These are my favorite Greek Chicken recipes you’ll want to add to your dinner plans.

Greek Chicken Kabobs

In this recipe, I alternated chicken with summer yellow zucchini. Feel free to switch the vegetables and for a twist try add fresh peach slices.

These only take about six minutes to grill. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice. RECIPE HERE

Greek Chicken Thighs on the Grill

Grilled Greek Chicken Thighs can be done either reverse sear (my choice) or direct grill. Reverse sear is longer, but worth it. RECIPE HERE

Ingredients for Greek Chickenb Marinade

This marinade is so good. I suggest you do use the honey at the end and don’t skip the dill. You will marinate chicken in half, and reserve the other half for the end.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Fresh Oregano (dry if you don’t have)
• Fresh Thyme
• Fresh Garlic
• Fresh Dill (DON’T SKIP THE DILL)
• Honey (optional, put on in marinade that is used for serving).

Grilled Spatchcock Chicken with Greek Chicken Marinade

You can grill the chicken or roast in the oven. You can either prepare a whole chicken spatchcock style or buy it at already prepared (Bell and Evans sells spatchcock chicken at Whole Foods). If you prepare it yourself, you cut the backbone out with a sharp knife, press down and flatten the chicken. Rinse in cold water. Dry with paper towel before marinating. RECIPE HERE

Serve with this delicious Greek inspired cauliflower.

Summer Vegetable Recipes

• Grilled Zucchini
• Honey Baked Goat Cheese Salad
• Green Salad Blackberry Corn
• Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad
• Triple Crunch Cabbage Salad
• Olive Feta Salad

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Grilled Spatchcock Chicken, Greek Style

Greek Style herbs and honey marinated Spatchcocked Chicken on Grill

Course Entree

Cuisine Greek

Keyword Greek Chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Marinade Time 3 hours hours

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cups olive oil
• 1 lemon zest and juice
• 1 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon honey (use at end)

Instructions

Marinade

• Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and all herbs except the fresh dill.
• Use 1/2 marinade to marinate chicken for up to one day or at least one hour. Reserve the other half for once chicken is cooked.

The post Greek Chicken Marinade with Recipes for the Grill appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

As an Italian, I never understood meatballs in brown gravy, but my mind was changed when I saw Jamie Oliver demonstrating Swedish Meatballs in a unique and fast way to and I was eager to make a similar Keto friendly version.

This recipe is a sugar free, keto friendly and a take on “his” version. Where he uses cranberry jam, I used my own sugar free strawberry sauce, but I kept the vodka, the dill, the caraway seeds, and the heavy cream. A sugar free cranberry sauce would be ideal, but this is not the time of year for that. Instead of strawberries, you could use any fruity jam. NOTE: In one version, I used a syrupy balsamic sauce, adding after the heavy cream.

They were moist, flavorful and addicting.

What are Swedish Meatballs?

Swedish meatballs are ground meat (usually pork and beef) meatballs spiced in various ways, topped with a savory gravy. This version has a bit of sweet from the sugar free jam, depth from vodka, and seasoning from dill and caraway. In one version, I replaced dill with basil, as I had quite a bit that needed to be used. That works too. The meatballs are tender, made from pork and beef and there is no need for any bread. These were tender.

Ingredients

• Ground Beef
• Ground Pork
• Onion powder
• Fresh Dill
• Caraway Seeds
• Vodka
• Jam (sugar free)
• Heavy Cream
• Umami Mushroom Powder (if you have it)
• Allspice
• Nutmeg

I made two versions, one on cauliflower mash and one on cauliflower rice. We liked the cauliflower rice best because it soaked up all that gravy and added texture. It’s also easier.

My Favorite Mini Appliance in My Kitchen

You can bake your meatballs in a this Breville Convection smart under counter oven if you’re doing a small batch. We bought this last Christmas and there’s probably not a day that goes by that we don’t use it. It bakes, toasts, roasts, broils, warms and has a decent air fryer. I’ve even made a reverse sear ribeye steak in this and it was amazing. Right now, it has a special reduced price.

Meatballs for Swedish Meatballs

These are simple and so easy to make.

• Use both pork and beef in equal amounts.
• Make them small.
• Bake at 375 degrees F. instead of frying to keep them moist.
• Use caraway seeds toasted in the frying pan for a surprising layer of flavor.

No eggs, no bread, just lots of fresh dill. Use fresh if at all possible, because I’m calling fresh dill a main ingredient in this recipe.

I really encourage you to use BOTH beef and ground pork. The ground pork adds a lot of moisture, making bread unnecessary. I did add some milk onto the meat, a trick my mom always used for ground meat recipes. Instead of diced onion, I prefer onion powder, because the meatballs are small and I don’t like the texture of uncooked onions. I also added in some allspice, garlic powder, nutmeg, and Umami (a mushroom powder from Trader Joe’s).

Keto Friendly Gluten Free Gravy for Swedish Meatballs

These are not the heavy flour-based gravy laden Swedish meatballs you may be used to. The jam and heavy cream are really enough to make a great gravy, full of flavor, capturing notes from the caraway seed, vodka, and fresh dill.

What to Serve under the Swedish Meatballs

You can serve with rice, cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, or cauliflower mash. We love the cauliflower rice and it pulls in flavor from the gravy. You can also add in some chopped greens (spinach, chard, etc.) for added texture and color.

You can opt to top this with a dose of yogurt (I didn’t, but may next time) and sprinkled with a lot more dill.

Serve something light, green and crisp along side if you don’t add greens to the rice. Here are a few salad ideas that are bright and acidic, balancing out the meatballs.

• Green Bean Salad with Pears
• Micro Greens with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette
• Red Cabbage Salad
• Arugula Salad

More Meatball Recipes from Spinach Tiger

If you’re looking for something different next time, try the Greek Meatballs. Of course you know the Italian and Veal Meatballs are awesome.

• Italian Meatballs
• Greek Lamb Meatballs
• Veal Meatballs with Ricotta
• Chicken Meatballs

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Swedish Meatballs

Keto Friendly, Gluten Free Swedish Meatballs made with pork and beef, a creamy low-carb gravy.

Course Entree

Cuisine Swedish

Keyword keto bagels, Swedish Meatballs

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon umami seasoning optional
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Swedish Meatballs Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup sugar free jam or jelly See notes for sub
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup unflavored yogurt option

Instructions

Swedish Meatballs

• Combine all ingredients for meatballs together.
• Roll into meatballs about 1.5 inches to 2 inches.
• Bake for 12 minutes at 375 degrees F.
• Place oil into pan. Once hot, place caraway seeds into frying pan for about 10 seconds stirring.
• Add in meatballs.
• Keep a lid in hand, pour in vodka, place lid on and cook on low for about 3 minutes to burn off alcohol.
• Add jelly or strawberry jam, and pour over the meatballs.
• Add heavy cream stirring. Cream will thicken to a gravy. Turn off heat.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Top with fresh dill.
• Serve over rice or cauliflower rice or mashed.
• As an option you can dollop some unflavored yogurt on top and finish off wiht more dill. I skipped this.

Notes

Sugar Free Jam or Jelly brings sweetness. A sugar free cranberry sauce would be perfect, but not always in season. One substitute I  tried was balsamic vinegar (the syrupy one) and added AFTER the heavy cream, because it can burn in the pan.

The post Swedish Meatballs, Keto Friendly, Gluten Free appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Fresh dill, thyme and oregano are a more than perfect medley of herbs to drive flavor, but the secret is marinating for several hours. (Hold the dill for end finish).

How to Cook on the Grill Two Ways

Method 1: Reverse sear method. Light grill on high. Turn one burner of one side off. Place chicken on grill side that has no heat. Allow the chicken to reach 155 degrees F. Then place chicken skin side down on hot side until chicken reaches 165 F.

Method 2: Cook on direct low/medium heat, turning frequently.

There was a time that I used to be a bit skittish for cooking bone in chicken on the grill, fearful of scorching the outside and not cooking the inside. This is why I keep the temperature on the lower side and turn frequently, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Once the chicken is off the grill immediately pour over the rest of the marinade with the dill and then drizzle honey. If the skin is properly grilled crispy, you don’t need to worry about making the chicken soggy. It will be amazing.

Marinade for Greek Chicken on the Grill

• Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice and Zest
• Garlic Cloves
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Dill
• Salt, Pepper
• Honey (at the end)

You will love this marinade. You can mix up the herbs. If you don’t have oregano, use extra fresh thyme. I do highly recommend not skipping out on the dill, though. It adds a unique layer in the flavor profile. The drizzle of honey at the end is optional, but I hope you try it.

More Chicken Recipes

Good Sides for Greek Chicken Thighs on the Grill

These are some great sides that pair perfectly with Greek Chicken.

• Greek Roasted Cauliflower
• Green Salad with Lemon Dressing, Feta
• Corn on the Grill Seven Ways
• Lemon Dijon Roasted Purple Potatoes
• Summer Caprese Salad

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Grilled Chicken Thighs

Greek Style herbs and honey marinated Chicken on Grill

Course Entree

Cuisine Greek

Keyword Greek Chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Marinade Time 3 hours hours

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Thighs
• 1 tablespoon honey (use at end)

Marinade

• 1/2 cups olive oil
• 1 lemon zest and juice
• 1 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Marinade

• Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and all herbs except the fresh dill.
• Use 1/2 marinade to marinate chicken for up to one day or at least one hour. Reserve the other half for once chicken is cooked.

Grill Chicken

• Take chicken out of refrigerator an hour before grilling.
• Light the grill hot.
• When ready to grill, wipe off marinade of chicken, turn off half of the grill and place chicken thighs side up on the side with no heat.
• Close lid, roast for about 30-40 minutes until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F., 68 C.
• Place chicken breast side down on hot side of grill for about ten minutes until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. or 75 C.
• Once chicken is placed on serving dish, add dill, honey to remaining marinade and pour over chicken.
• Allow chicken to rest 10 minutes prior to eating.

Quicker Grill Methold

• You can place the chicken thighs on medium heat directly turning frequently, until the chicken reaches 165 degrees or 75 C. This will take about 30 minutes.

The post Greek Chicken Thighs on the Grill appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The first time I had whole roasted Greek style chicken was at an East Nashville restaurant, Greko Street Food. Although I used the main recipe from Food Network, I added a little honey inspired by the Greko Street Food version.

Greek Spatchcock Chicken with Fresh Herbs

The recipe called for fresh dill to my surprise. I had fresh dill, fresh oregano and fresh thyme on my deck and decided to use all three. The dill was quite a surprise as I have never used dill in a chicken recipe before. The dill is added to the marinade that is reserved to be poured over the chicken at the end. The honey is added to the marinade in the end and is, of course, optional if you want to leave out sweetener.

Spatchcocked chicken is the perfect chicken to put on the grill, and I’ll tell you why.

First of all, I  like chicken on the bone, as it’s much more tasty,  but I am not that good at grilling it. A spatchcocked chicken makes it so much easier, especially after a Greek style marinade.

This chicken was so tender, so flavorful and one of my favorite chicken recipes of the year. I’ll be making this again and again, and I  think you will too.

Grilled Spatchcock Chicken Greek Style in the Oven

If you don’t have access to a grill, roast it breast side up at 450 degrees F. Marinate the same way as above, wipe marinade off. Use reserved marinade to pour over once out of the oven. If you do roast in the oven, add some potatoes to the pan.

More Chicken Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• One Hour Roast Chicken
• How to Bake Chicken Legs
• Parmesan Mayonnaise Chicken
• Za’atar Baked Chicken
• Chicken

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Grilled Spatchcock Chicken, Greek Style

Greek Style herbs and honey marinated Spatchcocked Chicken on Grill

Course Entree

Cuisine Greek

Keyword Greek Chicken, Spatchcocked Chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 Spatchcocked Chicken

Marinade

• 1 cups olive oil
• 2 lemons zest and juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Prepare Chicken

• To spatchcock chicken, cut out the backbone (discard, use for soups) and press down on breast/thigh to flatten. Turn chicken over, cut out the back, leaving breasts, thighs, legs.

Marinade

• Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and all herbs except the fresh dill.
• Use 1/2 marinade to marinate chicken for up to one day or at least one hour. Reserve the other half for once chicken is cooked.

Grill Chicken

• Take chicken out of refrigerator an hour before grilling.
• Light the grill hot.
• When ready to grill, wipe off marinade of chicken, turn off half of the grill and place chicken breast side up on the side with no heat.
• Close lid, roast for about 50 minutes until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F., 68 C.
• Place chicken breast side down on hot side of grill for about ten minutes until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. or 75 C.
• Once chicken is placed on serving dish, add dill, honey, to remaining marinade and pour over chicken.
• Allow chicken to rest 10 minutes prior to carving.

The post Grilled Spatchcock Chicken Greek Style appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Green Goddess originated in San Francisco with Chef Philip Roemer of the Palace Hotel  to honor an actor who was starring in a play called “The Green Goddess.” Many recipes originate in San Francisco and that’s no surprise, as its still my favorite food town.

Recipes for Green Goddess dressing vary, but the original was mayonnaise and sour cream based chives, parsley, anchovies and vinegar. Some have since added avocado, Worcestershire, and some have replaced anchovies with capers. I highly recommend the original mayo/sour cream version with anchovies and adding in tarragon.

Tarragon has a licorice flavor, only fresher and while a little goes a long way, it adds that extra layer of flavor.

Green Goddess does not have to be limited to salad. It’s great for a crudité plate or fried seafood. Back in the day they poured it over canned artichokes, which was considered a luxury at the time. I can see the dressing with fresh artichokes. I might want to mix it with the yolks for a tangy deviled egg.

Ingredients for Green Goddess Dressing

• Mayonnaise
• Sour Cream
• Lemon Juice
• Anchovies or Capers
• Parsley
• Chives
• Tarragon
• Salt, Pepper

I hope you make this dressing, as it’s not only beautiful, it’s a layer of flavors that are tangy, herbacious, and will add excitement to your lettuce or veggies.

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Green Goddess Dressing

Homemade Green Goddess with Fresh Herbs for Salads and Crudite

Course Salad Dressing

Cuisine American

Keyword Green Goddess Dressing, Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons tarragon chopped
• 3 anchovies chopped
• 1 cup parsley chopped
• 2 tablespoons chives finely chopped
• sea salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Mix all ingredients together.
• Refrigerate for a few hours prior to serving, if possible.

The post Green Goddess Dressing Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

We love sautéed cabbage with bacon and onion, but the day I added dill and lemon peel to my recipe, I realized you can always improve a recipe from good to great.  We ate the entire pan of cabbage in one sitting, because after one bite, it was hard to stop.

Why is Dill a Great Addition to Sauteed Cabbage and Bacon Recipe?

Did you know that dill is a super healthy herb in that it aids in digestion, arthritic pain, boosts the immune system, and reduces excess gas. If you’re worried about cabbage and gas, dill could change your cabbage life. Since I ate almost the whole pot myself, I can attest to the powers of dill!

Cabbage with bacon can be great or down right horrible. Home chef beware. This dish relies on balance, even if it’s just a few simple ingredients. The bacon needs to be cooked through, and cabbage needs times to soften and perhaps brown.

I like to start with a big fresh head of cabbage, removing all the outside pieces and then using a sharp knife cutting into 1/4 inch slices (give or take).

Make sure you use a heavy sharp chef’s knife to slice your cabbage.

I use thick bacon, and make lardons, cutting across the slices. Thick bacon puts out less grease, has less shrinkage, cooks more evenly. Sauté the bacon well, but not too super crispy.

Slice onion into thin slices, cook in the bacon grease, just until softened but not browned and then add in cabbage and Irish butter. Cook on low heat, while stirring occasionally until the cabbage is softened.  Add in a touch of lemon zest at the last few minutes for fragrance. You can continue to cook on low, stirring occasionally if you want to brown the cabbage.  Add in fresh dill if you have it, but dried will be okay too. Then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sautéed Cabbage with Bacon presents you with many options. You can add in some potatoes to the sauté.  You can add a chopped apple or figs for added sweetness. Some add sugar to cabbage, and I have no idea why. I refuse to add sugar to vegetables when they taste so wonderful all on their own. But if you know me, Spinach Tiger, I’m a vegetable lover and I don’t like any kind of sweet/savory mix, unless that sweetness comes naturally from real fruit. Just try it my way, taste, and then see if you really need to add anything else.

You can add a touch of thick syrupy balsamic or a dash of apple cider vinegar. I didn’t do that, because I tend to stop adding ingredients when the taste is just right and this was just right, but I will list it as an option, because sometimes a dish needs that extra acid.

You can serve sautéed cabbage with bacon with a protein. This is a splendid side to chicken.

If you’re here because it’s St. Patrick’s Day, you will love these posts.

Green Potato Soup with Watercress Poignant Words about St. Patrick

Shepherd’s Pie

Stove Top Irish Soda Bread

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Sautéed Cabbage with Bacon, Onion

A saute of cabbage, bacon, onion, with Irish Butter, a delicious and big fat healthy side dish. Dill is the herb of choice and prevents excess gas.

Course Vegetable Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized head cabbage
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 pieces of thick bacon
• 2 tablespoon Irish butter
• 2 teaspoons dried dill Order Here
• salt
• pepper
• 1 small apple optional
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar optional

Instructions

• Take outer leaves off cabbage. Rinse any dirt off of cabbage.
• Cut bacon across into lardons.
• Saute the bacon well, but not to super crispy.
• Add garlic cloves to bacon grease.
• Slice onion in thin slices, cook in the bacon grease with lardons, just until softened but not browned and then add in cabbage and Irish butter. Remove garlic cloves.
• Cook on low heat, while stirring occasionally until the cabbage is softened. Add in a touch of lemon zest at the last few minutes for fragrance. Add in fresh dill if you have it, but dried will be okay too.
• You can choose to brown the cabbage by turning the heat up to medium high. If you can refrigerate and reheat, you will have more flavor, but it's not necessary.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Options: If you are adding an apple, slice thinly (can leave skin on) and sauté with onion.

The post Sautéed Cabbage with Bacon, Onion and Dill appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The savory cheesecake I made here with a potato chip crust is very popular, so why not give you another recipe for a savory smoked salmon cheesecake appetizer. It’s New Year’s Eve and this is the perfect creamy, savory, salty last indulgence of the year.

I have a bittersweet story about New Year’s Eve. I have a favorite aunt, Aunt Rita, my godmother, my mother’s sister, and a woman who’s memory I will always cherish.  I showed you her sand tart recipe this month, although her signature dish was stuffed shells. If you hadn’t had her stuffed shells, you were probably not her friend.

She was into classic, smart fashion, the kind of clothing that was made well and lasted for decades. I still use her purses from 40 years ago. Her end came too soon for me, but graciously fitting, as she was ballroom dancing, something she was passionately involved in all of her life.  She was a widow, and now with a new man. I never liked her husband, as he was a rather joyless man, an OCD clean freak, with a bit of a mean spirit. This new man was full of life, love and generosity, the complete opposite.

He was the last person she looked in the eyes before she died, as she waltzed around the room doing the thing she loved the most.  I still have her size 6 glass slippers, and, although she wasn’t wearing those that night, it was still kind of a Cinderella story. Her husband left her pennyless, and the new man was taking care of everything, including a brand new outfit for the New Year’s Eve dance.

The next few days were full of the usual family drama, but I was able to plan things for her in a way she deserved, with a beautiful Catholic service, probably the sweetest funeral service I’ve ever attended.  The only thing that went wrong is the way the funeral director fixed her hair. She wore a straight bob with bangs and they curled them in a very old lady way, not her style at all.

She was kinder than I realized, as people I never knew or heard about showed up, grieved and shaken, because she had done something to touch their life. I knew she had made a difference in my life, always encouraging me and helping me weather the mother-daughter trials of my life, but I didn’t know she extended that beyond our family. My mother always made me feel like someone I wasn’t, but my aunt made me feel like who I really was. 

Death brings crazy people to the door, and this was no exception. People I didn’t know knocked on the door insisting my aunt had promised them various things. One came to get a  house plant. Someone came in and went upstairs and stole jewelry right under our nose. One character, whom I knew from childhood as  Big Mary, showed up at the viewing and funeral pretending to care about my aunt.  She softened my heart so much I gave her several boxes of my aunt’s possessions, only to find out she was there to spy, sent by another estranged relative. It was a sad time, a stressful time, a surprising time.

A nice surprise was receiving a phone call from her first and only true love. Later I found his love letters in a box, and I discovered the divorce was not his idea, but was a result more from the hold my grandmother had on her He was Sam Sr., the father of the cousin I talk about, Sam Jr.. and have dedicated this blog to.

These memories make me take a deep breath.

We have no idea how tonight will end or what tomorrow will bring. It could be the time to make things right, or at least forgive people in your heart. My aunt’s passion was dancing and she danced her whole life. She died dancing with a man who loved her.   She danced up to her last step.

Smoked Salmon Cheesecake

I’ve made this three ways. One six inch cheesecake with a potato chip crust, one four inch cheesecake with no crust and one in a mason jar. This recipe will make two six inch cheesecakes, a larger 10 inch cheesecake or the three ways I mentioned.  If you do use mason jars, pay attention to the changes I make in the recipe.

This is a perfect New Year’s Eve appetizer and goes quite nicely with a little bubbly.

Enjoy your last day of 2013. Do something silly. Do something kind. Do something that takes courage. Forgive someone. Celebrate with someone.  Enjoy elegant party food like this savory smoked salmon cheesecake.

Dance to your last step.

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Savory Smoked Salmon Cheesecake Appetizer

Savory cheesecake with smoked salmon, an easy to make appetizer.

Course Appetiser

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 8 ounce bag of kettle cooked or ruffled potato chips
• 14 ounces of cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon flour optional
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 4 ounces chopped smoked salmon
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped and extra for garnish
• 2 tablespoons sour cream can use extra for garnish as option

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees
• Using a rolling pin or a food processor, crush chips into large crumbs. Add a tablespoon of melted butter to the chips and press into pans. Bake for five minutes. Set Aside.
• Saute shallots to sweat them. Set aside.
• Whip cream cheese in food processor. Once smooth, add in sour cream, flour, dill shallots.
• Add eggs one at a time. If you have a Vitamix, you can add eggs first followed by the rest of the ingredients.
• Chop salmon, squeeze lemon on salmon.
• Once mixture is smooth, add in chopped salmon and mix thoroughly.
• Pour into two six inch pans or one 10 inch pan and bake at 475 for five minutes. Turn heat down to 250 and bake for another 10-15 minutes until set. Cheesecake should be a little jiggly.
• Turn oven off, open oven door and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
• Cool completely, top with sour cream, garnish with dill, capers and lemon twists.
• You can choose to serve warm with crackers, bread toasts or vegetables such as cucumber slices, lettuce leaves.

The post Savory Smoked Salmon Cheesecake Appetizer with Video appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

What makes a Bloody Mary best? They need to taste like food and jump a little. I got this recipe from a very sharp bartender who knew how to balance the briny,  salty, spicy elements with just enough citrus  to pull it all together.

Bloody Mary’s are most often enjoyed in the day time, maybe even the early morning.   Some years ago, Jason, the bartender at the lobby bar at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel helped  me to pass some rainy day time, while I was waiting for Mr. ST to return from his conference. We both just happen to have events that took us from Nashville to San Francisco on the exact same weekend, and I sat at the lobby bar waiting for him on a Sunday afternoon. I was intrigued that he wasn’t using a Bloody Mary mix. I watched him muddle together the tomato and jalapeno, add in real tomato juice, and horseradish, Tabasco and lemon, and I knew I had to have one. He was nice enough to make me second one, slowly showing me his step by step method. Then he wrote it all down for me.

Somehow I’ve managed to hold onto that paper for the past three years, and I’m finally sharing it today.

I don’t can food, and I rarely make anything pickled, but in recent years I’m discovering that pickling is a hot new trend and you don’t have to can the old fashioned way if you are going to eat the pickled food in the next few weeks.

I tend to like pickles a lot, especially if they are spicy, so I threw a good dash of cayenne pepper in the mix. I think this garnish is especially nice for a Bloody Mary and not everyone likes the typical celery.

The asparagus in this recipe makes a great appetizer, as well as a drink garnish. I used an interesting pickling spice that has cinnamon, mustard seed, dill seed and tumeric among other things, but any pickling spice will do.

The result is a very flavorful Bloody Mary. I was so excited to make this, I went and bought a muddler, which is used to muddle the  jalapenos and tomatoes.

Tell me, have you ever asked a bartender or a server for a  special recipe? Do you feel awkward doing that?

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Sir Francis Drake Hotel Bar Bloody Mary by Jason

Lucky enough to snatch the recipe for the best Bloody Mary from San Franciso's Sir Francis Drake Hotel Lobby Bar, starting with a key ingredient, olive juice.

Course Cocktails

Cuisine American

Servings 1

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 3-4 grape tomatoes
• 3-4 slices jalapeno
• 1/2 teaspoon horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 dashes of Tabasco sauce
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 oz. vodka
• 2 oz. tomato juice
• FOR GARNISH
• 1 olive
• 1 grape tomato
• squeeze lime
• celery stick
• pickled asparagus optional

Pickled Asparagus

• 10 asparagus spears or as many as fit into the jar
• 2 pint mason jar
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons pickling spice
• 1 teaspoon dill seed or fresh dill
• 2 teaspoons pepper corns
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cloves garlic

Instructions

• Muddle the grape tomatoes and jalapeno and add ice.
• Add horseradish, pepper, salt, Tabasco sauce, lemon juice, vodka, tomato juice.
• Shake.
• Pour in pint glass, garnish as desired with garnishes

Pickled Asparagus

• Trim woody bottoms of asparagus and make sure it will fit into the height of the jar.
• Blanch asparagus in boiling water for one minute.
• Remove to ice bath
• Bring vinegar and water, pickling spice to a boil. Boil for two minutes
• Put asparagus into jar and pour pickling liquid over asparagus.Add remaining ingredients. Give a good shake.
• Cool. Put on lid tightly and refrigerate for a few days before serving.
• Pickled asparagus will keep in refrigerator for a few weeks.

The post Best Bloody Mary with Pickled Asparagus, Recipe from a Bartender appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Cornflake Crusted Baked Chicken Tenders are my go to chicken recipe when I’m looking for a snack for kids, lunch for anyone or an easy dinner. The baking, not frying, blew me away because they were just as crispy to eat, but so much healthier and so much easier than deep frying, which I’m not fond of.

Friend and fellow Nashville blogger, Lindsay Landis, along with her husband Taylor Hackbarth, published the cookbook Breakfast for Dinner. When Lindsay’s publisher sent me a review copy, my foodie friends couldn’t put it down and as a fan of her blog, Love and Olive Oil, I knew I would love it. We went through it, page by page, and a few placed an immediate order.

Lindsay’s style reminds me of Donna Hay. She makes beautiful food with a unique twist that is so approachable, people can open a page and actually cook it. There are lots of wonderful cookbooks out there that we gaze at, but never use because they aren’t written with the home cook in mind. Lindsay develops her recipes in such a way that foodies will drool and novice cooks will achieve success. Approachable, well-executed, simple, flavorful, a book for every type of home cook.

Lindsey not only is recipe driven; she has a keen aesthetic as she styles the food and does the photography herself. When Breakfast for Dinner came out, I thought, “wow, a genius idea.” Many of the ingredients for these comforting suppers are found in my home most nights or aren’t hard to get, and eggs never looked so good, especially when topped over a coconut sticky rice in Loco Moco, or covered in a rancero sauce for Huevos Rancheros Tacos. My favorite egg dish, though, has to be sunny side up burgers, as I think a runny yolk is God’s best food sauce.

I can easily eat pancakes for dinner when they are made of cornmeal and topped with beer braised short ribs. If you want to move to something sweet, the bananas foster crepe cake will take your breath away as well as the chocolate brownie waffles with blackberry sauce. I gained a few pounds looking at the doughnut fudge sundaes, but that’s what boot camp is for.

Lindsay loves sweets and has also written the Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook which is for all ages, and I highly recommend the cookie dough cupcakes which I’ve personally tasted at a food event in Nashville.

Whether Lindsay is writing about savory dishes or sweets, there is not a single recipe in her book I would turn down. I’m looking forward to making the tomato peach jam this week as I have plenty on hand and for you savory folks, the bacon jam will make you very happy. I have to mention her maple bacon cupcakes because I’ve had them when she brought them to a Nashville blogger’s breakfast. Wow!

I chose the cornflake crusted baked chicken tenders because I had everything in my pantry, and I was looking for an after school snack, that could take us right into dinner. This is such an easy recipe and one even the kiddos can help with. Who doesn’t like to crush corn flakes in a bag?

As far as the flavor profile, she uses parsley and dill, but you can feel free to change the herbs, rely upon just salt and pepper, or spice them up a bit and make a version of Nashville hot chicken. The good news is that there is no frying and this is a very quick recipe. She suggests a buttermilk ranch dipping sauce which goes with just about every kind of flavor, but feel free to use the sauce of your choice. I served an additional sauce I made with a shallot based herb rub.

Breakfast for Dinner is a unique, well-written, beautifully photographed book that will make a great holiday gift, or the book that will help you to be a star as you serve your overnight Holiday guests breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. The cornflake crusted baked chicken tenders are ready in less than 30 minutes and they freeze well. Just heat in oven and serve.

Breakfast for Dinner is published through Quirk books and can be purchased through amazon, in book stores and through Love and Olive Oil.

Another option if you want to go grain free is these sesame honey chicken tenders.

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Cornflake Crusted Baked Chicken Tenders and Cookbook Review for Breakfast for Dinner

Corn flake crusted baked chicken tenders, adapted from Breakfast for Dinner by Lindsay Landis and Taylor Hackbarth

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 32 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

For Chicken

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 4 cups cornflakes finely crushed
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders about 20

For Dipping

• Pam Cooking Spray
• 1/2 cup store bought ranch dressing or this homemade ranch dressing

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil which will be covered with a wire baking rack. Spray rack lightly. Some of the coating may fall through the rack. Get that up before you bake.
• Lay out a medium sized bowl for the eggs, and three plates for the flour dredge, the corn flake dredge and a plate for the coated product.
• Mix together the flour with 1/4 each of salt and pepper.
• Crush the corn flakes and place in plate.Season with herbs, garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Loosely beat eggs.
• Dredge chicken in flour, then eggs, then into corn flake mixture.
• Make sure surface is fully coated and place on rack to bake.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Turn once at 6 minutes.
• Serve with dipping sauce.
• Dredge

Notes

Breakfast for Dinner does have a buttermilk ranch sauce, but I used a store bought dressing.

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This is my favorite pesto sauce ever.

This time I talk about what to do with the herbs in my garden, how to keep herbs fresh in your kitchen, and this amazing pesto with walnuts, lemon zest and all the herbs in my garden.

It’s the middle of summer and this means all the garden herbs, especially basil plants,  are growing in abundance. Living in Tennessee, I discovered I could have an herbal garden year round. Rosemary, sage, pineapple sage, and thyme will grow and provide fresh herbs year round.  Basil, chives, parsley and dill are annuals and when planted in the Spring, can be enjoyed for several months. Among all of the herbs for planting, basil is one of the most popular, pairing so well with tomatoes for bruschetta and as the main herb in pesto.

Pesto is typically made with basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. This garden pesto, however, is a creative variation using all the herbs I’ve grown myself, along with toasted walnuts. The garden pesto was inspired by the herbal bouquets I keep in the kitchen. Basil is more delicate than many of the other herbs, and as the leaves quickly grow, they may begin to wilt in hot temperatures. I snip them from the outside, before they begin to flower. Once basil begins to flower, the taste becomes much stronger. herbal bouquet

I discovered the best way for me to keep the basil fresh in the kitchen is to keep it in a watered vase at room temperature. Fresh basil doesn’t last nearly as long in the refrigerator as it does sitting out in vase.  Making basil bouquets is one way to use the basil and have it ready for cooking.

Make sure to trim all the leaves off where the stems will touch water. Place in cool water and add in other herbs such as sage and parsley.

I am currently growing basil, thyme, parsley, rosemary, dill, chives, pineapple sage and sage. I use at least one herb in every dish I make.

If you only plant one herb, make it thyme because this herb is fragrant and not overpowering. It works in almost every dish, even some desserts.  When planting thyme, cut it back in Spring, so it doesn’t get too woody. It’s hardy and grows well in the South.

Rosemary is an evergreen and can also be grown year round. Simply slip the rosemary off of the stem. Grow in the ground or in pots. Rosemary is strong and a little goes a long way. It pairs wonderfully with thyme and parsley, can be used in cooking, roasting and is great as a finishing herb used fresh right before serving.

Sage is often used in fall dishes and shows up at the Thanksgiving dinner, but it grows all year, multiplies quickly and is hardy. Sage adds earthiness to dishes, especially lamb, pork and chicken, but try frying sage leaves or chopping into vegetables. Use together with rosemary and thyme for a pork roast.  I also have a pineapple sage that is sweetly fragrant. Chop it up for any savory dish and remember it for fruit salad. Sage flowers attract hummingbirds and the leaves attract lady bugs, which help to keep unwanted insects away.

Dill is an annual that you will have to plant in the Spring and does well in containers. Dill brightens vegetable and potato dishes, seafood, tuna salad and, of course is used for pickles.

Chives are perennials and once rooted will come back every Spring. Add them at the very end of the dish as heat kills their flavor. Chives also sprout  pretty edible purple flowers, which I use to make chive vinegar.

Italian parsley, like thyme, is good in so many different dishes, in cooking and in finishing a dish. The Italian parsley is the flat one, and preferred over curly.

Basil is often found in summery Italian food, especially in making caprese salad, tomato sauce, and basil pesto. It’s a natural pairing for tomatoes, but also is wonderful in fruit salads. It’s planted annually and often right next to tomato plants adding to their flavor and helping to keep insects away.  Toss into soups, salads, sauces, or use as a garnish. Add to a watermelon salad or a summer cocktail.

This recipe is a combination of all of the herbs in my garden along with lemon, lemon zest and toasted walnuts. It’s so good because you can actually taste the different herbs. This pesto can be used on toasted bread, pasta, potatoes, fish, chicken, pork and beef. It’s that versatile.

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Walnut Pesto Sauce with Seven Herbs

Garden Pesto with walnuts and seven herbs great for fish, toast, pasta and more.

Course Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2-3 handfuls of basil leaves
• 1 handful of flat Italian parsley
• 2-4 leaves of sage
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
• 2-4 sprigs of thyme remove from stem
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped chives
• lemon juice of 1/2 lemon
• lemon zest of 1/2 lemon
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts

Instructions

• Put herbs, salt, pepper, lemon juice, walnuts in food processor, adding oil a little at a time, pulsing until the pesto is chunky but mixed well enough to spread. Don’t over mix. Stir in lemon zest at the end.
• Recipe Notes: This can be made with just basil or a mix of basil and parsley. Use the additional herbs if you happen to have them on hand, and only in small amounts. Be sure to chop the chives very fine by hand before adding to the pesto.
• The pesto can sit outside of refrigerator for several hours, but do refrigerate overnight.

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