Andolicious

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom and Gram!

Well, when it comes to cooking, I have to say it all began in the kitchen alongside my mother and my grandmothers long, long ago. From the first culinary “experiments” in my high chair, which would have to be hosed off afterwards, to my first pancakes and “Monkey Bread,” I couldn’t have done it without the love and support of MOM! I wish I could be there at the house cooking dinner, overlooking Mt. Diablo, but these photos will have to do! I hope y’all have a wonderful Mother’s Day!!

With Love,

Chef Andolicious

P.S. I made a salad just for you, Mom.

Roast Chicken with Bacon, Potato Carrot Puree, and Simple Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat dry, inside and out, with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Now for this recipe I used a special device manufactured by Weber based on the beer can chicken concept- but for those without special whole-chicken-roasting equipment, simply drink half of a good, canned beer, and add some garlic cloves (preferable crushed or minced) and shove that can up the chicken where the sun don’t shine. For my recipe, I used a few ounces of Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale for a rich, robust flavor in the meat. Hang the strips of bacon by inserting one end in the upper cavity of the chicken, where the neck used to be, and letting the strips rest vertically along the outside of the chicken.

Cook the chicken at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the skin begins to turn crispy. Meanwhile, toss the potatoes, carrots, and onions in 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees, and add potato, carrot, and onion dish and continue to bake for about 80 minutes longer. Occasionally, baste the turkey with the drippings and give the potato/carrot/onion mix a stir. During the last 10 minutes, sprinkle the mix with 1/4 cup of brown sugar.

Test the chicken with a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh- it should read 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Transfer the potato/carrot/onion mixture into a blender and add 1 cup of condensed milk and 1/4 cup of the drippings. Puree, slowly, adding more liquid (chicken stock) if necessary. Don’t go too crazy with the blender- unless it’s a Blendtech- or you might break it. Stir frequently, and if it starts to smell like the motor is burning, you should probably stop.

Mix the salad with the vinaigrette- just enough, but not too much- plate, and enjoy! Happy Mother’s Day, Mom and Gram!

Ingredients:

1/2 small spring onion, diced

6-8 oz. chunky salsa

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup black beans, rinsed

1 cup corn, rinsed

1 cup chopped cabbage

1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

3 tortillas

2 Tbsp canola oil

Recipe:

Sauté the onions in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the salsa, cook 2 minutes. Transfer onions and tomato to a blender, add the chicken broth and puree. Transfer to pot, add corn, black beans, cabbage, salt, pepper, oregano and cayenne to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook 10 minutes uncovered. Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a skillet over high heat. Chop the tortillas into slices and add to oil when hot. Fry until golden and crispy. Salt lightly after removing. Take three long strips of cabbage and fry for garnish.

Ingredients:

2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1 TbspSoy Sauce

1 tsp Black pepper

1 tsp Cayenne powder

1/4 medium-sized Red Onion

3 Tomatoes

1 Avocado

1/4 cup Sour Cream

1/4 cup Mayonnaise

1 tsp Habanero hot sauce

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Parmesan cheese

Recipe:

Marinade the chicken breasts in olive oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, cayenne, and pepper. Flip chicken over after 15 minutes and season other side.

Grill the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side, until some nice grill marks appear. Flip the chicken, cook 4ish minutes, and transfer to baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes (uncovered). (Searing the chicken on both sides can be done if you don’t own a grill pan). Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing for optimum moistness. While the chicken is baking, turn the heat down on the pan and cook the onions until tender.

In a bowl, mix sour cream, mayo, hot sauce, cayenne, and lemon juice. Slice the bread in half long-ways, brush with butter, and grill over low heat until toasted through. Season the sliced tomatoes and avocado with salt and pepper to taste.

Slather the toasted bread with the spicy mayo mix, then top with chicken, tomato, grilled onion, avocado, and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 yellow onion, diced

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups long grain white rice

1 tsp dry oregano

1 tsp dry basil

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 can whole tomatoes, pureed in blender

5 bell peppers

12 large tomatoes

Recipe:

Cook the ground beef in a large pot over high heat until browned. Meanwhile, cook the onion in olive oil over medium high heat until tender. Add garlic to onion, cook 1 minute. Add onion/garlic to the pot, along with the oregano, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the pureed tomato, along with the guts of the hollowed out tomatoes.  Cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and rice, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. While that mixture is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil, then boil each one of the bell peppers for 3 minutes or until about as tender as a tomato, and set aside. When most of the liquid in the mixture has been absorbed by the rice, spoon it into the hollowed out tomatoes and pre-cooked bell peppers. Place in a deep baking pan and fill with 1/4 inch of water. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours, or longer if you have the patience.

Recipe Copyright 2010 by Padelis Sakellariadis

Sausage potato hash with jalapeño and Cajun spices

Ingredients:
Two links Cajun andouille sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
Half of one small onion
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced into quarter inch chunks
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning

Recipe:
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook for about 6-8 minutes or until slightly browned on each side. Add the onion, and jalapeño, and seasonings and cook several minutes until tender. Serve with scrambled eggs or enjoy solo.

Ingredients:

1 8 oz boneless skinless chicken breast

Marinade:

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp soy sauce (reduced sodium)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Veg:

1/4 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1/4 green bell pepper, chooped

1/4 crown broccoli, stems removed

1 carrot, chopped into 1/4 in. pieces

Sauce:

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp Sriracha sauce

1 Tbsp Sweet chili sauce

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and marinade in refrigerator for 1/2 an hour before cooking. Meanwhile, cook 1 cup of rice with two cups of water, using the steamer insert to pre-cook the vegetables before stir frying. Heat about 1 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet on high heat until oil is beginning to smoke. Insert the chicken and leftover marinade and cook on high heat, stirring frequently until all sides are seared golden brown. Continue to cook on medium high heat for about 8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add sauce mixture to pan and bring to boil. Add vegetables. Toss. Serve over white rice.