Honey-glazed Apple Barbecue Chicken

Our family loves the combination of sweet and smoky when we make barbecue. Here is an easy recipe to make in the oven or on the grill.

Ingredients:

6 chicken legs or thighs, bone-in
2 tbs. honey
2 tbs. prepared barbecue sauce, we use KC Masterpiece Original
1 tsp. hot brown mustard
1 tsp. dried thyme
ground black pepper to taste
(use a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like more heat)
1 granny smith apple

Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry. In a medium bowl, combine honey, barbecue sauce, mustard, thyme and pepper. Coat chicken pieces with mixture and lay on a large piece of aluminum foil. Rinse, core, and slice apple. Place slices on top of chicken. Pour on the remaining sauce. Make a foil packet by covering with a second piece of foil and folding all four sides up about 1 inch. Fold each side again twice to seal packet. Carry foil packet on a large cookie sheet. Transfer from sheet to preheated oven and bake at 375 degrees for 60-75 minutes or grill for 60-90 minutes. (Note: for the last 30 minutes of grilling, it may be helpful to slide cookie sheet back under foil packet to prevent scorching.)

Enjoy!

Julia's Greek Tomato Salad

It is August, and fresh, ripe tomatoes are coming out of the garden by the armful. This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them.

















Ingredients:

3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
5 Roma tomatoes
1 tbs. scallion
20 Kalamata olives
2 tbs. Pesto Presto

Wash and drain spinach. Chop roughly and place in a medium sized mixing bowl. Dice tomatoes and add, with seeds and pulp. Finely slice 1 tbs. of scallion green and roughly chop olives. Toss with spinach and tomatoes. Add pesto and mix thoroughly to distribute throughout salad.

Enjoy!

Joe's Gold Medal Chili

Joe made this chili yesterday, as we were hit with a patch of unseasonably cool weather. When the temperature gets down into the 50's in August, you know it's time for a recipe like this one. It has nice kick, so spare the chiles if you mind the heat.

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, diced
10 dried red chiles, minced, with seeds
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced, with seeds
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 can (29 oz.) tomato puree
29 oz. water (use empty tomato can)
60 oz. canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 tbs chili powder
1 tbs cumin
1/2 tbs dried oregano
1/2 tbs dried basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
peanut oil

In heavy stockpot, heat 1/8 inch peanut oil over highest heat. When hot, add beef and brown, stirring constantly. When beef is almost done, add garlic, onion, chiles and bell pepper. Stir and cook 1-2 minutes more. Add tomatoes, water, beans and stir. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, basil, salt & pepper. Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 1-2 hours.

Enjoy!

Julia's Chicken Cacciatore

I love making Chicken Cacciatore in the slow cooker. It is simple to put together in the morning, and you just can't beat the tremendous flavor that comes from simmering all day long. This fantastic dinner is best with ingredients fresh from the garden or farmer's market. It is a delight in high summer or on a cool, rainy day.

Ingredients:

6-8 pieces of bone-in chicken with skin

1 medium onion, sliced into rings

2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half

1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 large can tomato puree
2 cups whole tomatoes, skinned and seeded
10 large fresh basil leaves, or 1/2 tbs dried basil
2 tbs fresh oregano or 1/2 tbs dried oregano
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Slice onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Place in the bottom of your slow cooker. Nestle seasoned chicken on top. In a separate bowl, combine tomato puree and whole tomatoes. Crush with clean hands or potato masher. Stir in herbs, remaining salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over chicken and simmer on Low for 6-8 hours. Serve hot with garlic bread or your favorite pasta.

Enjoy!

Italian Sausage-Pepper Skillet

Yesterday we harvested the first of our bell peppers. It was fun to see my daughter hold the pepper, warm from the sunshine, against her cheek as she carried it inside. Of course, fresh peppers from the garden are a perfect opportunity to cook this easy, satisfying meal. I serve it over our favorite pasta, angel hair.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. mild Italian sausages (5 or 6 servings)
1 green bell pepper
1/4 Bermuda onion
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce (store bought or homemade are okay)

About an hour before you plan to eat, fill large skillet with 1/2 inch of water. Place sausages in cold pan, cover, and cook over high heat until water boils. Keep pan covered and turn heat down to simmer. Peel garlic cloves, leave whole and place in pan with sausages. Wash, seed, and slice pepper into thin strips. Cut onion into rings. Place onion and pepper slices into skillet and cook 15 minutes. Add marinara sauce, stir all ingredients to coat. Keep skillet covered and over lowest heat. In the time it takes to prepare the pasta (optional), the sausages will be cooked -- and your kitchen will smell delicious!

Enjoy!

Fajita Lime Chicken

We love this recipe in the summertime. It is a great filling for fajitas, but I also like it on a green salad with fresh salsa. This is also a great recipe for grilling. Just keep the chicken breasts intact to cook and slice when ready to serve.
Ingredients:

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Juice of 3 limes
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 1/2 tbs. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbs. canola oil

Rinse the chicken breasts and trim of all fat. Place in a ziploc bag. Combine the next four ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour over chicken breasts and seal bag with little or no air inside. Move chicken around to ensure marinade is in contact. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat 2 tbs. canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and discard bag and liquid. On a plastic cutting board, slice chicken across the grain into 1/2 inch slices. Cook quickly in skillet until flesh is opaque and chicken is completely cooked, but still moist (about 3-5 minutes per side). Serve with heated tortillas and fresh salsa.

Enjoy!

*Note: if you have less time to marinate the chicken, but still want to make this dish, slice the breasts across the grain into 1/2 inch slices before you marinate. The chicken will be able to absorb flavors more quickly -- about an hour on the countertop should give you a flavorful result.

Grandma's German-Style Baked Beans

Grandma brings these baked beans to just about every summer party or potluck. They are sweet, tangy, and tasty! I hope your family likes it as much as ours. I even let my kids help with this recipe -- it's so easy.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground hamburger
3 large cans Bush's Original baked beans
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white onion, diced
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 granny smith apples
1 cup ketchup
1 tsp. yellow mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Brown and drain the ground beef. Peel and core apples and dice into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces.
In large bowl, mix together beef, diced apples, and all remaining ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula. Stir until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into 9x13 glass casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. (Alternate: pour into cool slow cooker and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-5 hours.) Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Red Lentils with Garlic

As I've mentioned before in this blog, we try to eat one vegetarian meal each week in our household. It is one way we introduce our children to new tastes from different parts of the world. I am beholden to Mahur Jaffrey for inspiring this wonderful dish. If you haven't read her book, World Vegetarian (Random House, 1999), I would heartily recommend it. The initial cooking method for the red lentils is hers, the flavoring afterward -- my own. We like it best served with Thai jasmine rice.

Ingredients:

1 cup red lentils, sorted and washed 3 times
4 cups water
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. salt

2 tbs. canola oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tbs. snipped chives
salt & pepper to taste

Begin by sorting and washing the lentils in several changes of water. You want the cooking water to be fairly clear, not murky. Bring lentils and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Skim off the foam that rises to the surface of the water. Add the turmeric (this will give it a lovely bright yellow color) and stir. Place lid on pot so that it is slightly vented, or open the steam vent slightly if you have one. Cook gently on low heat for 40-50 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Add salt and stir. Remove lid to allow some water to evaporate and turn off the heat.

In a small frying pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds and fry until they pop. Add cayenne pepper and garlic, heating over medium heat to brown and soften garlic cloves. They should brown on all sides, but not scorch. Once garlic is soft, slightly mash with a fork into spiced oil. Pour contents of pan into lentils and stir.

Allow lentil liquid to reduce and flavors to combine by again placing uncovered pot over low heat while you cook the rice. 2-3 minutes before serving, stir lemon juice and chives into lentils. The chives will turn bright green against the beautiful yellow of the lentils.

Enjoy!

Dominic's Pan-fried Tilapia

This is Dominic's favorite dish. He eats it on his birthdays and asks for it all year long. It is simple to prepare, light and delicious. This time of year, he likes it best with scalloped potatoes and fresh green beans from the garden. The method works well for any white fish -- even the bluegill Dominic caught last weekend.

Ingredients:

6 Tilapia fillets, room temperature
1 cup flour
1 tbs. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh pepper to taste
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. butter
sliced fresh lemon

Rinse Tilapia and pat dry on paper towels. In flat dish, combine flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Place butter and oil in medium sized skillet. Melt over medium heat. Dredge both sides of each fillet and pan-fry 2-3 minutes per side. Move to platter in warm oven (180-200 degrees) to complete cooking and ensure that all fillets are warm when served. Fish is ready when flesh is opaque and flakes with a fork. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice overtop and serve with additional lemon on the side.

Hint: Cook only 2 at a time so you have room to maneuver, and adjust the heat as necessary so the breading doesn't scorch. After the first set is done, sweep any fallen breading to the side of the pan and remove if possible. If necessary, add an additional tsp. oil and/or butter and allow to come to temperature before adding the next two. Trust me, your patience will be rewarded.

Hope you enjoy this simple, delicious dish!

Sailing Club Soy-Lime Salmon

We learned this recipe from Al at the Ann Arbor Sailing Club. It's a place you have to drive miles of dirt road to get to, and Al doesn't do much but teach people to sail and cook good food. We haven't been back there in at least a decade, but every time we make this salmon, we think of that place. It's one of the great tastes of summer.

Ingredients:

4 fresh salmon steaks or fillets (with skin on)
2 limes, juiced
1 1/2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. soy sauce
3 tbs. butter, softened
2 tsp. snipped chives

In a gallon-size ziploc bag, combine lime juice, oil, and soy sauce. Shake to combine. Place salmon in bag and let marinade 1 hour on the counter or up to 3 hours in the refrigerator.

In small bowl, blend butter and chives with a fork. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fire up the grill, and place non-stick foil on the grill surface. Grill salmon just until flaky, but still moist. Serve with a small pat of chive butter on top.

Enjoy!

Julia's Italian Meatballs

This is an adaptation of my mother's meatballs and my grandmother's sauce. It gets tremendous flavor from the meat simmering in the sauce. I always make extra, because it is great using the leftovers for meatball sandwiches. This is a recipe for the slow cooker, so it can be assembled ahead of time, cook during the day, and have amazing flavor at suppertime.

Ingredients:

For the sauce,

1 large can tomato puree (check that there are no extra seasonings, just tomatoes)
1 medium can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
8 leaves fresh basil, chopped
20 leaves fresh oregano, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste (or red pepper flakes, if you like your sauce spicier)

For the meatballs,

1 lb. ground round
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs (I use Progresso)
1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded romano cheese

Assemble sauce ingredients in slow cooker. Simmer on low, 6-8 hours. (You can use the high setting if you need to, but be careful. The sugars in the tomatoes can scorch on the side of the pot. Low works best for this recipe.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the meatball ingredients. Using your hands (there really is no better way), knead until thoroughly mixed. Heat oven to 350 degrees and roll into balls about 2 inches in diameter. Place 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet lined with non-stick foil. Bake 12 minutes. Turn over and bake again, 12 minutes. Drop baked meatballs into sauce in slow cooker. Allow to cook until sauce is ready to serve (at least 1 hour).

Serve with your favorite pasta, and enjoy!

Joe's Black Bean Salad

In the summer, we like to have vegetarian dishes with lots of flavor. This one certainly fits the bill, with a combination of tart and sweet that really works. I like the crunch of the celery, onion, and peppers, too!

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked black beans, rinsed
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup corn
1 medium vidalia onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 medium bell pepper, diced

For the Dressing,
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbs. salad oil (I use olive oil or canola)
1 tbs. white wine vinegar
1 tbs. sugar
salt to taste

Place soft, rinsed beans in large mixing bowl. Add chopped vegetable ingredients. Toss. In separate mixing bowl, combine herbs, oil, vinegar, sugar and salt. Mix well until sugar has dissolved completely. Pour over bean/vegetable mixture. Toss again. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Enjoy!

Turkey-Sage Penne Pasta

Good recipes using ground turkey can be difficult to find. I put this one together about three years ago, and it is now a staple at our house. We grow fresh sage in the garden, which I would highly recommend for this dish. Although it combines olive oil and butter, use as much or as little as suits your taste and dietary needs.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey or ground turkey breast
1/2 small white onion, minced
8 large leaves fresh sage
Extra virgin olive oil
4 tbs. salted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound penne pasta

Begin by browning the turkey, uncovered, in a large skillet with a lid. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Once turkey is browned, remove it from the pan and reduce heat. Add 1 tbs. olive oil and onion and cook gently until onion is softened. Slice sage leaves into fine slivers. Return the meat to the pan and add half the sage. Saute together for 1 minute. Add 2 tbs. more olive oil and butter to the pan. As butter melts, toss the mixture to coat and add remaining fresh sage. Add pasta to the pan and toss again. Serve warm in shallow pasta bowls.

Enjoy!

Perfect Fried Eggplant

When the weather gets hot, I like to use a vegetable as the main course for supper, especially when you can get perfect fresh eggplant. Fried Eggplant is delicious on its own, or it can be used as an ingredient for Eggplant Parmesan or Eggplant Lasagna --just don't skip the pressing step. As an Italian grandmother will tell you, "Eggplant is like a woman -- it has to weep to let go of its bitterness."

Ingredients:

2 cups flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 cup water
2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (I use Progresso)
1 medium eggplant
Canola oil
Lemon slices

At the grocery, choose an eggplant that is medium-sized and firm with a smooth, shiny skin. At home, peel off the skin and slice into 1/4 inch rounds. Keep the slices as uniform as you can.

Place 6-8 slices in a single layer on a dinner plate, salt lightly, and cover with a paper towel. Layer again and repeat until all slices are stacked with paper towel between them. Cover with a dinner plate of the same size and weigh it down (I use a 2-3 cans of vegetables as a weight.) Let the eggplant "weep" for about 1 hour.

After the eggplant has released it's juice, prepare 3 bowls for breading. In the first, place seasoned flour. The second should have the egg and water beaten together. The third should have the breadcrumbs. Heat Canola oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Dip each slice of eggplant in flour, egg mixture, and crumbs. Allow to fry 2-3 minutes, turn. When browned on both sides, remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Serve warm with slices of lemon.

Enjoy!

World's Best Dad Brats

When we have a get-together, my husband always wants brats. The trouble is, I don't want him to have to spend the entire party standing over a grill. So, this is my solution. At our last outdoor party, I had one of the grandmothers say, "I love these! I can't believe I ate two!" Another friend, famous for buying only 'specialty' sausage from New York, asked me for the recipe. I was supremely complimented.

Ingredients:

6-20 Uncooked brats from the meat section of the grocery (I use Johnsonville)
1 Sam Adams Boston Lager
1 White onion

The morning of the party (or the night before), preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap the brats and lay on cookie sheets in a single layer, making sure they are not touching each other. Bake 20 minutes, turn over and return to oven for another 15 minutes. Heat your slow cooker or crockpot on the low setting. Slice the onion into 1/4 inch rings. Scatter them on the bottom of insert. Pour in beer. I use half a bottle (the rest is good drinkin' for Dad!) Lay pre-cooked brats in slow cooker on top of onion layer. (For lots of brats, place them standing up-and-down -- I have fit as many as 36 in a standard crock pot.) Cover and cook on Low setting until the party. They are easy to transport and keep warm.

Enjoy! And Happy Father's Day!

Nathaniel's Tasty Cilantro Chicken

The marinade for this chicken tenderizes the meat. It has a beautiful green color, so I usually reserve about 1/4 cup to pour over the meat when it is served. For a summer meal with lots of color, this is great to serve with a plate of fresh cherry tomatoes and yellow peppers.

Ingredients:

3-5 boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

For the marinade,

4 tbs. lemon juice
1 tbs. olive oil
2 med. cloves of garlic
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup plain yogurt

Place marinade ingredients in blender. Process until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup to use at service, if desired. Place diced chicken into gallon size ziploc bag and pour remaining marinade overtop. Remove excess air from bag and seal. Marinate on countertop 30 minutes or in refrigerator 1-2 hours. Thread onto skewers and grill or cook on the stovetop, 8-10 minutes over med-high heat.

Enjoy!

Megan's Cheesy Cornbread Casserole

This recipe requires very few ingredients. It is substantial enough to fill you up, but can also be a wonderful side. It is great for potlucks, too.

Ingredients:

1 can corn, undrained
1 can creamed corn
1 stick of butter (1/2 c.), melted
1 package corn muffin mix (I use Jiffy)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

In mixing bowl, stir together both cans of corn, melted butter, muffin mix and eggs. Gently fold in sour cream. Turn into glass 9"x13" baking dish. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Athenian Chicken

This recipe is one of my family's favorites. It is a very clean taste and very easy to prepare. It works well in the oven, or (if the weather is hot) on the grill. These days, you can get whole packages of any cut of chicken -- all drumsticks, all thighs, chicken quarters -- at the grocery store. Watch for them to go on sale, and prepare what your family likes best!

Ingredients

5-7 chicken pieces, bone-in, with skin
Juice of one lemon
1 1/2 tbs. dried oregano
1 tbs. fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste

In a gallon-sized ziploc bag, combine lemon juice, dried and fresh oregano, salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces. Seal bag, move chicken around to ensure marinade has good contact with the meat. Marinate on counter-top for one hour or in refrigerator for 3-6 hours. 30 minutes before cooking, remove from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Place marinated chicken on a cookie sheet lined with non-stick foil. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Enjoy!

NanaJane's Garlic Chicken

What a wonderful recipe for a delicious supper. The key is to use fresh spinach if you can -- from the garden is wonderful, but bagged baby spinach is also delicious! If you're using frozen, be sure to thaw it and thoroughly drain it. You'll love the smell of this one cooking, that's for sure!

Ingredients:
2-4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch
salt & pepper to taste

For filling,
1tbs. olive oil
1 clove minced garlic , 1 oz cream cheese , 1 cup spinach for each chicken breast

Cut chicken breasts into two servings each. Season with salt & pepper and set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare filling by heating olive oil in large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add garlic, sautee for 1 minute. Add cream cheese to soften. Cook 1-2 min. and stir thoroughly. Add spinach and cover. Let cook for 5 minutes, stir. Cook until spinach is fully wilted and mix until filling is uniform. Divide filling among prepared chicken breasts, roll. Place in a buttered loaf pan, seam side down. Bake 50 minutes. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

If you'd like to lighten up on this recipe, try using Neufchatel cheese and lining your loaf pan with non-stick foil instead of buttering it. Enjoy!

Joe's Rosemary Chops

These are the best grilled pork chops around. We usually buy a whole, boneless pork loin when you can get it on sale (sometimes as low as $1.79/lb.) and cut chops to the thickness we prefer. Also, I keep a small herb garden beside our house. If you want to cook with fresh herbs, it's the most cost-effective and flavorful way to go. (Plus, no running to the grocery store!)

Here's the recipe:

2-4 boneless pork chops, center cut
1 small handful fresh rosemary leaves, stripped from stem
Balsamic vinegar
Peanut oil (or Canola, if you prefer)

Lightly chop the rosemary leaves or crush with a mortar and pestle to release the oils into your marinade. Mix 1 tsp. Balsamic vinegar per chop, 1 tbs. oil per chop, and the rosemary in a gallon-size zip-lock bag. Place chops in bag, squeeze out the air and seal. Move the chops around to ensure the marinade is in contact with all surfaces. Marinate in the refrigerator 3-6 hours or on your counter top for 1 hour. Remove refrigerated chops to counter 30 minutes before cooking so they can come to room temperature. Fire up your grill. Grill chops 4 inches from the heat, 7 minutes. Turn and complete cooking until interior temperature reaches 170C/77F. Rest the chops for at least 10 minutes before cutting to retain a juicy texture.

Enjoy!