Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed
• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 10 (6 inch) flour tortillas
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup shredded lettuce
• 1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup salsa

Directions

1. Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic and oregano. Simmer for an extra 10 minutes.
2. Heat an iron skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan, warm, and turn over to heat the other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese and salsa.

Pasta Aglio E Olio

When it comes to spaghetti we tend to think red sauce, but that can get a little boring.  There's more than one way to prepare spaghetti!  Pasta Aglio E Olio, which translates as "spaghetti with garlic and oil" is a dead simple recipe.  You can count the basic ingredients on one hand!  ...  However, the basic recipe can be expanded on with a wide range of additional ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried spaghetti
• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• 8 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slices
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook until al dente. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the pasta, such as a 12-inch saute pan or a large, shallow pot. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn golden on the edges-don't overcook it! Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. Carefully add the reserved pasta-cooking water to the garlic and oil and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third.

Add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce and toss. Off the heat, add the parsley and toss well. Allow the pasta to rest off the heat for 5 minutes for the sauce to be absorbed. Taste for seasoning and serve warm with Parmesan on the side.

When it comes to additional ingredients, the sky is the limit.  Popular options include the addition of extra herbs like thyme to the sauce as it cooks.  You can also finish up by adding a squeeze of lemon with the parsley.  Then you can also add things like Parmesan cheese to the mix or cook shrimp in the sauce for some added flavor.

Mini Grilled Gyro Burgers

A gyro-spiced beef-and-lamb mixture is formed into little patties, grilled, and topped with tzatziki and pickled pepperoncini for one tasty sandwich.

Why this recipe works:

• A 50/50 mix of ground beef and lamb strikes a nice balance between the flavor of a burger and a gyro.
• Adding additional fat or bacon into the meat mixture ensures a juicy patty.
• Puréeing the meat mixture in a food processor results in a fine texture that's reminiscent of a standard gryo-loaf.
• Tzatziki adds a cooling touch, while pickled peperoncini add heat and tang.

INGREDIENTS

For the Tzatziki:

• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• 1 English cucumber, peeled and grated
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 medium cloves)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced fresh dill
• Kosher salt

For the Burgers:

• 1/2 pound freshly ground lamb, well chilled
• 1/2 pound freshly ground beef chuck, well chilled
• 3 ounces pork fatback or bacon, diced and well chilled
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 medium clove)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/3 cup finely minced red onion
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Greek
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 9 slider-size potato rolls, split
• Pickled peperoncini, for topping

Type of fire: Direct
Grill heat: medium-high
 

DIRECTIONS

1. For the Tzatziki: Mix together yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and dill in a medium bowl. Season with salt. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
2. For the Burgers: Place lamb, beef, fatback or bacon, garlic, salt, onion, oregano, and black pepper in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until smooth puree is formed, about 1 minute total, scraping down side of bowl with rubber spatula as necessary. Form meat mixture into 9 equal-sized patties.
3. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place buns on grill, cut side down, and grill until lightly toasted. Set aside.
4. Place gyro patties on grill and cook until well seared on both sides and just cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side.
5. Transfer patties to toasted buns, top with a spoonful of tzatziki and a few slices of peperoncini. Serve immediately.

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For Fun:

The official music video for Luke Bryan and Jimmy Fallon's song "I Don't Know How to Pronounce Gyro." Full lyrics below: LYRICS I was born in southwest Georgia, Always tried to make my daddy proud.

YouTube Link

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients

• 3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet
• 10 small red potatoes
• 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 large head cabbage, cut into small wedges

Directions

1. Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound or until tender.
2. Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.
3. Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce

This chicken is quick, simple, delicious and has an elegant presentation! If you don't have prosciutto handy you can use bacon. Make it really special and throw in a variety of exotic mushrooms, shiitake, portabello, oyster, etc. It can be prepared ahead of time and thrown in the oven when ready. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes, buttered noodles or basmati rice.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 6 chicken thighs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 slices prosciutto (thin sliced)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Drizzle butter into a casserole dish. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon garlic. Wrap chicken thighs in prosciutto, and place in casserole dish. Sprinkle mushrooms and remaining garlic on top of chicken.
3. Bake in a preheated oven until juices run clear, about 1 hour. Remove chicken to a platter, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
4. Pour drippings from casserole into a skillet set over medium-low heat. Whisk in wine and sour cream, and cook until warmed through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour over chicken, and serve.

Easy Baked Tilapia

This easy recipe for tilapia only takes a few minutes to prepare, uses few ingredients, and is flavorful.

Ingredients

• 4 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, or to taste
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen cauliflower with broccoli and red pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees F). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Place the tilapia fillets in the bottom of the baking dish and dot with butter. Season with Old Bay seasoning and garlic salt. Top each one with a slice or two of lemon. Arrange the frozen mixed vegetables around the fish, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Cover the dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until vegetables are tender and fish flakes easily with a fork.