Nearly Perfect Chicken

For the record, I didn't call it that. My son did…right before he polished it off.

It's really a no recipe, recipe I learned from my mom. She baked it, on just about any piece or part over a lifetime of cooking. I put it on the grill and for the first time in a while, I let the coals settle. High heat would have singed the fruit basted tenders.

1-1/2 pounds chicken tenders, skinless & boneless

Marinade: 2 cloves garlic, 2 glugs soy sauce, 1 glug olive oil, 1 large or 2 small apricots, juice of 1 lime (2 if they're stingy), ground pepper. Whirl it in a processor. Marinate chicken 15-20 minutes on the countertop or longer in the fridge. Maybe 10-12 minutes on medium grill or coals, flipping and keeping an eye out for flames.

Some fresh or dried ginger in the marinade wouldn't hurt. Mango can sub for apricot.

Eat – B

 

“I Don’t Feel Like Cooking” Pasta

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Despite the season our local farmer’s market had some hot looking tomatoes last week. They couldn’t be from around here, but family genetics make me desperate. Saturday would be mozzarella, tomato & basil day. Friday would be grilled lamb and pasta with a raw (crudo) tomato sauce.

It’s super flex, requires no measuring and except for the tomatoes, just about anything can be deleted or added.

Ingredients

1 pound pasta (I used pici, use what you’ve got)

A couple pounds of tomatoes of tomatoes, chopped

Basil, chopped fine

Grated Parmesan

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

Cook pasta according to directions, drain. Add tomatoes & basil to bowl, then hot pasta, a drizzle of olive oil, cheese to your liking and adjust seasonings.

Done, dine – B

Options: no basil, parsley instead of basil, ricotta, olives, capers, garlic…you get the picture 🙂

47 Things For Which I Am Grateful

Betsy Karetnick

I have never had a shortage of things to say (since long before I became a broadcaster – ask any friend or family member) so first; Thank You for all the wonderful birthday wishes –I am overwhelmed!

But lacking another venue on this day, I gifted myself with the following thoughts. I know there are more, but here are 47 of my “good things”.

Please, please add one of your own to the list.

I am grateful…

1. To have 2 feet on the grass instead of 2 feet under (from a caller long ago, but it still holds true)

2. To have 2 remarkable and confounding children

3. To have found the love of my life

4. To add 3 amazing young women to my expanding family – I always wanted more kids and I don’t have to feed anyone in the middle of the night!

5. For the goofy golden retrievers who are giving my Luckybean something to think about in her golden years and making me (mostly) laugh with their antics (I still can’t believe I didn’t get a picture of the biggest one in the little fish pond!)

6. For parents and siblings who share in my joys and step up to the plate without me asking

7. Especially for my BFF and sister who lives far away but makes me feel like she doesn’t

8. To MB for finding the love of my life for me, even though I think she was drinking that night 

9. For having friends who started getting in touch yesterday to offer me birthday wishes

10. For ice cream cake and blueberry pie

11. For meeting so many lovely chefs, gardeners, entertainers, writers and thought provoking guests who joined me on SiriusXM, as well as the callers…all great teachers!

12. For lemons…one of the world’s best foods, but also great for cleaning. And while I’m at it…pizza, pasta, garlic and scones with cream & jam

13. For being just flexible enough to adopt a hamster even though buying rodents for the house never used to make sense

14. For my partners-in-crime at Martha Stewart Living Radio, especially JonCos, Brian Kelsey (watch for his new TV show!) Dion, Monty & Sandy Gluck who made work such a pleasure

15. For lemon curd – eggs, lemon (see above) sugar +heat = magic

16. For my NEW raised gardening bed, a gift from the love of my life, who knew I wouldn’t stop discussing until it appeared…standby for further adventures

17. For window boxes

18. For the birds who find the birdbath & pond despite the 3 dogs

19. For an appreciation of green regardless of whether it’s grass or weed

20. For sun on my birthday, a long delayed childhood wish  (the rain came later, but it saved me from watering)

21. For the best rose season of my life!

22. For my ipad – a life changer

23. For a walk in any direction

24. For airplanes and their many destinations

25. For indoor plumbing & washing machines

26. For cellphones, Facebook, twitter, email and every other way we keep in touch

27. For the charcoal grill, as idiosyncratic as it sometimes can be

28. For my health that I may work and care for others as well as myself

29. For the opportunity to live in a country with some of the world’s greatest freedoms

30. For the music that comes with the love of my life, making our world so much richer

31. For ridiculous YouTube videos the kids share, but more for the sharing than the actual videos

32. For Homer Simpson who gives my youngest a reference point in conversation that always makes us laugh.

33. For Orwashers jelly doughnuts and breads – OMG, ‘nuff said

34. For wine, long may it live (and whine, because sometimes the two go together)

35. For a healthy appreciation of good grammar

36. For shoes, short, stacked, pump or boot – we don’t discriminate

37. For golf (on behalf of the LOML)

38. To an elderly client who told me the story of the love of her life

39. For Bon Jovi and Bruce, but for different reasons

40. To the refrigerator without which we would be spending much more time in the kitchen

41. For Hot Coffee

42. For Iced Coffee

43. For the research supporting the drinking of coffee

44. For Starbucks and all its competitors

45. For the man who gave me the bottomless Starbucks card

46. For the very young man who used his first real paycheck to take me to lunch

47. For another day tomorrow

Birthday Muffins

New birthday bowl, say hi to blackberry muffins! I think it's a complimentary relationship 🙂

I also think the easiest way to intro anyone to baking is with muffins. There are a few helpful hints (don't over mix, or the muffins will get tough), but even mistakes are delicious.

I happened on a recipe for blackberry cornmeal muffins last week in the Martha Stewart Cupcakes cookbook. It wasn't far from the raspberry cheesecake recipe. Online, I found the same recipe in a cake form (click here for recipe) That's fine, or break it down into 12 lined muffin tins, for your birthday or otherwise.

This recipe calls for melted butter, making a mixer unnecessary. Get your buttermilk and eggs to room temp for even more success.

Finally, when it smells done, it's pretty close to being done. These babies took a full 25 minutes.

No need for butter – B

 

Last Minute, 3 Ingredient Salad

This was a big hit at book club this week. I wish (wished?) it was more challenging. I think it will become a summer entertaining staple. Try it.

Chunks of watermelon

Chunks of feta

Finely minced dill

That's it. Alternatives include, mint replacing the dill or adding some spicy pickled pepper. Or try threading cubes of watermelon and feta to kebab on the grill – trust me.

Enjoy – B

 

Breakfast Salad Twist

I was going for the toast when I remembered the leftover ear of grilled corn, and I mean grilled. Rich in color, requested by my youngest who saw the picture on tv, grilled corn. I'd cut off the kernels from the last ear after dinner. We all agreed we loved it, except for the older one who eats corn, but not on the cob (yes, really).

Add to it whatever you have in the produce bin. To me, grilled corn and avocado are the best of friends. Today's BS (breakfast salad 😉 includes half an avocado, both yellow and red cherry tomatoes, an unnamed hard Italian cheese, cucumber, the juice of half a lemon, a glug of olive lil, salt & pepper. That's it. I love fresh herbs – chive, cilantro, & basil come to mind. But it was pouring – 'nuff said!

Eat up – B

 

Every (any?) Day Hash

So I got two new boy dogs (see photo, below) and I have had less cooking time lately. Not to worry. Necessity being the mother of invention, I threw everything together in a hash this week that I think came out pretty well.

Start with leftover potatoes – if I steam them for anything, I always make extra for a frittata…or in this case, hash. Start crisping them in a tablespoon or two of veg oil.

Add leftover caramelized cumin & garlic peppers and onions (I always make extras of these, try them on grilled cheese!). Then chop and add leftover vegetables like asparagus or green squash. Add the week's steak, or chicken or pork or sausage or tasty tofu.

Let everything meld & get some crunch. Stir in scrambled eggs if desired.

Dinner is done-B

 

 

Weeknight Steak

Since the charcoal takes time and the new dogs take watching (when outside with the existing dog), I have no time for prepping dinner. But that's fine. This steak is big on flavor and low on effort. Ditto for grilled asparagus and chived potatoes.

Btw I used to be an “I only use fresh garlic” snot. So glad the world's top BBQ chefs educated me about powdered garlic!

Steak ingredients

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil

1–2 lb flank steak

Get coals going, or heat grill to medium. Rub steak with olive oil. Mix salt & spices. Rub into steak, both sides. Let set 10-5 minutes. Swipe grill with olive oil. Cook about 5-6 minutes per side depending on thickness for medium. Also, it's an uneven cut, some will be more rare. Watch for flames against he spice rub.

Potatoes

Peel and steam russets or Yukon gold, any amount. Add a glug of olive oil, salt and as much chopped chive as you like. Lemon juice is nice too.

Asparagus

Add olive oil, salt & grill.

Eat, enjoy – B

 

Among the World’s Easiest Appetizers

Seriously, it's hard to make this one complicated. Also I love the jarred white beans from my Italian grocer and am always looking for ways to use them. It's gluten free! Vegan! Cheese lovers can add that too! Roasted peppers can replace the tomato! Am I shouting?!

Take one jar or can of your fave white bean (rinsed). Combine it with a big handful of chopped cherry tomatoes, a tablespoon-ish of chopped chive, a squeeze from a lemons half, a glug of olive oil, dash of white wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Serve on fresh or grilled bread.

Note: any fresh green herb works in this – parsley, dill, scallions work too, or try spicy Arugula – it's super flex!

Buon appetite – B

 

Chicken! Again

Inspired by my girlfriend's lentil orzo salad (recipe to come from our just discovered mutual friend), I decided to circle the Mediterranean for our cookout. This yoghurt marinade draws Greece into the meal. So EZ! And you get great flavor in the otherwise flavorless breast.

Ingredients:

8 oz Greek yoghurt

3 cloves garlic, minced (more if you want)

1 tablespoon rosemary, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Several pinches salt

Several grinds of pepper

3 lbs skinless boneless chicken (or more flavorful parts) pounded thin

Combine all the ingredients. Let chicken marinate all day.

Prepare grill or pan with oil. Wipe extra marinade off chicken. Grill

one side until edges turn opaque. Flip. Cooked at 165 degrees. Squeeze lemon on top.

Dig in – B

It's good hot & cold.