Jerk Chicken with Jamaican Rice and Peas

At this time last year, Brent and I were fortunate enough to visit Jamaica. There were way too many good things packed into that vacation to mention here. I challenged myself by going snorkeling (I’m not the strongest swimmer,) I dipped my toes into the Caribbean Sea for the first time, and we made a ton of great memories.

When people find out that we stayed on a resort (thank you, Sandals Ochi!) one of the first things they want to hear about is the food. It was great! Was all of it 5-star or Michelin Star worthy? No. Some of it was, definitely. But the best meals didn’t come from the fancy restaurants. The best meals were the poolside pizza and everything that came from The Jerk Shack (chicken, pork, and sausages). Not exactly Michelin Star, but some of the best in my books.

Once we were back at home, I tried many pre-made jerk mixes trying to get that taste back. Unfortunately, none of them came close. This recipe, though, takes me right back to that beach and is full of all the flavours I so vividly remember.

I wish I could go back to Jamaica again and again and again, but reality does call. Still, this Caribbean recipe lets me do it right here in our Canadian home any time I want. And for that, I’m very happy. So, this one is dedicated to Jamaica and all of the beautiful, friendly people there. Thank you all for giving me one of the best times of my life! Yahman!

Ingredients for the chicken:

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

3 medium green onions, coarsely chopped

3 Scotch bonnet chiles, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon five-spice powder

1 tablespoon allspice

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

1 teaspoon kosher sale

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

10 chicken drumstick

Ingredients for the rice and peas:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon allspice

1 large fresh bay leaf

1 Scotch bonnet chili

1 19-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 400-ml can coconut milk

1 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups long grain white rice

Directions:

1.) Make the marinade for the chicken. Combine the onion, green onions, Scotch bonnets, garlic, five spice, allspice, pepper, thyme, nutmeg, and salt in a food processor. Process until the mixture is coarse. Combine the soy sauce and oil in a measuring glass and in a slow, steady stream, pour into food processor while it’s running until you have a thick marinade. Place chicken drumsticks into a large resealable bag and pour marinade over top. Massage slightly to make sure marinade entirely covers chicken. Marinade for at least six hours, and up to overnight.

2.) When ready to start cooking, begin with the rice. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

3.) In a large ovenproof pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and sweat it lightly until it is translucent. Add garlic, thyme, allspice, bay leaf, and whole Scotch bonnet. Cook for 30 seconds while stirring.

4.) Add coconut milk, water, kidney beans, and rice and stir. Once bubbles start forming at the surface, cover and place in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes.

5.) Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Spray foil with non-stick spray. Remove chicken from marinade and place drumsticks on the baking sheet, with plenty of space between them. Brush additional marinade onto drumsticks to make sure they are fully coated. Place chicken into the oven and cook for 45 – 60 minutes, until the chicken registers 170 Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer.

6.) When rice is finished in the oven, remove it but keep the lid on. Allow rice to sit for 15 minutes before removing the lid and fluffing with a fork. Your chicken should be ready at about the same time.

7.) Serve the chicken and rice together, and enjoy!

Actual combo platter from The Jerk Shack at Ochi!

Ginger Ale Fish and Chips

I feel like so much of my life is spent trying to find substitutions for ingredients. It’s because I get a meal idea in my head and nothing else will do. Not having the usual ingredients is not going to stop me from making what I want to eat, and that’s what happened with this recipe. I was craving fish and chips but didn’t have any beer in the house. Once again not to be deterred, a can of Ginger Ale in the fridge caught my eye and I knew what to do. This recipe is the exact same fish recipe I already have on the site, but with the beer swapped for Ginger Ale.

While the fish is good, it’s not the hero of this story. That title belongs to the tartar sauce, and you’ll love dunking your crispy fillets into this one.

Ingredients for the fish:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 355 ml cans Ginger Ale

Juice of 1 lemon

4 haddock fillets

Vegetable oil, for frying

Lemon wedges or slices, for garnish

French fries

Ingredients for the tartar sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons gherkins, finely chopped

1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped

1 tablespoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Juice from one lemon

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1.) Cook French fries according to package directions, or keep homemade fries warm in the oven while you make the fish.

2.) Thoroughly combine all ingredients for the tartar sauce. Place bowl in fridge until ready to serve.

3.) Mix 1 cup of flour and 1 teaspoon of salt in a shallow dish and set aside. Fill a Dutch oven or other heavy pot halfway with vegetable oil. Turn heat to medium or medium-high and let it preheat to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit while preparing batter.

4.) In a large bowl combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Add the Ginger Ale and lemon juice and whisk to incorporate all ingredients.

5.) When ready to start frying, place haddock fillets, one by one, into the plate of flour. Turn to ensure that the entire piece of fish is coated. Shake off excess flour and dip the fish into the beer batter. Remove from the batter and allow excess to drip off.

6.) Slowly place the fish into the hot oil, moving the end piece in the oil a bit as you do. This will prevent it from falling to the bottom of the pot and sticking. Fry for 2 minutes on one side then flip and fry for another 1 – 2 minutes, just until the fish is entirely cooked through. Drain excess oil by laying the fillet on paper towels. Repeat with remaining haddock fillets.

7.) Garnish with lemon slices, tartar sauce, and French fries.

Homemade Hamburger Helper

I was reluctant to publish this post because to me, it’s not the prettiest meal. But it’s a meal my family eats about once a week, and you know why? Because about once a week, I’m overwhelmed. There are too many clients demanding too many things. There are too many meals to cook. Do we really need all these bathrooms that just get dirty? Why are there so many stairs to vacuum? How is the living room dusty again? Why is there laundry everywhere? Didn’t I just sweep? It’s the normal, little things that all add up and at times, it seems like a lot.

Don’t get me wrong. I love my life and I wouldn’t change a single thing. And I’m very grateful that we have too many bathrooms and stairs. But sometimes, we all feel overwhelmed. Sometimes, we just don’t have it in us to put a beautiful meal on the table that took three hours to cook. All we can do is offer food that is simple, easy to bring together, and that doesn’t take too much more of our time.

But even when it’s ugly, it can still nourish our soul. It can still bring us together around the table and remind us that we can face the overwhelm together. And that’s what this one does for my family, even if it’s not the prettiest meal. So, if you’ve ever had a day (and who hasn’t?) this meal may just make it a little better.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

1 pound medium ground beef

1 onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon each of fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano, chopped

2 cups whole canned tomatoes (I have recently fallen in love with Mutti’s line of products)

2 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable broth

8 ounces of penne, or any short pasta

1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.) Place butter in a frying pan over medium heat and melt. Add ground beef, breaking it up as you do. Season with salt and pepper and fry until ground beef is no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes.

2.) Add onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and fresh herbs, except basil, and cook for three more minutes. This blooms the fresh herbs in the fat, flavoring the dish throughout.

3.) Add the whole canned tomatoes, breaking them up as you do using a wooden spoon or your hands. Add the stock and the penne. Season with more salt and pepper to taste and stir.

4.) Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes until the pasta is tender. The consistency of your sauce will depend entirely on the type and brand of ingredients you are using. If the sauce becomes too loose, turn heat up to reduce it faster. If it becomes too tight, add more water.

5.) When pasta is tender, remove the entire pan from the heat. Add shredded mozzarella and basil and stir.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

How to Hard Boil Eggs

During my brief flirtation with vegetarianism, there were a couple of reasons why I knew I couldn’t go full-fledged vegan. Eggs were one of the biggest. I love eggs in all of their forms and can’t imagine my diet without them.

Although I cracked the code on properly hard-boiling eggs some years ago, I still could never seem to peel them effectively. To end up with 3 or 5 eggs, I’d have to boil 6 or 7 because so much of the actual egg would come off with the shell (and stubbornly refuse to let go.) I was left with sad-looking ingredients that resembled eggs but with large pieces missing. Now, thankfully, I’ve cracked the code on cooking perfectly hard-boiled eggs and peeling them while keeping them intact.

I know everyone has their own specific way to boil eggs. I promise you, this is the only one I will ever use again. After figuring out some of the secrets, and using this method many times since, it hasn’t let me down yet. It won’t let you down, either.

Ingredients:

As many eggs as you would like (between 6 – 12 is a good number for a pot)

Directions:

1.) Keep your eggs in the fridge and fill a medium to large-sized pot with water. Bring to a boil. It is important to keep your eggs cold until ready to cook. If you place them in the water and then bring to a boil, the membrane inside will slowly cook and firmly attach itself to the white of the egg.

2.) When water is boiling, slowly lower the eggs in using a slotted spoon. Set a timer for 13 minutes.

3.) Gently drain eggs after 13 minutes. Run cold water over them. If possible, place them in a bowl and completely cover with ice. Leave for 15 minutes. If you do not have that much ice, you can use a mixture of ice and water or continue to run cold water over the cooked eggs.

4.) When eggs have completely cooled, lightly tap one against the countertop in several places. Under running cold water, gently peel the eggs. Rinse of any remaining shell pieces, set aside, and repeat with remaining eggs.

5.) Serve immediately or use for deviled eggs, egg salad sandwiches, or in salads!

Spaghetti Carbonara

I love food with a story behind it, and spaghetti carbonara has one of the best. Because the term ‘carbonara’ translates to ‘coal burner,’ it is thought that the name came from workers in the coal mines in Italy. When these workers would come home for a hearty dinner after a hard day’s work, it’s said that bits of coal would fall from their shirts and onto their plates, actually giving the dish its flavor. Going with this theory shows why the dish is often finished with so much black pepper (which is one of the things I love about it the most.)

While today, many people use bucatini, fettuccine, and even (gasp!) bow-tie pasta, spaghetti is most traditional. Conventionally, guanciale is the meat that is used, but it’s very hard to find in my part of the world. I use pancetta or bacon in its place and having small amounts of each when I made it, I used a combination this time. Whatever ingredients you use to make it yours, it’s sure to be one you keep coming back to.

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups of chopped pancetta and bacon

1/2 cup fresh pecorino cheese, grated

1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated

3 large eggs

12 ounces of spaghetti

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons of butter

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Sea salt, to taste

Plenty of freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1.) Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Mix the pecorino and parmesan cheeses together.

2.) Beat the eggs in a medium-sized bowl until they are smooth. Season with a bit of freshly ground pepper and set aside.

3.) When water is boiling, salt lightly and add spaghetti. Do not add too much salt, as there is plenty in the meat and cheese. Cook for one minute less than the package instructions, stirring regularly.

4.) As the spaghetti cooks, place pancetta and bacon in a large pan until crips. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a plate lined with a paper towel.

5.) Lower the heat under the pan and add the butter. When butter has melted, add sliced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, or until the garlic just becomes tender.

6.) Using tongs, lift spaghetti from the boiling water and place directly in the pan. It’s okay if drops of water fall in. You will need even more later. Turns the spaghetti in the fat so it is fully coated.

7.) Whisk 3/4 of the cheese mixture into the beaten eggs. Turn the heat off under the pan and add the cheese and egg mixture. Turn spaghetti quickly in it so it becomes coated but does not turn into scrambled eggs. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pasta water to bring it to saucy and creamy texture.

8.) Add fresh parsley, more freshly ground black pepper, and salt if needed, and give it a final stir.

9.) Serve with remaining grated cheese, more freshly ground pepper if desired, and enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers

One of the biggest benefits of changing the site up was that I got to review every single blog post. Many of the memories made me chuckle, but I also questioned many of the photographs I took along the way. With these latter posts, I decided to not just take another pic, but to recreate the entire recipe. Now, not only do I have better food pics, but I also get to revisit some of my favorite recipes, such as these stuffed peppers.

These peppers are a meal that Paige gets excited about, which is no easy feat. So, they’re already a winner in my book. I like to make them after a night when we’ve had rice, so that I can simply use the leftovers here. Also, and this is important. I do not recommend using pre-shredded cheese. Buy the fresh mozzarella balls and slice them to place on top of the peppers. The difference is everything and takes an old comfort food up another level.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

3 large yellow, red, or orange peppers

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

8 ounces of tomato sauce

1 cup cooked rice

2 fresh mozzarella balls, sliced as thinly or as thickly as you would like

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice each pepper lengthwise in the middle and remove the seeds and ribs.

2.) Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

3.) Drizzle a bit of olive oil in each pepper and brush to coat the inside. Sprinkle the inside of each pepper with salt.

4.) Place the peppers, cut-side up, in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, until the peppers are tender-crisp and slightly browned.

5.) Heat approximately two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the ground beef and break up with a spoon. Season well with salt and pepper and cook until the beef is nearly browned.

6.) Add the shallots and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring regularly.

7.) Add the garlic to the beef along with the chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Cook for about 30 seconds to one minute, until fragrant.

8.) Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Add the rice and stir well.

9.) Remove peppers from the oven and equally divide the meat mixture among them, stuffing it inside of each.

10.) Lay one or two slices of mozzarella on top of peppers, depending on how much you would like. Place the peppers back into the hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the meat mixture is bubbling and the cheese has melted.

11.) Serve and enjoy!

Classic Wedge Salad

I’m really not a huge fan of lettuce, but that’s just not true when it comes to the Classic Wedge Salad. This one is a classic for a reason. It’s tasty and with just a few ingredients that are easy to pull together, it’s also dead simple. And while steak houses will charge you a pretty penny for it, you can enjoy it in your own home for a very affordable price. The people around my table find an entire ‘wedge’ too big so you can cut them in half lengthwise if this is true for you, too. I find the size of an entire wedge to be just right but like Elaine on Seinfeld, I do really love a big salad!

Ingredients:

1 head of iceberg lettuce, cut into quarters so you have four large wedges

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, chopped

1 cup of cucumber, chopped

6 – 8 slices of bacon, depending on how much you like

For blue cheese salad dressing:

1 cup of plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

3 tablespoons heavy cream

3 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, plus 3 tablespoons

2 tablespoons of fresh chives, thinly sliced

Directions:

1.) Place all ingredients for blue cheese salad dressing, except 3 remaining tablespoons of blue cheese and chives, into a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into an airtight container and add remaining 3 tablespoons of blue cheese and chives. Stir and let sit in fridge for at least one hour to allow flavours to marry.

2.) When ready to assemble salad, cook bacon until crisp and then crumble into small pieces.

3.) Place wedges of lettuce on four separate plates. Drizzle blue cheese dressing liberally (if you choose; I like a lot of dressing) over the wedge. Add tomatoes, cucumbers, and bacon pieces.

4.) Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Fricassee

Chicken Fricassee is a classic French chicken stew. As with any stew, how you make it and what you put in it is entirely up to you. Some people add cream, some people add mushrooms and other veggies and in fact, you can even use veal or rabbit and make a slight name change. In my house, the dish is known simply as “Lemon Chicken” because I leave it pretty simple. Boneless chicken breasts, chicken stock, and lemons are all I really use. Oh, and white wine. That is a must if you want to call it Chicken Fricassee, but that’s really the only rule.

I’ve made it many ways but I’ve found this recipe to be quite simple and more importantly, it hasn’t failed me yet. Mine also isn’t so much a stew but rather, really tender pieces of chicken in a luscious sauce.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon

1 tablespoon of butter

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup dry white wine

3 cups of chicken broth

1 lemon, slice half thinly and seeds removed and leave other half intact

1 tablespoon of dried oregano

Small bunch of parsley, minced finely

Lots of olive oil (about 1 cup)

Salt

Directions:

1.) Starting at the thickest part of each breast, cut chicken in half. Place each half in a resealable bag and pound lightly to an even thickness. Season each side of the chicken lightly with salt.

2.) Place 1/2 cup of flour in a bowl and season with oregano and salt. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and set aside (you can just leave the chicken in the flour until ready to use).

3.) Make a beurre manie by kneading the butter and 1 tablespoon of flour together. The term ‘beurre manie’ is actually French for ‘kneaded butter’.

4.) Place most of the oil in a pan (I really prefer a stainless steel pan for this recipe) over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken in batches. Cook hard and fast, rotating as needed to ensure even browning. Cook on one side until about 80 percent done and then flip. Cook other side hot and fast, rotating again to ensure even browning. After first batch is done, remove chicken to a plate and continue doing the same with other pieces.

5.) Once all chicken is cooked, drain oil from the pan and cool slightly.

6.) Add a small amount of new oil to the pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds while stirring.

7.) Add white wine to the pan (remove pan from heat first if using a gas stove). Turn heat up under pan and reduce wine until there are lots of little bubbles, about two to three minutes.

8.) Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce chicken broth until it is reduced about halfway.

9.) Add the beurre manie and whisk to incorporate and make sure there are no lumps. Bring mixture back to a boil.

10.) Add in slices of lemon and juice the remaining half into the broth. Taste and season with more salt, if necessary.

11.) Add chicken and any pan juices that collected on the plate back into the pan. Lower heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, just to reheat the chicken.

12.) Finish the dish with fresh chopped parsley.

13.) Serve and enjoy!

Tomato Chicken

Originally published on August 9, 2009

I came up with this recipe one day when I was looking for something different to do with my cans of stewed tomatoes. It’s so good that it’s now something I regularly make for my family. And whenever my mom comes to visit, it’s always what she wants me to make for her first supper. My whole family really loves it too and anyone I’ve given the recipe to always gives it a big thumbs up as well. I usually serve it over rice because my family prefers it over noodles but either can be used.

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt  
1 pinch ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1 can diced tomatoes, with juices
1/2 cup water2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
3 cloves garlic, minced
A dash of hot sauce

Directions:

1.) Place a large frying pan on the stove with the butter inside and turn to medium-high heat. Place the flour into a shallow bowl and sprinkle the salt and pepper into it. Pat the chicken breasts dry and dredge them through the flour. Once the butter is melted and hot, place the chicken breasts in the pan and brown on both sides.

2.) While the chicken is browning, combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Stir until it is blended. Once the chicken has browned on all sides, remove from pan. Add the tomato mixture to the hot pan and bring to a boil. Add the chicken back into the pan and reduce the heat to medium or medium-low, depending on your stovetop. Cook for 30-35 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

3.) Serve and enjoy!

Martha’s Barbecue Sauce

Originally published on August 21, 2009

As the name suggests, this barbecue sauce recipe comes from Martha Stewart, off of her own website www.marthastewart.com. I found it one day when I really wanted to make ribs but went to the fridge and, to my dismay, discovered that I was all out of barbecue sauce! Quick and easy wasn’t really a concern to me with this one. I just wanted something that tasted really, really great. And you know you can always count on Martha for that! It was a pleasant surprise to me when I found out that not only does it taste great, but it’s quick and easy too! Needless to say, I will never buy another jar of barbecue sauce again!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped 
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon mustard powder 
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoon light brown sugar 
2 cups ketchup 
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce  
1/3 cup cider vinegar 
1 tablespoon molasses 
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

Directions:

1.) Place oil into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat.

2.) When oil is hot, add the onion and the garlic. Cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.

3.) Once onions are ready, add mustard powder and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 30 seconds.

4.) Add the rest of the ingredients: sugar, ketchup, molasses, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and pepper.

5.) Turn heat down to low and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

6.) Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place in an airtight container to keep in the fridge. It will keep for at least a month!

7.) Serve and enjoy!