Moroccan Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Olives

February 1, 2013 by 4 Comments

x1 (1 of 1)Moroccan stew, also called Marka, is a traditional dish.  It’s normally made with lamb or chicken with added ingredients, like olives and preserved lemons.  I personally have several ways to make this, but truly love the addition of sweet potatoes.  This was the very first recipe my mother taught me to make.  It’s a one pot dish, that takes less than an hour to cook.  When inviting friends over for the very first time, my husband already knows the drill, “Yes, Marka is what’s for dinner”.  It’s a winner that doesn’t disappoint and introduces folks to a whole new set of flavors.

When reviewing the ingredients, I want you to keep in mind that olives, pre-packaged in a jar are salty, be sure to drain and rinse them well.  One of the listed spices, “Turmeric” is a vibrant yellow color that is the essential ingredient in curry.  It has so many health benefits, with a few being an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.  I remember years ago reading a news article that mentioned Indians having a lower rate of Alzheimer because of their high consumption of Turmeric in their everyday cooking.

One of the best parts of this dish is the broth, so be sure to buy a loaf of bread to dip up that goodness. 😉

x13 (1 of 1)x11 (1 of 1) Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, sliced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3-4 garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons of parsley
  • 2 tablespoons of cilantro
  • 1 cup of olives
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup of water

In a pot on low-medium heat bring together olive oil, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley and saute for 5 minutes. Add the chicken with all listed spices, mix well and let cook for 20 minutes covered.  Add olives and water, mix, and arrange the potatoes on top as shown below.  Let cook for 20 minutes, keeping the lid on, until the potatoes are tender but not too soft.

x8 (1 of 1)x14 (1 of 1)

 

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Chicken Pasta‏ with Roasted Eggplant

January 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Who doesn’t love a great bowl of pasta?  I wanted to be able to make a pasta dish that was not only good but healthy.  I believe I’ve found the perfect balance.  This recipe was developed out of frustration, when I was trying to make stuffed chicken with spinach and ricotta cheese. I didn’t have any toothpicks in the house and tried my hardest to keep the stuffing together, with no success.  I decided to move to plan B, and turn it into a pasta dish.

One of the ingredients listed in this recipe is saffron. I would’ve never thought to add saffron, but I had just received a spice shipment from my mother, who lives in area near many Middle Eastern/Indian shops. They sell high quality saffron at a discounted rate.  What’s fascinating about this spice is that its obtained from a flower, Crocus Sativus, that only produces three threads per flower. More than 75,000 flowers are needed to obtain a pound.  This is the reason why this spice carries a heavy price tag.  No worries if you don’t have saffron, the dish will still be very good with the addition of cream and roasted garlic!

Ingredients

  • 3-4 chicken breast (cubed)
  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 2 onions
  • 1 red pepper sliced
  • 1 medium eggplant (cubed)
  • 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 1 can of tomato sauce
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes
  • ¼ cup of heavy cream
  • bag of spinach
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon saffron (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Mix in a large bowl the below ingredients with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes on 375.

1 Onion Sliced
1 Red Pepper Sliced
1 cubed Eggplant
1 pint of cherry tomatoes

Be sure to roast the garlic in the oven with the vegetables by placing in an aluminum foil packet with a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  When the garlic is cooked through (15-20 minutes), mash into a paste.

In a pot bring together the chicken and chopped onion with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and saffron.  Let this cook with the lid on for 10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.  There should be a nice amount of liquid that builds up at the bottom of the pot.

Add tomato sauce and chopped tomatoes with the roasted garlic (smashed into a paste) with 1/2 teaspoon of salt & 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Cover and cook for 20  to 25 minutes on medium heat.

Add cream and wait a few minutes before adding your roasted vegetables and spinach.  The last step is to add the spaghetti.  Don’t forget your favorite cheese to top of this wonderful meal.  Enjoy!

 

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

January 8, 2013 by 2 Comments

This has to be one of my favorite things to eat.  Growing up in Texas, I’ve had my share of very good chicken tortilla soup, which is the reason I wanted to make this dish once I moved out of state.  It’s definitely a crowd pleaser and a great meal to cook ahead.  This is honestly the only thing my husband knows how to cook since he feels all he has to do is “Cut up everything and mix”.  From a girl who cooks most nights, a break in the kitchen is a gift from the heavens.  Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Ingredients

  • 1 store bought rotisserie chicken (skin off/chopped)
  • 4 – 5 carrots, diced
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 small Anaheim Pepper (unseeded)
  • 3 corn on the cob
  • 2 tbsp cilantro
  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 1 can small diced tomatoes
  • cornstarch mix (1tbsp of corn starch and 2 tbsp of cold water)
  • 64 ounces (2boxes) chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Spices

  • salt (to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp paprika

Toppings

  • sour cream
  • tortilla chips
  • Monterey Jack Cheese
  • avocado
  • lime

Directions

Cube into small pieces your carrots, celery, Anaheim pepper, onion and garlic.  Depending on the size of each cut 4 to 5 but only 1 large onion and 1 small Anaheim pepper.  When everything is in the pot make sure the colors are evenly distributed.  You don’t want something to out way the other so this is a good indicator that you have enough for your base.  Don’t be stingy you can even add more if you like.  I put enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot, about 2 tbsp.  Let cook on medium heat for 15 minutes or until veggies are tender.  Once all veggies are tender add tomato sauce, dice tomatoes, chicken broth and all spices.  Bring to a boil and turn heat down to allow mixture to simmer for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes add the cornstarch mixture and wait a few minutes before adding cilantro, corn, and chopped chicken.  Turn off the heat and stir well.  Make sure to add all the toppings!

                           *A tip when cutting corn on the cob, is to use a bunt pan as shown below.*

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