Pralines

I had a huge bag of pecans left over from baking Christmas cookies over the last few weeks and wanted to make something that I've never tried before. I came across this recipe for Pralines on Southern Living and gave it a try since I had all the ingredients in my cupboard and it didn't sound too hard to make. I'm so dang glad that I expanded outside of my comfort level when it comes to trying new recipes because these pralines were so tasty! Dr. Sweetpea ate several in one sitting and everyone that tried the pralines loved them!

Pecan Pralines

(Source: Southern Living)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 cups pecan halves, toasted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring sugars and milk to a boil in a Dutch oven, stirring often. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, 11 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 228° (thread stage).

Stir in butter and pecans; cook, stirring constantly, until candy thermometer registers 236° (soft ball stage).

Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon 1 to 2 minutes or just until mixture begins to thicken. Quickly drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto buttered wax paper or parchment paper; let stand until firm.

Christmas Cookies 2018

Christmas is by faaaaaar my favorite holiday and I start planning out my Christmas cookie menu like 10 months ahead. No joke. Making Christmas cookies means serious business in my household and I'm 10000% certain Dr. Sweetpea loves how much I get into the Christmas spirit. I play holiday music, have fabulous candles burning, and even wear a Santa hat while baking. Fact: I even have festive bowls, spatulas, and kitchen towels that are Christmas themed because I just love this holiday so much. Also, I never take down our Christmas tree until March. So yes, we're the weirdo folks who have their decorations up welllllll past the holiday season. 

Anyway, I baked up another fabulous batch of Christmas cookies this year and they were all SO YUMMY. 

Baklava Thumprint Cookies

(Source: Taste of Home)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

TOPPING:

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup honey

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Wrap dough in plastic; refrigerate until firm enough to form into balls, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°. For topping, combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; refrigerate again if dough becomes too warm. Place 2 1/2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes. Press a deep indentation in center of each cookie with the back of a rounded teaspoon. Fill each with honey and walnuts; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Return to oven and bake until edges begin to brown, 7-9 minutes longer. Cool on pans 1 minute. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Blue Ribbon Almond Roca Cookies

(Source: Food Network) 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 package toffee bits

1 cup coarsely ground almonds

4 ounces milk chocolate

1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend sugars together on medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste. Add eggs and vanilla and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. At low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and then the toffee bits. Mix until just blended; do not over-mix. Place ground nuts in a small bowl. Using hands, roll balls of dough into 1 to 1 1/2-inch balls, then roll in the ground nuts. Place on cookie sheets several inches apart. Bake approximately 22 minutes and then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Melt the chocolate with the vegetable oil in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Drizzle melted chocolate over cooled cookies. Place cookies on a cookie sheet and place in freezer or refrigerator until chocolate is firmly set.

Praline Rugelach

(Source: Southern Living)

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, divided

3 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled

2 tablespoons cane syrup (I used Steens Cane Syrup)

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups finely chopped toasted pecans

Parchment paper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Beat cream cheese, softened butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 1/2 tsp. salt at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer 2 to 3 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add flour, beating until smooth. Divide dough into 4 equal portions; flatten each into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill 2 hours.

Stir together melted butter, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla, and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt.

Unwrap 1 dough disk, and roll into a 10-inch circle (about 1/4 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Spread about 3 1/2 Tbsp. butter mixture in a thin layer on dough circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges. Sprinkle 1/2 cup pecans over butter mixture, pressing to adhere. Cut circle into 12 wedges, and roll up wedges, starting at wide end. Place, point sides down, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Chill 20 minutes. Repeat procedure with remaining dough, butter mixture, and pecans.

Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together egg and 1 Tbsp. water. Brush each roll with egg mixture. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown, switching baking sheets halfway through. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes; transfer to wire racks, and cool.

Linzer Cookies

(Source: New York Times)

3  cups/435 grams all-purpose flour

1  cup/156 grams raw, skin-on almonds (or 3/4 cup/75 grams almond flour)

1 1/2  teaspoons ground cinnamon (I omitted)

1  teaspoon baking powder

1  teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2  cups/341 grams (3 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/4  cups/250 grams granulated sugar

2  large eggs

1  teaspoon vanilla extract

1  cup/290 grams raspberry jam

 Powdered sugar, for dusting

Pulse together flour and almonds in a food processor until the almonds are very finely ground. Add cinnamon, baking powder and salt, and pulse to blend. (Alternatively, whisk together flour, ground almonds or almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.)

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high until the mixture is light, fluffy and pale, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract, and beat until everything is well combined, again stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary.

Add in dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed, just until incorporated.

Divide dough in 2 equal pieces, and wrap each piece in cling film, patting into a 1-inch-thick disk. Chill at least 2 hours, up to 5 days ahead.

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper so it's about 1/8 inch thick. (Because of the almonds, the dough may crack in places while you’re rolling it out. This is O.K., just patch it up with scraps.)

Using a round cookie cutter 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out as many circles as possible. Take half of these circles and cut out a 1-inch circle from the interior of the larger circles, creating a doughnut shape that will become the top of the cookie. If at any point the dough becomes too soft to cut and cleanly remove from parchment paper, slide it onto a cookie sheet and chill for a few minutes in the freezer or refrigerator. Gather any scraps of dough, combine them and roll them out, chilling as necessary. Transfer dough circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet spaced 1 inch apart and bake until the edges are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

To assemble the linzer cookies, spread about a teaspoon of raspberry jam onto the flat sides of the larger circles. Dust the tops of the cutout circles with powdered sugar and place on top of raspberry jam.

Chocolate Turtle Cookies

(Source: America's Test Kitchen) 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup finely chopped pecans

14 soft caramel candies

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour.

Whisk egg whites in bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. One at a time, roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using teaspoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.

Meanwhile, microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently press existing indentations with teaspoon measure. Fill each with 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Parker House Rolls

I decided to make these Parker House rolls in advance before Thanksgiving so there would be less to do the day of. These rolls were PHENOMENAL and will be on a regular rotation  in our household. I served these rolls with Cinnamon Honey Butter and it was a massive hit!

Parker House Rolls

(Source: Bobby Flay)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing

1/2 cup sugar

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

6 cups all-purpose flour

Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and sugar and let cool. Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit until foamy. Combine milk mixture, eggs, yeast, salt, and 1/2 of the flour in a mixer with the dough attachment and mix until smooth. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until a smooth ball forms.

Remove from the bowl and knead by hand on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 60 to 70 minutes. On a floured surface, punch down the dough and shape into desired shapes. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover again and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven 350 degrees F.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter before serving.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

(Source: Ina Garten)

1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 tablespoons good honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine the butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Serve at room temperature.

Oat Clusters

One thing that absolutely love about boxed cereal are the oat clusters. I mean, who doesn't love picking them out from the Honey Bunches of Oats cereal and just snacking on them??? So when I saw a recipe from Mark Bittman in his cookbook for oat clusters, I HAD to make them right away. You know what? I'm so dang glad I made them because they are SO GOOD. I no longer have to open a new box of cereal for those oat clusters any more! Dr. Sweetpea eats these oats with his morning yogurt parfait with fresh fruit too!

Oat Clusters

(Source: Mark Bittman and Melissa Clark)

6 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup honey or maple syrup (I used honey)

1/4 cup coconut or neutral oil (I used vegetable oil)

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Heat oven to 325 and grease two baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. 

Use a food processor to grind 1 1/2 cups of the oats into a flour. In a large bowl, combine the ground oats with the honey, oil, and cinnamon if you're using it, and 1/4 cup water. Stir in the remaining 

4 1/2  cups oats until they're coated and the mixture is sticky; if it looks too dry, stir in a bit more honey. (**Tip: let this mixture sit for 10 minutes before spreading onto baking sheet) Spread the mixture evenly over the prepared baking sheets. 

Bake, stirring occasionally to break the clumps apart and cook them evenly, until the oat clusters are crisp and dry, 35 - 45 minutes. Let cool completely before serving or storing. These will keep in an airtight container for two weeks. 

**So I added the tip of letting this mixture sit for 10 minutes by referencing the Coconut Almond Cluster Granola recipe by Melissa Clark from the NY Times. It lets the oat flour to become fully hydrated and helps to create nice clumps of oats. 

Note for when I make this again: When I make this recipe again in a few weeks, I'm going to to try using my hands and drop oat mixture onto prepared baking sheets in one layer, and pinch together into clumps with my fingers like what Melissa did in her recipe. 

Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip

I first heard about this dip several years ago in a Facebook group that I'm a part of. One member of the group raved about how addicting this dip is and how it was a hit at her holiday party. I saved the recipe but had forgotten all about the dip for many months. Then I started seeing this dip pop up in all the Facebook groups that I'm in. Each time it was posted, everyone said that the dip is addicting. Since I recently bought a big bag of fresh cranberries from Costco for Thanksgiving, I decided to try the recipe myself and OMG am I so disappointed that I took soooooo long to make it. It's  a sweet, tart, spicy, and creamy goodness and I'll admit to eating half of this by myself while standing in the kitchen. Now I fully understand why everyone raves about this appetizer and I know I'll be making this every year during the holiday season!! Dr. Sweetpea was blown away by how good this appetizer was too!

Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip

(Source: www.sparrowsandlily.com)

12 oz fresh, uncooked cranberries

1/4 cup green onion

1-2 fresh jalapeño peppers

2 Tbsp. cilantro (I omitted the cilantro) 

3/4 to 1 Cup sugar (according to taste)

1 Tbsp. lemon juce

1/8 tsp. salt

16 oz. cream cheese (whipped)

Use hand food chopper to chop cranberries. (This process is a bit time consuming, but it is best to not use a food processor to chop these as the cranberries liquify too much.) Chop green onion, jalapeño peppers and cilantro. In a medium-sized bowl, add chopped cranberries, green onion, cilantro and jalapeños. Add sugar, lemon juice and salt on top of cranberry mixture and stir gently until blended.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight. Take cranberry mixture out of the refrigerator and stir all ingredients together. Strain out all liquid using a collander with small holes.

Whip softened cream cheese with hand mixer until smooth (about 2 minutes) and spread cream cheese over bottom of a pie plate or 9x9 dish. Pour cranberry mixture atop cream cheese and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve. Use a spoon to spread over Ritz crackers and enjoy!

**Note: instead of spreading the cranberries on the cream cheese, I just spread some cream cheese on the crackers and topped the off with the cranberries. 

Vanilla Rum Panna Cotta with Salted Caramel

We had a big container of plain vanilla yogurt in our fridge that was about to expire in a few days. I was looking online for recipes where I would be able to use a lot of the yogurt and came across this Vanilla Rum Panna Cotta with Salted Caramel recipe by Ina Garten. Both of us love panna cotta and salted caramel, so it was a no brainer that I'd make the recipe. The recipe was incredibly fast and easy to follow and the end results were just fabulous. Dr. Sweetpea kept telling me that this would be a fabulous recipe to serve when we have guests over. It's definitely another keeper recipe for us! 

Vanilla Rum Panna Cotta with Salted Caramel

(Source: Ina Garten)

2 teaspoons (1 packet) unflavored gelatin

3 cups heavy cream, divided

2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean

3/4 cup sugar

Dark rum, such as Mount Gay

1/2 cup good caramel sauce, such as Fran’s

Fleur de sel

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin on 3 tablespoons of cold water. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to dissolve

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together 1½ cups of the cream, the yogurt, vanilla extract, and vanilla seeds. Heat the remaining 1½ cups of cream and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Off the heat, stir the softened gelatin into the hot cream until dissolved. Pour the hot cream–gelatin mixture into the cream-yogurt mixture and stir in 3 tablespoons of rum. Pour into 8 serving glasses and refrigerate uncovered until cold. When the panna cottas are thoroughly chilled, cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill overnight.

Before serving, heat the caramel sauce with 2 teaspoons of rum in a small bowl in the microwave or a small saucepan set over low heat, just until warm. Spoon a thin layer of warm caramel on each cold panna cotta, sprinkle with fleur de sel, and serve.

Winter Squash Soup

When I made the caramelized butternut squash a few days ago, I halved the recipe and decided I wanted to make a squash soup later in the week. I made Ina Garten's Winter Squash Soup with the unused butternut squash and it was absolutely delightful! The soup hit the spot and was a wonderful dinner for us on a cool evening. 

Winter Squash Soup

(Source: Ina Garten)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon good olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)

1 (15 - ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut in chunks

3 cups homemade chicken stock or canned broth

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup half - and - half

Creme fraiche, grated Gruyere, or croutons

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy - bottomed stockpot, add the onions, and cook over medium - low heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the pumpkin puree, butternut squash, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium - low heat for about 20 minutes, until the butternut squash is very tender. Process the mixture through the medium blade of a food mill. Return to the pot, add the half - and - half, and heat slowly. If the soup needs more flavor, add another teaspoon of salt. Serve hot with garnishes, if desired.

Cook's Note: To serve with croutons, remove the crusts from 2 slices of white bread, cut them in 1/2-inch cubes, and saute them in 1 tablespoon of butter until browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Caramelized Butternut Squash

Whenever autumn rolls around, I'm constantly buying squash of every kind. They were super nutritious and delicious! Since I had butternut squash around, I decided to make Ina's roasted squash recipe as a side dish and it was amazing. Dr. Sweetpea usually doesn't like roasted squash, but he ate this up and asked for seconds. It's that good! It'll be a keeper in our household. 

Caramelized Butternut Squash

(Source: Ina Garten)

2 medium butternut squash (4 to 5 pounds total)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut off and discard the ends of each butternut squash. Peel the squash, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch cubes and place them on a baking sheet. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize. While roasting, turn the squash a few times with a spatula, to be sure it browns evenly. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

Fresh Fig and Ricotta Cake

As you're all aware, I'm a HUGE fan of Ina Garten. She's incredibly classy and all her recipes have always turned out amazing. I recently purchased her new cookbook, Cook like a Pro, and decided that the first recipe that I'd make out of it would be the Fresh Fig and Ricotta Cake. Y'all, this recipe did not disappoint, and Dr. Sweetpea and I devoured the cake in three days. This was my first time working with fresh figs and they were so tasty! 

Fresh Fig and Ricotta Cake

(Source: Ina Garten)

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup fresh whole milk ricotta, at room temperature

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

8 large (or 12 medium) fresh figs, stems removed, quartered through the stem

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, such as Sugar in the Raw

Crème fraîche, for serving

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round springform pan, tapping out the excess flour.

Place the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on medium low, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl and mixing until smooth. Add the ricotta, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix until combined. Don’t worry; the ricotta will make it look lumpy.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Arrange the figs on the cake, cut sides up, in snug but not -overlapping concentric circles. Sprinkle with the turbindo sugar and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a baking rack for 15 to 20 minutes, transfer to a cake plate, and serve warm with crème fraîche on the side.

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

This is by far the best Red Wine Braised Short Ribs that we've ever had! Definitely a keeper when served with polenta. 

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

(Source: Bon Appetit) 

5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces*

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 medium onions, chopped

3 medium carrots, peeled, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine (preferably Cabernet Sauvignon)

10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

8 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs oregano

2 sprigs rosemary

2 fresh or dried bay leaves

1 head of garlic, halved crosswise

4 cups low-salt beef stock

Preheat oven to 350°. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, brown short ribs on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer short ribs to a plate. Pour off all but 3 Tbsp. drippings from pot.

Add onions, carrots, and celery to pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until onions are browned, about 5 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until well combined and deep red, 2-3 minutes. Stir in wine, then add short ribs with any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil; lower heat to medium and simmer until wine is reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Add all herbs to pot along with garlic. Stir in stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to oven. **

Cook until short ribs are tender, 2–2½ hours. Transfer short ribs to a platter. Strain sauce from pot into a measuring cup. Spoon fat from surface of sauce and discard; season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in shallow bowls over mashed potatoes with sauce spooned over.

*I used two pounds of bone-in short ribs and three pounds of boneless short ribs cut into equal sized chunks.

**Instead of braising in the oven, I just braised it on the stovetop and it still turned out amazing!!

Creamy Parmesan Polenta

(Source: Ina Garten)

4 cups   chicken stock, preferably homemade

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)

1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

1/4 cup crème fraîche

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and cook over medium-high heat until the stock comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and very slowly whisk in the cornmeal, whisking constantly to make sure there are no lumps. Switch to a wooden spoon, add the salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring almost constantly, for 10 minutes, until thick. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan thoroughly while you’re stirring. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, crème fraîche, and butter. Taste for seasonings and serve hot with extra Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top. 

Chicken Shawarma

I'm absolutely addicted to delicious chicken shawarma. I've shared other chicken shawarma recipes on my blog in the past but this is the by far the best that I've tried. It's so good that Dr. Sweetpea told me to post the recipe on my blog right away!

Chicken Shawarma

Source: Tasty

2 1/2 lb  boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

MARINADE

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 tablespoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon sumac

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon kosher salt (I used 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and felt that it was perfect)

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, sliced

Combine all marinade ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together. Add the chicken thighs and coat evenly. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. Adjust the oven rack about 6 inches (15 cm) from the top heat source in your oven, then preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and a wire rack. Place chicken in single layer on prepared wire rack, with the smooth sides down. Broil until chicken is well browned and registers at least 165˚F (74˚C), about 16-20 minutes (I cooked the chicken for 18 minutes and they were perfectly cooked). You may need to rotate the sheet pan halfway through if your broiler heats unevenly. Remove and rest the chicken for 5 minutes before handling, and turn off the oven. While chicken rests, warm your pitas in the still-warm oven for a few minutes. Slice the chicken into thin strips and transfer to platter. Serve with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, pickles, prepared yogurt sauce, and warm pita.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Fall is officially here in Houston! It's cooler and the humidity has dropped significantly. It's still not as cold as it is up north, but I'll take this over the summer heat any day! Dr. Sweetpea was looking for something sweet that he could take to work to share with his colleagues, so I whipped up a batch of these muffins because they are perfect during this season. They were amazing fresh out of the oven and just as good the next day! Definitely a keeper! 

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

TOPPING

1/2           cup (2 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

5              tablespoons (2 1/4 ounce) sugar

1              teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (next time I’ll use half the pumpkin spice mix)

Pinch salt

4              tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

MUFFINS

2 1/2        cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

2              cups (14 ounces) sugar

1              tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (next time I’ll use half the pumpkin spice mix)

2              teaspoons baking powder

3/4           teaspoon salt

1              cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree

8              tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2              large eggs

1/4           cup milk

2              teaspoons vanilla extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Generously spray 12-cup muffin tin, including top, with baking spray with flour.

FOR THE TOPPING: Combine flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in bowl. Add melted butter and stir until evenly moistened and mixture resembles wet sand; set aside.

FOR THE MUFFINS: Whisk flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Whisk pumpkin, melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla together in separate bowl. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until just combined.

Using greased 1/3-cup dry measuring cup, portion heaping 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup (cups will be filled to rim). Sprinkle topping evenly over batter, about 1 tablespoon per muffin.

Bake muffins until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out with few crumbs attached, 22 to 25 minutes, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking. Let muffins cool in muffin tin on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove muffins from muffin tin and let cool on rack for 5 minutes. Serve.

Mary Berry's Frangipane Tart

Earlier this year, I made a French Almond Pear tart for Dr. Sweetpea and he absolutely loved it! I came across a different tart dough recipe and a Frangipane recipe by Mary Berry so I decided to use both recipes to make the Almond Pear Tart again and we think this turned out better! I absolutely love the tart dough too since it was so easy to work with!

Mary Berry's Frangipane Tart

Sweet Tart Dough also known as Pate Sablee (recipe is from the Tartine Bakery Cookbook) 

255 grams           unsalted butter, at room temperature

200 grams           granulated sugar

1/4                       teaspoon salt

2                          large eggs, at room temperature

500                      grams all-purpose flour

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, and salt and mix on medium speed until smooth. Mix in 1 egg. Add the remaining egg and mix until smooth. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add flour all at once and mix on low speed just until incorporated.

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 4 equal balls and shape each ball into a disk 1/2 inch thick. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

To line a tart pan, please a dough disk on a lightly floured surface and roll out 1/8 inch thick, rolling from the center toward the edge in all directions. Lift and rotate the dough a quarter turn after every few strokes, dusting underneath as necessary to discourage sticking, and work quickly to prevent the dough from becoming warm. 

Mary Berry's Frangipane Tart Filling

175        grams (6 oz) soft butter

175        grams (6 oz) caster sugar

3            eggs, beaten

175        grams (6 oz) ground almonds

40          grams (1½ oz) all-purpose flour

1            teaspoon almond extract

6–8        fresh, ripe Williams pears, peeled, cored and halved

TO FINISH

Apricot jam, melted and sieved, for glaze

25          grams (1 oz) flaked almonds, toasted

Cream the butter and sugar together, then gradually add the beaten eggs (do not worry if it looks curdled at this stage). Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the ground almonds, flour and almond extract. Process for a few seconds until well incorporated. Leave this mixture in the fridge until required.

Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured work surface and line a flan tin 28cm (11 in) in diameter, about 2.5cm (1 in) deep. If possible, chill for a further 30 minutes. (Tip: I used one 6 inch tart pan. This recipe makes enough filling to make two 6 inch tarts)

Spoon the frangipane mixture into the pastry case and level the top using a small palette knife. Arrange the pear halves, cut side down, attractively on the filling. Be sure to leave enough room between them to allow the frangipane mixture to rise.

Place the tart on a baking tray and bake at 375°F for about 45–50 minutes until the almond filling and pastry are golden brown. (Tip: Since I used a 6 inch tart pan, I baked the tart for 35 – 40 minutes and it came out amazing)

Cool slightly, brush with hot apricot glaze and sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds. Serve warm with cream or crème fraîche.

Spicy Korean Braised Chicken

I've been craving something that's very comforting lately since it's getting cool in Houston. I've also been craving Korean food, so I decided to make this braised chicken dish for dinner. I remember my parents making it for me while growing up and this tasted exactly like what I remember. Dr. Sweetpea LOVED this dish as well and told me to make it regularly for our dinner.

Spicy Korean Braised Chicken

(Source: BeyondKimchee)

1 whole chicken (3.5 lbs) cut up to pieces, skin removed (I used chicken thighs and drumsticks)

2 large carrots, diced to 1 to 1-1/2 inch size piece

1 onion, diced

1 lb potato, pealed and diced to large bite size chunks

2 green chilies, sliced

2 green onion, chopped

2-3 cups sea kelp stock* (I used 2 cups chicken stock)

For the seasoning paste:

3 tablespoons Korean chili paste

3 tablespoons Korean chili flakes

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoon Korean soy sauce for soup

1 tablespoon oyster sauce, optional

1 tablespoon honey

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon pureed ginger

2 tablespoon rice wine, optional

2 teaspoons sesame oil

In a large mixing bowl, mix all the seasoning paste in. Add the chicken and toss to coat with the seasoning. Place the chicken in a braising pan or a deep skillet.

Pour the sea kelp stock over the chicken to barely cover them, about 2-3 cups (I used only 2 cups). Bring to med-hot heat and let them boil first, then cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Add the onion and carrots to the chicken, toss together. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

Add the potatoes to the chicken and vegetable mixture and simmer together for 10-15 minutes. Cooking time will vary depends on the size of your vegetables.

If you see there are too much liquid in the pan, you will want to thicken the sauce. To thicken, when the vegetables are nearly tender, raise the heat to medium and continue to cook uncovered until the liquid in the pan evaporates. Tossing occasionally but very carefully without breaking the carrot and potatoes.

Add the green chilies and green onion at last to toss. Serve hot with rice.

Fontina Stuffed Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes

I saw this recipe in the latest Southern Living magazine and bought the ingredients right away because it sounded amazing. Dr. Sweetpea was skeptical about this pork chop but it only took one bite for him to tell me that the pork chops were amazing. I didn't have time to take pictures of our meal because we ate everything before I even had the chance! This is definitely going to be something I make regularly for us.

Fontina Stuffed Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes

(Source: Southern Living Magazine)

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 thinly sliced large yellow onion (about 10 oz)

1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 garlic clove)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, divided

4 (15-oz.) bone-in, center-cut pork chops, about 1 1⁄2 inches thick

2 cups shredded fontina cheese, divided

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Heat 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add yellow onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, and 1/4 tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

Using a paring knife, cut a 2-inch slit in sides of bone-in, center-cut pork chops, creating a pocket, cutting to the bone. Stuff each with 1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese and 1 Tbsp. onion mixture. Set aside remaining onion mixture.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter in nonstick skillet over medium-high. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops evenly with 1 tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper. Cook 2 stuffed pork chops in skillet, undisturbed, until golden brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork chops to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter and remaining pork chops.

Transfer baking sheet to preheated oven, and bake pork until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 140°F, about 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest 10 minutes. While pork cooks, add russet potatoes to a large saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to boil over medium-high, and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to saucepan. Stir in whole milk, sour cream, 1 cup shredded fontina cheese, 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt, and 1⁄4 tsp. black pepper until combined. Mash to desired consistency. Cover to keep warm.

Add chicken stock and remaining onion mixture to skillet over medium. Cook, stirring often, until slightly reduced, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in apple cider vinegar and 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter. Divide potatoes among 4 plates. Serve with pork chops, and top with sauce. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

This Chicken Paprikash dish is such an easy, quick, and tasty meal to make during the week for dinner. Dr. Sweetpea loved this dish so much that he went back for seconds and said this recipe should be saved! Definitely a keeper in our household!

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

(Source: unsophisticook.com)

1 (12-oz.) pkg. No Yolks Broad noodles

1 medium onion

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2.5 pounds chicken breasts and thighs

3 tablespoons flour, divided

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

Dice the onion, and cut the chicken breasts and thighs into bite-size chunks. In a large skillet, sauté the onion in the butter over medium heat until translucent. Meanwhile, toss the diced chicken pieces with about two tablespoons of flour. Add the coated chicken to the pan, and brown on all sides. Once the chicken is browned, add the paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir well. Slowly add the chicken broth to the pan, and use a wooden spoon to scrape and deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes. While the chicken is simmering, prepare the No Yolks noodles according to the directions on the package. Remove the chicken to a plate. Whisk about one tablespoon of flour into the drippings left in the skillet to thicken. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Add the chicken back to the sauce and stir to coat. Serve immediately over broad eggs noodles.

Fleming's Steakhouse Potatoes

If you've ever been to Fleming's Steakhouse, then you know how amazing their potatoes are. I could eat the potatoes as my main course and be happy as a clam. I found their potatoes recipe online via People magazine and knew I had to make it at home right away. The end result? Amazing! The potatoes taste exactly like what I always order at the restaurant. Dr. Sweetpea also loves the potatoes and told me to never lose the recipe.

Fleming's Steakhouse Signature Potatoes

(Source: People Magazine website) 

1/4 cup butter

3 small leeks, white part only, diced

2 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (I slice them into 1/8 inch slices using our mandolin)

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks and next 3 ingredients; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add cream and half-and-half; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat; add cheeses, stirring until melted. Add potatoes to cream mixture; toss gently. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

*I made mine a little differently: I layered the pan with a third of the sliced potatoes and ladled some of the sauce on top. Then I layered some sliced potatoes on the sauce and laded more sauce on top of the potatoes. I did this again third time before baking in the oven. 

Banana Nut Muffins

Since we had overripe bananas in our kitchen, I decided the best way to use all of them at once was to make banana nut muffins. These muffins are suuuuuuper easy to make and so tasty. Dr. Sweetpea loved them and took two muffins to work with him every morning for his breakfast. 

Banana Nut Muffins

(Source: Tyler Florence)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 overripe bananas

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly butter 2 muffin tins. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together like you mean it, for a good 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out. Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve warm or at room temperature.

English Muffins

Two of my favorite female celebrities are Chrissy Teigen and Jennifer Garner. Both of these ladies are gorgeous, down to earth, hilarious, and love to cook! Anyway, I brought up Jennifer Garner because she recently posted her pretend cooking show video on Facebook and I saw the video where she was making homemade English Muffins. If you know me in real life, then you know that I'm obsessed with English Muffins. Jennifer Garner's video inspired me to try my hand at making English Muffins at home and I'm so freaking glad that I did! I used a recipe that I found online and the English Muffins turned out amazing! They don't look very presentable buuuuuut who cares as long as they taste amazing, right?!? Dr. Sweetpea raved about how good they turned out and said they are the best English Muffins he's ever had.

English Muffins

(Source: Food 52 and Christina Tosi)

2 1/3 tablespoons active dry yeast (a little less than the contents of two 1/4 ounce packets)

1/4 cup lukewarm water

1 3/4 cup buttermilk

4 cups bread flour, plus more as needed

1/4 cup sugar

1 2/3 tablespoon kosher salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Nonstick vegetable spray

Cornmeal as needed (or yellow grits, in a pinch)

Combine the yeast and water in the bowl of a stand mixer outfitted with the dough hook and whisk together to dissolve the yeast.

Nuke the buttermilk in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, or warm it over low heat in a small pan on the stovetop just until it loses the refrigerator chill; you’re not really heating the buttermilk, but ensuring that chilly milk won’t retard the dough’s rise. Stir the no-longer-cold buttermilk into the yeast and water.

Add the flour, sugar, and kosher salt to the bowl, turn the mixer on to low/medium-low speed, and process just until it comes together as a shaggy, droopy dough 3 to 4 minutes.

With the mixer still running, add the butter to the dough a tablespoon at a time. (Make sure it’s at room temperature—you’ll overwork the dough trying to incorporate cold butter into it.) The dough will look as if it is separating, and from this point on it will hang out at the bottom of the bowl, reaching up the dough hook like an appendage of the sandman but never fully coalescing into a ball again. Knead it for 7 to 8 minutes, by which time it should be tacky but no longer sticky and hold its shape.

Lightly spray a large mixing bowl with oil. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the dough from the mixer bowl into the greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave the dough to rest, relax, and rise (though it doesn’t rise so much as it expands in the bowl) for 1 hour.

After the dough has risen, put it into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour to chill, to make it easier to handle.

While the dough’s resting, line a couple of rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and cover them each with a ¼-inch-deep layer of cornmeal, into which you will nestle your muffins. (That’s way more cornmeal than will stick to the muffins, but whatever’s left over will be fine to use in another recipe.)

Scatter your work surface with a very, very fine dusting of flour, and very lightly flour your hands. Turn the dough out onto the work surface and knead it a few times to deflate it. Shape it into a fat, smoothish log. For traditional-size English muffins, pinch off pieces about the size of a handball (which should weigh about 60 grams). With lightly floured palms, roll the pieces of dough into neat balls, applying as little pressure as possible. The dough should be pillowy and tender and delicate and have the tiniest bit of spring to it. As you shape them, transfer the balls of dough, one by one, to the baking sheet: Nestle each ball of dough into the cornmeal, then pat it down gently so some of the cornmeal adheres to the bottom of the future muffin, grab the ball very gently by its sides (the parts you don’t want cornmeal on), and flip it over, gently patting the cornmealed top so the bottom picks up some of the cornmeal. Leave about an inch between the muffins, giving them enough space to stretch and rise as they may need. You can proceed with the recipe directly, or you can wrap the baking sheets of proofing dough in plastic wrap and put them in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes, after which time the muffins will be easier to handle. You can also take a longer break: wrapped and refrigerated, the muffins will keep (and improve) for up to 3 days.

Turn the oven on to 250°F. Warm a cast-iron skillet or griddle over the lowest heat setting possible for 5 or so minutes. You should be able to comfortably hold your hand very close to the pan and just feel some radiant heat—nothing that would make you want to pull your hand back. Scatter the pan with a thin, even layer of cornmeal and warm for a minute more.

Grab the proofed muffins one by one by their uncornmealed sides, dust off any excess cornmeal clinging to their tops and bottoms (you want a thin even coating, not a thick jacket), and transfer them to the pan, working in batches. This is the all-important nook-and-crannies-forming stage of English muffin cookery: you want the muffins to rise and griddle-bake slowly. You almost can’t take enough time with this stage. (And if any point before the final couple of minutes of cooking you smell cornmeal toasting or browning, instead of just warming, turn the heat down.) After about 4 minutes, their tops will begin to puff and dome: that’s your cue to flip them. Use a small offset spatula to flip them if you have one (and buy one to do so the next time if you don’t—your fingers will leave prints). After 4 or 5 minutes on the second side, the bottoms of the muffins should still feel airy and light. Once they’re at that point (you may have to gently cook and gently flip them one more time before they get to the handleably delicate stage), you can nudge up the heat slightly, and turning them every 2 to 3 minutes, toast their tops and bottoms. (Here the smell of toasting cornmeal is okay.)

When the muffins are toasted—tops and bottoms mottled with brown, but mainly golden—transfer them to a baking sheet, and put them in the oven for 10 minutes—transfer them to a baking sheet, and put them in the oven for 10 minutes to finish baking. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet until they reach room temperature.

Use the tines of a fork to puncture an equator of tiny holes around the middle of each muffin, and then pry them apart into two halves. The muffins are ready to be seared (with a light spread of butter) and spread with strawberry jam!

Neely's Oven Fried Chicken

If you've been reading my blog long enough, then you already know that Dr. Sweetpea loves oven fried chicken. He grew up eating it frequently so it reminds him of his childhood. I make it often for him because it's a super easy weeknight meal. I'm always looking for new oven fried chicken recipes to see if I can switch it up for us every now and then. So when I came across the Neely's recipe, I bought the ingredients right away and made it for our dinner the same night. Dr. Sweepea RAVED about our dinner. This is another keeper in our household folks!

Pat and Gina's Oven Fried Chicken

(Source: Neely's)

Olive oil nonstick cooking spray

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon hot sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 (3-pound) chicken cut into 8 pieces, skin removed

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Fit a sheet tray with a wire rack and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In a pie plate or shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, mustard, honey, hot sauce, and salt and pepper, to taste, together until thoroughly combined.

Add the panko, salt and pepper, to taste, the paprika, cayenne, and garlic powder to another pie plate and whisk to combine.

Dredge the chicken through the wet mixture, then the dry mixture, patting the breading on so it adheres. Arrange on a wire rack lined sheet tray, making sure there is ample space between each piece of chicken. Give the chicken a spritz of the olive cooking spray. This will help brown and crisp up the coating.

Put on the upper rack of the oven and bake until the chicken is golden and crisp. The temperature should register 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

**One thing that I did differently was I marinated the chicken in buttermilk overnight before proceeding with the other steps. I think this made the chicken more tender.**

Lebanese Chicken Shawarma

Dr. Sweetpea and I absolutely LOVE chicken shawarma. It's by far our favorite Lebanese dish that we eat. I came across a Lebanese cooking blog the other day and when I saw the chicken shawarma recipe, I knew I had to make it at home for us too. The marinade is super flavorful and Dr. Sweetpea couldn't stop raving about how good our dinner turned out.

Lebanese Chicken Shawarma

(Source: www.mamaslebanesekitchen.com)

2.5 lbs of thinly cut skinless boneless chicken breast

1/2 cup of lemon juice

2 tablespoons of tomato sauce

4 tablespoons of plain (Greek) yogurt

3 tablespoons of white vinegar

1 head of garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 to 1.5 teaspoons of salt (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon of ground oregano (or thyme)

1 teaspoon of paprika

1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder (optional)

A pinch of nutmeg powder

Rinse the boneless chicken breasts with fresh cold water then cut horizontally into thinner cuts of about ½ inch (each breast could possibly be split into 2 slices depending on thickness). Mix all ingredients in a blender, add to a bowl and mix well with the chicken, cover and let marinate in the fridge overnight.

When ready, grill the marinated chicken using a panini/George Forman grill for about 15 minutes on medium heat. You can also cook the chicken on a BBQ grill if so you wish. Once cooked, shred the chicken thinly as in the photo and it's now ready to be wrapped into a Shawarma Sandwich. Spread the chicken shreds along the diameter of a pita bread, spread a bit of Lebanese Garlic paste, add some salty cucumber pickles, some French fries, and some grilled tomatoes, roll and enjoy.

**I baked ours in the oven on top of a baking rack for 30 minutes in an oven that’s 430 degrees Fahrenheit. Turned out amazing!**