Lemongrass and Curry Grilled Chicken

This one has made its way to my 'favorites' list.  It is sooo good and the potatoes are mouth-watering.

2 stalks lemongrass, stripped and cut into thin slices
1 bunch cilantro
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp sugar
2 Tb veggie oil

4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless (I used 8 thighs instead), washed and dried
1 lb new potatoes (I used Russian fingerlings)
3 stips bacon, cut into 1-inch squares
1 lime cut into slices
sweet paprika
olive oil
skewers (for grilling)

Lay the chicken in a 9x13 baking dish, making a single layer.

Combine the first batch of ingredients in a food processor to make a paste.  Add a little more oil if needed.  Spread this over the chicken, turning to coat both sides.  Allow to marinate, covered and refrigerated, for at least an hour.  Longer is better!

While the chicken is marinating, wash the potatoes but leave the skins on.  Put them in a large saucepan and cover with water; add in some salt.  Bring water to a boil and cook the potatoes until just tender when poked with a fork.  Drain.  Allow to cool somewhat.

Generously coat the bacon pieces on both sides with paprika.  When the potatoes have cooled, cut in half and then skewer one half potato, follow with a bacon slice, then the other half.  It makes a potato-bacon 'sandwich.'  I can fit 2-3 sandwiches per skewer.  Brush the skewers with olive oil; generously season with salt, pepper and more paprika.

When ready, take the chicken and potatoes to the grill and cook!  The chicken takes 4-5 minutes per side; the potatoes about the same.  When finished, squeeze the lime over the chicken and enjoy!

Strawberry-Basil Jam

Despite the clouds and rain, tomorrow marks the first day of summer.  To celebrate, I bought a flat of local, chemical-free strawberries to make jam.  I usually make enough freezer jam to last us all year and decided to add in something new this time.  In addition to making freezer jam, I made cooked jam and added some basil!  This recipe is taken from Good Housekeeping:

Ingredients:

3 qts (1/2 flat) strawberries; pick smaller, bright berries
1 1.75 oz package of pectin
1/2 tsp butter
1/4 C basil, finely chopped
7 C sugar

Place 1 cup berries in 8-qt heavy pot.  Crush with potato masher and continue to add berries, crushing until you have 5 even cups.  Add basil.  Stir in pectin and butter.  Heat on high, stirring constantly until mixture comes to full rolling boil.  Add sugar all at once.  Return to boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and skim off foam.



Prep your canning jars (wash in hot soapy water, rinse, then keep lids under hot water until ready for use).  Ladle jam into half-pin jars, leaving 1/4 in room at top.  Wipe jar rims, add lids.  Process in boiling water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling).  Remove jars; cool on wire racks for 1 day.

I don't have a canner, so I used my double-pot pasta cooker (has an insert that drains water).  I always use this for canning and it works great!  Looks like this --->


Enjoy!

Fun with White Wine

I hosted a baby shower for a dear friend this past weekend and wanted to provide something alcoholic for those of us not growing a little child.  What better summer-time drink with wine than Sangria!  I researched recipes for white sangria, took bits from here and there, and came up with this recipe:

Two bottles white wine (I used a table wine)
Four peaches
Three limes
Two lemons
Two oranges
1 C sliced strawberries
2 C sugar
1 C brandy
Club soda

Slice the citrus fruit into rounds and the peaches into chunky slices.  Add all the fruit, the sugar, the brandy and the wine into a large pitcher.  Mix and let sit for 24 hours.  Right before serving, mix in about 2-3 cups of club soda.

This was sooooo yummy!  I plan to make it again this weekend and will *try* to remember to get pictures.  It makes a beautiful drink!

Double-Chocolate Brownies

It was a beautiful weekend here and I spent most of it outdoors.  However, I woke up this morning to clouds and a nasty cold.  What better way to cheer up than baking brownies! (especially if it involves the help of little hands).  Taken from Martha Stewart April 2010.

1 stick unsalted butter
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 C sugar
3 eggs
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C + 2 Tb flour

Preheat oven to 350* and line 8x8 baking pan with parchment (I used foil).  Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, then eggs 1 at a time, then cocoa and salt.  Fold in flour until combined.

Pour batter into pan.  Bake until set (toothpick stuck in center comes out with moist crumbs), 35-40 min.  Let cool in pan 15 min.  Left brownies from pan (using parchment) and cool on wire rack completely.  Cut, serve, enjoy!

These ones are just underdone, making them sooo ooey gooey.  Yum!

From-scratch Veggie Lasagna

I'm leaving for Hawaii tomorrow to visit one of my sisters, so I made my husband a lasagna to prevent ordering pizza every night. :)  I had some ingredients on-hand and just threw them together:

Lasagna noodles
Basil, whole leaf
Parsley (I prefer flat-leaf Italian), chopped
Ricotta, 10 oz
Feta crumbled, as desired
Parmesean grated, as desired
Garlic, 2 cloves minced
Shallot, 1 finely chopped
Onion, chopped
Can diced tomatoes with juice
Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper

Cook lasagna noodles (I use organic, whole wheat and need 10) and drain.  Lay on wax paper to prevent them sticking together.

In the meantime, sautee together chopped onion/garlic/shallot in olive oil.  Once they are tender and translucent, transfer to a bowl.  Add a little more olive oil and cook the mushrooms.  When they've wilted, add the onion mixture back and mix in the parsley.  Add in tomatoes plus juice and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes.

While tomato sauce is cooking, mix ricotta and feta with black pepper in a bowl.

Layer your lasagna: tomato sauce, cheese mixture, whole basil leaves, noodles.  Repeat and end with cheese mixture.  Top with grated parmesean.  Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes at 400*.  After 25 minutes remove foil and bake anther 25 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.  Let cool and then enjoy!