Brown Sugar-Rum Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Lime Zest

Long time no post. This has been in my drafts for way too long. It's a great recipe we really enjoyed. 

It's been the usual crazy here in my house, hope to be posting again soon.

Brown Sugar and Rum Glazed Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Lime

original recipe by Bobby Flay, from the book Barbecue Addiction

adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

4 sweet potatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil

Put the sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water by 2 inches, and add 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil and cook until a skewer or paring knife inserted into the center of a sweet potato meets with slight resistance, about 30 minutes. Drain well and let cool. Cut each sweet potato into wedges.

Heat grill to medium.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the brown sugar, stir and cook until smooth. Increase the heat, add the rum, and cook until reduced by about half. Add the lime zest and juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Brush the sweet potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes. Brush with some of the rum glaze and grill for one minute longer.

Remove the sweet potatoes to a platter and brush with more of the glaze.

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Grilled Steaks with Ancho Butter and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

The Griller is really getting the hang of it. Another steak grilled to perfection. This one was marinated in molasses, sherry vinegar and ancho chile powder. Topped with a compound chile butter, it really was fantastic. We had 4 rib steaks. Wasn't sure if they rather have plain steak or not. So two had the marinade, two were grilled plain, with only salt and pepper. All were prime. All were fantastic. We each had a large piece of both. But the two in the marinade was just a little more fantastic, thumbs up and definitely a keeper. And the extra compound butter is now in the freezer. I'll try it on vegetables, fish or chicken. It's a nice touch. Not to sweet, not to spicy. Added a nice, rich flavor.

Grilled Steak with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Grilled Asparagus on the side.

Grilled Steaks with Ancho Butter

adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook

Source: Food & Wine, recipe by Robert Del Grande

 Printable Recipe

Ancho butter:
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 shallot, coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened
juice of one lime
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Steaks:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
4 1 1/2-pound bone-in rib-eye steaks, about 3 inches thick
salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring, until tender and lightly caramelized. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Put the ancho powder, onions, garlic, lime juice,and maple syrup in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the softened butter and pulse to thoroughly combine. Put the compound butter in a bowl and refrigerate until the steaks are ready.

Light a grill. Season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper. In a bowl combine the olive oil, molasses, vinegar and chile powder. Brush the steaks on both sides with some of the mixture. Grill the steaks to desired doneness. Brush both sides with more of the molasses mixture. Grill for another minute, then transfer to a platter and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve with the ancho butter.
*Freeze the leftover butter to use on vegetables, fish, chicken or meat.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in half, par-boiled on stove or microwave until almost tender
rosemary sprigs, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
     
Preheat the oven to 400°.

Drain the potatoes and pat them dry.

Spread the potatoes and rosemary sprigs on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and black pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring a few times, until the potatoes are sizzling and browned.

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Beef with Broccoli, Onions and Potatoes

Carole's Chatter, a really lovely blog, has a round-up each week showcasing one ingredient called Food on Friday. After Friday she showcases a few highlights in a new post. Recently the topic was beef. One recipe that caught my eye was a Beef with Broccoli Stir Fry from Dishing with Leslie. I had to make a few adaptions because we were riced out, having had it for the past few days, and I had some potatoes that needed to be used sooner rather than later. And while I was a little hesitant about using potatoes, they really worked out nicely in the dish. Had some beautiful little yellow cherry tomatoes that needed to be used up so I threw them in, too! Delicious. Had to decrease the heat a little, Grandma was here for dinner. It was enough that she noticed but not too much that her mouth was on fire. Been there, done that, but Grandma is a good sport! This was a keeper. Excellent. We'll try it with next time to soak up all that delicious sauce. And maybe add more chili-garlic sauce, too.

Beef with Broccoli, Onions and Potatoes

Adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Source: original recipe by Dishing with Leslie

Printable Recipe

4 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
4 tablespoons water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb skirt steak, cut in strips, round or sirloin steak, cut against the grain into thin strips
vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
3 cups broccoli florets
1 cup of cherry tomatoes
2 cups baby potatoes or large potatoes cut into smaller pieces, par-boiled in microwave or on top of the stove
1 onion, cut into wedges
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic chili sauce

In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 3-4 tablespoons water; whisk until smooth. Add the minced garlic and let sit a few minutes. Add in beef and toss to coat; let sit about 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup water with remaining 2 tablespoons corn starch; whisk  until smooth. Add sesame oil, soy sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic chili sauce. Set aside.

In large non-stick skillet or a wok, heat about a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil over medium/high heat. Add beef and stir until lightly browned; remove from wok and keep warm. Add a little bit more vegetable oil to pan, add potatoes, onion and broccoli, cook until it softens. Return beef to pan. Pour sauce mixture in, add tomatoes, gently stir. Cook for another 5 -10 minutes. Serve.

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Extremely Crispy Potatoes!

These really are extremely crispy potatoes! And not even burned beyond recognition. Point for me :)

We were having grilled burgers for dinner the other night. Every time I see a picture of a hamburger on a bun with melting cheese I get that craving and just have to have one. Good thing The Griller's all-time favorite dinner always includes a hamburger. He never says no to a burger, even if he has to do the grilling. My ultimate burger has cheddar, grilled peppers, raw onions, fresh tomatoes, avocado and lot of fresh jalapeno wheels. Heinz ketchup. and a very large napkin. Heaven.

I was thinking french fries and went looking online for inspiration. Then I saw these, Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes, at Serious Eats. Perfect. And much easier than frying or in my case, burning. Not mention easier clean-up. They were fantastic! I used olive oil, no duck fat here, and I haven't seen chicken fat since I was a little kid in my grandma's kitchen. Definitely making these again. And again. They are ultra when it comes to crispy. Inside was soft and creamy. Nice combination. Especially with my ultimate burger! Or maybe with my scrambled breakfast eggs. With ketchup. Definitely.

Extremely Crispy Potatoes

adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook

Source: Serious Eats

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/11/ultra-crispy-roast-potatoes-recipe.html

Printable Recipe

4-5 large russet or yukon gold potatoes, rinsed well, and cut into 2-inch chunks (peeled if you like)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 8-10 sprigs fresh

Preheat oven to 500°F. Place potatoes in a large microwave-safe bowl and add cold water to cover by at least an inch. Add salt, about a tablespoon, and the vinegar. Cover with a vented lid and microwave on high for about 15 minutes. Potatoes should show a slight resistance when poked with a paring knife or fork. If not, microwave another 5-10 minutes. Drain potatoes.

Add olive oil to bowl with potatoes. Season with pepper and more salt (to taste) then toss with a large spoon until exteriors are slightly scratched up and coated in a thin layer of oil-potato mix.  Spread potatoes in one layer on a heavy rimmed baking sheet. Use two baking sheets if necessary. Sprinkle the thyme or thyme sprigs over the potatoes.

Place baking sheet in the oven and roast until the bottoms of the potatoes are very crisp and golden brown, about 20 - 25 minutes. Using a thin metal or nylon spatula, flip the potatoes and roast until the the other side is golden brown, another 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately. If using fresh thyme sprigs discard before serving.

Note: Instead of microwaving, you can par-boil the potatoes on top of the stove if you prefer. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes have a slight resistance when poked with a paring knife or fork.

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Wordless Wednesday: Very Crispy Potatoes

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Crispy Potatoes

Crispy Potatoes. These were so good, the top was like potato chips while the inside was like a mashed potato. Distraction worked for me in this instance, forgetting about them in the oven the top got really crispy. They are sort of like the Muffin Tin Potato Gratins I made a while back that were also a big hit and everyone loved those as well. Both recipes by Martha Stewart Everyday Food.

 

Crispy Potatoes
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook

Source: Everyday Food, December 2009
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly with a mandoline or a knife
2 large shallots, thickly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, more or less (optional)
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a small bowl, combine the butter and oil. Brush bottom of a 9-inch round or oval baking dish with some of the butter mixture.

Arrange the potato slices together vertically in the dish. Wedge shallots in between some of the slices. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme and the red-pepper flakes (if using); brush with the rest of the butter mixture. Bake 1 1/2-2 hours, until potatoes are cooked through with a crisp, browned top.

Note:
The thinner you slice the potatoes, the crispier they'll become in the oven. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Lighter Loaded Potato Skins

The hubby and I loved it, the kids didn't, they aren't fans of ground turkey. I'll try it again with beef or chicken. Probably beef.

Turkey Chili Loaded Baked Potato Skins

adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook

Original recipe and source: Loaded Turkey Santa Fe Baked Potato Skins 

by SkinnyTaste.com

Printable Recipe

6 russet potatoes, washed, scrubbed and dried

For the filling:
1/2 lb lean ground turkey
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 jalapeno, chopped fine
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
1 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

For the topping:

shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup chopped scallions

sour cream or Greek yogurt

Pierce the potato with a fork in a few places. In a microwave safe dish cook on high about 5 minutes per potato. When finished, allow the potatoes to cool, enough so you can handle them. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the center of the potatoes leaving about 1/4-inch thick wall.

In a large skillet brown the turkey. When the turkey is browned, add onion, garlic, black beans, jalapeno, tomatoes, ancho chili powder and cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and simmer on low, covered, for about 30 minutes. 
Remove lid, add corn and simmer an additional 5-10 minutes or until all the liquid reduces.
Heat  oven to 450° F. Place the potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and bake skins for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven, fill the potato cavity with meat filling. Top with shredded cheese and bake until cheese is melted about five minutes.
Top with sour cream and scallions and serve.

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Pommes Frites

The problem with looking at cookbooks is everything looks so good. So when I saw some pictures for Pommes Frittes and didn't have to deep or double fry I was all for it.  We've been trying to eat healthier. No cookies for breakfast. Even added fish sometimes. Healthy is good but sometimes you just need a good batch of salty French fries. And this one was quick.And in my kitchen a bit dangerous.

Read the directions first, yeah I know, me and directions? This is frying. Hot oil. Really hot oil. I was following the directions. Got out my trusty cast iron skillet. Put the heat to medium-high to get the oil to 325 degrees, gated the dogs out of the kitchen. We were good to go. Sort of.

One big mistake! These were made on a julienne slicer. And very moist. Keyword with frying is dry. The potatoes need to be dry and the julienne slicer clumped them together and I didn't dry them well enough. Major clump. Caused a pretty big oil spill that scared me out of my wits. I won't show you what the dish towel looked like. Or discuss the smoke alarms. But after I got it all cleaned up and tried again they did end up tasting great. And our early dinner ending up being sometime after 8:30pm. And no one said a thing. They must be used to me by now.

It was served with a spicy mayo and a roasted chicken.

The mistake...

 But practice makes somewhat perfect and the last few batches came out good. I went back to slicing with a knife, they weren't as moist so there was no oil spilling over. And I dried them really well. Can't stress that enough.

 

Dry the potatoes very well and all will be right in the potato world.

Pommes Frites

adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook

Source: A Bird in The Oven by Mindy Fox

Printable Recipe

8 Russet Potatoes, washed, peeled, thoroughly dried and cut into 1/4-inch sticks

vegetable oil, for frying, leaving plenty of room from the top of the skillet

salt and pepper, to taste

Spicy Mayo:

Mix together some mayonnaise and

Sriricha, to taste, add more less depending how you like it.

In a deep skillet, heat the oil to 325 degrees F. Use a deep-fat thermometer to check the temperature. Carefully, in small batches, fry the potatoes to a deep golden brown. Carefully remove the potatoes from skillet using a slotted spoon and transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Let the oil get back to temperature in between batches. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

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A few favorites...

Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy New Year! 

These are just some of my favorites over the years... 

Southern Pecan and Apple Salad 

Apple, Dried Cherry and Walnut Salad with Maple Dressing

Caesar Salad

Minestrone with Tomatoes and Rice

 

Tomato-Basil Soup

Standing Rib Roast

 

Muffin Pan Potato Gratins

Grilled Potatoes with Spicy Aioli

Potato Latkes

Biscuit Tortoni

Lemon Custard Cakes

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Zuppa Toscana

 I had some leftover kale from a salad and I went looking for recipes. And I found a great one!

This was a delicious soup, in spite of the fact that I totally forgot to add the heavy cream at the end. I could blame the fact that it's holiday time and everything is so hectic. But I really can't because this happens to me even at the calmest of times. The crumbled sausage? That had to be sliced because partially thawed Italian chicken sausage doesn't crumble too easily if you forget to take it from the freezer in good time. I did manage to get the casing off but I guess if I was slicing it didn't matter anyway. Then I almost killed Grandma again with the pepper. One half teaspoon was probably more because I wasn't paying attention, it just might have been a tad much. Even the kids had more to drink with dinner! And the sausage was the spicy kind. But everyone loved this one. Even grandma, with a lot of water on the side. Definitely a keeper.

Zuppa Toscana
Source: Annie's Eats
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

1 lb. Italian sausage (pork, chicken or turkey)
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 russett potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

2 cups cannelini beans
2 cups fresh kale, chopped or torn in small pieces (stems removed)
5 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk (use heavy cream if you want a richer tasting soup!)
Salt and pepper

Place a large stockpot on the stove over medium heat.  Remove the sausage from the casings and crumble into the pan. Cook until well browned.

Remove the cooked sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large plate lined with paper towels; set aside.  Add the chopped onion to the pan and sauté about 5-7 minutes, until soft and translucent.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for a minute more, just until fragrant. Add the wine to the pot and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Add the potatoes, beans, kale, and chicken broth to the pot. 

Return the sausage to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer on medium-low. Cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and cooked through. Stir in the milk or cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

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Spatchcock Chicken

Spatchcock a chicken. Now that's a technique I never thought I'd do. I giggled just saying it. Yeah so much for maturity. QUIET, ANONYMOUS BARB :)

When you spatchcock a chicken you remove the backbone and flatten it. It cooks quicker, more evenly, and it's easier to carve. Like baking bread with yeast, to me butterflying a chicken sounds like a major challenge. So I've been wrong. This was easy enough. Makes me think I may get out the yeast and the lukewarm water and bake a bread. Well maybe not. But this was easy. Really easy. And good. really good.

I found the recipe for Devil's Chicken in a very nice cookbook, A Bird in the Oven by Mindy Fox. It also describes how to butterfly the chicken. It's actually a pretty simple technique. Or ask the butcher to do it for you. You can say "butterfly my chicken" and get the same results as spatchcock. The book has a lot of ideas for chicken and also some very nice sides to go along with the roasted bird. Love this book, I have about 12 post-its in there already. The Devil's Chicken, it's a definite keeper.

Roast Chicken Diavolo with Peppers, Onions and Potatoes
Original recipe from A Bird in the Oven by Mindy Fox
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

1 (4-pound) whole chicken, butterflied
1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon plus zest
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
coarse sea salt
olive oil (about 3-4 tablespoons)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 large onion, peeled, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch wedges
1/2 cup dry white wine
baby Yukon gold potatoes, or any potato you like, bigger potatoes cut in small pieces

Preheat the oven to 425° F with the racks positioned in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pull off excess fat around the cavities of the chicken and discard. Rinse the chicken and pat dry all over very well. Lightly grease a large baking dish with oil. Place the chicken, skin-side up, into the pan.

In a small bowl, stir together the lemon zest and juice, chopped herbs, black pepper, and hot pepper. Spread the mixture over the chicken, and under the skin of the breasts. Season with salt and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.

Place the potatoes, peppers and onion onto the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with a little bit olive oil. Gently toss the vegetables to coat with oil, then arrange in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper.

Put the chicken on the upper rack and the vegetables on the middle rack and roast for about 20 minutes. Add the wine to the pan with the chicken and continue roasting for 10 minutes more. Remove both pans from the oven and transfer the peppers and onions to the pan with the chicken. Return the chicken and vegetables to the oven and continue roasting until the skin is golden and the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes more, and the juices run clear.

Remove from the oven and let rest about 10 minutes or more, then transfer the chicken to a cutting board to carve. Serve with the potatoes, peppers and onions. Spoon the juices over the top.

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Celery Root

What to do with a celery root? It's not the greatest looking thing. It was a gift from a friend who went upstate and stopped at a Farmer's Market. She never saw one and had no clue what it was, but got two for me to try and do something with them. I made mashed potatoes with the first one. Just okay, we didn't notice much flavor from it. The next one will become a slaw, or maybe even just roasted.

Celery Root and Potato Puree
Adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe 

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes (keep the cubes in a bowl of cold water until ready to use)
1 large celery root, tough outer parts removed, cut into cubes
1 cup heavy cream, half and half or milk (I used milk)
1/2  stick cold butter, cut into pats
salt, to taste

Special Equipment: food mill, food processor or a potato ricer

Place the potatoes in a large pot. Make sure to add enough water to cover vegetables by 2 inches and season generously with salt. Bring the water to a rapid boil. Add the celery root and cook until both vegetables are tender. Strain the celery root and potatoes.

Put the cream in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Put the celery root and potatoes through a food mill or a ricer over a large bowl. Add about the hot cream and butter. Stir until the cream and butter are thoroughly combined. Taste for seasoning. Keep warm until ready to use.

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Back to cooking...

Finally! It's been so long I almost forgot how.  And I finally made something to blog about! Been on the to try list since before the summer of heat waves, torrential downpours, an earthquake and a hurricane. Have to say a hurricane is enough to make you forget how miserable the heat was. Pretty scary when you have to evacuate. We were very lucky to come home and not to have any damage. Extremely lucky!

School starts tomorrow so we can all get back to some kind of routine here. My routine will definitely include cooking. There is nothing left to order in, so I tried Chicken Vesuvio Chicago Style from Cathy @ Wives with Knives (original recipe by Marie @ Proud Italian Cook) and it is a great way to get back into cooking. Delicious!

Easy recipe, except I did have some issues with browning. Zero patience. Couldn't wait to get it browned in batches, so I got it sort of browned and then threw the whole thing in the oven. So it might not look so browned and pretty or even close to perfect but it sure does taste fantastic. Very forgiving recipe. I added a can of artichoke hearts and some sliced shallots. It did brown in the oven, but presentation isn't my strong suit! They're just happy to have a home cooked meal finally. Let's see what tomorrow brings :)

It's been a very long summer here. But remind me when I start complaining about blizzards. Anyway, it's good to be back.

Chicken Vesuvio
Source: Cathy @ Wives with Knives
Author: Marie @ Proud Italian Cook
Adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (I cut the breasts and thighs in half)
salt and pepper
dried oregano
granulated garlic
potato wedges, about 4 russets or 6 reds
equal parts white wine and chicken broth (1-1/2 cups of each)
10-12 whole garlic cloves
1 cup frozen peas (I used a bit more)
*I also added 2 sliced shallots and a can of artichoke hearts

Season chicken with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic.

Coat the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with olive oil and brown chicken pieces and potato wedges. Remove to a large roasting pan.

Add garlic cloves and shallots to the skillet and cook until golden brown.

Deglaze pan with wine, then add chicken broth. Cook down for several minutes and pour over chicken and potatoes. Add peas and artichokes the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Bake at 375°F until chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

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Wordless Wednesday: Purple Potatoes

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Celebrity Cook-along: Bobby Flay

Joining Lynn @ Happier than a Pig in Mud for her Celebrity Cook-Along.

This time we're cooking with the Bobby Flay!

This is a repost of a delicious recipe I first made last year. And it's one I have made many more times since then. One of our favorites. Bobby Flay is occasionally on The Morning Show at CBS. Didn't always love Bobby Flay, but I do now. Especially considering the shows that the Food Network has on these days. I barely watch any more. I have quite a few of his books, his recipes have all turned out great for us. That time on The Morning Show he was making little bites of potatoes. And they looked so good so I looked the recipe up online to make it.

We loved this sauce! Spicy Tomato-Chipotle Aioli. I adapted it to my way of lazy cooking. I think it would be good on most anything! We were having steaks and somehow that sauce managed to get on the steak, too. So good. I think it would be nice with chicken and with shrimp as well. And definitely on a sandwich or a panini.

The recipe called for grilling the tomatoes, grilling the potatoes and there was no way the Griller would be fussing with that, not to mention I used some teeny potatoes. So I had that panini grill, I got my money's worth out of it already, and threw the parboiled potatoes on that! Squished them down pretty good, until they got good and somewhat crispy. The tomatoes I broiled with a little salt, pepper and about three cloves of garlic. I threw the garlic in towards the end so they didn't burn. Then I strained the tomatoes and whizzed everything in a food processor. Today's sauce will be on tomorrow's sandwich! Steak Panini with cheese and Tomato-Chipotle Aioli. It's not just for potatoes any more. Can't wait.

  Parboiled potatoes grilled and "smashed" on the panini grill

Roasted Tomato Sauce

Spicy Tomato-Chipotle Aioli

Grilled, Smashed Potatoes with Spicy Tomato-Chipotle Aioli

Grilled Potatoes with Spicy Tomato Aioli
Source: Bobby Flay - CBS The Early Show and also Food Network
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

1 1/4 pounds new potatoes (yellow and red) or baby Yukon Gold (You can use a large potatoes and slice them thick or small ones and cut in half, or leave the small ones whole and smash them)
Salt
2 plum tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
1-2 chipotle in adobo sauce (depends how hot you like it)
1 teaspoons Ancho chile powder, or more to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold water, add 2 tablespoons of salt and cook until potatoes are tender, but still firm, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, let cool and cut each potato into 3/4 -inch thick slices.  You can microwave until just tender as well.

Heat the grill to high.  Or you can use a panini grill.

Brush the tomatoes with the some of the oil and season with salt and pepper. While the potatoes are cooking, place the tomatoes on the grill and grill until charred on all sides and soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from the grill and coarsely chop. You can also just roast them at 350 for about an hour until they get soft and start to brown. Or broil for about 10-15 minutes. Turning them once.

You can strain the tomatoes to get rid of the seeds and the skins.

Place the tomatoes, mayonnaise, garlic, paprika, chipotles and chile powder in a food processor and process until smooth, season with salt and pepper. Can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated.
Brush the potatoes slices on both sides with some of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on the grill, close the cover and grill until lightly golden brown and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. I used a panini grill and made them "smashed" potatoes. Carefully transfer the potatoes to a platter and garnish with the parsley. Serve the aioli drizzled over the potatoes or on the side.

Also joining 

Beth at Beth Fish Reads for her fun Weekend Cooking Party. Every weekend. It's open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share! Go on over and see some fun posts.
 

and joining

Suzy's Kitchen Bouquet for Flashback Friday

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Chicken Scarpariello

Chicken Scarpariello has to be one our favorite chicken dishes of all time! Well, maybe next to Rao's Lemon Chicken and Chicken Piccata. But it's way up there, really high on the list! My original post on Chicken Scarpariello is here!  It's the recipe I've used for years, and we love it. But this recipe from Rao's sounded so good, I decided to try it instead of my old standby, which is very similar. I left out the jalapeno's!  We loved it. In the old recipe I used lemon juice, this one had red wine vinegar! Nice change.

Rao's Chicken Scarpariello
Source: original recipe from Rao's Cookbook, original adaption at NY Times recipes
adapted There's Always Thyme to Cook

olive oil for pan
2 2 1/2-pound chickens, rinsed, patted dry, spines removed, each cut into 12 pieces (note - I also removed the skin!)
4 links Italian sausage (sweet, hot or both), in the casings, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large bell peppers (red, yellow or green), seeded and cut into thin strips
1 large sweet onion, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
6 hot vinegared cherry peppers, left whole  (I used sliced and poured in a little juice)
2 to 3 small potatoes, peeled, boiled and sliced (optional)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the sausage until brown. Remove from pan. In batches, brown the chicken on each side. Remove the chicken and drain on paper towels. In the same pan, sauté the bell peppers, onion and garlic until soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan.

Carefully pour oil from pan. Return the sausage, chicken and vegetables to the pan. Add the cherry peppers, potatoes, chicken broth, wine, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through about 15 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the sauce has reduced slightly, about 10 minutes.

This tastes even better if prepared a day ahead. Prepare until the chicken has cooked through, don't reduce the sauce. Let cool and refrigerate. Next day, reheat, covered, until heated through. Uncover and continue simmering until sauce is reduced slightly.

Joining Suzy from Kitchen Bouquet for another Flashback Friday!

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