Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs

One of our favorite ways to eat chicken thighs is to turn them into kebabs. I just love eating bites of chicken in naan or pita bread. I came across this recipe a few weeks ago and made it as a quick weeknight meal. Dr. Sweetpea devoured the chicken and told me to save the recipe while he was eating dinner. This is definitely a keeper recipe in our household.

Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs

(Source: Once Upon a Chef)

1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (I omitted)

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Zest from one lemon

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any excess fat and cut into large bite-sized pieces

1 large red onion, cut into wedges (I omitted)

Vegetable oil, for greasing the grill

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers, folding if the pieces are long and thin, alternating occasionally with the red onions. Be sure not to cram the skewers. (Note: You'll need between 6-8 skewers.) Place the kebabs on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spoon or brush the marinade all over the meat, coating well. Cover and refrigerate at least eight hours or overnight. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the chicken kebabs until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the skewers to a platter and serve.

*Note: since the weather was crummy when I tried to grill the chicken, I baked the kebabs in the oven for 30 minutes at 430 degrees. 

Best Ever Biscuits

I'm a huge fan of Blake Lively ever since watching her on Gossip Girl several years ago. She always seems very down to earth on social media and when I found out she's also a huge home cook and a baker, I became an even bigger fan. Anyway, I read an article a while ago mentioned that these biscuits were life changing for Blake Lively. So of course I saved the recipe and I finally made them as a side for our dinner. I'll just say it was love at first bite. These biscuits are SO GOOD and will be made regularly in our household.

Biscuits

(Source: Blake Lively and Heartlandia Cookbook)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 2/3 cups cake flour

2 tbsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

2 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled, plus more for serving

1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk, chilled

Jam or honey, for serving

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the mixture is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the buttermilk and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. (You can also whisk the dry ingredients together, cut the butter in by hand, and stir in the buttermilk with a spatula or wooden spoon, if desired.)

Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface. Press the dough together so it comes together and form it into a rectangle. Take the far end of the rectangle and fold the dough in half over itself. Press down on the folded mass and give the dough a quarter turn. Repeat, folding and turning for eight turns. (This process makes layers in the dough that create nice, flaky biscuits as they cook.)

Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is 1 inch thick and, using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut biscuits out of the dough. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet, placing them about ½ inch apart. Gather the remaining pieces of dough, reroll to 1 inch thick, and try to get a few more biscuits out of it. Place the biscuits on the baking sheet. Discard any remaining dough.

Cover the biscuits with plastic wrap and place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 week. When the biscuits are chilled, arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.

Place the biscuits in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and decrease the oven temperature to 400°F. Bake the biscuits for 5 minutes more, or until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown and the sides are set but not yet golden brown. Dig in with butter and honey or jam on the side.

Key Lime Tart

If you've been reading my blog over the last several years, than you already know that Dr. Sweetpea absolutely loves Key Lime Pie. Since it's starting to get pretty warm here in Houston, I wanted to make a refreshing dessert for Dr. Sweetpea to eat after dinner and decided to try a new recipe. I made the the pie in a 9 inch tart ring and it was a massive hit! Dr. Sweetpea says this is the best that I've made for him thus far.

Key Lime Tart

(Source: America's Test Kitchen) 

LIME FILLING

4              teaspoons grated lime zest

1/2         cup lime juice from 3 to 4 limes

4              large egg yolks

1              (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

11           graham crackers, processed to fine crumbs (1 1/4 cups)

3              tablespoons granulated sugar

5              tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

3/4         cup heavy cream

1/4         cup confectioners' sugar

1/2         lime, sliced paper thin and dipped in sugar (optional)

For the Filling: Whisk zest and yolks in medium bowl until tinted light green, about 2 minutes. Beat in milk, then juice; set aside at room temperature to thicken.

For the Crust: Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix crumbs and sugar in medium bowl. Add butter; stir with fork until well blended. Pour mixture into 9-inch pie pan; press crumbs over bottom and up sides of pan to form even crust. Bake until lightly browned and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Pour lime filling into crust; bake until center is set, yet wiggly when jiggled, 15 to 17 minutes. Return pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours. (Can be covered with lightly oiled or oil-sprayed plastic wrap laid directly on filling and refrigerated up to 1 day.)

For the Whipped Cream: Up to 2 hours before serving, whip cream in medium bowl to very soft peaks. Adding confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, continue whipping to just-stiff peaks. Decoratively pipe whipped cream over filling or spread evenly with rubber spatula. Garnish with optional sugared lime slices and serve.

Pecan Sandies

These are the best homemade Pecan Sandies that I've ever made. They remind me of the Keebler Pecan Sandies that I ate while growing up!!! Dr. Sweetpea raved about how good the cookies are and these will be a regular in our household. 

Pecan Sandies

(Source: BraveTart Cookbook)

4 1/2 ounces all purpose flour

3 ounces pecan pieces, toasted

5 ounces unsalted butter

6 ounces white sugar

2 ounces light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg yolk, straight from the fridge

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift flour into a bowl. Finely chop the pecans and toss with flour. In a 1 quart stainless steel saucier, melt butter over medium-low heat. When it begins to bubble and hiss, stir with a heat-resistant spatula, scraping the edges of the pan as brown bits form. Continue cooking and stirring until the butter is silent and takes on a golden yellow hue. Immediately scrape the butter and toasty bits into a medium bowl. Cool until thick and opaque but still a little warm, about 75 degrees (1 hour at room temperature or 25 minutes in the fridge). Stir white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and baking soda into the cooled browned butter, then add yolk. Fold in pecan-flour to form a sandy dough. Arrange 1 tablespoon portions on a parchment-lined aluminum baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between, and flatten into 3/4 inch discs. Bake until sandy brown, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks at room temperature. 

Best Ever Sandwich Bread

This has been my go-to recipe when making sandwich bread at home for us. I absolutely love being in the kitchen, mixing all the ingredients for the bread, and using my hands to form the dough. The bread always turns out better than what I buy at a store!!! I use it to make our sandwiches or French Toast. Definitely a keeper and it's Dr. Sweetpea approved!

American Sandwich Bread

(Source: America's Test Kitchen Bread Cookbook)

13 3/4 ounces bread flour

2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

6 ounces whole milk, room temperature

2 2/3 ounces water, room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons honey 

Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk milk, water, melted butter, and honey in 4 cup liquid measuring cup until honey has dissolved. 

Using dough hook on low speed, slowly add milk mixture to flour mixture and mix until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down a bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium-low and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 8 minutes. 

Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 

Grease 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan. Press down on dough to deflate. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter (side of dough that was against bowl should now be facing up). Press and stretch dough into 8 by 6 inch rectangle, with long side parallel to counter edge. 

Roll dough away from you into firm cylinder, keeping roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go. Pinch seam closed and place loaf seam side down in prepared pan, pressing dough gently into corners. 

Cover loosely with greased plastic and let rise until loaf reaches 1 inch above lip of pan and dough springs back minimally when poked gently with your knuckle, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Mist loaf with water and bake until deep golden brown and loaf registers 205 to 210 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. 

Let loaf cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and let cool completely on wire rack, about 3 hours, before serving. 

Salted Caramel Popcorn

One of my favorite youtube channels is Laura in the Kitchen. All her recipes have turned out fantastic and she is always super energetic in her shows. Anyway, after I came across her salted caramel popcorn recipe, I HAD to make it for us at home and they turned out amazing, as expected. 

Salted Caramel Popcorn

(Source: Laura in the Kitchen)

6 cups of Air Popped Popcorn

2/3 cup of Brown Sugar

1/4 cup of Butter

3 Tbsp of Light Corn Syrup

1/2 tsp of Baking Soda

1/4 tsp of Salt

1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large saucepan, add the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and baking soda and pour the mixture over the popcorn and stir everything together. Tumble the mixture on your prepared baking sheet and spread in a thin layer, bake them for 1 hour giving them a stir every 20 minutes. Allow them to cool at room temperature then break them up into bits once cooled.

Beef Stroganoff

I've always been a fan of Beef Stroganoff and this is the best recipe that I've tried to make it at home. Dr. Sweetpea wasn't a big fan but I loved it!! 

Beef Stroganoff

(Source: Geoffrey Zakarian)

1 tablespoon canola oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into thin strips about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide

2 cups button mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium Spanish onion, sliced

2 cups beef stock

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons grainy mustard

1 bay leaf

4 sprigs fresh thyme

12 ounces extra-wide egg noodles

1 cup sour cream

3 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened (I omitted) 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped

In a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, add the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Heat until the butter is melted and the oil is hot. Add the meat in batches and brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side; set aside. Add the mushrooms, garlic and onion to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and slightly tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the meat back along with the beef stock, soy sauce, mustard and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pot, and simmer, covered, until tender, about 2 hours and 50 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles in the boiling water according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles and transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the noodles, stirring to melt the butter and distribute it. Add the sour cream and cream cheese to the stroganoff and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper if needed. In a serving dish, place the egg noodles in an even layer and top with the stroganoff. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

Chipotle Chicken Taco

Dr. Sweetpea and I are both addicted to the chicken that is served at Chipotle locations. I looked at the ingredients online and created a recipe for our chicken tacos and it's the best that we've had!!!
Dr. Sweetpea asks for homemade chicken tacos all the time now because this is just so dang tasty!

Chipotle Chicken Taco Meat

(Source: Me) 

2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs

1 (7.5 oz) canned Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

4 - 5 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons water

salt 

black pepper

Place the chicken thighs in a zip-lock bag. In a food processor, dump in the chipotle peppers with the adobo sauce, garlic cloves, oregano, and cumin. Puree the mixture until it's smooth and pour into a small bowl. Add the vegetable oil, water, sprinkle of salt and pepper into the chipotle pepper mixture and mix. Pour this mixture into the ziplock bag with the chicken thighs and use your hands to thoroughly coat the chicken with the marinade. I let it sit in the fridge overnight and grill it the next day. After the chicken is grilled, I cut the chicken into equal sized pieces to make chicken tacos.