Mussakhan (roast chicken with sumac and red onions)

My running buddy A and I were talking about spices, and I asked her if she knew where to get sumac, because Kroger didn't sell it (I know this is a shocker).  Anyway she said she might have some, and she was going to the farmer's market, so if she didn't, she'd look there, and drop it off.  She had it, so she brought it over.  Later in the week, D made this.

It was very good.  I would have it again.  We had with rice and naan.  We both agreed that was too much.  D would have with rice, I would have with naan.

Mussakhan (roast chicken with sumac and red onions)

Photo by ALB

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 kg chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on (used 4 thighs)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1½ tsp sumac, plus extra to dust
juice 1 lemon
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 large red onions (around 500g), finely sliced into half-moons
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp light olive oil (didn't use)
parsley leaves, chopped, to serve

Method
Slash the flesh of each piece of chicken diagonally a few times, around 2cm apart, then place the meat in a large bowl. Pour over the extra virgin olive oil, spices, lemon juice, garlic, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and rub into the meat.

Add the red onion and toss well. Cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for between 1-3 hours. When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Transfer the meat to a baking tray and roast for around 35 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear when pierced at their thickest part.

Cover in foil and leave to rest while you prepare the toppings. Fry the pine nuts in the oil for around 1 minute or so until they turn golden brown, then tip onto kitchen paper to drain. To serve, toast the bread and then place the chicken and onions on top.

Finish with the pine nuts, sumac and parsley. Drizzle over any remaining roasting juices so they soak into the bread, then drizzle over a little more olive oil.

9 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

One-Pot Greek Pasta

The original recipe called for olives.  So I told D, sun-dried tomatoes.  Our sausage was a 10oz box, so that too. We used 5 oz of spinach.  We got 5 servings.

One-Pot Greek Pasta

Photo by ALB

Adapted From: EatingWell.com

5 servings
Serving size: 2 cups
Prep: 20 m
Ready In: 20 m

Ingredients
2 tsp oil from sundried tomato jar
4 links cooked Caprese chicken sausage from Gilberts (10 ounces), sliced into rounds*
1 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (8 ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
5 cups lightly packed baby spinach
12 oz cups uncooked rotini pasta (or penne)
1/4 Cup chopped Sundried Tomatoes (in oil)
1/2 cup finely crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Preparation
Make pasta according to directions on package.

Heat oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until the onion is starting to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add tomato sauce, spinach, pasta and tomatoes; cook, stirring often, until bubbling hot and the spinach is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water, if necessary, to keep the pasta from sticking. Stir in feta and basil, if using.

11 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 5 servings)

* This post was not sponsored (I didn't get anything) from using Gilbert's sausage. I just like the individually wrapped links.

Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl

I'm not quite sure why I picked this one. I think maybe because I'm making D eat so much fish, I decided I would try something knowing know that I despise olives, don't care for jarred red peppers, and am eh on raw red onion. Maybe because I am eh on the red onion, I forgot to put it on the grocery list.  Anyway D made it. I didn't put olives in my bowl. The red pepper sauce was good, but D said he should have bought a red pepper and done it himself.  The char on them was poor.

He was concerned I'd still be hungry.  I was fine. It was actually pretty good. We had with a Greek Salad.

Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl

Photo by ALB

Serves 4
Active: 30 m
Ready In: 30 m
Serving size: 3 oz. chicken, 1/2 cup quinoa, and 1/4 cup sauce each

Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, rinsed
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
2 cups cooked quinoa
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped (not in Points Calculation)
Added Pepperoncini
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Preparation 
Position a rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and place on the prepared baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 165°F, 14 to 18 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and slice or shred.

Meanwhile, place peppers, almonds, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, paprika, cumin and crushed red pepper (if using) in a mini food processor. Puree until fairly smooth.

Combine quinoa, olives, pepperoncini and red onion in a medium bowl.

To serve, divide the quinoa mixture among 4 bowls and top with equal amounts of cucumber, the chicken and the red pepper sauce. Sprinkle with feta and parsley.

7 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Gyro Burgers With Tahini Sauce

Lean Ground Beef was marked down, so I bought a lot a few weeks ago.  Trying to use some up along with Tahini, I found this recipe.  It was very tasty, although not pretty to take a picture of.

I wold have again. We had with breaded broccoli (Broccoli Fries).

Gyro Burgers With Tahini Sauce

Photo by ALB

Adapted from Southern Living
Yield: Makes 3 servings

Ingredients
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 teaspoon Greek seasoning
4 pita rounds
4 lettuce leaves
8 large tomato slices
4 thin red onion slices
Tahini Sauce (see below)
1/4 cup feta cheese

Preparation
Step 1: Combine beef and seasoning. Shape into 3 patties.

Step 2: Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until beef is no longer pink.

Step 3: Cut off 2 inches of bread from 1 side of each pita round, forming a pocket. Line each with 1 lettuce leaf, 2 tomato slices, and 1 red onion slice. Add burger. Drizzle each with 2 tablespoons Tahini Sauce, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Tahini Sauce

Ingredients
1/4 cup tahini paste
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Step 1: Whisk together all ingredients.

15 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 3 servings with Tahini Sauce)

Mediterranean Chicken Skillet

Another "I made this."  I had looked at the recipe earlier in the day and knew it required a lot of steps.  But it wasn't hard.  Just time consuming.  I think it took me about 45 minutes to prep.

I was impressed with myself.  I think D liked it.  He made the rice for it, since it's one of those foods I just can't cook. We would have again.

Mediterranean Chicken Skillet

Photo by ALB

Active Time: 30 Mins
Total Time: 45 Mins
Yield Serves 4 (serving size: 1 chicken thigh, 3/4 cup vegetables in sauce)
Adapted From MyRecipes.com

This single-skillet recipe is impressive enough to make it company-worthy, but easy enough to make on a weeknight. It’s important to minimize moving the chicken and the onions as they cook in order to help them brown nicely and to reduce the chance of their releasing excess liquid into the pan. Pro tip: Keep a clean bowl or sheet tray handy when you’re making a single skillet meal such as this; that way, you can easily take items out of the pan and set aside as needed.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (5-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 large red onion (12 oz.), cut into 1/2-in. slices
2 cups grape tomatoes
16 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (6 cloves)
1 tablespoon drained and rinsed capers
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped dried oregano
1/3 cup dry white wine

Preparation
Step 1: Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Sprinkle chicken on all sides with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Place chicken in skillet, skin side down; cook, undisturbed, until brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Flip, and continue to cook until browned on other side, about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. (Chicken will not be cooked through.)

Step 2: Place onion slices in skillet in a single layer over medium-high; cook, undisturbed, until slightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip, and cook until charred on other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plate with chicken.

Step 3: Add tomatoes and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet; cook, undisturbed, until blistered, about 4 minutes. Add green beans, garlic, capers, and oregano; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir in white wine. Place charred onions on top of tomato mixture; nestle chicken into tomato mixture.

Step 4: Bake in preheated oven until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken reaches 170°F, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and garnish with oregano.

8 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Italian Ravioli with Spinach, Artichokes, Capers, Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I found this recipe and figured I could win D into having it.  He likes sundried tomatoes and capers, and I like artichokes and spinach.  I was right. He said we could have it.

Now I'm not sure why bloggers feel the need to write out their whole life story, and why they tell you how to cook the recipe before giving you the recipe that tells you how to cook the recipe, but they do.  So stop (at least this one had a button to jump to the recipe).

It was good.  We had no sides.

Italian Ravioli with Spinach, Artichokes, Capers, Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Photo by ALB

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Servings: 4 people
Adapted from Julia's Album

Ingredients
1 lb chicken breast, cut in 1-inch cubes
Salt and Pepper
10 oz ravioli (used Rana cheese and spinach)
Cooking Spray
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes , chopped (drain the oil)
1 can cup artichoke hearts , chopped
3 tablespoons capers , drained
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups spinach , fresh (used 1 bunch)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese , shredded

Instructions
Sautee chicken breast with salt and pepper.

Cook ravioli until al dente. Drain.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat, coated in cooking spray. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped artichokes, capers, Italian seasoning, garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add fresh spinach and continue cooking and stirring until the spinach wilts.

To the skillet with sautéed vegetables, on medium-low heat, add cooked ravioli and cooked chicken and stir. The dish should be salty enough from capers. If it's not, add more salt (or capers), if needed.

When serving, top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Note that for Nutritional Purposes, I included 1 TBSP of olive oil, because I figured that was what was left in the sundried tomatoes, since they weren't rinse, just drained.

8 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

TURKISH LAMB GALETTE

Ground Lamb was on sale for $4/lb last week.  I bought some and decided we should have something new and different.  While looking around, I remembered we would have an extra pie dough because we had Tortiere last week.

D made it, and I think it was easy, because he didn't make any comments about the dough (this is usually the issue).  We figured out the points ahead of time and they were high, but despite how small it looked, 1/6 of the Galette was more than enough, if you have a salad to go with it.

We would have again.

TURKISH LAMB GALETTE

Photo by ALB

From: Climbing Grier Mountain
Yield: makes one 9-inch pie (6 servings)
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil (didn't use)
1 lb ground lamb
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 tbsp drained and chopped sun dried tomatoes
2 hot cherry peppers, diced (used Hot Cherry Pepper Hoagie Spread- 2 TBSP)
2 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 store bought 9-inch pie crust, thawed
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 egg whisked
Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish (didn't use)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large skillet preheated to medium high heat add the olive oil (use some sundried tomato oil if the lamb doesn't produce enough grease on its own), ground lamb, salt, and pepper. Using a wooden spoon break up the ground lamb and cook until no longer pink about four to five minutes. Next, add in the garlic and let it cook for a minute or two. Then add the red onion and sauté until softened about three minutes. Next, add in the sun dried tomatoes, hot cherry peppers, paprika, cumin, coriander, and red pepper flakes. Stir to make sure all the ingredients are combined. Continue to sauté for another couple of minutes.

Roll the pie crust out on the prepared baking sheet. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the lamb mixture into the center of the pie crust leaving a one inch border. You might have some mixture leftover and that’s okay. Use the leftovers up in some scrambled eggs! Top with lamb mixture with mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Fold the pie crust in towards the filling creating a rustic border. Brush the galette with the egg wash and then bake for about 20 minutes or until the galette is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Garnish with fresh parsley!

13 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 6 servings)

Harissa Baked Chicken

I've seen Harissa for awhile now, either making it from scratch or store bought.  All made from scratch seemed to make a lot, which means just another container that will get lost in the fridge.  Store bought things tend not to get lost.  Also D looked at the recipe and said store-bought.

Seeing as the 3 Krogers by my house seem to forget that people like chicken breasts or whole chickens or tomatoes (you know, basic things), I knew Harissa was not going to be had, so off to Whole Foods, which was okay because we needed broccoli rabe (Kroger didn't have broccoli the other day, so yeah).

Harissa is by the BBQ Sauce and jarred peppers in the Whole Foods. Don't be foolish and think it might be in the International Aisle.  Nope.

OK, so the recipe.  It was spicy.  But good.  I'm glad we have this jar because now we can easily have it again.  Make sure you have it with rice or that you have milk or bread.  Because it is spicy.

We also had with Green Beans.

Harissa Baked Chicken

Photo by ALB

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 55 mins

Servings: 6
From Every Last Bite

Ingredients
6 chicken thighs skin-on bone-in
2 tbsp harissa paste
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots peeled and cut into chunks
2 red onions cut into chunks
1/2 lemon cut into wedges
2 tbsp fresh parsley(didn't use)
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (didn't use)

Instructions
In a bowl whisk together the harissa paste, honey, lemon juice and olive oil. Pour the mixture over the chicken thighs and allow to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour and up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)

Place the cut up carrots, red onion and chicken in a baking dish or cast iron skillet. Pour any of the remaining marinade over the chicken and top with the lemon wedges. Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Half way through baking, spoon some of the liquid from the bottom of the dish over the chicken before returning to the oven. After 35 minutes check to ensure that the chicken is fully cooked in the center. Turn the oven broil and place the dish on the top rack for 2 to 3 minutes until the skin of the chicken becomes crisp and golden.

Sprinkle with fresh parsley and pomegranate seeds before serving.

8 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 6 servings)