Category: Spring & Summer Dinners

Restaurant-Style Quesadillas

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The first time I made these, I was amazed at how something so simple could taste complicated and felt satisfied that this quesadilla recipe had reached perfection. These are easy enough to be a go-to recipe, and yet extremely wonderful. Enjoy!

Quesadillas

8 flour tortillas
1 8-oz. bottle roasted red peppers, liquid drained and chopped, or 1/2 c. favorite bottled salsa
1 chipotle chile from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. cilantro, sprigs removed and roughly chopped
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 c. shredded chicken (optional)
2 c. monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 T. vegetable oil

Combine chile, garlic, cilantro, and red peppers (or salsa) in a small bowl. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Brush one side of a tortilla with vegetable oil, place oil-side down in the skillet, then spread 1/4 of the chile mixture on the top of the tortilla, place a few rings of onion on top, then top with chicken and cheese. Place another tortilla on top, then place a heavy-bottomed pan or skillet on top of the quesadilla (to flatten it down and even it out during cooking). Cook for 3-4 minutes, take the pan off the quesadilla, brush the top tortilla with oil, and flip with a large spatula. Place the large skillet/pan on top of the quesadilla again and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and using a pizza cutter, slice into six pie pieces. Repeat process 3 more times to make 4 quesadillas.

Top with sour cream, quacamole, etc.

Note: These are absolutely terrific with homemade tortillas!

Crock Pot Rotisserie-Style Chicken

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This winter I discovered the joys of the crock pot.  My husband and I both work until anywhere from 6:45-8:30 at night and it’s so nice to know I don’t have to come home and still figure out what we’re going to eat.  And then cook it.

One of my favorite recipe blogs is Crock Pot 365.  The author cooked something in her crock pot every day in 2008, and then wrote a recipe book.  As you do.  I haven’t tried nearly all the recipes I want to from her site, but there’s a standby that I keep coming back to again and again: Crock Pot Rotisserie-Style Chicken.

The chicken is juicy and amazingly tender and flavorful.  Jason (the husband) proclaimed it the best chicken ever! (We’re all about hyperbole in our house.  See my previous broccoli post.)

Like the author, I skin my chicken because the idea of the chicken skin bubbling away in the crock pot for 8 hours gives me the willies.  In fact, I recently discovered that skinning chicken is pretty darn easy and will no longer pay extra for The Man to skin my chicken.

Crock Pot Rotisserie-Style Chicken

–1 whole chicken, skinned (4-5 pounds)
–2 tsp kosher salt (if you’d like it as salty as the ones in the store, add another 1 tsp.)
–1 tsp paprika
–1 tsp onion powder
–1/2 tsp dried thyme
–1 tsp Italian seasoning
–1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
–1/2 tsp black pepper
–pinch of chili pepper (probably not necessary)

–4 whole garlic cloves (optional)
–1 yellow onion, quartered (optional)

Skin the chicken and get rid of the neck and other stuff from the cavity.

In a bowl, combine all of dried spices. Rub the spice mixture all over the bird, inside and out. Plop the bird breast-side down into the crockpot.

If desired, shove 4 whole garlic cloves and a quartered onion inside the bird.

Do not add water.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8. The meat is done when it is fully cooked and has reached desired tenderness. The longer you cook it, the more tender the meat.

Curried Lentils in Tomato Sauce

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For Cambria and anyone else up for an easy Indian dish: This is a great recipe, especially for using stuff on hand. But even for not using stuff on hand, it’s still a winner (almost surprisingly, I know, but try it).

Curried Lentils in Tomato Sauce

I hope this doesn't look like dog food to anyone . . .

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 piece fresh ginger (2 inches long), peeled and finely grated
  • Coarse salt
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala (page 64; optional)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 jar (26 ounces) best-quality store-bought tomato sauce
  • 2 cans (20 ounces each) cooked lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish (optional)
  • Cooked basmati (or other long-grain white) rice, for serving

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and ginger; season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add spices; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.
  3. Add tomato sauce, lentils, and 1 cup water. Simmer until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice and cilantro; season with salt.
  4. Serve lentil mixture with rice; garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

Basil Grilled Chicken

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Paula Deen: foodnetwork.com

Another foodnetwork.com favorite, this chicken is absolutely scrumptious: the basil butter – to DIE for!  In fact, since the recipe makes much more of the basil butter than most of us would probably consume with the one meal (although you may just opt to eat the bowl of butter and leave the chicken), I also use it later with corn on the cob, grilled salmon, grilled/broiled asparagus etc.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 4 skinned chicken breast halves
  • 1/4 cup freshly chopped basil leaves, plus 2 tablespoons freshly minced basil leaves
  • 1/3 cup (5 tablespoons) butter, melted, plus 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • Fresh basil springs, optional

Directions

Prepare charcoal grill.

Press the coarsely ground pepper into the meaty side of the chicken breast halves. Stir the chopped basil into the melted butter. Brush the chicken lightly with this mixture. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced basil, Parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer until smoothly blended. Transfer to a small serving bowl; set aside.

Grill the chicken over medium coals for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, basting frequently with the remaining melted butter mixture.

Serve the grilled chicken with the basil-butter mixture. Garnish with fresh basil springs, if desired.

Balsamic BBQ Sauce (to accompany chicken or steak)

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Giada De Laurentis: Food Network.com


So.  Now that I’m an official contributor to Nat’s collection of favorite recipes, I’ll begin with my first favorite that came to mind.  I do this with a plug for foodnetwork.com, without which cooking simply would not happen in my house.  Although quite pungent whilst upon the stove, the final sauce is just heavenly.  I’ve always used it on chicken (Giada’s baked version always comes out moist, though grilled is my preference)  but I’m sure it would accompany a good steak very well.

Ingredients

For the Balsamic BBQ sauce:

  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the chicken or steak:

  • 4 pieces chicken (any combination of breast or leg-and-thigh pieces) or 4 pieces of New York strip or Club strip steak
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the BBQ sauce:

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For the chicken or steak:

Place a grill pan over medium heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Lightly coat with some of the BBQ sauce using a pastry brush. Place the meat on the grill. Place the remaining BBQ sauce, still in the small saucepan, over low heat or on the edge of a gas or charcoal grill and allow to gently simmer while the meat cooks.

Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side. Cook the steaks starting at about 4 minutes per side until a meat thermometer reads the desired temperature, 120 degrees F for medium rare, 135 degrees F for medium (about 6 minutes per side), 155 degrees F for well done (about 9 minutes per side). Continually brush the meat with BBQ sauce every few minutes. Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Serve with the heated BBQ sauce alongside.

Alternately, the chicken can be baked in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon the BBQ sauce all over the top of the chicken. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.