Napa Farmhouse 1885™

I "retired" from the corporate world a couple of years ago because I wanted to experience a real life after years of 80 hour work weeks and constant travel. A year later I realized that I was having a really good time, was always busy (how did i ever fit in a job??) and needed a creative outlet to share my experiences. Now I split my time between California and New Mexico but, wherever I am, I write about delicious, fresh, local, organic/sustainably grown food.

Showing posts with label peppers. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Corn & Black Bean Salsa

Grilled Chicken Breasts. Talk about a delicious, easy, and quick menu choice for a hot summer night. I like to marinate the chicken in an extra virgin olive oil and lemon dressing and then, for a twist, steam over beer until almost cooked through.This incredibly moist chicken needs just a few minutes over a hot grill to add the smokey taste of BBQ, and the chicken is ready to pair with your favorite sauce.

I love serving grilled chicken with fresh salsas. This recipe consisting of black beans, frozen corn (fresh in season) and crunchy vegetables makes a perfect pairing. Bring on summer everyone!

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Corn & Black Bean Salsa
(serves 8)

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
sea salt
black pepper
2 cans or bottles beer

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup marinade to rimmed baking sheet. Place breasts on top of the marinade. Drizzle additional marinade over the chicken. Refrigerate a minimum of two hours, up to eight hours, turning the chicken every couple of hours.

Add beer to a large stock pot over high heat and bring to a slow boil. Place a metal colander over the pot and add chicken. Cover and steam until almost cooked through. (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, bring an outdoor grill to high heat. (or use a grill pan indoors). Place the chicken on the hot grill, cover, and cook 3-4 minutes or until deep dark brown grill marks appear. Turn chicken, cover and continue cooking until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees (use a thermometer to check) and the juices run clear when pierced with a knife. Remove chicken from grill, place on a platter, and tent with foil.

Serve chicken hot or warm, on a bed of the corn salsa with additional salsa spooned over top.

Marinade
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped.

Mix all ingredients together. Remaining marinade can be used on fish or fresh vegetables. Do not reuse marinade from the chicken.

Corn & Black Bean Salsa
(makes 4 cups)

1 10 oz package frozen corn, defrosted (fresh in season)
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
6 green onions, chopped, green and white parts
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
sea salt
black pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine first six ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate between 1 hour and 6 hours. Just before serving, stir in cilantro.

Also delicious with corn tortilla chips.

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It is "Grilled Chicken" week at Food Network's Summerfest roundup. Do you have a favorite grilled chicken recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

The Lemon Bowl: Ginger Teriyaki Grilled Chicken Breasts
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Grilled Chicken Breasts with Corn & Black Bean Salsa
TasteBook: Coconut Grilled Chicken with Ginger and Lime
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Grilled Chicken with Mushroom Sauce
The Mom 100: Grilled Chicken Salad
Healthy Eats: 6 Ways to Never Tire of Grilled Chicken
Devour: Fuel Up for Summer with 4 Protein-Packed Grilled Chicken Skewers
In Jennie's Kitchen: Crispy Fried Chicken Bites
Taste with the Eyes: Grilled Chicken, Pickled Sweet Cherry Pepper Sauce
FN Dish: 6 Ways to Grill the Whole Chicken Like a Total Champ

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

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California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove

napa farmhouse 1885

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I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos." Please visit and let me know what you think.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Artichoke & Olive Dip

I like having a large list of quick and easy appetizer recipes on hand for party planning. No stress and not a lot of work makes entertaining effortless (except for cleaning the house. Ha!) This artichoke& olive dip is a perfect example. A few high-quality ingredients pulsed together in the food processor and...just like that...the perfect addition to your party platter.

Most artichoke dips are full of cheese, sour cream and cream cheese. Delicious but so, so rich. This recipe contains artichoke hearts, green olives, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, shallots, and spices. You will be amazed at how these simple ingredients produce such amazing flavor. I am making a double batch for this Sunday's Big Game. You should do this same! So, Carolina or Denver?

Artichoke & Olive Dip
(makes two cups)

1 16 oz can artichoke hearts, rinsed & drained
1 clove garlic
1 shallot
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup green olives (pitted)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

To the bowl of a food processor, add the artichoke hearts, garlic, shallot and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add green olives and red pepper flakes. Pulse until olives are chopped. Stir in sea salt and black pepper.

Scrape into medium sized bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or a maximum of 24 hours.

When ready to serve, stir in parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve with crackers, a crudité platter, tortilla chips or spread on toast points.
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Additional Dips to serve this weekend:

guacamole
spicy pico di gallo
triple onion dip with caramelized walla wallas
spicy roasted red pepper dip

It is Dips For The Big Game week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast roundup. Do you have a favorite dip recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

Feed Me Phoebe: Healthy French Onion Dip with Leeks and Shallots
The Heritage Cook: Chipotle Black Bean Dip
Creative Culinary: Kahlua, Walnut and Brown Sugar Baked Brie
Dishing with Divya: Boiled Peanuts Hummus
TasteBook: Everything Bagel Dip
In Jennie's Kitchen: Hummus, 4 Ways
The Mediterranean Dish: 11 Game-Day Recipes with a Mediterranean Twist
Dishin & Dishes: Individual Nachos with Pico De Gallo
The Mom 100: Warm Jalapeno Popper Dip
Healthy Eats: 5 Lower-Fat Dips for Game Day
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Artichoke & Olive Dip
Red or Green: BBQ Dip With Roasted Vegetables
Taste with the Eyes: Favorite Dish on the Super Bowl Buffet, Guaranteed
FN Dish: 6 Game-Day Favorites That Are Even Better As Dips

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove

napa farmhouse 1885

Promote Your Page Too

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos." Please visit and let me know what you think.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Roasted Red Pepper Soup (in a Slow Cooker)

The middle of winter begins a weekly blog series called Comfort Food Feast at Food Network comprised of the dishes you want to eat when it is cold outside and the days are still short. The schedule is as follows:

JANUARY

7: Soup

14: Pasta

21: Potatoes

28: Macaroni and Cheese

FEBRUARY

4: Dips for the Big Game

11: Chocolate for Valentine's Day

18: Cheesy

25: Pizza

MARCH

3: Peanut butter

10: Bacon

17: Cake

For Soup Week, I am sharing an easy and delicious recipe chock-full of roasted red bell peppers. The surprise ingredient is a boiled sweet potato that adds sweetness and thickens the base without added cream. The jolt of vitamin c and vitamin A included in this soup is off the charts. I double or triple the batch and keep in the fridge to eat all week. Easy to heat and perfect for lunch or, paired with a big salad and whole grain or gluten free bread, makes a wonderful supper.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup
serves 4

4 red bell peppers
1/2 small sweet potato, unpeeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
extra virgin olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 sundried tomatoes packed in oil
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
sea salt
black pepper
1 lime, sliced
Italian parsley, chopped
4 radishes, chopped
1 tablespoon red onion, chopped

Preheat broiler. Cut bell peppers in half. Seed and devein. Place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet and place under broiler. Broil until skin is completely blackened. Remove from oven and place peppers in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Allow to cool. Peel cooled peppers and roughly chop. Set aside.

Place sweet potatoes in a medium bowl and cover with water. Microwave until soft, about 4 minutes. Drain.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onions, cooked sweet potatoes, cumin, sundried tomatoes and a pinch each salt and pepper to skillet and saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add to the bowl of a slow cooker, along with the reserved peppers and the stock.

Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Puree in batches in a blender or (my preferred method) with an immersion blender until it is a smooth as you like (I like a bit of texture). Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve garnished with lime slices, parlsey, radishes and red onion.