Corn Salad Side Dish

 

You can make this recipe all in the same day but since it’s for a party you can get a few of the steps done the day before like cooking and cutting the corn and cutting the bell pepper and red onion. You can also premake the dressing and store it in a jar in the fridge. Just keep all the ingredients separate and store covered in the fridge. I like to add 1 tsp. of lime juice to the red onion so it’s not so sharp. You can add bacon to this side dish but I like to leave it out, it’s nice to have a vegetarian option at a party.

 

Ingredients:
8 ears of corn, shucked
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ red onion, finely chopped
2 avocado
¼ cup feta cheese
6 basil leaves
4 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled (optional)

Dressing:
1 tsp lime zest
1 clove garlic, grated
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. dijon mustard
½ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

 

Directions:

1. Heat a pan of salted water until boiling.  Add in the shucked corn on the cobb 4 at a time and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from hot water and set aside to cool. Boil other 4 cobbs and cool.

2. Once the corn is cool enough to handle, cut off the kernels and place into a large bowl.

3. Cut up the bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.

4. Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a small mason jar and shaking well. Taste dressing to make sure it’s not too acidic or too sweet, adjust as needed.

5. When you’re 3 hours before serving your salad, combine all of the corn and half of the bell pepper, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. I add about half of them to start to make sure the vegetable combination is balanced; you want the corn to be the star with the other vegetables as add-ons. Add half of the vinaigrette and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning. If salad is dry, add more dressing. Just be careful not to overdress it. Allow this to sit covered in the fridge to marinade.

6. When you’re ready to serve, dice up the avocado and finely dice the basil. Add avocado, basil, feta (and bacon if using). Stir gently so the avocado doesn’t get mashed. Taste the salad again for seasoning. To serve I like to add a little extra feta, basil, and bacon to the top for presentation.

Mediterranean Chicken with Yogurt Sauce

I forgot to take a picture of this one so I'll have to update this post next time I make it. This was quick and can be prepared ahead of time. I served this chicken with some quinoa stuffed tomatoes but it would also be good with a Greek salad and pita. 

Ingredients:

Marinade:
1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 clove grated garlic

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp italian seasoning

1/2 tsp paprika

2 tsp honey

1 tsp red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

1 lb chicken breast

Yogurt Sauce

3 Tbsp. Greek yogurt

1/2 tsp espelette

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 clove grated garlic

1/2 tsp italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Make marinade by combining all ingredients except chicken into a bowl. Reserve half of the marinade to use as a sauce for the quinoa. Put rest of the marinade on the chicken and let sit in fridge at least 2 hours and up to 5 hours. 

2. While chicken marinates, make the yogurt sauce. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until combined. Taste for salt and pepper. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve. 

3. Grill chicken. You can do this on the stove in a pan or outside on the grill. It should take about 4-5 minutes per side until the chicken reaches 155. 

4. Allow chicken to rest and then serve with yogurt sauce and any side you decide to make. 

For my Quinoa Salad - sauté finely diced shallots and 1 clove garlic finely diced. Add chicken broth, bring to boil, add quinoa and cover for 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, fluff with a fork. Add reserved marinade. Add feta and halved cherry tomatoes. 

Asian Chicken Meatballs with Rice Noodles in Peanut Sauce

I was planning to make my Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups but there is a worry about lettuce at the moment so I made this new dish into a version of spaghetti and meatballs with all of the same ingredients. 

One trick I love when making meatballs is tasting the mix first to make sure the seasoning is right. You obviously can't taste raw chicken so what I do is make a 1 tsp small flat patty of the meatball mix into a skillet over medium low heat. Cook about 2 minutes per side and remove. Allow to cool and then taste. You can then adjust the seasoning of the meatball mix as needed. 

Ingredients:

Meatballs

1/2 egg, scrambled (put a full egg into a small container, whisk to combine, and then remove half of it to get 1/2 egg)
3 Tbsp. panko
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
3 Tbsp. grated carrot
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 tsp. grated garlic
1/2 - 1 tsp. siracha (depends on your spice tolerance)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 lb ground chicken  
Olive oil spray

Peanut Sauce

⅓ cup natural peanut butter
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 tsp. grated garlic
1 tsp. maple syrup
3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
½ tsp. siracha
1/4 cup hot water

1/2 lb vermicelli rice noodles
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Make the meatballs by combining all ingredients into a bowl except the ground chicken. Stir all of the "filling" first to combine so you don't over mix your meatballs. 

2. Add ground chicken and stir just enough to combine. To taste you have the seasoning right, make a 1 tsp small flat patty of the meatball mix into a skillet over medium low heat. Cook about 2 minutes per side and remove. Allow to cool and then taste. You can then adjust the seasoning of the meatball mix as needed. 

3. Once you're happy with the flavor of your chicken mix, make golf ball size meatballs. This step can be done a few hours in advance by storing your meatballs covered in plastic wrap in the fridge. 

4. When you're ready to eat, preheat the air fryer to 425. Spray each meatball with a little olive oil and cook meatballs for about 8 minutes or until they reach 155 degrees internally. 

5. While the meatballs cook, make your peanut sauce for dressing the rice noodles. Combine all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside. 

6. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook vermicelli rice noodles according the the package directions. Drain and rinse noodles and add back to pot. Toss in some of the peanut sauce and stir to coat noodles, add a little dressing at a time so they don't get soggy. 

7. Once the pasta and meatballs are ready, place on a plate and garnish with chopped cilantro and chopped roasted peanuts (options). 

Shrimp Ceviche

It was hot today and shrimp ceviche sounded cool and refreshing. It's super quick to make and great for parties, just make sure to find a way to keep it cool while serving like putting it in a bowl with ice. 

Ingredients: 

1 lbs raw shrimp (frozen or fresh) - peeled and deveined, cut each shrimp into 4 even pieces 
Lime Juice – about 5 limes or more as needed
1 cucumbers, small diced
¼ red onion, small diced
2 small tomatoes, small diced
2 serrano or jalapeño peppers (or one of each) - finely chopped – seeds optional
⅓ cup of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup of clamato juice
Salt & Pepper to taste
Avocado – small diced
2 Tbsp. Ketchup – optional but recommended

Directions:

1. Combine shrimp and lime juice in a large bowl. Add enough lime juice to just submerge the shrimp. Allow this to sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. This will "cook" the shrimp and start turning it pink. 

2. Dice all of the vegetables. After 30 minutes add everything except the avocado into the bowl with the shrimp. Stir to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper but wait to taste and add more until the shrimp is cooked. 

3. Allow the shrimp to sit for about 2-3 hours until shrimp are pink. Add the avocado and stir gently to keep avocado chunks whole. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. 

4. Serve with tortilla chips and a cool beer and enjoy. 

French Onion Focaccia

This recipe is based off of my go to focaccia bread but since I made it for New Year's Eve I wanted to add some more flavor to it to bring it as an appetizer. It's great because you can make it the day before, cover well in plastic wrap and refrigerate, and then reheat for a few minutes before serving. 

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. instant yeast
1 cups lukewarm water
butter for greasing and caramelized onions
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced

 
Directions:
1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In a small measuring cup add the lukewarm water and instant yeast. Allow the yeast to bloom for 5 minutes. Add the water and yeast to the flour. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed, and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball.
 
2. Rub the surface of the dough lightly with olive oil. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, cloth bowl cover, or plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temp for 1.5 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
 
3. While the dough is rising you will caramelize your onions. Add 2 Tbsp. of butter and 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to a saute pan over medium low heat. Add in your sliced onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue cookiing onions over low heat about 20-30 minutes until they are softened and lightly browned. Make sure to stir every few minutes so they do not burn. Set aside to cool. 

4. Grease a 6x9 casserole or baking dish with butter. Make sure to get all of the corners and sides so the bread doesn’t stick later. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into the center of the pan. Gently deflate the dough using the back of your knuckles. Place the dough ball into the prepared pan and spread about halfway across the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise another 30 minutes on the counter.
 
5. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 425°F. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil over the dough. Rub your hands lightly in the oil to coat, then, using all of your fingers, press straight down to create deep dimples. If necessary, gently stretch the dough as you dimple to allow the dough to fill the pan. Top the dough all over with an even layer of the gruyere and the caramelized onions, making sure to press the toppings down so they stick to the bread later. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt all over.
 
5. Bake dough for 25 to 30 minutes, until the underside is golden and crisp. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack. Let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving; let it cool completely if you are halving it with the intention of making a sandwich.

Butternut Squash Soup Shooters

This is a great fall make ahead appetizer or first course. You can make the soup 3 days in advance whip up the maple cream a few hours before and reheat the soup and crisp the bacon when ready to serve. 

I ordered some soup shooter plastic glasses so I could bring these to a party but if you're at home a regular shot glass and small spoon would do. If you have any vegetarians in your group you can leave out the bacon and swap out the chicken stock for vegetable stock. 

Ingredients:

Soup:

2 slices bacon 
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 sprigs thyme, plus more for garnish 
1 bay leaf 
4 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced 
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced 
3 cups chicken stock 
Salt and pepper 

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Maple cream 
1/2 cup half and half 
3 tbsp sour cream 
2 tbsp maple syrup
Salt 

Directions: 

1. Crisp bacon in a large soup pan or dutch oven over medium low heat. Set bacon aside on paper towels and crumble into a small bowl once bacon is cooled. 

2. Add drizzle of olive oil (or use bacon fat) and garlic to soup pan with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 minute. 

3. Add butternut squash, carrot, and apple to soup pan. Sauté over medium low heat for 3 minutes 

4. Add thyme, bay leaf, and stock to pan. Make sure to scrap any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add pinch of salt and pepper. Bring soup to a bowl and reduce to a simmer over medium low heat and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes

5. While the soup cooks make the Maple Cream - In a small bowl combine half and half, sour cream, and maple syrup and whisk until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt. You're looking for a sweet and salty cream to garnish your soup. 

5. Remove thyme stems and bay leaf and allow soup to cool for 5 minutes. Using an immersion blender or regular blender puree the soup until a thick but smooth consistency. Add in cayenne pepper and taste for salt and pepper. Can you refrigerate here if making ahead. 

6. To serve reheat soup and serve into small soup shooters. Top with a drizzle of maple cream and the crumbled bacon. You could garnish with some minced thyme leaves or chives as well but I preferred the soup without the extra thyme. 

Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs with Orzo

I wanted to make a different version of pasta with meatballs and found this Mediterranean recipe. It felt a little lighter and you could add as many veggies as you like.  

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. Olive oil spray

1 egg

1 lb. ground chicken

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint

1 tsp. paprika

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided

2 Tbsp. butter

1 1/4 cup orzo

3 cup chicken stock

2 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 cup crumbled feta

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. 

2. In a bowl combine egg, ground chicken, panko, mint, paprika, one clove of garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. 

3. Form meatballs with a 1 1/2 Tbsp scooper and use your hands to make into smooth balls. Mix should make 12 meatballs. Place meatballs on prepared pan and spray olive oil over the meatballs. 

4. Bake meatballs for about 8 minutes until meatballs are slightly browned and cooked through. Remove from oven and seat aside.  

5. While the meatballs bake make the orzo pasta - In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter and add remaining chopped garlic. Cook while stiring for about 1 minute, do not allow the garlic to burn. Add orzo pasta and cook about 2 minutes until the orzo is lightly toasted. 

6. Add chicken stock to orzo and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium low heat. Simmer orzo uncovered, stirring frequently to orzo doesn't burn on bottom and cook until liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender, about 12 minutes. 

7. Once orzo is cooked add in the spinach, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and half the feta. Cook for about 2 minutes until spinach is wilted and taste orzo for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed. 

8. To serve put orzo into the bowl and top with 2-3 meatballs, a sprinkle of feta, and fresh mint to garnish.