Killer Kabobs

YUMMM so good, Caribbean inspired. I didn't have all of the ingredients for two recipes I found, so I mixed & matched and VOILA - came up with a really killer marinade. Brought it to a BBQ and the ladies were all about it.

4 whole chicken breasts
1 Fresh pineapple or 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks
3 green/orange/red peppers, cut into 1 inch chunks
a couple zuchinni, squash

MARINADE:

1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. pineapple juice
1/4 c. oil
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix all marinade ingredients together and simmer for about 5 minutes. Let it cool down a bit. Cut chicken (w/out skin!) into kind of big 1 1/2 inch chunks. You can marinade the chicken in sauce mixture for about 1 hour. I googled around about how long to marinade when using citrus, and settled on an hour b/c I imagine the citrus could start to cook the chicken (like ceviche), making it rubbery or something. I could of course be completely wrong about this :).

Anyway, alternate chicken, squash, pineapple, and peppers on skewers to your liking. Splash some more marinade on the veggies while cooking.

Healthy Tasty Chicken (or Turkey) Sausage Pasta AKA bangin' chicken sausage pasta

This is a good meal to makes lots of and go back for repeat servings because you can just reheat the pot for a couple minutes each time and it still tastes great!!! Also, there isn't a big worry about managing each ingredient to be done at the same time because they can all be heated up in the pot. the ingredients are flexible in that if you forget half of them or add too much of anything it will still be good - but absolutely must have the sausage, garlic, olive oil, pasta, and broccoli on hand. a healthy meal. kudos to my brother and his significant other for coming up with this.

All amounts of food are negotiable but this is for 2
(hungry) people basically

2 italian chicken or turkey Sausage de-skinned and cut up

3-5 Cloves of garlic

1 chile pepper or use ceyenne and dried chili pepper flakes

1 16oz package of frozen or some fresh broccoli (chopped or in florets)

Penne pasta (eyeball this)
Olive oil
Salt + Pepper
Pine Nuts
Lemon
Parmesan Cheese

Optional:
Artichoke Hearts * Sundried Tomatos * Capers * Olives
- just something to add a bit more taste and saltiness

Simulataneously:

In a dry pan/skillet, slightly toast the pine nuts. This only takes a few minutes and the nuts can be put aside afterwards. Watch and turn the nuts frequently as they burn quick.

Cook the sausages in olive oil at a low-medium heat- feel free to add in garlic and chile peppers and the optional ingredient at any time, really. After the sausage is cooked be sure to reduce the heat to low to and cover the pot just keep everything warm while the other parts of the meal are coming together.

Cook the pasta until almost soft. Add broccoli to the boiling water to cook while the pasta finishes. Once drained, add the sausage mixture and pine nuts (and anything else) to the pot with pasta & broccoli in it.

Depending on how much olive oil you used for the sausage, you may need to add more. That's OK, but it can taste too olive-oily. so plan ahead and add a lot when making the sausage b/c the olive oil then gets really flavorful. Squeeze half a lemon over the whole thing. Salt and Pepper to taste. Top with parmesan cheese (completely optional) after the portions have been doled out.

And like all meals, this is best served with the alcoholic beverage of your choice.

chiang mai chicken (loose translation: hella full of flavor)

a really light dish with multiple levels of flavors. my sister in law taught me how to make this one. it's also in this book that her aunt wrote: Thai Cuisine at its Best with Wine Recommendations. everyone should own this book - lots of good dishes in there. this one is quick and easy to make. you're done cooking the chicken and mixing it all together by the time your rice is ready.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless ground chicken
3-6 red chili peppers, seeded and chopped / crushed red pepper works
1/4 cup fresh lime juice - about two fresh limes
1 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce - a must, find it at a good grocery store or Asian market
1 green onion, chopped
6-8 sprigs cilantro
12 mint leaves, chipped - we always forget to get these and things still turn out alright
1 teaspoon ground red chili pepers

if you are lucky and can find 1 stalk of fresh lemon grass, chop it up and use. likewise, if you can find kaffir lime leaves, finely chop up 3 and use.

Prepare:
In a small skillet, cook chicken with 1/2 cup of water. Drain and set the chicken aside to cool. Mix the chicken with the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, and chopped red chili peppers. Mix lime juice and fish sauce in seperate bowl, and then stir in the chicken along with green onion, cilantro, and chopped mint leaves. Transfer to platter and serve with lettuce leaves.

Ira showed us to wrap it up in the lettuce leaves like a burrito as you eat. we always serve with jasmine rice. .whatever.

chicken thighs with plantain and prosciutto...oh my

whoa this dish is a (kind of) quick way to make a grown man comatose in love. my boyfriend's favorite. kind of indulgent - big on taste, filling, and full of all things unhealthy. enjoy!

oh and if you've never cooked dark meat before, watch out - it took me about an hour just to cut all of the fat off. it was kinda gross, but worth it in the end. tasty.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup 1/2-inch cubes peeled boniato (Cuban sweet potato) or tan-skinned sweet potato
1/3 cup (generous) chopped peeled ripe plantain (yellow with black spots)

6 skinless boneless chicken thighs, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
6 thin slices Serrano ham or prosciutto
All purpose flour (for dredging)

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Prepare:

Place boniato and plantain in small saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Return to same pan. Mash boniato and plantain. Season with salt + pepper, nutmeg if you have it handy.

Sprinkle both sides of chicken thighs with salt and pepper - add cayenne & paprika here for added flavor. Place 1 thigh on work surface. Top with 1 ham slice. Form 1 tablespoon of boniato mixture into 2x1/2-inch log. Place atop ham at 1 end of thigh. Roll up thigh and secure with toothpick. Repeat with remaining thighs, ham, and boniato mixture. Dredge stuffed thighs in flour to coat.

Melt butter with olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs to skillet and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Add 1/4 cup water to skillet; reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until chicken thighs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Transfer chicken thighs to platter. Remove toothpicks. Add lemon juice to drippings in skillet. Increase heat to high and stir 1 minute. Pour sauce over chicken thighs and serve.

Credit:
Bon Appétit, May 2007
Daisy Martinez