Asian Stuffed Chicken Leg Quarters

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

4 chicken leg quarters

2 tablespoons carrots, minced

2 tablespoons green onions, minced

2 tablespoons bamboo shoots, minced

2 tablespoons water chestnuts, minced

1/4 bean sprouts

1/2 cup cabbage, finely shredded

2 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bunch of bean thread

1/2 lb ground pork

Directions:

In a bowl place the bean thread and cover with water.  Let soak for 10 minutes. Drain water. And place in large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Any brand of bean thread is good.

Soaking Bean Thread

Wash the chicken, begin by deboning it. You may want to ask you grocer butcher if they will debone it. If they do not offer this service, here is a link to a video showing exactly how to debone a leg quarter!  Below you can also view how to debone, with a few photos. When you have completed deboning the chicken, set aside.

How to Debone a Chicken Leg Quarter (Click to view video.)

Drain water from the bean thread and chop up into about 1 1/2 inch length. Place in a large mixing bowl. Add carrots, green onions, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, bean spouts, cabbage, ground pork, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, garlic and mix.

Take one leg quarter and firmly stuff it, as shown below. Turn over the leg quarter, with skin side up and place in an approximately, 7 x 11 1/2 baking dish.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix the remaining sesame oil and soy sauce and brush over the chicken. Cover dish with foil and seal.

Insert dish in oven and bake for 55 minutes. After 55 minutes are up, remove aluminum and bake another 15 - 20 minutes, or until the skin is nice a brown. Serve and Enjoy!

Servings: 4

Tip: This dish can be served with a salad or any side dish you prefer.

Fajitas (Carne Asada)

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon, fresh comino seeds (cumin)

6 black peppercorns

5 cloves, peeled fresh garlic

¼ cup, olive oil

2 tablespoons, white vinegar

2 fresh squeezed, lime juice

1/2 cup, orange juice

1/2 cup, water

½ teaspoons, salt

1 cup cilantro, chopped (no stems)

1 jalapeño, minced

3 lbs, skirt steak (fajitas, skirt steak)

Directions:

In a small sauté pan, over medium high heat, toast the comino seeds and black peppercorns for about 30 seconds. You will smell the hint of oils releasing. Remove from heat, and add them to a molcajete (mortar and pestle).

Add the garlic, and grind into a paste. Add 1/2 cup of water and stir, this is to make sure you remove all the paste from the molcajete and pour into a bowl.

Add all the other ingredients into the bowl and whisk to combine.

Pour in marinade into a gallon size zip-top plastic bag. Add fajitas and seal, removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight or up to 24 hours.

Remove the fajitas from the marinade, and discard excess marinade. Grill the fajitas, on high heat, somewhere around 500 degrees.

Grill for 7 to 10 minutes per side. Flipping only once. The cooking time is an estimate and is going to depend on the thickness of your meat.

Once done, remove from heat and let rest, covered with a tented piece of foil for 10 minutes. Slice as thinly as possible, against the grain, and serve. Enjoy!

Tip:  You can also marinate fajitas in a bowl. Just make sure the meat is covered. Serve on heated flour or corn tortillas! Topped with guacamole, and Pico de Gallo! cooked onions and green peppers Use a small preheated cast-iron skillet to serve and just before taking to the table squeeze fresh lemon juice over the meat. For a healthier alternative serve with whole wheat tortillas, low fat sour cream, reduced fat Mexican shredded cheese, fresh pico de gallo and Guacamole. 

Best Ever Homemade Guacamole - Avocado Dip

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

8 large, Hass avocados

½ lime, fresh squeezed lime juice

¼ cup, Roma tomato, minced

¼ cup, white onion, minced

¼ cup packed, cilantro, minced

3 large cloves, garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon, sea salt

¼ teaspoon, fresh ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon, ground comino (cumin)

1/2 jalapeno, slice lengthwise, seeds and veins removed, finely minced

(Leave the seeds and veins if you like it hot and add the whole finely minced jalapeno! For even spicier Guacamole use a Serrano pepper.)

Directions:

Mince the tomato, white onion, cilantro, jalapeno, and garlic. Using a large bowl add the onions, tomato, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, salt, black pepper, lime juice, and comino (cumin).

To prepare the avocados, pop off the dried stem from all the avocados and discard the stem. 

Slice the avocados in half. And carefully remove and discard the pit.

Scoop out of shell with a spoon. Place in the bowl with the other ingredients.

Then using a fork mash avocados and mix to desired chunky consistency.

Tip: Serve with your favorite tortilla chips for a dip, or use with your favorite Mexican dish. Great on fajita tacos! I take this dish to all my family gatherings! It disappears!

Best Ever Pork Tamales

Sausage & Kale Calamarata

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients
1 500g pack Calamarata dried pasta
2 tablespoons, sea salt

For the sauce
3 tablespoons , Extra virgin olive oil
2, garlic cloves sliced
½ teaspoon, chili flakes
1 large, yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup, white wine
4, Sweet Italian Sausages, (Mild or Hot, your preference)
¾ pound, fresh kale
4 tablespoons, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Salt to taste

Directions:
Fill a large pot with 1 1/2 gallons of water and bring to a boil.

Heat a pan and add a tablespoon of the olive oil, chili flakes and garlic. When it starts to sizzle add the onions, once they starts browning add the wine and let evaporate.

Slice the sausage links in half lengthwise and peel off the casing, add to the pan, mix and cook for about 10 minutes

Chop the kale into strips and add to the sauce, stir it in, slightly lower the flame and cook for 10 minutes. If in need of moisture add a few tablespoons of hot water from the large pot.

Once pasta water is boiling, add 2 tablespoons of sea salt and pour the pasta in, keep stirring so that it doesn’t stick. Cook for the suggested time on pack, try one noodle before draining, you want to cook it ‘al dente’.

Once pasta is ready, drain but keep about ¼ cup of cooking water. Add pasta and cooking water to the sauce and stir at high flame for a few minutes.

Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and garnish with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Enjoy!! 

Puerto Rican Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups long grain white rice (washed and rinsed well)
3 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons Recaito
1/4 cup chopped pork salt

1/4 cup chopped bacon
2 tablespoons Spanish olives

1 tablespoon capers

1/4 cup chopped onions

1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can green pigeon peas, drained
1 envelope sazon with culantro and achiote
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground comino (cumin)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon

Directions:

Start by heating the oil in a pot at high heat, and when the oil is nice and hot, add the salt pork.

When the salt pork is cooked but not crisp, add the bacon. 

Once browned, add Recaito, (a unique cilantro-based seasoning base that enhances the flavor) onions and garlic, olives, capers, comino (cumin), oregano, black pepper and envelope of sazon. Stir fry all together for about 1 minute.

 

Add pigeon peas, tomato paste, then add the water and bring to boil.

Wash rice under cold running water until water is clear and drain. Add rice to pot, chicken boullion and stir.

 

Once the liquid has began to boil and most of the water has cooked off, lower heat to lowest setting, and stir 1 more time, top with bay leaves, then cover with tight lid.

Let this cook for about 10 minutes on a low heat setting, remove cover and bay leaves, turn rice, and continue to cook at low heat for another 15 minutes until the rice is tender. Enjoy!

Tip:  Do not stir, but turn the rice with a large serving spoon. For a variation, add some cubed ham when adding the sofrito. The best part of this rice is the crust which forms on the bottom, called the pegao!