Creative Cooks

Brown Sugar Lemon Chicken Skillet
Yields: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, bone in skin on
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 lemon
Olive oil or cooking spray
Fresh parsley to garnish

Spice Mix:
3 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine the spice mix.
Season each chicken thigh on both sides.
Gently lift the skin and rub the spices underneath as well.
Heat a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat.
Allow the skillet to get hot by waiting about 5 minutes before adding two tablespoons of olive oil. After the oil is hot, place the chicken thighs in the skillet top down.
Allow the chicken to cook for about 4 minutes without touching.
They should turn a nice golden-brown color.
Flip the chicken and allow them to cook on the bottom side for about 4 minutes.
Remove the chicken thighs and place on a plate.
Pour one cup of chicken broth in the hot skillet to deglaze the pan.
Use a wooden spoon to scrape off any brown bits.
Add minced garlic and the juice of 1 lemon to the pan, stir.
Place the chicken back in the skillet and allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and place the skillet in the preheated oven for 35 minutes to finish the cooking process.
Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.

New Orleans-Style Barbecue Shrimp
PREP TIME 5 mins COOK TIME 20 mins TOTAL TIME 25 mins SERVINGS 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup (4-ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces, divided
2 dried or fresh bay leaves (optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup lower-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 1/2 pound jumbo (16/20) unpeeled, raw shrimp
Chopped fresh parsley, optional, for garnish
Warm crusty baguette, for serving

Method
Melt the butter:
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the foam subsides and the butter starts to smell nutty, about 4 minutes.
Make the sauce:
Add the bay leaves (if using), garlic, Creole seasoning, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. Bring to a vigorous simmer.
Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces to about 2/3 cup and coats the back of a spoon, 6 to 8 minutes.
Cook the shrimp:
Add the shrimp to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring often, until shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve with bread to soak up the sauce.

Shrimp does not reheat well, so we do not recommend saving leftovers for more than 1 day.

Chicken Saltimbocca
Prep Time 25 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Chill Time: 1-hour Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

ROLLED CHICKEN:
Six 4-ounce chicken cutlets
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 slices (2 ounces) prosciutto
6 thin slices (4 ounces) provolone cheese
toothpicks or sandwich picks

THE REST:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped or sliced
1/3 cup Marsala wine


Instructions
PREPARE THE CHICKEN ROLLS:
Lightly pound the cutlets between 2 sheets of wax paper with a mallet or rolling pin until thin but not torn. Sprinkle with sage and salt. Top with prosciutto and cheese slices. Roll up cutlets from short sides and secure with toothpicks. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour or overnight.

COOK THE CHICKEN:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil and butter, then add the chicken rolls. Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the rolls to a plate. Add the onion to the same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden 7 to 10 minutes. Add the Marsala and the browned chicken rolls to the skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until just cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Classic Holiday Vegetarian Beef Wellington
Serves: 6-8 people Prep Time: 20 min Cooking: 1 hour 15 min

Ingredients

1 package Ground “Beef”
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, small diced
4 gloves garlic, minced
6 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cups finely chopped kale
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon rosemary
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup quick oats
3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
5 tablespoons water
1 sheet vegan puff pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon non-dairy butter, melted
Fresh herbs (parsley, sage, or thyme) for garnish, optional

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cook the Ground “Beef” according to the package instructions. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onions until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the mushrooms and kale. Cook for several minutes until the kale is wilted and any liquid has evaporated.
Remove from the heat and add the cooked “Beef”, thyme, sage, rosemary, pepper, soy sauce, and oats. Stir to combine. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Make the flax eggs. Mix the ground flaxseed and water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
Mix the flax eggs with the “Beef” mixture.
Roll out the puff pastry to approximately 9×12 inches.
Scoop the beef mixture into the center of the pastry and form a log. Pack the filling tightly, using your hands, into a loaf shape.
Fold the sides of the pastry over the top of the mixture. Pinch and seal the edges. If needed, use a little water to help it seal.
Place the loaf seam-side down on the prepared pan.
Brush the tops and sides with melted vegan butter. Optional: add a braid of pastry to the top OR score the dough into a crisscross pattern.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Velvet Steak with Korean Chili Butter
Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Additional Time: 6 hrs 5 mins Total Time: 6 hrs 30 mins Servings: 2

Ingredients

Velvet Marinade:
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons rice wine (sake)
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Steaks:
2 (8 ounce) top sirloin steaks
Kosher salt to taste

Korean Chili Butter:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons Korean chili paste (gochujang), or to taste
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped green onions, or to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions
*Whisk egg whites, cornstarch, rice wine, and soy sauce for marinade together in a bowl until very smooth and foamy.
*Trim silver skin from sirloin steaks. Place steaks between 2 pieces of plastic wrap on a cutting board and pound to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Transfer steaks to a rimmed plate and lightly sprinkle both sides with kosher salt.
*Pour marinade over top and flip a few times to make sure steaks are well coated on both sides. Cover with plastic wrap, or transfer steaks and marinade to a zip-top bag, and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours, flipping once or twice while marinating.
*Mix butter, chili paste, salt, and green onions for chili butter together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust if needed. Set aside at either room temperature or in the refrigerator until needed.
*Remove steaks from the refrigerator and toss a few more times in the marinade.
*Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and pan-fry until meat springs back to the touch and is medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 130 degrees F (54 degrees C).
*Remove from heat and place steaks on warm plates. Let rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Top with chili butter and green onions.

Chef's Notes:
*If you don't have sake, sherry wine will also work.
*When seasoning the steaks you can use 1 teaspoon fine salt in place of 2 teaspoons kosher salt, if desired.
*Make sure your butter is soft--it makes the compound butter easier to mix.
*It's important to use a nonstick pan so the coating sticks to the steaks and not to the pan.

Crockpot Basil Butter Chicken
Prep Time 15minutes Cook Time 3hours Total Time 3hours hours 15minutes Servings: 6

Ingredients

US Customary

2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons red curry paste
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1-2 teaspoons chili flakes
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
1 can (14 ounce) coconut milk
4 tablespoons salted butter
2 zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Metric

907.18 g boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed
78.86 ml plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons red curry paste
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons garam masala
0.5 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoons chili flakes
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
1 can (14 ounce) coconut milk
4 tablespoons salted butter
2 zucchini, chopped
12 g chopped fresh basil
4 g chopped fresh cilantro

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Vegan Cornish Pasties
Prep Time 25 minutes Cook Time 45 minutes Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes Servings 4

Ingredients

US Customary

For the Pastry

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup vegan butter, chilled
¼ cup vegetable shortening
8 tablespoons cold water, plus up to 2 additional tablespoons

Fillings
1 small Russet potato, peeled and diced (½-inch), about 1 cup of potato
1 cup diced rutabaga (½-inch)
1 small onion, roughly chopped (about ½ cup)
1 (8 ounce/227 gram) package seitan, cubed (½ inch)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon vegan butter
2 tablespoons unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk

Metric

For the Pastry

250 g all-purpose flour
3 g salt
28 g vegan butter, chilled
51.25 g vegetable shortening
118.29 ml cold water, plus up to 2 additional tablespoons

Fillings
1 small Russet potato, peeled and diced (½-inch), about 1 cup of potato
140 g diced rutabaga (½-inch)
1 small onion, roughly chopped (about ½ cup)
1 (8 ounce/227 gram) package seitan, cubed (½ inch)
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 g vegan butter
29.57 ml unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk

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FRIJOLES DE LA OLLA
PREP TIME 15 mins COOK TIME 2 hours 30 mins TOTAL TIME 2 hours 45 mins
Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS
1 pound of beans (pintos, black beans, flor de mayo, flor de junio)
½ white onion
2 cloves of garlic
4 fresh epazote leaves or ½ teaspoon dried epazote
1 teaspoon of salt (add more to taste if required)

INSTRUCTIONS
Check the beans for any stones or debris.
In a colander, rinse the beans under cold water.
Place the beans in the cooking pot and cover with 3 inches of water.
Allow the beans to soak overnight.
Discard the soaking water.
Add cold water to cover the beans by 4 inches.
Add the ½ white onion and 2 cloves of garlic.
Bring the water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer the beans for 2 hours.
Add 1 teaspoon of salt.
Simmer for 30 more minutes.
Taste the beans to verify that they are fully cooked and soft. If they are not soft enough cook for additional 30 minutes.
Adjust the salt to taste and serve.

NOTES
Cooking time is approximate. Some beans need more time to fully cook and others need less.

A slow cooker or pressure cooker are a great ways to cook beans.

Beans will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze them but it will change the texture.

Buy your beans from a market that sells lots of beans. Fresh is better. The older the beans the tougher they will be.

Substitutions
You make frijoles de la olla with pinto beans, black beans, flor de mayo or flor de junio beans.

If you can't find epazote you can omit it or substitute Mexican oregano. The oregano changes the taste slightly

Pork Marbella
4 servings

Ingredients

2 1-lb. pork tenderloins
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup pitted prunes, torn in half
⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
¼ cup capers, plus 1 Tbsp. caper brine
¼ cup pitted Spanish green olives
¼ cup red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ cup chopped parsley

Recipe Preparation

Season pork with salt. Let sit 15 minutes while you prepare the marinade.

Combine wine, prunes, brown sugar, capers and brine, olives, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, and ¼ cup oil in a large resealable plastic bag. Add pork, seal tightly, pressing as much air out of bag as possible, and turn to coat. Chill at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°. Remove pork from marinade and pat dry; reserve marinade. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high. Cook pork, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, 6–8 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and let cool 1 minute. Pour reserved marinade over pork. Transfer pan to oven and bake, basting pork once with its sauce halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of tenderloin registers 145°, 22–26 minutes, depending on thickness.

Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add butter and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until slightly reduced, 3–5 minutes. Stir in parsley.

Slice tenderloin crosswise against the grain. Transfer to a platter and spoon pan sauce over.

Veggie Fajita Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with a Chipotle Drizzle
YIELD: MAKES 4 POTATOES TOTAL TIME: 1.5 HOURS

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced portobello mushrooms
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (omit for vegetarian)

1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup cooked corn
Salsa of your choice
1/2 cup queso fresco cheese

Quick Pico
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 tablespoons diced sweet onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
a pinch of salt

Chipotle crema
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1/3 cup half and half
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
Juice of half a lime
Zest of half a lime
1/8 teaspoon salt

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