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Tag: extra virgin olive oil

Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Tomato Salad

I am in a summer roll- this is an amazingly easy yet delicious, light recipe to make any evening or for company. I used one of my favorite ingredients- balsamic glaze. If you don’t have it in your pantry- it is a must. It is great for marinades, salad dressing, etc…. It has an amazing sweet and tart flavor…

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pepper
  • 2 to 3 cups mixed greens

Transfer the tomatoes, garlic, balsamic glaze, olive oil, salt and pepper to a salad bowl. Mix well and let sit in room temperature for an hour. Right before serving, add the greens and toss well.

  • 4 to 5 pieces chicken cutlets (chicken breasts pounded thin)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Mix the balsamic glaze, garlic, olive oil and salt in a small bowl. Transfer the chicken and the marinade to a zip lock bag and marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Take out half an hour before grilling. Grill till done, careful not to over cook. Take off grill. Serve with tomato salad on top.

 

Grilled Chicken with Chipotle Sauce

Perfect recipe for a barbecue.. I made this last summer and it was a big hit!

Dry Rub

  • 1 tablespoon chipotle powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 smashed garlic cloves

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and keep aside.

  • 8 to 10 chicken drumsticks, skin removed

Score the drumsticks a couple of times and marinate them in the chipotle mixture in a zip lock bag over night or for at least 2 hours.

Chipotle Sauce

  • 1 cup tomato sauce, preferably fresh
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo (added a pepper in there as well)
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Bring all the ingredients to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste for seasonings and set aside.

Grill the chicken till done and baste with half of the chipotle sauce. Use the rest of serving on the side. Serve the chicken with a salad.

 

Fresh Nectarine and Corn Salad

Another yummy corn salad- this one is paired with one of my favorite fruits- nectarines… green onion, mint and basil take this side dish over the top!

  • 4 to 5 corn on the cob, grilled till golden brown and take kernels off the cob
  • 2 large or 3 medium nectarines, cut into 1-inch dice
  • 4 to 5 green onions, trimmed, cut in half and grilled briefly (just to char the outside of the onions)
  • ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
  • ½ cup feta, crumbled
  • Juice of one lemon
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons salt

Transfer the corn kernels, nectarines, green onions, mint, basil and feta to a salad bowl. Add the lemon juice, oil and salt. Toss and serve.

Cheesy Turkey Meatballs

Another recipe for our favorite thing to eat in my house- meatballs!! These are absolutely yummy…

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup pancetta, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

Heat a frying pan with the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook over medium low heat for 4 to 5 minutes till all the fat is rendered and the pancetta bits are golden brown. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary and thyme. Saute for another 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat off and set aside to cool.

  • 1 pound dark meat ground turkey
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs soaked in ¼ cup milk (let sit for 10 minutes before adding to the turkey)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups tomato sauce

In a large mixing bowl, add the ground turkey, parsley, cheese, egg, soaked breadcrumbs, salt and the cooled pancetta mixture. Mix well and keep aside.

Bring the tomato sauce to a boil in a large saucepan, form the meatballs and gently slide them into the sauce. Cover with lid and lower heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or once the meatballs are cooked through. Serve warm with spaghetti.

Shrimp Enchilada with Tomatillo Sauce

My husband’s favorite thing to order at a Mexican restaurant is shrimp enchiladas.. and typically it is served with some refried beans, etc. Well, I decided to recreate it at home as we all know, one can’t beat homemade food.. so here it is…. very yummy!

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, cleaned
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a medium frying pan with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shrimp, salt and smoke paprika. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes till the shrimp are almost done. Turn heat off and drizzle with lemon juice.

Tomatillo Sauce

  • 4 to 5 tomatillos, cut in half
  • 1 medium onion, cut in half with skin on
  • 4 to 5 garlic cloves, with skin on
  • 1 poblano pepper, cut in half
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup cilantro
  • 2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place the tomatillos, onion, garlic and poblano pepper on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast in oven for 45 minutes till the vegetables are soft. Place into a blender with the water, cilantro and salt. Blend till smooth, taste for seasonings and keep aside.

  • 6 to 8 flour tortillas
  • 1 to 1½ cups shredded mozzarella
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Transfer the tomatillo sauce in a flat platter. Dip each tortilla in the sauce. Place the tortilla on a cutting board, add 3 to 4 shrimp with the onions, top with a tablespoon of shredded cheese. Roll the tortilla and add to an oven-proof platter seam side down. Repeat the process with all the tortillas. Top with the remaining shredded cheese and cover with aluminum foil, bake for 40 minutes. Take out and serve with refried beans and guacamole.

Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings

I think I will call these vegetarian meatballs! They were really delicious and no one missed the meat! Make sure to buy a good quality ricotta- preferably fresh and drain in for a couple of hours so the extra liquid comes out before forming your dumplings. I always have fresh tomato sauce on hand – which is quite handy with a number of dishes.

  • 1 pound fresh ricotta cheese placed in a strainer above a bowl for 3 to 4 hours
  • ½ box 9 ounces frozen spinach, defrosted and water squeezed out and chopped
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup all purpose flour (plus more)
  • Semolina for holding dumplings

Ricotta and Spinach Dumplings

Take the ricotta out of the strainer and transfer to a large bowl. Add the spinach, parsley, eggs, cheese, nutmeg, salt. Mix well. Add ¼ cup flour, mix, if the mixture is still wet, add in the remaining ¼ cup. I added the entire ½ cup.  Using a spoon take about a tablespoon of the mixture and place them on a platter with some flour. Form into a ball and transfer them to a tray lined with semolina. Form all the dumplings and keep aside.

 

 

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 2 cups fresh tomato sauce or a 28 ounces can of San Marzano crushed tomatoes
  • Salt

Heat a wide frying pan with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and some salt and simmer on low for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste for seasonings.

In the meantime, bring a large pot full of salted water to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and gently add the dumplings to the simmering water. Cook until the dumplings float and swell, about 3 to 4 minutes. You may need to cook them in badges in order not to over crowd. Using a slotted spoon remove the dumplings from the water and add to the sauce. Serve warm.

 

Chicken Paprikash

I saw Michael Symon make this recipe on some show and was reminded of a dish my Mom used to make for us… so I kind of blended the two and came up with my own version.. it is a great weekday, healthy meal to serve your family…

  • 5 to 6 chicken drumsticks, with skin
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 4 garlic cloves, grated
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Mix the paprika, garlic, oil and salt in a small bowl. Rub all over the chicken and marinate for 2 to 3 hours.

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 small green pepper, chopped
  • 1 small red pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 14 ounces crushed tomato
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • Salt
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup dill, chopped

Heat a heavy saucepan with the butter and olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces on medium high heat on all sides. Take out of the pan and keep the chicken pieces aside. Add the thyme, onion, peppers and paprika. Saute on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the crushed tomato and sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the chicken back to the pan with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer on lower heat, covered for 15 to 20 minutes. Take the lid off the take the chicken pieces out to take off the bone (you can leave on the bone if desired). In the meantime, add the flour to the sour cream, mix well and add to the pan. Mix well and add salt if needed. Add the parsley and dill. Mix well and serve with egg noodles.

 

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