Showing posts with label Paleo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paleo. Show all posts

Friday, July 8, 2016

Buffalo Cauliflower Wraps with a Surprise Sauce #dairyfree


Are you here for the Buffalo Cauliflower Wrap or the Surprise Sauce?

If it were me, I've got the inside scoop, say you're here for the sauce.  So what is it?  The sauce is a Vegan Blue Cheese and it will fool anyone into believing it's the real deal.  It fooled my family.  I secretly have a mad sauce crush going.  I really wanted to include the word Vegan in the title but I didn't want to scare anyone away.  The sauce is super delicious and dairy free.  

Why go without when you don't really have to and these wraps are good BUT with the sauce, they're better.   There I said it.  It's true though.

I wouldn't eat a chicken wrap without blue cheese dressing, so for me, I won't eat the spicy cauliflower florets without the sauce.  

They're married!  Like Lucy and Ricardo. Eric and Arial. I am running out of redheads...LOL  


My poor daughter Rye is my taste tester for almost everything.  It's not uncommon for me to yell for her to come and try something upstairs.  She never balks or says no--hey, there is food after all--and I sure appreciate that.  I value her opinion when it comes to honesty and I want an honest response to, "does it taste okay?"   My family's favorite response is, "it has an oaky, nutty, buttery flavor."  They heard this on a cooking show and use it ALLLLLL the time.

My kids eat a lot of new things, sometimes the same thing over and over until we get it just right, and I have learned that kids give great feedback when it comes to food.  Mine have no problem telling me "yay" or "nay" on something.  I appreciate that they feel comfortable in our home to be honest, even when they are critiquing their Mom's food.  That must be some damn good parenting right there--said with a bit of sarcasm and truth.

This dish was an unanimous YAY.  I have to really work my mouth to say that last sentence.  I shall never use that combination of words again--an unanimous.  Say that ten times fast.


Buffalo Cauliflower Wraps with a Vegan Bleu Cheese
One head makes enough for 5-6 wraps, depends on how full your wraps are.

This recipe is two fold: baked cauliflower florets and the blue cheese sauce

For the Buffalo Cauliflower you will need this:

1 head of cauliflower diced in to large pieces
Your favorite hot sauce, I use Franks
1 tablespoon Ghee or oil
Shredded lettuce
Wheat tortillas

Vegan Blue Cheese:

3/4 cup vegannaise (like mayonnaise but without egg)
1 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley, minced
1 teaspoon garlic, fresh and minced
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 caps of apple cider vinegar
1 good squeeze of lemon
*optional: this is not vegan, but if that is not a concern for you and you just want dairy free, then add a bit of Worcestershire sauce.
1/4 cup crumbled firm tofu (strain or squeeze out excess water)

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Add cauliflower to pan and drizzle with oil or ghee.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove and cover in Franks.  Return to oven and bake until tender or to your liking.  Some people like a firmer piece to add texture to each bite.

2.  While cauliflower is baking make your sauce.  Add all of the ingredients and stir.

3.  Fill each wrap with lettuce and spicey cauliflower.  Add the Vegan Blue Cheese and serve.

4.  Store all left overs in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.  Sauce may last longer.



Friday, January 15, 2016

Kale Salad with Maple Dijon Salad Dressing



Well, here I am.  Two weeks into school and my life is busy and exciting.  I have not felt so alive in a long time.  I struggled for quite some time to justify my decision of returning to school and pursuing my education. I was taught that my job was in the home.  I have supported my family and husband and watched with elation as they have met their goals, dreamed their dreams, and obtained their educational degrees as well.  I played the part of supporting actress, high spirited cheerleader and motivational speaker for some time.  I have been a stay at home mom for 21 years.  This role has brought me great joy, and yet recently, I have felt empty.

Something inside of me was not right.  I struggled to place my finger on exactly what was causing me to drop into depression, suffer from anxiety, doubt myself, and, I was aware that I was slowing drifting away from my life.  The island, that is my family, was slowly drifting further from the raft that I was floating in.  I felt the embrace of being pulled under or away.


It wasn't until things came to a head this summer after moving into our home that I realized I needed a direction.  I needed to do something for me.  My unhappiness with myself was affecting my family, my relationship with my husband, and with my life.  I needed a life line.

Facing the strange fear of possibly losing it all--I made a decision.  Cory has never ever once told me to not go to school.  It's the opposite.  He never wanted me to quit and has pushed me onto this course for some time.  I finally took the bait and did what I thought was impossible, I enrolled in school.  Knee shaking, heart pulsing--I was accepted.  I told my family and they have supported me 100%.
  

This one decision will affect our family.  Cory is still working from home but he still needs to work so I have been able to adjust my schedule so that he can work and then take care of Finnley while I am away a few hours each day.  Isabella is back in school for this school year.  Rye is working and her schedule allows her to help while I am at class too.  This whole process is teaching us to work as a team.  I am learning that I can let go of the steering wheel for a while and someone else in my family can drive the "home" ship just fine without me.  I needed to learn this lesson.

 
Cory and Rye are so cute because the other day they reassured me that I did not need to do all of the cooking.  They were capable of making a variety of dishes and they had my blog to fall back on.  I can't tell you how happy this makes me feel.  I still cook a lot but the responsibilities are being shared.

As for me, I feel good.  My spirits are high.  I am like a kid in a toy shop.  I never knew how addicting learning could be.  I am like a sponge.  I don't want school to end.  My goals are hefty and I am looking at 6 years of college but I can do this.

Our meals have become easier and more fresh.  This kale salad is delightful.  The kale and swiss chard work well together to create the base for this winter salad.  I have added a few crunch elements that my family likes but you can always exchange those for things you like more.  


Our favorite part about this salad is the Maple Syrup Dijon Salad Dressing. Twang meets sweet.  Together the flavor is "moorish" in the fact that I want more and more and more.

I hope you can appreciate Finnley as my photo assistant.  I have come a long ways since the first few years of taking pictures.  I had this idea that they needed to look perfect.  Those days are long gone.  The pictures you see are my life.  A busy Mom trying to blog, cook, photograph, write, go to school, clean house, help with homework, do homework, be a partner for my husband and still find time to pursue the things I like to do.  Finnley is my life right now and for now on you may see her foot, finger, hand, head, or shoulder in a picture or two.  I wouldn't have it any other way either. I love those little glimpses of her still small frame.

Too soon, I will have an empty home and my life will slow down.  I am trying so hard to find the balance and help my whole family achieve their goals, dreams, and personal educational needs.

It's challenging but so worth it.

Kale Salad with Maple Dijon Salad Dressing

Salad:

4 large winter kale leaves, center vein removed
4 large swiss kale leaves, center vein removed
1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried pomegranates
1/2 cup sesame seed covered cashews
1 lemon, juice only

Dressing:

1/4 cup sunflower oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
REAL maple syrup, to taste
salt if needed
pepper to taste
dash of garlic powder

1. Cut the kale and swiss chards into bite size pieces or narrow strips. I like the strips personally.  Add the remaining ingredients; toss to combine.  Squeeze the whole lemon over the salad and massage into the kale and swiss chard.  This should be done before adding the salad dressing.  Let sit for 15 minutes.

2.  In a small bowl, combine salad dressing ingredients.  Taste you product.  Add more mustard or syrup depending on how you think it taste.  Add salt if you think it needs it. Pour all of the dressing over the salad.

3.  Store left over salad in air tight container and refrigerate.

Friday, January 8, 2016

Greek Yogurt with Oranges, Mint and Pistachios


I have officially completed my first week of college.  I have felt many emotions this week: fear, excitement, and joy.  My favorite class is choir.  Yes, I am taking choir because I never took it in high school.  I love to sing and want a chance to work with a teacher to better my skills when it comes to belting out my favorite songs at random times in my life.  I like to say that my life is a musical.  

This little bowl of deliciousness is my favorite flavor combination when enjoying yogurt in the morning.  I can't explain why this combination of flavors works so well together--but it does.  I am not usually a person who eats loudly.  I am a quiet consumer when it comes to my table manners until I eat this.  Then, it's noisy and embarrassing.

I can't help myself.  You have the creamy texture of the yogurt combined with two crunchy elements-the pistachios and chocolate chips.  The tang of the oranges is never the same experience because they all taste different and finally the mint.  The mint is fresh and unexpected.  It is the glue that holds the dish together.  One without the other does not give the same experience.  Believe me I have tried and it doesn't punch the same POW that the original 5 ingredients do.  

I use dark chocolate chips and I unshell my own pistachios. You can use the kind that are already shelled.  I use all types of oranges and have even cheated with a can of canned mandarins.  I have tried this with greek yogurt, honey flavored yogurt and soy yogurt.  

We eat a lot of greek yogurt in our house.  So much that I just bought the system to make our own yogurt.  I plan on using coconut milk for ours. I bought a vegan starter from Amazon that was highly suggested by several blogs I follow.  

Yay me!  I hope it works.



This is our second favorite way to enjoy yogurt.  I have never lived anywhere that we could buy huge bags of cherries.  Well, we can in Oregon and it is amazing!  The come frozen and combine two types.  We heat them in the microwave until warm.  The juice just pours out of them when heated.  The fun part is that your yogurt turns pink.  We add my homemade granola to the mix and ta-da--it's a bowl of desire and comfort. 

To make homemade granola you can try these recipes below.  I make all of these throughout the year.  My newest one is Pecan Pie Granola.  I am still testing it and it should be added soon.





Greek Yogurt with Oranges, Mint and Pistachios
Makes one serving

1/2 cup of your favorite yogurt--plain, honey or vanilla work best
1 orange, peeled and diced into segments
1 teaspoon fresh mint, minced
handful of pistachios-shelled
as many chocolate chips as you want

1.  Grab a bowl and start adding ingredients.  Mine looks pretty just for the picture.





Friday, January 1, 2016

Gooey Hasselback Sweet Potatoes


Sweet potatoes in January?  Yep!  We are starting our year off right, in my opinion.

We eat these all year round plus I needed a reason to make marshmallows.  I think everyone needs a reason to make marshmallows.  They are beyond amazing.  I personally don't like the texture of store bought marshmallows and was leary of making them for the kids.

Little did I know that I would be hiding said "crack" from the kids because if they touched my marshmallows--someone was going down.  They are ridiculously easy to make and WAY better than the store bought version.

Now don't go crazy--you can use the store bought marshmallows for this recipe. I still buy them on occasion BUT just in case you want to try and make them yourself--GO HERE!  I love this recipe and mine turn out great each time.



Back to the sweet potatoes.  I was curious about this thing that people are always posting titled " hasselback" this and "hasselback" that.  I dug deeper and found that it has to do with the way you cut your potatoes and there is a recipe that was originated in Sweden. If you would like to see that one--go here!  I'm not sure they would approve of using a sweet potato so don't tell them.  It's our secret.

It's fancy and different.  I wasn't too impressed with it because of the stress I put on myself of cutting the damn thing in half--then what?  I like mine just fine baked the old fashion way but for variety I would suggest trying it for company. A gourmet presentation with a simple technique.

I gussied mine up with homemade marshmallows and a pecan crumble.  After that I didn't care how they were cut.


Gooey Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

4 sweet potatoes
1/4-1/3 batch fresh marshmallows or 4 large store bought marshmallows
pecan crumble--recipe below

Pecan Crumble (Make ahead--see below)
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. chopped pecans 

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Wash and slice sweet potatoes into thin rows.  Do not cut through the entire potato.  To make this easy, I laid a set of chopsticks out and put the potato in the middle.  Then I held all three together while I sliced away.  The chopsticks prevented me from cutting the potato all the way through. 

2.  I baked the potatoes until soft, about 45-60 minutes in my oven.  I laid the marshmallows across the top and returned to oven until melted.  I added the premade crumble before I served them.

To make the Pecan Crumble: Mix ingredients together and spread in the bottom of a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Check and add time if needed.  Once cooled, use a metal or plastic spatula and break apart.  I would recommend parchment paper--this helps because you can lift the parchment and break it apart.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Citrus Baked Salmon with Pomegranate



I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season.  We celebrate Christmas and had family in town.  Now we are trying to justify our food choices and figure out a plan of action.  This dish is on the menu for the week.

If you know a thing or two about Oregon then you know that Oregonians love their salmon.  Our home sits on a bay.  When the weather is good you will find many fishermen up early trying to land a popular Chinook Salmon.

Driving around you will see these said fishermen piled into flat boats all fishing in the same place.  Seriously, you will see 8-10 boats all together with their lines out.  Sometimes you mights see 30 or 40 fishing boats in one spot.  It's a sight to see and during PEAK season--good luck finding parking to even get your boat in the water.

Personally I don't have that kind of desire to hunt fish with a community effort. If we go, I prefer sitting by a quiet creek with little to no foot traffic or boats by the dozen.

We have yet to catch our own salmon.  Cory bought the gear and has tried a few times with his brother from the shore but without a boat I hear it can be tough. Eventually we may have to get a boat.  Although with the amount of rain we might be building an ark soon.

For now I get our salmon like most people do.  At the store.  I try to buy the freshest pieces I can.  Again, this is not hard in my area because we live in a fishing community and I go to the boat and buy it from the mornings catch.  Yes, we are spoiled that way.

If you read my blog, then you know that we don't eat much meat.  We do eat fish on occasion.  Let me explain.  Our not eating meat has nothing to do with animal cruelty.  I am opposed to inhumane conditions of these factory farms that are horrible to their animals.  I don't buy from these places when we do eat meat.  I try to shop locally from sustainable LOCAL farmers and fishermen.  I know the people who are raising the little meat that we do eat.    For me, it is a protein issue.  My body does not like animal protein.  I am able to eat fish without any visible or noticeable issues.  

For this recipe I wanted to try and experiment with spices and herbs.  I went with a coconut and orange juice bath with slices of oranges and lemons.  I added whole anise and cinnamon sticks while the fish was baking.  I also seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, and onion salt.  Use any spices you want.  My thinking was to go with flavors that I thought went well together: orange and cinnamon.  These two flavors remind me of winter.  

It's winter.  It's cold.  We had salmon.  Simple stuff Maynard.



Citrus Baked Salmon with Pomegranate 

1 large filet of salmon, this piece measured about 15 inches long
2 oranges (1 for juice and 1 slices to bake with fish)
1 lemon, sliced
1/2 pomegranate, seeds only
2 whole anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 can of full fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons curry powder
salt, pepper to taste
garlic powder
onion powder
fresh thyme, minced

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Oil a baking dish.  Lay filet in the bottom of baking dish.

2.  Add all of the ingredients (except the pomegranate seeds).  The fat from the coconut milk I scooped on top (see picture above) and poured the liquid in the bottom of the dish.  I seasoned the fish by sprinkling said spices across the top. I don't have a heavy hand and never measure this method. I use it for all of my fish dishes.  It works for us.

3.  Lay the slices of lemon and orange across the salmon.  I added the juice from one orange to the coconut milk--notice the orange color when baked--to add flavor and to extend the broth.

4.  Bake fish until flaky.  Salmon cooks fairly fast.  I usually check it after 15 minutes.  Each oven is different so keep that in mind.

5.  We serve the salmon in steaks over rice and sprinkle the pomegranate seeds for color and flavor.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Pesto Mint Lamb Kabobs

This past summer we decided to eat less pork and beef.  The main reason is that we found that when we cut these two things out of our diets we felt better overall.  Pork especially had an impact for most members of our family.  I can't describe it exactly other than to say we felt blah after consuming bacon, pork chops or roast. Our kids still eat ham for sandwiches but I believe taking the dinner portions out of their diets has helped them digest the bit of pork they eat for lunch.  I have had the same reaction to beef.  I just feel better without too much of it in my diet. 

 In fact all meat makes me feel and react with a bright red nose, cheeks and chin.  I get small blisters around my face too.  I think meat may be a trigger for my GERD and Rosacea.  I have taken meat out of my diet completely for the last month and I feel great.  Honestly it has been easier than I thought because I can see and feel the difference this change has made in my life.  I will still continue to taste my recipes and, on rare occasions, eat a small amount of meat...but...it better taste dang good in order for me to put it into my body.

My family won't, nor should they, give up meat just because it triggers a bad reaction in me.  For this reason I still prepare meals for them that have lamb, chicken or turkey in some of the recipes.   We really like lamb.


I make a lot of pesto in the summer and sometimes I am down to the very tail end of the jar.  I decided to use it as a marinade with these lamb kabobs.  I know that lamb and mint go really well together.  I buy little bundles of mint but never manage to use the whole bunch.  This time I did because I added the rest to the pesto.

To bring out the flavor of the mint I also served the kabobs with mint jelly.  You can make this or buy it from most grocery stores.

Kabobs just scream summer to me.  Cooking on the grill on our back porch or at the park adds so much flavor to meat.  I love grilling.  I used metal kabobs but you can use the bamboo ones too, just soak them for 30 minutes so they don't catch on fire.

Enjoy!

Pesto Mint Lamb Kabobs

2 pounds leg of lamb roast cut into cubes
1/2 cup pesto (homemade or store bought)
handful of mint leaves, washed and minced
olive oil to brush on grill

1.  Preheat grill or prepare coals.  I like mine hot so the kabobs take less time to cook.

2. Add the cubed lamb to a large bowl and add the pesto and minced mint leaves. If the marinade seems dry then add some olive oil.

3.  Thread the meat on the kabobs and grill.  Lamb does not need to be well done. In fact, we like ours to be pink on the inside.  The kabobs don't take long to grill.

If using metal skewers please be careful because they can get very hot on the grill.  Use a mitt to help rotate them or tongs.

Written by Sherron Watson


Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Grain Free Pumpkin Waffles


Grain Free Pumpkin Waffles are quite good if you ask me or my kids.  We make these all the time,  even in the months that don't begin with O or N.  Pumpkin is an ingredient that we like year round.

I can usually get about 10 waffles from each batch but it really depends on your waffle maker.  Honestly, I hope that Santa brings me a new waffle maker.  Ours just stinks.  It has hot spots that make the waffles stick and the grooves are shallow.  I really like the Belgian Style Waffle Irons--just in case Santa is reading this-- that flip over.


I have tried this with pumpkin pie seasoning and we don't like the flavor so I just stick with cinnamon. I use an amount that is not over powering.  If you want a cinnamon punch with your waffles then you will need to add more than what I have suggested.

I beat the egg whites before adding them to the pumpkin mixture and this creates a fluffy waffle while baking.  The waffles, when cooled, feel firm but when you add your syrup they melt in your mouth.  They kind of shrivel too.  Don't let this discourage you from making them--they taste amazing!

We eat our waffles with real maple syrup, lots of butter (see the picture), molasses, apple pumpkin butter or plain.  The baby likes hers just plain-nothing fancy for Miss Finnley.

Let me know how you like them or if you have any questions.

Please share on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Stumble Upon.  Thanks! This post may contain affiliate links. I make a small amount of money from any purchases.  The money is used to maintain my blog and create recipes.  

Grain Free Pumpkin Waffles
Makes 8-10

1 cup pumpkin (I use organic canned pumpkin)
6 eggs, separated
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 tablespoons Ghee or Grass Fed Butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup almond flour
6 tablespoons coconut flour
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon --use more for a stronger flavor

1.  Preheat waffle maker.  I don't have any fancy switches. Just two lights: when it turns green I know that it is ready to use.

2.  In a large bowl combine all ingredients EXCEPT the egg whites.  Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff.   Gently fold in pumpkin mixture to the egg whites.

3.  Spray waffle maker with your favorite non stick spray.  Add enough waffle mix to cover the bottom of the waffle maker.  Close the lid and let cook.  Mine take about 2 minutes to cook.

4.  Remove and let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes and then serve.

Written by Sherron Watson


This is the pumpkin I use in our home. I buy it by the case. It is cheaper than buying it by the single can in our area.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Honey Cinnamon Sweet Potato Sticks


I know I posted a sweet potato recipe last week and looking at my future post I have one scheduled again for next week.  What can I say?  We love sweet potatoes and I am having fun in the kitchen experimenting with creative ways to prepare and season them.

In my opinion honey and cinnamon taste well when tossed together with some butter.  I experimented with pan frying the sticks of sweet potatoe.  In the past, I have used leftover sweet potato to fry up the next day.  I wondered , "Could I cook the raw sweet potatoes by pan frying them and would they taste okay?"  Personally I have never had great success cooking a raw potato without precooking it first by baking, boiling or steaming them first.  I thought maybe the sweet potato would fall into this category too.

My surprise success at pan frying the sticks of sweet potato is met with enthusiasm because I felt confident that my future cooking plans with this ingredient could be expanded to include them in more recipes.  I am specifically thinking of using them in stir fry.

I will continue to play with sweet potatoes so don't be surprised if a few more recipes emerge in the next few months. I don't believe that this is a Fall ingredient but one that we should be enjoying all year round.

What is your favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes? I am open to new ideas.

Honey Cinnamon Sweet Potato Sticks

2 cups of sweet potatoes cut into sticks  (try to keep them the same size)
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1-2 teaspoons honey

Season with: cinnamon, nutmeg and salt

1.  Melt coconut oil in a medium frying pan.  Add cut sweet potato sticks and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drizzle honey over the sticks and toss.

2.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with seasonings.  Use as much or little as you desire.  If you wish to add some melted butter, go ahead at this time.

Written by Sherron Watson






Thursday, October 30, 2014

Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes




Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables.  I know they are popular this time of year but we eat them all year round.  I made this recipe this last summer using some fresh herbs from my garden.
This dish is simple.  Food does not have to be complicated to be good.  I am finding great pleasure in making simple foods for my family.

My favorite part about these little cubes of tenderness is the crispy bottoms.  I cook them on high heat with extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil and let them roast.  I don't toss them.  Having the crispy slightly burnt bottoms is what gives them a unique flavor.  If you don't want yours to turn out so black then cook them for less time.  They become tender after about 30 minutes but the extra time allows for them to caramelize a bit on the bottom.


Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or basil
salt and pepper, to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 425.

2.  Toss cubed sweet potato pieces in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs.  Add to a large cookie sheet in a single layer.  Roast until desired tenderness has been met.  

NOTE:  Every oven is different so start checking the sweet potatoes after about 30 minutes. In my oven I roasted them for 45 minutes.



Written by Sherron Watson

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Spatchcock Chicken with Herbs


Well I finally got around to making a Spatchcock Chicken or a chicken that has been butterflied.  If you have teenagers--definitely use the word Spatchcock--LOL  Drake and Rye have forbidden me to use the name in their presence, especially around their friends.  It sounds so funny and then when you add an accent to it--it's freaking hilarious.   I must be a 15 year old girl trapped in my 46 year old body.  Some things just never change.

I have had this fun love affair with accents and impersonations for some time.  I am by far no Jimmy Fallon but I do enjoy mimicking sounds and phrases.  I love reading Isabella books out loud.  This forum allows me to try out new accents with new characters.  My favorite, and this is probably a given, is an Irish accent.  It rolls off my tongue so easily.  

Outside of its funny given name, Spatchcock Chicken, is very good.  I was a bit skeptical at first.  Every picture featuring this dish always looked so beautiful.  The skin (you know my love affair with skin) always looks crisp and golden brown.  It's true--give me the chicken skin over the white meat.  Now I may have to fight you for the dark meat.  That is my favorite.  I had to make the chicken and then eat the chicken to be completely convinced that this is the BEST way to cook a whole chicken.

I am a believer!  

The meat on the inside of the chicken is cooked perfectly. Having the chicken parted down the middle and fanned out allows the chicken to cook faster and more evenly. It is cooked at a high temperature which allows the skin to be roasted to perfection. My first cut into the breast meat releases a clear juice that allows the white meat to glisten with doneness.

I usually buy thighs but lately I am finding myself buying more and more whole chickens to make this chicken: Spatchcock Chicken. Go ahead add your favorite accent.

I wish I could say this is a fancy recipe with unique ingredients but it's not.  It is just a farm fresh organic chicken that has been seasoned with simple herbs, some juice, mayonnaise and spices.  The presentations of the chicken is the fun part and the show stopper.  I encourage you to give it a try for your family and see if they enjoy this version better than the whole chicken with the hollow center.

Learning to spatchcock a chicken is easy.  I used this tutorial for my first attempt from Food 52. Click on link to see the steps.



Spatchcock Chicken with Herbs
Makes one chicken, serves 4-6

1 whole chicken, thawed
1 medium grapefruit, juice only
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon salt, 
pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2/3 cups mayonnaise.

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Below you can see that I used a cookie rack over my cookie sheet to bake the chicken.  Use this method or find something similar.  You want the heat to be able to get under the chicken too.

2.  In a medium bowl add the remaining ingredients.  Taste the mixture.  Grapefruits have a tendency to be bitter if not fully ripe.  Add more honey if this is the case to make it taste a bit sweeter.  If you don't have or want to use grapefruit, substitute orange juice.

3.  Cover the whole chicken with the marinade.  See picture below.


4.  Bake until chicken's internal temperature reaches 165.  Mine took about 40 minutes but ovens vary and this will need to be monitored based on how you know your oven to bake.

5.  Remove chicken and let rest for 10 minutes.  I use a pair of kitchen scissors and portion up the chicken.  Save any leftovers and store them in the refrigerator.


Written by Sherron Watson

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Baked Salmon with Capers, Herbs, and Lemon


I eat salmon at least once a week.  I am guilty of making salmon just to enjoy the crispy skin. It is like a huge potato chip to me.  It totally grosses my husband out;  he won't even try it to see if he likes it or not.  I think he would enjoy the crispy and salty taste of the perfectly fried skin.

It does not taste fishy in my opinion.  I fry the fish with the skin side down in a pool of olive oil that is very hot.  My cast iron pan is perfect for this part of the recipe.  It does the job quickly.  I turn it over and get a nice sear and then transfer the salmon to a baking dish to finish cooking in the oven.

I don't always do this two-step process but for this dish I did.  I removed the crispy skin and devoured it before my daughter could get wind of what I was doing in the kitchen.  She loves the crispy salmon skin too.  (For the most part I always share with her.  It's what Moms do.) The oven allows the mayonnaise, lemon and herbs to coat the salmon filets.  I take one large piece of salmon and cut it into two or three pieces and then top them with my desired ingredients.

Capers are heavenly in my opinion.  They are briny and add just the right punch to this dish.  I use them in everything these days. I love finding new ingredients.  Capers are an ingredient I see posted in recipes all the time. I just never started buying them until recently.  Not to sound to repetitive, but I am so glad I did.

This recipe calls for mayonnaise.  There are several options you have here.  You can make your own mayonnaise from scratch or use store bought.  I have used both with great success.  We have also used Vegannaise.  

Enjoy this easy baked salmon dish.  


Baked Salmon with Capers, Herbs, and Lemon
Serves 4

1.5 pounds of fresh, wild caught salmon (1 large filet or 4 smaller portions)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup of mayonnaise or Vegannaise
1 lemon, juice only
1 lemon, sliced thinly
4 sprigs each of fresh thyme and fresh dill
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Jar of capers


1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare baking dish with a light coating of cooking spray.

2.  In a heavy duty frying pan heat oil.  Add salmon with the skin down and fry.  This takes about 3 minutes for the skin to get nice and crispy and to pull away from the salmon.  Flip salmon and fry again for 3 minutes.

3.  Remove skin and set aside.  Add the whole filet of salmon or small salmon steaks to a baking dish.  Season fish with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.  Smear top with mayonnaise.  Sprinkle herbs, lemon slices and capers for the final touches. Cover with foil.

4.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Fish should be moist and flake with a fork.  Serve immediately. Store leftovers in refrigerator.


Written by Sherron Watson



Thursday, September 25, 2014

Boneless Leg of Lamb with Herbs



Lamb has quickly become a family favorite.  We are trying to eat less pork and beef.  For a while I felt like this is all we ate.  My daughter and I started feeling unwell after we ate pork and decided to eliminate this from our diets. I feel so much better and she does too.

I was stumped as to what to replace the two meats with because so many of our family favorite recipes included beef and pork.   I know that lamb is a favorite but the price seems to steer me away to something a little bit cheaper or on sale.

I decided to just bite the bullet and buy a few lamb roasts.  I am so glad I did.  Lamb has a unique flavor.  It has added some great meals to our menu.  This roast is simple and can be customized to fit your family and their taste buds.  I usually have a selection of fresh herbs on hand.  For this recipe I grabbed a small handful of each, threw in some spices and added the parmesan cheese.  I believe it has created a nice texture and flavor profile to an already delicious cut of meat.

I guess you could also call this a one pot dish because I added some root vegetables to the roasting pan so that I didn't have to fuss with dirtying up additional dishes. 

Simple and tasty are two words I would use to describe this easy meal.



Boneless Leg of Lamb with Herbs 
Serves 6

1.5 pound lamb roast (boneless leg of lamb)
1/4 cup of fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley and basil
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of white pepper
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, grated finely
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large rutabaga, peeled and cut into large diced squares
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
olive oil, to toss vegetables in

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare a baking dish with a light coating of cooking spray.

2.  In a shallow bowl combine all of the spices, herbs and parmesan cheese.  Coat the sides of the lamb roast with olive oil and then dip the sides into the spice/herb/cheese mixture.  The coating will be thick.  Place in the middle of the baking dish. 

3.  Add vegetables and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle the remaining herb mixture over the vegetables.  Roast until internal temperature of lamb roast reaches 145 degree.  My roast took about an hour to achieve the desired internal temperature.  

4.  Remove roast, cover with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes.  The lamb should be pink in the center.  The ends may be cooked more than the center.  Slice and serve with mint jelly.



Written by Sherron Watson

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Apple Cranberry and Brussels Sprout Salad



I am so excited that it is finally officially Fall.  Our family has been on vacation this past week and the cooler weather made our touring and camping activities more bearable.  We have learned that in the Mid-Atlantic the months of September and October are reserved for all of our outdoor activities. The summers are just too hot and humid.

Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware
We decided to do a "staycation".   It is our first time doing this but we found ourselves visiting sites in our state and surrounding states that are popular tourist attractions for lots of people outside of this area.  We were anxious to learn and see what was in our own back yards that drew so many people here each year.

Tuckahoe State Park, Maryland

Tuckahoe State Park, Maryland

Our fist day started with a trip to the National Zoo in DC. The zoo was perfect.  I felt the size was not too large.  The animals were very active on the day we arrived and this made Isabella happy.  We saw the baby panda, even though he is not quite the size of a baby anymore, and the baby tigers. They were great to sit and watch.  The lionesses (there were two) had their paws full with 6 baby tiger cubs.

The Maritime Museum was up next. I have been to St. Michael's many times. We always skip the museum because our thought was that it would be boring. I thought the kids would not enjoy learning about the history of the watermen and ship building history that we are surrounded with here in Annapolis. I am glad to admit that I was wrong. The museum is wonderful. They had plenty of hands on activities and toy structures for Isabella to climb on and explore. A lot of reading was done but they had so many exhibits that we were all intrigued with the processes of the history. I would highly recommend it for all families.


Our family loves to camp and this was what we decided to do the last few days.  We headed over to Delaware and had a pleasant day/night at Cape Henlopen State Park.  We made our way back into Maryland and camped for 3 nights at Tuckahoe State park.  I have to say that the state parks in our area are beautiful.  They have plenty of hiking trails to keep a young family busy.  We rented bikes and canoes too.

Overall our week was a success. We felt rested. The kids did great.

Vacations are important to our family and this was something that I needed. I have been a bit burned out lately with so much going on and this week allowed me to disconnect from technology and focus on the little kids without a lot of outside disturbances.



National Zoo with the whole family.  Drake and Rye still had school and work so they were able to do only a few of the planned events with us for the week. I will take what I can get. 
This salad was something that I could throw together and pack in the cooler while we were camping. I served it with our favorite marinated flank steak recipe.

I use a mandolin to cut the apples, celery and brussels sprout thinly. This is not required to make the dish it just made it easier for me. You can use a sharp knife to cut everything too.  I like that the salad is filled with thinly slices vegetables and the apple.  The presentation is pretty.

The dressing is light. You can tell from the pictures that it is not thick and creamy. If you want it to be this way then add more mayonnaise or double the dressing recipe. We just prefer it to be lightly dressed.




Apple Cranberry and Brussels Sprout Salad
Serves 4-6

10-12 brussels sprouts, sliced or shaved very thinly
1 small apple, sliced thin
1 celery rib, sliced thin
3 thin slices of red onion, diced small
small handful of cranberries

Dressing:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
zest from one lime
1/2 lime, juice only
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of maple syrup for sweetness (add more if needed)

1.  Combine the salad ingredients in a medium bowl.

2.  Blend the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

3.  Combine and mix well.  Serve immediately or should be kept in the refrigerator.


Written by Sherron Watson





Thursday, September 18, 2014

Slow Cooker Skirt Steak Salad


Easy dinners are in full swing at our home.  I am utilizing our slow cooker as often as I can.   I like having the steak ready and feeling like I put very little effort into an amazing meal.

The steak can be shredded or pulled apart and used in tacos, on top of salads (like the picture above), eaten with a side dish or shoved between two pieces of your favorite bread and grilled,

This steak recipe is versatile.  I like that and I think you will too.

Slow Cook Skirt Steak Salad
Recipe adapted from Louanne's Kitchen

2 lbs skirt steak
2 teaspoons of garlic powder or 3 cloves minced
1.5 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian Seasonings
 1 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 large onions, sliced thin
1/2 cup of water

1.  Combine skirt steak and seasonings in a large storage bag and marinate over night.

2.  Cut onions thin.  I used my spiralizer to thinly slice the onions.  Place onions in the bottom of a large slow cooker.  Lay steak on top of onions.  Add cup of water.  Cover.

3.   Cook on low for 8 hours.  Remove steak, shred or pull apart and serve.  I served the onions and the steak on a platter and let my family decide if they wanted a salad or to use it in some gluten free tortillas I had on hand.  If served with the tortillas then make sure and have some yummy toppings too.


Written by Sherron Watson

Donut Breakfast Casserole

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