Portugese Grilled Chicken

from Jean Anderson's The Food of Portugal

6-8 servings

2 large garlic cloves

1 large bay leaf, crumbled fine

2 tsp. paprika (preferably Hungarian sweet rose)

1 Tbls. kosher or coarse salt

1/4 tsp. crushed dried red chili peppers

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 Tbls. olive oil

2 small chickens, quartered* (as small as you can find - I usually can't find any smaller than 3 lbs.)

Mash garlic, bay leaf, paprika, salt, chili peppers, black pepper, and olive oil to a paste using a mortar and pestle or a small food processor. Rub the chicken well under the skin and on both sides with the paste. Freeze.

Thaw completely in refrigerator. Preheat grill to medium heat. Grill bone-side-down with cover closed about 15 minutes. Watch out for flare-ups and move chicken, if needed. Turn and grill for another 10-15 minutes or until thickest part of meat reaches 165 degrees. My cookbook says you can also broil the chicken 5 inches from the heat source for the same amounts of time, but I never have. We love this with oven fries and a cucumber/tomato salad.

*quartering a whole chicken is really easy (and more economical than buying parts) if you have a pair of kitchen shears. Cut up along both sides of the backbone, removing it completely. Then cut down the center of the breastbone. We actually grill halves like this more often than quarters, but for quarters, snip the area between the leg and the breast that's thinnest. You're done!

Roasted Veggie Burritos

This recipe looks way longer and more complicated than it really is. I just have trouble being succint with such a maleable recipe.

Roasted Veggie Burritos

The key to good-tasting burritos is have each component taste good before you put it in. Bland rice and bland beans will not make a tasty burrito.

Ingredients for about 6-8 burritos:

Beans (pinto or black), 1 lb. dried beans, soaked and cooked, or 2 cans, rinsed

2-3 cloves garlic (or more or less to taste), minced

3 onions, one diced, 2 for roasting

2 lbs (2 large) sweet potatoes

2 red/orange/yellow bell peppers

Any other veggies you like roasted (zucchini, squash, carrots, whatever)

1 1/2 c. rice (I use brown)

3 c. chicken broth

Shredded cheese

Tortillas

Salsa (your favorite, but not a fruity kind)

Olive Oil

Cumin

Chili powder

Ground coriander (if you have it)

Apple cider vinegar (opt.)

Salt

Roast the veggies: Peel the sweet potatoes then chop all veggies into about 1-inch chunks. Alternatively, cut them into bigger chunks/slices but then chop them more fine after cooking when they're softer. Either way, make sure the sweet potatoes are no more than 1-inch thick or else they'll take a lot longer to cook (carrots too). Put the veggies in a large bowl and add 1-2 T. olive oil, 1-2 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. coriander, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Toss to coat, adding a little more oil if needed. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or rub with oil. Spread the veggies in a single layer. If they don't fit, use two sheets. If you're using two, it helps to use one for sw pot and one for everything else since they don't always cook at the same rate. Roast at 425 for about half an hour or until tender, stirring every 10 minutes. Let cool a bit then chop into bite-size pieces if not already done.

Cook the rice: Cook the rice in the chicken broth with 1/2 tsp. salt. After it's cooked, add salt and pepper to taste.

Make the beans: Saute the diced onion in some oil. When almost soft, add the garlic. After a minute, add 1-2 T. chili power, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander. Stir til onions are coated with spices. After another minute, add the beans. Add salt and more spices to taste. I sometimes add a splash (a tablespoon?) of apple cider vinegar at the end to brighten the flavor. If the beans get dry while cooking, add a little water.

Assemble: If you're not eating them right away, get squares of foil ready. Put a tortilla on a foil square. Put about 1/3 c. rice, 1/3 c. beans, 1/4 c. veggies, some cheese and a little salsa (not too much or it gets soggy) down the middle of the tortilla, leaving an inch or so at each end. Use more less depending on the size of your tortillas. Don't overfill! Roll up about halfway, turn in the ends, then finish rolling, using the foil to help keep everything in place, if you're using it. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, or whatever you like, or freeze for later.

To reheat: for one or two, remove burrito(s) from foil and microwave for 1-3 minutes until warmed through, turning over once. For many, leave in foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

Honey Lime Enchiladas

1.5 lbs. chicken or pork, cooked and shredded
⅓ cup honey
¼ cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 Tbsp. chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
2 10 oz. cans green enchilada sauce
Equal parts mozzarella & cheddar cheese, grated (monterey jack works fine)
8-10 flour tortillas

After chicken/pork is cooked and shredded, combine with green chiles, honey, lime juice, chili & garlic powder. Let "marinate" in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Grease a 9x13 pan and pour a little bit of the enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of the pan. Fill your tortillas with chicken mixture and a little cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in the pan. Repeat. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle more cheese on top (don't be stingy). Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and then turn on the broiler for a couple minutes so it gets nice and brown. Serve with sour cream, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce and salsa, if desired.

*found from the following blog*

http://mrshardingcooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/honey-lime-chicken-enchiladas.html

Polynesian Chicken

This recipe was found from Natalie's Killer Quisine and this is her blog site (which is great btw)

http://www.natalieskillercuisine.com

Polynesian Chicken
yield: 4 servings

2 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TBS Soy Sauce
3 TBS Cornstarch
4 Chicken Breast, boneless and skinless
Salt, Pepper
2 TBS Olive Oil
1 Bell Pepper, thin slices
1 Onion, thin slices
1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
1 can Sliced Peaches (I used Sugar free chunks)
Cooked Rice (I prepared Brown Rice)

1. Whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce and cornstarch. Open the peaches and drain the syrup into a separate container. Set aside.
2. Cut the chicken breast in large cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Add the 2 TBS olive oil to the pan and add chicken. Cook for at least 6 minutes until all sides of the chicken are browned and chicken is cooked all the way through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the pepper and onion slices to the pan and turn heat to medium low. Cook at least 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft and aromatic. Remove vegetables from the pan.
5. Whisk together the soy sauce mixture with the reserved peach juice. The mixture will appear milky due to the cornstarch. Add to the pan and turn on low. Stir until transparent and thick.
6. Add the tomatoes and peaches to the sauce and leave on low heat for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the tomatoes start to look a little wrinkled, add the chicken and vegetables to the pan and gently toss in the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
7. Serve over white or brown rice.

Soy Ginger Chicken

1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 piece fresh ginger (about 2 inches long), peeled and cut into thin strips
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal (1/2 cup packed)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
6 chicken breasts
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced crosswise

Can divide into 2 bags.

Combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, cilantro, ginger, 1/2 cup scallions, vinegar, coriander, pepper, chicken and carrots into a Ziploc bag.

Thaw enough to remove from the bag and put in the slow cooker. Cook on low until chicken is tender, 6-8 hours. Serve over rice.
If thicker sauce is desired, whisk 1 T cornstarch with 1 T water together and add at the end of cooking.

Chicken Pot Pie

1-10 oz frozen peas and carrots
1/2 C. onion, chopped
1/2 C. mushrooms, chopped
1/4 C. butter or margarine
1/3 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sage
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 C. water
3/4 C. milk
1 T. chicken bouillon
3 C. cooked chicken
1/4 C. chopped pimiento
1/4 C. snipped parsley

Serving day
double pie crust

Cooking Day Instructions
cook onion and mushrooms in butter until tender, but not brown. Stir in flour, salt, sage, and pepper. Add water, milk and bouillon granules all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in cooked, drained veggies, chicken, pimiento and parsley. Heat until bubbly, freeze using freezer bag method.

Serving Day Instructions
Thaw mixture completely. Roll out bottom pie crust and place in a pie dish. Place chicken mixture in dish and top with upper crust, Bake at 400-degrees for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

*recipe taken from Don't Panic- Dinner's in the Freezer

Tortilla Soup

2 16 oz. cans tomatoes
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 minced garlic cloves
4 c. water
2 T. sugar
3 t. chili powder
2 t. salt
½ t. oregano
1 t. cumin
4 oz. green chilis
juice of 1 lime
2 c. chopped cooked chicken
1 can black beans,drained
1 ½ c. frozen corn (or one can drained)

Combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

*For freezer meal, omit water. Combine all other ingredients in a gallon size Ziploc. Have people simmer for 30 minutes prior to serving.

Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, grated cheese and avocados, if available.