White Bean Chicken Chili

   Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (18.75 ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 ears fresh corn
1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat
1 (15 ounce) can white beans
1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste

 1. Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
 2. Stir in broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
 3. Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tequila Lime Chicken Wings

   6 servings

2 pounds chicken wings

salt and pepper

   For the jalapeno margarita glaze

1/4 cup sugar

zest of one lime

2/3 cup lime juice

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

1/3 cup tequila

1/2 teaspoon salt

   For serving

Lime wedges

Coarse sea salt

   1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil then place a non-stick metal baking rack on top of the foil. Place the chicken wings in a single layer on top of the baking rack (this will allow the chicken to get crispy on both sides and allow the juices to run off onto the foil). Season the wings generously with salt and pepper. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and golden, about 30 minutes.

   2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, lime zest, lime juice, jalapeno, tequila, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 3-5 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken slightly.

   3. Remove the wings from the oven. Turn on the broiler to high. Using tongs, place the wings in a heat safe bowl and toss them in the margarita glaze. Return them to the baking sheet and place them under the broiler until they begin to caramelize and darken, keeping a close eye on them, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the wings to a serving plate, drizzle them generously with the margarita glaze, and serve with lime wedges and freshly cracked sea salt and any leftover glaze on the side for dipping.

Blackened Salmon Fillets

   Ingredients
2 tablespoons ground paprika
1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
4 salmon fillets, skin and bones removed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

   1. In a small bowl, mix paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, white pepper, black pepper, thyme, basil and oregano.
   2. Brush salmon fillets on both sides with 1/4 cup butter, and sprinkle evenly with the cayenne pepper mixture. Drizzle one side of each fillet with 1/2 remaining butter.
   3. In a large, heavy skillet over high heat, cook salmon, butter side down, until blackened, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn fillets, drizzle with remaining butter, and continue cooking until blackened and fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Hoisin Glazed Baked Salmon

   Ingredients
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice (can sub rice vinegar)
1-2 teaspoons sugar
1 large garlic clove, smashed and minced
4 6-ounce salmon fillets
Vegetable oil, for greasing the broiler pan

   1. Mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar and garlic together in a bowl. Taste and adjust to your taste (more lime juice if too sweet, more sugar if too acidic). Coat the salmon pieces in the marinade and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
   2. Set the rack in your broiler to about 6 inches underneath the heating element. Turn on the broiler.  Lightly grease a foil-lined broiling pan with vegetable oil. Arrange the salmon pieces skin side down (if your fillets still have skin on one side) on the pan and paint with a little more of the marinade. Broil until done, about 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon fillets and the heat of your broiler.
   Serve with steamed rice.

California Thai Flank Steak

   Ingredients
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup rice wine
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons sliced lemon grass
3 tablespoons crushed peanuts
3 tablespoons chile paste
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 pounds flank steak

   1. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine, lime juice and sesame oil. Stir in onion, basil, mint, lemon grass and crushed peanuts. Season with chile paste, coriander and garlic salt.
   2. Layer flank steak with marinade. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.
   3. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat, and lightly oil grate.
   4. Spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with non stick cooking spray. Drain liquid from marinade. Layer meat on foil with the remaining non liquid marinade ingredients. Fold edges of foil to seal, then grill for 20 minutes.

Chickpea Curry with Kale

   Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 cup onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups kale, finely chopped
1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup plain tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
chopped cilantro, for serving
warm flatbread or steamed rice for serving

     In a pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and toasted, about 1 minute. Add the onions, garlic, and kale, cooking until the onions are translucent and the kale is wilted, about 2-3 more minutes. Pour in the coconut milk, followed by the garbanzo beans and tomato sauce. Stir to combine, add sugar and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Serve the curry with chopped fresh cilantro on top and warm flatbread or steamed rice.

Champagne Jelly Flutes

   Ingredients
three 1/4-ounce packets unflavored powdered gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1 bottle dry sparkling wine, such as Champagne or Prosecco, chilled
2 cups sparkling pale white grape juice, chilled
8 raspberries
1 tablespoon half and half

   1. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl and set an 8-cup glass spouted measuring cup inside of it. Put eight 8-ounce Champagne flutes in the refrigerator to chill.
   2. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over 2 cups cold water in a medium saucepan. Let sit until the gelatin softens (it will become translucent), about 5 minutes. Add the sugar then cook over medium-low heat, stirring gently, until the sugar and gelatin dissolve completely, about 5 minutes (dont let the liquid come to a boil). Pour the gelatin mixture into the prepared measuring cup over the ice bath, stirring the mixture a few times until it feels lukewarm. Stir in the sparkling wine and grape juice. Pour 1/2 cup of the sparkling wine mixture into a small bowl then neatly pour the remaining mixture into the 8 flutes.
   3. Refrigerate the flutes and the reserved mixture in the bowl for 30 minutes (the jelly will be lightly thickened). Gently push a raspberry down into the center of each flute with a skewer, letting some gelatin cover it, until the raspberry is held in place.
   4. Add the half and half to the reserved gelatin mixture in the bowl and whisk vigorously until the mixture looks like foam. Spoon the foam on top of each flute of jelly. Return the flutes to the refrigerator and chill until the gelatin sets completely, about 2 hours.

Slow Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

   Ingredients
2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 3-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 3-inch pieces
8 small red potatoes, quartered
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 medium lemon, halved
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-1/2 teaspoons paprika

   1. Place carrots, celery and potatoes in a 6-qt. slow cooker, toss with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place lemon halves and garlic in chicken cavity. Tuck wings under chicken, tie drumsticks together. Place chicken over vegetables in slow cooker, breast side up. Mix rosemary, lemon juice, oil, paprika and remaining salt, rub over chicken.
   2. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175° and vegetables are tender.
   3. Remove chicken to a serving platter; tent with foil. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.