We do a lot of salads similar to this, but Justin was specifically craving an orzo salad. We thought we'd use the cherry and yellow tomatoes out of our garden, as well as the poblanos Justin grew. (Poblano taste real similar to green bell peppers, and I figured most people are more familiar with bell pepper, so I put that in the recipe.) What I really love about this salad, though, is the Lemon Basil Vinaigrette! I so love making my own salad dressings.
I know I just used Op Ivy a few recipes ago, but we were listening to them in the car whilst running errands this morning, and so all day I've been singing "Bombshell". Actually, I've just been singing the "Oh yeah!" backup vocals part. I'm really good at that part. -jen
ITALIAN ORZO SALAD Time: 40 minutes (mostly just chopping veggies) Difficulty: Easy Makes: 6-7 cups
1.5 cups dry orzo pasta
4 cups chicken broth
1 cups broccoli florets
1 cup cucumber, seeded and diced (about 1 medium)*
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup bell pepper, diced (about 1 small pepper)
1/2 cup green onion, diced (2-3 medium onions)
1/2 cup carrot, shredded (about 1 medium carrot)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup green olives, rough chopped
6 oz mozzarella cheese, small cubed
1/2 cup Lemon Basil Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
* To seed a cucumber: Cut off both ends. Cut cucumber lengthwise. Run a small spoon down the length of the seeds, scooping them out.
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large pot. Stir in orzo and cook 10 minutes, pasta should be al dente. Drain in a strainer and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside to cool slightly. (Good time to cut veggies and make the Lemon Basil Vinaigrette!)
Add all remaining ingredients to cooled orzo and toss.
LEMON BASIL VINAIGRETTE Time: less than 5 minutes Difficulty: Easy Makes: about 1/2 cup
zest of 1 lemon (about 1/2 tbsp)
juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup basil leaves, packed
1 small green onion
1 large garlic clove (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1.5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
pinch of red pepper flake
Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until combined.
When I moved to Northern California ten years ago, I noticed the biscuits here were different than what I'd grown up with in the midwest (which were southern style biscuits). Here in NorCal, they make what I think of as "lumberjack" biscuits - they're dense and heavy, a little crumbly like cake. Biscuits and gravy used to be one of my favourite things to order for breakfast, but I had to quit ordering it out here because I just couldn't dig on the cakey biscuits.
So... like everything else I'm dissatisfied with, I decided to make my own. It took a couple of tries... but these are the perfect biscuit! Better than most I've had in the midwest or south (someone's southern grandma is going to skin my hide for saying that). Fluffy, flaky, buttery layers. They're awesome. Justin's been making them on a pretty regular basis... they're not difficult and they don't take much time at all. The last couple of nights, we've been eating them as maple-sausage egg sandwiches, topped with our neighbour's homemade apple-jalepeño jelly. (The neighbour guy gave us a bunch of canned jellies and jams when I took him and his dad some coconut-banana marshmallow squares! Awesome neighbour bartering!)
I asked Justin what song we should use for this recipe... he said some Op Ivy sounded good to him. I love "Unity", but I can't hear it without thinking of Dave Chappelle and the Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories with Rick James.... "UNITYYY!" -jen
SOUTHERN STYLE BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
Time: about 30 minutes Difficulty: Medium Makes: 9 large biscuits
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (optional - we like them a little peppery)
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and black pepper. Cut butter into flour until pea-size (you can use a dough cutter or just work it in with your fingers, but you don't want to handle the butter too much so that it softens). Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add milk. Stir or mix with your hands just until the dough comes together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust the top of the dough. Fold dough over onto itself 3-5 times - this is what creates flaky layers. Press out into 3/4"-1" square. Cut evenly into 9 pieces. Place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and brush over the tops. Bake at 450 degrees F for 12-17 minutes, until biscuits are golden brown and done in the center.
I'm not sure what my inspiration was for this recipe. Justin had chicken thighs thawed and we had most of the items on hand. It sounded like a delicious mix of Mexican, Greek, and American influences. I imagine most food critics or trained chefs would be appalled by this combination, but it came out to be a delicious, soul-warming homemade Hot Pocket! I was a little leery about making and using the gravy in this, but after tasting it, I have no regrets! Imagine crossing a chicken pot pie with chicken enchiladas and wrapping it all up in some crispy, Greek phyllo dough! Play list while cooking consisted of the Operation Ivy Pandora station - Some Op Ivy, Rancid, Goldfinger, Descendents, The Slackers. -Jen
MEXICAN CHICKEN PHYLLO ROLLS (HOMEMADE HOT POCKETS) Makes about 6 phyllo rolls
3 teaspoons seasoning mix, divided (see recipe below)
1 can (4oz) chopped green chiles
2 green onions, chopped
2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon, plus extra green Tabasco hot sauce
1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth, as needed
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg (and 1 tablespoon water)
Seasoning Mix
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground pasilla chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground New Mexico chile powder
1/4 teaspoon ground California chile powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
Mix spices together.
Place a small strainer over a bowl and empty can of tomatoes into strainer. Toss with 1 teaspoon of salt and set aside to drain.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil. Place chicken thighs in baking dish and sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons of seasoning mix. Bake at 450 for 25-30 minutes, until juices run clear. Remove from oven and using tongs, place chicken thighs on a plate to cool and set aside. Carefully pour the remaining chicken juice and fat from the baking pan into a bowl and refrigerate.
When chicken is cooled, remove skin and discard. Pull the meat from the bone and place into a bowl. Using two forks, shred chicken meat. Add green chiles, green onions, cilantro, garlic, oregano, cheese, and 2 dashes of Tabasco. Mix together and set aside.
Remove chicken drippings from refrigerator. The fat should have solidified on top. Scoop all the fat solids off the top of the chicken broth, saving 2 tablespoons of fat. Measure out the chicken broth saved from baking and use canned chicken broth to make a total of 1 cup of liquid. Place the 2 tablespoons of chicken fat in a small sauce pan (use olive oil to make up the difference if you didn't have 2 tablespoons worth of fat). Heat on medium and add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Stir constantly until a paste is formed, making a roux. Quickly add the 1 cup of broth to the roux, turn heat to high, and begin whisking constantly. While whisking, add 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mix. Once the liquid begins to boil, the gravy will begin to thicken. Continue whisking until it's a gravy consistency and remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Since phyllo dough can be a pain to work with because it dries out quickly, it's best to arrange your work station like an assembly line. You'll need your chicken filling and gravy near by, enough room for two working areas for phyllo dough, and a well greased cookie sheet. Make sure your butter is melted and egg wash prepared (by whisking egg and 1 tablespoon of water together) before opening your phyllo dough. Remove one sheet of phyllo dough and keep the rest covered with a clean, damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Brush melted butter over the first sheet of phyllo and cover buttered dough with a second sheet of phyllo dough. Brush second sheet with melted butter. Gently place about 1/2 a cup of filling near the bottom of your phyllo sheets. Top with 2 tablespoons of the gravy. Carefully begin to roll the filled phyllo like a burrito, tucking the sides in as you roll.
Place rolled pouches seam-side down on well greased cookie sheet. Brush tops with egg wash. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for five minutes before serving.
We do a lot of salads similar to this, but Justin was specifically craving an orzo salad. We thought we'd use the cherry and yellow tomatoes out of our garden, as well as the poblanos Justin grew. (Poblano taste real similar to green bell peppers, and I figured most people are more familiar with bell pepper, so I put that in the recipe.) What I really love about this salad, though, is the Lemon Basil Vinaigrette! I so love making my own salad dressings.
