Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Rice Noodles

Every mama, daddy and/or working person should have this recipe up their sleeve. You can make it ahead and just reheat the meat in the microwave and serve in lettuce cups whenever you need dinner asap.

I add hoisin at the end for a little sweetness but you could add some sriracha for more spice or both. Of course you could leave out the noodles but I just love them in this. They add some body and depth and a toothsomeness. To put it bluntly, I'd have a hard time calling these wraps 'dinner' without them.

To make this gluten free just be sure to use gluten free soy sauce, noodles and check the other condiments involved for gluten.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Rice Noodles

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons grape seed or vegetable oil or olive oil
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin 1/2 inch strips
1 pound ground chicken thighs
2 large portabello mushrooms, diced
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
couple dashes garlic powder
1/3 cup green onions, chopped plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon Mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
6 oz rice noodles, boiled and drained (or rice if desired)
2 tablespoons chopped raw cashews
1 head Bibb lettuce, or whatever kind of lettuce you like to use as wraps (leaves cleaned and separated)
2 tablespoons Hoisin, optional and/or some dashes Sriracha or red pepper flakes, optional
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

How To:
Add the oil to a large nonstick pan and heat over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add the ground chicken, breaking up gently with a wooden spoon. Season with a couple of pinches salt. Cook for 2 minutes, then add in the mushrooms, ginger, garlic powder and green onions. Cook until chicken is cooked through - about 8-10 minutes.

In a separate small bowl, mix together the Mirin, soy sauce, and vinegar. Once the chicken is cooked through, add in the Mirin mixture and bring to a boil, stirring for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the hot burner. Gently stir in the rice noodles and 2 tablespoons hoisin and/or sriracha if using (or red pepper flakes) then the cashews.

Serve in lettuce leaves and garnish with additional green onion and/or cilantro.

Creme Fraiche Dijon Baked Chicken

You can whip this together in five minutes. I don't even use a separate mixing bowl but mix everything right in the serving pan first before adding the chicken. It makes its own sauce as it bakes that you can ladle over rice or veggies to serve with it. Sour cream would probably work if you couldn't find or didn't have creme fraiche but try to use the real deal if you can since there's so few ingredients. The only way to mess this up is to over cook the chicken so remove it as soon as the sauce is bubbling all around it just when it's cooked through.

There are few 'five minute' recipes I'd serve to company but this is at the top of my list.

Creme Fraiche Dijon Baked Chicken
*recipe can easily be doubled, just adjust cooking time accordingly

Ingredients:
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup creme fraiche
zest of a small lemon
2 teaspoons whole grain dijon mustard
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons shredded parmesan
1 small shallot (size of a fig), diced
pinch fresh ground nutmeg, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and pepper (preferably ground tricolor pepper if you have it)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

In an 8x8 baking dish, mix together the creme fraiche, lemon zest, mustard, stock, parmesan, shallot, nutmeg and peppers and salt.

Add the chicken. Sprinkle the tops lightly with salt then turn over in the creme fraiche mixture to coat. Push around the dish so that they're evenly spread apart then put in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes (this depends on the size of your chicken - mine was organic and on the small side) or JUST until cooked through. The sauce should just be beginning to bubble around and in between the chicken. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Hug Cookies

When you live in Texas and it gets cold enough to turn your heater on and that heater smell of toasting lint (is that what it is?) wafts through your house it feels like Christmas. Or at least it does to me.

So here we go with my first Christmas cookie post of the season. Hooray commercialism! And malls! And sugar!

My hands down favorite cookie at the holidays (AT the holidays? Southern much?) are peanut blossoms. AKA chocolate kiss cookies or Hershey Kiss peanut butter cookies. My mom made them for us growing up and for me they are edible childhood. I honestly can't be trusted with them. An entire batch will disappear into thin air David Blaine-style.

The only problem is my husband isn't a fan. I try not to let this change my deep endearing love for him but it's tough. Who doesn't like peanut blossoms? WHO???

Anyway I recently had an idea to try and appease his tastes while keeping with my own traditions, now that we have a kid and all. He is a bonafide chocoholic so when I saw a few recipes for Nutella Kisses I thought - SCORE!

Well it was a score alright but of course there was a minor drawback. They didn't taste so much of Nutella as they did chocolate. Personally I thought this was a bonus given the fact a lot of people don't like Nutella. So I changed the name to something that reflected their intensely chocolate, chewily rewarding, chocolate-studded chocolate-kiss topped vibe.

Will they replace my personal favorite in the holiday lineup? We'll see. Actually the tie breaker will be when my son is old enough to taste between the two of them and choose. Though if his tastes are as similar to his father's as his looks are, I'm screwed.

Thankfully I like the alternative almost as much...

* As the picture indicates I made these for Halloween and rolled them in orange sugar before baking. If making for the holidays simply choose another color if desired.

Chocolate Hug Cookies
Adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 cup salted butter, at room temp
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
2 cups chocolate chips
2 packages dark chocolate Hershey kisses
colored sanding sugar, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder in a bowl. Mix with a whisk to break up any lumps.
3. Beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time until completely incorporated. Mix in vanilla and chocolate-hazelnut spread.
4. Slowly add in flour mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Use a small cookie scoop to keep the cookies a uniform size and roll each scoop of dough between your hands to form a ball. Roll the ball in sugar, if desired.
5. Bake in preheated oven until edges look dry and cookies are fragrant, about 8-9 minutes. Press a chocolate kiss in the center and let cool slightly on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chicken with Goat Cheese, Herb and Panko Crust

                                      

Chicken with Goat Cheese, Herb and Panko Crust
* A fast and delicious favorite.
* Serves 2 or 3, depending on # of chicken breasts used.

Ingredients:
2 large or 3 smallish chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
salt and pepper, for seasoning

4 oz goat cheese
3 tablespoons chopped green onions
3 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley
couple shakes onion powder
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of kosher salt
pinch black pepper
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (might need a little more or less depending on the size of your chicken breasts - I like a good crust though)
olive oil

How to:
Pull the chicken and goat cheese from the fridge and let sit out 20 minutes to take the chill off while you chop up the herbs and assemble the rest of your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 and spray a medium baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and trim off any fatty or unpleasant bits. Place in your baking dish and season the tops very lightly with salt and pepper.

In a small/medium bowl, mix the goat cheese, chopped herbs, onion powder, lemon zest and a pinch of salt and pepper with a fork. You can also add a little olive oil if you like to make it easier to spread onto the chicken, just depends on the moisture content of your goat cheese.

Divide the cheese mixture evenly over the tops of the chicken breasts, carefully spreading it out with the back of a spoon, or more easily - your hands. Next sprinkle the panko crumbs on top of the cheese mixture, lightly pressing the crumbs into the cheese so they stick and form a crust. Drizzle the tops lightly with olive oil, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the foil and bake another 5 or so minutes just until the panko has lightly browned and the chicken is cooked through. Let rest a couple of minutes before serving.

Giada's Lemon Cumin Chicken

This is the simplest yet tastiest marinade I've tried in a long time. I plan to use it on steak. And salmon. And pretty much anything but horse. Seriously what gives Oklahoma? Lifting the horse slaughter ban? WTH??

Speaking of horses mine's name is Layla and she's the color of a rainstorm. I wish I could pack her in my suitcase when I go out of town along with my dog and DVR player.

But back to the marinade. I haven't been this excited about grilled chicken since I became pregnant. It is SO good. It made me think I was eating something sexy like a bacon double cheeseburger or chili cheese fries instead of lean 'ol boneless skinless chicken breasts.

So there you have it. Magical, transformative, bringing-chicken's-sexy-back marinade.

Lemon-Cumin Chicken

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Marinade:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Four 4- to 6-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts

Pesto:
1 1/2 packed cups fresh mint leaves (about 1 large bunch)
1 packed cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Cook's Note)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (from 1/2 a large lemon)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Vegetable oil cooking spray

Directions:
For the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper flakes until smooth. Add the chicken and toss until coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. (Can also be made in a resealable plastic bag.)

For the pesto: In a food processor, blend the mint, spinach, cheese, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper until chunky. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until smooth.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Spray the grill lightly with vegetable oil cooking spray. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Grill the chicken until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Place on a platter and serve with the pesto.

Life Altering Chicken Pot Pies

         

  

When you live in one city (Austin) and work in another city across the country (NYC) with clients in even different cities (and countries!) you travel a lot. And when you travel a lot, weekends are spent catching up on your daily life (laundry, grocery shopping, battling the rose bush that has not only taken over your backyard but begun to climb its way to the moon) versus more relaxing things like say...having friends over.

So the holidays for us is when we set aside a few nights to pay back friends who we owe a dinner (or two) with a home cooked meal. Only then do I have the time to go 'all out' like my inner Martha Stewart dreams of doing the rest of the year. 

Of all the dinners I made this past holiday season, these pot pies stood out above the crowd demanding their rightful place in the blogosphere. They are at once comforting and familiar, like a favorite childhood story, and yet somehow a total surprise. The filling is luxurious and creamy but not a burden on the palate - light enough to allow the flavor of the mushrooms, peas, celery, carrot and onion to shine through. But if I could praise the filling all day, I could praise the cream cheese crust for eternity.

It truly is life altering. I'm dead serious I haven't been the same since. I even found myself eating the leftover pot pie cold straight from the fridge the next day like some hungover zombie, quietly giggling to myself that it tasted even better cold.

Of course as with all celestial things in life, there's a catch. While easy to make they are a little time consuming which is why for me they're a holiday time treat. The upside is you can make them ahead of time and have them chilling wrapped in the fridge ready to pop in the oven. Of course you could save  time by using a store bought pie crust but just know you'd be cheating yourself. I mean honestly straight up denying yourself an out of body experience only without the whole alien probe thing which is nice.

Life Altering Chicken Pot Pies

                                *Adapted from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather and seen on Hottie-biscotti.com/blog/

                                  * Filling and crust can be made a day ahead, refrigerated and assembled just before OR even completely assembled and wrapped well in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 8 hours before baking off. 

                                      * If you're unsure of the flavor of celery seeds or are serving this to little ones, I'd leave them out. The pies will still blow your mind, I promise.

Ingredients:

(Filling)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

1 large potato, peeled and diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 carrots, sliced

3 celery stalks, sliced

1 (8 oz) package sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup white wine

1 cup frozen peas

white meat from 1 rotisserie chicken (skin removed), meat torn into bite sized pieces

2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon coriander

1/8 teaspoon celery seeds (optional)

(Cream Sauce)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup half & half

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

pinch fresh ground nutmeg

pinch (or 2) cayenne

(Crust)

1 cup butter, chilled

3 cups flour

8 oz cream cheese, chilled

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg, beaten (for brushing the tops of the pies)

How To:

(Filling)

1. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and potato and sauté for 5 minutes, then add garlic. Continue to cook for 5 minutes.

2. Add carrots, celery and mushrooms and sauté for 10 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add in the wine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let bubble away stirring often until most of the wine has evaporated. Lower the heat and stir in the salt, pepper and parsley, coriander and celery seeds if using.

3. Stir in the chicken and peas, remove from the heat and set aside.

(Cream Sauce)

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour gradually and whisk until smooth.

2. Whisk in the chicken stock and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly. Raise the heat slightly - just to below boiling and stir until the mixture thickens.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the half and half, a half teaspoon of kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper as well as the thyme, nutmeg and cayenne.

4. Pour the cream mixture into the chicken and vegetable mixture and mix to combine.

(Crust)

1. Cut the butter into 16 pieces and pulse in a food processor with the flour until crumbly.

2. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and add to the processor along with salt and pepper. Continue pulsing until the dough comes together and forms a ball.

3. Use immediately or chill for 30 minutes to an hour wrapped in plastic wrap. If you chill it longer, let it warm up a bit before rolling.

Assembly:

1. Fill six 1 and 1/2 cup oven safe bowls or ramekins equally, about 3/4 full, with the creamy chicken mixture. You could also use a deep dish pie plate or casserole.

2. Split the dough in 6 equal pieces (or as many pies as you plan to bake) and roll out to 1/4 inch thickness.

3. Cut dough into rounds that are about 1 1/2 inches larger in diameter than your bowls to ensure a lovely overhand.

4. Brush a little of the beaten egg onto the edges of the bowls and place dough rounds over the filling, pressing slightly to adhere to the bowl. Repeat with remaining bowls.

5. Brush the tops of the pies with the egg wash (if desired, use any scraps to make decorative leaves or whatever you prefer to adorn.)

6. Place the pies on large cookie sheets lines with aluminum foil (to prevent leakage or fallen crusts) and bake the pies at 375 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

7. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Aurora's 'Famous' Pepperoni Chicken

Please tell me I'm not the only person on the planet who remembers Seems Like Old Times with Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn.

This movie is so 80's it makes me want to roll up my shirt sleeves and curl my bangs. Goldie Hawn drives a station wagon, Chevy Chase is still handsome, and haute couture cuisine is pepperoni chicken. Specifically - Aurora's Famous Pepperoni Chicken - their housekeeper's signature dish that she makes for VIP guests.

I've wanted to make this dish for years. The only problem was there was no recipe. A quick Google search revealed other 80's fans like me who had looked for it in vain. Luckily the major players in the recipe are in the name.

I started with the most obvious, the chicken, flattening boneless skinless breasts and seasoning them with salt, pepper and dried oregano. I then sprinkled them with lots of shredded parmesan and added a layer of pepperoni over the top. I rolled the breasts up like a burrito, staked them shut with spaghetti noodles and baked them in a bath of tomato sauce and red pepper flakes. In the last couple minutes, I added thin slices of fresh mozzarella over the top and browned them under the broiler.

I have no idea if what I concocted was at all like the recipe in the movie but I was shocked at how good it was. What started as a joke-slash-kitchen-therapy resulted in a new favorite dish. I too would serve this to senators and head judges, just like they do in the film.

Thanks Aurora!



Aurora's 'Famous' Pepperoni Chicken
* You can assemble the entire dish ahead (sans the mozzarella) and refrigerate for up to 8 hours before baking. Just put into a cold oven uncovered and bake as directed.


Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1 cup shredded parmesan
salt and pepper
onion powder
dried oregano
1 package pepperoni slices
red pepper flakes
1 ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
1 (16 oz) jar of your favorite marinara sauce (mine is Rao's)
spaghetti or toothpicks for securing the chicken


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a large baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.

To each flattened chicken breast, season 1 side (the topside) with salt, pepper, onion powder and a good pinch of dried oregano each, scattering it evenly over. Next add a layer of shredded park - just a light but solid layer (you don't want too much or it will be hard to roll them.) Finally add a layer of pepperoni, just overlapping them slightly. Again don't go doubling up the pepperoni or it will be too hard to roll.

Starting at the wide end, carefully roll up the chicken trying to keep all of the filling in. If any squeezes out, just stuff it back in with your fingers. Use toothpicks or spaghetti (broken into 3" pieces) to stake it into place. Season the tops of the chicken lightly with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, add the jar of sauce to your baking dish. Scatter over a generous pinch of red pepper flakes, optional. Nestle each chicken roll in the sauce spreading them out evenly across the dish.

Bake for 20 minutes, if normal sized breasts, 25 if they are the really large kind. Remove and layer the top of the chicken with mozzarella. Put back in the oven on the highest rack and bake another 8 minutes or until the top of the mozzarella has begun to turn golden. If need be, you can kick the broiler on to help it along.

Remove and let cool for 5-8 minutes before serving.

Honey Lemon Chicken - and we have a house!

Well hello there.

I've missed you. Actually that's a lie. I haven't missed a whole lot in the past two months. I've been obsessively trying to close on a house. In fact closing on this house was much like hopping on a ride at Disney Land that lasted 2 months longer than you thought it would. And made you puke a lot. And gave you gray hair and made you eat bars and bars of dark chocolate with copious amounts of red wine. And made you try weird carnival like foods like Texas Red Chili which made you thank God you didn't normally have an urge to try such things.

Anyway it's finally done. I'm a home owner again. And over the moon about it, though still slightly stunned.

Let's get back to the cooking.

I made a couple things during this time of extended stress worth sharing. One of them was a take on Ina Garten's Lemon Chicken. I made mine with boneless skinless chicken breasts 'cuz that's what I had y'all!' and added a bit of honey because sugar seemed to help out with the stress.

In fact at one point during all of this I was eating so much chocolate in the afternoon I began to seek a little variety - adding dried cherries to my routine and alternating them with salted roasted almonds sort of like a fat man's granola. Like I said it was stressful. I put on a couple pounds. Even almost had boobs for half a second.

ANYWAY. The chicken. Damn good. I recommend it during times of stress or not. Great entertaining dish 'cause it's pretty. And easy. And Ina Garten-y.

Good to see y'all again.

Honey Lemon Chicken
*slightly adapted from Ina Garten
*serves 4, easily adapted if you can do math (which I can't)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (Ina reccos 2 heaping tablespoons, chopped)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey (my addition)
• pinch red pepper flakes (my addition)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves plus extra for garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each) CAN USE SKINLESS BUT WATCH COOKING TIME
• 1 lemon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, red pepper, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a greased 9 by 12-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (25 MINUTES IF USING SKINLESS/CUTLETS, COVERING WITH FOIL AFTER 15 MINUTES IF STARTING TO BROWN TOO MUCH BC OF THE HONEY), depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve hot with the pan juices and additional thyme for garnish.

Serve over rice or couscous.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Hey Y'all. We're in the middle of moving. Actually the beginning of moving which is even scarier. Still waiting on the loan but moving ahead anyway renting the new place (moving in tomorrow) until it comes through. Which it will. Because otherwise well...I can't even imagine.

Actually I can. It would mean moving in with my poor beloved sister like we had to do after graduating college all those many moons ago when we couldn't find jobs. Only now we do have jobs. Decent ones which would make it even more ironic. Again I'll try not to spiral into a stress ball (cue the Oreos and red wine and the weird purple bumps I've had on my legs the past three days. Sexy!)

Anyway it will be short and sweet for the next couple of weeks on the 'ole blogosphere. If at all.

In the meantime I want to leave you with my most prized appetizer recipe - Buffalo Chicken Dip. Actually I kind of hate this recipe because it's all Kris ever wants me to make. I don't even know if anyone else on earth likes it but him. But he likes it so much I make it again and again. Over and over. For all I know friends and family are like please dear God make something else.

I have Claire Robinson to blame for this. And Frank's Red Hot Sauce where I saw the same damn thing printed on the back. I altered it a split hair adding chopped green onions to the dip and as a garnish. I know, I know. My originality is startling and unsettling.

Until next time, keep your fingers crossed for me, the loan, and my sanity.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup hot sauce (recommended: Frank's)
• 1/2 breast of a rotisserie chicken, skin removed and chopped
• 2 green onions, minced plus 2 chopped for garnish
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• Crackers, tortilla chips, or celery sticks for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, melt the cream cheese until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the celery, hot sauce, chicken, green onion (2 minced) and blue cheese and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a Pam sprayed 9-inch pie plate or baking dish. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 22-25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, bread or celery sticks.

Creamy, Zesty Avocado Cilantro Sauce

I adapted this from another blog, Guilty Kitchen, and could eat it like hot fudge. It's going to be my summer lover so if you plan on eating at my house in the next few months I dearly hope you like cilantro or it's frozen pizza for you. Just kidding. We also have frozen burritos and occasionally pot pie. Kris likes a little variety.

I served this over chicken with quinoa and while it was delish, I couldn't stop thinking about how it would taste on a burger. Or through a straw. I'll shut up now.

Creamy, Zesty Avocado Cilantro Sauce
* Makes about a cup.
* Adapted from Guilty Kitchen, http://guiltykitchen.com/

Ingredients:
1 small or regular sized avocado (not the softball sized ones)
juice of 1 regular lime
juice of 1 regular lemon (again, not the softball sized ones I see from time to time)
1 large handful of cilantro, stems and all (a heaping packed cup)
1/2 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
pinch black pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Red pepper flakes, optional, or 1/2 chopped jalapeño sans seeds

Directions:
Add the avocado (scooped flesh only, no seed or skin) to a food processor or blender along with the lime and lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, olive oil and pepper/jalapeno if using. Pulse to blend a few times, stopping to scraped down the sides if any chunks are sticking and blend again until smooth.

Taste for seasoning and make any adjustments necessary.

Serve with grilled chicken, steaks, burgers, or whatever you fancy.

Buffalo Chicken Kabobs with Blue Cheese Dip

                                      

I got psyched when I daydreamed this recipe. Mostly because I like anything with the word 'buffalo' in the name. I'm super original that way.

But after making them, I got even more excited. They're almost like tandoori (super moist delicious Indian kabobs) but buffalo flavored. And spicy as an ant pile.

As for the sauce, I have no words. Hide your kids. Hide your wife. It's about to get crazy up in here.

I could make this recipe every day for the rest of my life, just swapping out different kinds of meat for the chicken. Salmon would be amazing. Beef would make me weep. And if the squirrels don't stop chewing on the side of my house they too might be bound for buffalo glory.

Buffalo Chicken Kabobs with Blue Cheese Dip

Kabob Marinade:
1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
7 oz greek yogurt, either 2% or whole (not fat free)
1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce, or your favorite brand hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil
2 fat green onions (white and green parts), chopped
2 smashed garlic cloves, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
zest of 1 small lime
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (use less if using table salt!)
fresh ground black pepper
Wooden skewers (soak in water for 30 minutes before skewing/grilling)

Mix the marinade ingredients (yogurt through the black pepper) together until all blended and friendly in a medium bowl. Transfer to a large ziploc and add the chicken smushing around until all pieces are well coated. Refrigerate overnight, removing half an hour before threading onto skewers and grilling. THERE IS NO NEED TO SALT THE KABOBS BEFORE GRILLING AS THE MARINADE IS QUITE SALTY.

To grill, heat an outdoor grill to 375. Oil the grates so the kabobs won't stick (grease a folded paper towel with peanut or veg oil use tongs to swipe it along the grates.) Add the kabobs 'against the grain' from where the grates are positioned so no chicken falls through, and close the lid for 4 minutes. Try picking up to see if you have grill marks on the underside. If so, flip over and cook another 4-5 minutes until cooked through, if not cook another 1-2 minutes before checking again and flipping.

Remove and serve with dip, below.

Dip (would also make a killer dip for veg/crackers/etc:)
zest of a small lemon
1-2 green onions, sliced thin
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup light mayo
1/4 cup blue cheese or gorgonzola
salt, but only if needed after tasting and to taste

Mix altogether and store in the refrigerator until needed. Can be made the day before. Serve with the kabobs. Or as a dip for veg and crackers. Or fingers.

SXSW Eats: Lucy's Fried Chicken

For your first course, get the deep fried deviled eggs.

For your second course, get the fried chicken. It comes with sliced jalapeños and pickle spears on top - an idea that is so genius it makes me want to curl into the fetal position and weep because I just can't deal with it.

For your third course, get the pie. Any pie, but S'mores pie is a personal favorite. They also have a sweet tea pie which at first bite is a little weird but by the third bite will have you hiding under the table with it, stabbing anyone that comes near you with a fork.

That's Lucy's Fried Chicken.

You don't go for the vegetables.

Spicy Ginger Chicken with Cool Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Spicy Ginger Chicken Marinade:
* The leftover chicken makes a killer sandwich the next day with mayo and more cilantro.

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, for marinating

1 small tub (usually 5.3 oz) Greek yogurt (preferably whole or 2% Fage brand)
1 chunk gresh ginger, at least 1 tablespoon when grated or chopped, or more for more kick
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
small handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped
2-3 small shallots, chopped
big handful fresh cilantro, chopped plus extra for garnish
2 smashed garlic cloves
zest of one lime

Directions:
Mix the yogurt with the ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, herbs, shallots, garlic and lime zest. Place chicken breasts in a large ziploc or medium tupperware and cover with marinade, being sure to turn to coat and really piling on the mixture to give them a good soaking. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat your broiler oven. Remove the chicken from the marinade and scrape off excess (don't be tempted to leave large hunks clinging onto the chicken - it will only burn.) Season the tops lightly with salt and pepper. Grease a pan with a rack in it, place breasts on the rack and put in the oven. Check starting at 8 minutes - breasts are done when the edges are JUST beginning to char and the thin veil of marinade on the meat has completely lost its glossy wetness and become a chalky, dull white. They're not pretty to look at but they're delicious to eat. Conversely you can just bake them on a cookie sheet (sprayed with nonstick spray) at 400 for 15 minutes until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with cucumber yogurt sauce, following, and garnish with additional cilantro.

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:
* You can make this hours ahead or even the day before with good results. The mixture will look a bit watery and sad - just stir it together and remind yourself looks aren't everything.

Ingredients:
1 small tub whole or 2% Greek yogurt, NOT fat free
1 handful of fresh mint, rough chopped
1 large handful cilantro, rough chopped
1 medium cucumber, seeds scraped and discarded then finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
juice of 1/2 lime
lime zest, optional for more zing

Directions:
Mix alltogether and let sit for at least 30 minutes in the fridge before serving. Spoon over hot chicken when dishing, or serve alongside for people to serve themselves.

Spicy Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

Spicy Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

Ingredients:
1 quart buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
big handful chopped cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onion
2 jalapenoes, seeded, deveined and chopped
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce or Franks Red Hot Sauce, optional
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried mustard powder
pinch fresh cracked pepper
3-4 pounds chicken pieces. A mix of boneless, skinless breast cutlets and skin-on drums and thighs or whatever you like.
Additional chopped green onions and cilantro, for garnish

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, shallots, garlic, cilantro, green onion, jalapeno, hot sauce, salt, sugar, cumin, mustard, and pepper. If you have an extra large ziploc, you can brine the chicken in a bag to save fridge space. Otherwise you a bowl and be sure to cover it with plastic wrap when chilling.
2. Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry. Trim off excess fat on skin pieces. Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk brine. Cover and chill overnight or at least for 8 hours. Remove from fridge one hour before grilling to take the chill off.
3. Lift chicken from brine; and gently shake off excess herbs and garlic. Blot gently with paper towels (they don't have to be really dry but just not dripping), season lightly with more salt and pepper, and set aside while you prepare the grill do medium heat.
4. Grill for 5-6 minutes per side or until cooked through (dark meat may take longer.) Serve hot with extra tabasco on the side and/or a dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce, Optional (Pesto also works well!):
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
handful minced cilantro
handful chopped green onions
1/2-1 teaspoon Frank's Red Hot Sauce, or Tabasco to taste
pinch salt and pepper

Mix together, cover, and keep chilled until ready to serve.

Creamy Parmesan and Lemon Chicken

This is one of those recipes you can make as is or bedazzle the hell out of. Mushrooms, olives, or artichoke hearts would be welcome additions though it's pretty damn good as is. I labelled it 'fast' because you don't have to saute the shallots or green onions first but can just chop and mix them with the rest of the ingredients. Even better you can whip up the 'sauce' the night before and keep in the fridge until you're ready to assemble. Or even assemble the whole dish, cover it, and refrigerate overnight before baking off uncovered in a cold oven at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Though it's not a pretty dish I'd serve this to friends who wouldn't judge me for it. Come to think of it I wouldn't serve food to any other kind. And since I'm laying it all out on the line here, I have to admit if I had my druthers, I'd flatten the chicken a little to keep the sauce-to-chicken-ratio equal from start to finish. Because at the end of the day, ain't it all about the sauce?

Creamy Parmesan and Lemon Chicken
* recipe easily doubled. As is, sauce will accommodate up to 3 medium chicken breast cutlets

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
1/2 cup sour cream (light is fine)
3 oz cream cheese (sold in little 3 oz packages in some stores)
2 teaspoons whole grain dijon mustard
1/4 cup white wine or chicken stock (use less salt if using stock)
1 fat green onion, chopped plus another for garnish
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
zest of a small lemon or 1/2 of a large
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan, plus additional for topping (if desired)
pinch black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a tiny pinch to season breasts
pinch red pepper flakes, optional
handful chopped fresh basil, optional

Directions:
Spray a small/medium casserole dish with nonstick spray and set aside. Meanwhile, mix together the sour cream, cream cheese, dijon, wine or stock, green onion, shallot, garlic powder, lemon zest, Parmesan, peppers, salt and basil if using in a medium bowl.

Place your chicken breasts in your greased dish, lightly season with salt and pepper, then pour the sauce evenly over and around the chicken covering them completely.

Either cover and refrigerate overnight until baking or bake right away at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until the edges of the dish are bubbling and the chicken is cooked through. If topping with extra Parmesan, be sure to sprinkle it over in the last 10 minutes of baking so it gets brown but doesn't burn. Garnish with additional green onions or fresh herbs and serve with rice or noodles.

*As stated above, if you are assembling this ahead and refrigerating it, place the dish uncovered in a cold oven, heat to 350 and bake for 35 minutes just until the sauce around the edges is bubbling and the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Honey Pecan 'Fried' Chicken with Hot Sauce Butter

This is slap-yourself-in-the-face good. Hot, crunchy, spicy, sweet. Serve with extra hot sauce butter and honey on the side to dip the chicken in as well as any sides that are dip-able I.E. biscuits, sweet potato fries, phalanges, what have you. Or if you'd like to eat it as portrayed in my spectacular photo (kidding!) make the herbed goat cheese grits at the bottom of this post. And remember it's 'oven-fried' so pat on the back, buddy. Way to go.

Pecan Crusted Chicken with Hot Sauce Butter and Honey
Chicken and Marinade:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon coriander
3 fat sprigs fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 dried bay leaves
fresh cracked pepper

Chicken Coating:
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Hot Sauce Butter:
4 tablespoons melted butter (I use salted) combined with 1 tablespoon Frank's Hot Sauce, or more to taste

Honey:
1/4 cup or so, for drizzling over hot baked chicken

ASSEMBLY:
Add the buttermilk to a large ziploc along with the sea salt, smoked paprika, coriander, thyme, garlic and pepper. Mix well then dunk the chicken breasts in, seal, and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Remove from the fridge 45 minutes before cooking.

Preheat your oven to 375. Drain the chicken, pat dry and place in a rimmed glass or ceramic baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Lightly season with salt and pepper, then gently spoon the chicken coating (above) over the chicken trying to cover every exposed surface and applying in as even a layer as possible. Now you drizzle the hot sauce butter over the top using a spoon - use a zig zag motion and pour in a thin layer - you don't need to douse the chicken (though you could) - just give the coating enough moisture to achieve that 'bake-fried' texture.

Cover the dish with foil and cook on the center rack for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook another 15-18 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the chicken juices run clear when pierced with a knife (unless breasts are very thick - they should be cooked through by 25-28 minutes.) If at any point the topping begins to blacken, recover with foil. Let rest 5 minutes before serving, drizzling liberally with honey.

Herbed Goat Cheese Grits:
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 fat peeled garlic clove
3/4 cups quick grits
2 oz goat cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
pinch fresh cracked black pepper
handful fresh minced basil
handful fresh minced flat leaf parsley
pinch fresh chopped rosemary

Add the chicken stock and garlic to a medium lidded pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the grits and slowly stir in. Lower the heat to medium/low - just until the liquid is gently simmering and no longer boiling. Cook, stirring continuously until the grits have thickened to your liking - usually abotut 7-8 minutes for me. Kill the heat and stir in the goat cheese, parmesan, pepper and herbs. Serve right away, removing garlic clove if desired.

Spicy Yogurt Marinated Lamb Kabobs in Warm Pita

Heinous picture time! My apologies for being too impatient and lazy to learn the art of the lens. This looks like a gaping demon mouth for Christ's sake. But onwards and upwards. Lamb haters - don't click away. This marinade would be equally good with chicken or beef. Unless you love lamb (like me) in which case you know that could never be true...

But whatever meat you fancy, this marinade will make it juicier, more flavorful and more awesome. I've always wanted to be in a band called "More Awesome" but that's besides the point. Anyway, with meat this flavorful you don't even need to make a sauce or accompaniment. Just let it rest after grilling, accumulating all those magical juices, then de-skewer and cradle it up in warm pita and sprinkle with crumbled feta. If you have any patience left, chop up some green onions and flat leaf parsley to gild the lily.

Spicy Yogurt Marinated Lamb Kabobs in Warm Pita
* Austin residents - the best naan bread can be found at the Farmers Market at Barton Creek Mall at the Indian food vendor stand. SOOO good!

Ingredients:
7 oz Greek yogurt, full or low fat okay
2 green onions, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 1/2 inch knob fresh ginger, minced or grated
2 garlic cloves, rough chopped
Large handful flat leaf parsley, minced
1 medium lime, zested and juiced
1 jalapeño, chopped (seeds and veins optional)
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh cracked pepper
1 lb cubed lamb

Naan or pita bread, wrapped in foil and warmed in a low oven.
Feta cheese, for serving.
Chopped green onions and flat leaf parsley, for serving.
Wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least two hours.

Instructions:
In a large ziploc bag, mix together the yogurt, shallot, ginger, garlic, parsley, lime juice and zest, jalapeno, spices, salt and pepper. Add the lamb and turn around to make sure every piece is well coated.

Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight, removing from the fridge a half hour before grilling. Remove the lamb from the marinade and skewer. Preheat an outdoor or stovetop grill pan to medium. Spray with nonstick spray. Once the grill or grill pan has heated up (you shouldn't be able to hold your hand within a couple inches of it for more than a few seconds), add the skewers and grill for about 4-5 minutes per side for medium.

Remove and let rest for 10 minutes lightly tented with foil before deskewering and serving in warm pita or naan with feta, chopped green onions, and flat leaf parsley.

Porcini and Onion Gravy, for Roast Chicken

It's that time of year again. The time when I start to dream of fall... Fall weather. Fall fashion (layers! boots! oh my!) And most importantly, fall food. I wish I could say that's the reason I made roast chicken with mushroom gravy while it was 105 degrees outside but there's actually a deeper, darker explanation.

After shooting a commercial last week in Prague, I was sent to the ER. I was having a bad stomach ache which led to chest pain which led me to not be able to breathe. In hindsight I feel like a total jack ass. They couldn't find a thing wrong with me and eventually chalked it up to exhaustion and stress (we had just completed two night shoots in a row, wrapping at 6:30 am.) All I can say is, never get sick in Prague. We had been joking the whole trip that we were going to end up in a scene from the movie Hostel and the irony is that's pretty much what happened.

Everyone in the hospital smoked (doctor, nurses, interns), the ceiling was leaking, and I counted 3 spiders on the wall of the dimly lit, sallow hallway they stuck me in for an hour before finally giving me an IV. Oh and the paramedics were laughing as they loaded me up into the ambulance. Good times.

Anyway - I'm fine thanks to the best husband in the world and the best producer in the world (thank you Josh Morse!) But as soon as I got home, I just wanted to be in my kitchen cooking homey, comforting things to make me feel rooted to the ground again. This gravy was one of them - home on a plate with roasted chicken, roasted beet salad with goat cheese, and sweet potato fries. Hurray home!

Porcini and Onion Gravy
* Makes enough for 3-4 servings of roast chicken. Easily doubled.
* This gravy isn't very liquidy - it's more like an onion and mushroom confit. If you like a runnier gravy, don't let the porcini liquid evaporate as much before adding the cornstarch mixture to thicken.
* You can make this up to two days ahead and keep in the fridge. Just reheat in the microwave and stir before serving.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon salted butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
2 fat garlic cloves, peeled and gently smashed
pinch dried sage
pinch kosher salt and pepper
dried bay leaf
large handful of dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce until dissolved
1 tablespoon butter
additional salt and pepper, if necessary for seasoning

Directions:
Add the butter and oil to a medium dutch oven and put over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add in the chopped onion and garlic cloves. Add in a pinch of kosher salt, pepper, bay leaf and dried sage. Saute, stirring occasionally and lowering the heat a little if the bottom begins to scorch, for 20-22 minutes or until the onions are nice and soft and JUST beginning to caramelize,

Meanwhile, place a handful of dried porcini mushrooms in a cup of boiling water (I just bring the water to a boil in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave.) Use a spoon to press the mushrooms down into the water, then set them aside and let them soak for 20 minutes while the onions cook.

Once the onions are softened and have begun to brown a little, pour in the white wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Let bubble away, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has evaporated. Pour in the mushrooms and water they soaked in and boil away until most of the liquid has evaporated (leave more liquid if you prefer a more liquidy gravy.) Stir in the cornstarch/Worcestershire mixture and kill the heat. Once thickened, stir in the butter and transfer to a cool burner. Taste for salt and pepper and make any adjustments if necessary. Remove bay leaf and garlic cloves (if desired) before serving.

Serve with roast chicken or pork or beef.

Paula Disbrowe's Smoky Red Hens

I've roasted a hundred chickens in my life yet never attempted Cornish Hens until a week ago. I think it was the name. So proper. So gamey. And more important would a hen really taste like a mini chicken? I wasn't convinced.

But then I was flipping through Paula's Book - Cowgirl Cuisine - and the photo convinced me to try them. I love that about food pictures. I guess that puts me in the "Picture Cookbook" camp versus the "Cooks Illustrated" set. That's okay. Something tells me they don't drink enough wine for me anyway.

I now credit Paula for getting me over my fear of hens. What was I so afraid of? They're so freaking cute and tiny! I kind of wanted to dress them up like little dolls instead of cooking them. But then I got hungry.

Smoky Red Hens
* Slightly adapted from Paula Disbrowe.
* Refrigerate hens overnight in spice rub for better flavor.
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
2 Cornish Hens
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder (I only had regular chili powder)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
zest of 1 small orange (use rest of orange for cavity)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 fresh bay leaves, or 1 teaspoon pink pepper corns
5 -6 fresh thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 small onion quartered
1 small orange, quartered
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

Directions:
Remove neck or giblets from hens and rinse hens under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside. Meanwhile combine the spices - cumin through the sugar - in a small bowl. Stir in the oil, zest and red wine vinegar. Add the hens to an oversized ziploc and rub all over with the spice rub, being sure to rub inside the cavity as well. Add in the bay leaves (or pink peppercorns), thyme sprigs, smashed garlic cloves, seal, and roll the chickens around a little more in the bag so that everyone gets along. Refrigerate overnight.

Remove hens from fridge and let sit out for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425. Remove the hens from the bag and carefully stuff each of the cavities with a quarter of the onion, orange, and a garlic clove. Tie the legs if desired.

Roast the hens on a rack in a roasting pan for 30 minutes. Add some water or chicken stock to the bottom of the pan if/when the juices begin to scorch. After 30 minutes, reduce heat to 375 and roast another 30 minutes or until the juices run clear when the hen's inner thigh is pierced with a knife.

Remove from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving (remove and discard cavity filling first.)

Lemony Grilled Chicken with Avocado and Orange Salsa

I've been very inconsistent lately. A bad blogger. Boo on me. There are many reasons for this (work, planning vacation, True Blood reruns) but the honest to God's truth is I've been striking out in the kitchen. Does this ever happen to you? I mean I've definitely had my share of duds on the stove top but not a whole string of them in a row. I was going to share some of these culinary disasters but decided not to. Life's too short to waste lamenting crap recipes.

This is the recipe that helped me get my groove back. The 'salsa' is heavily borrowed/inspired by one of Giada's and it was originally meant to be served over fish (the fish at the Randall's fish counter terrified me so I made a last minute decision to switch to chicken.) I actually loved the salsa with chicken but while we were eating, Kris leaned over to say how amazing he thought it was and then, in a trying-to-be-casual manner politely suggested it might be even better over fish. Okay Giada. Okay.

Coriander Scented Grilled Chicken with Avocado and Orange Salsa

Chicken and Marinade:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon coriander
dash of garlic powder
juice of 1 lemon, plus the roughly chopped spent lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
healthy pinch salt and pepper

Combine bay leaves, coriander, garlic powder, lemon juice and chopped up remains, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large ziploc. Mix to combine then add the chicken. Refrigerate for 8 hours, flipping over halfway through.

Remove from fridge half an hour before grilling.

Prepare a stovetop or gas grill by oiling grates, then turning to medium heat. Once hot, remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off excess and add to the grill. Grill for 4 minutes (or until grill marks appear) then carefully flip over. Season with salt and pepper and continue grilling the second side for 5 minutes or so until cooked through.

Let rest for five minutes, then serve with the salsa spooned over and rice as a side dish (you can doll up the rice with chopped green onion, red onion, cilantro, etc.)

Avocado and Orange Salsa:
zest of 1 orange
zest and juice of 1 large lemon
2 oranges, peeled and segmented
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley
1 scallion, chopped
2-3 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1 avocado, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all gently together in a medium bowl. Serve over grilled chicken OR fish. Serve with rice if desired.