Nobody says the sliced strawberries can’t be served over pound cake. Photo by JeffreyW
I finally finished the first of four cookbooks, so I thought I’d start the recipe threads again. Since I have the menus already formatted, it’s easy enough to copy and paste them into a thread once a week. I’ve had a few requests to start posting again, if only so everyone has a place to share recipes. Seems like a good idea these days.
On the board tonight: Santa Fe Chicken and Black Bean Salad
MENU
Santa Fe Chicken Breasts (recipe below)
Tortilla chips
Black Bean Salad (recipe here)
Sliced Strawberries
Santa Fe Chicken Breast
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 1 cup Picante or salsa (Fresh Salsa recipe here)
- 4 oz sliced Monterey jack cheese
Reusable plastic container
Add chicken, vinegar and cilantro to reusable container and marinate 1 hour or overnight.
Remove chicken from marinade and slice each breast in a butterfly cut (slicing in half horizontally, but leaving attached at one edge, so it folds open like butterfly wings).
Fold open and grill or broil until cooked through (as little as 5 minutes each side, depending on heat and thickness).
Don’t let dry out. Use a meat thermometer – remove at 165°
On one half of each breast, add 1 oz cheese and 2 tbsp or more of Picante/salsa, fold other half over and heat until cheese is melted.
Serve immediately.
That’s it for this week. What’s cooking in your kitchen? Go ahead and share your favorite recipes and tips. Otherwise, open thread.
TaMara (HFG)
Hey, cilantro can be divisive, so substitute oregano and/or parsley if desired.
NotMax
You lost me at (*shudders*) cilantro.
zhena gogolia
@NotMax:
Not *shutters*?
Sab
This is so great. Now I have ideas and a shopping list fot Saturday grocery. Thank you.
Yarrow
Those strawberries on that pound cake look amazing. Yum. Strawberries are on sale this week for something like $0.65/pound so maybe I should pick some up.
Glad to see the recipe threads again. A restaurant near me makes a similar chicken but they just put the cheese on top and add the salsa once it’s served on the plate. Easy to do.
I’m not going to cook too much except outside on the bbq. It’s too damn hot to heat up the kitchen. It’s also eat-out-of-the-freezer week. Tonight is salmon, which I’ll probably cook on the bbq on foil, and I have some leftover rice to go with. Figure out something for a vegetable. Super easy. I’ve been eating a lot of salads because of the heat.
Yarrow
@zhena gogolia: I’ve seen your comments about YouTube. What is wrong with it? What’s changed?
MomSense
Tonight is a take out night – Indian food and beer. Three weeks ago I found out my job was losing funding. Then two weeks ago my dog almost died and had a miraculous recovery. Meanwhile I applied for all the jobs. Last week I interviewed. Yesterday I trained at my new job. Today I finished my old job. Monday I start my new job. Whew. Cooking will resume tomorrow.
zhena gogolia
@Yarrow:
I guess it’s something they’re trying out on selected people. Instead of a bunch of little thumbnails you can scroll through to see what you want to watch, the thumbnails are now hand-sized, and you can only see two of them at a time. It’s annoying. Somebody theorized that it’s for the convenience of people looking at it on their phones. Like everything else.
zhena gogolia
@MomSense:
Good luck in the new job! I hope Korra is doing well.
MomSense
@zhena gogolia:
Thank you! She’s happy right now because two of her boys are home. Middle boy is driving up from CT with his SO next week. She is going to go nuts.
Yarrow
@zhena gogolia: When I open a YouTube video, on the bottom right of the actual video there are some icons. One is for “Miniplayer” and one is for “Default view.” Have you tried clicking on those? They kind of change up how the page is displayed for me.
Yarrow
@MomSense: Sounds like a really busy time. Good luck with the new job and have fun with the kids. Glad Kora is doing better.
TaMara (HFG)
@MomSense: Oh no,that’s terrible. Hang in there. Wow! So grateful for you and pup! Hang in there, someone will be lucky to have you! That’s awesome, you’ll do great. Congratulations on the new gig! Your old job can suck it!
Phew, you deserve a beer! (Did I cover everything?! What whirlwind).
NotMax
Trivia: The real life Monterey Jack was not necessarily someone you’d care to break bread with. The Tragic Way Monterey Jack Cheese Got Its Name
From a different source:
zhena gogolia
@Yarrow:
I haven’t tried anything!
MomSense
@Yarrow: @TaMara (HFG):
Ha! Whirlwind is the perfect description. Well maybe more like riding a roller coaster in a whirlwind.
MomSense +??
Roger Moore
One of my go-to recipes this time of year is gazpacho. My recipe:
3 slices stale bread
3-4 pounds very ripe tomatoes (the softer the better)
3 chiles (choose whatever type gives you the heat you like)
2 slicing cucumbers, peeled
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups water
juice of 3 lemons or 4 limes
1 tsp ground cumin
salt to taste
Cut the bread into cubes and coarsely chop the vegetables. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour longer. Serve chilled. Makes approximately 8 cups. Optionally, you can serve an assortment of finely diced vegetables as a garnish and to add a contrasting texture.
Steve in the ATL
@zhena gogolia:
[pours out a cold 40 for lost homie CornerStone]
bluefoot
@Roger Moore: I also taking advantage of summer produce by making gazpacho. I don’t have much of a recipe though. How much of anything I put in depends on the ripe produce available and how they balance each other. The basic recipe isn’t that different than yours. I do add some chopped cilantro or parsley. Gazpacho is my all time favorite summer dish.
RSA
Congratulations!!! Good luck, and maybe your secondary “platform” here will help.
Yarrow
@zhena gogolia: It’s possible you accidentally clicked on one of those but didn’t realize it. I did that awhile ago and it took me forever to figure out how t change it back. Not sure that’s your issue but might be worth checking.
Yarrow
@Steve in the ATL: I miss Corner Stone.
satby
@Steve in the ATL: ?
I miss him.
Raven
@satby: @satby: I don’t, he was a stone asshole.
Raven
RIP Peter Fonda.
NotMax
A moderately labor intensive but always enjoyed chicken breast dish I sometimes trot out for parties.
6 chicken breasts
¼ (or ½, if that’s your thing) tsp. salt
Black pepper to taste
2 tbl. chopped walnuts
2 tbl. Swiss cheese, cut into 1/8″ cubes
2 tbl. chopped parsley
2 tbl. flour
¼ cup melted butter
1 egg
1 tsp. oil + 1 tsp. water
1/3 cup bread crumbs (seasoned or not)
Additional 2 tbl. chopped walnuts
Cut a pocket (not all the way through horizontally, not all the way to the sides) in each breast, sprinkle with salt & pepper inside and out
Mix together cheese, first 2 tbl. of nuts, and parsley. Fill each pocket with some of that mix (don’t overstuff, leave room to accommodate melting cheese)
Press together top and bottom of each pocket and use toothpicks to seal
Dust both sides of each breast with flour and set aside
Beat egg with oil + water, salt & pepper
Mix together bread crumbs and the additional chopped nuts and put that mix onto waxed paper or parchment
Brush the egg mix on one side of breast, invert onto crumb mix. Repeat with other side of breast.
Fry each breast in butter on both sides – around 8 – 10 minutes .
Remember to inform guests about the toothpicks.
satby
@Raven: he had his moments. And he glowed with love talking about his son.
Yarrow
@Raven: Entertainment Tonight said he had lung cancer.
Mary G
@Yarrow: @satby: Me too. Once in a while I use “shutters” just because.
@MomSense: Didn’t lose a day’s pay! Very nice.
Raven
@Yarrow: Yea, fighting it for a while.
satby
@NotMax: that sounds awesome.
satby
@Roger Moore: this sounds good too.
satby
@MomSense: @TaMara (HFG): TaMara covered all my reactions. Glad it all ended up ok!
Yarrow
Does anyone have a lemon potato salad they like?
Raven
@Yarrow: I make sweet potato salad.
NotMax
@Yarrow
Well, have had my share of potato salads I would describe as being lemons.
:)
Yarrow
@Raven: Would that work with lemon? What do you use for dressing or whatever to tie it together?
Yarrow
@NotMax: Har har har. I’m thinking of a dressing with lemon and olive oil instead of mayonnaise based. I’ve found Greek ones online but they don’t seem quite like what I’m thinking of.
Elizabelle
@MomSense: You and Korra are survivors. Good luck with the new job. (Korra: stay out of the pharmaceuticals.)
NotMax
@Yarrow
Never made such a dish but initial inclination would be to suggest going with a lighter tasting oil.
raven
@Yarrow: I make it just regular, little mayo, pickle, hard boiled egg, paprikash. . .
Yarrow
@NotMax: I was thinking just a sort of all purpose olive oil.
@raven: I bet that’s good with the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. How do you cook your sweet potatoes before making the potato salad?
NotMax
@Yarrow
Maybe a half and half mix of olive and another oil?
HinTN
We made it home from the FABULOUS, EXQUISITE, DELIGHTFUL (etc., etc., etc.) Pacific Northwest and have proceeded to grill, baby, grill some BBQ chicken (thighs and drumsticks) with Sweet Baby Ray’s because I’m too damn lazy to make my own (you go, Cole). Now in a stupor listening to katydids (the tag end) and other night creatures.
Grillin’ is what it’s all about, y’all.
Barbara
@MomSense: Congrats. You definitely deserve a beer!
HinTN
@Raven: Recipe?
ETA: I go for the hot potatoes dumped on chopped red onion to slightly cook them. Then, when cooked, add mayo (Hellmans), salt, pepper, and dill pepper chunks to taste.
NotMax
Should recipes run thin, a post asking people what their favorite, you’ll have to pry from my cold, dead hand, kitchen knives are might be fun (and instructive).
Yarrow
@NotMax: Yeah, maybe. The recipes I’ve seen call for olive oil. They’re mostly about Greek lemon potato salad so that makes sense.
Steve in the ATL
@HinTN: looking at your hair in those photos, I haven’t seen anything that white since the last Rotary Club meeting
laura
@MomSense: You’ve had the full emotional wringer MomSense. Enjoy your well deserved weekend and best wishes on that new job.
I’m sitting outside at a lovely restaurant in Forestville -the building is an old whore house for the lumber industry from back in the day. Sally Stanford’s girls would come up on the weekends and help part the lumber Jack’s from their pay. In the morning I’m going to Sebastopol for Gravenstein Apples and heading back to Sacramento to share the bounty.
MomSense
@Yarrow:
Does it have to be lemon? I have a good recipe that uses white wine from The Yachting Cookbook. I’ve substituted just vinaigrette for wine. You could make a French vinaigrette using lemon instead of vinegar. That would be tasty.
1lb small red potatoes, cut into quarters
1/2 lb carrots peeled and cut into 2 inch lengths
1/2 lb green beans, cut into 2 inch lengths
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons finely chopped yellow or red onion (green onion is good, too)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 or 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 6 1/2 ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup oil cured olives (optional)
3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and/or basil
Steam potatoes carrots and green beans separately until tender. As they are cooked turn them into a large bowl and tumble gently with the wine. Sprinkle with oil and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn vegetables in marinade as they cool.
Scatter the artichoke hearts and olives on the on the vegetables and sprinkle with the onion basil and parsley. Toss gently and serve.
Steve in the ATL
@MomSense: nice! You’re lucky that your job hunt went so quickly.
HinTN
@Steve in the ATL: First strand at 17, buckwheat. Papa gave it to me fair and square.
debbie
@MomSense:
Well, that hasn’t been a hectic time, has it?!?
HinTN
@Steve in the ATL: You need to come sit on my porch.
MomSense
Thanks, everyone. It’s all working out so far.
Baud
@MomSense:
?
MomSense
@debbie:
My new job comes with a commute and I decided I shouldn’t listen to NPR while driving. There’s a lot of fast moving traffic and I don’t need to be distracted with eye rolling and ranting at my radio. I’ll have to find some audio books.
Steve in the ATL
@MomSense:
You’re a one percenter? Dossier updated.
Raven
@NotMax: I used to cook them whole, peel and cube. My CIA trained buddy said “you are wasting your time, peel, cube and simmer until aldente”. It’s much easier to control the crispiness.
debbie
Boneless skinless chicken thighs marinated in soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and garlic sautéed on top of the stove. Awesome and hardly heats up the kitchen!
Steve in the ATL
@HinTN: or since my last visit to Sewanee, Monteagle, Kimball, Manchester, hell even Chattannoga!
raven
@HinTN: Mo red onions up in here!
debbie
@MomSense:
Yes, please be careful!
Raven
@Steve in the ATL: In the old days before the interstate there was a gas station at Monteagle that had tons of pictures of wrecks goin down that mountain. I’m sure you know there is a tow truck museum in Chattanooga?
https://internationaltowingmuseum.org/
MomSense
@Steve in the ATL:
I wish!
rikyrah
@MomSense:
Yeah
Congratulations ??
Amir Khalid
@MomSense:
Congratulations on your narrow escape.
Steve in the ATL
@Raven: I haven’t been to that! And may not next week when I’m back there….
Raven
Come on Dawg. . .
Ohio Mom
@MomSense: Congrats in the new job. Hope it’s all that you want it to be.
Yarrow
@MomSense: That sounds delicious but there is a lemon potato salad I’ve had that I really liked. I just can’t quite figure out how to make it.