Grilling Spice Rub

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BBQ, beef, dinner, entree, fish, food, food prep, foodie, grill, grilling, lunch, porkchops, poultry, recipe, ribs, side dishes, spice, spice rub, steak, vegetables

Autumn has been in full swing and winter is just around the corner. Although my crockpot season has started our temps have been gorgeous so our grilling season hasn’t quite ended yet. Before I relent and stash the grill for the winter, I wanted to grill dinner one more time…

Whether using this on beef, poultry of vegetables, this grilling rub is fantastic all year-long.

Young Wifey’s Grilling Rub

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. smoked paprika, 2 Tbsp. dried parsley, 1 Tbsp. dried oregano, 4 tsp. hot chili powder, 2 tsp. ground coriander, 1 tsp. cumin, 2 tsp. fresh ground pink Himalayan salt, 1 tsp. fresh cracked tricolor black pepper, 1/2 tsp. ground mustard

Directions: Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight jar.

To Use:  Rub onto meat or vegetables with a small amount of olive oil. Allow meat to come to room temperature before grilling.

Usually our grill makes a reappearance in late February when I want to chase away the winter…

XOXO,
Young Wifey

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Herbes de Provence Chicken

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chicken, dinner, food, foodie, French cooking, french cuisine, herbes de provence, herbs de Provence, recipe

I’ve wanted to use cast iron skillets in my kitchen for a long time. However, I was hesitant of quality and only wanted USA made skillets. Cast iron cooking has been pushed further down the priority list. Luckily, I have a cousin who is a bit of a collector and has generously given me several skillets. Thanks again, R!

Herbes de Provence Chicken

 

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 2 shallots (minced, 1 Tbsp. minced garlic, 2 Tbsp. Herbes de Provence, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. fresh ground white pepper, 1 Tbsp. fresh ground Himalayan sea salt

Directions:
Cut chicken breasts in half and pound flat. Mix together 2 Tbsp. olive oil, garlic powder, Herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Massage seasoning into chicken breasts and set aside. In a cast iron skillet, warm remaining olive oil, and sauté minced garlic and shallots in a cast iron skillet. Add chicken to skillet and cook until no longer pink and juices run clear.

*Serve with Herbes de Provence Roasted Vegetables or sugar snap peas.

XOXO,
Young Wifey

Oktoberfest: Hänchen Schnitzel

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chicken, dinner, food, foodie, German, main dish, Oktoberfest, recipe

Chicken Schnitzel vs. Chicken Cutlet

Of all the varieties of food I prepare, this is Hubster’s favorite chicken dish. He hasn’t quite understood how sometimes I call this cutlet, and sometimes I call it schnitzel. Maybe because the translation tells us they’re the exact same thing.

There are a few subtle differences in how I prepare and serve these dishes.  My schnitzel gets dipped in flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs, while the cutlet gets milk, flour, egg, then breadcrumbs. Panko bread crumbs for the schnitzel, regular bread crumbs for the cutlet. The seasoning I add to the crumbs and flour are both differnt. I usually serve schnitzel with beer-braised vegetables & spätzle, and chicken cutlet with spaghetti & a green veggie. Portion-wise, schnitzel is usually larger and the cutlet smaller. Either may be finished with a pan sauce.

Hänchen Schnitzel, AKA: Chicken Cutlet

Schnitzel Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 eggs, 2 Tbsp. milk, 2 c. panko bread crumbs, 1 Tbsp. paprika, 1 tsp. lemon peel, 1 Tbsp. dill weed, 2 c. flour, olive oil, fresh-ground sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper

Schnitzel Directions:
Split chicken and pound until thin and rub with salt & pepper. In a bowl beat together eggs and milk. Mix paprika in with flour. Mix lemon peel and dill with the bread crumbs. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Coat chicken with flour, shake off excess. Dip chicken in egg wash and then into bread crumbs. Add chicken to hot oil, until browned and throughly cooked, flipping only once.

To getting in touch with my German side, I serve this with a hefeweiss pan-gravy, spargel, and spaetzel or kartoffelpuffer. I am lucky enough to live in a town that has an Oktoberfest, so I have a one track mind this weekend!
What is on your dinner plate?

Tomato, Spinach & Basil Tortellini Soup

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basil, dinner, food, foodie, lunch, recipe, soup, spinach, tomato, tortellini

While roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh picked basil may sound like July ingredients, my garden has continued to produce both. And this cold wet autumn weather calls for soup.

Tomato, Spinach & Basil Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:
2 pints cherry tomatoes, 1/2 sweet onion (chopped), 1 c. fresh basil (chopped), 1 lb. tortellini (I used goat cheese), 1 qt. water, 2 c. spinach (chopped), 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, olive oil, fresh ground sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:
At the bottom of a stock pot, brown onions in olive oil. Add cherry tomatoes and slowly roast. Add vinegar, spinach and basil, stir until wilted. Pour water, salt & pepper into pot and bring to a boil. Add fresh tortellini and simmer for about 6 minutes. Serve hot!

Garnish with fresh basil and mozzarella pearls.

How is the weather where you live? What foods are you eating?

Pulled Chicken BBQ

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chicken, crockpot, dinner, food, foodie, recipe, slow cooker

When it’s too hot to use the oven during summer, the obvious choice is to grill outside. But this summer, we learned our grill burners were recalled and we had to entertain a large group… I quickly realized the perfect solution, pulled chicken BBQ in my crockpot!

The first time I ever ate this dish, I was at my friend’s college graduation party. She offered me her mom’s homemade chicken BBQ sandwich and I was thinking of a BBQ chicken breast on a roll. I was a little confused at first, but then I took a bite and I was sold. Since then I’ve heard some people call this dish BBQ chicken sandwiches and others pulled chicken. To avoid any confusion, in our home we call it Pulled Chicken BBQ.Once we settled on a name, the trick was to come up with a recipe that pleased both Hubster and myself. Believe it or not, Hubster will actually help in the kitchen when I make this, by shredding the chicken!

Pulled Chicken BBQ

Ingredients:
5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 bottle or batch of BBQ sauce, 1 medium white onion (diced), 2 Tbsp. minced garlic, 1 small jar sweet relish, 1/2 c. water, fresh ground sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:
Place all ingredients in crockpot and cook on high for 5 hours (or until chicken is fully cooked and easily falls apart). Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool. Shred chicken and return to pot. Simmer chicken on low until sauce thickens. Taste chicken and add more BBQ sauce or relish if necessary.

Pulled Chicken BBQ Sandwich

This is best served hot on crusty rolls. Top with up relish, BBQ sauce or hot sauce for possible toppings.

Chicken BBQ, BBQ Chicken, Pulled Chicken, or Pulled Chicken BBQ… whatever you call it, this is the perfect hassle-free meal when entertaining a crowd.

Do you have a go-to-recipe for hassle-free entertaining? 

Wild Salmon with Dill Lemon Butter Sauce

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dill, dinner, food, foodie, lemon, quinoa, recipe, salmon, sugar snap peas

I really enjoy salmon, but Hubster doesn’t. So last night I swapped chicken in for his meal. Same sauce, same dishes, but sometimes it’s not that easy. I needed a dish that was fresh and light but also hearty… difficult right? I decided to serve my salmon with a quinoa blend and sugar snaps peas. I was tempted to lick my plate clean (Hubster loved his that much too).

Wild Salmon with Dill Lemon Butter Sauce

Wild Salmon with Dill Lemon Butter Sauce Ingredients:
4 oz. fillets of wild salmon, olive oil, 1/4 c. butter, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic, 1 Tbsp. shallots, 1/2 c. pinot grigio, 1 Tbsp. lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. dill weed, fresh ground sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper

Wild Salmon with Dill Lemon Butter Sauce Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Rub salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, place on baking tray bake for about 12-15 minutes. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, sauté garlic and shallots in butter. Add lemon juice, wine, zest, and dill and simmer until sauce thickens. Pour over salmon and served hot!

*Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill or some capers.

What will be on your dinner table?

Tomato & Dumpling Soup

Tags

dinner, dumpling, food, foodie, lunch, matzo ball, recipe, soup, tomato

Often when people refer to dumplings in soup, everyone has a different idea. Whether your ideal is rivels, gnocchi, homemade egg noodles or matzo balls, they’re all equally delicious! Tonight, I couldn’t decide whether I wanted tomato soup or matzo ball soup when I decided to combine them. Last time I made this with rivels, but dumplings? Genius!

Tomato & Dumpling Soup

Italian Matzo Ball Ingredients:
1 c. matzo meal, 4 eggs, 1/4 c. olive oil, 1/4. grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 1/2 tsp. oregano, 1/2 tsp. basil, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, pinch of marjoram, pinch of sage, fresh ground sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper

Italian Matzo Ball Directions:
Mix all ingredients together well. Chill mixture in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Keeping hands wet, roll mixture into small balls. You can decide how large you want them, but keep in mind they will puff.

Tomato Soup Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 c. chopped onion, 1 Tbsp. minced garlic, 1/2 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 28 oz. canned of diced tomatoes, 1 c. vegetable stock, 2 c. milk, fresh ground sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper

Tomato Soup Directions: 
Brown onion in olive oil at the bottom of a stock pot. Add remaining ingredients except matzo balls and milk and bring to a boil. Pour soup into a food processor and blend until smooth. Return soup to pot and add matzo balls, cook until balls begin to float. Add milk until and stir until soup is well heated. Serve hot.

I dare to call these matzo balls, since I probably broke some Kosher rules. This soup is so filling, I wouldn’t have it any other way though! Maybe I should’ve taken some picture along the way to share. The final picture looks like meatballs in sauce, oops. But I like my soup thick and my matzo balls larger…

What warmed you up tonight?