Mt. Tamalpais, viewed from the south

Home of the Kudler/Vaughn Clan

Category: Main Dish

  • Grilled Lemon-Thyme Chicken

    Grilled Lemon-Thyme Chicken
    Print Recipe

    Grilled Lemon-Thyme Chicken

    Taken from a NY Times recipe (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017485-lemon-and-thyme-grilled-chicken-breasts), this has become a favorite way to prepare chicken.
    Prep Time1 hour 15 minutes
    Cook Time15 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: poultry
    Servings: 4 servings

    Equipment

    • 1 grill or habachi

    Ingredients

    • 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves
    • 4 garlic cloves crushed and peeled
    • 2 lemons as needed
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil more as needed
    • Torn basil or mint leaves as needed

    Instructions

    • Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment or plastic wrap. Using a mallet or rolling pin, pound each to an even thickness of ½ inch. Do not make them any thinner or they could dry out.
    • Place chicken in a large bowl and toss with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Mix in olive oil. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Remove chicken from fridge while you heat the grill.
    • Light the grill, building a hot fire, or heat your gas grill to high. Once grill is fully heated, brush breasts lightly with olive oil and place chicken on the grill. Cook until undersides are browned and chicken is about halfway cooked, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip breasts and grill until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.
    • Transfer chicken to a platter. Drizzle with oil and garnish with additional lemon juice, olive oil and basil or mint leaves.
  • Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Print Recipe

    Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Make this Easy Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage (Pressure Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage) for St Patrick's Day! Tender juicy beef brisket classic. By
    Prep Time20 minutes
    Cook Time1 hour 55 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Irish
    Keyword: beef, brisket, meat, St Patrick’s Day
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 452kcal

    Equipment

    • ▢Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients

    • ▢2 pounds 996g corned beef (1.5 inches in thickness)
    • ▢4 cups cold water (I substituted a 16oz can of Guinness for 2 cups)
    • ▢1 200g medium onion , quartered
    • ▢4 13g garlic cloves , crushed

    Pickling Spices Seasoning:

    • ▢1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
    • ▢1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
    • ▢1 teaspoon coriander seeds
    • ▢½ teaspoon whole allspice
    • ▢3 whole cloves
    • ▢3 bay leaves
    • ▢½ teaspoon ground ginger optional

    Vegetables:

    • ▢6 370g carrots , peeled & cut to 2.5 inches in length
    • ▢4 570g red potatoes , quartered
    • ▢1 1300g cabbage , cut into 8 wedges

    Instructions

    • Rinse Corned Beef: Rinse corned beef under cold water – be sure to rinse well.
    • Pressure Cook Corned Beef: Add rinsed corned beef, quartered onion, 4 crushed garlic cloves, pickling spices seasoning, and 4 cups (1L) cold water in Instant Pot pressure cooker.
    • With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure cook at High Pressure for 70 minutes + Natural Release (~15 minutes).
    • If the floating valve doesn’t drop after 15 minutes, release the remaining pressure by turning the venting knob from sealing position to venting position. Open lid carefully.
    • Pressure Cook Vegetables: While the Instant Pot is natural releasing, prepare the vegetables as described.
    • Set aside cooked corned beef and 750ml of the hot liquid in a large serving bowl (there should be about 1.5 – 2 cups of liquid left in Instant Pot). Add quartered red potatoes, carrots, and cabbage wedges in Instant Pot.
    • With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure cook at High Pressure for 2 – 3 minutes + Quick Release. Open the lid carefully.
    • Cut & Serve: On a chopping board, cut Corned Beef against the grain into ⅛ inch slices. Serve with cabbage wedges, red potatoes and carrots. Enjoy~ 🙂
  • Middle Eastern Chickpea Bowls

    Middle Eastern Chickpea Bowls

    Print Recipe

    Middle Eastern Chickpea Rice Bowls with Savory Pistachio Rice & Garlicky White Sauce

    COVID brought us Hello Fresh — and Hello Fresh brought us this dish, which has become a regular vegetarian meal chez Kudler-Vaughn
    https://www.hellofresh.com/recipes/middle-eastern-chickpea-bowls-5eb082c2ff8d2876ce4bf9a2
    Prep Time20 minutes
    Cook Time20 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
    Keyword: rice, vegetarian
    Servings: 2 people

    Equipment

    • •Paper Towel
    • •Strainer
    • •Zester
    • •Small pot
    • •Baking Sheet
    • •Small Bowl

    Ingredients

    • 1 Red Onion
    • ¼ ounce Cilantro
    • ½ ounce Pistachios ContainsTree Nuts
    • ½ cup Basmati Rice
    • 13.4 ounce Chickpeas 1 can
    • 4 tablespoon Sour Cream
    • 1 clove Garlic
    • 1 Lemon
    • 4 ounce Grape Tomatoes
    • 1 unit Veggie Stock Concentrate I leave this out most often
    • 1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice Blend See notes
    • 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce I use Chilula, but Sriracha works
    • 2 teaspoon Olive Oil
    • 2 tablespoon Butter
    • Kosher Salt
    • Pepper

    Instructions

    Prep

    • Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry all produce.
    • Halve, peel, and cut onion into ½-inch-thick wedges; mince a few wedges until you have 2 TBSP.
    • Peel and mince or grate garlic.
    • Roughly chop pistachios.
    • Drain and rinse chickpeas; pat very dry with paper towels.
    • Roughly chop cilantro.
    • Zest and quarter lemon

    Cook Rice

    • Melt 1 TBSP butter in a small pot over medium-high heat.
    • Add minced onion, half the garlic, half the pistachios (save the rest for serving), half the Shawarma Spice (you’ll use the rest in the next step), and a pinch of salt.
    • Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
    • Stir in rice, ¾ cup water, stock concentrate, and a big pinch of salt.
    • Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low.
    • Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat.

    Roast Veggies & Chickpeas

    • Meanwhile, toss onion wedges, tomatoes, and chickpeas on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil, remaining Shawarma Spice, pepper, and a few pinches of salt.
    • Roast on top rack, tossing halfway through, until veggies are tender and lightly charred and chickpeas are crispy, 18-20 minutes.
    • TIP: It’s natural for chickpeas to pop a bit.

    Make Sauce

    • While veggies and chickpeas roast, in a small bowl, combine sour cream and remaining garlic to taste.
    • Season with salt.
    • Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.

    Mix Rice & Toss Veggies

    • Fluff rice with a fork; stir in 1 TBSP butter and half the cilantro.
    • Season rice with salt and pepper.
    • Once veggies and chickpeas are done, remove from oven and toss with lemon zest.

    Serve

    • Divide rice between shallow bowls.
    • Top with veggies and chickpeas.
    • Drizzle with garlicky white sauce and hot sauce to taste.
    • Sprinkle with remaining pistachios and cilantro.
    • Top with lemon juice to taste; serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

    Notes

    You can find shawarma at some markets, but unless they specialize in Middle Eastern/Mediterranean food, it’s hard to find. Fortunately, it’s not hard to make, and really tasty.
    Here’s a shawarma recipe that I’ve used:
        •  1/4 cup ground black pepper
        •  1/4 cup ground allspice
        •  1/4 cup garlic powder
        •  2 tablespoons ground cloves
        •  2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
        •  2 tablespoons ground nutmeg
        •  2 tablespoons ground cardamom
        •  1 tablespoon chili powder
        •  1 tablespoons dried oregano
        •  1 tablespoon salt
    Mix the ingredients and store in a closed airtight bag, jar, or bottle.
    https://littlespicejar.com/shawarma-seasoning/

  • Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto

    Print Recipe

    Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto

    A really easy, really yummy risotto recipe — no hours of stirring! From DamnDelicious: https://damndelicious.net/2018/03/21/instant-pot-mushroom-risotto/
    Prep Time15 minutes
    Cook Time20 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: instant pot, rice
    Servings: 6

    Equipment

    • 1 Instant Pot Probably would work with a regular pressure cooker

    Ingredients

    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 onion diced
    • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms thinly sliced
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    • 2 cups chicken broth
    • 1 cup arborio rice
    • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 2 cups baby spinach
    • 3/4 cup frozen peas thawed

    Instructions

    • Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting. Melt 2 tablespoons butter; add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring often, until onions have become translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
    • Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
    • Stir in chicken broth, rice and thyme. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 6 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
    • Stir in spinach and remaining 2 tablespoons butter until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in peas and Parmesan until heated through, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
    • Serve immediately.
  • Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

    Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

    Print Recipe

    Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Recipe

    This is an easy, yummy Southern-style chicken dish — it can be served on buns (with cole slaw), over rice, with cornbread…
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Southern
    Keyword: barbecue, chicken
    Calories: 317kcal

    Equipment

    • Slow cooker

    Ingredients

    • 3 lbs about 5-6 count boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
    • 1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce I used Sweet Baby Rays Honey BBQ
    • 1/2 medium onion grated (with juice)
    • 1 Tbsp olive oil
    • 1 Tbsp worchestershire sauce
    • 2 Tbsp brown sugar

    Instructions

    • Stir together all sauce ingredients in a 5-6 qt slow cooker.
    • Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 – 7 hours. Chicken is done when cooked through and easy to shred.
    • Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred each breast using two forks. Place shredded chicken back in the crock pot and stir to coat with the yummy sauce

    Notes

    Source: https://natashaskitchen.com/slow-cooker-bbq-chicken-recipe/
  • Scampi-Style Chicken

    Scampi-Style Chicken

    Scampi CHicken from https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/one-pan-garlic-butter-chicken/
    Print Recipe

    One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken (with Asparagus)

    A delicious dish we all loved, from https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/one-pan-garlic-butter-chicken/
    The first time we had this, we substituted cauliflower for asparagus. It took longer at step 5, but was delicious.
    Prep Time15 minutes
    Cook Time30 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, French
    Keyword: chicken
    Servings: 4 people

    Ingredients

    CHICKEN SEASONING:

    • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt see note
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

    SAUCE:

    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (or more to taste!)
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon sriracha
    • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
    • 1 lb asparagus trimmed
    • 1 tablespoon Italian parsley minced

    Instructions

    • Place chicken in a medium bowl and toss with the spices (salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper).
    • In a large skillet, melt over medium low heat half of the butter (1/4 cup) and 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
    • Cook the chicken in the butter until all sides are golden brown being careful not to burn the butter (NOTE: this took me about 20 minutes — but the result was wonderful). Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
    • In the same skillet increase heat to medium high, add the remaining 1 teaspoon minced garlic then add the chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Add the remaining 1/4 cup butter, lemon juice, sriracha, and parsley.
    • Add the asparagus and cook to desired tenderness. Add the chicken back to the pan and stir for another minute to reheat. Garnish the chicken and asparagus with more parsley and lemon slices. Serve.

    Notes

    The recipe calls for you to cook this faster than we did; I sauteed more slowly to avoid burning the butter sauce — it never really browned — and we were really happy with the result.
    Source: https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/one-pan-garlic-butter-chicken/

  • Peanut Chicken Stir-fry

    Print Recipe

    Peanut Chicken Stir-fry

    Adapted from: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/quick-peanut-chicken-stir-fry/
    Total Time30 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Asian
    Keyword: chicken, stir-fry
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 328kcal

    Ingredients

    Sauce

    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
    • 3/4 cup chicken broth
    • 1/4 cup peanut butter
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

    Stir-fry

    • 1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
    • 3 teaspoons olive oil divided
    • 1 cup chopped onion
    • 1 cup snow peas
    • 1 can water chestnuts
    • 1-1/2 cups fresh mushrooms sliced
    • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
    • 1 stalk lemongrass sliced

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients until smooth; set aside.
    • In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in 1-1/2 teaspoons oil for 3-4 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
    • Stir-fry onion and peppers in remaining oil for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms; stir-fry 3-4 minutes longer or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
    • Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken; heat through.
    • Serve with rice.

    Notes

    You can cook the onion and mushrooms separately if needed

  • Crispy Chinese Honey Chicken

    Print Recipe

    Crispy Chinese Honey Chicken (without Deep Frying)

    This Chinese honey chicken recipe guarantees crispy juicy chicken and a rich sauce that is bursting with flavor with a simple approach. Now you can make your favorite takeout dish at home and it’ll taste just as great as the restaurant version! {Gluten Free Adaptable}To make this dish gluten-free, use tamari or coconut amino to replace the soy sauce. Use dry sherry, sake, or mirin instead of Shaoxing wine.
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Keyword: poultry, stir-fry

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound chicken thighs cut into bite- sized chunks
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 egg beaten
    • 1/2 cup cornstarch

    Sauce

    • 1/4 cup honey or agave syrup
    • 1/4 cup water
    • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry for gluten-free
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
    • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

    Instructions

    • Combine chicken pieces, vegetable oil, and salt in a big bowl. Mix well and let marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
    • Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl.
    • Add the beaten egg into the bowl with the chicken. Stir to mix well. Add cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken, until it forms an uneven coating with a little dry cornstarch left unattached.
    • Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add chicken all at once and spread out into a single layer in the skillet. Separate chicken pieces with a pair of tongs or chopsticks.
    • Cook without touching the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom turns golden. Flip to brown the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a big plate and remove the pan from the stove. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
    • Wipe the extra oil from the pan using a few layers of paper towel held in a pair of tongs, leaving about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add the garlic, ginger, and the white part of the green onion. Stir fry a few seconds to release the aroma.
    • Stir the sauce again to thoroughly dissolve the cornstarch.
    • Add the chicken back into the pan and pour in the sauce. Stir to mix well.
    • Transfer to a plate, garnish with the green part of the green onion, and serve hot over steamed rice. You can add some steamed vegetables on the side to add some color to the dish.

    Notes

    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 25 mins

  • Slow-cooker Guinness Beef Stew

    Print Recipe

    Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Stout and Horseradish

    This rich and hearty beef stew is made with an Irish stout for a refreshing change on a winter staple. The dark beer mingles with the tomato paste and makes a flawlessly rich gravy after hours of slow cooking. Keeping vegetables chunky helps to retain their texture after a long cook time.
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Irish
    Keyword: beef, meat, slow-cooker, stew

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds boneless beef chuck cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
    • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour divided
    • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
    • One 6-ounce can tomato paste
    • One 12-ounce bottle Irish stout beer
    • 2 1 /2 cups chicken broth
    • 2 medium carrots cut into 1-inch chunks
    • 1 pound baby potatoes cut in half if larger than a golf ball
    • 1 medium onion roughly chopped
    • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 1 cup frozen peas
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • Prepared horseradish for serving (optional)

    Instructions

    • Season the beef with salt and pepper and dust with 2 tablespoons flour.
    • Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Just before the skillet is smoking hot, add the beef, in batches, and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes.
    • Remove meat directly to slow cooker and repeat with the second batch. (Be careful not to overcrowd your pan or the beef
    • will not brown.)
    • Once all the beef has been browned, lower the heat to medium, add the remaining tablespoon oil, and stir in the tomato paste.
    • Sprinkle in the remaining flour and stir until thick and pasty.
    • Slowly whisk in the stout and broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
    • Once thickened and steaming, add sauce directly to the slow cooker.
    • Stir in carrots, potatoes, onion, thyme, and add a big pinch of salt and pepper.
    • Cover slow cooker with lid and cook for 4 to 5 hours on high, or 8 to 9 hours
    • Serve in bowls with a dollop of horseradish, if desired .
    • Tip: We use chicken broth in this stew as we find beef stock can become salty and strongly flavored in a long-cooking stew.

    Notes

    by Brianna Beaudry for Cooking.com
    ACTIVE TIME 20m TOTAL TIME 8h 20m
    6 servings

  • Slow-cooker Carnitas

    Print Recipe

    SLOW COOKER PORK CARNITAS

    The easiest carnitas you will ever make in the crockpot, cooked low and slow for the most amazing fall-apart tender goodness!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: meat, pork, slow-cooker

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
    • 2 teaspoons salt or more, to taste
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 4 pound pork shoulder excess fat trimmed
    • 4 cloves garlic peeled
    • 2 onions quartered
    • 2 oranges juiced
    • 2 limes juiced

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Season pork shoulder with spice mixture, rubbing in thoroughly on all sides.
    • Place garlic, onions, orange juice, lime juice and seasoned pork shoulder into a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
    • Remove pork shoulder from the slow cooker and shred the meat before returning to the pot with the juices; season with salt and pepper, to taste, if needed. Cover and keep warm for an additional 30 minutes.
    • Preheat oven to broil. Place carnitas onto a baking sheet and broil until crisp and crusted, about 3-4 minutes.
    • Serve immediately.

    Notes

    yield: 8 SERVINGSprep time: 10 MINUTEScook time: 8 HOURS, 30 MINUTEStotal time: 8 HOURS, 40 MINUTES
    Adapted from Closet Cooking.
    This delicious recipe brought to you by DAMN DELICIOUS
    https://damndelicious.net/2014/10/10/slow-cooker-pork-carnitas/