Although I’m sequestered at home for 3/4 of my week, I somehow managed to pick up a flu virus last week. For the past 3 years I’ve had it, and yet, I still refuse to get the flu shot (anything to avoid a needle). Chris is now demanding that next year I get the shot- he doesn’t think its worth the week’s worth of an achy body, extreme exhaustion, etc. We’re still in debate on that…
It was finally yesterday that I finally was up to cooking and cleaning up the house, so I didn’t bother to bore you with last week’s weekly menu of chicken soup, more chicken soup and a side of peachy green tea.
We do have some nice things on the menu this week. I’m approaching it as a take-it-easy kind of week so no there won’t be a roasted chicken or overly high-maintenance recipes.
Here it is:
Tuna Noodle Casserole- That’s right, I’m jumping on the comfort food train for a while, this just looks so yummy and Chris mentioned last week how much he loves it. That was a surprise to me. I guess the creative cook in me gets so far out of the food-I-grew-up-with neighborhood that lots of times I’m having too much fun playing with good flavor combinations 2 blocks over while the friendly basics are right next door. I found a yummy recipe here. It’s easy and I doubled the recipe so we’ll have lots of leftovers.
Chicken Tikka Masala- If you’re adventurous in the food realm like us, you’ve tried Indian food. I’m a self-diagnosed Indian food junkie. I could eat curries and rice at least 2x a week, maybe 3. The layers of spices and flavors meld together and create fireworks on my palate. I LOVE this stuff! So naturally I try to recreate the recipes at home. I’ve tried the simmer sauce off the shelf stuff which promises quick and easy Indian food. While they are good, they are no match for the party-in-your-mouth flavors that our local Indian haunts dish up. So, back to the drawing board with a longer, but oh-so-worth-it recipe. This one’s from food and wine magazine, recipe here.
Chicken “Sticks” with potatoes, apples ‘n onions on the side- How did I come up with chicken sticks aka drumsticks? I think was from sheer tiredness as I was trying to explain what was for dinner last night. Lets just say I’m the one that pushes the boundaries, even when I’m sick, to try to get as much done as possible. (Chris shakes his head as I tell him and fails to persuade me to sit down).
Anyway, its super easy, I use Denise’s rub (recipe here) and roll the drumsticks in it, Bake on 350 for 30 minutes. Then I take ‘em out and slather those little sticks in bbq sauce on all sides, and turn them. 15 minutes later I slather them again with more sauce, 15 later I turn em and slather with the juices from the pan. They usually take an hour at 350, but just to be safe, I keep them in until they register at 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Note: I strongly recommend getting a few damp paper towels to eat these with, they’re deliciously messy.
As for the potatoes, apples ‘n onions here’s the run down:
- 4 potatoes (I prefer red skin), cut into fourths/chunks
- 2 apples, cut into chunks
- 1 onion cut into wedges
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
I toss this with olive oil until its coated, and season with a pinch of thyme, rosemary, kosher salt to taste and red pepper and throw it in a casserole dish. Stick it in the oven with the drumsticks for the hour, making sure the onions don’t burn on the edges. If you need to, stick foil over the dish to prevent burning of the onions.
The apples add a nice sweet/tartness to the dish and it goes great with the chicken, especially when the bbq juices meld with the veggies. Yum!
What else are we having? To tell you the truth, this is all I’ve had time to think of, and like I said, we’re taking it easy this week. If you need a mental image because you like to imagine what’s on our plates each night, I’ll give you this: it’s probably cereal, salad or leftovers (all very good things!).
