One Pot Sensational Chicken Leah Recipe

Easy succulent dish creates a wonderful one pot wonder full of complex flavors which is surprising to your family and guests – they will think you have cooked for hours, when in fact – it took one hour just sitting there on the stove top! – You could do this in a crock pot as well after you brown your chicken. Serve over basmati rice, brown rice, with cous cous or pasta. Dish is full of lively colors and is a great party dish or pot luck dish since it easily impresses. The fruit and little amount of curry in this dish only adds to the delightfully full flavor this recipe provides.

Ingredients:

Whole chicken cut up into eight pieces.
Save giblets/neck to create own chicken stock to be used in dish.
1 cup green or red seedless grapes
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1 onion chopped
1 cup mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
2 scallions minced
2 tablespoons parsley or cilantro minced – for garnish at end.
1 cup white wine
1+ cup of chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon good curry powder
2 tablespoons fresh minced rosemary
4-6 cloves pieces
1 tablespoon “better than bullion” paste – chicken flavor (optional)
several shakes of dried red chili flakes
salt and pepper
Deep heavy skillet with lid (I used my Le Crusette)
olive oil

Directions:

I tend to forget about this dish, but won’t anymore! I first made this twist of a recipe then I created my own version several years ago when I had grapes that were looking a little past their prime along with grape tomatoes. This dish can easily be doubled and served at parties. The amount of curry used in this dish is so small, that it even passes mustard for those who do not like curry – you can barely tell it is in there – but the resulting flavors are way complex – you will think you ordered this at a restaurant.
A nice addition is adding toasted slivered or blanched almonds at the end along with the garnishes of parsley and cilantro.
****OK Here We Go!*****
Allow skillet to heat up.
Take cleaned chicken pieces, pat dry and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Add a little olive oil to skillet, then add one mashed clove of garlic.
Once garlic starts to brown – remove to prevent garlic from burning, but this infuses the olive oil with some of the garlic oils.
You could still minced up the browned garlic and add to dish when adding all the seasonings.
Place chicken pieces skin side down carefully into hot skillet.
You are only going to brown the skin, then flip to brown on the other side.
Once chicken has been browned slightly, remove from pan and set aside. You will finished cooking the chicken completely in a moment.
Add a little more olive oil if needed. Add onions to hot skillet saute for 3-5 minutes, then add mushrooms.
Add cumin, pepper, crushed red pepper, curry, cumin, cloves, rosemary, crushed garlic from before and minced remaining garlic, and lastly scallions. Stir and saute for 3 minutes.
Now add tomatoes, raisins, grapes and white wine to skillet. Stir bottom of pan to help remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to deglaze skillet and let cook for 2 minutes.
Now return chicken back to skillet and add chicken stock.
I added an additional tablespoon of “Better than Bullion” paste at this point.
Bring down heat to simmer and add lid.
Let simmer for one hour.
Enjoy smells in house while chicken dish is cooking!
Taste sauce, add salt if needed.
Chicken is incredibly tender and super moist and falls off the bone easily.
Sauce is amazing served over rice as pictured for my dinner the other night.
Add chopped parsley and/or cilantro right to skillet just before serving.
Add toasted optional almonds to plated food for extra flair.

Leahs Bean Dip Quesadillas Recipe

Quick and easy lunch or dinner idea I made for today’s lunch – Used my Colorful Wonderful Cilantro Bean Dip (recipe posted) along with caramelized onions and fresh peppers made for a super tasty meal.

Ingredients:

2 medium size flour tortillas per person
1 onion sliced
1 green pepper chopped
1/2 cup “colorful wonderful cilantro bean dip” or less per quesadilla
1 ounce of Monterey Jalapeño cheese shredded
salt and pepper
olive oil
a little pat of butter
skillet
Sour cream for dipping
Freshly cut chives for serving. (See Photo)

Directions:

You are going to caramelize the onions first then add cut peppers for only a short cooking time so that they stay crisp.
You can use the same skillet to make and cook the quesadillas.
You could also grill these or do them in the oven, or oven in your panini grill or waffle iron- which ever is easier for you.
In skillet, add a little olive oil and add cut onions. Cook on medium heat and allow them to caramelize naturally and slowly.
After about 5 minutes, add peppers and cook for additional 2-3 minutes.
Remove peppers and onions from skillet.
One one side of quesadilla add half of shredded cheese, and pepper and onion mixture, then add bean dip, dash of salt and pepper and then lastly add a layer of cheese.
Close up quesadilla with another flour tortilla. Press down
Add a small pat of butter to hot skillet, carefully slide in quesadilla.
Cook for 5 minutes or less until browned underneath, then flip and cook on the other side.
Take out of skillet once done, cut up, add a dollop of sour cream if you wish and sprinkle some cut chives on top.
Call troops to table and eat up! Enjoy!

So let me know how you like your quesadillas – enter your comments!

Colorful Wonderful Cilantro Bean Dip Recipe

Learned this just over the weekend – different from those recipes already here. This dip is great on chips, inside quesadilla (which was my awesome lunch today) and got eaten up all too quickly-it was loved that much. So I went home and made it myself a few days later. Colorful, bright flavors are quite showy and the zesty taste happily satisfies carnivores.

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, rinsed super well and drained of liquid
1 can chick/garbanzo beans, rinsed well and drained of liquid
2-4 garlic cloves minced
1 medium red onion chopped
2-3 plum tomatoes diced
Juice of two limes, juice of an extra lime over just cut avocado
1/3 cup of minced fresh cilantro (or more!)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Couple of shakes of red chili flakes
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt and 1/2 teaspoon Fresh Cracked Pepper
2-3 avocados sprinkled with lime or lemon juice and cut up.
1 large bowl

Directions:

This bean dip is great to take to parties and for potlucks and summer BBQ’s – its quite filling and so colorful, it pleases the eye and satisfies those tummies. And so one will even care its super healthy. (I didn’t!)
I would also suggest to cut up avocados last and place on top of everything else then stir at last moment. It makes for a prettier arrival onto the table.
If you want to make this last a bit, separate into two bowls, then only cut up avocado for the bowl you are about to serve, then toss.
About 5 cups are yielded with this recipe
****OK Here We Go****
Take your strainer/colander and place into sink. Open up cans of beans and put into colander and rinse really well under running water. Let drain.
Place rinsed beans into large bowl and stir.
Add all other ingredients except for avocado.
Stir up ingredients. Add more cilantro if you would like.
Cut up avocado making it look pretty and place on top of stirred ingredients. Sprinkle additional lime juice on top of avocados to prevent browning.
Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Stir at last moment and serve with chips.
Photo shown has missing avocado which I was about to put in.
I also used this as filling for my quesadilla lunch today (recipe just posted)
This would also be nice served over rice, cous cous or pasta for an extra nice cold salad making it a lovely cold meal during hot summer nights.
Enjoy!

How to make Homemade Cool Whip

Ok, here’s another pony trick from my pal tippy st. clair who was more than happy to allow me to share this recipe of hers with you alls! Now, who doesn’t love whipped cream? For those of you who would like to make a version of cool whip topping for your favorites desserts, try this one on for size.

Ingredients:

1 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 tsp cold water
3 Tbsp boiling water
1/2 cup ice water
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp veg oil

Directions:

Chill a small mixing bowl.
Soften gelatin with 2 teaspoons cold water, then add boiling water, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved.
Cool until tepid.
Place ice water and nonfat dry milk in the chilled bowl.
Beat at high speed until mixture forms stiff peaks.
Add sugar, still beating, then oil and gelatin.
Place in freezer about 15 minutes then transfer to refrigerator until ready for use.
Stir before using to retain creamy texture.

What is your favorite dessert you love to dollop your favorite whipped topping? Share and let me know in the comments section!