Buffalo Garlic Hot Wings

I finally unpacked enough kitchen stuff and used my oven for the first time! So what to cook???? Hmm…. well
hot wings are my favorite!!! Except that when you order them at a restaurant, often times they are rolled in flour first. These are my version of gluten free baked not rolled in flour and fried, wings.

What You Need:

Chicken Wings

Salt and Pepper

Crushed, dried Garlic

Hot Sauce (I like Franks Red Hot Sauce)

Honey

Cornstarch

What To Do:

Salt and pepper chicken wings and put on a cookie sheet. Cook at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, turn them over and cook for about 20 more. They should be crispy looking on the outside when they are done.
For the sauce, any type of gluten free hot sauce. Everyone has their preference! I like to add a squeeze of honey and 1 tbsp of the crushed, dried garlic. If you like a thicker sauce, add a little bit of cornstarch (1/2 tsp) to the hot sauce (1/2-3/4 c)  Cook on low. When the wings are done, mix them with the sauce. Grab your favorite gluten free dressing and enjoy!

 

Whole Roasted Chicken

Not going to lie… I have had this recipe sitting in my blog for weeks now.  This was the last meal that I made with my mom before she passed.  My mom used to joke when we would cook together that I was the cook and she was the cleaner.  She would walk around the kitchen following me as I cooked, cleaning. I think that this recipe holds a lot of sentimental feelings and it was hard for me to post it.  It was like reliving the last few weeks with her before we found out she had cancer and was in a coma. All the good memories that now are mixed with the bad.  Sometimes those bad memories out weigh the good ones. It takes on a darker meaning to the point of wanting it just to stop. So, I have to just put one foot in front of the other. Find joy in the memories of my beautiful mother and the time we spent together. To let the bad memories have a space but not consume my life.

Here is the original post… hope you enjoy xo

I love roasting chicken!!! It is easier than you think and it is one of those meals that you can just put in the oven and leave for a couple hours. I like to pair mine with veggies that roast with the chicken in the oven. It is a great meal for a group of people or a Sunday dinner.

 

What You Need:

Whole Chicken (antibiotic free, no hormone chicken)

Whole Onion

Two Lemons (cut in quarters)

Mushrooms (cut in half and save for later)

6 Large Carrots, sliced long way

Butter

Fresh Herb Mix for Poultry

Salt and Pepper

What To Do:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place your chicken in a roasting pan. Run your fingers under the chicken skin to loosen it from the meat. Under the skin, rub a generous amount of butter on the meat.

Take the onion and place inside the cavity as well as one half of the lemon. Squeeze the rest of the lemons on top of the chicken and sprinkle salt and pepper all over. Place the carrots around the chicken.

Take half the fresh poultry seasoning and place all over the top of the chicken. Divide the other half and put one part into the cavity of the chicken and the other part around the carrots. Take the squeezed lemons and place with carrots.

Cook for an hour and then add the mushrooms around the chicken. Total cooking time is typically about 20 minutes per pound. The internal temperature of the chicken should be at least 185 degrees F.

Turkey Chili

As the weather starts to transition into Fall, along with the wacky weather in MA, I wanted to make a more comforting meal. I was never a huge chili fan but for some reason, I really wanted to make it.

What You Need:

1 lb. Turkey Meat (I used dark meat but you could use either)

1/2 Red Onion, chopped

Olive Oil

4 Cloves of Garlic

1 Jalapeno, diced (for an extra kick, leave the seeds in)

1 Can Red Kidney Beans, drained

1 Can Black Beans, drained

1 Large Can Diced Tomatoes

8 oz of Gluten Free Beer

Chicken Stock (as needed)

1Tablespoon Cumin Powder

2 Tablespoons of Chili Powder

1 Teaspoon of Red Pepper Powder

Salt and Pepper

Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Plain Greek Yogurt

What To Do:

In a saucepot, add a bit of olive oil to the pan with the onions. Sauté until the onions are soft.

Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add in the turkey meat, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 teaspoon of chili powder and cook until the turkey meat is no longer pink. Make sure to stir the mixture to avoid burning.

Add in the jalapeno, beans, and tomatoes. Stir and add in the cumin, chili, and red pepper.

Bring the mixture to a boil and add in the gluten free beer. Bring to a boil again and cook for 2 hours, stirring often.

If the chili is too thick, you can add in some chicken stock. Make sure you also taste the chili as it cooks. You can always add in more salt but you can’t take it out.

Top the chili with cheese and Greek yogurt. Super Tasty!

Spaghetti Squash Margarita Pizza Boat

Spaghetti Squash is such a versatile vegetable.   You can use it in place of spaghetti and combine different combinations of vegetables, spices, or cheeses in.

Spaghetti Squash has an array of vitamins ranging from vitamin A to C, up to vitamin K. Manganese is an important mineral found in Spaghetti Squash. It aids in the production of healthy bones and tissues. It also increases your metabolism, while regulating blood sugar and the functioning of the nervous system. Spaghetti Squash also helps prevent or decrease inflammation! It contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats, which helps inflammation, arthritis, and brain function.

 

What You Need:

Spaghetti Squash

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Italian Spice Grinder

Tomato Sauce (You can use my recipe under Sunday Dinners on the blog)

Parmesan Cheese

Fresh Mozzarella

Gluten Free Pepperoni

Fresh Basil

What To Do:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and put a coating (little) of olive oil on a baking pan. Cut the Spaghetti Squash down the middle and scoop out the seeds.

Place face up on the baking pan and sprinkle with your seasonings. Top with a little bit of olive oil and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of your squash). You want the squash to be undercooked.

With a fork, scrape the inside of the squash to make “noodles”.

In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce and a handful of parmesan cheese with the squash. Use as much as you would like. I added a little extra sauce since it will be baking in the oven again.

Place the squash back into the boats and cook for another 10-15 minutes in the oven. In the meantime, slice your mozzarella and season with the Italian Grinder and chop up a few fresh basil leaves. Take the squash boats out and cover with mozzarella and basil.

Put back in the oven for five minutes or until the mozzarella is melted and gooey.

ENJOY! xoxo

Check out https://www.quickeasycook.com/spaghetti-squash/ for some awesome information about spaghetti squash, different ways to cook it, and for this recipe feature! While you are there, don’t forget to hit subscribe 🙂

Garlic Butter Steak with Red Wine Mushrooms Over Spinach

Garlic Butter Steak with Red Wine

Mushrooms Over Spinach

I rarely eat meat but when I do, I like to make sure I eat a quality, free-range, farm raised, antibiotic-free meat.  I typically like a more tender steak like rib eye steak or filet mignon. Try not to pick out a piece that has a lot of fat in the middle. You want some fat or marbleizing because it makes your steak more tender, but you do not want a large slab of fat running through your steak. I like to grill my steaks since the grill gives the steak a distinct taste and personally I like a grilled steak (This part is where my step-dad or brothers come in).

 

What You Need for Steak Marinade:

Your preference of meat

Olive Oil

Red Wine Vinegar

Italian Herbs

Salt and Pepper

What To Do:

Take the piece of steak and with a fork, poke holes throughout the piece. Place the steak in a bowl and drizzle on olive oil to coat. Rub the olive oil into the steak and then pour on some red wine vinegar (I don’t measure, I eyeball it by how full my bowl is and how many pieces of meat are in it). Sprinkle on salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Put as much as you would like on. Remember to be careful with the salt. You can always add more, not take any away. Rub down your steak again and let it sit in the marinade for about an hour.

While the steak is marinating, start on your garlic butter.

What You Need for the Garlic Butter:

1 Stick of Room Softened Butter

2 Cloves of Garlic, crushed

Salt

Plastic Wrap

What To Do:

With a blender, whip together the butter, garlic, and a pinch of salt until combined. On a large piece of plastic wrap, place your butter in the middle of the plastic wrap. Start by spreading the butter into a tube shape, eventually using the plastic wrap as your guide. Place in the refrigerator until your steak is ready to eat.

While the steak is on the grill, start making the red wine mushrooms.

What You Need For the Mushrooms:

Package of Mushrooms

Olive Oil

Red Wine

Butter

Salt and Pepper

What To Do:

In a large skillet pan, coat the bottom with olive oil. Slice your mushrooms and add to the pan. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper and stir. When the mushrooms are getting tender, add in about 1/4-1/2 cup of wine. Let it cook for a bit and add 1 tablespoon of butter. It makes the sauce taste a little bit richer. Cook for a couple more minutes so that the flavors can really incorporate together.

When the steak is cooked to your desired preference, let it rest for a few minutes so the juices can stay inside the steak. I quickly sauted some spinach and made mashed potatoes to complete this dish. I topped that with the steak and mushrooms with a pat of the garlic butter on top!

This was AMAZING!!!