Spatchcock Chicken

Ok so here’s the deal with this one: you can cook a whole chicken, incredibly juicy & tender, in 45 minutes. Whole chicken. On a weeknight. Yep!​ You’ll even have time for seconds. 

Time: 1 hour 

Ingredients:  

• 1 whole chicken, about 6lbs  
• 2 tablespoons softened (not melted!) butter  
• 1-2 teaspoons salt  
• herbs of your choice, I used sage, thyme & rosemary  
• lemon slices (about 6) 
• veggies for roasting (optional)  

Recipe: 

1. Wash the whole chicken, remove the gibblets & pat dry with a paper towel.  
2. Lay the chicken out on a cutting board so that the backbone is facing up. 
3. Starting at the tailbone, use kitchen sheers to cut along one side of the backbone first, all the way to the top of the neck. Repeat on the other side.  
4. Pull out the back bone, you can make an extremely flavorful stock with this! Or just discard. 
5. Turn the chicken over so the belly side is up.  
6. Press your palms on the chest of the chicken & press down hard. The chicken should flatten slightly.  
7. Use the kitchen sheers to cut off the tips of the wings. The wing tips cook faster & will burn if you leave them on. 
8. Mix the butter with the herbs & salt.  
9. Lift up the skin and slide your hand in there to make room for the lemon slices. Then, slide in a lemon slice with a little of the seasoned butter under the skin for the breasts and thighs.  Rub any leftover lemon around the skin on the outside of the chicken. Same with any extra butter. 
10. Use a large cast iron pan (or roasting pan if you don’t have a cast iron).  Lay your chicken in the pan with the belly side up.  Sprinkle with sea salt. 
11. Place the chicken in a preheated oven at 450 for 30-40 minutes.  Make sure the internal temp of the chicken is at 165 degrees before you eat it!  
12. If you’re adding in vegetables, keep an eye on the timing. Add them when the chicken has already cooked for 15-20 minutes, depending on what veggies you’re using/how long they take to roast.  

Paella

A gorgeous Spanish dish! Paella seems so intimidating. I tried making it for the first time yesterday and I have to say... it's really not that hard! If you have good quality ingredients & a good paella pan, you're golden. ​my take on it is a little spicy & packed with incredible flavor. 

Time: 45 mins, serves 2

Ingredients: 

• 2-3 cups jumbo shrimp, peeled & deviened, tail on
• 2-3 cups cooked mussels  (can use uncooked but it's a pain to wash & takes longer to cook) 
• 1 cup paella rice (can substitute any short grain rice) 
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes & green chilies  (this is where the spice comes in, if you don't want it spicy you can use plain canned diced tomatoes) 
• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1/2 cup sweet green peas  
• 3 cups chicken stock (can use 1 chicken boullion cube with 3 cups of water)  
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika  
• salt & pepper to taste  
• 1.5 tablespoons safflower oil (or any high-heat oil)  
• 1/2 lemon  

Recipe:

Tip: The best way to do this is to get a Paella pan. To serve 2 people, I bought a 13.5 inch paella pan from Amazon. Worked wonders!   

1. Heat the oil & onion in the paella pan on medium heat. After 30 seconds, add the garlic, then give it another 30 seconds before adding the tomatoes. 
2. Pour in the paella rice & toss to combine.   
3. Sprinkle on the smoked paprika & the saffron, then add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover. I used my pizza stone to cover the paella pan because I don't have a large enough pan cover. Reduce the heat to let the mixture simmer while it's covered. 
4. After about 20 minutes, uncover the pan & use a spatula to stir. You may notice some rice sticking to the bottom of the pan, that's okay. Paella should have a nice crust at the bottom. Not a thick crust, but a nice crunchy layer. 
5. Add in the seafood and green peas then cover to allow it to cook for 5 more minutes. Keep the heat on medium.  
6. Once the seafood is cooked, add in the parsley & lemon wedges & serve!   Squeezing the lemon juice over the paella before eating it gives it a wonderful fresh taste! 

Creamy Potato Soup

With hints of lemon, black pepper & celery... this soup is no where near bland.  Warm and hearty, creamy... oh and vegetarian :) 

Time: 1 hour  

Yields: 2 servings  

Ingredients:  

• 2 large potatoes
• 1 small white onion
• 2 tablespoons butter  
• 1 stalk celery  
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 vegetable boullion cube  
• 1/2 cup Lactaid
• salt & pepper to taste

Recipe: 

1. Peel & cube the potatoes ~1 inch cubes.
2. Dice the onion. 
3. Slice the celery into thin slices.
4. Warm the butter in a medium sized pot, add the onion.  
5. After a minute, add the potatoes & celery. Stir in 1 teaspoon black pepper & 1 teaspoon salt.  
6. Let the potatoes "fry" for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add in the vegetable boullion cube & the water. Bring to a boil. 
7. Once the potatoes are boiling, cover the pot & lower the heat. Let sit for 15 minutes. 
8. Uncover the pot & test the potatoes with a pot spoon, make sure they're soft enough to melt down.
9. Turn off the fire & pour the soup mixture into a large food processor. Pour in the Lactaid (or milk) & pulse until smooth.  
10. Pour the soup back into the pot & add in the lemon juice. Reheat, stir, & serve! You can add in fresh or dried parsley for garnish. 

Summer Squash Boats

Stuffed with amazing habanero lime shrimp! This delicious carbless meal promises to be a crowd pleaser! Try it for a small meal for two or as an appetizer or main for a party! The list of filling options is ​endless!  Go crazy. 

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:  

• 1 zucchini & 1 yellow summer squash (or whatever squash combos you have)
• olive oil for drizzling  
• salt & pepper to taste
• half a bag of large shrimp, peeled & deveined  
• 2 medium sized limes
• 3-4 slices of habanero, seeds removed  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil  

Recipe: 

1. Cut the squash in half longways. 
2. Scoop out the middle of the squash with a spoon. Leave enough flesh on the bottom & sides so that it can hold up to the filling & grilling (hey that rhymed!) 
3. Drizzle olive oil around the top of the squash, then flip them over on grill mats, or a cookie sheet if you're baking them, so the flesh is facing down.  
4. Grill the squash on medium heat for about 5-10 minutes depending how large they are. You want them still crunchy, not too soft.  
5. While the squash is grilling, sauté the shrimp in the lime juice, habanero & vegetable oil.  
6. Add salt & pepper to taste, then turn off the heat.  
7. Use tongs to flip the squash over on the grill mats. Fill them with the habanero shrimp, and drizzle with any leftover sauce.  
8. Close the grill to allow the shrimp to cook into the squash for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.   
9. Remove the squash boats from the grill mats & serve on a platter. Enjoy!  

Chicken Adobo

Another incredibly easy Filipino dish that tastes like a fancy restaurant meal! Chicken Adobo has complex flavor profiles & will be ready in under an hour. This 6 ingredient meal will have your mouth watering. 

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:  

• 5-6 chicken thighs, skinless for a healthier option   
• 5-6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce  
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper or 5-6 black pepper corns
• 1/3 cup white vinegar 
• 1 bay leaf  
• Optional: chili peppers for garnish / spice  

Recipe:  

1.  In a large pan, heat the garlic on medium heat (with a little olive oil if desired) 
2. Add the vinegar & soy sauce to the pan, along with the black pepper.  
3. Place the chicken pieces & the bay leaf into the pan, turning the chicken pieces over once to get coated in the sauce. Then add enough water to cover the chicken. 
4. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil & let simmer for about 20 minutes. 
5. Take another pan, add a spoonful of the fat from the chicken (or vegetable oil) in it bring it to medium heat. Add the chicken pieces from the first pan & allow them to brown.  
6. Reduce the sauce to about half, while the chicken is browning in the other pan.  
7. Add the chicken back into the sauce pan & turn it so it is well coated. Serve with rice & enjoy!