Brown Sugar Rubbed Chicken Wings with Roasted Red Pepper Dipping Sauce

These are smack your mama good! Perfect for a party or dinner with the family. There will be none left. Chris is working in Pasadena 4 days a week so his portion was left over. I was planning on freezing his so that he could take them back up to Pasadena but my husband and Noel were having none of that. The fight was on to see who was going to finish the rest off for lunch today. I decided to stay out of that one but I think my husband won the wings. By the way, did I mention the dip is good with veggies or other dippers?

2 pounds chicken drummets
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp chili powder
3 tbsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp each of garlic powder and onion powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup roasted red peppers(I used them out of the jar)
5 oz goat cheese
1 cup plain greek yogurt
salt and pepper
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 of a small garlic clove(I find this amount perfect when adding raw garlic to something. Remember garlic will get stronger the longer the dip sits)

Heat the oven to 425. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper into a large zip lock bag. Seal the bag and shake to mix. Add the chicken, reseal the back and shake well to distribute the rub onto the chicken. Open the bag and dump the chicken out onto the baking sheet. Arrange into even rows. Bake for 25 minutes, turning the chicken at the half way point. Meanwhile place the peppers, goat cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper into a food processor. Process until the dip is smooth. Pour into small serving bowls to go along with the chicken.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Pork

Who doesn't love Chinese? But take out can not only be pricey but fattening. Just about everything on a Chinese menu is fried. Sweet and Sour Pork happens to be one of my family's favorites and since my daughter is wanting a collection of slow cooker meals. This is a perfect fit. You can also make this with chicken breasts or thighs.

4 large boneless pork loin chops, trimmed of fat and cubed
1 large onion
1 large red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple cubed(canned works too)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 & 1/3 cup chicken stock
3 oz tomato paste
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp soy sauce(I use low sodium Tamari)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3-4 tbsp corn starch

Spray the insert of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the pork. Brown on all sides. Add the meat to the insert along with the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, brown sugar, 3/4 cup chicken stock, vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, black pepper and chili flakes. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Half hour before serving, add the pineapple, bell pepper and the corn starch mixed into the 1/3 cup chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and cook until the liquid thickens. Serve with rice.

Tandoori Chicken Kebabs

Super easy and super delicious. These kebabs are a nice change of pace from traditional bbq fare.

Serves 4-6

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8 chicken thighs
1 jalapeno(to lessen the heat factor, cut open and remove the seeds and ribs)
1 cup plain fat-free greek yogurt
4 cloves of garlic
2 inch piece of ginger, skin removed
juice and zest of 2 limes
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Cut the chicken into cubes and place in an oblong baking dish or large zip lock bag.
In the bowl of a food processor, place the jalapeno, yogurt, garlic, ginger, lime juice and zest, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Pour over the chicken and let marinate for 2 hours up to overnight in the frig. An hour before grilling, soak wooden skewers in water. Remove the skewers and thread the chicken pieces onto them. Grill over high heat on oiled grates for 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink in the center. Serve with Basmati Rice with Onion and Ginger.

Basmati Rice with Onion and Ginger

This rice dish makes a nice companion for my Tandoori Chicken Kebabs. I make mine with brown Basmati Rice to bump up the nutritional value and the fiber.

Serves 8(for a smaller portion- cut the recipe in half)

1 large onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger root
2 large carrots, grated
2 cups brown basmati rice
4 cups chicken stock
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp margarine

Heat the oil and margarine in a medium sauce pot. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and let the veggies sweat for about 7 minutes on med/low heat. Add the carrot and the rice. Raise the heat to medium and stir to toast the rice for 5 minutes. Add the stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook according to the package directions. I've noticed that brown rice varies from 35-50 minutes in cooking time. So check the package carefully.

Eggplant Pasta Bake

If you have eggplant growing in your garden or even if you don't this is a great way to use them up. Browning the eggplant in a skillet before adding it to the pasta, keeps it from becoming mushy and adds a depth of flavor you won't get by just adding it raw to the dish. Though this dish is meatless, it won't disappoint the carnivores in your life.

1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into cubes
1 pound pasta, cooked for half of the time on the package-I used Tirali but any type will do
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic,minced
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
4 tbsp minced fresh basil
1 cup of fresh mozarella cubes
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
2 jars of marinara(I like Mario Batalli's)
salt and pepper
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt to make it taste like sea water. Add the pasta and cook for half of the directed cooking time. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the eggplant,spread it out in an even layer over the skillet and leave alone for 3 minutes. Stir to turn over. The eggplant should have a brown crust on it. Let it cook undisturbed another 3 minutes. Add the onion, garlic. chili flakes, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside. Drain the pasta and add it to the baking dish. Stir in the cubed mozarella and the eggplant mixture. Pour the sauce over the pasta and add the basil. Stir again to combine. Top with the shredded provolone. Bake for 30 minutes and serve.

Peach and Mixed Berry Crostata

When I go to the produce market I usually get carried away. There is just way too many choices in the fruit department. So I buy a little, or a lot, of everything. I had several containers of berries in the frig and needed to do something with them before they went bad. Peaches pair well with berries and I grabbed those along with the berries. Now what to make. I love pie but I didn't want to spend all day in the kitchen. How about a crostata? A crostata is a rustic Italian open faced, one dough, pie. The dough comes together with the help of the food processor and can be used after only a 30 minute chilling. If you've never made a pie before, this is a good place to start.

Crust
2 1/2 cups cake flour
3 tbsp sugar
2 sticks cold butter, cut into cubes
1/4 ice water

Filling
3-4 peaches, peeled and sliced
3 pints berries(I used blackberries and blueberries
4 tbsp sugar
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp minute uncooked tapioca(you'll find this in the baking aisle of the store)

Glaze
1 egg
2 tbsp honey

Place the flour and sugar in a food processor and pulse until mixed. Add the butter and turn the processor back on. With the processor running, add the water a little at a time until the dough comes together in a ball. You may need a bit more or use less water depending on the humidity that day. I used exactly 1/4 cup today. Place the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap well and place in the frig for 30 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix together the peaches, berries, sugar, lemon juice and tapioca. Preheat the oven to 375. Sprinkle a cutting board and rolling pin with flour. Remove the dough from the plastic and roll it out to 14 inches. Gently wrap the dough around the rolling pin and transfer the dough to a tart pan. Pour the fruit in the center and bring the edges of the dough into the center, partially covering the fruit. Whisk the honey and egg together in a small bowl. Brush the egg mixture over the dough on the top of the crostata. Place the tart pan onto a baking sheet and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Release the bottom of the tart pan, cut the crostata into wedges and serve with fresh whipped cream or mascarpone cheese.

Corn and Zucchini Salad

I like to make good use of the summer veggie selection while it lasts. I like to let the veggies be the star of the show. So I dress them simply with fresh herbs, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 6

4 ears of fresh corn,kernels removed from the cob
2 large zucchini, cubed
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
juice of 1 large lemon
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 leaves of fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper

Invert a small bowl or custard cup inside a large salad bowl. Stand the corn on top of the inverted bowl. Holding the tip of the corn firmly, slice the kernels off of the cob right into the bowl. This is the best way I know of removing the kernels and keeping the majority of them inside the bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, toss and serve.