In the last month, I have come across two separate recipes for Tandoori-Style Chicken. I'm not at all a believer in coincidence, so I took it as a pretty strong sign that I needed to make this dish. Sounds like a stretch, doesn't it?? It definitely could have been the fact that the 2nd time I came across it, I was looking for a good chicken recipe and that I hadn't eaten in 6 hours. You decide. Regardless, it sounded intriguing to me as I read over the ingredients.
It ended up being really good - AND, more importantly got the approval of Mr. Hubby, Miss Sunshine AND the hard to please 14 year old teenager. Of course, my oldest teenager wasn't home, but I just know she would have enjoyed it,too. Soooo . . . S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
Really, I was a bit surprised by the way it tasted. Considering all the spices and the fact that the recipe includes yogurt, onions and garlic, it ended up tasting much like . . . baked chicken. The flavors were not overwhelmingly strong like I thought it would be. So, for those of you with picky eaters in the house - young or old - this could be a safe bet for you! The name alone might make you want to dismiss this dish, but don't let its name fool you. It's not anything fancy, and I think anyone would enjoy this dish!
Note: The recipe calls for 1 4lb. chicken. I couldn't find it at the store, so I picked up 4 lbs. of chicken quarter legs instead. That's what you see in the picture.
Tandoori-Style Chicken
Original recipe by The Williams Sonoma Cookbook, pg. 191
1 chicken, 4 lb., patted dry and cut into serving pieces
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 C low fat plain yogurt
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. ground coriander seeds
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. sweet or hot Hungarian paprika
1/4 tsp. each ground turmeric, cardamom, and cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 T canola oil
1 1/2 basmati rice, cooked according to package directions
Remove the skin from all of the chicken pieces except the wings. Place all the chicken pieces in a 9x13 baking dish and brush them with the lemon juice. To make the marinade, in a blender or food processor, combine the yogurt, onion, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, and cayenne. Process until thoroughly combined. Pour the marinade over the chicken and stir to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 8 hours overnight.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Select a baking pan large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer and line it with aluminum foil. Transfer the chicken, with any clinging marinade, to the prepared baking pan. Drizzle with the oil. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast (but not touching the bone) registers 160 degrees F and the meat shows no sign of pink when the thickest parts are cut into near the bone, about 30 minutes. Serve hot with basmati rice.
This would go great with my Roasted Spicy Cauliflower recipe :-)
Click here for a printable version of this recipe - Kitchen Groovy
Enjoy and live with gusto!
Carina
A few nights ago, I had a bit of a mis-hap in the kitchen and made something that no one liked. It was bad. I was sorry I made it. Miss Sunshine had really wanted Broccoli and Cheese Soup and insisted that she loved it, even though she's never had it before. Sound like a 5 year old, anyone? So, last night, I decided to make Broccoli and Cheese soup. I found this one online from Emeril Lagasse, and it looked like a decent recipe. It actually turned out to be a really great soup. I don't make soup very often, but I'm now a fan as I see how really easy it is! Miss Sunshine was a little thrown off the by its color of being green, but she did move past that and enjoyed it.
I also had some left over Roasted Garlic Artisan bread from Costco that we had for grilled cheese sandwiches, so I just cut it up, tossed it in some olive oil and sprinkled it with paprika. Yummy!
Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Croutons
Original recipe by Emeril Lagasse
Adapted recipe by Kitchen Groovy
3 T unsalted butter, plus 2 T cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 small white onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
Pinch nutmeg
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried thyme (you can use fresh, I just didn't have any on hand)
3 T all-purpose flour
3 C chicken stock
1 (16 oz) package frozed broccoli, thawed and separated
1/2 heavy cream
1 1/4 C shredded medium Cheddar
Croutons, for garnish, recipe follows
1. In a medium pot, melt the 3 T butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 20 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring until the mixture is well blended and smells fragrant, 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring, until tender, for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender. (Alternatively, in batches, puree in a blendor or food processor and return to the pot.)
Add the cream and bring to bare simmer to heat through. Add the cheese and cook over low heat, stirring, until melted. Add the remaining 2 T cold butter, stirring to blend.
Remove from the heat and ladle the soup into the bowls. Sprinkle croutons over the top of the soup and serve immediately.
Croutons:
1 C - 1/2" to 3/4" cubed Artisan bread - I think you can use any kind
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. paprika
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss all ingredients together and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring twice, for about 6 minutes, until light golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
Click here for a printable version of this recipe - Kitchen Groovy
Enjoy and live with gusto!
Carina
We had this last week, and it was so good. I have never been a huge potato fan, but I am expanding my curiousity for what potatoes have to offer. I always thought it was just a bunch of empty calories (you know, we can't consume "white" carbs, right?) and that they didn't offer much of a health benefit. But, I have recently read that potatoes are a good source for potassium, niacin, vitamins B6 and C, fiber and panthotenic acid. I'm not saying that our family is going to start eating potatoes every night - as I am a big believer in enjoying everything in moderation - but why not have it every once in a while? And while we're at it, let's slather it up in cheese!
Three Cheese Potato Gratin
Original Recipe from The Deen Bros., "Ya'll Come Come Eat" Cookbook, pg. 53
Adapted Recipe from Kitchen Groovy
Butter for coating dish
Salt
2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
3 oz. Fontina cheese, shredded (about 3/4 C)
3 oz. white sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3/4 C)
3 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 C half and half (if you don't have half and half, you can substitute 1 C milk and 1 C heavy cream)
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2 quart gratin dish or shallow baking dish; set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes; cook for 4 minutes (they will not be tender); drain. In a small bowl, stir together the cheese.
3. Arrange one-third of the potatoes in the bottom of the prepared dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and one-third of the cheese mixture. Repeat with a second layer of potatoes, salt, pepper, and half the remaining cheese mixture. Arrange the remaining potatoes on top.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs. In a small saucepan, heat the half and half until steaming. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the half and half into the eggs. (if the eggs curdle slightly, just strain the mixture.) Season the egg mixture with salt and pepper; pour evenly over potatoes. Sprinkle potatoes iwth the remaining cheese mixture. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Straight outta the oven
Cheesy potato goodness!
Enjoy and live with gusto!
Carina
Have I mentioned that one of my son's favorite things to eat is Buffalo Chicken Wings? Seriously, this kid will eat 50 wings in one sitting, then ask for another serving. He's 14, so he's basically a bottomless pit in which, seemingly only chicken wings, or pizza, or steak, finds itself into. He's a teenager, so that's not weird at all. :-)
I decided to make this for him, I think I made about 30, and he scarfed them down as if his life depended on it. Obviously, he liked it. I got one or two wings, and so did Miss Sunshine. Blog worthy? He thought so!
Also - I just updated my "Monthly Meal Plan" page for March - check it out!
Buffalo Chicken Wings
Original recipe by Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook, pg. 36
FOR THE WINGS:
16 chicken wings (about 3 lbs.)
1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 tsp. Frank's Hot Sauce, or 1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. kosher salt
FOR THE DIP:
1 1/2 C crumbled gorgonzola cheese or other blue cheese
1 C good mayonnaise
1/4 C sour cream
2 T milk
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Celery sticks, for serving
Preheat the boiler.
Cut the chicken wings in thirds, cutting between the bones. Discard the wing tips. Melt the butter and add the cayenne, hot sauce, and salt. Put the wings on a sheet pan and brush them with the melted butter. Broil them about 3 inches below the heat for 8 minutes. Turn the wings, brush them again with the butter, and broil for 4 more minutes, or until cooked.
For the dip, place the blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until almost smooth.
Serve the chicken wings hot or at room temperature with the blue cheese dip and celery sticks.
Click here for a printable version of this recipe - Kitchen Groovy
Enjoy and live with gusto!
Carina
