Easy Kielbasa and Sourkraut

Peel potatoes and put on to cook  

Open sourkraut and drain

Dice some onion and garlic

Cut Kielbasa into 1/2” coins 

In hot Dutch Oven melt two T butter (foaming). 

Add in Kilbasa and brown. About five minutes. 

Reserve Kielbasa and add in onion. Cook to golden. Add in garlic and sauté one minute. 

Add in Sourkraut, some chicken stock (1/2 to 1 cup) and a sprinkle of Caraway     

Add in the Kielbasa.  Mix.  Allow to simmer while you prepare mashed potatoes. 

Souvlaki

 Lamb souvlaki with marinated pieces of lamb, threaded on skewers, and char-grilled to perfection. I like to serve these with rosemary garlic roasted potatoes, a Greek salad, and pita bread.

• ⅓ cup olive oil

• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 ½ pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of all fat and cut into 1-inch cubes

  
  

  
  

  
  

Hoppin John - my version

Quantities are based on having two links of smoky sausage and a can of black beans. 

Chop up the trinity:  a stalk of celery, a carrot and a small onion. I like to include a half of a red and green pepper.

Sauté in a turn of EVO. After four to five minutes add some garlic, salt, pepper and a pinch of thyme. 

Stir in a cup of rice and sauté for another three or four minutes

Add two plus cups of chicken stock, a can of drained black beans and the chopped up sausage. It should be pretty soupy at this point. If not, add more stock. 

Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer; cover. 

Check after 10 minutes and add additional stock if necessary (you are cooking rice at this point.). Continue to simmer until rice is ready - another 10 minutes at least. 

Serve with buttered bread and some sliced scallions.

Salmon

 

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place the salmon fillet in a glass, ceramic, or stainless-steel roasting dish and season it generously with salt and pepper. Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice and drizzle the mixture evenly over the salmon. Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the scallions, dill, and parsley. Scatter the herb mixture over the salmon fillet, turning it so that both sides are generously coated with the green herbs. Pour the wine around the fish fillet.
4. Roast the salmon for 10 to 12 minutes, until almost cooked in the center at the thickest part. The center will be firm with just a line of uncooked salmon in the very center. (I peek by inserting the tip of a small knife.) Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut the salmon crosswise into serving pieces and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Chicken with Mushrooms in a creamy sauce

https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-breast-in-creamy-mushroom-sauce/

PARMESAN-HERB SALMON

Just about any herbs go well with salmon. For this herb-crusted salmon recipe, I used fresh dill, parsley, basil, and chives. Thyme, rosemary, and tarragon would also be good. To make the topping, combine the herbs with minced garlic, grated parmesan cheese, and light mayo.

HOW TO BAKE PARMESAN-HERB SALMON

1. Place the salmon skin-side down on a lined baking sheet, and cover it with another piece of parchment paper or foil.
2. Partially bake the salmon for 8 minutes at 425°F and then remove it from the oven.
3. Top the fish with the parmesan-herb mixture and return the uncovered tray to the oven for about 15 to 18 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. The salmon is done when its internal temperature is 135F, the top has browned, and the filet easily flakes with a fork.

Chicken Thighs

The first secret to crispy chicken skin is drying the skin of the chicken well with paper towels to remove all the moisture you can.

The second secret is cooking the chicken at a higher heat, which naturally will result in a darker, crispier skin. 

The third one is using baking powder.

Start by stirring together the seasoning blend made with onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano and baking powder. Dry the chicken well with paper towels, season with salt and black pepper, and sprinkle the seasoning all over the chicken. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake until crunchy and golden brown.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 to 40 minutes @ 400. (60 @ 350)
Total Time: 35 to 45 minutes 
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 - 6 bone-in chicken thighs (or your favorite chicken pieces)
• olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder