Spanish Glazed Chicken

by Erin LemNovember 30, 2014

While chicken breast isn’t especially known for its natural flavor, Nicole from Nibbles by Nic discovered a great way to dress up an otherwise bland piece of poultry. She seasons the chicken and then marinates it, which creates big time flavor. The best part? Most of the ingredients should already be in your pantry. Huzzah!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoon light agave nectar
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic minced
zest 1/2 lemon
zest 1/2 orange
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt/peper to taste
Ground Pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast trimmed of fat and cut into 4 uniform pieces

Method:
1. Heat grill or grill pan to high heat.

2. Whisk first 8 ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Season chicken with salt pepper and garlic powder.

3. Marinate spice-dusted chicken for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

4. Place chicken on grill or grill pan for 3-4 minutes to cook per side depending on thickness (When you see char marks flip it)

5. Baste chicken with remaining marinade halfway through cooking time.

Chef’s Tips: Throw peppers and zucchini strips tossed with olive oil on pan for side.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Nicole from Nibbles by Nic. Hop on over to her blog for more fantastic recipe ideas and nibbles for kids.

Roasted Citrus Rosemary Chicken

by Erin LemOctober 20, 2014

You’ve shuttled your crew from school to (enter key word: soccer practice, sitter, piano lessons, or all of the above) and back home again. Before your hunger pains set in, turn to this recipe, courtesy of Lisa from Lisa’s Dinnertime Dish, that will have your fam fed in no time.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken or 1 cut-up fryer
2 oranges
1 lemon
garlic powder
salt
pepper
olive oil
4 sprigs rosemary
1/2 cup white wine

Method:
1.Place a cast iron skillet or other baking dish in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. If using a whole chicken, cut into 4 pieces (2 wing/breast pieces and 2 thigh/leg pieces).

2. Zest 1 orange and the lemon. Slice the other orange into 8 pieces.

3. Season chicken pieces generously with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Sprinkle chicken with orange and lemon zest.

4. Once oven is preheated, remove skillet or baking dish and drizzle with a little olive oil.Place chicken pieces in the skillet, drizzle olive oil over the chicken and top with two orange slices on each piece. Place rosemary sprigs on top of chicken. Pour wine into skillet.

5. Roast for 50-60 minutes, until skin is browned and chicken is cooked through.

6. Let rest for about 5 minutes. Serve with the pan juices.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Lisa from Lisa’s Dinnertime Dish. Check out her website for more fabulous dinner ideas by clicking here.

Hanger Steak with Gremolata

by writerredriSeptember 26, 2014

The below is a guest post from Yummy Supper written by Erin Scott.

Years ago, my French uncle, Jean Louis, turned us on to the delectable hanger steak, and we’ve been buying these beauties ever since. Hanger steak, sometimes called onglet, is a lesser known cut of beef, but butchers have long been hip to its great flavor and lovely marbling. It’s no surprise that you’ll sometimes find hanger steak referred to as “butcher’s steak.” A quick stint on the grill and a rub of brightly flavored gremolata make this steak an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner option.

Tip: If you can’t get hanger steak from your local butcher, a juicy rib eye is delicious grilled and topped with gremolata.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1-11/4 pounds hanger steak
Salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Remove the steak from the fridge 45 minutes before cooking. Season the meat generously with salt and let it come to room temp.

2. In a small bowl, toss together the parsley, lemon zest, garlic, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Give the ingredients a good stir, taste for seasoning, and you’ve got your gremolata ready to roll.

3. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry and rub with olive oil. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes per side; you want hanger steak to be medium-rare, or it can get tough. Pull the steak off the grill and immediately season with another light sprinkling of salt and some freshly ground pepper.

4. Rub with the gremolata and let the steak rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice the steak thinly and against the grain.

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Salmon with Green Beans & Lemon Zest

by Erin LemOctober 29, 2013

It doesn’t get much easier than this recipe–place all of your ingredients on parchment paper, wrap up the bundle, and bake it for 15 minutes. Think of it as a more simple one pot dish because there’s no hovering around the stove to check on your meal. Other types of fish and veggies work well for this meal–simply customize it to what is in season or in your fridge.

Ingredients:
parchment paper
4 salmon filets
3/4 pounds of green beans
2 lemons
4 teaspons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
shallots, sliced (optional)
capers (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place salmon filet on a 16″ piece of parchment paper and put green beans, two lemon slices and two strips of lemon zest on and around the salmon. You can also add sliced shallots and/or capers if desired. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil. Repeat with as many salmon filets as you have.

2. Fold parchment into a twist or envelope shape (not sure what it’s supposed to look like? Click here for a helpful video). Place parchment wrapped salmon on a baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes until salmon is cooked through.

Photo and recipe from Erin Lem. Originally adapted from Martha Stewart.

Gluten-Free Lemon Almond Cookie

by writerredtriMarch 19, 2012

Nix the chocolate chips for a cookie treat that’s a little less expected. Try this gluten-free cookie recipe for a yummy, citrus-y snack. We’re willing to bet that the crisp, elegant flavors of lemon and almond will overpower any doubts you may have about gluten-free cookies. Round up the kiddos–they’ll love helping make (and eat!) these tasty treats.

Ingredients

1/2 c almond meal
3/4 c gluten-free flour blend
1/4 c sweet rice flour (white rice will work as well)
1/4 c cornstarch
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons organic white sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest (use a microplane for this)

Method

1. In a small bowl, mix flours, salt and xanthan gum.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar for 2 minutes until fluffy. Scrape down the sides.
3. Beat in the egg and the zest until well blended, scraping down the sides.
4. Add the flour and mix on low until the dough is combined well. Raise the speed to medium and mix for 20 seconds. I found this helps to “gel” the xanthan gum.
5. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours.
6. Form the dough into walnut-size balls and arrange them 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
7. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar on a plate. Dip the bottom of a moistened glass in the sugar and press down on the cookies slightly, flattening them to about 2 inches in diameter, maybe a little less. These will spread.
8. Bake the cookies in the middle of a preheated 350°F oven for 12-15 minutes, or until they are golden around the edges. Halfway through the baking time, rotate pans in the oven.
9. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then transfer them to racks.

Yield-3 dozen

This is a recipe from our friend, blogger Amy Fothergill. You can find her fabulous gluten-free, kid friendly recipes in her column for www.examiner.com as well as on her blog, The Family Chef.

ML Interest Tag: lemon-zest

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