Tag: cilantro

Vegetables · Vegetarian

Veggie Sweet Potato Boats

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Veggie Sweet Potato Boats are delicious, healthy and makes for delicious leftovers. As I get older, I tend to enjoy vegetable dishes more and more. The cabbage slaw as delicious by itself and, as suggested, would be great served on tacos.

Veggie Sweet Potato Boats

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut in half
  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey jack, pepper jack, or cheddar cheese
  • Salad:
    • 1/4 head red cabbage cored and thinly sliced
    • 1 red pepper, diced
    • 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1/3 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
    • 3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
  • Dressing:
    • zest and juice of one lime and wedges for individual servings
    • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
    • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
    • black pepper
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • Toasted pepitas and hot sauce, for serving (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Whisk 1 tbsp. oil with the chili powder, cumin, salt and black pepper. Brush over the sweet potatoes. Place sweet potatoes cut side down on baking sheet and roast until tender, about 25-30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, make the slaw: Combine cabbage, red pepper, black beans, cilantro, and scallions in a bowl.
  4. Combine the lime zest and juice, 1 tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour over the slaw. Stir to combine. Add more to salt and lime juice as needed.
  5. When sweet potatoes are tender, smash in the individual skins, top with cheese and return to the oven until the cheese is melted.
  6. Top sweet potato half with a generous serving of slaw, chopped avocado, pepitas, and hot sauce.
  7. Can use the extra slaw for tacos.

Recipe slightly adapted from GraceElkus

Asian Dishes · Poultry

Ginger Peanut Chicken with Coconut Rice

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What a delicious dish! Daughter, Megan, recommended this recipe since I love Thai dishes. I doubled the chicken part of the recipe and made a single of the coconut rice and still had a lot of leftover rice. In the future, I would make double the chicken and halve the rice recipe. Since I doubled the recipe, I used 1 cup of fresh sprinach and one cup of chopped bok choy. The leftovers were equally delicious. For the leftover meal, I served with balsamic roasted brussel sprouts and it paired well.

The coconut rice was a great idea. I never thought of adding coconut milk to the rice cooker but it adds another level of delicious to this dish.

Ginger Peanut Chicken with Coconut Rice

INGREDIENTS:
  • Ginger Peanut Chicken
    • 1 1/4 pounds chicken thighs, fat trimmed, cut into small bite-sized pieces
    • 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
    • 3 green onions, thinly sliced (white parts and green parts separated)
    • zest and juice of 1-2 limes
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
    • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
    • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
    • 1 cup spinach, bok choy, etc.
  • Coconut Rice
    • 2 cups white or jasmine rice
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • 1 can coconut milk
    • a pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Marinate Chicken: In a stainless steel bowl, mix the chicken with the ginger, green onions (white parts), lime zest, brown sugar, salt, and oil. Marinate for 20 minutes-2 hours.
  2. Rice: Add the rice ingredients to an Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release for 10-15 minutes (it won’t be quite done yet after 3 minutes – it needs the rest time to finish cooking). Release the steam, fluff with a fork, and attempt not to eat the whole thing! (Don’t have an Instant Pot...use these instructions:
    • To cook the coconut rice on the stove or in a rice cooker: Cooking the rice in a rice cooker or just on the stove top should work well. To make it on the stove, you can add 2 cups of rice, 1.5 cups of water, and a 14-ounce can of coconut milk to a large pot and bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling, you can reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook the rice for about 15-20 minutes. (Fork-Lore: I live at high altitude and had to add more water during the process so the rice didn’t stick or burn).
  3. Cook Chicken: Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast iron work well) to medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken to the pan, working in 1-2 batches depending on the size of your pan. Leave the chicken sitting undisturbed for several minutes to get a nice caramelization on the chicken.
  4. Adding Extras: When all the chicken is cooked, turn the heat down slightly and add the peanuts and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to get the peanuts roasty and the garlic nice and fragrant.
  5. Finish by adding in the cilantro, green onion, and spinach. Squeeze lime juice into the pan and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
  6. Serve over coconut rice! SO simple but so good.

Recipe from PinchofYum

Appetizers

Cranberry Salsa

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Cranberry Salsa is the perfect appetizer for the holidays. I am not a fan of too much spice but i jalapeno is just right for this dish. I served the Cranberry Salsa over softened cream cheese with crackers, tortilla chips, and cubes of sourdough bread. In addition I had very thinly sliced piecs of serrano ham. A piece of the bread with cream cheese, salsa and a bite of serrano ham…to die for!

After Thanksgiving, I made a turkey sandwich topped with the salsa and it was sooo good. Definitely worth making this holiday season!

Cranberry Salsa

INGREDIENTS:
  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar, (add more to taste)
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped coarsely (leave the seeds in if you like it spicy)
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 4 green onions
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 (8 ounce) blocks of cream cheese
  • Crackers or tortilla chips
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor (EXCEPT CREAM CHEESE) and pulse until desired consistency. I like mine fairly fine. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours (preferably overnight) to allow the salsa to macerate. Serve over cream cheese and with crackers.
  2. This makes enough to cover two blocks of cream cheese. Some people prefer to spread the cream cheese on a serving dish with the salsa on top. I prefer to just pour it on top of a block of cream cheese.
  3. Depending on how tart your cranberries are you may want to add more sugar. This last batch I added a total of 1 cup of sugar.
  4. NOTE: Wheat thins or triscuits are great for serving with this because they are sturdy and won’t break. I love it with Ritz crackers but they are too soft and will break with dipping. If you want to use them just make sure you have a spreader with the salsa. As with all salsa, the quantities are approximate and you can adjust to your own preferences. I have kept this in the fridge for up to 10 days and it was still good! I’m not a food safety expert but it does last for a while.

Recipe from Thegirlwhoateeverything.com

Appetizers · Mexican Dishes · Salads

Cowboy Caviar

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Cowboy Caviar is an old recipe that was created by Helen Corbitt, famed 1950s Neiman Marcus food director, it was first served as “pickled black-eyed peas” on New Year’s Eve at the Houston Country Club. Soon after, it was dubbed “Texas caviar.” I found this tidbit of history interesting. Cowboy Caviar is great served as an appetizer with tortilla chips. My favorite is to serve it with a cheese, or chicken and cheese, quesadilla. It is also a great topper for any green salad. The recipe made quite a bit and I wondered how I would get through it…never fear…I shared it at a party and leftovers with my daughter, who is now a big fan!

Cowboy Caviar

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 Roma tomatoes seeds removed, diced
  • 2 ripe avocados diced
  • ⅓ cup red onion diced
  • 15 oz black beans rinsed and drained
  • 15 oz black eyed peas rinsed and drained
  • 1 ½ cups frozen sweet corn thawed (I just usually toss it in the salad frozen unless I plan on eating it immediately, it thaws quite quickly) (Note: Forklore used fresh cooked sweet corn and it was amazing!)
  • 1 bell pepper diced (I used half a green and half a red, but color doesn’t matter)
  • 1 jalapeno pepper seeds removed, diced into very small pieces (or substitute for pepper flakes if you don’t have a jalapeno)
  • ⅓ cup Cilantro finely chopped
DRESSING:
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice fresh preferred
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Tortilla chips for serving
Directions:
  • Combine tomatoes, avocado, onion, black beans, black eyed peas, corn, pepper, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl. Toss/stir well so that ingredients are well-combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  • Pour dressing over other ingredients and stir/toss very well.
  • Keep refrigerated. If not serving immediately, be sure to toss/stir well before serving.

Recipe from Spendwithpennies

Mexican Dishes · Soups and Stews

White Chicken Chili

cathysmaha1 Comment

White Chicken Chili is a stick to your ribs, flavorful soup for cold weather. The original recipe does not have corn and thickens the chili with flour and milk. I chose to add cream cheese, inspired by other recipes. I serve with cilantro, cheese and chips but add whatever inspires you.

A great recipe to make for a crowd, perhaps New Years Day!

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 lb. chicken breasts (~2 large chicken breasts)
  • 15 oz. can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 4 oz. can chopped green chiles
  • 1-2 fresh jalapenos, seeded then minced (use 1 for mild chili)
  • 1 shallot of 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • big pinch dried oregano
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • juice of 1/2 small lime
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
  • Toppings: green Tabasco sauce, verde sauce, lime wedges, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Add first 13 ingredients: chicken breasts through lime juice into 6 quart crock pot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken shreds easily.
  2. Remove chicken then shred and place back in crockpot.
  3. Add cream cheese cubed and cook until melted (just a few minutes).

Recipe adapted from IowaGirlEats

Family Favorites · New Favorite

Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Thai food is a favorite, especially if it includes a peanut dressing. I love the IowaGirlEats.com blog and, again, this one did not disappoint. It would be a great side salad, sans the chicken, as well. It’s so yummy! You can make the salad, adding dressing only to the portion you are currently eating. This is a new favorite for my menu planning!

Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 cups coleslaw mix (green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot mix)
  • 1/2 red pepper, sliced into thin matchsticks
  • 1 chicken breast, cooked then shredded
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons peanuts, finely chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • For the Thai Peanut Dressing:
    • 4 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter (I used Smucker’s Natural)
    • 2 Tablespoons honey
    • 2 Tablespoons warm water
    • 1-1/2 Tablespoons gluten-free Tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using traditional soy sauce)
    • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
    • juice of 1/2 large lime (slice remaining 1/2 lime into wedges)
    • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
    • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    • heaping 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, pressed or minced
    • salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Add ingredients for Thai Peanut Dressing into a mason jar or bowl then shake or whisk to combine. Taste then adjust lime juice and/or add water to thin if necessary.
  2. Add remaining ingredients into a large bowl. Drizzle desired amount of dressing on top then toss well to combine. Scoop into bowls then serve with lime wedges.

Recipe from Iowa Girl Eats

Book Club · New Favorite · Salads

Summer Corn and Vegetable Salad

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Fresh sweet corn, tomatoes, onion, and cucumber tossed with avocado and Feta…OMG it is so good.  This salad is a wonderful side dish to grilled fish, chicken or beef but it also can serve as the main event on a hot summer evening.

SUMMER CORN AND VEGETABLE SALAD

4 ears corn, cooked
2 avocados, diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (I use orange & red for a little color)
1/2 an English cucumber, finely diced, skin on
1/3  cup crumbled feta
1/2 red onion, finely diced

Cilantro Vinaigrette
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt 
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
6 tbsp. EVOO

  • Cook the  corn.  I steamed the corn and cut from the cob but the original recipe had a great idea to ‘put in the oven on 350 degrees, and throw the corn in, husks and all. Bake them for 25 minutes, let it cool, and then cut off the very bottom of the corn. You should be able to easily pull off the husks and the silk’.
  • Cut off the kernels with a large knife, add to a big bowl.
  • Chop the avocados, cherry tomatoes, English cucumber, and red onion, then add to the bowl. Add the feta.
  • For the vinaigrette, combine the first 5 ingredients (so the seasonings react with the vinegar), then add the cilantro and the EVOO. Shake it up.
  • Gently mix all the salad ingredients together. When ready to serve, add the dressing and stir to combine.
  • Optional:  Serve on bed of mixed greens.

Adapted from: AuthenticSuburbanGourmet and AndwhatIate

 

New Favorite · Poultry

Chicken Tikka Masala…Trader Joe’s Style

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Chicken Tikka Masala is made easy using Trader Joe’s delicious Masala sauce.  The first time I made it, I followed the recipe below.  The second time I made the recipe, I used strips of red, yellow and green pepper, carrots and chopped onions.  Both were delicious and easy, peasy.  We were so excited when a Trader Joe’s was built fairly close to my house. There are always new products to try and enjoy!

During the pandemic, I went to Trader Joe’s only a couple of times.  Hat’s off to Trader Joe’s and how they managed shopper entry, masks, and cleanliness.  By far, the best job of any grocery store I ventured into.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA…TRADER JOE’S STYLE

1 (15-ounce) jar Trader Joe’s Masala Simmer Sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup frozen pearl onions
1 cup sliced baby carrots
Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Cooked rice, for serving (optional)

  • Pour half of the sauce into the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Nestle the chicken into the sauce in a single layer. Pour the drained tomatoes evenly over the chicken.
  • Add onions and carrots
  • Pour the remaining sauce on top.
  • Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through.  (I cooked for 4 hours) 
  • Sprinkle with cilantro and serve over rice, if desired.

Recipe adapted from thekitchn.com

New Favorite · Soups and Stews

Pork Poblano Stew – Savory Goodness

cathysmaha1 Comment
Savory Pork Poblano Stew was the second version I tried.  Last week I posted Pork Poblano Stew with Citrus Notes.  My girls asked me which Pork Poblano Stew I liked best and the answer is a resounding ‘Both’.   They are different and the flavors are incredible in both versions.    I called this one savory as opposed to a more citrus version shared last week. Next time I will add fresh cilantro to the stew as well as sprinkling cilantro on top when serving.  

PORK POBLANO STEW

4 to 5 poblano chile peppers (about 3/4 pound)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, trimmed, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
Salt
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon cumin
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 chipotle chili in adobo, minced (I used 1/2 of one–to keep it milder)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 quart chicken stock (use gluten-free stock for gluten-free option)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn (no need to defrost if frozen)
1 large (about 1/2 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes)
Sour cream or Greek Yogurt
Cilantro
Toasted shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas) Optional

  • Char, peel, and chop the poblano chiles: Char the chile peppers on all sides, directly over a gas flame, or broil, turning every minute or so until the chiles are blackened on all sides.
  • Place in a bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Let sit for 10 minutes or so, then rub off the blackened charred skin.
  • Cut away and discard the stem, seeds, and internal veins. Roughly chop the chiles into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Set aside.
  • Sear the cubed pork: Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven on medium high heat. Pat dry the pork pieces with a paper towel and brown them, working in batches as to not crowd the pan. Sprinkle salt generously over the pork while they brown.
  • Sauté the onions and garlic: Remove the pork from the pan and set aside. Add the chopped onion and cumin to the pan and cook about 5 minutes, until translucent.
  • Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan while the onions cook. Add garlic and cook for a minute more.
  • Add the chipotle, poblanos, pork, chicken stock and oregano, simmer: Add the chopped chipotle to the onions and garlic. Return the browned pork to the pan. Add the chopped poblano chiles to the pan. Add the chicken stock and oregano. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook for 1 hour.
  • Add sweet potato, corn: After an hour, add the diced sweet potato and corn to the stew. Cook for another half hour to 45 minutes, until the pork is tender and the sweet potatoes are cooked through.
  • To serve, spoon out the stew into bowls. Swirl in a spoonful of sour cream to each bowl. Top with chopped fresh cilantro and toasted shelled pumpkin seeds.

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes.

Garden · Mexican Dishes · New Favorite · Soups and Stews

Chicken Pozole with Tomatillos

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Tomatillos are plentiful this year so I’m always up for trying a new recipe. I love my standard Posole recipe with pork, but liked this idea with chicken and tomatillos. Tomatillos have almost a citrus-like taste to them so it pairs well with chicken and pozole.

The soup was great fresh and I’ve frozen a large batch for a cold winter’s night!

CHICKEN POSOLE WITH TOMATILLOS

1 pound tomatillos
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups chopped onion
1 pounds chicken, skinned (I used 2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken vs. raw)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and quartered
1 (30-ounce) can white hominy, drained
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more to taste)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
8 lime wedges (optional)

Inspired and Adapted from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/posole-tomatillo-chicken-hominy-soup