St Patrick's Day Food Ideas

Here are a few ideas of "green foods" that would be great for St Patty's Day!

  

  

  

  

  

  

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Pineapple Relish

GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

with PINEAPPLE RELISH

1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 cups cubed fresh pineapple (about 1/2 pineapple)
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
3 tblsp red onion, finely chopped
1 tblsp cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar

• Combine garlic powder, cumin, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper in smal bowl; sprinkle over chicken.
• Grill chicken on grill over medium-high heat until done. About 4-7 minutes each side.
• Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/4 tsp salt, pineapple and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. 
• Serve relish over chicken.

Avocado-Corn Chowder with Grilled Chicken

AVOCADO-CORN CHOWDER WITH GRILLED CHICKEN

2 ripe avocados, divided
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp honey
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1-1/2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped green onion

• Peel and coarsely chop 1 avocado; place in a blender. Add water, orange juice, honey, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper; blend until smooth.
• Heat a grill pan over med-high heat. Brush chicken with oil; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Place chicken in pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; rub chicken with cut sides garlic halves. Let chicken stand 10 minutes; cut or shred into bite-sized pieces.
• Pour avocado mixture into medium sauce pan over low heat.
• In same saute pan that chicken was cooked, saute corn, bell peppers, green onion and cilantro until tender. Pour corn mixture and chicken into the avocado mixture. Let cook for 3-5 minutes, or until soup is heated through.
• Spoon chowder into bowls (or bread bowls), and top with more sliced avocado and cilantro. Serve with crackers.

Smokey Chicken & Pepper Paprikash

SMOKEY CHICKEN & PEPPER PAPRIKASH

1 large onion, sliced
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 assorted bell peppers, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
2 tblsp all-purpose flour
1 tblsp smoked paprika (or regular)
12oz wide egg noodles
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley

• Put onion in lightly oiled slow-cooker pot. Add chicken in one layer. Top with peppers. 
• Whisk together broth, flour, and paprika. Pour into pot.
• Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or high for 3-4 hours, or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
• Prepare noodles according to package directions and toss with sour cream. Serve with chicken mixture over noodles in bowls and top with parsley.

Chicken Satay Salad

CHICKEN SATAY SALAD

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
7 tblsp Thai peanut sauce [recipe below]
3 tblsp vegetable oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tblsp fresh lime juice
1 head romaine lettuce, sliced
1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for topping
3 tblsp chopped roasted salted peanuts

• Preheat grill to medium high. 
• Slice the chicken breasts 1/2 inch thick and toss with 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce, 1/2 tablespoon veg oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Grill the chicken until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.
• Whisk the remaining 5 tablespoons peanut sauce and 2-1/2 tablespoons veg oil, the lime juice and 2 tablespoons water in a large bowl. Add the lettuce, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper and cilantro and toss.
• Season with salt and pepper and divide among bowls or plates. Top with chicken, peanuts and more cilantro.

PEANUT SAUCE [if you can't find the jar!]

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 garlic clove, finely minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

• Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

recipe from "Food Network Magazine" September 2012 issue

Lamb Pizza

LAMB PIZZA

This pizza will take about2-1/2 to 3 hours to make, so plan accordingly!

For the Dough:
1 (1/4 ounce) packet of active dry yeast
2 tsp sugar
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing and drizzling
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup semolina flour [or use another cup of the all-purpose flour]
2tsp fine salt

For the Topping:
6 tblsp EVOO
1/2 cup pine nuts (optional)
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
6 tblsp tomato paste
1 pound ground lamb [you can also use beef!]
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 tsp ground allspice
kosher salt
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tblsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tblsp fresh parsley, chopped

For the Sauce:
2/3 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 tblsp fresh lemon juice
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• MAKE THE DOUGH: Combine the yeast, sugar, olive oil and 2 cups warm water; let stand 5 minutes.
• Whisk both flours and the salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Place in a bowl brushed with oil, cover and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, cover and let stand until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, MAKE THE TOPPING: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts, onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, lamb, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, allspice and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook 1 minutes Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt, lemon juice, cilantro and parsley; season with salt.
• MAKE THE SAUCE: Stir the yogurt, mint, lemon juice and 1/4 cup water in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
• Preheat the grill to medium. Cut 12 9-inch square pieces of parchment paper. Stretch each peice of dough into an 8-inch round, brush with olive oil on both sides and stack with the paper in between.
• Invert the dough onto the the grill; remove the paper. Grill in batches until golden brown on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and spread each round with 1/4 cup lamb mixture, leaving border. Continue grilling until the dough is charred in spots and cooked through, about 3 minutes. 
• Transfer the pizzas to a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with the sauce.

this recipe is from "Food Network Magazine" September 2012 issue

FBF: Chicken Stir-Fry

FLASH-BACK FRIDAY

CHICKEN STIR-FRY

click on image to see full post from 8/16/11

Lamb & Feta Stuffed Bell Peppers

LAMB & FETA STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

1 tblsp olive oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4-5 medium bell peppers, any color
2 tblsp fresh dill, chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup cooked rice
1 lb ground lamb
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup cold water
1 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp white granulated sugar

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat old in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes or until just tender. Add in garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.
• Slice top off peppers and remove seeds. Stand peppers upright in a square baking dish, or rectangle if using more than 4 peppers.
• In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, dill, salt, allspice and pepper. Mix in rice and lamb then fold in feta cheese. Stuff peppers with mixtures.
• Mix tomato sauce with water, lemon juice and sugar. Pour over peppers allowing enough to pool in dish. Cover in foil.
• Bake peppers for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for additional 15 minutes, basting with sauce every 15 minutes. Make sure internal temperatures reach at least 165 degrees F. Serve hot.

Greek Vegetables

Do you recognize these veggies? I served them with my Grilled Lamb with Brown Sugar Glaze that was posted yesterday. This is an excellent side to any dish. You can use basically any vegetable in the mix to cater to your likeness!

GREEK VEGETABLES

1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 orange pepper, sliced
1/2 bundles asparagus, trimmed and sliced
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon fried oregano

• Preheat over to 375 degrees F.
• After slicing all the vegetables, toss with olive oil. Split the batch into 2 different bowls.
• In one bowl, toss vegetables with rosemary. In the other bowl, with oregano.
• Then place the vegetables in a roasting pan.
• Roast in the over for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
• Place vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle feta cheese over top. Serve warm.

Blackberry Cabernet Roast

BLACKBERRY CABERNET ROAST

• 5 pounds eye of round beef roast
• 1-1/2 cups wild blackberries
• 2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons cracked pepper 

Au Jus Sauce

• 1 -1/3 cups wild blackberries
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/3 cups Cabernet Sauvignon

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

• Pierce all sides of meat using a meat fork every 1 in and place in a large resealable plastic bad.
• Puree blackberries in a blender or food processor. Press through a sieve to remove seeds. Discard solids.
• Combine blackberry puree with Cabernet, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour mixture over roast and seal bag.
• Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight, turning roast occasionally.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Drain meat from marinade.
• Sprinkle cracked pepper evenly over meat and place in large roasting pan.
• Pour 2 cups marinade from plastic bag into roasting pan. Discard remaining marinade.
• Roast 15 minutes, reduce oven to 350 degrees F. Continue to roast 1-11/2 hours or until meat thermometer reads 145 degrees F.
• Remove meat from pan. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.

Sauce:

• Puree 1/2 cup blackberries in a blender or food processor. Press through a sieve to remove seeds. Discard solids.
• In a saucepan, combine blackberry puree, beef broth and Cabernet, and heat over medium and bring to a simmer, constantly stirring. Boil for about 10 minutes.
• Combine cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water, then add to saucepan. Cook for 1 minute or until slightly thickened.
• Remove from heat and serve with roast.

Italian Chicken & Corn Kabobs

Hope you aren't tired of kabobs yet!



1 stick butter, melted
1 package italian seasoning
4 ears of corn, sliced in 1-1/2 inch rings
3 boneless chicken breasts, sliced into 1-inch chunks
2 large green bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces

• Combine butter and seasoning, set aside.


• Alternate between corn, bell peppers and chicken on a metal skewer (or wood skewers that have been soaked in water). Baste the butter mixture over top.


• Grill on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating as needed. Baste with butter mixture again towards the end of cooking time.


• Serves 4 (2 adults and 2 kids, or it can serve 3 adults, or 6 kids....)

Herb Lamb Kabobs

Its getting warmer outside and that means we use the grill a whole lot more...so expect to see quite a few grilling recipes! We got a new grill that has gas/charcoal/smoking option. So cool! Its also a very healthy alternative way of cooking--I take full advantage of that! =) So enjoy!



1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds boneless lamb
1 large green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

• In a small bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. Pour 1 cup into a large resealable plastic bag; add lamb. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 6-8 hours [I forgot to put it in the marinade in in the morning, so it only had about 1-1/2 hours to marinate and it was still amazing!]. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting.


• Drain and discard marinade. On eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread lamb and vegetables. Grill, uncovered, over medium-hot heat for 8-10 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness(for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°), basting frequently with reserved marinade.

recipe derived from Taste of Homes "Herb Lamb Kabobs Recipe"

Peppers & Pierogies

Made this from a Gooseberry Patch Cookbook "101 Hearty Recipes Cookbook"

PEPPERS & PIEROGIES

10-oz package frozen potato and onion pierogies
16-oz package frozen stir-fry peppers and onions
8-oz can tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste

• Cook pierogies according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid; cover pierogies to keep warm. [I cooked them on my grill skillet, so I didn't have any reserve juice. I used just a 1/2 cup of water instead]
• Spray a large skillet with non-stick vegetable spray. Add frozen vegetables; cook until tender and golden and most of the liquid is cooked off.
• Still in tomato sauce and reserved liquid; heat through. Toss vegetable mixture with pierogies; season with salt and pepper. Serves 3 to 4.

Mistaken Identity

Boy, do I have a funny story to share. Actually, it kinda shows you how much I DON'T know about cooking. LOL

Ok....so my parents went on this HCG diet and its meet and veggies. So they go to Costco and get these huge bags of mini bell peppers--yellow, orange and red.

We used them all one weekend while camping and I fell in love with them--so delicious. So weekend ended yada yada yada. So then I go to the commissary looking for these bad little boys...
...and I found a pile of little orange ones....so I thought. I grab a few handfuls and finish my shopping.

That night...i'm putting dinner together and I'm about to cut these up when my husband walks in. He goes "You know those are really hot peppers, right?" and i'm like "huh? no they aren't." he goes "go ahead, try a little piece in your mouth" and me, being so stubborn and all, put a few little seeds in my mouth to prove him wrong.

Well, I was the one proved wrong. It was a habenaro pepper. I had my face in a glass of milk for at least an hour. At some points I was crying it hurt so bad.

Point of this story? Look for a label, and give your husband credit every once in a while--it is possible that they know a little. =D

But come on...am I the only one that has done this??

Grilled Meatballs & Bell Peppers [HCG Friendly]

GRILLED MEATBALLS W/ BELL PEPPERS

HCG Diet Friendly

1 lb ground hamburger [100g for P2/per person--keep portions separated]
1 tblsp bread crumbs [1 piece of Melba toast--ground into powder]
1 tblsp milk
1 tblsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp onion powder
1 tblsp fresh chopped basil
1 tsp fresh chopped oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 garlic piece, minced
Bell peppers (mini's or cut into bite size pieces)

Combine all ingredients in large bowl [separate spices to blend with individual 100g servings]. Form into 1" meatballs--about a tablespoon size--and place on plate. Put back in fridge for 30 minutes.

Skewer the meatballs and bell peppers. Grill over med-high heat for 5-10 minutes, turning often, until browned and cooked through.

Great with a side of mashed potatoes for those NOT on the diet.

Citrus Steak (HCG Friendly)

This started out looking really plain, and I kept adding per "HCG Diet" rules. Turned out FANTASTIC. The sauce added another dimension to it--so don't leave it out! I would make this again, even though I'm not the one on the HCG diet--and its great for other family members as well.

CITRUS STEAK [HCG Friendly]

Flank steak, fat removed, sliced into strips [HCG diet allows 100 grams (3.2 oz) per person]
Handful of cherry or grape tomatoes [as many as you would like--"free veggie" on HCG]
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into bite-sized chunks ["free veggie"]
1/2 head of lettuce ["free!"]
1 orange [this may count as your 1 fruit for meal, so double check before eating more fruit]
2 tblsp apple cider vinegar
2 tblsp chopped fresh basil
salt & pepper to taste
2 tblsp water

In a ziplock bag, combine vinegar, basil, s&p and the juice of the orange and add meat--toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or more. Remove steak from bag, reserving juice.

In a small saucepan, over med-low heat, bring to a simmer the reserved juice and let it simmer while grilling.

Layer the skewers with strips of steak, tomatoes and bell pepper pieces. Grill over med-high heat until desired doneness, about 10 minutes (rotating often). Remove from heat. Drizzle sauce over top.

Serve on top of lettuce [free veggie according to the HCG diet], using the sauce as a dressing. Serves 4.

All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. CookinformyCaptain.blogspot.com makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Please see Disclaimer Page for more.

Rainbow Steak Kabobs--HCG

After this past weekend of camping with the family, I've come up with some new ideas or "series" to post recipes for. My parents are doing the "HCG" diet, so there was quite a few restrictions. Both of my parents are having tremendous results from this diet, but my Dad had to complain about the "boring" diet. My mom can eat the same thing for every meal and not get tired of it, and my dad will get tired of a dish if served more than once a week (haha) so this diet is pretty hard of him. My mom isn't much of a cook either (sorry, mom) so experimenting and spices and such just go out the window.

I, on the other hand, love to cook and getting more into the experimental phases. So I've decided to put together some recipes my parents could cook to change up the boring mundane meals into something to look forward to.

I looked up some "rules" for the diet to make sure I don't use the "big no nos" and such. HOWEVER, my portions are probably not right. I don't have a food scale, so I'm eyeing it. If you are on this diet, make sure you use the right amount for whichever phase you're in.

To start us out, and to get outside on the grill while its still pretty...

RAINBOW STEAK KABOBS

1 very lean steak, cut into cubes [P2-100 grams per person]
Colorful bell peppers--1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp lemon pepper
a few lemon slices [P2- only allowed 1 lemon a day]

~Toss steak cubes with salt and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling. Then toss with lemon pepper.
~Toss the bell pepper pieces with a few slices of lemons (or few drops of fresh lemon juice).
~Alternate between bell pepper and steak on skewers. Cook on a grill over medium heat for 8 minutes, turning often to let sides of bell pepper char evenly.
~Enjoy with a piece of Melba toast or Grissino breadstick.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the others in your family (that are NOT on the diet), I suggest serving mashed potatoes on the side.

["P2" = Phase 2, "P3" = Phase 3]
All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. CookinformyCaptain.blogspot.com makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Please see Disclaimer Page for more.

Chicken Stir-fry

This is a really simple "semi-homemade" meal. Don't leave out the cabbage--it really hold all the flavors together and one of those "extra" veggies that kids won't normally eat. My kids had NO idea!

CHICKEN STIR-FRY

1 head of cabbage, shredded
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 orange bell pepper, sliced
1 can baby corn (I cut mine in half to make them more bite sized)
1 small can water chestnuts
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
3 large chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup stir-fry sauce 
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
canola oil for frying
2 tablespoons peanuts, chopped

Prepare all the vegetables and mix in a large bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in large cast-iron skillet over med-high heat. Put half of the veggies in pan and fry up for 3 minutes, or until tender. Remove and keep warm. Place remaining veggies in pan and cook the same way--adding more oil if needed. Remove and keep warm with the rest.

Add chicken until brown on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes each side, and cooked through.

Push chicken to edges and add stir-fry sauce and ginger to middle of pan. Let it get bubbly (less than 1 minute) and stir chicken in. Pour the whole bowl of vegetables in pan and stir and cook until all heated through.

Top with chopped peanuts.

Serve over rice and enjoy!

  

Chicken Cacciatore

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Mix together in a small bowl:
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
Cut in small 1-inch cubes
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Coat chicken with flour mixture.
Heat in large skillet over medium high heat:
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add chicken and cook and stir for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Remove chicken from skillet.
Heat in same skillet:
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add:
8 oz thinly sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, coursely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
Cook and stir for 5 minutes, or until tender.

Stir in:
14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon crushed majoram
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
Bring to boil, frequently stirring.
Return chicken to skillet, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Serve over cooked pasta or rice.

Enjoy!

My kids love helping me cook, and this is a great dish for them to lend a helping hand. Of course, be careful around the heat!