Tag: dinner

Sesame Crusted Chicken Wings

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Sesame Crusted WingsI’ve checked the book Mad Hungry by Lucinda Scala Quinn out from the library four times, just for this recipe! Although the wings take some time to bake, this recipe is simple and really delicious. I’ve started buying the enormous bag of wings at Costco just because I want to make this dish so often. It’s great for parties or for family dinner–we’ve served them at both!

Sesame Crusted Chicken Wings

20 chicken wings
3 large eggs, beaten
2 t. vegetable oil
1/2 c. sesame seeds
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. coarse salt
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 c. fresh bread crumbs
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
Hot sauce, for serving [We are preferring Frank’s Hot Sauce these days–it’s great!]

1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the chicken wings in a large bowl. Add the eggs and toss to coat. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with baking parchment or coat the pan with oil.

2. In a small bowl, combine the sesame seeds, flour, salt, cayenne, bread crumbs, and garlic. Dip each wing into the sesame mixture to fully coat. Place the coated wings side by side on the prepared baking sheet.

3. Bake for 30 minutes and increase the temperature to 400 degrees. Cook until the wings are golden brown and sizzling, 20 to 30 more minutes. Immediately remove the wings from the baking sheet while hot. Serve with hot sauce.

The Best Crescent Roll!

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Crescent RollI’ve worked with the Best Recipe’s Crescent Roll recipe several times, and besides from not having a plastic bag large enough to fit around my baking sheets (is this a normal kitchen item?), I just haven’t been that thrilled with the results. So, I tried Martha’s recipe from her New Classics Living Cookbook, and it is a winner! I love it. And, since everyone was counting out how many everyone else got at the dinner table (and coveting the remainders), I think others shared the sentiment. Definitely my new favorite Sunday (or Thanksgiving and Holiday) roll, and my kids love shaping them together, too.

Crescent Rolls

  • 3/4 c.(1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for bowl and plastic wrap, plus 2 T. melted
  • 1 1/4 c. whole milk
  • 1/4 c. vegetable shortening
  • 1/4 c. plus 1 T. sugar
  • 2 1/2 t. salt
  • 2 1/4 t. active dry yeast
  • 1/4 c. water (105 degrees to 110 degrees)
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 5 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
  1.  Butter a large bowl; set aside. Put milk, shortening, sugar, softened butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved. Let cool completely.
  2. Put yeast and water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Mix in milk mixture on medium speed until combined; mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour. Raise speed to medium-high; mix until a soft dough forms, about 12 minutes.
  3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth, about 5 minutes, then transfer to buttered bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel; let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
  4. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into a 13-by-20-inch rectangle. Trim edges to be straight. Cut dough in half lengthwise; cut both strips into 12 triangles (about 3 inches wide each base). Gently stretch each to 2 to inches long. Starting at widest end, gently roll up. Space 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets, pointed ends down. Cover loosely with buttered plastic wrap; let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush rolls with the melted butter. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 5 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 24.

Crescent Roll 1

Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice

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This is Martha’s picture because mine was ugly.

I loved this Everyday Food recipe I tried recently. Definitely now part of the weeknight repertoire! The flavors are surprisingly bold and pleasing, and

the chicken was great, but so was the rice. So often, I’m done with the rice once the vegetables or meat are gone, but not so with this one. It’s nice that it’s so simple to–just what I need after the homework and practicing craze is over (or happening).

Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces (I just used skinless, boneless chicken thighs from Costco)
4 teaspoons curry powder (I like Garam Masala)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger (from a 3-inch piece)
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups basmati rice
1 can (13.5 ounces) unsweetened light coconut milk
Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lower third. Toss chicken with curry powder, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat 2 teaspoons oil over high. In batches, cook chicken until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer to a large plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add 1 teaspoon each salt and oil, garlic, ginger, and onion. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until onion is translucent, 6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add rice, coconut milk, and 2 cups water; stir to combine and bring to a boil. Arrange chicken in pot, skin side up, cover, and transfer to oven. Bake until chicken is cooked through and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Black Bean and Mango Quinoa Salad

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I improvised a little for a luncheon get-together last week, and came up with a new salad that is wonderfully colorful and seemed nutritionally loaded

A bright salad for spring and summer!

(as far as my knowledge of nutrition goes:). It’s also vegetarian and vegan.  I based it off of a recipe from epicurious, although the end result is quite a bit different. So, this is for Sara particularly, but if something doesn’t seem right, let me know! This is how I remember it going . . .

Black Bean and Mango Quinoa Salad

  • 1 cup quinoa (about 6 ounces)
  • 1/4 c. canola oil
  • 2 T. white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 t. cumin
  • 1/2 t. dijon mustard
  • 1/2 t. salt (or more, to taste)
  • 1 c. black beans, cooked and drained (or from a can)
  • 1 c. chopped peeled mango
  • 1 medium tomato, cored and chopped into 1/4″ cubes
  • 1 sweet pepper (orange or yellow look particularly great), seeded, deveined, and chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1 large handful of cilantro, stems removed, roughly chopped

Cook quinoa in medium pot of boiling salted water over medium heat until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain well; cool. Transfer to medium bowl. [My quinoa gets really clumpy when I cook it this way, so instead, I boil it for 10 minutes, then I put it in a fine mesh steamer, and steam it for 10 minutes more. It turns out light and fluffy this way. I also always rinse it 3xs before cooking it, which was the excellent advice of my friend Maryann. Rinsing it ensures the quinoa’s not bitter.]

Meanwhile, whisk oil and next 4 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with more salt (if desired) and pepper.

Add chopped mango, black beans, tomato,  green onions, pepper, 1/2 the cilantro and 1/4 cup dressing to quinoa; toss to coat. Garnish with remaining cilantro and drizzle with remaining dressing; serve. Stores well for 2 days in an airtight container, refrigerated.

Serves 4-6.