Got 30 minutes to make a meal? Good. These chicken thighs are freakin amazing & they’re so fast!! The sauce is super creamy & you probably have all of these ingredients in your house. Get ready to overeat...
Time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs. Skin removed
1 can evaporated milk
1 pack sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
salt & pepper to taste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Recipe:
Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a cast iron (or sauce pan) for 1 min, add the chicken thighs, salt & pepper them, then brown them on both sides until cooked through
Remove the chicken from the pan & set it aside.
Add the butter, garlic & mushrooms to the pan. Sauté until the mushrooms are cooked through.
Add the rosemary & paprika, then the evaporated milk. Allow the sauce to simmer & thicken.
Lower the heat then add the chicken back in. Turn the chicken so it gets coated in the sauce.
Turn off the heat then add the parmesan cheese & stir to combine, allowing the cheese to melt.
Serve with mashed potatoes & veggies for a comfort food kick!
All I want when it’s cold outside is creamy, hearty, warm meals! I got sick of eating soup variations so I tried a recipe for Butter Chicken. It’s a little spicy, really creamy, packed with flavor, and I can have it with cauliflower rice which has been my new thing. Here’s my take!
Time: 30 mins plus time for the chicken to marinate
Ingredients:
1 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons freshly sliced ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 skinless chicken thighs, chopped into bite-sized cubes
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped chili pepper, I used jalapeño
2 teaspoons hot paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup tomato sauce, unseasoned
1 cup half & half (can use heavy cream)
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons corn starch (optional)
cilantro for garnish (optional)
Recipe:
Cut the chicken into cubes, removing any fat or skin, then add it to a large freezer / zip loc bag.
Add the yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of the cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, fresh ginger and salt.
Close the bag removing any air, and use your hands outside of the bag to move the chicken around the mixture so it coats evenly. Refrigerate overnight.
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, take it out of the bag with as little of the marinade as possible. Put it in a bowl & set it aside.
In a pressure cooker, add the butter, garlic and jalapeno. Let it sauté for a bit so the butter melts & the garlic cooks.
In a small bowl, add 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, salt, tomato sauce and heavy cream. Stir to combine.
Pour the sauce over the chicken in the pressure cooker and cook for 5 mins. Let it release steam naturally for another 10 minutes before removing the lid. Hint: if you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can slow cook the mixture for 4 hours.
If using cornstarch to thicken the sauce, stir it into one tablespoon of water and add the mixture to the pressure cooker.
Ok so here’s the deal with this one: you can cook a whole chicken, incredibly juicy & tender, in 45 minutes. Whole chicken. On a weeknight. Yep! You’ll even have time for seconds.
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, about 6lbs
2 tablespoons softened (not melted!) butter
1-2 teaspoons salt
herbs of your choice, I used sage, thyme & rosemary
lemon slices (about 6)
veggies for roasting (optional)
Recipe:
Wash the whole chicken, remove the gibblets & pat dry with a paper towel.
Lay the chicken out on a cutting board so that the backbone is facing up.
Starting at the tailbone, use kitchen sheers to cut along one side of the backbone first, all the way to the top of the neck. Repeat on the other side.
Pull out the back bone, you can make an extremely flavorful stock with this! Or just discard.
Turn the chicken over so the belly side is up.
Press your palms on the chest of the chicken & press down hard. The chicken should flatten slightly.
Use the kitchen sheers to cut off the tips of the wings. The wing tips cook faster & will burn if you leave them on.
Mix the butter with the herbs & salt.
Lift up the skin and slide your hand in there to make room for the lemon slices. Then, slide in a lemon slice with a little of the seasoned butter under the skin for the breasts and thighs. Rub any leftover lemon around the skin on the outside of the chicken. Same with any extra butter.
Use a large cast iron pan (or roasting pan if you don’t have a cast iron). Lay your chicken in the pan with the belly side up. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Place the chicken in a preheated oven at 450 for 30-40 minutes. Make sure the internal temp of the chicken is at 165 degrees before you eat it!
If you’re adding in vegetables, keep an eye on the timing. Add them when the chicken has already cooked for 15-20 minutes, depending on what veggies you’re using/how long they take to roast.
Oh the subtle onion taste of leeks! You never disappoint! I haven't made this soup before but I'm really excited with how it came out. It's super easy and super impressive. Check out my take, below!
Time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
2 large russet potatoes
2 leeks, trimmed & cleaned
5 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs thyme
4 cups chicken bone broth
Salt to taste
8 tablespoons butter
Recipe:
Melt the butter in a large pot
Wash the leeks thoroughly, removing any sand. Then, chop them into smaller pieces & add them to the pot.
Smash the garlic cloves & add them in with the leeks.
Peel & dice the potatoes into small pieces, add them to the pot.
Add the thyme, salt & bone broth. Stir to combine, then cover the pot.
Let the soup boil until the potatoes are tender, about 20 mins.
Use an immersion blender to smoothen the soup. Test for salt, then serve!
What's better than sautéed squash, mushrooms & carrots coated in melted gruyere? Not much. This vegetable raclette is wholesome, filling, and a little spicy. In other words, it's perfection.
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
2 large zuchini
2 summer squash
1 pack portobello mushrooms
1 serrano pepper
1 cup shredded carrots (or diced)
1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese
salt & pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Recipe:
Dice the zuchini & summer squash, roughly chop the mushrooms.
Slice the serrano pepper & set it aside.
Sauté the vegetables (including the carrots) in a bit of olive oil so they will cook through. I did mine one by one so that everything cooked evenly & didn't get too soggy. You want them crunchy.
Pour the cooked vegetables into an oven-safe Pyrex, add the serrano slices & season with salt & pepper.
Sprinkle the shredded gruyere on top of the vegetables & broil for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted & bubbly.
Here you are, folks! Another Meatless Monday miracle. I first tried calabacitas in Colorado last week, from this awesome restaurant, Kachina. They offer it as a side dish. It's really spicy so adjust the recipe to your taste! Here's my take.
Time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
1 zucchini
1 summer squash
1 small onion
2 red chilis
1/4 cup corn (I used frozen)
1 tablespoon shredded Romano cheese (or whatever you have on hand that will melt well)
1 whole tomato
1 tablespoon butter
salt & black pepper to taste
Recipe:
Dice the zucchini, squash, tomatoes & onion.
In a medium skillet, heat the butter. Chop the chili peppers into little slices.
Then add the onion when the butter is slightly melted.
Sauté the onion for 1 min before adding in the chilis.
Once the onion is slightly golden, add in the corn, tomatoes, squash & zuchini. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
Stir to combine then cover the pan, leaving the heat on low. You should check on it & stir every so often so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
After about 10 mins, remove the cover & turn off the heat (the squash & zucchini should be cooked but not mushy).
With the heat off, sprinkle some cheese & stir it in while it melts. This will help offset the spiciness of the chilis & also give the calabacitas a creamy taste.
Serve as a side dish or in tacos as a veggie filling!
Theplas became one of my favorite Gujarati snacks when I started college & met my BFF. She is Guju & her mom would make her these divine, paper thin, loaded with flavor, incredibly complex tasting snacks. I learned that they are called theplas & they are not so complex to make! The cooler thing is that they are pretty healthy because of the fenugreek (methi) leaves. Fenugreek is known to help lower blood sugar, so it's great for diabetics.
Heres my take, don't be afraid to try it at home!
Time: 1.5 hours, yields 30 theplas
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup besan (gram flour)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh methi (fenugreek) without the stems
2 green chilis, sliced
1.5 teaspoons ground jeera (cumin)
1.5 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon coriander
1.5 teaspoons haldi (turmeric)
ghee or butter for cooking
1 cup half & half (can use dahi / plain yogurt, or simply water)
water for kneading
Recipe:
In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients & the methi leaves, mix to combine.
Add in the half & half slowly, kneading a bit at a time.
Add in the yogurt & knead until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated into the dough.
Wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate for 15 mins.
Form golf ball sized pieces out of the dough, this mixture should give you about 30.
Roll out each piece with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle whole wheat flour down first to ensure the dough doesn't stick.
On a shallow pan or taawa, heat 1 teaspoon of butter or ghee. Use medium-low heat.
Place the round, flat thepla on the pan or taawa & butter the top side.
When you see a bunch of bubbles forming, flip the thepla over using tongs or a spatula. Let it brown slightly on the other side.
Put the cooked thepla in a container lined with paper towel to soak up the excess butter.
Gotta have a fresh side dish (or main!) for your summer outdoor table? Look no further! Tabouleh is light, fresh, refreshing, yet filling at the same time. It bursts of flavor leaving you wanting more & more. Here's my take, enjoy!
Time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
2 handfuls flat leaf parsley
1 handful fresh mint leaves
1 handful spinach
1 tomato
1 slice red onion
1 small cucumber
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Recipe:
Carefully remove the stems then roughly chop the mint, parsley & spinach.
Cut the tomato, cucumber & the slice of red onion into small dices. Add it to the greens.
Drizzle on the lemon juice & olive oil.
At this point you can add in couscous or any other grain if you like. Toss to combine, refrigerate for 10-15 mins if you like it chilled.
An amazingly fancy appetizer that is sure to impress your guests! Baked clams has been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. I remember my mom making them for special occasions / family parties. I'm excited to have my own recipe to share with you all!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 dozen cherry stone clams (can use little necks)
1 cup panko
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine
1 teaspoon dried oregano
juice of 1/2 a lemon
Recipe:
Scrub the clams under cold water to remove any sand.
In a large pan, bring the wine to a boil, then add the clams & cover the pan. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
Allow the clams to cook just enough to open up, about 7 minutes.
Remove the clams from the heat, remove the meat from the shells, and set the shells aside.
Use a knife to chop the meat into smaller chunks.
Peheat oven to 450.
Transfer the meat to a mixing bowl & add in all the other ingredients above. Mix to combine. Tip: use whatever you feel like using to spice this up! I added chopped Jalapeño slices for a little kick.
Fill the half shells with the mixture, then place them on a cookie sheet & bake for 10 mins or until the filling is golden brown. Voila!
One of my favorite movies ever!! Ratatouille is incredibly beautiful, healthy, & delicious! Contrary to how it looks, it's actually not difficult to make! Just takes a little patience, and a mandolin slicer. Here's my take on it.
Time: 1 hour, 15 mins
Ingredients:
1 zucchini
1 yellow summer squash
1 Italian eggplant
3 almost ripe Roma tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
5 basil leaves (fresh)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
Recipe:
In an oven safe pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil & the diced onions for about 30 seconds-1 minute. Use medium-low heat so it doesnt burn. Then, add the garlic.
Wait 30 seconds before pouring in the tomato sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes then tear up the basil leaves & drop them in.
Use a mandolin to slice the zucchini, squash, eggplant & tomatoes very thin.
Arrange them around the pan that the sauce is in, so that the slices alternate between each vegetable. Continue all the way around the pan, until you run out of slices.
Drizzle the last tablespoon of olive oil over the top. Sprinkle the oregano, thyme, salt & black pepper on top.
Cover with parchment paper & bake on 375 for 45 minutes.
Remove the parchment & bake for another 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Classic flavors, easy to make, and really inexpensive too! My kinda meal! Tried making this for Meatless Monday & I'm really excited to have it be a regular on our list. Here's my take on it.
Time: 40 mins
Ingredients:
Chana Masala:
1 can chickpeas
1 red onion
2 tomatoes (medium sized or 2 Roma tomatoes will work)
Tip: Indian grocery stores sell the batter already mixed in the refrigerator section. Easy peesy! I've had it before and it's not bad!
2 cups dry long grain rice (I used basmati)
1 cup dhal / split peas
1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon salt
Recipe:
Cut the red onion & tomatoes in halves, then add them to a small pot & fill with enough water to cover everything. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover & bring to a boil.
Strain the chickpeas & toss with turmeric, then set them aside.
After 20 minutes, pour the onion, tomatoes & boiling liquid into a food processor & pulse until smooth.
Using about 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil, lightly fry the cumin seeds for a few seconds at the bottom of the pot. Careful not to put the heat too high or they will burn. Add in the other spices as well, stirring to combine. Just allow them to fry for 10-15 seconds.
Pour the mixture back into the pot, stirring it to combine with the spices & oil. Add in the fenugreek leaves, garlic & ginger paste as well.
After about 2 minutes, add the chickpeas & potatoes. Cover & let boil for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.
Serve with rice, naan or dosa!
To make the dosa:
Soak all of the ingredients except the salt in 4 cups water for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight). Then, pulse the mixture with the soaking liquid (add in the salt as well) in a food processor until slightly grainy but mostly smooth. The mixture should be fairly thick.
Next, pour 1/2 cup of the batter in the middle of a non-stick pan. You can pour a little vegetable oil down before to ensure it won't stick.
Wait about 5 seconds before using the bottom of a ladle or large spoon to spread the batter around, in a circular motion. Careful not to press too hard or you'll break the dosa.
After about 30 seconds, you'll notice it start to crisp slightly around the edges. You can add about 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil on it & spread it around with a spatula. Do not flip it.
Add the chana masala in the middle of the dosa, then gently lift up one side over the mixture, then roll it over to completely close the dosa, sealing it with the other side. Use the spatula to lift it off the pan & transfer to a serving dish or plate.
Enjoy! We used a delicious tamarind & date chutney to go with ours.
A gorgeous Spanish dish! Paella seems so intimidating. I tried making it for the first time yesterday and I have to say... it's really not that hard! If you have good quality ingredients & a good paella pan, you're golden. my take on it is a little spicy & packed with incredible flavor.
Time: 45 mins, serves 2
Ingredients:
2-3 cups jumbo shrimp, peeled & deviened, tail on
2-3 cups cooked mussels (can use uncooked but it's a pain to wash & takes longer to cook)
1 cup paella rice (can substitute any short grain rice)
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes & green chilies (this is where the spice comes in, if you don't want it spicy you can use plain canned diced tomatoes)
1 cup fresh parsley
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 cup sweet green peas
3 cups chicken stock (can use 1 chicken boullion cube with 3 cups of water)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt & pepper to taste
1.5 tablespoons safflower oil (or any high-heat oil)
1/2 lemon
Recipe:
Tip: The best way to do this is to get a Paella pan. To serve 2 people, I bought a 13.5 inch paella pan from Amazon. Worked wonders!
Heat the oil & onion in the paella pan on medium heat. After 30 seconds, add the garlic, then give it another 30 seconds before adding the tomatoes.
Pour in the paella rice & toss to combine.
Sprinkle on the smoked paprika & the saffron, then add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover. I used my pizza stone to cover the paella pan because I don't have a large enough pan cover. Reduce the heat to let the mixture simmer while it's covered.
After about 20 minutes, uncover the pan & use a spatula to stir. You may notice some rice sticking to the bottom of the pan, that's okay. Paella should have a nice crust at the bottom. Not a thick crust, but a nice crunchy layer.
Add in the seafood and green peas then cover to allow it to cook for 5 more minutes. Keep the heat on medium.
Once the seafood is cooked, add in the parsley & lemon wedges & serve! Squeezing the lemon juice over the paella before eating it gives it a wonderful fresh taste!
First time trying cauliflower pizza & I'm making it eggless. I know, I know "over achiever". But on Mondays, I go veggie, including giving up eggs. So this will have to work. Actually, it did.
Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower
1 can chickpeas
1/4 cup flour (I used all purpose but you can use a gluten free flour of your choice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt & pepper to taste
toppings of your choice
Recipe:
Preheat oven to 425, put your pizza stone in there to heat up.
Strain & rinse the can of chickpeas.
Put the cauliflower florets into a large food processor, pulse until fine grains form.
Boil the cauliflower then strain it. Once it's cool enough to touch, pour it into a kitchen towel or cheese cloth, and squeeze the excess water out. Then return the cauliflower to the food processor.
Add the chickpeas, olive oil, basil, oregano, salt & pepper to the food processor. Pulse to combine & grind the chickpeas.
After the mixture is formed, add your dry flour to bind it all together. Pulse to combine.
Remove your hot pizza stone from the oven & spray cooking spray all over it. Pour the cauliflower mixture in the middle of it. Spread it out with a spatula (or just use your hands, be careful not to touch the hot pizza stone directly). Spread it to about 1/2 inch thick.
Place the crust in the oven & bake for 20 minutes.
Optional step for a crispier crust: remove the crust, brush it with 1 tablespoon of an oil of your choice. You can use olive oil, or an infused oil such as garlic or truffle.
Place it back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes before removing it to add toppings. Crust should be golden.
Once your toppings are on, bake the pizza for another 10 mins or until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
A classy, sophisticated side dish that is so easy to make! Here's my take on it.
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
4 rustic potatoes
5 tablespoons butter, melted
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt & pepper to taste
Cooking oil spray for the pan
Recipe :
Preheat oven to 425. Cover a glass Pyrex dish with foil & spray to coat with cooking oil.
Put the garlic cloves inside the butter so they begin to infuse.
Wash & dry potatoes, then take them one by one to cut on a cutting board. You're going to want to lay 2 chopsticks on either side of the potato to avoid cutting straight through the bottom (so the potatoes fan out like the picture above).
Cut about 1/4 inch thick slices through the entire potato (until your knife hits the chopsticks). Do the same for all 4 potatoes.
Place the potatoes into a bowl of cold water as they are finished being cut. This will wash out some of the starch from inside the potato before you bake it. Make sure they are dry before baking, though.
Arrange the potatoes in the Pyrex dish & fan them out slightly with your hands. Sprinkle salt & black pepper as desired.
Brush the garlic butter mixture on top of each potato. Cover with aluminum foil & bake for 35 mins.
Take the potatoes out of the oven, uncover them, then brush more of the butter mixture on them.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of each potato, trying to get some inside the little slits.
Brush with more butter & bake again UNCOVERED for another 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are golden, cooked through.
Winter is for yummy warm hearty soups! You don't have to go out in the cold to enjoy a nice bowl of Udon. Here's an easy vegetarian homemade recipe that will be worth your while.
Time: 2 hours (most of this is the mushrooms soaking)
Ingredients:
1 pack udon noodles
1 pack shiitake mushrooms (can be sliced or not)
water
green onion
soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste
egg if you'd like to add it to your udon
Recipe:
First, wash the mushrooms & then place them in a tall Tupperware / container. Add water to cover the mushrooms (and about 1/2 cup more)
Place another Tupperware / container pressing on top of the mushrooms to keep them from floating. Cover with clear wrap & refrigerate for at least 1.5 hours (overnight is better).
Next, make the udon according to the package (pretty much add them to boiling water then straining them & putting in an ice bath so they don't over cook).
In a medium sauce pan, add the broth along the mushrooms (you can slice them at this point if they aren't sliced).
Bring the broth to a boil, add in a couple splashes of soy sauce (depending on how much you like, I used about 1.5 teaspoons).
Add in the udon noodles and pepper if you like.
Crack an egg one by one into the pot so it poaches in the liquid (if you like).
Ok it's been getting cold fast here in the tri-state area & to me that means give your food a little heat! Chicken thighs simmered in a creamy sauce of pulsed jalapeño peppers & coconut milk. Creamy with a kick!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 pack chicken thighs, skinless (doesn't matter if it's boneless or not)
3-4 jalapeño peppers
1 can coconut milk
1/2 yellow onion
2-3 cloves garlic
salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Recipe:
In a large skillet, brown the chicken thighs in the olive oil for ~2-3 mins before adding the onion & garlic. Lower the heat so it stays warm but doesn't burn.
Slice open each jalapeño pepper, remove seeds.
Use a blender or food processor to grind the jalapeño, coconut milk, salt & pepper unless smooth.
If you'd like, dice a zucchini or any other type of vegetable & add it to the chicken, sauté for a minute.
Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs & raise the heat to medium, cover the pan.
Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Garnish with fresh jalapeño slices if you like it spicy!
Fall is here!! Time for some fall recipes. Squash in particular :) When it's still warm enough to fire up the grill, try these stuffed grilled acorn squash!! Fill them with whatever you like, they are so easy & delicious to make.
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 medium acorn squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt
filling of your choice
Recipe:
Cut the acorn squash in half long ways, scoop out the seeds. Shave off a small piece of the round end of each squash so that the sides will stand up without rolling.
Drizzle with olive oil & grill flesh-side down on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until tender. I used a grill mat for easier clean up!
While the squash is grilling, you can prepare your stuffing mixture. I used a mixture of farro, kale, roasted butternut squash, & pecans, tossed in a pomegranate balsamic vinaigrette.
Remove the squash from the grill & flip over so the flesh side is now up.
What a delicious start to Fall soup meals!! There's nothing better than a creamy healthy bowl of Butternut squash soup infused with fresh ginger, chili powder & sage!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 medium sized butternut squash
1/2 cup freshly chopped ginger
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
2-3 Sage leaves (sage is pretty strong so you don't need a lot)
Salt & pepper to taste
water as needed
1 tablesooon vegetable oil
Recipe:
Peel & chop the butternut squash into small cubes.
Add the vegetable oil & onions to a large pot on medium heat. Let simmer until the onions are transparent, then add the ginger & garlic. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes.
Add the butternut squash, sage, & the chili powder (can add the salt & pepper at this time too). Stir to combine.
Once the squash is seasoned, add enough water to completely cover the top of the squash. You should raise the heat at this time to high so it boils.
Cover & let the squash boil for about 15-20 minutes (stirring & adding water as needed occasionally).
Once the squash is fork-tender, you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out.
You can test for salt at this time. Add fresh sage to garnish & serve!
