Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

 

• 2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs* sliced into 1 1/2″ wide strips by 3-5″ long
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup coconut milk plus more as needed (may sub water)
• 1/3-1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 12-15 skewers

MARINADE/SAUCE

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  
  
  

• Whisk together the Marinade/Sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Remove ⅓ cup to a freezer size bag and whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil (for the marinade). Add chicken and toss to evenly coat. Marinate in the refrigerator 6 hours up to overnight. Refrigerate remaining marinade/sauce separately – this will become the base of your Peanut Sauce.
• When ready to cook, soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, remove chicken from refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Thread chicken onto skewers and lightly dab excess marinade off with paper towels.
• OVEN: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Evenly divide chicken between baking sheets. Bake 15-20 minutes OR until chicken is cooked through being careful not to overcook or chicken will not be as tender (internal temp of 165 degrees F).
• GRILL: Grease an indoor or outdoor grill and heat to high heat. Once hot, add chicken, reduce heat to medium, cover and grill chicken 3-4 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through (internal temp of 165 degrees F).
• SKILLET: Heat 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, add skewers and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through (internal temp of 165 degrees F).
• Add reserved Sauce to a small saucepan along with ¼ cup coconut milk OR 3 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat then stir in ⅓ cup peanut butter until completely combined then add additional peanut butter if desired for a thicker/more nutty sauce OR water or coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time for a thinner sauce. Taste and add additional chili sauce if desired for a spicier sauce.
• Serve chicken warm with Peanut Sauce for an appetizer or also serve with rice/veggies for a main course.
  
  
  (Source:https://carlsbadcravings.com/thai-chicken-satay-with-peanut-sauce-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-34702)

Zucchini & Cheddar Frittata

 

Zucchini & Cheddar Frittata

• 1 pound zucchini (about 2 small zucchini)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup finely chopped shallots, from 1-2 shallots
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 8 large eggs
• ⅓ cup heavy cream (*and/or sour cream)
• 1¼ cup (5 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese (*or pepper jack)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Using a food processor or box grater, grate the zucchini. Place the grated zucchini on top of several layers of paper towels and wring dry. If necessary, repeat 1 to 2 times to remove any excess moisture.
3. In a 10-inch cast iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot, zucchini, and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the moisture evaporates and the zucchini is tender, 7 to 8 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, a heaping ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
5. Add the cooked zucchini and grated cheese to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Pour the frittata mixture into the pan, then place in the oven and bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes.

* adapted slightly from original recipe

** I also like to add sausage, tomatoes, or other vegetables.

(Source: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/zucchini-and-cheddar-frittata.html#tabrecipe)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookie Bars

 

• ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup salted butter, melted 
• 1 ⅓ cups packed light or dark brown sugar 
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup  coconut flakes
• 1 ½ to 2 cups chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a metal 9X13-inch pan with parchment and lightly grease with cooking spray .
• Add the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt to a blender and pulse until coarsely blended. The texture of the oats should be finer than quick oats but not as fine as flour. Set aside.
• To a large bowl, add the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the ingredients are well combined and the batter lightens a bit in color.
• Add the dry ingredients, coconut, and chocolate chips and mix.
• Press the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes until set around the edges but still slightly soft in the center. It’s ok if you need to add additional baking time, just keep an eye on the bars – they are better just slightly under baked.

(Source: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-coconut-cookie-bars/)

Easy Smashed Potatoes

 

• 1 1/2 pounds small potatoes (yellow or red), scrubbed and rinsed
• fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• optional toppings: chopped fresh herbs, flaky sea salt, and/or Parmesan cheese

1. Boil the potatoes. Add the potatoes and 1 tablespoon fine sea salt to a large stockpot.  Fill the pot with cold water so that the water line sits about 1 inch above the potatoes.  Heat over high heat until the water comes to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high (or whatever temperature is needed to maintain the boil) and continue boiling the potatoes for about 10-15 minutes, or until a fork can be easily inserted in the center of the potatoes. (Cooking time will vary, so rely on the fork test to double-check when done.)  Transfer the potatoes to a strainer to drain completely.
2. Prepare oven and baking sheet. Heat the oven to 425°F (218°C).  Brush a large baking sheet evenly with the olive oil.
3. Smash the potatoes. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, transfer them to the baking sheet.  Then use either the bottom of a glass, a fork or a potato masher to gently “smash” each potato down until it is around 1/2-inch thick.  Brush or drizzle the potatoes evenly with the melted butter.  Sprinkle evenly with the garlic powder and smoked paprika.*  Then sprinkle evenly with however much fine sea salt and black pepper you prefer.  
4. Bake. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are crispy and golden around the edges.  Remove pan from the oven, sprinkle the potatoes with your desired toppings, serve hot and enjoy!

(Source: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/smashed-potatoes/#tasty-recipes-75258)

Easy Chicken Shwarma

 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil

• SPICE MIXTURE: In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, cardamom, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and spice mixture. Marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
• Preheat grill to medium high heat.
• Brush chicken with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
• Serve immediately with tzatziki sauce.

(Source: https://damndelicious.net/2023/06/23/easy-chicken-shawarma/)