To Grill Indoors: Chicken (Skewers) Edition

The timing couldn't have been more perfect. Sally asked the British lady: chicken SOS, what do I do? (Or something.) And the thing is, out of context that's bonkers. But, the context is: me, in my car, pulling up to my apartment with chicken breast in the grocery bag. And the British lady said (on the Splendid Table podcast): easy. Olive oil, cinnamon, cumin, crushed garlic, and cayenne on the chicken. So, I did it. The chicken marinated for an hour. Then I grilled it with some pickled jalapenos. Those are spicy, but really good grilled.

I already had in mind to make an Israeli cous cous salad with yellow peppers, garlic sauteed spinach, blistered cherry tomatoes with a splash of lemon juice & avocado oil. Something was missing; I added smoked paprika. Depth. I finished the dish as I planned: with some grilled peppers and mushrooms and a dabble of parsley yogurt sauce for dipping onto the plate. 

I had also planned to grill the chicken and veggies on the sticks. But then things weren't cooking evenly and I decided (bold move) that COOKED chicken was more important than skewered chicken.

Expert tip: use Greek yogurt (plain, obviously) add a little water + salt + parsley or cilantro. 

The Irish lady said the meal would be spicy and cool. (She had also recommended yogurt, but hers was plain.) Sometimes, I forget to add cayenne in my spice blends. But, judging by the speed with which this dinner was inhaled, I'll likely remember it.

Is this a #bigdeal? Since I was wearing so many colors, the cashier at Trader Joe's gave me stickers. "You wear so many colors! These are special, " he leaned in as he whispered to me, "they smell when you scratch them." 

To Use Fancy French Words: Fish en Papillote

 

This is a relatively easy & delicious dinner. Relatively because it didn't come out EXACTLY cooked in the first go-round, but with a little help from Michael, things turned out terrifically. I think the mistake was that I used a very thick slab of red snapper, and didn't rightfully adjust the cooking time. I used a new technique "en papillote" which just means in parchment paper. I sauteed some greens then threw them with some fish into the parchment paper and cooked it up real good. It was so nice. And, I'm eager to try again and not eff it up.

To be a Cliche: A Bowl of Stuff for Dinner

It's been a while, but when I told my husband I'd be making a "bowl of stuff" for dinner I knew I'd be chastised. It's sort of my go to dinner. I love the freedom of it. It's just so much stuff! In a bowl! It's all together and magically, it always tastes good.

To Recycle Foods: Roast a Chicken; Use the Bones & Leftover Meat

see? those tips are a little burnt. woops.

I get great pleasure from not wasting any of the food. When we have leftovers that aren't somehow used (ie: eaten or re-purposed) my heart sinks. Sometimes, I yell at Michael WE HAVE TO EAT ALL THE FOOD WE CANNOT KEEP WASTING FOOD. It feels slightly better. It's just that there were a lot of stories last year (that I was paying attention to) saying horrible things about how much food is wasted in America: food farmers grow that isn't used, food we make then throw out, good but past date food thrown away from grocery shelves. ANYWAY, it's sad. Cause some people don't have ENOUGH food. Supply/demand/inequality/etc.

So, when I get the opportunity to make the most of my purchasing power by making something that can be used from skin to bones and continue to nourish us through the week-- I get SUPER excited.