Happy Memorial Day! A time to reflect all of those brave soldiers and military servicemen and women who have sacrificed their lives and families for the safety of ours. Big applause and respect goes out to them and I’m grateful we have a safe and secure country to live in because of them. Especially now.
In honor of the holiday, I rounded up a few of my favorite recipes to celebrate. Wishing you all a lovely holiday, hopefully filled with family and friends, food and drinks with grateful hearts to our heroes that keep us safe. EVERY DAY. XO
On gray rainy days in New York (esp. at the beginning of so-called “Spring”), there’s nothing better than staying home and cooking up a big pot of comfort food. It seems to make the rain almost pleasant to listen to and watch, knowing that you’re tucked up indoors away from the rest of the world, cooking something cozy and #delicious.
One of my favorite things to make is spicy #Cajun and #Creole food (New Orleans is one of my fav cities ever..the best food and cocktails on the planet!) and I had grand visions of creating a kickass recipe this week for my blog. And considering it’s going to be a rainy week and we’re all stuck indoors from this #quarantine, why not make a big pot of something wonderful to savor while I’m at it?
I had some Aidell’s Andouille Sausage on hand and tons of bell peppers, garlic, onions and tomatoes in the pantry so I decided to make a big pot of Jambalaya for my afternoon project. I also had some Flour City Pasta ‘Bon Vivant Orzo’ I’ve been dying to try, so I decided to whip up a twist on ordinary Jambalaya using that instead of rice. The orzo is multi-colored small pasta that looks like rice, with wild mushroom, saffron, spinach and cayenne – and I thought it would add some more layers of flavor to the dish.
First I cooked the sausage until lightly browned in a big Dutch oven with a little olive oil. Then I added the vegetables and sautéed everything together with some spicy Creole seasoning (Tony Chacere’s is the bomb!). I also threw in some Kroger brand Zesty Seasoning Blend which is a savory blend of herbs and spices like onion, black pepper, chili pepper, parsley, oregano, basil, savory, marjoram, bay, thyme, rosemary, garlic and cumin and added a dash of hot paprika for an extra kick of spiciness and flavor. You can also substitute some dried thyme and oregano or whatever dried herbs you like instead if you can’t find something similar.
Then I added the broth and tomatoes and orzo and brought everything to a boil, and let it all simmer for about 10 minutes or so until the orzo was cooked through. The pasta will soak up the liquids and get thicker the longer it sits, so be careful not to overcook it or it will get mushy. If you’re using rice instead, let the ingredients simmer for longer, about 20 minutes.
Once it all comes together with a consistency you like, serve it with some chopped green onions and fresh parsley with a dash of hot sauce (traditional Frank’s RedHot or Crystal are my favs) and freshly ground black pepper for an extra kick.
All I know is I have a long holiday weekend to savor my delicious #Jambalaya, along with lots of naps and #Netflix.
This Sausage Orzo Jambalaya is a twist on traditional Creole Jambalaya using multi-colored orzo instead of rice, with the addition of some corn. It has a medium-spice heat to it with lots of veggies including red, yellow, orange and green peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes - a savory, heartwarming dish for any occasion.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds Andouille sausage cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ cups onion, chopped
1 ½ cups bell peppers, chopped (red, yellow, orange, green)
Heat oil over medium-high in a large Dutch oven or pot. Add the sausage and cook for about 8 minutes until browned on all sides about 8 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
Add the onions, peppers, corn, garlic and bay leaves along with the herbs and spices and saute over medium-high for a few minutes. Add the broth and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Stir in the orzo and reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for about 10 minutes until the orzo is cooked through and soft.
Garnish with sliced scallions and chopped fresh parsley and a dash of hot sauce and freshly ground black pepper, to taste for an extra kick.
Notes
Note: you can also substitute traditional white rice for the orzo, just cook it in the pot longer, about 20 minutes instead of 10 minutes.
You can also add chicken or shrimp to the recipe, swapping out 1 pound for the andouille sausage.
There’s no better time than Memorial Day weekend to break out the grill and cook up some tasty BBQ to celebrate the beginning of Summer! I had the opportunity to create some recipes with Stoli Vodka for the holiday and decided to make Grilled Honey Orange Chicken Skewers with a Cucumber Orange Cilantro Salsa – a savory and light dish with tons of flavor and a hit of refreshment from the oranges and cucumbers. I used Stoli Ohranj (Orange flavor) and Stoli Sticki (Honey flavor) in both the chicken marinade and my delicious Honey Orange Blossom Cocktails.
The cocktails are made with a shot of each Stoli vodka flavor, honey, orange blossom water, vanilla extract, and organic lemon infused sparkling spring water, garnished with fresh orange slices and edible flowers. It’s light and refreshing with just a dash of honey and orange to cool your palette. It reminds me of a Creamsicle (remember those??) – the perfect treat for a hot Summer day.
I hope you enjoy the recipes and have an amazing Memorial Day weekend with family and friends..as for me, I’m hitting the beach for a dose of sunshine and R&R!
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Stoli Ohranj vodka
1 tablespoon Stoli Sticki vodka
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
6 chives, minced fine
½ teaspoon grated orange zest
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ red onion, cut into large chunks
1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into large chunks
Cucumber-Orange-Cilantro Salsa:
½ large orange, chopped fine
½ cucumber, diced fine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
6 chives, minced fine
1/2 jalapeno, minced fine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Honey Orange Chicken:
Cut chicken into large chunks and set aside.
Soak wooden skewers in water for at least an hour before using (or simply use metal skewers to make your life easier).
Combine next 11 ingredients (orange juice through S&P) in a large mixing bowl, add chicken and let marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours.
Remove chicken from fridge and let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
Thread marinated chicken, red onion and bell peppers onto skewers (should make at least 4 large or 5 medium skewers).
Grill chicken skewers about 10-12 minutes until cooked through (internal temperature should read 165 degrees), turning once.
Serve with Cucumber-Orange-Cilantro and grilled pita or flatbread and Stoli Honey Orange Blossom Cocktails.
Cucumber-Orange-Cilantro Salsa:
In a medium mixing bowl, add diced cucumber, orange pieces, fresh cilantro, chives and diced jalapeno.
Add olive oil and vinegar, and S&P to taste, mixing thoroughly.
Serve on top of grilled chicken skewers or on the side.
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Summer is finally on it’s way and along with the warm weather and sunshine comes grilling season! For Memorial Day, me and my guy went to Brighton Beach and soaked up the sun, sand and waves on a gorgeous, relaxing day. We hit the fresh fish, fruit and vegetable markets to pick up some gorgeous iced shrimp and some fresh ground chicken, pineapples, onion, cilantro and broccoli slaw and headed home to Manhattan to stoke up the fires and make some awesome BBQ rooftop-style.
Rooftop BBQ
Aiming to keep it light, we decided to whip up my infamous Chicken Burgers with my secret recipe made with Dale’s Steak Seasoning (a delicious find I discovered when living in Atlanta and great on anything grilled!) made with soy sauce, garlic, paprika and ginger mixed with some other spices mixed into the ground chicken (garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper and smoked paprika). We also made our signature Teriyaki Shrimp and Pineapple Kabobs marinated in Tavern on the Green‘s tasty Golden Ginger Teriyaki Sauce with ingredients of soy sauce, lemon, red wine vinegar, ginger, honey, and spices with pineapple juice and let them marinade for up to an hour. For grilling, we smoked them up over some Mesquite flavored coals to give the Chicken and Shrimp a delicious charred, smoky flavor. To top it off, we enjoyed a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and some Broccoli Slaw and enjoyed our rooftop dinner watching the stars on a lovely, breezy summer night overlooking the East side of Manhattan. Happy Summer on it’s way!
Chicken Burgers
Tasty Chicken Burgers
1 lb ground chicken (breast meat)
1 lb ground chicken (thigh meat)
1/2 tbsp garlic powder or 1 tbsp fresh chopped garlic
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp Dale’s Seasoning (can substitute soy sauce)
1 tbsp Paula Deen House Seasoning (can substitute garlic salt and pepper mix) 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup Japanese Panko bread crumbs
1/2 large red bell pepper, diced
2-3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
fresh ground and pepper to taste
4 cheese slices, Muenster or Monterey Jack
Mix all ingredients except the cheese together with the ground chicken and mix thoroughly with your fingers in a claw motion until mixed well. Place burgers in a baking dish and cover, let marinade in refrigerator for up to 1 hour. Preheat grill with Mesquite Charcoal. Form meat mixture into 10-12 patties and grill over med-high heat for 5-6 mins each side until no longer pink. Melt cheese slices over burgers last 5 mins of grilling, covering grill to melt cheese. Serve with broccoli slaw and garlic dill pickles.
Serves 4.
Fresh Shrimp from the Market
Teriyaki Shrimp Kabobs
1.5 lb fresh Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 can pineapple chunks, or 1.5 cups fresh pineapple chunks
1/2 large red onion, cut into large chunks
Tavern on the Green Golden Ginger Teriyaki Sauce
1/2 cup Pineapple juice
In a large resealable plastic bag or plastic bowl, combine shrimp with Teriyaki Sesame Marinade and Pineapple juice; cover or seal and let marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
Drain and discard marinade. On 8 metal or soaked bamboo skewers, alternately thread shrimp, pineapple and onion. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, lightly coat the grill rack. Grill kabobs, covered, over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink.
2 bags (3-ounce) Ramen Noodle Soup in Oriental
3/4 stick butter
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 bags (12-ounce) bags broccoli cole slaw (in the bagged salad section of the grocery store)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds Chopped green onions, for garnish
3/4 cup canola oil 1/4 cup brown or white sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1 ramen noodle seasoning packet
Directions
Put the ramen noodles in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin while melting butter in a large skillet over low/medium heat. Add the crushed noodles and slivered almonds to the skillet and saute, stirring occasionally (keep temperature at low/medium heat). Meanwhile, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Place the shredded broccoli into bowl and toss with the noodles, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with chopped green onions.
