Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Poultry

One-Pot Braised Chicken With Coconut Milk, Tomato and Ginger

Belinda

Bone-in chicken thighs are a favorite go-to for weeknight meals, as they cook relatively quickly, are versatile and impart a lot of flavor in a short amount of time. Here, they are browned, then braised in a fragrant tomato-coconut broth flecked with ginger, garlic, cumin and cinnamon. The result is a rich, stew-like dish, which works nicely served over white rice. By cooking the rice as the chicken finishes braising, you can get everything on the table at the same time. A good squeeze of lime is not required, but it does give the dish a bright finish. Serve any remaining sauce at the table, with crusty bread for sopping.
Recipe by Colu Henry

1 ½ to 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, at room temperature
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tbsp grapeseed or canola oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp red-pepper flakes
1 (14-oz) can cherry or diced tomatoes with their juices
1 (13-oz) can full-fat coconut milk
Steamed white rice, for serving (optional)
3 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro
1 lime, quartered, for serving (optional)

Pat chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper.

In a deep 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook, undisturbed, until nicely browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and brown the other side, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Turn heat to medium-low, add the onion and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon and red-pepper flakes, and cook until the garlic and the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt.

Add the tomatoes with their juices and the coconut milk, and stir until combined, scraping up any brown bits that have formed at the bottom of the pan.
Nestle the chicken back into the skillet along with any juices that have accumulated. Simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, 15 to 20 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide the rice, if using, among bowls and plate the chicken on top, spooning additional sauce over it. Scatter with cilantro and a squeeze of lime, if you like.

Asian flavors · Pasta

Five-Ingredient Creamy Miso Pasta

Belinda

This is my kind of recipe that allows for a huge variety in flavors and has that wow factor with the added miso and nori.

This one-pot pasta comes together in minutes, and requires zero prep and minimal cleanup. It builds on the classic combination of pasta, butter and cheese with a spoonful of miso paste for complexity.
But you could experiment with using any other condiments or spices you have on hand, such as red pesto, curry paste or ground turmeric in place of the miso.
To achieve a silky smooth pasta, you’ll need to put your cacio e pepe skills to work: Vigorously toss the pasta, grated cheese and pasta water together to achieve a properly emulsified sauce. Top with shrimp, edamame, frozen peas or any steamed vegetable.
The optional nori or furikake imparts an unexpected flavor of the sea, and it’s worth using if you have it on hand.
Recipe by Alexa Weibel

Kosher salt
16 oz spaghetti, linguine or bucatini
6 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp white (or red) miso
4 oz Parmesan, finely grated (1 packed cup)
Kizami nori, furikake or thinly sliced seaweed snacks, for garnish (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Add the butter, miso and 1 1/4 cups pasta water to the pot and whisk over medium heat until miso breaks down and liquid is uniform, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the pasta and Parmesan and cook, stirring vigorously with tongs until cheese is melted and sauce emulsifies. (The key word here is “vigorously.” To achieve a silky smooth pasta instead of a gloppy one, put your cacio e pepe skills to work.)

Divide among shallow bowls and sprinkle with nori or furikake, if using.

Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Spicy Butternut Squash Pasta With Spinach

Belinda

Here’s a vegetable-filled pasta bake that comes together in under an hour. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is prepping the squash. You can buy precut squash, or cut it yourself.
If you’re sensitive to heat, leave out the jalapeños, or remove the seeds before slicing into rounds and placing on top.
Recipe by Yasmin Fahr

Serves 4

Kosher salt
3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeds removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
1 tbsp ground cumin (see Tip)
½ tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed
1 lb penne or other tubular pasta
1 cup vegetable broth
¾ cup grated Parmesan
3 packed cups baby spinach
1 (8-oz) ball fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size chunks
1 jalapeño, sliced into rounds
⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley and tender stems, roughly chopped

Bring a large covered pot of heavily salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet with high sides and a tight-fitting lid (or a Dutch oven), heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the squash and season with salt, cumin and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring every minute, until squash becomes browned in spots and feels just tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, uncovered, until not quite al dente, 3 to 4 minutes less than the package instructions. (It should be a little too firm to the bite.) Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain. If the pasta is done before the squash, then stir in a drizzle of olive oil so that it doesn’t stick together.

When the squash is just tender, add the broth. Bring to an active simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is soft and easily mash-able, 10 to 12 minutes.
Turn off the heat, then use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to crush about half of the butternut squash and leave the rest chunky. Season the squash to taste, keeping in mind that salty Parmesan will be added soon.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with 1 cup reserved pasta water and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, stirring vigorously to combine. Stir in the spinach one handful at a time until it shrinks down a little.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, the mozzarella and jalapeño, then place in the oven, on a sheet pan if you are worried about dripping.

Cook until the top is melted and browned in spots, 12 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil, top with parsley and serve.

Tip
If you have a preferred curry powder, then you can use 1 to 3 teaspoons of that (according to taste) in place of the cumin and red-pepper flakes.

Gluten Free

Roasted Cauliflower With Pancetta, Olives and Crisp Parmesan

Belinda

Studded with salty olives, pancetta and Parmesan that gets golden and crisp at the edges, this is roasted cauliflower at its brightest and most full-flavored. You can serve the caramelized florets either as a vegetable-based main dish or a hearty side to roasted meats or fish, or big bowls of pasta. The recipe calls for using a package of finely diced pancetta that practically melts into the sauce. But if you prefer a chunkier texture, you can dice it yourself into 1/2-inch cubes, and add them with the cauliflower. Or, to make this vegetarian, just leave the pancetta out.

Recipe by Melissa Clark

Serves 2 as a main dish and 4 as a side dish

1 large head cauliflower (about 1 3/4 pounds), trimmed and cut into bite-size florets (about 8 cups)
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
⅓ cup olives, crushed, pitted and chopped
1 fat garlic clove, finely grated or minced
1 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
⅛ tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed
4 oz pancetta or bacon, cut into 1/8-inch cubes
¾ tsp cumin or caraway seeds
½ cup shredded (not ground) Parmesan
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or mint leaves and tender stems, for serving

Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Place cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt until well coated. Roast for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together olives, garlic, lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt. Drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, whisking well.

After the cauliflower has roasted for 15 minutes, add pancetta and cumin seeds to pan and gently mix to combine. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and roast for another 15 to 20 minutes, until cauliflower is tender, the pancetta rendered, and cheese is golden brown and crunchy.

Spoon olive dressing all over roasted cauliflower while still hot and toss to combine.
Taste, and add more salt, red-pepper flakes or lemon juice, if needed.
Scatter parsley over the top before serving.

Chocolate · Dessert · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Easy Peppermint Fudge

Belinda

It’s seriously the easiest fudge you’ll ever make.
Recipe from Ree Drummond “The Pioneer Woman”

12 servings

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz. size) sweetened condensed milk
8 whole peppermint candies, crushed

Line a square 8 x 8 pan with foil and smooth the surface. Spray foil with nonstick spray.

Combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a double boiler over medium heat. Heat until melted, about 5-7 minutes. Stir until smooth, then immediately pour it into the foil-lined pan.
Use a spatula to smooth the surface, then sprinkle on the crushed peppermints.

Refrigerate for 2 hours, then cut into small squares.

Baking · Chocolate · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Orange pomegranate oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Belinda

These pomegranate oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are flavored with orange zest and extract to make the perfect winter themed cookie.
Recipe from blog “Running to the Kitchen”

Make 18 cookies

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup oat flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 egg
zest of 1 orange
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp orange extract (optional but adds to orange flavor)
3/4 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup pomegranate arils

Combine flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
With a hand-mixer in a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together on high speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add the egg, orange zest and extracts and beat again until thoroughly incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips and pomegranate arils until combined.

Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
During last 10 minutes of refrigeration, preheat oven to 375°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Spoon the dough out (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the baking sheets leaving about 2 inches of space between each.
Bake for 12-15 minutes (I did 14 minutes, rotating sheets half way through baking) until edges just start to turn golden brown but middles are still somewhat soft.

Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring the cookies to a cooling rack.

Breakfast · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Gingerbread oatmeal

Belinda

This gingerbread oatmeal is made on the stove-top using chewy steel oats, gingerbread spices and molasses for a true gingerbread taste!
Lovely for Christmas morning whilst still being healthy too.
Recipe from blog, “Running to the Kitchen”

Serves 2

1 cup steel cut oats (use gluten-free if needed)
2 tbsp ground flax seed
2 cups almond milk (or any milk of choice)
1 1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp molasses

Combine the oats, flax seed and milk in a sauce pot over medium heat on the stove. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer stirring occasionally.
After about 5 minutes when it starts to thicken, reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the remaining ingredients.
Continue cooking for about 10 more minutes, stirring frequently until desired thickness is reached. Oats will be chewy but cooked.
Serve with a splash of additional almond milk, pecans and drizzle of molasses or maple syrup.

Dessert · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Ginger, passionfruit trifle

Belinda

I am a huge fan of trifle, and usually stick to a very boozy traditional one, but this one from Nigella Lawson caught my eye and you can see why. Another easy showstopper dessert!

Serves 10

About 18-20 oz store-bought sponge or pound cake or savoiardi cookies
About 4-6 oz ginger wine (I use Stones Ginger Wine, available in most wine stores)
About 18 -20 oz heavy whipping cream
4 tsp confectioners sugar (icing sugar)
8 passion fruit

Slice or break the sponge into pieces and arrange half of them in a shallow dish or stand, then pour half the ginger wine over them. Mound up the remaining half of the sponge or cookie pieces and pour the remaining wine on top
* I pour in more than the stated amount of ginger wine as I like my trifle boozy and gingery!

Whip the cream with the confectioners sugar (icing sugar) until it’s firm but not too stiff; you want soft peaks.

Scoop the insides of 2 passionfruit into the bowl of cream and fold in before mounding the cream floppily over the soused sponges.

Scoop out the remaining 6 passion fruit onto the white pile of cream s that it is doused and dribbling with the black seeds and fragrant golden pulp

Baking · Do-ahead · Fruit · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts

Cranberry curd tart

Belinda2 Comments

Creamy and bright cranberry curd filling inside a gluten-free oat and nut-based tart crust makes a stunningly delicious and easy Holiday dessert.
Recipe from the food blog, “Running to the Kitchen”

Serves 8-10

FOR THE TART CRUST
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
5 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

FOR THE CRANBERRY CURD FILLING
12 oz fresh cranberries
zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a tart pan with a removeable bottom with butter or baking spray making sure to pay attention to the sides.

Combine the oats, walnuts, brown sugar and spices in a food processor. Process until finely chopped then pulse in the cubes of cold butter one by one until the mixture starts to come together.
Turn the ingredients out into the prepared tart pan and press evenly into the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
Place the crust in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator, place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, gently press down the middle if it’s puffed up a bit from baking and let cool while you make the curd.

Combine the cranberries, lemon zest, 3/4 cup sugar and water in a sauce pot. Bring to a simmer then lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to help break down the cranberries.
Turn off the heat and let cool for 5 minutes then transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.
Return the mixture to the sauce pot over medium-low heat.

One by one add the remaining ingredients including the leftover 2 tablespoons of sugar to the pot whisking constantly as you go.
Once all ingredients are added to the pot, continue cooking for 10 minutes whisking constantly until the mixture has thickened.

Strain the cranberry curd over a large bowl through a fine mesh strainer using a spatula to push the curd through.
Pour the strained filling into the cooled tart crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until set.
Keep refrigerated until serving.
Garnish with sugared cranberries or candied lemon slices.

Chocolate · Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Chocolate chestnut refrigerator cake

Belinda2 Comments

Another fabulous dessert from Nigella Lawson.
It’s incredibly easy to make, and dangerously compelling to eat, one of those puddings about which everyone says ‘it’s very rich’ before going on to third helpings.


Makes: 10-12 slices

FOR THE CAKE
2 cups sweetened chestnut puree
12 tbsp soft unsalted butter
10 oz bittersweet chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
3 tbsp dark rum

TO SERVE
creme fraiche

Beat the puree in a bowl until it’s smooth, and then add the butter, beating again to make a well-blended mixture.
Melt the chocolate and let it cool slightly, before adding it to the chestnut and butter in the bowl.
Beat in the rum, and spoon the chocolate mixture into a 9″ x 4″ loaf tin, lined with clingfilm, in two batches, making sure the first layer reaches the corners and sides of the bottom of the tin before you smooth over the rest.
Wrap the overhanging clingfilm over the cake so that it is completely covered, and put it in the fridge to set for at least four hours, but a day or so in advance if you want.
Don’t take the loaf tin out of the fridge until you want to eat it, when you just unmold the cake, cut it into thin slices and serve with creme fraiche or sour cream.