Green Chile Chicken Salad

I know what you're thinking — "Enough with the green chile recipes already." Under normal circumstances (not Hatch time) you might be right. But, when they are in season, I just can't help myself. I had some leftover grilled chicken from the night before and some roasted chiles and this just seemed like a match made in Heaven.

Green Chile Chicken Salad

1 chicken breast, chopped
2 heaping spoonfuls of mayonnaise
1 lime juiced
2 roasted Hot Hatch Green Chiles, chopped
handful of cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lime juice, green chiles and cilantro. Mix in the chopped chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture to share. I do, however, have a serving suggestion. (see picture below)

This sandwich tastes much better while picnicking at the newly sodded Zilker Park with a couple of really cute kids.

Bon Appetit!
Jen

Simply Grilled Chicken

When I made this chicken a couple of days ago Jeff told me that he likes it so much he would eat it once a week. Hmm. That is a terrible thing to tell me because I might just take him up on that. I think he would get really sick of it pretty quickly. It's just so easy and I don't have to really cook. Just make a marinade and some rice and a veggie. Ah, so easy. But, I guess for his sake, and mine, I will try not to make this every week.

Simply Grilled Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/8 c olive oil
1/8 c + 2T soy sauce
1/8 c rice wine vinegar
1/8 c orange juice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1" piece of ginger, grated

Mix together all wet ingredients. Put the chicken breasts in a gallon-sized zipper bag and pour in the marinade. I let the chicken marinate for about 4 hours before grilling.


Bon Appetit!
Jen

Green Chile Burgers

Every once in a while I really crave a burger, and Jeff's are really good. I stood behind him, pen in hand, to write down exactly what he was doing. Other than needing a little bit more green chile in it, they were really good. I've said it before and I will say it again, I am sure glad Jeff likes to grill. I really do not like to clean up the kitchen and the clean up is just so much easier when all the cooking is done outside! I guess I should stop complaining about all of our hot weather. If it were not so warm in Austin, then we would not be able to grill year round.

Green Chile Burgers

1 lb. ground beef (85%)
2 mild roasted green chiles, chopped
1 t worchestershire
1/4 t paprika
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t kosher salt
1/8 t freshly ground pepper
1 t soy sauce

Mix all the ingredients into the ground beef. (It is easiest to used your hands) The patties should be 20% bigger than the bun because they shrink while as they cook. We made 3 burgers with the 1 lb. of meat. Once the patties were made, Jeff put them into the freezer for 15 or 20 minutes before putting them on the grill. (He says this helps them stay together on the grill.)


Bon Appetit!
Jen

Green Chile and Cilantro Hummus

I really love August because that is when Central Market has their Hatch Chile Festival. I really love being able to get everything Hatch. They have scones, buns, bread, pimiento cheese, salsa, and burgers all with Hatch chiles in them. And best of all, they have fresh and freshly roasted chiles. Last time I went to the store I bought a pound of roasted chiles but nothing in mind to make with them. I thought they would be great in hummus. I usually buy store-bought hummus because I can't get mine to taste quite as good, but this time it was great. I think this recipe is a keeper.

Roasted Green Chile and Cilantro Hummus

2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 c tahini (sesame seed paste)
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 c water
1 t kosher salt
1/4 c cilantro
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
4 mild roasted green chiles

Place chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water, salt, and cilantro in the bowl of a food processor. Run the machine until the ingredients are pureed. While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil. Finally, add the green chiles and pulse until the chiles are chopped and incorporated into the hummus.

Serving suggestion:
Pita bread (cut into quarters) and topped with shredded cheddar cheese, a tomato and cucumber salad (chopped with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper), and sunflower sprouts. This was a really delicious lunch!

Bon Appetit!
Jen

Asian Grilled Shrimp Salad

I just love to watch Food Network. One of my favorite shows to watch is Grill It with Bobby Flay. It's a good show for us because we love to grill. I was all set to make some Asian grilled shrimp from an episode I watched the other night, but (if you can believe it) it was raining. No complaints here. I was beginning to think that 105° was just a new terrible norm. I am happy to report that yesterday afternoon it was a cool 80&deg. It was glorious. Okay, enough with the weather. To make a long story short, this is what my grill looked like around dinner time:

So, that meant I had to improvise. A grill pan did the trick.

This salad was so delicious! I have quite a few salad recipes on here, but this salad is by far the best. If there is one to make, this is it. It is kind of a hybrid of a Bobby Flay recipe and a Giada recipe. It is Giada's salad with Bobby's shrimp and dressing. It was heavenly.


Shrimp Marinade:
Bobby Flay
1/4 c soy sauce
2 limes, juiced
2 t honey
2" piece of ginger, finely grated
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 c canola oil

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk to mix. Marinate shrimp for 15 minutes before grilling.

Salad Dressing
Bobby Flay
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
2 T soy sauce
2 T canola oil
1 T toasted sesame oil (I used canola oil here, so 3T total)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
1/2 c. chopped, salted peanuts

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk to mix.

Salad

Mixed field greens
Napa Cabbage, thinly shredded
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 carrot peeled (in ribbons)

Assemble the salad. Top with the grilled shrimp and dressing.


Bon Appetit!
Jen

Whole Roasted Chicken

I bought a whole chicken to roast because I love roasted chicken. However, I failed to realize that meant my oven would be on for a really long time, which meant heating up my house when it is already hot because it is hot outside. Darn. But, I bit the bullet and did it anyway. It was good, but next time I will wait until it is cooler outside. You know, maybe in January.


Whole Roasted Chicken

1 whole chicken (3-4 lb.)
1 T onion powder
1 t kosher salt
1 t garlic powder
pepper
margarine or butter

Mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Season the chicken (by pulling back the skin) with the seasoning mixture, including inside the cavity. Put pats of butter or margarine under the skin. Bake in a roasting pan on a rack on 400° for 1 1/2 hours or until the juices run clear. Before letting the chicken rest I basted it with the juice from the bottom of the pan. Let the chicken rest for 30 minutes before cutting into it.


Bon Appetit!

Jen

Quinoa Salad

I recently made fish tacos and they were really good. They were so good in fact that I thought I would grill some Mahi Mahi and have that for my entree one night. Well, let me tell you that this time the fish was not quite as good. I'm not sure if it was that I liked it better baked or if I liked the seasoning better last time I made it. I think maybe it is a little bit of both. This time I only seasoned the fish with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Since Mahi Mahi is usually a pretty big piece of fish, I think that it would have better with more flavor. Oh well, now I know.
I made a quinoa salad to go with the fish and it was really good. I put olives, red onion, red peppers and chickpeas. But what is so great about it is that you can put anything in here. It would be great with feta cheese and roasted red peppers, or with black beans, corn and queso fresco. If you have never had quinoa I highly recommend it. It kind of reminds me of couscous, but it tastes nuttier. I made the quinoa concoction right before dinner, but it was much better the next day. If you make this be sure to make it ahead if time.

Quinoa Salad

1 cup dried quinoa
3-4 T red wine vinegar
1/8 c extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a red onion, diced
1/4 c green olives, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the box. Meanwhile, mix the vinegar and the olive oil in a small bowl. Place the red pepper, red onion, green olives and garbanzo beans in a large bowl. When the quinoa is finished cooking add it to the large bowl and pour the vinaigrette over it. Season with salt and pepper.

Bon Appetit!
Jen

Roasted Vegetables Over Brown Rice with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Jeff was really not too excited about our vegan meal the other night when he heard about it, but it was really pretty good. Lately I feel like we have been eating too much meat. I used to be good about making at least one vegetarian meal a week, but ever since being pregnant with Luke I have become a meatatarian. So, I thought I would start getting back to the way things used to be and this meal is what I came up with. It is not too terribly inventive but adding the balsamic vinaigrette to the top does make it seem a bit more lively than just rice and veggies.

First I halved a red pepper, halved 2 small Japanese eggplants, and halved 3 smallish zucchini. Then I drizzled then with extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper. Then I popped them into a 400° oven for about 30 minutes while my rice was cooking away.
They looked like this when they came out. Scrumptious. (You know, just about as delicious as roasted veggies can be.)
Then I cut up the veggies and served them on top of the brown rice with balsamic vinaigrette on top. And there you have it. About as healthy as it comes and as easy as 1-2-3.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
(from Oprah.com)

3T balsamic vinegar
1 T red wine vinegar
1 t dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, pressed
3/4 c extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Combine vinegars, mustard and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Slowly add olive oil while the blender is running. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bon Appetit!
Jen

Slow Cooker Pork Roast

I got a slow cooker for my birthday (thanks Kathy, I love it!) and so I wanted to make something in it. My friend's mom told me that she likes to make a pork roast with apple juice, brown sugar and ginger. That sounded perfect- right up my alley. I made it the other night and it was great, and in true slow cooker fashion, so easy! I will be adding this to the rotation for sure.

Apple Ginger Pork Roast

2 lb. pork loin roast
1/2 c. apple juice
2 t. fresh grated ginger
3 T brown sugar
2 apples quartered

Coat the outside of the pork with salt and pepper. Brown the outside of the pork before adding it to the slow cooker. Add the quartered apples to the bottom of the slow cooker. Once the meat is browned, put it on top of the apples. In a small bowl mix together the juice, ginger and brown sugar. Pour mixture over the roast. Cook for about 4 hours on high.

After the pork is done, I put the liquid from the crockpot in a small saucepan and simmer it to reduce to a gravy.

I served this with green beans and mashed potatoes (made with butter, greek yogurt, green onions.)

Bon Appetit!
Jen