Hawaiian Style Shoyu Chicken Recipe

ALOHA! Welcome to Hawaii! If only.... 

But shoyu Chicken is a Hawaiian dish! Shoyu means soy sauce in Japanese, but in Hawaii soy sauce is referred to as shoyu also. It requires some marinating, but that's the most time consuming thing about this recipe. You can grill this for the true island BBQ, or bake it in the oven, as I did. It is typically served over rice. There's many different versions of this, but this is the one I used because it was simple and flavorful. This is a super easy DELICIOUS dish. You can buy skinless thighs to be healthier, but personally, I think that's where the best flavor is! If you are missing the tropical islands (like I am), try this for a taste! And now, I'll let the photos speak for themselves...

INGREDIENTS 

1 cup soy sauce 

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup water 

4 cloves garlic, minced 

1 onion, chopped 

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon ground fresh pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano 

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional) 

1 teaspoon ground paprika (optional) 

5 pounds chicken thighs 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, garlic, onion, ginger, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and paprika in a large bowl. Add the chicken thighs, and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The longer you marinate this, the better the flavor in the chicken. 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). 

Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking. 

MAHALO!

Sandy

Photos from Hawaii 2012 

Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps

I think ground meat is something that's always great to have in the refrigerator/freezer. Its easy to work with and versatile. But instead of making the same tacos and hamburgers again, mix it up with some Thai food! The flavors are so tasty and refreshing. This recipe uses turkey ground meat because I think its a little healthier. It also calls for some fish sauce, but don't worry, its not very pronounced. A lot of Asian foods have fish sauce, and you dont even realize. You can serve this by itself or over hot rice to make it a heartier meal. Give this a try and I guarantee that you'll love it! 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 minced red onion

1/2 cup of red peppers in strips

1 1/4 pound ground white meat turkey

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 juiced limes

1 bunch green onions, (thinly sliced)

2 red jalepenos, seeded, de-veined, and thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup chopped mint

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

lettuce leaves

cooked rice

Instructions

1) Heat canola oil over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. Lightly sauté red onion until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. 

2) Add turkey and break apart with a spatula. Continue to cook until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any juice or fat and turn off the heat, cooling meat for 5 minutes.

3) Add fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice to turkey and stir. Add the red peppers and continue to saute. Taste for seasoning then put in a serving bowl.

4) To serve, put 1/4 cup of meat in a lettuce leaf, then top with some green onions, jalapeno pepper slices, a pinch of cilantro and mint, and a sprinkle of peanuts. Serve with hot rice.

Stuffed Chicken Divan with a Sherry Dijon Sauce

In my college years, I used to love to eat this frozen package of broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken by Barber Foods. I never liked to eat many frozen meals, but as a college student, this was a staple!  It's better than ramen and pizza diet, right?  I wanted to recreate this - but fresh - and assumingly, healthier.  I found this great recipe from Food Network that is similar to my college memory.  You can create own variation to this, such as stuffing it with spinach, skipping the dijon sauce or the cheese, etc.  Any variation will taste amazing. Overall, I am very happy with this recipe.  And yes, it's much tastier than the frozen version I loved in college.  However, stuffing the chicken was more time-consuming than I realized. So if you want to give this recipe your best, just make sure you're not in a rush.  Bon Appetite! 

Total Time: 60 min

Prep : 30 min

Cook: 30 min

Ingredients

Cooking Spray 

2 cups (4 ounces) fresh broccoli florets

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Gruyere Cheese

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

4 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup low-fat evaporated milk (I skipped this) 

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth 

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Instructions

1) Preheat the broiler and we will begin cooking broccoli first. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until bright green and crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and run under cold water until cold. Drain well again and squeeze dry in paper towels. Chop the broccoli and toss in a bowl with the Gruyere and garlic. 

2) Stuffing the Chicken - there are 2 methods to doing this. I choose the 2nd version, which I pulled from another recipe. Either way works!

• Insert a paring knife into the thickest part of each chicken breast to make a 3-inch deep pocket. Stuff each chicken breast with equal amounts of broccoli. 
• Pound the chicken thin without creating any holes. Stuff each chicken breast with equal amounts of broccoli and then sew it closed with a toothpick. 

Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with oil and thyme and season with salt and pepper.

3) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Put the chicken in the pan and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. If the chicken begins to brown too quickly, turn the heat down to medium to finish cooking through. Mist a shallow rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer to the baking dish and put in broiler.

4) Meanwhile, combine the milk and stock in a small pot, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir the sherry and cornstarch until smooth and pour, whisking constantly, into the sauce. Cook until just thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan. Top each chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of sauce and place under the broiler. Broil until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

5) Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and then cut each breast in half on an angle. (I served mine whole)

Nutritional analysis per serving

Calories 347; Total Fat 11g (Sat Fat 5.1g, Mono Fat 3.9g, Poly Fat 1.1g) ; Protein 50g; Carb 10g; Fiber 1g; Cholesterol 126.5mg; Sodium 433.5mg

Sprinkled with Parmesan Cheese

Topped with the Sherry Dijon Sauce

Served over Brown Rice

Sweet & Sour Chicken

The thought just occurred to me that I should cook more Asian food.  The ingredients are minimal, the flavors are delicious, and its so easy! This is one of my favorites and who doesn't love a stir-fry? Here is a super simple recipe for the next time you are in the mood for Asian food. 

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup chopped carrots
4 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 4 teaspoons water
1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained with 1/2 cup reserved juice
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp chili garlic sauce

Salt and pepper to taste


Directions
In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Season chicken cubes and add to pan. Brown chicken and remove to plate. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for a couple minutes. Stir in pineapple chunks, juice, sugar, vinegar and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sauce begins to reduce. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring liquid to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Turkey Ratatouille

Ratatouille originated in the area around present day Occitan Provença (French: Provence) and Niça (French: Nice). The French touiller means to toss food. - Wikipedia

Although one of my favorite animated movies is Ratatouille, its not why I cooked this! I was in the mood to eat something really healthy with lots of vegetables and lean protein. I started browsing various online recipes and I found one for ratatouille. It seemed like Divine Intervention! Below is a little variation of my own recipe.

There is much debate on how to make a traditional ratatouille. One method is to simply sauté all of the vegetables together, which is what I did here. Some cooks, including Julia Child, insist on a layering approach, then baked in an oven. This recipe calls for the vegetable cubed, although you can do slices also. I think its a great summer dish because there's so much fresh vegetables involved. But at the same time. its also hearty. It is almost a stew - packed with flavor! Its so easy, you have to try it!

Total Time: 40 minutes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutess

INGREDIENTS

3/4 pound turkey breast tenderloin, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1/2 pound ground turkey 

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Red pepper flakes (I like a lot)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups stir-fry bell peppers and onions

1 small eggplant cubed (2 cups)

1 medium zucchini, cubed (1 cup)

1 large potato, cubed (1 cup)

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Handful of fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Sprinkle turkey with pepper.

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook turkey chunks in oil 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown. Saute ground turkey meat. Break it up when cooked.

Stir in stir-fry vegetables. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggplant and zucchini. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Season with red pepper flakes.

Stir in tomatoes; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is desired consistency.  Sprinkle each serving with cheese and parsley.

Bon Appétit!

- Sandy

Happy Easter Sunday

Happy Greek Easter, for all the Greek folks out there today. These are photos from last week's Easter that I wanted to share with you. One of the most elegant pieces of meat I've ever had the pleasure of devouring, and I mean... devouring... is a Beef Rib-Eye Roast. (It's up there along with Kat's Deli Beef Brisket). While I did not make this recipe (I wish I did), I do have the exact recipe posted below from the "Joy of Cooking." Its fairly simple, if you can be on the money with the oven temperature. The tricky part is taking it out right on time, especially if you like your meat temperature rare to medium rare. But other than that, its still the most succulent piece of meat you can have. Sometimes, you just need to sink your teeth into a different piece of meat besides a steak! Hope you all had a nice weekend as well. So happy the weather is warming up! Spring is in the air and I LOVE spring flowers! :) 

Beef Rib-Eye Roast (High Heat Roasting Method)

This well-trimmed boneless rib-eye roast responds beautifully to high heat roasting, producing a nicely seared crust and tender slices of beef.  You'll need 1 boneless rib-eye roast (about 4 1/2 pounds), well trimmed.

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the ovem to 425. Season liberally with salt and black pepper to taste. Place the roast fat side up on a rack in a roasting pan until an instant read thermometer reads 110 to 120 for rare, 120 to 125 for medium rare, or 130 to 135 for medium, 15-20 minutes per pound, (the temperature will rise about 10 degrees out of the oven. Remove the roast to a platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let stand 15 to 30 minutes before carving.

The Antipasto - Oliva, Carciofo (Artichoke), Mozzarella

Baby Stuffed Bellas

Beef Rib-Eye Roast

A little Egg-Coloring :)

Love, Sandy.

Seafood and Meat Paella

On this particular Sunday, I wanted to a) have brunch and b) have a dinner party. I started by visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the morning. At noon, I had brunch and drinks at a nearby bar. Soon the mimosas turned into vodka sodas (typical) and before I knew it, I was drrruuunnnk!

I realized I had to get back into my neighborhood to go grocery shopping. I hadn't even decided what to make at this point yet, but ever since having Paella at a restaurant, I had been craving it. I think being drunk gave me liquid courage to even attempt what I thought was a complex recipe. But if I was in my right mind, I dont think I would've cooked it for the first time for a bunch of friends. Luckily it worked out and everyone loved it!

When my friends started to come over, I opened all the bottle stocked in my bar and the wine and liquor kept flowing. I'm not going to lie, I was drinking from noon to midnight (bad idea) and I was kind of drunk when I was cooking this. But honestly... this recipe is more intimating than it really is. So while I am not suggesting you get drunk before cooking this, I am saying don't be afraid to attempt it!

Total: 1 Hour
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
1 pinch saffron threads

1 bay leaf
1/2 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 quart chicken stock
2 lemons, zested
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 pound chorizo sausage, casings removed and crumbled

1 pound Mussels cleaned
1 pound Clams, cleaned
1 pound Shrimp, peeled and deveined

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, oregano, and salt and pepper. Stir in chicken pieces to coat. Cover, and refrigerate.

To make paella saffron rice - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a paella pan or large skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes, and rice. Cook, stirring, to coat rice with oil, about 3 minutes. Stir in saffron threads, bay leaf, parsley, chicken stock, peppers and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer 20 minutes. *If you want to take a shortcut at this step, you can buy a package of saffron rice and prepare per box instructions... I won't tell anyone!*

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Fry up the garlic, onions and red peppers. Stir in marinated chicken; cook 5 minutes. Stir in the chorizo with the casing removed; cook 5 minutes.

After everything else is cooked, then you cook the seafood. Stir in shrimp, turning until both sides are pink. If you dont have room in your pan, you can use a separate one. Told you that you need a big pan! Lastly add in clams and mussels and cook until they open. Discard any shells that do not open.

Lastly, spread rice mixture onto a serving tray. Top with meat and seafood mixture and ENJOY!

For the appetizer, I made home-made chips and guacamole, which was all gone before I even took a photo! And some bread and dip.

=

Moroccan Meatballs

Morocco is up there on my list of places to visit. I have a good Moroccan friend who always tells me all about its splendors, and after watching Sex and The City 2, I was hooked. The movie portrays that they're in Abu Dhabi in the Arab Emirates as "The New Dubai," but really they're in Morocco! Parts of the film were shot in various locations and hotels around Marrakech. There are many rumors about which hotel they actually stayed in and trust me I've researched this long and hard, and the rumored places are: Amanjena Hotel in Marrakech, La Mamounia Hotel, and Royal Mansour. And you HAVE to click on these 3 hotel links to be blown away! You may not be able to be physically swept into Arabian Nights at the moment, but you can at least eat as if you are...

INGREDIENTS

Fresh Chopped Parsley

Fresh Chopped Cilantro

Package of Pita

1 10-ounce package plain couscous

Meatballs

1 1/3 pounds lean ground beef (20% fat) 

1 large onion, minced (about 2/3 cup) 

3 tablespoons water 

4 teaspoons olive oil 

1 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1 teaspoon ground cumin 

1 teaspoon ground coriander 

1 teaspoon tumeric 

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1/8 cup breadcrumbs 

1 egg

Salad

Cucumber

Tomato

Chick Peas

Tzatziki Sauce

8 oz Greek Yogurt

2 Cucumbers peeled and shredded

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

INSTRUCTIONS

Start by making the tzatziki sauce. Combine yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, either by hand or in a good processor or blender. Process until well-combined. Transfer to a separate dish, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour for best flavor.

Meatball time. Sautee the onion in pan until cooked. When the onions are cooled, mix the onions with the ground beef and all the spices in a medium bowl. Roll the meat into a mini meatball shape. You can use an ice-cream scooper or a teaspoon to create uniform sized meatballs. Put the meatballs on a baking rack over a baking tray in the oven. Cook 400 degrees until brown and crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside, approximately 8-10 minutes.

While the meatballs are in the oven, prepare the coucous according to package instructions. While the meatballs and coucous are cooking, make the salad. Chop up cucumbers, tomatoes, and combine with chick peas. Toast the pita bread. By now, everything should be almost cooked. Add parsley and cilantro to the dishes for garnish.

Chicken & Chilli Tacos

Bienvenidos a Mexico! Tonight was an easy night - made chili over grilled chicken. Had some hard-shelled tacos to keep with the theme and steamed some broccoli. This is an easy dinner idea for a Mexican theme night. You can serve with some guacamole and tequila! 

Clam Linguine Recipe

This is a really easy recipe. It requires minimal ingredients and minimal cooking skills. If you haven't tried cooking too many recipes yet, try this one! 

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoons kosher or coarse sea salt

1/2 pound linguine

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly chopped

1 medium onion chopped

1 pound clams, scrubbed

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped 

Head of Broccoli (optional as side)

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water. Add pasta and cook until al dente. I served this with a side of steamed broccoli. Chop broccoli, and add to a pot with just enough water to cover the bottom. Boil on high and remove when broccoli is steamed to your liking, about 5 minutes. Add red pepper flakes. Drain both when finished.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot. Sauté the onions, stirring until golden, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano and cook until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

Stir clams into sauce and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cockles open wide, 4 to 6 minutes.  Add pasta to clams along with parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste, then toss with sauce until combined well.

Classic Italian Lasagna

I first got the inspiration to make lasagna in preparation for a hurricane in New York City last summer. Hurricane Irene caused all the subways to be shut down and lower Manhattan to be evacuated. So knowing I wasn't going anywhere that weekend, I just wanted to stay in and eat. Given that I had all the time in the world, I really wanted to challenge myself with a recipe. I chose lasagna because I always felt that good lasagna could only be made by a fat italian mother who has been cooking in the kitchen from the day she was born. But I'm happy to say it came out glorious - with all of its crispy edges (thats the best part!). It involves a little more prep-work compared to other recipes, but it's well worth the labor. Below is a recipe that I used mainly from Giada De Laurentis on Food Network. I combined elements from a few lasagne recipes I found online and created this simplified one in just 3 easy steps.

Total Time: 1 hr and 15mins
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 45 mins

INGREDIENTS 

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground chuck beef
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
1 pound lasagna sheets, cooked al dente
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 onions
1 clove garlic
Fresh basil
Fresh Parsley 

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, a recipe follows: 

Simple Tomato Sauce: 
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional 

Béchamel Sauce: 
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons for the lasagna
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk at room temperature
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make Your Sauces First.

 
Tomato Sauce
In a large casserole pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors. 
Tip: If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

Béchamel Sauce:
In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

2. Meat and Cheese!

In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

Cook the lasagna noodles per the instructions on the box to al dente. Salt the water to prevent the noodles from sticking together. While the noodles are soaking, make the cheese filling. In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Now Let's Start Building the Layers!

My best tip is to arrange all the ingredients of the layers in a assembly line! Trust me, this will do wonders to minimize confusion. Begin by spreading a layer of bechamel sauce in the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna. Top it off with any remaining béchamel sauce. It will coat the top of the lasagna nicely.

Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes. Remove, let cool, and enjoy. Resist the urge to break off all the crispy noodle edges on top! I try to, but I usually cant resist!