Buttermilk Roast Chicken

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Ben told me he loved buttermilk--anything buttermilk made or just drinking it straight (slight cringe on my part).  So when I stumbled across this recipe for Buttermilk Roast Chicken, I knew I had to make it for him.  Little did I know that I would love this recipe too!  The buttermilk makes the chicken very tender and flavorful.

No worries if you don't have buttermilk (or don't want to buy it). I simply do this: mix 1 cup of milk with 2 teaspoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. The milk should smell sour and be thick. Easy!

Buttermilk Roast Chicken

Serves 4

2 cups buttermilk
5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, plus extra for sprinkling
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken thighs

Drizzle of olive oil

Flaked or coarse sea salt, to finish

1. Whisk buttermilk with garlic, table salt, sugar, paprika and lots of freshly ground black pepper in a bowl.
2. Place chicken parts in a gallon-sized freezer bag (or lidded container) and pour buttermilk brine over them, then swish it around so that all parts are covered.
3. Refrigerate for at least 2 but preferably 24 and up to 48 hours.
4. When ready to roast, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
5. Line a baking dish with foil.
6. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and arrange in dish.
7. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with additional paprika and sea salt to taste.
8. Roast for 40 minutes, until brown and a bit scorched in spots.
9. Serve immediately.

I've served this with quinoa pilaf and steamed green beans and another time with stuffing and steamed broccoli; both times it was delicious!

I happen to have a weakness for marination and slow cooking mainly because you throw it together and let it do it's own thing (which=easy!). I've even had to change plans so the chicken sat in the marinade for 2 days instead of one--still delicious!

So how about you?  Do you like buttermilk?

PS--when I made the recipe to take pictures, Ben proceeded to eat ALL of the chicken before I could get a picture.  Hence the more aesthetically beautiful picture!Pin It

Shakshuka

So I stumbled across a blog called, The Shiksa in the Kitchen, a while ago from a Jewish woman who blogs Jewish and Mediterranean recipes that are simple and have authentic flavors.  She has a companion blog called The History Kitchen in which she explores previous eras of food and replicates them; she did a post on the Titanic's food for their 100th anniversary and recreated a dish from the night she sank!  How cool is that?  I LOVE Mediterranean food, so I was very excited to try some of her recipes!


One of the first recipes I saw was one for Shakshuka (no idea how to pronounce it).  It's a basic dish in Israel, but every family puts their own spin on it.  The original is meatless but does have eggs.  Unfortunately, my efforts to feed Ben vegetarian meals on the occasion has backfired--he is one of those people who thinks that it's not a meal unless it has meat.  But anyway--I knew I would love this instantly.  Aromatic spices with tomatoes topped with eggs?  Yes please!

This recipe was extremely easy, fast, cheap, and very healthy!  I used whatever vegetables I had in my fridge (peppers, mushrooms, and spinach this time) which means that this dish will never taste the same twice!  I have eggs and canned tomato products on hand anyway so this dish is for those nights I don't really feel like cooking.

I used roasted tomatoes in this recipe.  My grandparent's and in-laws's gardens were exploding with tomatoes and to keep up I roasted them like crazy and freezing them.  Roasting tomatoes gives it another flavor, and I can't wait to start making spaghetti and pizza sauce with it! 

Shakshuka (original here)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium brown or white onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium green or red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups your choice vegetables, chopped
4 cups roasted or ripe tomatoes (can sub 2 cans (14 oz. each) diced tomatoes)
1 can tomato paste
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
5-6 eggs
1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (optional)

1. Heat olive oil in a deep, large skillet or sauté pan on medium. Add chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and continue to sauté till mixture is fragrant.
2. Add the bell pepper, mushrooms, and other vegetables of your choice; sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened.
3. Add spices and allow to saute for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir till blended and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes till it starts to reduce.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste, add sugar for a sweeter sauce, or more cayenne pepper for a spicier shakshuka.
6. Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce.
7. Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Some people prefer shakshuka eggs more runny. If this is your preference, let the sauce reduce for a few minutes before cracking the eggs on top-- then, cover the pan and cook the eggs to taste.
8. Garnish with the chopped parsley, if desired. 

Ben loved the flavors, but he requested to add chicken next time including keeping the eggs.  Just add the meat (beef would be good with this too) to the first stage and go for it!Pin It

Steamed Veggies with Dijon Chive Butter

I love vegetables (don't worry--it was a fairly recent liking of about 5 years ago)!  However, spicing them differently can be a challenge.  I like them with just salt and pepper most of the time; Ben does not.  So we compromised to a 50/50 (I might cheat by making broccoli with salt and pepper for me then adding cheese sauce for him! LOL). 

{I am a simple woman--steak and veggies for dinner!}

However, when I saw this recipe, I thought I would give it a try because A) it was something different and B) because I had all the ingredients.  I forgot where I saw the original recipe; it was probably a magazine.

{Yes, I use frozen veggies--it's just the two of us so buying fresh in bulk is not a viable option}

{Mixing the Dijon Chive butter}

{Steamed the veggies until al dente then added Dijon chive butter and gave it a stir}

Steamed Veggies with Dijon Chive Butter

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/3 cup chives, chopped

1 poind vegetables, your choice

1. Blend butter, mustard, lemon peel, and chives, seaoning with salt and pepper.
2. Cook veggies by steaming until al dente. Remove/drain water.
3. Add mustard mix to the vegetables stir until veggies are coated.

How do you like to spice your veggies?  I'm open to more suggestions!

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Peanut Butter Honey Truffles

I'm a grazer when I am at home (the first step is admitting you have a problem, right?) so I keep little to no snack foods, e.g. chips, candy, pretzels, etc, at home because I will eat them and gain weight (definitely not needed!).  However, I do snack on dark chocolate and cheese and peanut butter and whatever I am making for Ben for dinner (sometimes it's the dangerous pasta or mashed potatoes.... but mostly on the meat/veggies I make for him).  I also notice that I get a 'sweet' craving around that time of day.

{Delicious peanut butter honey truffles!}

I saw a recipe for peanut butter honey truffles on one of my favorite blogs, The Shiksa, and knew I had to try it as a snack.  ;o)  Luckily, it is packed with protein and hits that sweet craving right on the head in a single truffle (for me at least).  Plus they are easy to make!  Ben LOVES these; in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he is eating the rest of them right now ( he LOVES peanut butter--almost too much!).

{Ingredients in a bowl}

{Mix and then roll!}

Peanut Butter Honey Truffles

Makes 30 truffles

Ingredients

1 cup oats
12 oz jar of natural peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups dried shredded coconut

1. Grind the oats in a food processor until powdery like flour.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix together the oat flour, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla until thoroughly mixed.
3. Grind the coconut in a food processor until cut into smaller pieces or powdery.
4. Roll peanut butter mixture into 1 inch balls.
5. Roll each ball in dried coconut to coat.
6. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before service.

I bought coconut flakes and didn't grind them more, but I wish I did.  They are still awesome though, and I will defeinitely do it next time.

What do you like to snack on?

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