North Carolina Dipped Fried Chicken

I saw this recipe for North Carolina Dipped Fried Chicken in my Cooks Country magazine a few months ago and gave it a try since it seemed very similar to the Nashville Hot Fried Chicken recipe that I have. Dr. Sweetpea can't decide which one he likes better because they're both excellent! Definitely a keeper recipe for us!

North Carolina Dipped Fried Chicken

(Source: Cooks Country)

CHICKEN

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup sugar

3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, and/or wings), trimmed

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 quarts peanut or vegetable oil

SAUCE

1  1/4 cups Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce

5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

5 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

FOR THE CHICKEN: Dissolve 1/2 cup salt and sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.

Whisk flour, cornstarch, granulated garlic, baking powder, 2 teaspoons pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons water to flour mixture; using your fingers, rub flour mixture and water together until water is evenly incorporated and shaggy pieces of dough form.

Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Working with 1 piece at a time, remove chicken from brine, letting excess drip off; dredge chicken in flour mixture, pressing to adhere. Transfer to prepared rack. Refrigerate chicken, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Set second wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line half of rack with triple layer of paper towels. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures 2 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Add half of chicken to pot and fry until breasts register 160 degrees and drumsticks/thighs/wings register 175 degrees, 13 to 16 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees.

Transfer chicken to paper towel–lined side of prepared rack. Let chicken drain on each side for 30 seconds, then move to unlined side of rack. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken. Let chicken cool for 10 minutes.

FOR THE SAUCE: Meanwhile, whisk all ingredients together in bowl. Microwave, covered, until hot, about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving.

Transfer chicken to shallow platter. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve.

Homemade Mongolian Beef

If anyone asked me what my favorite meal from a Chinese takeout place is, then you'll know that I'll always say Mongolian Beef. I've loved it my whole life and there is a restaurant back home that makes it extremely well. In Texas, however, I have yet to find a restaurant where I would rave about the Mongolian beef. Which is why I started to experiment with recipes at home.  I used the Broccoli Beef marinade (doubled it) to tenderize my meat and made slight adjustments to the sauce from Damn Delicious and our meal turned out amazing. Dr. Sweetpea couldn't stop raving about how good it was and that we never need to order Chinese takeout again for Mongolian beef.

Mongolian Beef'

(Source: Damn Delicious and Rainy Day Gal) 

Marinade: 

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons corn starch

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced flank steak 

Whisk together the baking soda, sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, water, and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Toss the steak with the marinade to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour (I marinated overnight), then proceed below. 

1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup water (can increase to 1/2 cup if too salty to your taste)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and 1/4 cup water. Heat soy sauce mixture in a medium saucepan until slightly thickened, about 5-10 minutes; set aside. Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Add beef and fry until browned and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; discard excess oil. Add beef and soy sauce mixture to the saucepan over medium heat and cook until sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in green onions. Serve immediately.

Salted Caramel Nuts

If I had to pick a favorite food network host, it's a tie because Ina Garten and Ree Drummond. They're very different but all their recipes are phenomenal. I watched Ina make these Salted Caramel Nuts on her show a few weeks ago and I had to make them as soon as the episode ended. I will admit that these nuts are hard to make because as soon as the sugar melts and turns into a caramel color, you have to work extremely fast so the sugar doesn't harden before you spread out the nuts. Nevertheless, with the time and effort, it's totally worth it because these nuts are amazing!

Salted Caramel Nuts

(Source: Ina Garten)

1 cup each whole roasted salted cashews, whole large pecan halves, whole unsalted almonds and whole walnut halves (4 cups total)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon fleur de sel

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the nuts on a sheet pan, spread them out and roast them for 7 minutes, until they become fragrant. Set aside to cool.

After the nuts are cooled, place the sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a medium (10-inch) saute pan and mix with a fork until all of the sugar is moistened. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar melts; from this point on, don¿t stir the caramel, swirl the pan! Don¿t worry, the mixture may look as though it's crystallizing. Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes a clear golden brown, swirling the pan constantly at the end. (Careful, the caramel is very hot!) Off the heat, quickly add the vanilla (it will bubble up!) and swirl the pan to combine. Working quickly (the caramel will continue to cook in the pan), add the nuts and the kosher salt and toss with 2 large spoons until the nuts are completely coated.

Pour the nuts and any extra caramel in the pan onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the nuts out in one layer, pulling them apart with two forks. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool. When they're completely cooled, carefully break the nuts into large clusters with your hands, trying not to break the nuts too much.

Oven Baked Pork Chops

Dr. Sweetpea loves pork chops. I'll usually buy a pack each week and make it for him after work with some kind of sauce over them. Since the oven fried chicken were a hit last week, I decided to make crunchy baked pork chops to see if he'll like them and they were a massive hit. I served them with a side of pasta salad (his favorite) and he devoured his meal in no time flat. Definitely another keeper recipe for us.

Crunchy Oven Baked Pork Chops

(Source: America's Test Kitchen) 

Table salt

4 center ­cut boneless pork chops, 6 to 8 ounces each, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat

4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1­ inch pieces

1 small minced shallot (about 2 tablespoons)

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Ground black pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1/4 cup unbleached all ­purpose flour plus 6 tablespoons

3 large egg whites

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Lemon wedges

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve 1/4 cup salt in 1 quart water in medium container or gallon ­sized zipper ­lock bag. Submerge chops, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Rinse chops under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Meanwhile, pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about eight 1 ­second pulses (you should have about 3 1/2 cups crumbs). Transfer crumbs to rimmed baking sheet and add shallot, garlic, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss until crumbs are evenly coated with oil. Bake until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. (Do not turn off oven.) Cool to room temperature. Toss crumbs with Parmesan, thyme, and parsley.

Place 1/4 cup flour in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until combined; add remaining 6 tablespoons flour and whisk until almost smooth, with pea ­sized lumps remaining.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Season chops with pepper. Dredge 1 pork chop in flour; shake off excess. Using tongs, coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of chop with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to chop. Transfer breaded chop to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 chops.

Bake until instant­ read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 150 degrees, 17 to 25 minutes. Let rest on rack 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

Oven Fried Chicken

Dr. Sweetpea is a huge fan of oven fried chicken. He grew up eating it often when his mom made it for him regularly and has many fond memories. I came across this recipe a few weeks ago and decided to make it for Dr. Sweetpea to see if he likes it as much as his mom's recipe. He was skeptical  but still told me to give it a shot. It took literally only one bite for Dr. Sweetpea to be over the moon about how good my oven fried chicken is. This will be on our regular rotation from now on.

Oven Fried Chicken

(Source: Cooks Country)

2 cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 1/4 teaspoons table salt

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

8 split bone-­in chicken breasts (10 to 12 ounces each), skin removed and ribs trimmed with kitchen shears (I usually use boneless/skinless chicken thighs)

2 1/2 cups crushed corn flakes

3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon ground poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

 Whisk buttermilk, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and hot sauce together in large bowl. Add chicken, turn to coat well, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Adjust oven rack to upper­-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil, set wire rack on sheet, and coat rack with nonstick cooking spray.

Gently toss corn flakes, bread crumbs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, poultry seasoning, paprika, and cayenne in shallow dish until combined. Drizzle oil over crumbs and toss until well coated. Working with one piece at a time, remove chicken from marinade and dredge in crumb mixture, firmly pressing crumbs onto all sides of chicken. Place chicken on prepared rack, leaving 1/2 inch of space between each piece. Bake until chicken is deep golden brown, juices run clear, and instant­read thermometer inserted deep into breast away from bone registers 160 degrees, 35 to 45 minutes.

Large Farmhouse Salad with Lemon Mayo Dressing

Both Dr. Sweetpea and I love a good salad for dinner. It's healthy, has tons of vegetables or fruit mixed in, and we love all kinds of salad dressings. I came across this recipe several years ago but decided to make it today since I had all the ingredients. I was a little skeptical about the salad dressing at first but it's quickly become my favorite. Definitely a wonderful salad to have when it's starting to get hot outside.

Salad with Lemon Mayo Dressing

(Source: Journal Sentinel)

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

6 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil (or olive oil)

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar (I used white balsamic vinegar)

Spring greens mix

Halved red grapes

Sugared walnuts

Sugar-baked walnuts:

3 cups walnuts halves and pieces

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Make sugar-baked walnuts: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Spread out on a sheet pan and then bake in preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. (Note: Extra walnuts can be used in other salads or eaten as snacks.)

In a large bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and mix until well blended.

Toss dressing with spring mix and then top with halved red grapes and sugared walnuts. Fish, chicken or Parmesan-crusted poached eggs can be served with the salad.

Deconstructed Mexican Street Corn

One of my favorite side dishes after moving to Texas is the deconstructed mexican street corn that's served at some restaurants. I love that I'm not biting corn kernels off the cob the flavor explosion in my mouth. Needless to say, I found this wonderful recipe online and it's our favorite!

Deconstructed Mexican Corn

(Source: Chris Santos) 

Chipotle Salt: 

5 tablespoons chipotle powder

3 tablespoons kosher salt

Corn:

6 ears corn

1/2 red onion, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Zest of 2 limes

For the chipotle salt: Combine the chipotle powder and salt and store in an airtight container.

For the corn: Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat until hot, and then add the corn and char on all sides, turning occasionally, until blackened in parts, 12 to 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cobs. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and saute the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the charred corn kernels and cook until warmed. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese, the mayonnaise, cilantro and lime zest. Season with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of the chipotle salt. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cotija cheese and more chipotle salt.

Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

I got addicted to Chicken Shawarma while living in Minneapolis because there was a FANTASTIC place that served Shawarma every day for an affordable price. I still crave it in Houston because I have yet to find a great place that makes it really well. I've heard many people rave about the NY Times recipe for Chicken Shawarma and how easy it is go make at home, I gave it a try. Honestly, it's super easy and just as good as what I had back in good ole Minneapolis. Dr. Sweetpea is addicted to it himself and asks for me to make it for our dinner at least once a month.

Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

(Source: New York Times) 

2 lemons, juiced

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

 A pinch ground cinnamon

 Red pepper flakes, to taste

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 large red onion, peeled and quartered

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Prepare a marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan. Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade, and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it.

Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisp at the edges and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into bits. (To make the chicken even more crisp, set a large pan over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then the sliced chicken, and sauté until everything curls tight in the heat.) Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, white sauce, hot sauce, olives, fried eggplant, feta, rice — really anything you desire.

Hawaiian Rib-Eye Steak with Corn Casserole

One of our favorite steakhouses is Houston's Steakhouse. It's a chain that's a part of the Hillstone Restaurant group and all over the country. I've searched high and low for the Hawaiian Ribeye that's served at the restaurant and low and behold, the restaurant shared their recipe with Bon Appetit! It tastes exactly like what you would get in the restaurant but for a fraction of the price. I served the Hawaiian Rib-Eye steak with Ree Drummond's corn casserole. Amazing meal and definitely will be making again in the future!

Hawaiian Rib-Eye Steak

(Source: Bon Appetit - Hillstone Restaurant Group)

Steak

2 cups pineapple juice

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sugar

5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1/3 cup chopped white onion

1 (1-inch piece) ginger, peeled, finely chopped

2 (1-inch-thick) bone-in rib-eye steaks (about 3 pounds total)

Butter And Assembly

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Kosher salt

Steak

Whisk pineapple juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and oil in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add onion and ginger. Set aside 2 Tbsp. marinade for butter. Transfer remaining marinade to a large resealable plastic bag. Add steaks and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Chill at least 1 day. Remove steaks from marinade, pat dry, and let sit until room temperature, about 1 hour.

Butter and Assembly

Whisk butter and oil in a medium bowl to combine. Vigorously whisk in reserved marinade; season with salt. Transfer to the center of a sheet of parchment paper and roll up into a log. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Build a two-zone fire in a charcoal grill for direct (medium-high coals) and indirect (medium-low coals) heat. Alternatively, heat a gas grill to high just before cooking, leaving one burner on low. Season steaks very lightly with salt (omit this step if marinating more than 24 hours). Grill over high heat, turning, until steaks are well browned and beginning to char around edges, about 4 minutes. Transfer to cooler part of grill and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of steaks registers 120° for medium-rare. (Alternatively, cook in a grill pan over medium-high heat, turning steaks every couple of minutes.) Transfer steaks to a wire rack. Slice butter into ¼"-thick rounds and divide between steaks. Let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Fresh Corn Casserole with Red Peppers and Jalapenos

(Source: Ree Drummond)

8 ears corn (still in the husk)

2 red bell peppers, diced

2 fresh jalapenos, diced

1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

1/2 cup milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 stick salted butter, cut into pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the corn from the husks. In a large, deep bowl, slice off the kernels of corn with a sharp knife. Turn the knife to the dull side and scrape the cob all the way down to remove all the bits of kernel and creamy milk inside. (I do this inside the bowl because it goes everywhere if you cut it on a board.) Add the red bell peppers, jalapenos, heavy cream, milk, salt to taste, a generous amount of pepper and butter and mix it well. Pour into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Bake until thoroughly warmed through, 30 to 45 minutes.

Greek Pasta Salad

I'm always on the lookout for fantastic pasta salad recipes. I just love that it's filling, packed with veggies, and always makes a great side dish. I came across this recipe online and decided to make it since it seems quick/easy. Dr. Sweetpea and I both devoured it with our meals and it's our favorite pasta salad recipe for the time being. Definitely make this!

Greek Pasta Salad

(Source: Plain Chicken)

1 (16-oz) box penne pasta

2/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 Tbsp Greek seasoning (I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

3/4 cup grape tomatoes, cut into halves 

1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool. Whisk together oil, juice, mayonnaise and Greek seasoning in a large bowl. Add cooked pasta, tomatoes, feta cheese and basil. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

One of our favorite ways to eat vegetables (ie: carrots, zucchini, red potatoes, brussel sprouts, green beans, etc) when we notice that they're starting to go bad is roast them in the oven. I found this marvelous recipe on Pinterest a few months ago and made it for us several times already. It's our go-to roasted vegetable recipe. We tried using all kinds of vegetables and it always turns out amazing. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that vegetables like potatoes take a little longer to cook.
Definitely a keeper and a regular for us.

Roasted Vegetables

(Source: I heart Naptime)

5 to 6 cups of vegetables (carrots, red potatoes, broccoli, red, bell peppers, onion wedges, mushrooms, zucchini, green beans etc.)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar 
1 to 2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut vegetables into similar size pieces. Keep root vegetables separate from softer vegetables. Mix together olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and garlic salt. Pour over vegetables. Place root vegetables on cookie sheet and bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add in softer vegetables and turn vegetables on sheet making sure they are all coated in liquid mixture. Bake another 15 minutes or until the veggies are fork tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Carnitas Taco

So Dr. Sweetpea absolutely loves Carnitas whenever we go to a Texmex restaurant in Houston. I already posted a Carnita recipe over the summer and that was fantastic. However, when I saw the Carnitas recipe in the Tacolicious cookbook, I HAD to try making it at home and I'm so glad I did! These carnitas were delicious, better than the restaurants in Houston delicious, and Dr. Sweetpea kept raving about it as he was eating his dinner. In fact, he even told me to never lose this recipe! 

Carnitas Taco

(Source: Tacolicious Cookbook)

2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 - 3 inch cubes

1 cup sliced yellow onion

3 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons dried mexican oregano

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup lard (I used vegetable oil)

3 tablespoons oil

Put the pork in a nonreactive dutch oven or other large, heavy pot with a lid. Add the onion, garlic, sugar, salt, oregano, bay leaf, orange juice, and lemon juice and toss to coat the meat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours. 

Bring the pork to room temperature. Heat the lard in a small pan over medium heat until it melts, then pour it over the pork. Cover the pot, place over medium-low heat, and cook the pork for almost 3 hours, until the pork begins to pull apart easily when tested with a fork. 

Remove from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a bowl. Discard the cooking liquid and clean the pot. Using a couple of forks, shred the pork a bit but not completely, removing any large chunks of fat. 

Return the pot tot he stove top over high heat and add the oil. At the minute the oil begins to smoke, using tongs or a spoon and working in batches to avoid crowding, carefully add some of the meat to the hot oil and cook, turning as needed for about 4 minutes until crisp on all sides. 

Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings. 

Shot and a Beer Braised Chicken Taco

I love making tacos from scratch at home. Particularly if it's super easy to make. I recently ordered the cookbook from Tacolicious, a restaurant in San Francisco, that is known for amazing tacos. So since I read the Shot and a Beer Braised Chicken Taco is amazing, I decided to make that one first and it was AMAZING!!! Dr. Sweetpea couldn't stop eating the tacos because they were so good. We will be making this recipe at home more regularly.

Shot and a Beer Braised Tacos

(Source: Tacolicious Cookbook)

3 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 habanero chile, stemmed

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (12 ounce) can favorite beer (we used Tacate)

1 shot (1 1 /2 ounces) favorite tequila

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 cup diced canned tomatoes

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried mexican oregano

Toast the ancho and chipotle chiles in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat, turning once, for about 30 seconds on each side, until fragrant but not blackened. Take care that they do not burn. Set aside. 

Heat the oil in a dutch oven or other large, heavy pot with a lid over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, working in batches, add the chicken thighs and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side, until browned. Add an extra drizzle of oil if needed to prevent sticking. As the thighs are ready, transfer them to a plate and set aside. 

Add the onion and habanero to the oil remaining in the pot and saute over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion is caramelized. Add the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the toasted chiles, beef, tequila, broth, tomatoes, salt, cumin, and oregano, turn down the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until the chiles have completely softened. Remove from the heat and let cook completely. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 

While the oven is heating, pour the  chile mixture into a blender and process until almost completely smooth (a little texture is fine). Return the chikden to the pot and pour the pureed sauce evenly over the top. 

Cover the pot, place in the oven, and cook for 2 hours. Remove the lid and continue to cook, stirring if necessary to prevent sticking, for 25 - 30 minutes, until the chicken is fork tender. If the sauce starts to reduce too much and the chicken begins to stick, add a little water or broth. Remove from the oven and use tongs or a fork to loosely shred the chicken, leaving it in the sauce. 

Serve with the tortillas and your favorite toppings. 

Broiled Salmon with Herbed Mustard Glaze and Cornbread

When I'm in a rush to have dinner ready before Dr. Sweetpea gets home, I usually turn to fish or seafood. I love salmon in particular because it's affordable, tasty, and is a great main dish for a weeknight meal. I saw this recipe from Giada a few weeks ago and decided to give it a whirl and wasn't disappointed. Dr. Sweetpea even said this is one of the best salmon recipes that I've tried.

As for the side dish, I tried a new cornbread recipe which is from the Hillstone Restaurant group. I know this group owns Bandera in Chicago and was excited that this is the recipe for their cornbread. This cornbread was amazing and will be our go to recipe for special occasions.

Broiled Salmon with Herbed Mustard Glaze

(Source: Giada) 

2 garlic cloves

3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon dry white wine

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

Nonstick olive oil cooking spray

6 (6 to 8-ounce) salmon fillets

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

6 lemon wedges

In food processor, combine garlic, rosemary, thyme, wine, oil, dijon and 1 tablespoon of the whole grain mustard. Grind the musturd sauce until combined. Transfer to small bowl and add remaining 1 tablespoon of the whole grain mustard, stir to combine. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Arrange salmon on sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil 2 minutes. Spoon mustard sauce over fillets. Continue broiling until fillets are just cooked through and golden brown, about 5 minutes longer.

Iron-Skillet Cornbread

(Source: Hillstone Restaurant Group) 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup fine-grind cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups canned creamed corn (from one 15-ounce can)

1 (4.5-ounce) can mild green chiles, drained, chopped

1 1/2 ounces mild white cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)

1 1/2 ounces Monterey Jack, grated (about 1/2 cup)

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Place rack in middle of oven. Set skillet on a rimmed baking sheet, place on rack, and preheat oven to 400°. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl to combine. Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl to blend; whisk in creamed corn, chiles, cheddar, and Monterey Jack. Mix butter and sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon just until butter absorbs sugar but butter is still in small pieces. Add egg mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in dry ingredients until barely incorporated. Remove skillet from oven and lightly coat with nonstick spray. Scrape in batter (it should sizzle on contact and stay slightly mounded in the center). Bake cornbread until top is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed, 35–45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Anytime Blueberry Muffins

Whenever Spring rolls around, we have a huge craving for tons of fresh blueberries. I bought a huge container of blueberries from Costco and I decided to make a big batch of blueberry muffins today since it was cold/dreary out this morning in Houston. I don't have any pictures for the muffins but I'll share the recipe below since they were so good! I'll be making another big batch next weekend and will freeze them for Dr. Sweetpea to take a few with him to work in the mornings. 

Anytime Blueberry Muffins

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

3 cups (15 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon (separated)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (7 ounces) sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups plain whole milk yogurt

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Coat a 12­cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray; set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together at medium­high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to medium­low and beat in half of the flour mixture, followed by one­third of the yogurt. Beat in half of the remaining flour mixture, followed by half of the remaining yogurt; repeat with the remaining flour mixture and yogurt. In a separate bowl, toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour. Gently fold the floured blueberries into the finished batter. Portion the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin. Adjust an oven rack to the lower­middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let the muffins cool in the pan 5 minutes before serving.