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Tag: dried thyme

Blackened Red Snapper

This is an easy, fast and super healthy recipe… I am trying to cook fish at least twice a week and this is a great one.

  • 4 red snapper fillets

Spice Rub

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • Lemon slices

Mix the spices in a small bowl and sprinkle all over the fillets.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil

Heat a cast iron skillet and add the oil. Add the fillets skin side down and cook till almost opaque. Turn and cook the other side for another minute. Serve with lemon slices.

Cornbread & Chorizo Stuffing

Thanksgiving is not complete without a yummy stuffing. We never make the stuffing from the box- we like the one from scratch. The good thing about homemade stuffing is that you can make it in advance. This could be put together a couple of days before the big dinner and refrigerated or frozen.

You guessed right- this recipe has all the Latin flavors as well. There is the smoked paprika and orange zest – similar flavors to the turkey and the gravy. It also has chorizo- anything with chorizo is delicious! The leeks and the celery provide a nice crunch and the cranberries bring a delicious sweetness to the dish. This stuffing complemented the turkey and the rest of dishes beautifully!

  • 1 loaf cornbread, homemade or store-bought
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the cornbread into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups). Place the cubes onto a lined baking sheet and toss with oil, thyme and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly toasted. Keep aside.

  • 1 pound fresh chorizo, casings off
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 leeks, sliced
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • Zest of two oranges
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 to 2 cups chicken broth

Saute the chorizo in large frying pan on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Take the chorizo out using a slotted spoon. Add the butter, celery, onion and leeks. Saute on medium low heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Add the cranberries, orange zest, paprika and thyme, cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Mix well and add the toasted corn bread and cooked chorizo. Mix well and check for seasonings. Turn the heat off and transfer everything to a large bowl. Add the beaten egg and chicken broth 1 cup to start with. Toss all together and bake in a buttered dish covered with buttered foil for 40 to 50 minutes. Add more chicken stock if reheating or as needed.

Hoppin John- A New Year’s Eve Tradition

I was doing an article for the patch for New Years. My editor told me something about a tradition in the South called Hoppin John. I had never heard to the dish or the tradition and decided to do some research.

Turns out it is a dish made with rice and beans. It is to be eaten at midnight, New Year’s eve to bring good luck. The idea is to eat poor that night and eat rich the rest of the year.

Sounded good to me. As I read a bit more, I noticed it is usually made with some pork product and is served with some Southern style greens. I started thinking and decided to make mine with pancetta. I added some onions, garlic and green peppers to that. I also added dried thyme and made it mine by adding- yes, you guessed it- smoked paprika. I sauteed the mixture and added a can of black eyed peas, the rice and chicken broth. Once the rice was almost cooked, I added a lot of baby spinach.

I decided to make this into a one pot meal and healthy. Since traditionally the dish is served with greens, I decided to add mine right into the rice and beans.

The result was a delicious and quick comforting dish. Definitely make this for New Year’s Eve to ensure good luck for the rest of the Year- and Happy New Year to you and your family!

  • ½ cup pancetta, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • ½ green pepper, chopped
  • ½ cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 15 1/2 ounce can of black eyed peas
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 6 ounces baby spinach

Heat a saucepan with the pancetta and olive oil. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the thyme, onion, garlic and green pepper. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and paprika. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the black eyed peas and mix well. Add the rice and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cover the pan half way. Simmer for 10 minutes and cover all the way and lower the heat. Cook for another ten minutes and turn the heat off. Let it sit for ten minutes and add the spinach, stirring constantly. Serve immediately.

Meatballs with Smoked Paprika

Here is another meatball recipe.  They are so easy to make and I like to make mine with different flavorings. I also like to make them really healthy and generally make them with ground turkey meat. These particular ones have my favorite flavors- smoked paprika and dried ancho chilies. They both have a delicious, smoky flavor with a bit of kick.

I added the paprika in the meat itself including onion and garlic. For the sauce I reconstituted a few ancho chilies, blended them with crushed tomatoes and cooked it. I then formed the meatballs and cooked them in the delicious sauce.

 

  • 1 pound ground turkey meat
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 egg beaten
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/3 cup milk

Transfer the meat into a large bowl. Add the paprika, salt, thyme, beaten egg, cilantro, onion and garlic. Mix well. In the meantime soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for ten minutes. Add the soaked breadcrumbs into the meat mixture and mix well. Keep aside in the fridge for at least 2 to 3 hours.

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
  • 2 dried ancho chilies
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Salt

Soak the dried chilies in the boiling water for half an hour. Blend the soft peppers (and the water) with the crushed tomatoes until all blended well. Add the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the tomato mixture into the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for about 15 minutes on high. Simmer while forming meatballs and gently dropping them in the sauce. Add the cinnamon. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. Check for seasonings and serve with rice or bread.

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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Sausage with Zucchini

Sausage and Zucchini I would save this recipe for when one has had a crazy busy day but one still wants to serve a healthy, home cooked meal to ones family. This hardly takes any time- of course the key is to have the ingredients in the fridge and the pantry- that being said- any kind of vegetable or meat can be substituted for the zucchini and the sausage.

I like combining the two especially because of the way they look cut into perfect rounds. I sauteed up the sausage and added the onion and garlic. Some tomatoes, thyme and chicken broth later, I had a delicious dish. I simply served it with whole wheat couscous- which take all of five minutes and voila- I had a delicious meal…
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Greek Style Spaghetti and Meatballs

Greek Style Meatballs My daughter claimed these were the best meatballs I have ever made. After a compliment like that- I had to share the recipe.

I started the meatballs with my usual ground turkey meat. Any meat can be used buy I prefer turkey as it is healthier with less calories.

I wanted to make Greek style meatballs so I thought of fresh oregano and feta cheese. Garlic, shallots and parsley made them even better.

I soaked some panko crumbs in milk and added the mixture to the meat. It makes the meatballs very soft and delicious. The last thing was crumbled feta- it has great a great salty flavor.

I think the key is the homemade tomato sauce. I cooked the meatballs in the delicious sauce and served them with some yummy flavored spaghetti.

All in all it was a great meal- with a green salad and red wine on the side. Try these Greek style meatballs soon….
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