Sometimes, staring at that chicken in the fridge can be frustrating. What to do with it tonight? Marinades can spice things up a bit. Especially in the heat of summer, marinating chicken and grilling it is an easy solution for dinner. This one comes from Southern Living's Big Book of BBQ. I took it a step further by reserving some of the marinade and making a dipping sauce. It brings a nice heat to the table.
Cajun Citrus-Honey Mustard Marinade & Sauce
Yields enough marinade and sauce for about 1 pound of chicken tenders
Ingredients
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (mine is labelled hot)
2 teaspoons of your favorite hot sauce (Frank's is the house hot sauce)
Whisk together all the ingredients. If you are making dipping sauce, take 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the marinade. Stash the dipping sauce in the refrigerator until it is time to serve. You'll have plenty left for about a pound of chicken tenders. Pour over the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours before grilling.
Not in the mood for spicy? That's fine. I also have a very simple recipe for honey mustard. You can change up the taste by using different types of mustard. You can easily scale the recipe using a 1:2:4 ratio.
Honey Mustard
Ingredients
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
2 teaspoons honey
4 teaspoons mayonnaise
Whisk together all three ingredients.
Showing posts with label pantry staple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pantry staple. Show all posts
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Dress for Success
Your salad, that is. Salads are extremely popular in the summer months, as there is no need to heat up the kitchen to make one. Me, personally? I love 'em any time I can get my fork in one. But that said, not every salad is fantastic, but a few things to keep in mind will circumvent a soggy, wilty mess.
Perk up lettuce with cold water. That lettuce in the crisper not quite so crisp? Fill up your clean sink with cold water and give the leaves a soak. It'll wake up your greens. But...
Dry lettuce is happy lettuce. Make sure your lettuce is dry before making the salad. Salad dressing sticks best to dry leaves, leaving you with a better coating with less dressing. Excess water will also water down any dressing you add. If you are a serious green grazer, consider investing in a salad spinner.
Don't stash your tomatoes in the fridge. The tomatoes will get a mushy texture that is less than appetizing. But...
Do consider stashing salad plates in the refrigerator. It'll help lettuce, especially the delicate types, retain the crispness.
Now that we can build a good proper salad, how about making some dressing? Homemade dressings are easy, fresh, and tasty. This one is from the Tupelo Honey Cafe, based out of Asheville, North Carolina. The hardest part is simply waiting on the pecans to toast. I love it on a spinach salad!
Ingredients
1/4 cup pecan pieces or halves
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
First we're going to prep the pecans. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet, and roast the nuts for about 20 minutes, or until the pecans are toasted and slightly browned. You will smell the pecans when they are ready - watch them carefully close to the end, because you can burn them. Set them aside to cool. Once they are cool, grind the pecans in a food processor until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Empty the ground pecans into a small bowl.
Next, to the food processor, add the vinegar, garlic, both mustards, honey, sugar, salt and pepper. Puree the ingredients. While the processor is running, drizzle in the canola and olive oils slowly. Pour into a container, and stir in the ground pecans. You can stash this in your refrigerator for up to 30 days.
Note: I put my dressing in a Mason jar. I dump the ground nuts in the bottom, pour the dressing over it, seal and shake. I'm all about the easy. *winks*
Perk up lettuce with cold water. That lettuce in the crisper not quite so crisp? Fill up your clean sink with cold water and give the leaves a soak. It'll wake up your greens. But...
Dry lettuce is happy lettuce. Make sure your lettuce is dry before making the salad. Salad dressing sticks best to dry leaves, leaving you with a better coating with less dressing. Excess water will also water down any dressing you add. If you are a serious green grazer, consider investing in a salad spinner.
Don't stash your tomatoes in the fridge. The tomatoes will get a mushy texture that is less than appetizing. But...
Now that we can build a good proper salad, how about making some dressing? Homemade dressings are easy, fresh, and tasty. This one is from the Tupelo Honey Cafe, based out of Asheville, North Carolina. The hardest part is simply waiting on the pecans to toast. I love it on a spinach salad!
Pecan Vinaigrette
Yields 2 cups of dressing, about 16 servings
1/4 cup pecan pieces or halves
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
First we're going to prep the pecans. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet, and roast the nuts for about 20 minutes, or until the pecans are toasted and slightly browned. You will smell the pecans when they are ready - watch them carefully close to the end, because you can burn them. Set them aside to cool. Once they are cool, grind the pecans in a food processor until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Empty the ground pecans into a small bowl.
Next, to the food processor, add the vinegar, garlic, both mustards, honey, sugar, salt and pepper. Puree the ingredients. While the processor is running, drizzle in the canola and olive oils slowly. Pour into a container, and stir in the ground pecans. You can stash this in your refrigerator for up to 30 days.
Note: I put my dressing in a Mason jar. I dump the ground nuts in the bottom, pour the dressing over it, seal and shake. I'm all about the easy. *winks*
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Who Loves Ya, Honey?
Alright, let's see what new project we can start. I still have some of those great vanilla beans I ordered - and this time, I'll share my source, later in the post. I've been browsing, asking for suggestions, and some wonderful gals over at the Kittencal's Kitchen forums what to do with my vanilla bounty, and Swedish Chef and MaMere suggested this magical elixir called Love Honey. I headed over to check it out, and it sounded fantastic. So guess what we're making today?
Love Honey! This recipe has been scaled up for 12 oz from the original 8 oz, and I'm leaving out the cardamom from the source recipe. I don't have anything against cardamom, mind you. I just do have a thing against paying $8.50 for a bottle when I just need a pinch. To check out the original, go visit EdsGirlAngie's recipe here: http://www.food.com/recipe/love-honey-110383
Love Honey
Ingredients
12 oz honey
3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
2-3 pieces of lemon rind
1 vanilla bean
3/8 teaspoon ground ginger
In a small pot, pour the honey. Heat over low heat for just a minute or two. In a jar, or in my case - honey bear, put the spices in. Pour the slightly heated honey over the spices and seal tightly. Store for 3-4 weeks before using to let the flavors blend.
Notes - Just a word on how I prepped my vanilla bean and lemon rind. As per MaMere's advice, I took a sharp knife and just scored my vanilla bean with about 4 slashes. And the lemon was done simply with a vegetable peeler, just taking the yellow rind. Once you get down into the white pith, you begin to get very bitter flavors. I enjoy a lemon flavor, so I went with 3 strips for my honey bear.
The hard part? Waiting. I'm really curious to how this tastes. The spices were rich and heady just putting them into the container.
Now back to the first vanilla project we started. We're at day 21! Wanna see how it's progressed?
Seven days into our vanilla extract mellowing, and wow! Look how much color our vodka has taken on. It's becoming a lovely amber shade, and more beans have come away from the pod during the jar's weekly shake. I was pleasantly surprised how it is matured already; I was not expecting to see this kind of coloring this early in the process.
Today marks week 3. The color has become richer and darker as time as passed. I bet the flavor has, too! Patience, grasshopper, patience.
I realized much later after my post where I started my vanilla extract, I forgot to give you links to my supplier. I purchased my vanilla beans on Ebay. Yep, Ebay. Now, hold up. This is a very reputable vendor, that comes highly recommended: Vanilla Products USA. They also have a website storefront, as well. Vanilla Products actually has 2 separate stores on Ebay - one for vanilla, and the second for other things, although, there are some smaller packages of beans on the second account, which is where I bought my dozen Tahitian beauties.
http://stores.ebay.com/Doylestown-General-Store (Seller - greenerdogjr)
http://stores.ebay.com/Vanilla-Products-USA (Seller - vanillaproducts)
http://www.vanillaproductsusa.com/
Love Honey! This recipe has been scaled up for 12 oz from the original 8 oz, and I'm leaving out the cardamom from the source recipe. I don't have anything against cardamom, mind you. I just do have a thing against paying $8.50 for a bottle when I just need a pinch. To check out the original, go visit EdsGirlAngie's recipe here: http://www.food.com/recipe/love-honey-110383
Love Honey
Ingredients
12 oz honey
3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
2-3 pieces of lemon rind
1 vanilla bean
3/8 teaspoon ground ginger
In a small pot, pour the honey. Heat over low heat for just a minute or two. In a jar, or in my case - honey bear, put the spices in. Pour the slightly heated honey over the spices and seal tightly. Store for 3-4 weeks before using to let the flavors blend.
Notes - Just a word on how I prepped my vanilla bean and lemon rind. As per MaMere's advice, I took a sharp knife and just scored my vanilla bean with about 4 slashes. And the lemon was done simply with a vegetable peeler, just taking the yellow rind. Once you get down into the white pith, you begin to get very bitter flavors. I enjoy a lemon flavor, so I went with 3 strips for my honey bear.
The hard part? Waiting. I'm really curious to how this tastes. The spices were rich and heady just putting them into the container.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now back to the first vanilla project we started. We're at day 21! Wanna see how it's progressed?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I realized much later after my post where I started my vanilla extract, I forgot to give you links to my supplier. I purchased my vanilla beans on Ebay. Yep, Ebay. Now, hold up. This is a very reputable vendor, that comes highly recommended: Vanilla Products USA. They also have a website storefront, as well. Vanilla Products actually has 2 separate stores on Ebay - one for vanilla, and the second for other things, although, there are some smaller packages of beans on the second account, which is where I bought my dozen Tahitian beauties.
http://stores.ebay.com/Doylestown-General-Store (Seller - greenerdogjr)
http://stores.ebay.com/Vanilla-Products-USA (Seller - vanillaproducts)
http://www.vanillaproductsusa.com/
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Spinach-Basil Pesto
Summertime, especially here in the south, brings the hot, sunny days, slows the blood in our veins, and brings on a hunger for lighter, brighter flavors. Pesto hits the spot with its fragrant herbs, toasted nuts, and luscious olive oil. You can serve this versatile sauce on pasta, as a spread, or mix with mayo for sandwiches. This recipe takes advantage of both spinach and basil for this particular version of pesto.
Spinach-Basil Pesto
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups baby spinach
3/4 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup walnut pieces
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped into 3-4 pieces each
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Special equipment - food processor
To begin, toast the walnut pieces. This is an easy process that really brings out the flavor of the nuts. Take a small skillet and bring the heat up to medium. Toss in the nuts. No oil, no cooking spray - just the nuts. Give them an occasional shake and take them off the heat as soon as you smell the walnuts. This will only take a couple of minutes. Toasting brings the oils to the forefront and brings a much more complex taste to the nuts.
Set up the food processor and dump in the spinach, basil, toasted walnuts, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Pulse until the mixture is nearly smooth, taking the time to stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula a time or two. At this point, drizzle the rest of the olive oil in as the processor is churning. Once all the oil is added, stop the processor, stir in the grated cheese and serve.
When I serve it on pasta, I normally use a thin spaghetti or angel hair. The pesto will loosen up a bit when you add it to hot noodles, but if you want the sauce a tad more loose, add a little olive oil when you are stirring the sauce together with the pasta. Of course, extra cheese on top isn't going to hurt anything, either.
To store the leftovers, there are a couple of options. If you plan on using all the pesto in the next few days, drizzle a little olive oil on the top, cover and stash in the refrigerator. If you plan on more long term storage in the freezer, skip adding in the Parmesan before freezing. Spoon into an ice cube tray and into a heavy-duty freezer bag once the cubes are solid. Add in the cheese when you thaw the sauce for use.
Spinach-Basil Pesto
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups baby spinach
3/4 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup walnut pieces
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped into 3-4 pieces each
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Special equipment - food processor
To begin, toast the walnut pieces. This is an easy process that really brings out the flavor of the nuts. Take a small skillet and bring the heat up to medium. Toss in the nuts. No oil, no cooking spray - just the nuts. Give them an occasional shake and take them off the heat as soon as you smell the walnuts. This will only take a couple of minutes. Toasting brings the oils to the forefront and brings a much more complex taste to the nuts.
Set up the food processor and dump in the spinach, basil, toasted walnuts, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Pulse until the mixture is nearly smooth, taking the time to stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula a time or two. At this point, drizzle the rest of the olive oil in as the processor is churning. Once all the oil is added, stop the processor, stir in the grated cheese and serve.
When I serve it on pasta, I normally use a thin spaghetti or angel hair. The pesto will loosen up a bit when you add it to hot noodles, but if you want the sauce a tad more loose, add a little olive oil when you are stirring the sauce together with the pasta. Of course, extra cheese on top isn't going to hurt anything, either.
To store the leftovers, there are a couple of options. If you plan on using all the pesto in the next few days, drizzle a little olive oil on the top, cover and stash in the refrigerator. If you plan on more long term storage in the freezer, skip adding in the Parmesan before freezing. Spoon into an ice cube tray and into a heavy-duty freezer bag once the cubes are solid. Add in the cheese when you thaw the sauce for use.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
The Great Vanilla Bean Endeavour
I'm in perfect agreement when Alton Brown laments the conception that vanilla is mediocre, nothing special, meh, just plain, well, vanilla. I just don't know how something so fragrant and exotic can be seen as so-so. Sadly, I think many of us have been jaded on experiences with artificial flavorings, which sometimes come from wood pulp. Yep, wood pulp. I can see how the magic is lost in that case.
Vanilla beans are pods from a type of orchid that originated in Mexico. Now, vanilla pods are cultivated in several places across the globe, and are frequently classified from where they are grown, as each area adds subtleties to the flavor. Among the most well-known types are Mexican, Bourbon/Madagascar, West Indian, and Tahitian. Harvesting vanilla pods is no easy feat, hence the price that comes second to saffron in the spice market. But there are some reputable dealers out there with fair prices if you are willing to do a bit of research.
What to Look for:
A good quality bean will be plump, slightly oily, flexible, and fragrant. Old pods will be brittle and dry.
What can you do with them? Well, lots of things. My first experiment with vanilla beans started today. I'm beginning my first batch of homemade vanilla extract. I hope to keep you, gentle reader, apprized of the progress over the coming weeks. All you really need to start making your own extract is a glass jar, some vodka, a few beans, and patience.
Vanilla Extract
Yields 8 oz.
Ingredients
1 cup vodka
2-3 vanilla beans
small glass jar
First, we're going to split the beans. Take a sharp knife and run the tip through, starting near one end and all the way down through the other end. For this application, we are not going to scrape out the seeds. Just look at this beautiful bean footage. Decadent vanilla 'caviar' for the win. (Click this picture for a nice close-up.)
Put the beans in a small, glass jar and fill with the vodka. Avoid using a plastic container to avoid picking up off-flavors. (Plastic lids are okay.) Twist on the lid and store for at least 2 months in a cool, dark, dry place.
Vanilla beans are pods from a type of orchid that originated in Mexico. Now, vanilla pods are cultivated in several places across the globe, and are frequently classified from where they are grown, as each area adds subtleties to the flavor. Among the most well-known types are Mexican, Bourbon/Madagascar, West Indian, and Tahitian. Harvesting vanilla pods is no easy feat, hence the price that comes second to saffron in the spice market. But there are some reputable dealers out there with fair prices if you are willing to do a bit of research.
What to Look for:
A good quality bean will be plump, slightly oily, flexible, and fragrant. Old pods will be brittle and dry.
What can you do with them? Well, lots of things. My first experiment with vanilla beans started today. I'm beginning my first batch of homemade vanilla extract. I hope to keep you, gentle reader, apprized of the progress over the coming weeks. All you really need to start making your own extract is a glass jar, some vodka, a few beans, and patience.
Vanilla Extract
Yields 8 oz.
Ingredients
1 cup vodka
2-3 vanilla beans
small glass jar
First, we're going to split the beans. Take a sharp knife and run the tip through, starting near one end and all the way down through the other end. For this application, we are not going to scrape out the seeds. Just look at this beautiful bean footage. Decadent vanilla 'caviar' for the win. (Click this picture for a nice close-up.)
Put the beans in a small, glass jar and fill with the vodka. Avoid using a plastic container to avoid picking up off-flavors. (Plastic lids are okay.) Twist on the lid and store for at least 2 months in a cool, dark, dry place.
Day 1 and counting!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Herb Butter
Yesterday, it was a nice dinner treat. We grilled out steaks, and I tried my hand at herb butter. It was the first time I put something other than steak sauce on a hunk of beef like that, and I have to say it was delish. I found a recipe on the net, and it's a keeper. I'm looking forward to tossing some of the leftovers on hot noodles or chicken.
2 sticks (8 oz. total) butter, softened
5 teaspoons fresh chives, chopped fine (or 1 1/2 tsp of dried chives, crushed between your fingers - which was what I used)
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
In a medium mixing bowl, add in all the ingredients. With an electric mixer on low, mix until everything is smooth and well combined. Take a sheet of plastic wrap and lay it out. Spoon the butter into a log shape on the plastic wrap. Roll up the butter and continue to roll the butter a bit to make the log uniform. Twist up the ends and stash in the freezer. It will only take about 20 minutes to firm back up. Slice off what you need and enjoy!
Herb Butter
Yields 1 cup
2 sticks (8 oz. total) butter, softened
5 teaspoons fresh chives, chopped fine (or 1 1/2 tsp of dried chives, crushed between your fingers - which was what I used)
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
In a medium mixing bowl, add in all the ingredients. With an electric mixer on low, mix until everything is smooth and well combined. Take a sheet of plastic wrap and lay it out. Spoon the butter into a log shape on the plastic wrap. Roll up the butter and continue to roll the butter a bit to make the log uniform. Twist up the ends and stash in the freezer. It will only take about 20 minutes to firm back up. Slice off what you need and enjoy!
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