Spicy Potatoes and Peas with Chicken

We really liked this meal. My children are the type who don’t like any of their food to touch each other. This meal makes the preparation of their plates easy. You cook the potatoes, peas, and chicken separately and then combine them with the spice. We had a yummy, spicy dinner and they had all the same food, but not touching each other!

Tuesday Menu – Spicy Potatoes and Peas with Chicken
Farm Share Produce – Potatoes

Spicy Potatoes and Peas with Chicken
From Everyday Food vol. 80

1 ½ pounds starchy potato – Yukon Gold
Salt and pepper
10 oz. frozen peas
Olive oil
4 chicken thighs
½ heaping t ground cumin
½ heaping t ground coriander
¼ heaping t cayenne
1 T lemon juice
2 T cilantro, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 400.

In a medium pot, bring potatoes to a boil in salted water over high heat and cook until fork tender, 10 minutes. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel lined bowl, set aside. Add peas to water and cook 3 minutes. Drain peas and set aside.

While potatoes are boiling, in an oven proof skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil – 2 turns of the pan. Season hot oil with salt and pepper and add chicken, cook 5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and transfer to oven, roast 15-20 minutes.

Make spice mixture – combine cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Set aside.

When chicken is finished roasting, remove from the pan. Drain off all but 1 T of fat. On the stovetop in the same skillet, add potatoes and spice mixture. Cook over medium-high until potatoes are golden, stir occasionally – 7 minutes. Stir in peas, lemon juice, and cilantro. To serve place chicken on top of peas and potatoes.

NOTE: The recipe calls for boneless, skin-on thighs. I could find any. I used boneless, skinless thighs.

Two Potato and Beet Hash with Poached Egg and Greens

This was a great fall meal, especially the week after Thanksgiving. It had the flavors of fall – sweet potato, beet, and sage, but wasn’t a heavy meal (we had enough of those last week). If you are getting the same items I did in my CSA this week, it’s also a great meal. It used some of the beets, some of the sweet potatoes, some of the onion (you get the idea), but still left some for other recipes. This one is a keeper.

Tuesday Menu: Two Potato and Beet Hash with Poached Egg and Greens
Farm Share Produce: Onion, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Beets

Two Potato and Beet Hash with Poached Egg and Greens
Adapted from http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000002012800

2 T olive oil, divided
1 cup finely chopped onion
¾ pound cubed, peeled potato
¾ pound cubed, peeled sweet potato
1 T chopped fresh sage, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup broth, chicken or vegetable
½ pound cubed, peeled beets (roast at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or boil while making hash)
Salt and pepper to taste
5 t red wine vinegar, divided
4 large eggs
½ t Dijon mustard
6 cups salad greens

Heat 1 T of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan and sauté until tender, 5 minutes. Add potatoes, sweet potatoes, 2 t sage, garlic, and broth to the pan. Cover and cook about 25 minutes until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Add beets and salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes to evaporate liquid and continue cooking the potatoes and beets.

To prepare poached egg fill a skillet 2/3 full of water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar. Break each egg into a custard cup, and pour gently into pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

In the 3 minutes the eggs are cooking prepare plates with the hash. Remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon, allow to drain over the pan. Place egg on top of hash and sprinkle with remaining sage.

To prepare greens combine remaining 1 T olive oil, 2 t red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, and mustard in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Toss with salad greens. Add greens to plate with hash and eggs.

NOTE: It is worthwhile to check out the original recipe. The greens suggested are frisee. It calls for a nonstick pan (which I don’t have), this would allow the broth to be eliminated. It also gives some short cuts for the beets.
If you roast the beets wrap them in foil.

Butternut Squash Meatloaf

I liked this meatloaf. I need to try it again for a couple of reasons, I had only ground turkey breast and I forgot to add the bacon and sausage. It could have used the fat provided by the dark meat turkey or the bacon and sausage. The original recipe suggests pancetta. I also felt like it needed some sort or sauce or gravy. I need to think about what would work nicely with this dish, any ideas?
The Muffin Pan Potato Gratins were fine, a dish that brings out the classic elements of a potato. The picture in the magazine was much cuter. Mine didn’t turn out cute, just like a pile of potato slices baked together.

Wednesday Menu – Butternut Squash Meatloaf, Muffin Pan Potato Gratins, Salad
Farm Share Produce – Butternut Squash, Onion, Potatoes, Salad Mix, Beefsteak Tomato

Butternut Squash Meatloaf
From Everyday Food Issue 77

2 t olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/3 cups butternut squash, diced medium
1 ¾ t chopped fresh sage
1 t crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper
1 ½ pounds ground turkey
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 – 2 slices white sandwich bread, diced
1 large egg
3 oz sausage and bacon


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, garlic, squash. Cook until onion is soft and vegetables begin to brown, 5 minutes. Add sage and red pepper, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring 1 minute.

In large bowl combine, turkey, cheese, bread, and egg. Add sausage, bacon and vegetable mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer meat mixture to parchment lined baking sheet. Form 4x10 inch loaf. Bake until cooked through, 40 minutes, rotating sheet half way through. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.



Muffin Pan Potato Gratins
From Everyday Food Issue 77

Unsalted butter, for greasing muffin tins
2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
6 T heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush 6 muffin tins with unsalted butter. Place 2 sliced in each greased tin and season with salt and pepper. Continue adding potato slices, seasoning every few slices until tins are filled. Pour 1 T heavy cream over each potato stack. Bake until potatoes are golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Turn out “muffins” and then flip right side up to serve.