Chicken and Date Tagine

It's Mother's Day in 2020, and this recipe is my Mother's Day gift to you! Everyone has a mom, is a mom, or knows a mom--so make this scrumptious dish for them. It's Moroccan in style but tastes a lot like Indian Curry--due to the similar spices. This is adapted from a Medjool Dates Company recipe from "The Costco Connection" magazine.  The dates in it provide a nice, sweet note to offset the savory cumin and turmeric.

Ingredients:

2T oil
6 boneless chicken breasts (or use a pound of packaged pulled breast meat from Costco)
a pinch or two of salt
1/4 C olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 t ginger
2 t turmeric
1/2 t white pepper (yes, you can substitute black)
1 T coriander
1 T cumin
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 C chicken or vegetable stock
3 T honey
1 T chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish
1 T chopped parsley
10-12 pitted Medjool dates
Rice or Couscous

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add oil to a large skillet, heated over medium heat. Brown chicken, sprinkled with salt. Set aside. Skip this part of the recipe if you are using pre-packaged pulled chicken breast meat from Costco. Each package is 2 lbs, so use 1/2 package.

Replace oil with 1/4 C olive oil. Add onion and saute until limp. Add garlic, cook 3 minutes. Add all dried spices, cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add stock, and simmer while stirring until spices, garlic and onion are incorporated. Add chicken, return to simmer and cook 10 minutes. Salt to taste.

Place pan in oven, cook 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare rice or couscous according to the directions on the package if you haven't done it ahead of time.  Remove and set chicken aside, keep warm. Simmer sauce to thicken, then add honey, fresh herbs and dates. Heat through. Serve chicken on a bed of prepared rice or couscous. Serving on individual plates is best--a large serving platter is more authentically Morroccan, but a bit messy. Pour sauce on top and garnish with cilantro.

Baked Polenta with Sausage and Artichoke Hearts

This is something my daughter found on MarthaStewart.com. It's a really easy weeknight dish, layered, similar to lasagna. Actually, it's more like layering shake shingles on a roof. Using ready-made polenta is great for working mamas. No one has to know you didn't make it over a hot stove.

Ingredients:

2 t extra-virgin olive
1/2 white onion, thinly slices
2 cloves of sliced garlic (about 2 t)
1 lb. sweet Italian sausages casings removed, or use bulk Italian sausage
3/4 C marinated artichoke hearts
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tube (18 oz.) prepared polenta, cut into 1/4-inch rounds, drain off liquid
1/3 C chicken stock
1/4 C fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium. Add onion and cook until softened. Add crumble sausage meat into skillet and cook until browned. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and stir in artichokes, season with salt and pepper.

In a 2-quart baking dish, layer polenta rounds and spoonfuls of sausage mixture. Start with sausage and do what looks like shingles layered one half over the next. Pour stock over the top and bake until bubbling and polenta is pale gold, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Melody's Granola

I got this recipe from my friend Melody Nicholson. She is a very warm and wonderful person. And this granola is just as nice as she is. Healthy too! I serve it in my Airbnb bed and breakfast...it's expensive to make but worth it for gluten-free folks

Ingredients:

7 C rolled oats (GF if you are celiac)

1/2 C. honey

1/4 C vegetable oil

1 C flax seed

2 T brown sugar or coconut palm sugar 

1 T vanilla 

1/4 t salt (or a bit more to taste)

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 C sunflower seeds (unsalted--raw or roasted is fine)

1 1/2 C coarsely chopped almonds

1/2 C golden raisins 

1/2 C black raisins 

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut parchment paper to fit and place on a cookie sheet.  Stir together ingredients --except raisins--in a large bowl. Dump half of mixture in bowl onto cookie sheet and spread out evenly. Put in oven for 15 minutes. Should smell wonderful! Take out cookie sheet and with a spatula--turn the mixture over so the bottom is on the top (so it can get cooked). Spread 1/4 C of each kind of raisins evenly on the top of the mixture. Put back in oven for about 10 minutes or until browned. Watch carefully! Do not go online or do your hair! Especially watch the raisins--don't let them burn! If they puff up--they probably are burned--so pick them off the top. 

Chipotle Orange PorkTacos

In border-state California we are huge fans of Mexican food--like tacos. This is a new take on the taco. Everybody in my family loves it and says it's a Keeper. I only like it. That's because I don't just LOVE sweet pork--I prefer my men sweet and my carnitas spicy. But that's just silly me. This is spicy and sweet. So, if you like things like sweet pulled pork--you will really like this! It's very easy--just throw it in the slow cooker and leave for the day! Makes a ton and keeps really well.  I make a big pot and use it for lunches for two all week. Found by my daughter on the BudgetBytes.com site. Adapted only very slightly. Yield: at least 12 tacos--maybe more.

Ingredients:

4-5 lbs. pork roast
1 med. onion
12 oz. can frozen OJ concentrate
7 1/2 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 T plus 1 t minced garlic
2 C water
2 whole bay leaves
1/4 C cider vinegar
1 1/2 t soy sauce

Taco Toppings:
12 6" corn tortillas
1 med. red onion
1 med. avocado
1/2 bunch cilantro

Directions:

Dice the onion and 1 T minced garlic and place it in the bottom of your slow cooker or greased 3-qt pot. Trim excess fat off the pork roast and cut it into 2-3" cubes. Place the pork cubes on top of the onion in the slow cooker. if you don't have a slow cooker--sauté onion/garlic and pork together in the bottom of the pot until onion is limp. You can skip this step if you have a slow-cooker.

Throw half of the frozen OJ concentrate in the slow cooker or pot plus salt and 2-3 smaller chipotle peppers in about 2 t. of adobo sauce. Stir 2 C of warm water until the OJ concentrate is fully dissolved and mix everything together. There should be just enough to cover the pork chunks. Add a bit more water if needed. Add two bay leaves. Secure the lid and cook on High for at least 6 hours--up to 8 is fine. If you are making this in a pot--keep it on a low heat on a burner for at least 2 hours.
Pork should be easy to shred when done.

Prepare the tangy chipotle sauce for the meat: In a small saucepan combine the rest of the frozen orange juice concentrate with one chopped up chipotle pepper--1 t minced garlic...1/4 C cider vinegar and 1.5 t soy sauce. Whisk everything together and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the shredded pork and stir to coat.

Build your tacos by filling the tortillas with about a tablespoon of  pork plus thinly sliced red onion, shredded cabbage and some avocado. Top with a spoonful of sour cream and cilantro and you got it! Add Pico de Gallo if you like it hot...
 

Wild African Peanut Soup

This is a lighter version of the Groundnut Stew that I posted a couple of years ago. Groundnuts and peanuts are the same thing. Who knew? This recipe adds a bit of fresh ginger for a little "zip". Give this to your kiddos and they will love it--so will you! My daughter originally got this off of the very excellent "Budgetbytes.com" site--I adjusted it only slightly. I also added the word "Wild" to the title because I like the word "Wild".... Yield: Feeds 4 big eaters or 5 Pygmies.

Ingredients:

1 T vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic
1 inch knob of fresh ginger
1-inch fresh ginger
1 medium sweet potato
1 medium onion
1 t cumin
1/8 t ground cayenne pepper
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1/2 C natural-style chunky peanut butter (the kind with oil on the top)
6 C vegetable or chicken broth
1 lb raw chicken meat (breasts or tenders are fine) chopped into large cubes
1/2 bunch rinsed collard greens (2-3 cups chopped)
1/4 bunch cilantro (optional garnish)

Directions:

Peel and mince ginger and garlic very fine. Sauté in vegetable oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until garlic is soft and fragrant but not brown. Dice onion and add to pot. Cut the sweet potato into 1/2" cubes and add to pot. Sauté until it takes on a darker appearance. Meanwhile add broth to a 3 qt. pot and bring to a boil. Add chicken and cover. Boil until chicken is no longer pink. In the other pot--season sweet potato mixture with cumin and cayenne. Add tomato paste and peanut butter and stir until mixed. Gradually add broth in which the chicken was cooked to the sweet potato/peanut butter mix--then add chicken. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil. Add chopped collard greens and cook about 15 minutes until greens are limp and potatoes are soft. Squash the sweet potatoes a bit with a potato masher or fork in order to make the soup thicker. Ladle soup into large bowls and sprinkle with chopped cilantro (if desired).

"Throw 'Em In" Mexican Chicken Stew

Every cook in California probably has a Mexican soup or stew recipe--this is mine. What's different about this recipe is that there is so little chopping involved. I hate chopping. Even with a food processor... you have to clean the darn thing after you're done cooking (does anyone else think this way?)! So, this is a recipe where you just open cans and bags and boxes and "throw 'em  in". Hence the name...

This recipe makes a bunch--about 10 one-cup servings. I like it thick--like a stew. But if you want soup--just add a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce or beef broth 'till you have it how you want it. If you have a small family--eat some and freeze some for those "I just can't get off the couch" nights. It's very healthy--only 294 calories of vegetables and nearly fat-free protein. Serves 10 --Adapted from "Living Lean with Trader Joe's" cookbook by Jamie Davidson.

Notes: The tomatoes ARE canned--but if you want to chop up 8 small or 6 large fresh organic tomatoes and add them to the bubbling pot instead--go ahead! Just be sure to add a small can of tomato sauce as well (for moisture). If you are allergic to corn or it is too high in glycemic value for you--simply leave it out. Substitute a chopped yellow and a chopped red bell pepper--they're sweet and pretty.

Ingredients:

2 medium onions (chopped)
4 crushed and minced garlic cloves
1 T olive oil
6 C cooked chicken (cut in chunks--in a pinch you can use 2 rotisserie chickens)
1 pkg. Trader Joe's Taco Seasoning Mix (or equivalent)
4 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes (or use fresh--see above)
2 15-oz cans black beans or a bag of dried beans that have been soaked overnight and washed 3X
2 C frozen or fresh organic non-GMO corn (or see substitute above)
2 C chicken broth
2 shredded corn tortillas or 2 t cornstarch or arrowroot mixed in 1/4 C water
2 T fresh lime juice (optional)
1/4 C chopped cilantro (optional--but don't skip it unless you hate cilantro)
plain Greek yogurt (optional)

Directions:

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil in a large pot or slow-cooker until tender--about 3 minutes. Add chicken-taco seasoning-tomatoes-beans and corn. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer at least 15 minutes. Stir in two shredded corn tortillas or substitute to thicken. Keep stirring occasionally and add water as needed if it gets too thick. Serve garnished with lime juice and cilantro and/or a dollop of plain Greek yogurt... 

Egg Babies

I loooove breakfast! I always want eggs and bacon and hash-browns AND some kind of roll that's full of sugar. And a rich dark roast coffee with real cream. But who has time to make all that? Or the metabolism to eat it? Maybe a 16 yr. old track star but not me! So, I make these little protein-filled babies... and the coffee (naturally). Eat them warm and store what's left over for up to 3 days in the fridge. Just heat up a couple in the microwave and there you have it: a healthy breakfast! Quantity: 8 Egg Babies.

Ingredients:

Optional Fillings:
Green onions (chopped)
Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (drained on a paper towel and chopped) or T.J.s packaged brand
Cheddar cheese (grated)
Swiss Cheese (grated)
Jack Cheese (grated)
Asiago Cheese
Oh Heck Any Kind of Cheese You Like
Canned green chilis (mild)
Fresh cilantro (chopped)
Fresh spinach (chopped)
Bacon (chopped)
Sausage (any kind)
Hamburger (brown it first and drain--15% fat is best)
Firm Buffola Mozzarella (cut in 1/2" cubes)

Egg Mix:
6 eggs
2 T milk
1/2 t onion powder (if you only have onion salt--use it instead of regular salt)
salt/pepper to taste (using Lawry's seasoning salt is also good)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin liberally or use lots of spray oil (olive oil is healthy). Cook your meat proteins and prepare all other fillings. Add a large pinch of two or more of any or all of the fillings listed above to your muffin tins. Here are some good combo's...

Buffola Mozzarella and green chilies and Jack cheese
Spinach and ham and cheddar
Bacon and Swiss
Sun-dried tomatoes and cheddar
Hamburger and spinach and cheddar (like a Joe's Special)

Always put the grated cheese on top because it looks pretty. Pour egg mixture over fillings up almost to the top of each muffin tin. Bake until puffy and light brown around the edges. Let cool for a few minutes before removing with a knife. Eat warm or let cool and store in a plastic bag. Can be reheated in a microwave (about 30 seconds).