One Skillet Roasted Chicken with Peaches and Pesto Rice

Oh my gosh, this one skillet wonder is the bomb! I am not a huge fan of fruit combined with savory (ie. strawberry in salad), so I was a little wary of this one. But the flavor combos totally work! Thanks to Caroline Chambers, this recipe is worth a try. You and your family will love it!

One-skillet Roasted Chicken with Peaches and Pesto Rice

• Ingredients:

• 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs 

• Kosher salt and pepper

• 2 shallots, thinly sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1 1/2 cups white rice

• 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock

• 1/4 cup pesto (store-bought!)

• Juice of 1 large lemon (2-3 tablespoons)

• 2 peaches, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

• 1/3 cup thinly sliced basil

• 1/3 cup crumbled feta 

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Warm an ovenproof skillet or saucepan over medium heat. I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet.

Season 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the skillet. After 3 or 4 minutes, when chicken grease starts to pool up in the skillet, add 2 thinly sliced shallots and 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves around the chicken. Season with a pinch of salt. Use tongs to scooch them around to start sautéing them while the chicken cooks.

When the chicken skin is golden, flip it over and scooch it all to the outside rim of the skillet. If your skillet is totally full of chicken, remove one or two to make room to pour the rice in.

To the empty part of the skillet, pour in 1 1/2 cups white rice, 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 1/4 cup pesto, and the juice of 1 lemon. Use your tongs to evenly distribute the rice and liquid around the chicken. If you removed a chicken thigh, add it back to the skillet, smooshing it down into the rice and liquid.

Raise the stove heat to high to bring the stock to a boil, then turn off the heat. Place the peach slices over the rice, trying not to put them on top of the chicken so that the chicken skin can get nice and crispy.

Place the skillet on the center rack of the oven and roast for 25 to 30 minutes. Check your chicken and rice at the 25 minute mark. The chicken should be at least 160°F internally, and the rice should be tender (it might look hard on the surface where it was exposed to direct heat, so dig your spoon down in there to check!).

Garnish with 1/3 cup thinly sliced basil and 1/3 cup feta, and dig in!! Serve  chicken over pesto rice with lots of peaches, basil, and feta on top.

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Meal for a Friend in Need

When my babies were newly born many years ago, I remember how much prepared dinners brought to us by friends meant to my husband and me in our first days of absolute wonder and minimal sleep. Our sweet neighbors just had a darling baby boy and I wanted to bring them the gift of a ready-to-eat meal while they enjoyed their first few days of new parenthood awe before their own parents arrived to assist. This Greek inspired menu was perfect and easy to package with disposable foil containers. 

My girlfriends joined me at my house shortly after I dropped off the dinner for my lovely neighbors and since I made a big batch, my friends and I were able to enjoy the rest of this delicious meal together on my deck!

Greek Souvlaki Skewers

¼ cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-sized pieces

Prepare kabobs: Combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, and salt in a large resealable bag. Add chicken, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air and seal the bag; marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Soak wooden skewers in a bowl of cold water for about 15 minutes. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto the soaked skewers. Discard unused marinade.
Cook the skewers on the preheated grill, turning frequently until browned on all sides and chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes per side. Serve with tzatziki sauce.

Greek-Style Lemon Potatoes With Garlic and Oregano

3 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch cubes

1/3 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1½ teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup chicken stock

2 lemons freshly squeezed juice

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place the potatoes in a single layer in a 9 x 13 " baking dish and pour the oil over them. Add the garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste and toss well to coat with the oil.

Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes. Add the stock, toss and bake for 10 minutes more. Add the lemon juice, toss and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the potatoes are cooked through. If you like, preheat the broiler and broil the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown.

recipe adapted from Epicurious

GREEK SALAD

1 hothouse cucumber

1 red pepper, large diced

1 yellow pepper, large diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halve

½ pound feta, diced

½ cup kalamata olives

For Vinaigrette

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ cup good olive oil

Place cucumber, peppers and tomatoes in a large bowl. For the vinaigrette, whisk together garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Still whisking, add olive oil slowly to emulsify. Pour vinaigrette over vegetables. Add feta and olives and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve room temp.

recipe from Ina Garten

Chocolate Chip Cake Cookie Bars

1 box yellow cake mix

1/3 cup melted butter

2 large eggs, whisked

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13" pan. Combine cake mix, butter, eggs and vanilla in large bowl. Add chocolate chips and mix until combined.

Scoop dough into pan, press down even with a piece of parchment paper. Dough is a bit stiff.

Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool in pan 15 minutes then slice into squares.

The note of instructions I included with the dinner~

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Dinner for New Parents Cindy and Rob  Congrats on the arrival of baby Alex! August 9, 2022

• CHICKEN SOUVLAKI SKEWERS

• TZATZIKI SAUCE

• NAAN (heat at 400 degrees for 2-3 minutes until warm)

• GREEK SALAD

• GREEK STYLE POTATOES WITH LEMON AND OREGANO

• CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE COOKIES

Enjoy chicken souvlaki skewers with tzatziki sauce, and greek salad with cut pieces of warmed naan and potatoes on the side.

You can also serve the chicken souvlaki skewers wrapped, like a sandwich. Spread some tzatziki sauce on the warmed naan and top with the chicken souvlaki, greek salad and potatoes and wrap. Enjoy!

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I'm so thankful for dear girlfriends! 

Pasta Bar for a Crowd

Pasta Bars are a fabulous way to feed a crowd. When my brother-in-law and his kids came to visit us earlier this summer, this made many of our peeps happy because everyone could tailor the bowls to their taste- some liked pesto, a few preferred Alfredo, some piled on veggies of sauteed mushrooms and steamed broccoli and others had just Italian sausage with red sauce. Having a variety of different styles of pasta made it fun as well. And everyone loved the garlic knots!

Pasta Bar for a Crowd 

• Pasta- I served fresh linguine, fresh ravioli plus dried gemeli (1 pound of each for 9 people with some leftovers)
• Alfredo (you could make your own, but I made it simple with Rana Alfedo)
• Pesto (you could make your own, but I used Rana Pesto)
• Marinara Sauce (I like Rao's Homemade Marinara)
• steamed broccoli
• sauteed mushrooms
• browned Italian sausage
• grated Parmesan
• Garlic Knots

Huli Huli Chicken with Turmeric Rice

It's grilling and dinner on the deck season! Huli Huli chicken is one of my family's favorites. Serve with Tumeric Rice, green veggies and slices of pineapple for a sweet and flavorful dinner perfect for summer nights.

Huli Huli Chicken

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup rice vinegar or cider vinegar

1 inch piece peeled, grated ginger

2-3 minced garlic cloves

2 pounds boneless chicken thighs

green onions for garnish

In a large bowl or a gallon-size resealable plastic bag, combine the ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger and garlic, and stir or shake until combined. Reserve and refrigerate 1/2 cup of the mixture for basting the chicken later. Add the chicken to the remaining mixture, and stir or shake until evenly coated.  Refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours, turning the chicken at least once.

Heat the grill to medium and oil grates. Add the chicken to the grill, cover, and cook approximately 5 minutes per side and basting it with the reserved marinade after you turn it.  Garnish with sliced green onions. Enjoy!

Source

Turmeric Rice

1 cups basmati or jasmine rice
1 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon ginger

2 cups broth

Stove Top

In a medium pot, combine the basmati rice and all other ingredient. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork and serving.

Rice Cooker

Combine the basmati rice and all other ingredients. Cook using the 'white rice' function (or regular function if there is not a white rice option). Fluff with a fork and enjoy!

"Shelter at Home" Dinner- Ina's Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloins

Our world is in such an unprecedented state as we learn one day at a time what it means to "shelter at home" and "social distance" ourselves by staying at least 6 feet away from one another due to Corona Virus.  Today was the first official day of "lockdown" in Santa Clara County (along with other spots in the US) so we here are just dipping our toes into our new separated reality. Several other countries have already been experiencing this limited way of life - I wish we could tap into their wisdom on how to best navigate this strange isolated existence.

Last night,  I made dinner for my family as well as my parents.  I made dinner INA STYLE with her Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloins and Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes recipes along side steamed green beans. Totally delish! So if you are looking for a menu for one of the many nights ahead of you that you will have "in house,"  this is a good one to try.

Wishing you all well!!

Here are the links to these yummy recipes:

INA's Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloins
INA's Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes

Getting the ingredients ready

Dinner for my parents ready to wrap up

My sweet son delivers dinner to his Grandparents on his solo wheel

Roasted Salmon with Rosemary, Garlic and Lemon

We are very fortunate to live close to my parents and our family cherishes the occasional Sunday dinners we enjoy together in our tiny kitchen.The food we prepare for the most part is easy to put together and healthy.Tonight we enjoyed delicious roasted salmon, steamed green beans, baked spaghetti squash with spinach, garlic and parmesan cheese and a wonderful salad my mom made. For dessert, I made a tasty zabaglione sauce to drizzle over fresh berries. The capper of the eve was watching a video my daughter made in celebration of my Dad's 80th birthday. So fun!

Roasted Salmon with Rosemary, Garlic and Lemon

2  pound salmon fillet
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary 6", chopped
1 lemon
salt and pepper

Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Place salmon fillet on sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread minced garlic and chopped rosemary over top of salmon. Cut lemon in half and squeeze half of lemon over salmon. Slice other half of lemon and reserve for garnish. 
Bake at 425º for 12- 15 minutes until flaky. Enjoy!

Lemon Rosemary Garlic Salmon Dinner

This is the perfect menu for an easy healthy meal, all roasted in the oven. Salmon seasoned with rosemary, lemon and garlic goes perfectly with the rosemary garlic potatoes and roasted broccoli. Pop them all in the oven and get ready for a delicious dinner!

Lemon Rosemary Garlic Salmon

Ingredients

• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 sprigs Rosemary, About 1 Tablespoon Chopped
• 2 pounds Salmon Fillet
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 pinches Sea Salt
• 1 pinch Ground Pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.
Peel and chop garlic. Set aside.
Chop the rosemary. Set aside.
Place salmon on a baking sheet covered with foil.
Evenly distribute olive oil on salmon. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the fillet. Next, add the rosemary and garlic and lightly press into the salmon.
Place in the oven for 10 minutes or until the salmon is tender and flaky. Serve and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken

When my daughter, Madeleine, served herself some of this curry tonight she asked, "Is this Indian curry or Thai curry?" Not knowing the difference myself, I guessed that it was "Indian" curry because the recipe called for garam masala, which is more typically found in Indian cooking than Thai. Whichever type it is, my family loved the flavor and I appreciated the ease with which one can make it. I whipped together the sauce the night before and popped all the ingredients in the crock pot before I left for work the next day. Add rice to the rice cooker when you get home, steam some green beans and you have dinner on the table!

Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry
  
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 8-10)
3 large yukon gold potatoes, cut into chunks
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 15 ounce can coconut milk
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
cilantro, if desired

Add chicken thighs and potatoes to slow cooker. In a food processor of blender, add onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, coconut milk, curry, garam masala and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture over chicken and potatoes and cook on low for 6 hours. Serve over rice with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli on a bed of Creamy Polenta

This dish will be a huge hit for your family (of course, if they enjoy shrimp and broccoli) because not only is it easy and quick to prepare but it is also amazingly delicious! Roast your shrimp as Ina does, then roast your broccoli in the same pan (after a quick swipe with a paper towel to clean it) while you whip up some very tasty polenta. Yummy dinner is ready for everyone to enjoy!

 Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli with Creamy Polenta

2 pounds uncooked shrimp (21-25 count), skin and tails removed
2 - 3  heads broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
olive oil
kosher salt and pepper

How to Roast Shrimp:
Preheat oven to 400° Place shrimp on baking sheet and toss with 1-2T olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 8 minutes.

How to Roast Broccoli:  go here

Creamy Polenta
1 cup polenta (or yellow cornmeal)
4 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

Bring water to boil in medium saucepan. Add salt and whisk in polenta/corn meal. Lower heat to simmer and cook polenta, whisking often for 10-15 minutes to prevent it from sticking on the bottom of the pot, until thick. Add butter and cheese and more salt/pepper to taste.

Hot Night Dinner on the Deck

Hot September days and nights have been hanging over us this past week and I have felt very little inspiration to be in the kitchen, hence another easy dinner out on the deck. This was our version of a salad bar with some of our favorite toppings- grilled chicken, hearts of palm, avocado, tomatoes, carrots, garbanzo and kidney beans, black olives a top baby spring mix with a lemon olive oil vinaigrette and garlic bread on the side. Made us all happy to eat a cool meal outside!