Sunday Supper: Honey walnut chicken

This weeks Sunday supper comes from one of my favorite cookbooks: The Junior League of Salt Lake City's "Salt to Honey" (salttohoney.org). I had the pleasure of helping sample, cook, and edit through the tons and tons of recipes in the creation of the book. There are so many great recipes, but this one in particular, is one of my favs. Since it isn't my recipe, I won't be sharing it here. However, I will note a few changes I make: I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, double the amount of green onions,  and add an additional 2 tbsp of soy sauce.  

If you don't have the cookbook, I recommend picking it up. You won't be disappointed! :) This recipe is the perfect combination of sweet and savory, and the honey glazed walnuts are out of this world. It's 100 times better than what you'd pick up at Panda Express, I promise! 

Sunday Supper: Panko and Dill Pork Loin

This weeks Sunday Supper is an ode to my love of dill. I use it while pickling every season, but never really cooked with it until just recently. Dill is cheap, readily available throughout the year, and the main spice in so many of my favorite meals. I've found that the best way to store pretty much any fresh herb is to wash and trim the ends significantly, then place in a small glass with water in the fridge. Dill has kept like this for weeks, cilantro as well. Once a week, I trim the ends, change the water, and put back into the fridge. Plus, it's like having my own little herb garden in my fridge.

-Enjoy!

Panko and Dill crusted Pork Loin

Ingredients:

8 tbsp fresh chopped dill
2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
3 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2- 1 3/4 lb boneless pork loin
1/3 cup Panko Italian flavored bread crumbs
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
-Combine 3 tbsp of dill, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl and generously spread over both sides of pork.
-Combine Panko, 3 tbsp of dill, and olive oil and pat over both sides of pork loin.
-Place in a shallow roasting pan or baking dish coated with olive oil, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
-Heat oven to 425, and cook pork loin, covered, for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375, and bake an additional 35-40 mins. (I like the internal temp of pork to reach 150-160 instead of 140. I promise this can be done without drying out the pork!)
-Let pork stand 10 mins, then garnish with remaining dill, slice, and serve.

This recipe is great with any grain: couscous, pasta, or rice.

Sunday Supper: Honey drenched cilantro lime chicken

I have a confession. Despite my best efforts, this 'Sunday Supper' totally happened on a Monday. As is life with a baby sometimes, Sunday was more of a 'pizza out of the box' kind of day. Regardless of when you cook this one, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do!

Honey drenched cilantro lime chicken
1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
5 minced cloves of garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp creamed honey
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preparation:
Marinate chicken in lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and cilantro for 3 hours minimum.

Cook:
Grill chicken until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, generally about 20 minutes depending on your method of grilling (outside grill vs. grill pan). You can also bake this recipe if you do not have a grill handy. (Bake at 375 for 35-40 mins, check internal temp, drizzle honey once done).
Once the chicken is well cooked and developing a good char, melt honey in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. Drizzle the honey over chicken and serve with a garnish of cilantro.

A few things: I served this with black beans, corn, and brown rice tossed in lime juice, olive oil, s&p, cumin, and chili powder. Yum. I also cut the chicken into large hunks to make it easier to cook.

Honey is one of my favorite things to grill with. It adds flavor and complexity to nearly any dish, while helping to seal in all the juices and prevent your meat from going dry. I have a thing for creamed honey, and use it whenever possible.

Enjoy! :)

Sunday Supper: Lemon Dill Chicken and Homemade Pasta

The Sunday Supper Series:

One of the most magical equations I know involves family, kitchen, and food. I've always been an avid chef, and sincerely enjoy creating meals for my family. During the week, I try to find creative ways to entertain my son while I quickly chop veggies, or get items into a baking pan. The weekends, however, are a sweet reprieve from this one handed, one eyed, running between two rooms, balancing act. The way I see it, it's bonding time all around, between father and son, and mother and kitchen. With that being said, I present my Sunday Supper Series, a new recipe each week based upon what's currently inspiring me at the moment. 

 

Lemon Dill Chicken & Homemade Pasta

Lemon Dill Chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt & pepper

4 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

4 cloves minced garlic

1 cup of chicken broth

2 tbsp flour

4 tbsp chopped fresh dill

2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

-Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper

-Heat a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat, and add 2 tsp of olive oil.

-Add chicken and cook until browned on both sides @5 minutes.

-Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate. Cover with foil.

-Add 2 tsp of remaining olive oil to pan with garlic and onions. Saute for @2 minutes until fragrant.

-Whisk broth, flour, 2 tbsp dill, and lemon juice in a cup. Slowly add to garlic and onion mixture, and whisk until dissolved over medium heat @ 3-5mins.

-Once the mixture has thickened and is well dissolved, add the chicken back to your pan and cook until internal temp of chicken reaches 165 degrees (@8-12 minutes depending on heat and thickness of your chicken).

-Remove from pan, garnish with remaining dill. This is great served over pasta or rice, as the liquid makes enough to serve as a sauce. 

Bon Appetit!