Category Archives: Poultry
Mediterranean Meatballs
Here is another delicious recipe for one of our favorite things to eat. I am afraid, I will be running out of ideas soon for making different kinds meatballs. I realize I can use different kinds of meats, etc but I do love using turkey meat as it is so healthy to eat, especially since I am trying to reduce the amounts of red meat I feed my family.
This particular one has a mixture of sundried tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts and basil. The mixture adds a delicious flavor to the meatballs as well as the sauce. The trick to soft meatballs is the panko breadcrumbs soaked in milk. The meatballs come out melting in the mouth. The sauce is made with fresh cherry tomatoes- super simple to make and the most delicious as well.
Overall, it is a fabulous meal to make. I also made a warm spinach salad and served red wine with dinner- yum!!
- 1 pound ground turkey (dark meat)
- 4 to 5 sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1 cup basil, chopped
Add the shallot, garlic, into a food processor and process till smooth. Add the sundried tomatoes and basil. Process till smooth and take out into a medium bowl with the turkey.
- ½ cup panko crumbs
- ¼ cup milk
Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for 15 minutes.
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons salt
Add the soaked breadcrumbs, egg and salt into the turkey mixture. Mix with both hands. Keep aside.
Marinara Sauce
- 1 can (28 oz) cherry tomatoes (or any other)- put through the food mill
- 1 small yellow onion, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- A pinch of sugar
Heat a heavy, wide saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, thyme, basil, salt and sugar. Mix well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook for at least 20 minutes.
In the meantime form meatballs (the mixture makes about 14 meatballs). Drop the meatballs into the simmering sauce as you form them. Once all the meatballs are in the saucepan, simmer covered for 15 minutes. Check for seasonings and serve with spaghetti.
1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons salt
Once the pasta is done, drain it well and place it back into the pan. Add the oil, basil and salt. Mix well and keep ready for the meatballs.
Serve the meatballs on top of the seasoned spaghetti.
Mexican Chicken Stew with Chorizo
This dish reflects my obsession with smoked paprika- yet again. I also love Mexican and Latin flavors. They are very similar to Indian and Thai flavors- loud and flavorful. That is what I love. Don’t get me wrong, I do love the subtle dishes as well but I find myself craving the spicy, flavorful foods- preferably the kind I churn out in my kitchen. I can control the fat, sodium and honestly make it more tasty than what we get outside.
This one starts with chicken thighs- my favorite cut to cook with.. they are very forgiving and super flavorful. I then added my other other favorite ingredient- chorizo which provides immense flavor to any dish. I love eating it on it’s own…
A mixture of green onions, carrots, tomatoes and chipotle sauce makes this stew really delicious. I served it hot with hot corn tortillas and fresh guacamole. My husband had a cold beer and I enjoyed a glass of red wine. It was absolutely delicious…
- 1 pound skinless thighs
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
Sprinkle the chicken thighs generously with the paprika and salt. Keep aside.
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- ½ cup green onions, chopped
- 1 link chorizo, casing removed and chopped
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chipotle sauce
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Salt
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides on high heat in two batches and keep aside. Add the chorizo to the pan and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the carrots and green onions. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes and add the chipotle sauce, chopped tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add the chicken thighs. Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer and cover with lid. Let it cook for at least 45 minutes. Take the lid off and cook on a simmer for another half an hour until the meat is falling off the bone. Check for seasonings and add salt. Garnish with cilantro and serve with guacamole and tortillas.
Pasta with Chicken and Zucchini
I love making roast chicken for many reasons. One reason is the leftovers. I like coming up with something completely different with yesterdays leftovers.
In this case, I had about a cup of shredded chicken from the delicious roast chicken. I also always keep fresh tomato sauce in my fridge all the time. Once a week I buy fresh tomatoes and make a quick fresh sauce. I wanted to add some vegetables and noticed a zucchini in my fridge. I then remembered my daughter’s look every time I serve zucchini- so I decided to peel it, chop it and add it to the mix with some carrots- she noticed the carrots but not the zucchini. The chicken and tomato sauce mixture was delicious. I quickly boiled some pasta and we had a delicious, quick and healthy meal.
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Achari Chicken Tikkas (Chicken Cooked In Pickling Spices)
I am always looking for different ways to cook chicken- I guess so is everyone else. It is easy to pick it up while doing your weekly shop- or in my case- daily shop. I have to admit- I prefer chicken thighs to any other part of the bird. I find it very versatile, forgiving and full of flavor. I especially use it when making ethnic dishes.
I love making chicken tikkas- my daughter loves them- and I feel good about giving her delicious, organic meat with some veggies on the side.
I felt like eating tikkas but I wanted to prepare them a little differently than my usual. The cooking method is the same- it is the marinade that is completely different- sky is the limit when it comes to flavoring the yogurt. I made a spice mix which is similar to pickling spices used in Indian pickles. It is a classic mixture of fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds with onion seeds, etc. It gives the chicken a delicious sweet, savory and liquorice flavor.
These are best if marinated over night- if you didn’t plan ahead, no worries- a couple of hours will be fine as well. Keep this recipe in mind as you start thinking of grilling outside- enjoy!!
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Healthy Meat Sauce with Spinach
I continue to cook super healthy in this New Year. This one is a simple meat sauce I whipped up in no time. My daughter’s friend was coming over on a Sunday and was going to stay for lunch. Kids love pasta- we all know that. It is always hard to come up with new and interesting dishes to serve them.
I had ground turkey in the fridge and decided to make a quick meat sauce. I also had a big container of freshly made marinara sauce. Instead of serving vegetables on the side, I added it into the sauce. I love making one pot meals- especially for kids. I have also noticed they tend to eat the veggies if they are incorporated into the dish.
I sauteed an onion and garlic with the meat- added the tomato sauce and spinach. That was it- so simple and delicious.
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