Shawarma Spiced Chicken with Yogurt

This was another chicken recipe Tim made recently that I just haven't had the chance to post. The flavor combo of the chicken was so incredible. I could eat this over and over again.  Served with Sautéed onions and riced cauliflower - again - a delicious healthy meal!

SHAWARMA SPICED CHICKEN WITH YOGURT

Chicken:

• 1 pound (2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Juice from 1 medium lemon
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon curry powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Yogurt Sauce:

• 1 (7-ounce) container 2% Greek yogurt 
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• Chopped parsley (for garnish)

Place the chicken breasts, 1 at a time, in a Ziploc bag.  Pound each breast to an even thickness, about ½-inch thick, being careful not to puncture the bag. Place pounded chicken breasts back into bag and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine olive oil and lemon juice.  Whisk until combined.  Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, red pepper, salt and black pepper and whisk again. Pour the marinade into the bag with the chicken, massaging it to evenly coat.  Refrigerate and marinate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight. In a small bowl (or right in the container), combine the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and salt.  Stir to combine and refrigerate until ready to use. Over medium-high heat, grill the chicken for 3 minutes or until it no longer sticks to the grill. Turn the chicken and grill an additional 3-4 minutes.  Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes then slice it thinly, across the grain.  Top each breast with 2 tablespoons sauce and a sprinkle of parsley.  

Summer Projects

Once July 4th gets past us, we can get on with serious business - summer projects.  We are putting in a new vegetable garden and we got a lot of help from Tim's Dad clearing the land.  We have to build the fencing to protect it . I am working on and in my new wood shop and that is a huge undertaking in itself.  Plus, we have a lot of older projects that just seem to go on and on.  This past weekend I managed to assemble the older home made storage drawers that my Grandfather had built 50 years ago with the shelving unit, my Uncle had added. I had to resize the shelving unit to fit the height of the wood shop and I got that put together. I am working on various tables, flooring and other projects that have to be completed.  I hung vintage garden tools in the back mud room which is a project with no end in sight.  However, I also managed to get the new veggie garden gate built and I will hang it next weekend.  Tim is doing a lot of gardening - cleaning up and re-planting older beds that need to be completely overhauled and planning and implementing the new garden.  I feel that we get so much done over the summer and less done over the winter so having the wood shop will give me some space to work on projects over the winter.

Mustard Herb Salmon with Zucchini Tater Tots and Riced Cauliflower with Cilantro and Lime

This has been a difficult year.  Tim and I are such foodies but unfortunately with high blood pressure and diagnosed with pre-diabetes - something had to change.  So, thank God, we love vegetables and fish - Tim has been awesome about finding us options that still have a lot of flavor but so much healthier for the both of us.  This was a terrific meal and we love all the substitutions and still so delicious.

GRILLED GARLIC HERB DIJON HERB SALMON

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp dried Herbs de Provence
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• olive oil spray 
• 4 (6 oz) wild salmon fillets, 1″ thick (if frozen, thaw first)
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 4 lemon wedges for serving

In a mini food processor, or using a mortar and pestle mash garlic with the herbs, vinegar, oil, and Dijon mustard until it becomes a paste. Set aside.

Season salmon with a pinch of salt and fresh pepper. Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat until hot. Spray the pan lightly with oil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Place the salmon on the hot grill pan and cook without moving for 5 minutes.  

Turn and cook the other side for an additional 3-4 minutes spooning on half of the garlic herb mustard sauce.

Turn and cook 1 more minute spooning the other side of the fish with remaining sauce. Turn once again and let the fish finish cooking about one more minute. Note: the fish should have a total cooking time of about 9-10 minutes per inch. If your fish is thinner, reduce the total cooking time.

Transfer the fillets to plates and serve with fresh lemon wedges.

CILANTRO LIME CAULIFLOWER RICE

• 1 medium head (about 24 oz) cauliflower, rinsed
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 scallions, diced
• kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-1/2 limes
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Remove the core and let the cauliflower dry completely. Coarsely chop into florets, then place half of the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is small and has the texture of rice or couscous – don’t over process or it will get mushy. Set aside and repeat with the remaining cauliflower.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil, scallions and garlic and sauté about 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft.

Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the cauliflower “rice” to the saute pan. Cover and cook approximately 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is slightly crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat and place in a medium bowl; toss with fresh cilantro and lime juice to taste.

ZUCCHINI TATER TOTS

• cooking spray
• 1 packed cup grated zucchini
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 medium onion, minced
• 1/4 cup grated reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt and black pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 400°F.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Grate the zucchini into a clean dish towel until you have 1 packed cup.  Wring all of the excess water out of the zucchini, there will be a lot of water. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Spoon 1 tablespoon of mixture in your hands and roll into small ovals. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, turning halfway though cooking until golden. 

July 4th Weekend

Such a terrific July 4th Weekend!  The gang was all here ready to celebrate, relax, eat and drink.  They came from miles around - Buffalo, Ossining, and even New Jersey.  Incredible cooking especially the extra special July 4th cake - Tim made!  $50.00 worth of red, white and blue sprinkles. The weather was gorgeous.  Hiking, gardening, golfing, crafting, reading and napping.  So much fun.  It was Mom's first July 4th with the entire group. I was thrilled to have her here and I think she had an awesome time. She looked so cute in her Tulip cardigan. Thanks everyone for coming and making it such a success!

Mother's Day Catch Up

Still playing catch up.  Mother's Day weekend was lovely.  Tim's parents came up for the weekend.  Tim cooked a delicious meal and we pulled out the Amsterdam tulipiere because we had our double daffodils blooming.  Mom looked so cute in a new sweater and Tim's Mom gave her a cute floral vintage pin.  Sunday, Tim made and Egg Strada and blueberry waffles - so nice!

May Birthday Catch Up

I am playing catch up with postings at the moment.  There has been so much going on in our lives for the past few months that I am completely behind.  So, pardon me as I catch up.   My birthday came and went and Tim did an awesome job of making it special despite my constant attempt to deny that I was having a birthday.  He took me to this great restaurant in the city which is our current favorite place to go - Taboon.  Awesome cocktails and beautiful light space.   The food is mediterranean and we started with fried cheese and ceviche and then octopus and lamb meatballs and dessert and GIFTS!  The theme was outdoor grilling and I got some awesome new tools and cookware.   Thanks Tim for a great day!

Exploring....

Robert Moore Shuford was my Grandfather.  An incredibly gentle, loving, intelligent, soul.  This week - I was helping my Uncle and Aunt pack and leave North Carolina to move to Florida.  They are awesome and incredibly generous.  Over the past couple years as they transitioned from larger homes to smaller homes - they have had to slowly leave behind objects that they can no longer fit into their new lifestyles and homes.  I am glad to say that I am the fortunate and grateful recipient of some of their treasures.  Both my Grandfather and Uncle were wood workers and I love that I will carry on this tradition.  Both Grandfather and Uncle were engineers in different fields but very specialized.  My Grandfather was an engineer for Frick refrigeration and the top photo was him working in his offices. His back to the photographer - I love this pic.  I also love the pic of my Grandfather working in his wood shop in his basement in Pennsylvania.  I am going to blow this up and frame it to put in my wood shop.  I have another photo of my Uncle which I plan to blow up as well and hang it along with my Grandfather's pic.  One of the "gifts" this week is this amazing set of drawers and workbench that my Grandfather made some decades ago.  They are beat up but still functional - but it's what is in the drawers that is magical.  All of these great tools and bits and chisels that he used while working on many of his projects.  There are also meticulous notes he took while working on projects in his impeccable hand.  He had amazing penmanship.  Every drawer I opened was an intimate peak at his personality.  So excited to spend hours exploring and getting to work with his and my Uncle's tools.