Cider Vinegar & Orange Chicken Stew Recipe

My husband and I went to Wendover Nevada over the weekend on the "Fun Bus" for a little gambling.  You would imagine that the "Fun Bus" would be at least a teeny bit fun...but I am here to tell you that it was awesome!!!  We went through Utah Trailways and it made our trip and absolute delight.  On the way out we played Bingo for prizes.  My sister won the big prize of a free round trip Bus ride on another date.  Then they did a raffle where it cost $1 per ticket.  The prize was the money from all the ticket purchases.  Guess who won the big prize...ME!!!  It was around $60 and I was stoked!  I knew it had to be my lucky gambling day.  I was prepared to win the big Jackpot in Wendover.  Sadly my luck ran out as soon as I got off the bus.  I ended up losing my winnings..plus a bit more.  I didn't have any $1 bills so I borrowed the raffle money from my sister and she only had Tooth Fairy money.  Guess that Tooth Fairy money was lucky.

Me and the husband on the rad Fun Bus before we lost our shirts and first born child gambling.

After losing all that money I needed a little comfort and soothing.  Good thing I found this amazingly tasty recipe by my favorite unibrowed chef.  Hugh Acheson!  Don't you just love him.  When I was writing out my shopping list I left out a few important details...for example instead of writing Pearl Onions I just wrote Onions..or instead of saying 4 Oranges I just wrote Oranges and ended up coming home with 2.  Despite my ID10T errors the dish turned out absolutely amazing.  The surprising citrus and mint flavors really make your mouth happy.  Give it a try.  My 4 year old was pulling the chicken off the bones and was desperate for more.  She ate two and a half chickens all by herself! 

You will need Skin on Bone in Chicken Thighs, Chicken Broth, Onion (or you can do the Pearl Onions), Mint, Garlic, Butter, Cider Vinegar, Salt & Pepper, Paprika, Spinach, and Oranges.

Season the Chicken with Salt & Pepper on both sides.

Warm a dutch oven over medium heat and add the Butter and let it melt.

Add the Chicken, starting with the skin down, and brown both sides.  No need to cook fully..there will be plenty of time for that in a minute.

Peel and roughly chop the Onion and Garlic.

Remove the Chicken from the pot and set it aside.

Add the Onions and Garlic into the Pot with the Paprika and cook until the Onions are softened.

Add the Cider Vinegar.

Make sure you scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

Pump the heat up to high and bring everything to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer about 7-10 minutes.  Make sure not to skip this step..otherwise the flavor may be way on the vinegary side.  Then add the Broth, back to high heat, and bring to a boil again.

Add the Chicken back into the pot with the skin side up.

Set the heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.  The Chicken should be fully cooked by the end of this step.

When there are about five minutes left cut off the two ends of the Orange with a sharp paring knife.

Using your knife go to the very edge of the peel and slice it off in strips.  This will get rid of all the pith and any membranes.

To section the orange find each section of the orange and cut just inside the lines on both sides to remove all membranes.  Make sure you cut over a bowl and save any juice that comes out.

This is what it will look like when all of the sections are removed.  Oh, but we aren't done with this little beauty yet.  Oh no...

Squeeze out all the Juice.  Don't worry if you get pulp..it adds to the yumminess.

Roughly chop the Mint.

When the Chicken is done cooking add in the Spinach and Mint.

Also add in the Orange sections and the Juice.

Mix everything together really well.

Enjoy!

Cider Vinegar & Orange Chicken Stew Recipe
Source:  Fine Cooking - Hugh Acheson

8 Bone in, skin on Chicken Thighs
4 TBSP Butter
1 Onion Sliced (or 3/4 Lb Pearl Onions, peeled)
6 Garlic cloves thinly sliced
1 1/2 C Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 C Chicken Broth
2 Oranges
4 C Spinach
2 TBSP fresh Mint
Salt & Pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika

Warm a Dutch oven or Large pot over medium heat.  Season both sides of the Chicken with Salt & Pepper.

Add the Butter to the dutch oven , and working in two rounds, brown both sides of the Chicken starting with the skin side down.  Move the Chicken out of the pot and set aside.

Add the Onions, Garlic, and Paprika to the pot and cook until the Onions are softened.  About five minutes.  Add the Cider Vinegar and scrape up the yummy browned bits off the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon.  Pump the heat up to high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 7-10 minutes.  Add the Chicken Broth and pump the heat back to high and bring it to a boil.  Add the Chicken with the skin side up and set the heat to low.  Cover the pot and simmer the Chicken for 30 minutes until it is fully cooked.

When there is about 5 minutes left, slice the peel off the oranges.  Then working over a bowl to catch any juice as you slice the orange in to segments.  Squeeze all juice out of the membranes into the bowl.

When the Chicken is fully cooked add the Spinach, Mint, Oranges, and Juice.  Stir together gently.

Enjoy!

P.S. Don't forget to check out the really easy and mega tasty Roasted Brussel Sprouts I made last year.

Foil Wrapped Black Bean and Corn Southwest Fish Recipe

I love sleeping in.  It is pretty much the best way to spend a Saturday morning.  Today was a perfect lazy Saturday.  My sweet husband let me sleep in while he took care of the kids.  Then we had some yummy french toast with coconut syrup (our good friend brought the syrup to us from Hawaii) on top for breakfast.  Nothing can beat a lazy day hanging out with my kids.

This next recipe I have for you turned out absolutely fantastic. I try to serve fish as often as possible but I usually eat salmon.  I struggle to find fish recipes I want to try that don't include my favorite orange fish.  This dish uses any white fish you like and has such a fantastic Southwest flavor.  I absolutely recommend this recipe because it was delicious and it came together very quickly.  My husband and I gobbled it up and my 4 year old ate it just fine.  My baby who is in one of those nasty won't eat anything phases wouldn't even try it.  Kids!

You will need Chipotle Chilies in Adobo sauce, Corn (I used a can of Mexi Corn), Butter, Black Beans, Red Onion, Garlic, Orange, White Fish Cilantro, and Salt & Pepper.

Dice up the Chipotle peppers, zest the Orange, mince one clove of Garlic and place them in a bowl with the Butter.  Season with a bit of Salt & Pepper.

Dry the Fish off with a paper towel and season with Salt & Pepper.

In a large bowl combine the Black Beans, Cilantro, Diced Red Onion, the remaining Garlic, and the remaining Chipotles in Adobo.

Measure out a 4 pieces of foil big enough to wrap up the fish.  Spoon a fourth of the Beans/Veg mix onto each sheet of foil.

Spread the Butter mixture on top of the Fish and place on top of the Beans/Veg mix.

Wrap everything up into a bundle and place on a baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Carefully open the bundle..cause the it'll be hot and steamy inside.

Enjoy!

Foil Wrapped Black Bean and Corn Southwest Fish Recipe
Source:  Pink Parsley - Original recipe by America's Test Kitchen

4 fish fillets (I used Sole)
4 TBSP softened Butter
2 tsp minced Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
1 tsp Grated Orange zest
2 TBSP freshly squeezed Orange Juice
2 Cloves minced Garlic
1 16oz can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
2 C Corn (I used canned Mexi Corn to add a bit more Southwest flavor  
1/2 Red Onion, minced
1/4 C chopped fresh Cilantro 
Salt & Pepper 

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Using a paper towel pat the fish dry then season it wil a bit of Salt & Pepper.  In a small bowl combine the Butter, Orange Zest, 1 tsp Chipotles, 1 Clove of minced Garlic, 1/2 tsp Salt , and 1/4 tsp Pepper.  Mix together well then spread evenly on the fish fillets.

Combine the Black Beans, Onion, Cilantro, Orange Juice, Corn 1 tsp Chiopotles, 1 clove minced Garlic, 1/2 tsp Salt, and 1/4 tsp Pepper.

Measure out 4 pieces of tin foil that measure approximately 14 inches each.  Divide the bean/veg mixture evenly in the middle of each piece of foil.  Place the fish on top and fold the foil over.  Make sure to crimp the edges to keep the flavor inside while it cooks.  Place the foil bundles on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the fish is fully cooked, about 15-20 minutes.  Open the bundles with caution as they are piping hot.  

Enjoy! 

P.S.  Don't forget to check out the yummy Chile Lime Enchiladas I made last year.


P.P.S.

Don't forget about Blog-A-Pal-Loosa coming up on May 6th!!  I am very excited to be participating in this giveaway between a bunch of blogging friends.  Check back here on May 6th for details about that days giveaway..then check back every day between the 6th and 19th for another Giveaway!

Super Giveaway Adventure

Image source:  Pure Textuality

I am really excited to announce that I am participating in Blog-a-Pal-Loosa!! Me and a group of 14 other bloggers (maybe more) are all doing giveaways over 14 days. Starting May 6th and running through May 19th. Check back everyday for info on each giveaway!

<a href="YOUR BLOG URL HERE" target="_blank"><img src="http://measuredbytheheart.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/blogapalloosa.gif" alt="Blog-a-pal-oosa" width="125" height="125" /></a>

Chili Lime Enchiladas leftovers idea

The other day when I made the yummy Chili Lime Enchiladas for my neighbor, who just had a baby, I had quite a bit of leftover meat.  I didn't want it to go to waste but I also didn't want to eat Enchiladas again.  So I decided to make some Chili Lime Chicken Quesadillas.  These turned out so well!  The marinated meat is so flavorful and yummy and mixed with a little Refried Beans and Cheese is just what the Doctor ordered.  Well, maybe not the Doctor.  If you find yourself with a little leftover meat when you try these yummy Enchiladas give this recipe a try.  It makes for a great meal with very little effort.

You will need Tortillas, Refried Beans, Grated Cheese, and leftover marinated Chicken.  Just spread the beans over half of the Tortilla, top with Cheese, and then put some Chicken on top.  Then fold the Tortilla in half.

Spray a little non-stick spray on a skillet and warm it over medium heat.  Cook about 4-6 minutes per side to warm everything up, melt the Cheese, and brown the outside of the Tortilla a little.  

Enjoy!

Thai Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Back before I had kids, when money was fast and easy to come by, my husband and I would eat Thai food at least once a week.  We had a couple of little dives that each did something so wonderful.  One had a Tom Yum Soup to die for.  The other could make a curry to rival all other curries.  Now that we have kids, and no longer live near a good spot, we never eat Thai food.  Breaks my heart a little.  I came across this recipe for Thai Enchiladas and knew I had found an awesome recipe.  For some reason in my mind I thought the sweet Chili Sauce called for in the recipe was actually going to be sweet.  It wasn't!  My husband and I can handle the heat..but my tiny shrimps don't handle it so well.  Surprisingly my older daughter ate half an Enchilada (mostly with her hands) before she declared it to be too spicy.  She informed me that her mouth and hands were spicy.  My baby also ate way more than I expected her to.  I figured the baby would look at them and run away.  So, this recipe is great for adults and good to let your kids try out.

Just a side note, but next time I make these I will be sure to have fresh lime wedges on hand.  I think the Lime juice would add just the right flavor to make these perfect.

P.S.  My first Blogiversary passed on April 10th and I didn't even notice!!  I just want to thank everyone who reads my blog and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

You will need  a couple of Chicken Breasts, Non-stick Spray, Onion, Tortillas, Garlic, Peanuts, Sweet Chili Sauce, Coconut Milk, Cilantro, Cabbage, Carrots, Canola Oil, and Green Onion.

Cook the Chicken..I just boring old boiled mine with a bit of Salt.

Shred the Cabbage and Carrots.

Chop up the Onion and Mince the Garlic. 

Add the Carrots, Cabbage, and Onion to a skillet that is warmed over Medium heat.

Also add in the Garlic and mix everything together so it cooks evenly.

Roughly chop the Cilantro and the Green Onion.

Put the Peanuts in a zip top baggie, seal, and pound with your meat mallet until they are broken up.

Add some of the Peanuts into the skillet along with the Cilantro and Green onion.

Doesn't this look so pretty!

Add in the Coconut Milk and the Sweet (actually very spicy) Chili Sauce.

I love the look of the little flecks of sweet Chili Sauce!

In a medium bowl mix together a bit of the Coconut Milk and a bit more Sweet Chili Sauce.

Whisk it together well.  If you don't like spicy start of slowly with the Sweet Chili Sauce and add more from there.

Spray the pan with non-stick Cooking Spray then cover the bottom of the pan with the Coconut Milk/ Sweet Chili Sauce mixture.

Grab a Tortilla and place a bit of the Chicken mixture in the middle.

Roll up the Tortilla and place in the pan with the seam down.

After you have rolled all the Enchiladas cover them with the remaining sauce.

Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Use a spoon and spoon the sauce from the side over the top of the cooked Enchiladas.

Top with a bit more of the Peanuts and Cilantro.

Enjoy!

My oldest eating the spicy Enchiladas.  Still can't believe she ate so much!

After eating the spicy Enchiladas, my baby needed an orange to cool her mouth off.

Thai Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Source:  How Sweet it is

8 Tortillas
2 Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded
1 TBSP Canola Oil
1/2 Onion, diced
1/3 C Shredded Carrots
1/2 C Shredded Cabbage
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste
4 Green Onions, sliced
1/3 C Crushed Peanuts plus a bit more for Garnish
1/4 C Cilantro, roughly chopped plus a bit more for Garnish
2 1/2 C Light Coconut Milk
1/3 C plus 1/2 C (less if you don't like spicy) Sweet Chili Sauce

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a pan over medium heat and add in the Canola Oil.  When the pan is warm add in the Onion, Cabbage, Carrots, Garlic and a bit of Salt & Pepper.  Stir together well.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes to soften the veggies a little.  Add in the Chicken, Green Onions, Peanuts, and Cilantro.  Mix together well.  Cook for 2 minutes then add in the 3/4 C Coconut Milk and the 1/3 C Sweet Chili Sauce.  Remove from the heat.


In a medium bowl combine the remaining Thai Chili Sauce and the remaining Coconut Milk.  Whisk them together very well.  Spray a 9x13 dish with non-stick spray then cover the bottom with some of the Coconut milk/ Chili Sauce mixture.  Grab a Tortilla and place some of the Chicken mixture in the middle.  Roll it up and place it in the baking dish with the seam down.  When all of the Tortillas are rolled up pour the remaining sauce on top.

Cook for 20 minutes.  When you remove the pan from the oven use a spoon and grab a bit of the sauce from the edge of the pan and pour it over the top.  Then Garnish with a bit of Peanuts and a bit of Cilantro.

Enjoy! 

P.S.S.

I am going to participate in a Blog trading spaces activity!  I am excited and you should check it out too :)