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  • Chicken Chipotle Nachos with Cilantro-Avocado Crema

    1/2 Cup chopped onion
    1 Tbsp olive oil
    1/2 Tsp cumin seed
    1/2 Tsp dried oregano
    1 Canned chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
    2 Tbsp tomato paste
    1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
    1/2 Cup water
    2 Cups shredded cooked chicken
    ‘A couple dozen’ tortilla chips
    1 1/2 Cups shredded jack cheese (about 6 oz)

    Boil chicken in medium sauce pan for 8-10 minutes, remove from water and set aside to cool. Once cooled, shred the chicken using two forks and set aside.

    In a skillet heat olive oil and add onions and cook until they begin to brown. Add cumin seeds and oregano, stir for a minute, then add chilies, tomato paste, vinegar and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently stirring often to blend flavors, about 5-6 min. Add shredded chicken and stir until hot.

    Preheat oven to 450 and arrange tortilla chips in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle equal portions of cheese on each chip, then spoon 1 tablespoon of chicken on top of each chip.

    Bake for about 5-6 minutes (should be slightly bubbly). When done, transfer to a serving platter and top each with 1 teaspoon of the cilantro-avocado crema. Garnish with a cilantro leaf and serve warm.

    For the cilantro-avocado crema:

    This can be made up to 2 hours ahead of time. Mix 1 ripe diced avocado, 2-3 tablespoons of sour cream, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Add salt to taste.

  • Salsa Verde Take Two

    You know the drill! We tweak this salsa verde recipe constantly because we have not quite reached the goal, which is to duplicate the amazing flavor of the famous Santana’s salsa verde. This time I roasted all of the ingredients under the broiler, including the garlic!

    1 Lb (about 10) tomatillos
    2 Roma tomatoes
    3/4 Cup of fresh cilantro
    4 Cloves of garlic (peeled)
    1/4 Tsp kosher salt
    1 Jalapeno pepper
    1/2 Large white onion
    2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

    Peel husk from tomatillos and wash thoroughly. Place tomatillos, tomatoes, sliced onion and garlic cloves on cookie sheet or broiler pan. Place under the broiler for about 8-10 minutes or until the skin of the tomatillos is blackened. EVERY broiler is different, so keep an eye on the tomatillos after about 5 minutes just to make sure. Remove ingredients from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.

    Combine the ingredients in food processor and blend. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the food processor to make sure everything blends evenly. Pour contents of the food processor into a bowl and let cool. Salsa is ready to use after it cools, however, we have found that flavor improves if the salsa is refrigerated over night.

  • Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Thyme and Garlic

    This recipe is a simple and delicious way to roast/bake a chicken with lemon, thyme and garlic cloves.

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

    1 Cleaned and prepped roasting chicken (roughly 4 – 5 lbs)
    4-6 garlic cloves
    4 Thyme sprigs
    2 Lemons, halved
    1 Pinch of salt
    1 Pinch of pepper
    1/4 Tbsp of Italian seasoning

    Place chicken in a roasting pan and ensure the cavity is emptied of the neck and other chicken parts. Add the garlic, lemon and thyme in sets of 2 and try to ensure a even distribution so the flavors work evenly in the roasting process.

    Sprinkle salt, pepper and Italian seasoning evenly over the top of the chicken. Place the chicken in the oven and bake at 400 for 60 – 70 minutes. Remove chicken and let rest for 10 minutes prior to carving.

  • Baked Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples and Garlic

    5 Cups peeled and chopped apples (preferably Braeburn or Gravenstein)
    1 Tsp chopped fresh sage
    1/4 Tsp ground cinnamon
    1/8 Tsp ground nutmeg
    4 Cloves of garlic, chopped
    1/2 Tsp salt
    Cooking or olive oil mister
    8 Chicken thighs
    1/4 Tsp fresh ground black pepper

    Preheat oven to 475

    Combine apples, sage, cinnamon. nutmeg and garlic. Add salt and stir. Spread the apple mixture on the bottom of a pyrex roasting pan coated with olive oil or cooking spray.

    Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and arrange on the top of the apple mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done and apples are tender. Remove chicken and set aside; use potato masher to slightly mash the apple mixture and serve with the chicken.

    Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples
    Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples

  • Toasted Orzo with Peas and Mint

    This recipe is adapted from a recipe courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen

    We’re in the spirit to celebrate Summer in hopes of inspiring the sun to appear in San Francisco and burn off the marine layer! The following recipe for Toasted Orzo with Peas and Mint jumped off the page when we flipped through America’s Test Kitchen and now it is a house favorite! Really easy and really good. Give it a shot and see for yourself!

    2/3 Cup Orzo
    1 Tbsp unsalted butter
    1/4 Cup onion, diced
    1 Garlic clove, minced
    2 Cups low-sodium chicken broth
    1/2 Cup water
    1/3 Cup frozen peas
    1 Tbsp fresh mint, minced
    1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
    1/2 Tsp grated lemon zest
    Pinch of salt and pepper

    Toast the orzo in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Be sure to keep a close eye on the orzo as it toasts because it may take a moment to get going, but like anything else, once it starts browning get ready to pull the orzo off the heat before you burn the pasta!

    Add the toasted orzo, broth, and water to the skillet; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring every few minutes (but not too frequently or it will turn into mush) until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is tender. All told it should take roughly 15 minutes.

    Stir in peas, mint, lemon juice and zest and ensure the peas are heated through (about 1 minute). Season with salt and pepper if desired and serve.

  • Puff Pastry Tart with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

    1 Box of frozen puff pastry
    2 Heirloom tomatoes sliced into bite sized sections or 1 basket or grape/cherry tomatoes halved (your choice)
    1 Tablespoon of White Balsamic Vinegar
    2 Cloves of Garlic, Chopped or Pressed
    1/4 Tsp fresh ground black pepper
    1 Quarter Cup of Fresh Basil, Minced
    1 Container of crumbled goat cheese (fresh is fine but we think it can be harder to spread)

    Combine ingredients from tomatoes to basil in a bowl and set aside.

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Defrost puff pastry as instructed on the box. Lay out pastry and cut into even squares leaving one section to cut into 1/4 inch strips for edges. Lay 1/4 strips along the border on each side of the chart. Brush the raised edges of each puff pastry tart with egg-wash (1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp of water). Bake tarts for 20-22 minutes and remove from oven. Use fork to gently poke holes and deflate the center of the tart.

    Layer goat cheese in the center of each tart (roughly 1-2 Tbsp, or to taste). Spoon tomato mixture on top of cheese and place in the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Remove and enjoy!

  • Sesame and Orange Cedar Plank Pork Tenderloin

    1 to 2 Lb pork tenderloin
    Zest of 1 medium orange
    Juice of 1 medium orange
    1 Medium shallot, diced
    4 Garlic cloves, diced
    1/3 Cup soy sauce
    3/4 Cup extra-virgin olive oil
    1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
    1/4 Cup brown sugar
    2 Tbsp garlic powder
    1-2 Sprigs of rosemary
    1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme

    Soak cedar plank for at least an hour before grilling. Wash meat, pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

    For the marinade, combine the orange zest, orange juice, shallot, garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic powder, rosemary and thyme in a resealable plastic bag. Mix well and then add the meat. Be sure to gently move the tenderloin around so the meat is completely covered with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least a few hours, ideally overnight.

    Remove the meat from the refrigerator around 30 minutes before grilling to allow the meat to come to room temp.

    Prepare the cedar plank by placing the plank on the hot grill. After about 1-2 minutes flip the plank over and place the meat on the side that was facing down. Close lid and grill for about 20 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads between 150 and 160 degrees. Remove meat from the grill and allow the meat to rest for at least 5 minutes.

  • Lemon Cornmeal Pound Cake with Berries and Cream

    For Cake:

    1 3/4 Cups of all-purpose flour
    1/2 Cup of cornmeal
    1 Tsp baking soda
    1/4 Tsp of salt
    1 1/2 Cups of granulated sugar
    10 Tbsp of butter
    3 Large eggs
    2 Tsp lemon zest
    1 Tsp vanilla extract
    2/3 Cup of nonfat buttermilk
    3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
    3 Large egg whites
    2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

    For Topping:

    1 1/2 Cups of fresh blueberries
    1 1/2 Cups of sliced fresh strawberries
    1 Cup of fresh blackberries
    1/4 Cup of granulated sugar (optional)
    1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
    1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream
    2 Tbsp powdered sugar

    Preheat oven to 350. Prepare cake, lightly spoon about 1 3/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Combine 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and butter into a large bowl; beat with a mixer on high until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating until blended. Stir in the lemon zest and and vanilla. Combine buttermilk and 3 tbsp of juice. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and then alternate by adding buttermilk mixture.

    Place egg whites in a large bowl and beat at high speed using beater (clean and dry). Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold half of egg whites into batter and then fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon batter into a 10-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray and sprinkled with all-purpose flour. Bake at 350 for one-hour. Cool the loaf in-pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

    To prepare topping, combine berries, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp of juice. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Beat cream with a mixer on high until soft peaks form. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Serve cake slices topped with berries and cream.

  • Grilled Chicken with Cucumber-Melon Salsa

    4-6 (6 oz) Skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs
    4 Cups of buttermilk

    For Salsa:
    1 Cup Cubed honeydew melon
    1 Cup cubed cantaloupe
    1/2 Cup Diced peeled English cucumber
    1/2 Cup diced onion
    1/4 Cup chopped fresh mint
    1 Tsp lime zest
    2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
    2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    2 Tsp diced jalapeno pepper
    1 Tsp light agave nectar
    3/4 Tsp kosher salt
    1/2 Tsp fresh ground black pepper

    Pre-soak chicken in buttermilk for an hour or so. Buttermilk helps chicken retain moisture while cooking and ensures a rich flavor.

    Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Combine ingredients for salsa stirring in 1/4 Tsp salt and 1/4 Tsp pepper.

    Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/2 Tsp salt and 1/4 Tsp black pepper. Remove chicken from buttermilk and grill 5-7 min on each side until done. Serve with salsa; garnish with mint sprigs if desired.

  • Papaya-Avocado Salad with Papaya Seed Dressing

    This recipe is adapted from an recipe originally seen in “Big Small Plate” by Cindy Pawlcyn with Pablo and Erasto Jacinto

    1 Pound Mexican papaya
    3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
    3 Tbsp Rice vinegar
    1 Tsp sweet paprika
    1/4 Tsp salt
    1/4 Tsp toasted ground cumin seeds
    2/3 Cup olive oil
    1 Tsp freshly ground pepper
    2 Cups of spinach
    2 Avocados, pits removed and skin removed, sliced
    2 Tbsp toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

    Cut the papaya in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds, reserving 2 Tbsp for dressing. Cut the papaya halves into quarters. Now, carefully, hold fruit firmly to a cutting board and run a thin knife between the fruit and skin to separate. As always, take care to NOT cut towards yourself. Now cut the fruit on the short side and create 1/2 in thick slices and refrigerate.

    Place the papaya seeds, lime juice, rice vinegar, honey, paprika, salt and cumin in a blender. Blend and slowly add the olive oil, until smooth.

    Either using one large serving dish or individual salad plates, and lay a bed of spinach as a base on the plate or plates. Dress the greens with a few Tsp of the dressing. Build the salad by alternating slices of papaya and avocado across the greens. When complete sprinkle the salad with some toasted nuts, drizzle with some additional dressing and freshly ground black pepper. Place remaining dressing on the table for service.