard boil 3 eggs in a small pot, and when they are done, peel  them and cut them each in half.

To make the empanadas:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly dust your working surface with flour. Take a piece of the dough, roll it into a ball in your hand, lightly dust it with flour, and use a rolling pin to roll it to a thin 6 inch circle. Put 1/3 cup of meat filling, a hard-boiled egg half, and two whole black olives (arranged how you want them) onto one end of the circle, not too close to the edge.  Fold the dough over, press the two edges together to close the empanada, and fold the edge up and over and press again to make a lip. Press a fork along the lip edge to secure the seal. Put the empanada on the cookie sheet and use a knife to cut a few slits in the top of it. When all of the empanadas are on the cookie sheet, brush them lightly with olive oil before putting them in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Makes 6 empanadas.

Curried Lentil Soup Recipe

We love lentils.  I've always wanted to come up with a good lentil soup recipe, and this one is my favorite.  The curry powder is the perfect compliment to the lentils, and the ratio of soup broth to lentils is spot-on.  This is a hearty soup that will be sure to warm you up on cold days.

Curried Lentil Soup Recipe

2 carrots
Olive oil
1-1/2 cups dry lentils
6 cups of water
3 tsp Better Than Bouillon Organic Chicken Base
2 tsp curry powder

First, peel and dice the carrots.  Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large pot and add the carrots.  Use a wooden spoon to saute the carrots until they are lightly browned.  Rinse 1-1/2 cups of dry lentils, then add them to the pot with 6 cups of water, the Better Than Bouillon, and the curry powder.  Give it a good stir and wait for it to come to a boil.  When it starts to boil, cover it, turn the heat down to Low, and simmer it for one hour.  Serves 4+ people as a main course.  Side note:  Adding leftover cooked chicken to this soup is an excellent addition!

Zesty Garlic-free and Onion-free Italian-Style Salad Dressing Recipe

I have not been able to find a good zesty garlic-free and onion-free Italian-style salad dressing in the grocery store.  We eat salads with our supper a few times per week, so I was inspired to come up with my own recipe.  This salad dressing is now a family favorite and we really look forward to eating salads with our meals.

Zesty Garlic-free and Onion-free Italian-Style Salad Dressing Recipe

1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp dry ground mustard
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

In a large measuring cup or small bowl, add all of the ingredients and use a small whisk to mix it all together until well combined.  Pour the dressing into a jar with a lid, or a salad dressing bottle for storage.  Shake well before pouring.

Oven-Roasted Pork Loin Recipe

Not very long ago I started roasting pork loin.  This is one of Sam's favorite main courses.  Searing the pork loin first before putting it in the oven, and topping it with brown sugar, gives the pork a nice crust that is so flavorful.  The pan broth is a great accompaniment to the pork.  Also, roasting the pork loin at a higher temperature, like I do whole chicken, really seals in the juices.  The result is fantastic.  This pork goes really well served with Maple Baked Squash and Apples (pictured above).

Oven Roasted Pork Loin Recipe

2+ lb boneless pork loin top loin roast
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup water
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat the olive oil in a large pot over High heat.  Swirl the pot so the oil covers the pot evenly.  Salt and pepper the fat side of the pork loin and set it in the hot pot, seasoned-side down.  Let it sear for 4 minutes, then flip it to the other side for 4 more minutes.  When done searing, place the pork loin, fat side up, in a rectangular baking pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Combine the brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and spread it evenly over the top of the pork loin.  Put it in the oven uncovered for 25 minutes per pound (for example, a 2.4 lb pork loin would roast for 60 minutes).  When the time is up, move the pork loin onto a cutting board to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing, covered with a piece of aluminum foil.  While the pork loin is resting, pour the pan juices into a small pot and add a cup of water and 1/4 tsp salt.  Stir it and heat it to a boil.  Pour it in the bottom of your serving tray, then set the sliced pork over it.   A 2 pound pork loin serves 4 to 6 people as a main course. 

Orange Creamsicle Cake Recipe (Vegan)

This is one of my favorite desserts.  Sam wants this cake for her birthday this year - she says it's better than chocolate cake!  The orange juice and vanilla really work well together adding lots of "orange creamsicle" flavor to this super moist cake. The best part is, no frosting required, however, chocolate or vanilla frosting would be fabulous with this.

Orange Creamsicle Cake Recipe

2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup pulp-free 100% orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Sugar in the Raw if  not using frosting

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix together thoroughly, but don't over mix. Spray an 8x8 square or 11x7 rectangular baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and top it with a sprinkling of Sugar in the Raw (as much or little as you like) if you don't want to frost it. Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes. When the time is up, insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake to make sure it's done. 

To make cupcakes instead, bake for 16 minutes.  Makes 18 cupcakes.

If using rice flour to make this cake use the following instead of the unbleached flour above:
1-1/4 cups brown rice flour
3/4 cup white rice flour
2 tbsp binder (potato starch, tapioca flour, arrowroot powder, etc.)
Plus 1/4 cup more orange juice

Richard's Garlic-Free Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

Tzatziki sauce is a sauce that is traditionally made with yogurt, cucumber, and garlic that pairs very well with lamb, grilled meats, falafel, and on gyros.  I can't eat garlic, so we don't eat Greek food very often.  Luckily, Richard came up with a tzatziki sauce recipe that uses fresh mint to flavor the sauce in lieu of garlic (thank you!).  This tzatziki sauce is fabulous with my Lamb Burgers Recipe or Minted Lamb Morsels.  Pictured above is a lamb burger gyro with grilled flatbread, lamb burger, tomato, lettuce, and Richard's Garlic-Free Tzatziki Sauce.  So good!

Garlic-Free Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

2 - 6 oz. containers of plain Greek yogurt
1 medium cucumber
2 tbsp minced fresh mint leaves (about 15 leaves)
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Add the yogurt to a medium-sized mixing bowl.  Peel, de-seed, and dice up the cucumber into small cubes.  Mince about 15 fresh mint leaves.  Add the cucumber and mint to the bowl.  Next, add the juice of 1/2 a lemon (no seeds), the sea salt, and the pepper and use a small whisk to mix it all together until the yogurt is smooth.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 2 hours before serving.  Makes about 2 cups of tzatziki sauce.  Serve the sauce with lamb, grilled meat, gyros, falafel, grilled pita, fresh tomatoes, rice, or anything else you want a fresh-tasting cucumber sauce to accompany.  The sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Instant Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe

Sam is sensitive to corn and I haven't been able to find an instant hot cocoa mix without corn syrup in the ingredients in my local grocery store.  So I decided to make my own.  It took a lot of attempts to combine the perfect mix, but it was well worth the effort.  This cocoa is really, really good.  The two kinds of cocoa powder and the two kinds of sugar work very well together.  It's great to have a jar of instant cocoa mix on hand because you can tailor the amount of cocoa mix in the cup depending on the size mug and how much water you are using.  We really love this hot cocoa! 

Instant Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe

2 cups instant dry nonfat milk powder
1/2 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Sugar in the Raw
1/4 tsp salt

Mix all of the ingredients together and store it in an airtight container (I use a large peanut butter jar).  For best results, before storing in a jar, sift the mixture through a fine mesh collander (this will eliminate any dry milk lumps).  Makes over 3-1/2 cups of cocoa mix.  Shake the jar and/or stir the contents with a spoon before each use to make sure everything is well combined.  Use 3 or more heaping tbsp of instant cocoa mix per cup of boiling water.  

Homemade Chicken Pho Recipe

We love Vietnamese noodle soup (pho).  We used to go out to eat it quite regularly, so I decided to save some money and come up with a pho recipe of my own.  This recipe is fantastic.  I usually make it after I roast a whole chicken (Roasted Whole Chicken Recipe).  My house smells amazing when I make the pho broth!  It's so easy to make, too.  This soup can be made from mostly pantry and fridge items, with only a few fresh ingredients needed for the garnish.  The spice combination is so fragrant, and we think this pho tastes better than some of the chicken pho we've had at restaurants.

Homemade Chicken Pho Recipe

For the soup:

8 cups water
All of the leftover chicken bones and skin from a roasted whole chicken
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp + 1 tsp white sugar
2 tsp salt
10 whole cloves
5 whole star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick

6 oz package of rice noodles
1 cooked chicken breast
Handful of cilantro

For the garnish:

Lime
Several fresh basil stalks
Crisp chili oil or Sriracha
Hoisin sauce

In a large pot over High heat, add the leftover chicken carcass, skin, and bones, the water, fish sauce, sugar, salt, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon stick.  Bring it to a boil, then cover it and turn the heat down to Low.  Simmer it for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours.  When the time is up, let it cool, then strain the broth with a fine mesh strainer.   This recipe yeilds about 7 cups of pho broth.  3-1/2 cups of broth will make small bowls of pho for up to 4 people, or large bowls of pho for 2 people, and you can freeze the other half for later.

Before putting the soup together, soak the rice noodles in hot water for about 15 minutes.  I found the best way to do this is to put the noodles in a large pot, covered with cold water, then turn the heat up to High and set the timer for 15 minutes.  While the noodles are soaking, slice the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, chop a handful of cilantro leaves, halve and quarter a lime, and wash and dry the basil stalks.  Put the basil and lime slices on a plate for garnishing the soup.  Set out the crisp chili oil or Sriracha and hoisin sauce.  Reheat the broth to boiling.

When the 15 minutes are up for the rice noodles, I turn off the heat, drain the water from the noodles, then put equal amounts of noodles in the bowls, topped with a generous helping of sliced cooked chicken.  I next fill the bowls with hot pho broth (being sure to cover the noodles and chicken), add a small amount of cilantro leaves, and serve it with the basil, lime, chili oil or Sriracha, and hoisin sauce on the side.  Bean sprouts, jalapeno pepper slices, and sliced white onion are also common garnish for pho soup.  Enjoy!

Hearty Beef Stew Recipe

I love a good beef stew - and I'm proud to say that my beef stew recipe is one of the best I've had.  Now that Sam has braces, I'm making lots of "soft" meals these days, and this recipe couldn't be better.  This beef stew is a very hearty meal, complete with carrots, parsnips and turnips. The spice blend I put together really compliments the beef and my house smells amazing when I make this.  Also, the beef is so tender it just melts in your mouth.  This is a great dish to make with Homemade Broth if you happen to have it on hand, if not, your favorite beef broth will work great (I use Safeway Kitchens Beef Broth) or even chicken broth.   We love this stew with grilled flat bread on the side.

Hearty Beef Stew Recipe

Olive oil
2 lbs Beef Bottom Round Roast or other beef stew meat (Boneless Beef Chuck Cross Rib Roast is especially excellent!)
3-6 carrots
2 medium parsnips
2 medium turnips
1 cup fresh chopped parsley leaves (this will go in the stew last)

1 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
4 bay leaves

4 cups beef broth (one 32 oz. container)
Salt to taste after tasting added beef broth

3 heaping tbsp unbleached flour whisked with 1/3 cup water for slurry

Sour cream for garnish

To start with, cut the beef into 1" or so bite-size squares and set aside.  Peel the carrots, parsnips, and turnips (for the carrots and parsnips I use a potato peeler, for the turnips, I use my knife).  Chop the carrots, parsnips and turnips into 1" or bite-size pieces and set aside.  Rough chop a handful of fresh parsley leaves to get 1 cup worth and set aside.  Mix all of the spices together in a small mixing bowl and set aside. 

Drizzle a good amount of olive oil into a large pot, then over High heat, add the beef.  Wait a minute, then use a wooden spoon to move the beef around the pot and brown it.  While the beef is cooking, it will release a lot of liquid into the pot.  Cook the beef through, then add the spices and bay leaves and give everything a good stir with the wooden spoon.  Next, add the carrots, parsnips and turnips and the beef broth and stir it again to mix it all together.  Taste the beef broth before adding any salt to the stew.  Salt to taste.  Wait for it to come to a boil, then cover the pot, turn the heat to Low, and let it simmer for at least 2 hours (preferably 3 hours or longer).

When the 2+ hours are up, add the flour and water to a small bowl and use a small whisk to whisk the flour with the water to make a slurry to thicken the stew.  Whisk it until it is smooth with no lumps  Remove the pot lid and pour the slurry in, using the wooden spoon to gently stir the stew as the slurry mixes with it.  Turn the heat back up to High and stir it for a couple of minutes to thicken it a bit.  Turn it back to Low and add the chopped parsley leaves to the stew, stirring it again.  Remove the bay leaves at this point.  Leave it on Low without the lid until you're ready to serve the stew.  Serve it in large bowls and put a dollop of sour cream on it.   Serves 4-6 people as a main course. 

We like our beef stew with grilled flat bread on the side.  To make grilled flat bread, drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle a little salt on one side of the flat bread and add it to a hot grill pan, oil/salt side down, for 3 minutes.  Sprinkle a little more olive oil (no salt this time) on the remaining side, flip it and grill it for 2 minutes.  Remove the flat bread and cut it into triangles.  It's great dipped in the stew!