Chicken and Sausage Saffron Jambalaya

Key to this recipe is a well seasoned caste iron dutch oven. If properly seasoned, its like having a non-stick pot. Better yet, use an enamel caste iron pot if its available. Also watch out for scorching when cooking the sausage and chicken. Never leave the pot for more that 5 minutes. You'll want to constantly stir and scrape up the fond that add so much flavor to the meal. Use steeped saffron, if available, as it adds a wonderful mediterranean taste

Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 cups chopped onions

1/2 cup Celery chopped

1 cup chopped red bell peppers

3 teaspoons salt

1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne

1 teaspoons cajun seasoning 

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 

pinch of saffron (optional)

3 cups water 

3 cups chicken broth (low sodium)

3 cups medium-grain white rice

4 andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1.5 pound boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch cubes 

3 bay leaves

1 pound medium shrimp (31 to 35 shrimp per pound), or large shrimp, shelled (optional)

DIRECTIONS

- Rinse rice to remove starch and let dry out in a mesh colander

- In pot, combine water and broth. mix in saffron and bring to a boil. lower temp to low and simmer covered for 20 minutes. This will steep the saffron

- Heat the oil in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. 

- Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, 2 teaspoons of the salt, cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon of the cayenne. Stirring often, brown the vegetables for about 20 minutes, or until they are caramelized and dark brown in color. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles. 

- Add the sausage and cook, stirring often for 10 to 15 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles. Around 10 minute mark, watch out for scorching and turn down heat if it occurs. 

- Season the chicken with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Add the chicken and the bay leaves to the pot. Brown the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, scrapping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned particles. watch out for scorching!

- Add the rice and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to coat it evenly. Add the saffron steeped broth and thyme, stir to combine, and cover. Cook over on low heat for 30 to 35 minutes, without stirring. after 35 minutes you'll want to check rice to make sure liquid has been absorbed. Continue to check every 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed

- Scatter shrimp over rice, cover, and continue to cook until rice is fully tender and shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Note: shrimp will cause the dish to last just for 2 to 3 days. Without shrimp, dish can last for 4 days.

- Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the green onions and serve.

Southwestern Chicken Burrito

Delicious, fast and healthy meal. The following is an update from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. The recipe will make 6 large burritos. But it refrigerated well, so can spread it out over 2 to 3 days.

Makes 6 servings

• 1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
• 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (Use rotisserie chicken and freeze any not used)
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• Baby arugula (or spinach)
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I use a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
• Sour cream 
• 6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

1. Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese, arugula, and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Dollop little bits of sour cream over the cheese. Added some Arugula, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open and slightly flatten the wraps with the palm of your hand. Spray seam-side of the wrap lightly with cooking spray. 

2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange wraps, seam-side down, in pan or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Cooking them seam-side down first helps seal the long edge so they don’t fall apart. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve warm.




(Update from Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

Skillet Baked Spaghetti

Updated from melskitchencafe.com

Yield: Serves 6

NOTES:
Make sure to have a large non-stick skillet (12-inch or larger) that can go under the broiler
The easiest way to do this is to place the spaghetti in a gallon-size ziploc bag so the spaghetti is laying inside the bottom of the bag. Roll the bag up into a tight roll around the pasta and then using the edge of the counter, press into the rolled log of dry noodles, breaking them in 2-inch intervals. Unroll the bag and you'll have lots of 2-inch segments of dried spaghetti in the bottom of the bag.

Ingredients

• 1 pound turkey (or lean ground beef)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 12 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces (see note)
• 3 cans (15-ounces each) crushed tomatoes
• 1 (4.5Oz) can Green Giant Sliced Mushrooms
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened and cubed
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

• In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet (see note above) that is oven-safe, cook the ground beef or turkey with the garlic and red pepper flakes over medium to medium-high heat, breaking the meat into small pieces, until the meat is cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Drain any excess grease, if needed.
• Stir in the oregano, basil, thyme, spaghetti, crushed tomatoes, mushrooms, water, salt and pepper. The skillet will be very full! You are going to want to curse my name. It's ok. I still love you. If you stir carefully, you'll be fine. Just kind of lift the pasta up and over to get everything well combined.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook, covered, stirring every once in a while to prevent sticking and break up the noodles, for 12-14 minutes, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. It's ok if it still looks quite liquidy as it will continue to thicken while it broils and rests. While the pasta cooks, preheat the broiler.
• Stir in the cubed cream cheese until it has melted and combined with the pasta. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the top and broil until golden and bubbly, 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the oven and let it sit for 5 or so minutes before serving.

Smothered pork chops

Updated from americantestkitchen.com

Serves 4

Make sure to use low-sodium chicken broth in this recipe; regular chicken broth can result in an over seasoned sauce. Serve smothered chops with a starch to soak up the rich gravy. Simple egg noodles were the test kitchen favorite, but rice or mashed potatoes also taste great.

INGREDIENTS

3 ounces bacon (about 3 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Vegetable oil

4 bone-in, rib-end pork chops, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick

Ground black pepper

2 medium yellow onions, halved pole-to-pole and sliced thin (about 3 1/2 cups)

Table salt

2 tablespoons water

2 medium cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Fry bacon in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in saucepan (you should have 2 tablespoons bacon fat; if not, supplement with vegetable oil). Reduce heat to medium-low and gradually whisk flour into fat until smooth. Cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is light brown, about the color of peanut butter, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth in slow, steady stream; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; cover and set aside off heat.
   2. Heat 1-tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until smoking, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, dry pork chops with paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2-teaspoon pepper. Brown chops in single layer until deep golden on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip chops and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chops to large plate and set aside.
   3. Reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon oil, onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and water to now-empty skillet. Using wooden spoon, scrape browned bits on pan bottom and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Return chops to skillet in single layer, covering chops with onions. Pour in warm sauce and any juices collected from pork; add bay leaves. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until pork is tender and paring knife inserted into chops meets very little resistance, about 30 minutes.
   4. Transfer chops to warmed serving platter and tent with foil. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer sauce rapidly, stirring frequently, until thickened to gravy-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves, stir in parsley, and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Cover chops with sauce, sprinkle with reserved bacon, and serve immediately.

Dirty Rice w/ Andouille Sausage

updated from foodtv.com

Ingredients

2 cups long grain white rice
4 cups chicken stock, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound Andouille Sausage, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions

Make the rice, in a medium saucepan, combine the rice and chicken stock (3 cups). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until all the stock is absorbed into the rice, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage. Once browned, add the garlic, onion, celery, and green bell pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup chicken stock and cayenne. Cook until the stock has reduced a little. Add the cooked rice and parsley and stir thoroughly. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Roasted Shrimp Tacos w/ Mango-Avocado Salsa

From the Kitchn.com

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

For the salsa:

1 ripe mango

1 ripe avocado

1-2 jalapeños, depending on how spicy you like your salsa

1 lime

Salt and pepper

For the shrimp:

1 pound medium-sized (17-21 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

To serve:

6-inch corn or flour tortillas

Cotija cheese, crumbled

Extra lime wedges

Chopped cilantro

Hot sauce

To prepare the salsa, dice the mango and the avocado, and mix together in a bowl. (For further instructions: How to Dice a Mango) If your mango is very ripe, it may break down as you stir it; this is fine.

Trim the tops off the jalapeños and then slice them down their length. Scoop out and discard the seeds and white pith. Cut the jalapeños cross-wise into very thin slices. Combine the jalapeños with the mangos and avocados.

Squeeze the lime juice over the salsa and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Give it a taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Set the salsa aside until serving.

To prepare the shrimp, heat the oven to 400°F with a rack positioned in the middle of the oven. Toss the shrimp with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay the shrimp on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 6-8 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.

While the shrimp are roasting, arrange an area for assembling the tacos. Wrap the tortillas in foil and let them heat in the oven for a few minutes in the oven alongside the shrimp. Set out bowls of salsa, crumbled cotija cheese, lime wedges, and chopped cilantro alongside the hot sauces. When the shrimp have finished roasting, transfer them to a serving platter. Assemble and eat the tacos while the shrimp is still warm from the oven

Beef Stew

Beef Stew

HEJ: cook the following on Sunday and still eating it. A couple of notes, I left out pearl onions since Felicia and I did not want the oniony taste. Do not add any salt or pepper while cooking. Such seasoning you can add to individual bowls.

From the episode: Dutch Oven Classics

Serves 6 to 8

Use a good-quality, medium-bodied wine, such as Pinot Noir, for this stew. Try to find beef that is well marbled with white veins of fat. Meat that is too lean will come out slightly dry. Four pounds of blade steaks, trimmed of gristle and silver skin, can be substituted for the chuck-eye roast. While the blade steak will yield slightly thinner pieces after trimming, it should still be cut into 11/2-inch pieces. Look for salt pork that is roughly 75 percent lean. The stew can be cooled, covered tightly, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat it gently before serving.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

4 anchovy fillets , finely minced (about 2 teaspoons)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 boneless beef chuck-eye roast (about 4 pounds), trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (see note and step by step below)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (hej: only use 2nd tablespoon if needed)

1 large onion , halved and cut from pole to pole into 1/8-inch-thick slices (about 2 cups)

4 medium carrots , peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups red wine (see note)

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs fresh thyme

4 ounces salt pork , rinsed of excess salt (see note)

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes , scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces (hej: about 5 small to medium potatoes)

1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions , thawed

2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin (about 1 packet)

1/2 cup water

1 cup frozen peas , thawed

Table salt and ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine garlic and anchovies in a small bowl; press with back of fork to form a paste. Stir in tomato paste and set mixture aside.

2. Pat meat dry with paper towels. Do not season. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over high heat until just starting to smoke. Add half of beef and cook until well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total, reducing heat if oil begins to smoke or fond begins to burn. Transfer beef to large plate. Repeat with remaining beef and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, leaving second batch of meat in pot after browning.

3. Reduce heat to medium and return first batch of beef to pot. Add onion and carrots to Dutch oven and stir to combine with beef. Cook, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits, until onion is softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until no dry flour remains, about 30 seconds.

4. Slowly add wine, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits. Increase heat to high and allow wine to simmer until thickened and slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, bay leaves, thyme, and salt pork. Bring to simmer, cover, transfer to oven, and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

5. Remove pot from oven; remove and discard bay leaves and salt pork. Stir in potatoes, cover, return to oven, and cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 45 minutes.

6. Using large spoon, skim any excess fat from surface of stew. Stir in pearl onions; cook over medium heat until potatoes and onions are cooked through and meat offers little resistance when poked with fork (meat should not be falling apart), about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over water in small bowl and allow to soften for 5 minutes.

7. Increase heat to high, stir in softened gelatin mixture and peas; simmer until gelatin is fully dissolved and stew is thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve.