Crispy Asian-Style Chicken Thighs

I used to be all about the white meat chicken. Yes, it's a little lower in fat, but it's also lower in flavor, not to mention more expensive. I'm not discriminating between my chicken parts these days—besides, chicken thighs are just too darned moist and delicious.

Try this chicken with roasted broccoli and baked sweet potatoes, drizzled with olive oil or my roasted winter vegetable soup and a simple spinach salad.




Crispy Asian-Style Chicken Thighs

1 cup flat leaf parsley, loosely packed (it’s okay to include stems)
1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
4 large garlic cloves, mashed and skins removed
½ of a jalapeño pepper
3-4 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Poke holes in chicken with a fork to allow the marinade to seep through. Place thighs in a freezer bag.

Combine parsley and next 8 ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour marinade over chicken, seal, and marinate for 6-8 hours or overnight.

After marinating, remove chicken from bag, and blot dry. Place chicken on rack in a roasting pan, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Cook for about 30 minutes on the top rack of oven until skin is browned and crispy.

Now, my friends, some of you may be chicken skin eaters—if you are, by all means go for it, and enjoy. I've been told this skin tastes divine.

Note: I poke holes in my chicken to let marinade penetrate, especially if time is limited. I also temper my chicken for an hour on the countertop before cooking. Serve with your favorite sauce if desired.

Making Good Use of Extra Vegetables

Today I noticed that the potatoes in my pantry looked a little peaked, and my carrots had seen better days. My squash was also getting tired and listless. I thought a hearty, winter vegetable soup would bring some extra life to my short-lived leftovers.

I love thyme with roasted root veggies, and I particularly like the white potatoes and yellow squash in this combo--they complement the sweeter butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots nicely. Lemon juice is the perfect finishing touch to brighten things up.

Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup

½ lb. butternut squash, peeled (1 in. pieces)
2 large carrots (½ in. pieces)
1 medium yellow squash (1 ½ in. pieces)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled (1 in. pieces)
1 medium white/gold potato, peeled (1 ½ in. pieces)
3-4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
½ medium onion, quartered
Olive oil
1 - 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
Black pepper
4-5 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400.

Chop vegetables into sizes indicated above. Place on a large baking sheet, and drizzle with about ¼ cup olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Toss together, and roast for 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Toss vegetables half way through cooking. When tender, remove from oven, and cool slightly. Peel garlic cloves.

Transfer vegetables and garlic to a food processor, and puree until smooth (add a little stock if needed to help loosen things up). Spoon mixture into a pot, and add chicken stock (to desired consistency) and thyme, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add lemon juice, and adjust seasonings.

Serve with good, crusty bread or homemade garlic croutons.

5 Ingredient Flatbread

Recently I checked the ingredients in the store-bought flatbread Gary and I use to make pizzas. Not only does it have preservatives, it has an unbelievably long list of some words I can't even pronounce. I’d check Google to find out what all this stuff is, but I’m too lazy. I probably don’t want to know anyway. Instead, I’ve started making my own flatbread. It takes less than five minutes to put together and only has five ingredients, all of which I can easily say and understand.

Experiment with spices/herbs (oregano, rosemary, basil, or chili powder, etc.) to find your perfect blend. Gary loves Italian seasoning, so that's what I'm going with today.

Whole Wheat Flatbread

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ teaspoon salt
¼-½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (or to desired taste)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (or to desired taste)

½ cup warm water

Olive oil (optional)

Combine wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder in a food processor. With processor running, pour in water, and process until mixture comes together—about 30 seconds (if necessary, add water by the tablespoon until ball starts to form). Remove dough from processor, and form into a ball. Dough should be a little bit sticky (not dry). Cover with plastic wrap, and let dough rest for 30 minutes on countertop.

After dough has rested, pinch some off and roll into the size and shape of a golf ball, about 1½ inches, or whatever size you prefer—golf ball-size will make about a 7 in. circle. Place on a lightly floured surface, and roll out. I find that rotating the dough ball about 90 degrees with each roll helps keep it round. Add a little flour to dough/rolling pin as needed.

It’s okay if your bread isn't shaped perfectly. Rustic is good. You'll get the hang of it. Place flattened dough on a sheet pan, slightly overlapping if necessary.

Grill flatbread on indoor or outdoor grill about 1 minute on each side until they begin to char and puff up. Don’t overcook. Bread can also be cooked on the stovetop in a large, lightly oiled skillet. Brush bread with olive oil before grilling, if desired.

Make ahead and freeze for quick pizzas or pita wraps. Or serve as a side with your favorite soup or pasta. For pizza, top grilled flatbread with your favorite ingredients. Today, we used pesto sauce, sausage, onions, mushrooms, black olives and mozzarella. Place pizzas in 400 degree oven on lowest rack for 10 minutes or so.

New-School Greens: Mother and Grandmother Approved

My mother and grandmother, classic country cooks that they were, perfected the art of preparing greens. Of course, their old-school method wasn't complete without a ham hock, fatback, or streak-o-lean. I remember those greens well. They were delicious beyond Southern measure.

I was unwilling to give up my greens, but I had to lose the animal fat—without sacrificing flavor. Lots of garlic and red pepper flakes more than make up for what’s missing, and braising (simmering in a small amount of liquid) intensifies the rich flavors.

I believe my mother and grandmother would approve.

Spicy Braised Greens

2-3 bunches of greens (I prefer collards), washed and chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 small white onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
¼ - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Chicken stock

Balsamic or apple cider vinegar (optional)

Stem and wash greens thoroughly. Place greens on a cutting board, blot dry, and chop.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Season with kosher salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add greens, and mix together for a few minutes until greens begin to wilt. Add 1 cup of chicken stock to skillet, and salt to taste. Cover partially, and reduce heat. Simmer for about 1 hour (or to desired tenderness), stirring occasionally so greens cook evenly. Add a bit of stock from time to time when skillet begins to dry out.

Adjust seasoning, and serve with vinegar, if desired.

Note: Freeze leftover cooked greens—or freeze stemmed, rinsed, chopped greens for cooking later.

A Side of Grits, Please

I could eat my weight in grits, any time, with any meal. I used to like them from the packet, but several years ago, I tasted stone ground grits, and I was hooked. There’s just no comparison—the rustic texture; the earthy, corn taste; the creamy consistency.

Of course, breakfast is a given, but I also enjoy grits as a side dish with Cajun red beans (or pinto beans or black beans), alongside fish (particularly sautéed salmon), as an accompaniment to pork (roasted tenderloin is my favorite), served with braised greens and a drizzle of olive oil, or topped with a chunky tomato gravy or cheese and fresh herbs. Of course, they’re perfect solo too—all alone—in a big bowl with a pat of butter when I must indulge.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a moment with my grits.

Creamy Stone Ground Grits

1 cup chicken stock
2 cups water
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup milk (regular or fat-free skim)
1 ½ - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup stone ground grits
1 tablespoon butter (optional)

Combine stock, water, cream, milk, salt and pepper in a heavy saucepan. Bring just to a boil, and immediately add grits. Whisk to prevent clumping. Turn heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 30-45 minutes, stirring often. Add butter, if desired. Adjust seasonings, and devour.

Note: Try this recipe with polenta for a slightly different (finer) texture.

The Great Olive Oil Challenge

I admit it. I love butter, and I enjoy it—in moderation. But my romance is not a healthy one, and I’ve decided to put a little more space between me and my lover…I mean my butter.

My challenge? To substitute olive oil for butter whenever possible. Now I know there are some things that just belong together—butter with oatmeal, butter with sauces, butter in baking; but, for a healthier alternative, I drizzle olive oil on toast, French bread, baked sweet/white potatoes, rice, pasta, and salads. I also sauté/boil veggies with olive oil, as well as pan-frying grilled cheese sandwiches, eggs, and salmon/tuna croquettes.


So, are you up for the challenge? Before you reach for the butter, think about olive oil instead.

Black-Eyed Pea Stew

Happy New Year, y’all! Last night, Gary and I rang in 2013 with our traditional dinner--chicken and smoked sausage gumbo. We like the idea of doing something a little extra-special to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. After today, I believe we may have adopted another tradition. I put together a stew with some usual suspects for New Year's Day, plus a few other tasty ingredients--perfect for today or any day of the year.

Black-Eyed Pea Stew

1 (1 lb.) bag dried black eye peas
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup each carrots, celery, and onion, finely chopped
½ cup smoked ham, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 bay leaf
4 cans chicken stock
1 lb. cooked chicken, chopped
Collards, chopped, or other greens (optional)*
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Rice (brown or white)
Hot sauce (optional)
Green onions
Fresh parsley

Prepare peas according to package quick soak method. Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add vegetables, ham, garlic, red pepper flakes, jalapeno, and bay leaf. Sauté for about 10 minutes. Add peas, stock, chicken, and greens (if desired). Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low to medium-low, and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar; adjust seasonings, and remove from heat. If stew is too thick, add a little extra stock.

Serve stew in a bowl, topped with a mound of brown or white rice (or skip the rice—it’s still delicious). Top with several splashes of your favorite hot sauce, if desired, and garnish with chopped green onions and parsley.

Note: This is a good way to incorporate leftover greens, either just cooked or frozen. Fresh, chopped greens are also great.