Loaded Hash Browns

I became obsessed with these hash browns toward the end of my Whole33. They're easy/quick enough to make whenever the desire strikes. (Daily, in my case.)

Loaded Hash Browns

2-3 tbs olive oil
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 medium (2 small) yukon gold potatoes, grated and squeezed of excess water
2 big handfuls of baby spinach, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and red pepper, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Add grated potato, season with salt and pepper, and stir together. Let cook and brown, stirring every few minutes, until nicely browned, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in spinach and wilt slightly. Turn out onto a plate and devour with scrambled or fried eggs.

Chicken and Zucchini

This is another Whole30 favorite. It's super simple, but super delicious. 

Chicken and Zucchini

3-4 tbs olive oil

1 lb chicken (breasts, thighs, or tenders) cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 onion, sliced

2 medium zucchini, cut into circles or half-moons

salt

pepper

cayenne pepper (optional)

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, salt and pepper. When onion starts to soften, but not brown, add chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken just starts to brown. Add zucchini, more oil, if neccessary, and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne, if using. Cook until chicken and zucchini are nicely browned and chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. 

Best Drop Biscuits

If you're a biscuit lover, like every single member of my family, please step away from the can right now. I promise you, these are the easiest and most delicious biscuits, and you can have them whipped together in less time than it takes your oven to heat up. (I promise. That's what happened to me this morning.)
These biscuits are unusual in that you use melted butter instead of cold butter that you have to "cut into" the flour. This trick makes them pretty much fool-proof as well as super light and flaky.

Best Drop Biscuits
From Best of America's Test Kitchen- 2009

Makes 12 biscuits

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold buttermilk (you can make buttermilk by combining whole milk with a splash of lemon juice or white vinegar, which is what I almost always do.)
1 stick butter, melted and cooled slightly (about 5 minutes)

Preheat oven to 475. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the dry ingredients- the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine completely, being careful not to over-mix.
Using a 1/4 cup measure (or large ice cream scoop), scoop out the batter onto a greased or lined cookie sheet. Bake biscuits 12-14 minutes, until lightly golden. If desired, brush with melted butter when you remove them from the oven.

Bacon (or Sausage), Egg, and Cheese Muffins

Early last Sunday morning, I was serving breakfast to the 14 people who make up our church Leadership Team. So Saturday evening, I was preparing said breakfast, so that I didn't have to wake up any earlier than necessary. I was bringing yogurt, granola, and fruit to make parfaits, muffins, and mini-donuts for any kids who might be there, but I knew that if it were me, I would want something savory and something substantial. I'm not a huge breakfast casserole fan, plus they take forever to cook, so I ruled that out. I finally landed upon the best solution: a riff on the Sausage Biscuit Things that my boys always loved.
On Saturday, I fried bacon, browned sausage, and scrambled eggs. I had stumbled upon the most awesome creation ever, crescent roll sheets. Have you seen these? A thing of beauty, I tell you. They made this breakfast almost too easy.

Bacon (or Sausage), Egg, and Cheese Muffins

2 packages crescent dough sheets

4-5 slices bacon, cut into small pieces, fried to crispy perfection

1/2 pound breakfast sausage, fully cooked

6 eggs, scrambled

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Spray 2 standard sized muffin tins with non-stick spray. Onto a lightly floured surface, or a plastic cutting board, unroll one package of crescent dough. Distribute half of the scrambled eggs evenly across the dough, then the bacon, then 1/2 cup cheese. Roll up the dough "jelly-roll" style. Cut the log in half, then half again, and into 12 equal pieces. Place 1 piece in each section of the muffin tin. 

Repeat the process with the remaining dough, using the breakfast sausage, remaining eggs, and remaining cheese. (If making these ahead, simply cover the pans with plastic wrap or foil, park them in the fridge overnight, and bake them the next morning!)

Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. 

Whole30- Day 8

Confession time- last night I told my husband that I want to quit. Not because it's too hard (it's really not!), not because I'm tired of the food, not because I miss crackers and cheese. I wanted to quit...just because. It would just be easier to not do this anymore.

I've been at this for a week now. And I feel like I've learned a lot in one week- about my eating habits, the mindless eating I wasn't completely aware of before, my problem areas and triggers. Why do it for a month? He lovingly reminded me that I wanted to do this mainly to see if I would stick with it.
For 30 days. Not 7. Then he encouraged me to think about how much I've learned in this week and then multiply that by 3, as I've got 3 weeks to go.

And just like that, I'm back in the game.

(Confession 2- I stepped on the scale today. I'm not supposed to do that until the 30 days are over. I've lost 5 pounds.)

This morning, I just didn't want to put forth the effort of eggs and hash browns, so I had a banana with coconut cream, cinnamon, and almonds. (Notice I didn't call it a banana split. Not for breakfast!) I drank my coffee black. I knew that sweet breakfast wouldn't tide me over until lunch, and I was right. We spent a good 2 hours at the library and I was very hungry when we got home.

So lunch became a plate of piles. A pile of sweet potato hash browns, a pile of veggies, a pile of spaghetti sauce. Hearty and satisfying and it cleaned out the fridge a bit. Win, win.

Immediately after I finished lunch, I felt light-headed and had a headache coming on. I assumed I hadn't had enough protein today. So instead of popping some Advil, I grabbed some cold chicken from the fridge. Between that and lying down with my daughter, I hoped to catch it before my headache got bad.

It got bad. I tried some afternoon coffee. I tried more protein (chicken and avocado dressing lettuce wrap). I tried lots of water. I ate more lettuce wraps for dinner, heavy on the chicken. Eventually, I gave up and took an Imitrex, which worked, thankfully.

I want Whole30 to be a magic pill that makes my headaches go away forever. That's probably too much to expect at all, but especially 8 days in.

I found myself seeking comfort (?) in something sweet, so I whipped up some "ice cream." (I tried again with that whipped sorbet and it worked, after the berries thawed out a bit!) It was delicious, but I think I need to start paying more attention to the food I'm seeking out. (Obvious statement.)

Berry Coconut "Ice Cream"

frozen blueberries, slightly thawed

frozen strawberries, slightly thawed

coconut cream

Combine berries in food processor and blend well. Add coconut cream, mix well and serve immediately. 

Whole30- Day 5

Day 5!
1/6 of the way there, folks!

Breakfast this morning was coffee with coconut cream and green eggs and bacon. I wanted to add veggies to breakfast but really had to choke these down. Kale chips are one thing, sauteed kale is another kind of beast.

My nephews' joint birthday party is today, and once again I've been recruited to make cupcakes. Temptation at its finest. I survived the baking, but can I resist temptation at the party? (I predict that I can.)

I made myself a sweet potato hash brown for lunch which was so delicious I almost cried. Not really, but it was delicious. I predict that I will make those at some point most days of the week. They'd be perfect topped with a fried egg for breakfast. It was perfect for lunch with chicken and green beans. It will make a perfect bed for meat and veggies at dinner. I.love.the.sweet.potato.hash.brown.

I had some almonds and baby oranges (clementines, to you) before the birthday party and told myself to bring food with me. I forgot. So we got to the pool and swam for a bit and then it was pizza time. Pizza and cupcakes, to be exact. I simply didn't eat so by the time we left I was hungry. Not ravenous, (is this a good sign that my blood sugar is holding steady throughout the day?) but definitely hungry. It was almost 8:00 after all. So I warmed up another bowl of soup, added chicken and was...very unsatisfied. I really wanted a burger. A big, fat, double cheeseburger, to be exact. Instead I thought maybe a little something sweet would satisfy. And oh, I was right.

Banana Split with Coconut Cream

1 banana
1/4 cup coconut cream
sprinkle of cinnamon
handful of dry roasted almonds

Mondays with Mom- Fiesta Time

Mexican food will probably always make me think of my mom. We ate it often, at home and in restaurants. Growing up, there was a little place by our church and we ate there every other week. My sister remembers me eating the butter packets placed on the table to spread on tortillas (I still deny this) and I remember her ordering chicken fingers at a Mexican restaurant (she cannot deny this). 

Our family tradition is to eat Mexican food every year on Christmas Eve. No turkey or ham for us, just enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, even homemade tamales one year. It's a pretty special feeling on Christmas Eve, knowing that my family in California is celebrating in the same manner. 

We ate a lot of Mexican food at home, as well. Mom would usually buy a Taco Bell taco kit from the store and a block of frozen hamburger meat was transformed into a fiesta by the end of the day. My dad works for Frito-Lay, so we always had plenty of chips, salsa, and queso to round out the meal. Taco night is a favorite at our house, as well. I love it because it's one of the quickest meals to get on the table, and yet it always looks like such an elaborate spread of food. 

I also love it because no other meal gets my oldest picky eater to voluntarily add lettuce and tomato to his plate. 

I forgo the boxed kit and packaged taco seasoning but usually have crunchy shells for the kiddos. If I feel fancy, I'll make flour tortillas. Rice and beans, guacamole for me, and everyone ends up happy and full. If I've learned anything from this blog series about feeding a family, it is this: my mom knew what she was doing. 

Taco Seasoning
To season 1 lb of hamburger meat:

1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp oregano

Brown and drain your meat, then add seasonings and a couple of tablespoons of water. Stir well to combine and distribute the seasoning throughout.

Mondays With Mom- The Weekly Shake and Bake

My Mom always had to work, but she always took a job that would allow her to be home when my sister and I got out of school. For a few years, she even worked in the cafeteria of my elementary school. I was never embarrassed to see her there, in her hairnet. She was hilarious and all my friends loved her. It wasn't until a sociology class in college, while researching my family's educational history, that I learned that my mom had two master's degrees and was pretty wicked smaht. She had been an educator most of her life, so slopping mashed potatoes on an endless line of plastic trays was a truly sacrificial move on her part.

Throughout my childhood, in the mornings, mom would grab some kind of meat out of the deep freezer and set in the sink to thaw throughout the day. Not in a sink filled with cold water, just the sink. When I commented on this when I became an adult who cooked and who knew that this really wasn't a safe way to thaw out meat, she responded, "Nothing bad ever happened, right?"
I don't remember a lot of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which are a staple in my house today. I remember a lot of pork chops. I'm sure they were a cheaper option. If there were pork chops in the sink, you could count on one thing for supper- Shake and Bake. I loved Shake and Bake nights, because of course, I helped!

These days, I still rely heavily on a weekly dose of "shake and bake" chicken. 25 minutes in the oven, a side of brown rice and some veggies? Done. And everyone loves it. Growing up, the cast of characters would have included a bag of Lipton Rice and a salad. There was always salad on the table. 

Crispy Rosemary Chicken is my go-to version of mom's weekly favorite. It requires little more effort than the boxed variety and it tastes infinitely better. This meal has completely taken the place of Parmesan Chicken as my family's favorite meal.  

I think mom would have loved it. I'm willing to bet your family will, as well. 

Shortbread Cookies

Sometimes, you just need to bake cookies.
And sometimes, you just need to bake cookies and you don't have any eggs.
And that, friends, is why God gave us shortbread. A buttery, slightly sweet, flaky little morsel of goodness.  I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure these bad boys would be delightful with some Nutella sandwiched in between.

Shortbread Cookies
from Ina Garten

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt; then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and roll shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter. Place the hearts on an ungreased sheet pan and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Note: The edges of the shortbread are ever so slightly sharper if you chill the cookies before baking them. I cut out the cookies days ahead and bake them the day I serve them.

Roasted Sausages and Vegetables

AKA- The night that Facebook saved dinner.

I bought some Italian sausage because it was on sale and I had a coupon which doubled. Cheap dinner is always a good idea. I usually use it to jazz up our standard cheese pizza, but I didn't want to walk back over to the opposite side of the grocery store to get mozzarella cheese. So last night, the sausage was staring me in the face, taunting my nearly empty fridge and cabinets. I turned to my friends on Facebook for inspiration. What we hit on was, in a word, success. An easy, delicious, success. You can basically throw whatever you have in here and it will probably taste pretty darn good.

Roasted Sausages and Vegetables

1 package Italian sausage links, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 russet potato, scrubbed but not peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
fresh rosemary or thyme, if you have any- I had rosemary

Preheat oven to 400. In a baking dish or on a large baking sheet, toss together the vegetables with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place the sausage pieces on top, along with 3 sprigs of rosemary (I didn't even strip the leaves off the stems- just threw the whole thing in there!). Roast for 30 minutes, stirring everything about half way through the cooking time, until the sausage is cooked through, the veggies are softened and starting to caramelize beautifully.
Serve with Easy French Bread.

Veggie Spaghetti

My kids LOVE Daniel Tiger. Perhaps I should be able to appreciate him a bit more, as I did grow up on Mr. Roger's, but I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Daniel. (Mostly hate.) For the most part, the show annoys me. The songs are so catchy, I sometimes find myself singing them in the middle of the night. But I have Daniel to thank for one of my kids most requested meals- Veggie Spaghetti. "You've got to try new food, cause it might taste good!"  That's the song my boys sing to one another on a regular basis. And this Veggie Spaghetti has them eating more vegetables in one meal (and without complaint) than anything else I've ever tried.  Sing on, Daniel. Sing on. 

Veggie Spaghetti

1 box whole wheat pasta
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 medium carrot, cut into pieces
1 stalk celery, cut into pieces
1/2 cup fresh spinach
3/4 - 1 lb ground beef
2 tbs tomato paste
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp dried basil

Put a big old pot of water on to boil for your pasta.
Place 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. In a food processor (I only have a mini-chopper, and it works fine. Sometimes I have to do this in batches.), combine garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and spinach. Pulse until everything is finely minced. Add mixture to the pan with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste and let the veggies soften, about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef, season again with salt and pepper and cook until meat is no longer pink- 7-10 minutes. When meat is browned, add the tomato paste and stir to distribute it. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, and dried herbs. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat while the pasta cooks- about 10-15 minutes.
Drain the pasta, top with the veggie-fied sauce and parmesan cheese.
Serve with the world's best French Bread.

Nacho Spuds

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe already. I've been making it for years and it's a firm family favorite. 

I also can't believe that, for the second year in a row, I succumbed to serving heart-shaped food for dinner on Valentine's Day.

Nacho Spuds
from Rachel Ray

2 large baking potatoes (1-1/2 pounds total), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound lean ground beef sirloin (Omit this and you have a really tasty vegetarian dinner.)
1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed
2 tablespoons taco seasoning (I make my own- chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder)
1 8 ounce package shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
Sour cream and shredded lettuce, for serving

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees . On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and bake until golden, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the beans, taco seasoning and 2 tablespoons water. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until heated through, about 10 minutes.  (Because of my picky eaters, I don't add the beans to the meat mixture. I just top half the potatoes with meat and half with meat and beans.)
Transfer the potatoes to an ovenproof platter. Sprinkle half of the cheddar on top, spoon on the meat mixture, then top with the tomatoes and remaining cheddar. Place in the oven and turn off the heat. Let stand until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with the sour cream and lettuce.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

I get pretty excited when I discover something that I can make from scratch instead of buying premade. However, so often the excitement is short-lived because the time required is too great to justify it. Case(s) in point- homemade noodles, homemade sandwich bread.  Maybe some day. Not right now. 

However, these flour tortillas are super simple and super delicious. So much so that I find it very hard to justify buying a package of them- complete with 12 or 15 ingredients.  The secret is to roll them out as thinly as you possibly can. And I have the best results when I use a large nonstick skillet. 

Homemade Flour Tortillas
from Joy of Cooking

2 cups bread flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening or lard
3/4 cup hot (115-130 degrees) water- I just let the tap get as hot as it can.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Mix by hand or on low speed until the dough comes together. Knead by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until smooth, 4-6 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll them into balls. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Roll out each ball of dough into a 6-8 inch round about 1/8 inch thick. If the dough is resistant, move to the next piece and return later to finish rolling.
Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Slide the tortillas into the skillet one by one, cooking until brown spots appear, about 30 seconds on the first side, 15 seconds once flipped. Cover the cooked tortillas to keep warm while you cook the rest. Serve warm.

Picky-Eater Approved

Baked Feta Spread

Just in time for your Christmas parties, this SIMPLE feta spread is a delicious (and perhaps sinful) appetizer.  The original recipe calls for the cheese packet to be grilled, but I baked it tonight with a lovely result.  The husband and I enjoyed it spread on our bread and I may or may not have dipped everything else on my plate into it, as well.

Baked Feta Spread

adapted from Real Simple Magazine

1 12-ounce piece Feta, at room temperature
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
black pepper
pita bread, pita chips, or toasted baguette, for serving


Preheat oven to 350. Place the Feta in the center of a large piece of heavy-duty foil. Top with the thyme, drizzle with the oil, and season with ¼ teaspoon pepper. Seal the foil to form a packet.
Bake the packet, until the Feta is soft in the center when pressed, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer the Feta, herbs, and oil to a shallow bowl and serve with bread. 

Cheesesteaks with Peppers

 

I had high hopes for this recipe, ripped out of the latest issue of Everyday Food magazine.  I didn't expect the boys to eat the steak, so I sliced chicken for them and cooked it in the same manner as the steak.  I knew the onions and peppers would be just for me.  I hoped that the cheese sauce would really bring it all together.  The verdict?  The sandwich was...alright.  Nothing that Philly needs to worry about anytime soon.  Or Charlie's Steakery in the nearby mall, for that matter.  

  served with kale chips and garlic/sweet potato fries

Cheesesteaks with Peppers
from Everyday Food Magazine

canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1-2 small red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 pound minute steak (London broil, top round, or top sirloin), cut into thin strips
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard (I omitted this)
1 cup shredded provolone
4 hoagie rolls, split

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbs oil over medium.  Add onion and bell pepper and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes.  Remove to a plate.  Add another tsp oil and increase heat to medium high.  Add steak, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until cooked through, 2-3 mins.
Meanwhile, in a small pot, heat evaporated milk and Dijon over medium heat until hot.  Remove from heat and whisk in shredded cheese until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.
Divide steak and vegetables among rolls and drizzle with sauce.

Carino's Chicken Milano

If you knew the whole story of our first date, you'd be as amazed as I am that my husband and I are actually married.  For now, suffice it to say I was an immature 20 year old who had literally never been on a date.  We went to Carino's Italian and my future husband ordered the same thing he always gets (a habit he has most places we go)- Chicken Milano with Fettuccine Alfredo on the side.  I can't remember the last time we ate at Carino's, so when I asked him yesterday if he wanted Parmesan Chicken for dinner (for the 1,000th time) or Chicken Milano, he excitedly answered the latter.  Here's my riff on one of his favorites.  

Carino's Chicken Milano

serves 4, but easily adjusted

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 thin slices ham

1/2 cup shredded cheese- provolone or mozzarella

12 leaves fresh basil

2 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper 

Prepare your chicken by making "pockets" for the filling: Holding chicken flat on your cutting board with palm of one hand, make an incision in thicker side of each breast with a paring knife. Carefully pivot the knife to create a deep pocket, keeping the other side of the chicken breast intact.  If you do what I did and poke a hole in the bottom of the chicken, simply layer in your ham first so the cheese doesn't ooze out.  Fill the pocket with one slice of ham, about 2 tbs cheese, and 3 basil leaves.  Fill each chicken breast and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook until browned on both sides, 6 to 7 minutes per side.
Cover skillet, and continue cooking until chicken is opaque throughout and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 160 degrees. about 5 minutes more.  When your chicken is finished cooking, you will be left with a beautiful pan full of browned bits and lots of goodness.  Feel free to add a 1/2 cup of chicken stock or white wine to that pan and let it bubble and reduce a bit and then spoon it over the chicken. 

Serve with Fettuccine Alfredo and thank the Lord on my behalf that my husband still wanted to marry me after that horrendous first date. 

Crispy Rosemary Chicken

These simple baked chicken thighs are becoming a staple in our house and are almost always met with the same reaction from the husband, "Is that Shake and Bake?"  While I grew up on a steady diet of Shake and Bake and turned out just fine, I assure you that these little beauties have substantially better flavor and require no more effort than their boxed counterpart.  Try them out and let me know what you think!  And Katherine, I've included the freezer-friendly instructions for you!  

Crispy Rosemary Chicken

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 1 large lemon (or 3 tbs red wine vinegar)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
1- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper

In a large baking pan or a ziploc bag, combine olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Stir together and mix well.  Add chicken thighs and let marinate 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 2 hours in the fridge.  Preheat oven to 375.  Pour the breadcrumbs onto a plate and season with salt and pepper.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and coat both sides in the breadcrumbs.  **At this point, you can move the chicken to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and move the whole thing to the freezer.  Allow the chicken to freeze completely on the rack, about 3-4 hours.  After that time, remove the chicken and place in a clean ziploc bag and stash in the freezer for dinner another night!**
Place chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet.   Drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through and gorgeously brown and crunchy.
**If baking from frozen, simply up the cooking time by about 10-15 minutes!**

Fresh Strawberry Granita

I can't believe I've had this gem of a recipe in my collection for so long and had never made it.  That all changed today, and I guarantee you this will play heavy in my summer rotation for YEARS to come.  This is so easy, so delicious, so refreshing, and so full of strawberry flavor, it puts every sno-cone you've ever tasted to serious shame.  Make it.  Now.  You'll thank me later. 

Fresh Strawberry Granita

from Bon Appetit Magazine

1 cup hot water
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups sliced hulled strawberries (1 pound whole berries) plus additional berries for garnish

Stir first 3 ingredients in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Blend 3 cups strawberries in processor until smooth. Add sugar syrup and blend until combined.

Pour mixture into 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Freeze until icy around edges, about 25 minutes. Using fork, stir icy portions into middle of pan. Freeze until mixture is frozen, stirring edges into center every 20 to 30 minutes, about 1 1/2 hours. Using fork, scrape granita into flaky crystals. Cover tightly and freeze. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.) Scrape granita into bowls. Garnish with berries and serve.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Fried Zucchini Spaghetti

When your mother-in-law gives you the largest zucchini you've ever laid eyes on, use some for zucchini pancakes, some for chocolate zucchini bread (a recipe I thought I had shared but apparently have not! Soon!), and some for Gwyneth's fried zucchini spaghetti. Smile to yourself as you eat a huge bowl of it, knowing you don't have to share it with any of the picky eaters in your house.

Fried Zucchini Spaghetti
from My Father's Daughter, by Gwyneth Paltrow

1 pound small zucchini, very thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound spaghetti
1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup torn basil leaves
Freshly ground pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving

In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the flour and a pinch of salt. In a very large skillet, heat half of the oil until shimmering. Add half of the zucchini and fry over high heat, turning once or twice, until browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the zucchini to a paper towel–lined wire rack and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining oil and zucchini.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot and toss with the 1 cup of cheese, the basil and a generous pinch of pepper. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time, tossing well to coat. Transfer the pasta to a bowl and top with the crispy zucchini. Serve right away with lemon wedges and additional cheese.

Skirt Steak with Corn Cakes

If you plan to entice your kids to dinner with the promise of something called "corn cakes," and you promise them that it's like a pancake, make sure they actually like corn.  My kids are the crazy ones who don't.  Apparently.
They did eat around the corn as best they could and, once I removed all the "icky red" pieces of steak from their plates, they gobbled it up, as well.  I didn't have all the lovely accoutrements called for in the recipe, so I served our supper with a Salad with Creamy Dressing.  A hit with the husband and I.  I think the leftover corn cakes will be delicious for lunch tomorrow.

Skirt Steak with Corn Cakes
from Real Simple Magazine

• 2  tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1  pound skirt steak, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1  cup whole milk
• 1  large egg
• 1  cup corn kernels (from 1 to 2 ears), plus more for serving
• sour cream, fresh salsa, grated Cheddar, cut-up avocado, fresh cilantro, hot sauce, and lime wedges, for serving

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steak with the chili powder and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Make a well in the center and add the milk, egg, and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Whisk together the wet ingredients, then incorporate the dry ingredients (do not overmix). Mix in the corn.
3. Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop heaping ¼-cup portions of batter into the skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Serve the corn cakes topped with the steak, corn, sour cream, salsa, Cheddar, avocado, cilantro, hot sauce, and lime wedges.