chickemole (aka avocado chicken salad)
This is a really delicious twist on chicken salad and makes a great sandwich, but I really love it served as a dip with tortilla chips!
Let’s make it:
Put the chicken in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked through. Cooking it in the buttermilk makes it tender and keeps it moist.
FYI, the buttermilk will separate and look like it is curdled. It isn’t. It is fine. Its just what happens when it gets hot.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it to a cutting board and let it cool.
Meanwhile, we’re going to make guacamole. I like to mash about half of my avocados before adding all of the other ingredients so they have a semi-smooth consistency. Add the other half of the avocados (which have been chopped rather than mashed), along with the jalapeño, cilantro, tomatoes, lime juice, salt, pepper and mayonnaise.
Once it is well-combined, grab a chip and taste it. If it needs more of anything, add it now as it will be harder to mix in once the chicken has been added.
Back to the chicken. Grab two forks and shred, shred, shred.
Add the chicken to the guacamole and mix well.
Give it one more taste for seasoning before serving.
Tip: If you want to make it a day ahead, spritz the top of the mixture with lime juice, then press saran wrap onto the surface of it before refrigerating. That will help it keep its bright green color.
Disclaimer: I super-love avocados so I tend to make this more like guacamole with chicken in it, rather than chicken salad held together by avocados. If you want it to be thicker and more like chicken salad, add more chicken or less avocados.
Chickemole
2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
buttermilk
2 avocados
1-2 tbsp. mayo
10-12 cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp. cilantro
lime juice, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
Put the chicken in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked through. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it to a cutting board and let it cool.
Mash about half of the avocados in a medium sized bowl. Add the other half of the avocados (which have been chopped rather than mashed), along with the seeded and chopped jalapeño, chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, lime juice, salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Mix well.
Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts, then add them to the avocado mixture. Mix to combine. Serve immediately on sandwiches or with chips.
simple sunday: bacon for a crowd
This is really more of a technique than a recipe, but I just discovered my new favorite way to cook bacon and want to share it.
In the oven.
Its that simple. Why didn’t I think of this before?
I saw this method on Pinterest a few months ago, but never got around to trying it. Now that I have, I will definitely do this when I have a crowd.
Lay out as many pieces of bacon as you can on a rimmed-baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.
Into the oven they go for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.
When they are crispy and browned, pull the bacon out of the oven and drain on paper towels.
You can cook multiple baking sheets of bacon at the same time in the oven, making this a great method for making bacon for a crowd!
ps. who else saves their bacon fat? We keep ours in the crock pictured below in the refrigerator.
If you aren’t saving it, you are missing out on delicious fried eggs, roasted potatoes, and gumbo – just to name a few things!
the giant artichoke, castroville, ca
I’ll update the blog with all the pics and fun details about our Labor Day weekend trip to Carmel soon, but I had to post about our stop at the Giant Artichoke restaurant today because I can’t stop thinking about it.
First of all, does anyone else wonder who the first person was that figured out artichokes are edible and how they came to that conclusion without choking on the thistles?
Practically everytime Whitney and I eat artichokes we look at each other in amazement that someone found the deliciously sweet meat under all of the prickly leaves. We’ve decided we’re just too lazy to have accomplished something like that.
Also, you all eat artichokes, right? I’ve talked to lots of people in Texas that have never had one because they think they’re too much work. How wrong you are! I promise soon I will post about preparing artichokes.
But back to the matter at hand – fried artichoke hearts.
Stopping by the Giant Artichoke for fried artichoke hearts is seriously one of my favorite parts of Carmel trips. In fact, we were on 101 about 15 minutes away from the restaurant on Monday when Whitney mentioned that he hoped they weren’t closed for the holiday. I could feel tears stinging my eyes and a lump in my throat for the next 10 miles. I think Whitney regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth.
Thankfully they were open and I regained my composure.
Can you imagine anything better than tender, quartered artichoke hearts which have been lightly battered and fried and dusted with salt? And dipped in ranch dressing?
No? My friends, that is because there is nothing better. The natural sweetness of the artichokes perfectly compliments the crunchy, salty exterior.
I should probably note that I’ve never had anything else at the Giant Artichoke other than the fried artichoke hearts, so I can’t vouch for their whole menu. But get the hearts if you’re in the area. You won’t be sorry.
warm bacon potato salad
Headed to a Labor Day barbecue tomorrow? Take this warm bacon potato salad.
No one will be sorry you did.
Except your cardiologist.
Cut the potatoes into 1/2″ cubes. Toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes on a foil-lined baking pan and roast for 45 minutes in a 400 degree F oven.
Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, caramelize the sliced red onion with olive oil and sugar. When the onions are caramelized, sprinkle them with 1 tsp. salt and toss. Remove the onions from the pan.
Using the same pan, cook the bacon until crispy. Once it has finished cooking, remove the bacon to paper towels to drain and reserve 3 tbsp. bacon drippings from the pan. Once the bacon has cooled, chop it into small pieces and set aside.
When the potatoes have turned golden brown, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly while making the vinaigrette.
Alert: lazy method-
In a jar or squirt bottle, add the apple cider vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, oregano, black pepper, salt, reserved bacon drippings, and olive oil. Shake really, really well so that the olive oil and bacon drippings emulsify.
Alternative: real method-
In a small bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, oregano, black pepper, and salt. Very slowly, drizzle in the olive oil while whisking, making sure the mixture emulsifies. Then slowly drizzle in the bacon drippings, again whisking and emulsifying.
See why I like the lazy method?
Looks like it emulsified to me.
Now, toss the warm, roasted potatoes with the caramelized onions, bacon and vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper, if necessary.
Serve to people you love and that are deserving of this amount of bacon.
Warm Bacon Potato Salad:
3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2″ cubes
¼ c. olive oil
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 red onion, quartered and sliced thinly
1 tbsp. sugar
8 strips bacon, uncooked
In a large bowl, toss the cubed potatoes, 1 tsp. salt, pepper and 2 tbsp. olive oil. Pour seasoned potatoes onto a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes, tossing once in the middle of cooking.
In a skillet over medium head, add a tablespoon of olive oil, the sliced red onion, and the sugar. Toss and cook for 10-12 minutes, until onions are caramelized. Add one tsp. of salt, toss to combine, then remove the onions from the pan.
In the same skillet, add the last tablespoon of olive oil and the bacon. Cook until crispy. Reserve 3 tbsp. bacon drippings then drain the cooked bacon on paper towels. Chop the bacon into small pieces.
Once the potatoes are golden brown, remove from oven, and allow them to cool while you prepare the bacon vinaigrette, below.
Add the warm, roasted potatoes, caramelized red onion, crispy bacon, and the vinaigrette to a large bowl; toss well to combine
Bacon Vinaigrette:
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. reserved bacon drippings
1 tbsp. olive oil
Add all ingredients to a jar. Close lid tightly and shake well to emulsify the dressing.
barndiva, sonoma (and wine tasting and a bike ride!)
Whit and I escaped the Houston heat in July for a quick trip to Sonoma. We honeymooned in Napa and have been back a few times since, but had never made it over to Sonoma. That was our loss (until now!), and we will definitely be heading back soon.
Our friends Caroline and Rob (and Raj the pug!) came up from San Francisco and joined us for wine tasting at a few great places. We especially loved the tour at Lancaster Estate and I was crazy about the chardonnay at Ramey — especially the Platt Vineyard.
Later that night, Whit and I had a mind-blowing dinner at Barndiva. The food, the drinks, the weather (we sat outdoors), the atmosphere – it was all perfect. They have a gorgeous garden outside and we sat under a romantic canopy of trees lit with mini-globe lights.
A few of their cocktails were ‘mood sensitive spirit elixers’ with names like Lift, Flirt, and Slide. I had the Lift – Kumquat Infused Vodka, Lillet Blanc, St. Germain, Orange Flower Water, and Citrus Zest – with my first course, the Pork Belly ‘BLT’ with Basil Coulis, Cherry Tomatoes, Fingerling Potato Chips, and Baby Lettuces. The salty, warm pork belly was the perfect compliment to the sweet summer tomatoes. Whit also had a delicious first course – the Heirloom Beet & Endive Salad with Warm Goat Cheese Croquettes, Shaved Radish, and Champagne Vinaigrette.
For his entree, Whitney had the Crispy Young Chicken with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Summer Squash, Pancetta, Ricotta & Egg Yolk Ravioli. I had to taste the ravioli and oh my, it just melted in my mouth. I ordered the Herb Roasted Alaskan Halibut with Summer Corn, Sauteed Gnochi, and Bacon & Garlic Confit. I am still thinking about this dish. Everything was so light but so full of flavor!
We split the Dark Chocolate Bavarois with Rhubarb, Maldon Salt, Feuilletine, and Coconut Sorbet. The Feuilletine was like a Kit Kat bar at the bottom of the bavarois and we were fighting over the last bite.
As if all the wine and great food wasn’t reason enough to visit Sonoma, we were really there for a bike ride. Whit had the opportunity to ride through the wine country with Chris Lieto, a three-time Ironman Champion! Chris is a really cool guy – he is a Christian and has started an awesome foundation – More Than Sport – to help give back in areas where Ironman events are held. Whitney had a great ride while I snuck off for one last wine tasting at Jordan!
The trip was too quick, but that’s really just the perfect excuse to head back out there soon!
roasted corn, tomato and hatch chile soup
Hatch chile season just started and we’re already taking full advantage!
Hatch chiles are peppers grown in the Hatch Valley along the Rio Grande in New Mexico and are only available from mid-August to mid-September. They are delicious and have a mellow heat that makes them easy to add to lots of dishes.
When I saw a recipe for roasted corn soup with red bell peppers, I decided to substitute roasted hatch chiles and make a few other changes so the hatch flavor could stand out.
Here’s the awesome result:
Start by roasting the tomatoes, corn, onions and chiles. Place the tomatoes on a cookie sheet and cook at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes, until their skin starts blistering. Roast the corn kernels and onions for about 35-40 minutes, stirring throughout cooking, until they start to char and get black spots.
Note: during hatch chile season, our grocery store roasts the peppers everyday and sells them still warm. YUM and so easy. If you don’t know how to roast peppers, here’s a good tutorial. Be sure to remove the skins from the roasted peppers before using in the soup.
Remove the skins and the cores from the tomatoes. Add them (with their juice) to a dutch oven, along with the minced garlic, corn, onions, hatch chiles, and chicken or vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in the salt and chipotle seasoning.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup while slowly pouring in the cream.
Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, avocado slices, and chipotle seasoning.
No worries if you can’t get your hands on any hatch chiles – roasted anaheims or poblanos would be great in this soup. I know I’ll make this year-round so I’ll definitely be using substitute chiles!
Roasted Corn, Tomato and Hatch Chile Soup
adapted from Williams-Sonoma
8 ears corn, kernels removed from cob
2 tomatoes, firm but ripe
1 yellow onion, diced
4-5 hatch chiles
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp salt
2 tsp chipotle seasoning
2 1/2 c chicken or vegetable broth
1 c heavy cream
olive oil, for garnish
avocados, for garnish
chipotle seasoning, for garnish
Place the tomatoes on a cookie sheet and cook at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes, until their skin starts blistering. Roast the corn kernels and onions for about 35-40 minutes, stirring throughout cooking, until they start to char and get black spots. Roast the peppers under the broiler (turning every few minutes) until they are blistered and black on all sides. Peel skins from tomatoes and peppers.
Remove the cores from the tomatoes and add them (with their juice) to a dutch oven, along with the minced garlic, corn, onions, hatch chiles, and chicken or vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in the salt and chipotle seasoning.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup while slowly pouring in the cream.
Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, avocado slices, and chipotle seasoning.
snack breaks, charleston
If you think all we did was eat our way through the fine dining establishments of Charleston, you’d be wrong. We also ate our way through the casual (but no less delicious) eateries of the city.
First up, Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts. Breakfast of champions. They used Neueske’s bacon in about 1/3 of their doughnuts and 100% of the ones Whitney and I ordered.
Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts
481 King St, Charleston
843.577.5557
www.glazedgourmet.com
Here is how we ended up at Cupcake: One day we had lunch at 11:30 am, but didn’t have dinner reservations until 8 that evening and I thought I might pass out from hunger in the afternoon so we stopped and had a little snack. By “little” I mean two full-sized cupcakes with caramel and bacon. See the trend?
Cupcake
433 King St, Charleston
843.853.8181
www.freshcupcakes.com
Finally, heading out of the city on the way to Jason’s wedding in Hilton Head, we picked up sandwiches at Caviar & Bananas and took them to the Old Sheldon Church Ruins. This place was gorgeous. I cannot get over how beautiful the arches and columns were. Also, the sandwiches (more bacon) were awesome.
Caviar & Bananas
51 George Street, Charleston
843.577.7757
www.caviarandbananas.com
steak teriyaki (and birthday wishes!)
Whit and I went home this past weekend to celebrate Jennifer and Mom’s birthdays. We had my mom’s side of the family over to celebrate – 12 adults, two children, and 7 dogs.
We had one of our family favorites for dinner — steak teriyaki. Also known around these parts as steak-on-a-stick.
I’ve lived in Texas and visited the Texas State Fair long enough to know that most things “on-a-stick” are downright delicious. This steak teriyaki is no exception.
Anyway, the recipe is from my grandmother – my dad’s mom. She used to make it for my dad and his siblings each year on Halloween before they went trick-or-treating.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Slice flank steak into strips, across the grain, about 1/4″ wide.
Tip: stick the flank steak in the freezer for about 30 minuites before slicing. It will be firmer and easier to slice evenly.
In a large bowl, combine the beef consomme or broth, red wine, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, diced onions, and seasoned salt. Pour the mixture over the sliced steak and let it marinade overnight in the refrigerator.
When you are ready to cook the steak, drain and reserve the marinade. Thread the steak strips onto wooden bamboo skewers.
Grill meat 2-3 minutes on each side, basting with reserved marinade while cooking.
Steak Teriyaki
1 c beef consommé or beef broth
1 c red wine
1/2 c soy sauce
3 tsp. Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
1/4 c diced yellow onions
1 tsp. minced garlic
6 tbsp. lime juice
4 tbsp. light brown sugar
2 lbs. flank steak
Combine all ingredients except flank steak and mix well. Slice flank steak into strips, across the grain, about 1/4″ wide. Marinate steak strips overnight in beef broth mixture.
When you are ready to cook the steak, drain and reserve the marinade. Thread the steak strips onto wooden bamboo skewers. Grill meat 2-3 minutes on each side, basting with reserved marinade.
Serves: 4
Time: 1.5 hours active time, 18 hours total (including marinading overnight)
Note: you can double or triple the recipe easily for a crowd.
friday faves
Electric Salt and Pepper Mills :: Beecher’s Cheese Crackers
Hurricanes :: Poppy Necklaces
Mom and Dad have these electric salt and pepper grinders. I laughed when I first saw them (who can’t be bothered to crank a pepper mill?) but they are SO easy to use one-handed, which is helpful when you are cooking and wish you had 7 hands but don’t.
Love these crackers. They’re like an adult Cheez-It.
pssst! The hurricanes are on final sale right now!
And I can’t get over these necklaces. I wish they had purple for football season!
magnolia’s, charleston
Another favorite from our trip to Charleston was lunch at Magnolia’s.
We started by splitting the blue crab bisque. It was full of crabmeat, and while it was really good, it was so creamy and rich that we agreed we couldn’t have finished it individually. It’s not to be missed though, so make sure you go with someone that wants to try it!
I hit it out of the ballpark with my sandwich order — a fried green tomato BLT with pimento cheese on corn & jalapeño bread.
It. was. awesome.
By the time I got to the second half, I had to deconstruct it because I was getting full, but didn’t want to miss any of the tomatoes or pimento cheese!
My BLT came with jalapeño-peach coleslaw, which I really enjoyed. I think I will try to make this at home but use a vinaigrette instead of creamy dressing.
Whit was on a fried chicken kick (when is he not?) so he ordered the fried chicken platter, which came with collards, corn, mashed potatoes, gravy and a biscuit. Our waiter swore it was the best fried chicken he’d ever had. Whitney wasn’t as sure but said it was definitely top-10!
I ate all of his collards — they were so good! I am completely sure there was a ham hock or two involved in the cooking.
We also discovered Palmetto Brewing Company — I ordered the pale ale and Whitney had the amber. Both were very good but we agreed that we liked the amber the best.
Magnolia’s
185 East Bay Street, Charleston
843.577.7771
www.magnolias-blossom-cypress.com
Who else wants to add pimento cheese to all of their sandwiches now?!
Is there any wine left? 