Jerk Chicken

This chicken smacks of summertime. I think the recipe was found in a grocery store ad from Oregon and it caught my husband's eye. I thought it looked like a hassle and I (mistakenly) thought I didn't like jerked chicken and took no part in its historic inauguration. Alas, It was downright incredible and ever since then, this has sort-of been my husband's thing. It's ludicrously flavorful, sweet and tangy. I can never believe that it's good for me, but it really is!

Jerk Chicken
6 Green onions
1 onion chopped
A bit of jalapeno or habenaro, seeded (I'm a wimp so I barely use any)
3/4 C soy sauce
1/2 C white vinegar
2 TBS olive oil
3 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp each nutmeg, allspice, and cloves

1. Place all the above ingredients in the blender and puree.

2. Marinate 1 1/2 lbs of chicken breasts in the sauce overnight in the fridge.

3. Grill on breasts on med-high 6 minutes on each side until cooked through. We didn't have a grill when we first made it, so we threw everything in a large pan and cooked it in the marinade (sort-of curry style).

4. Garnish with fresh sliced limes and serve with sweet potatoes, rice, coconut shrimp or grilled veggie kababs.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Bisque

I'm Motion de Smiths and I feel weird introducing myself to people. Nevertheless, I love to cook basically anything. I'm a fan of quick meals that come together easily, but I'm not afraid of spending 5 hours on hazelnut gelato when I have a free Sunday.

I think restrictive diets are stupid. Eat what you want, when you want, just maybe not in the vast quantities you want. To clarify, I also like Megan's ideas on eating better. I don't consider eating more good stuff a stupid diet at all. EAT!



This is an EASY and fabulous recipe adapted from one I found on epicurious.com

Ingredients:
• 5 large red bell peppers
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup grated hard cheese of your choice (I used Gouda and Parmesan)
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

1. Roast red peppers under broiler on a lipped cookie sheet, rotating every 3-4 minutes until parts of the skin are charred. Put hot roasted peppers in a paper bag for 5 minutes to allow the moisture to redistribute and make seeding a snap. Seed peppers and place them in a blender with your chicken stock until pureed. Depending on the size of your blender, this may be done in batches.

2. Bring red pepper mix to a low boil adding paprika and sugar, and any other seasonings you may want.

3. Reduce heat, add cream and cheese, simmer for 5-10 minutes until somewhat thickened (though it's not a thick soup, it shouldn't be watery).

4. Add kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Serve with paninis or crusty bread with sauteed mushrooms.

NOTE: Though I love jarred roasted red peppers for many recipes, this is NOT, I repeat NOT one of them. The flavor just does not work--it's pickled and harsh instead of sweet and mellow.

Yummy Blender Salsa

This is a great recipe for those who love chips and salsa-- like me-- but have a really hard time finding salsa in the store that is just right. With this recipe you can adjust the ratios to have it more tomato-y or more onion-y or more garlic-y or more cilantro-y... you get the picture. Here it is:

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes (get one with peppers included if you want!)

1/3-1/2 white onion, chopped

1/2 c. fresh cilantro

1 garlic clove, chopped

juice of 1 lime

salt to taste

Put all of these ingredients in the blender and mix to your heart's content. You can leave it as chunky, or make it as smooth, as you prefer. I tend to like my salsa a little less tomato-y, so I put in more cilantro and onion. The first time I made it, it turned out perfect-- and I haven't been able to get the exact same combination of ingredients again, no matter what I try! So, a word to the wise-- write down your combinations as you try them so you will have it for later.

I love this stuff!