Colcannon

This is an Irish dish so I wanted to make it for St. Patrick's day.  It is really unique and my kids didn't like it but I thought it was good.  I thought maybe I could conceal the cabbage but that really didn't happen.... so if you don't like cabbage you probably wouldn't like this, but if you're looking for a new potato dish and like cabbage - give it a try!

Colcannon

6 large potatoes, peeled

6-8 T. half-and-half (or milk)

1 tsp kosher salt

1 onion, finely chopped

6 T. butter, divided

1/2 of a small head of cabbage, sliced thinly

 

1. Slice peeled potatoes into small chunks and place in pot. Fill pot with water an inch above potatoes and boil until soft.  While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 T. butter in large saucepan. Add minced onion and stir to coat with butter. Add cabbage over onions. Cover saucepan and cook over med-low to medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until cabbage is soft.

 

2. Drain potatoes and add half-and-half (or milk) and salt. Mash with electric mixer. Stir together onion and cabbage mixture with mashed potatoes. Spoon into an oven safe dish and place under broiler until top is browned.  After you pull it out of the oven, top Colcannon with the rest of the butter and allow it to melt on top as it sits.

 

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

I LOVE muffins for breakfast.  My kids would eat cereal every morning if I let them, but for me, cereal is about my last choice.  I would much rather have some sort of baked good, oatmeal, cream of wheat, etc.  So when I woke up before anyone else on Saturday morning I knew I had time to whip up some muffins and these did not disappoint.  They are definitely best hot out of the oven but still good reheated the next day.  This recipe came from Melanie at The Sisters Cafe. 

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

3 cups of all-purpose flour (I used 2 1/2 cups white flour and 1/2 cup wheat flour.)

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tbsp poppy seeds
10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 Tbsp lemon zest

Glaze

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, and salt and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy with an electric mixer.  Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Add the buttermilk and sour cream. Beat in the lemon zest.
4. Now add the dry ingredients. Mix until all is moist. Do not over beat.
5. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray or use paper liners and drop dough equally among cups, filling each 2/3 full.  Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. 

6. While the muffins are baking, in a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice for the glaze.  After you pull the muffins out of the oven, while they are still warm, spoon some glaze over each muffin.  

 

*This recipe makes about 18 muffins.

 

Peanut Ginger Chicken with Mango Salsa & Coconut Rice

I made this the other night because I had some mangoes in my fridge that were really ripe.  The dish blends all kinds of great flavors together and I thought it was delicious.  It's really rather simple to make too if you break it up into three parts: marinate the chicken overnight, prepare the salsa in the afternoon, and then prepare the rice and cook the chicken just before dinner time.

Peanut Ginger Chicken with Mango Salsa & Coconut Rice

Peanut Ginger Chicken Marinade
3-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or you can use tenders
½ cup boiling water
½ cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup bottled chili sauce (I found this with the Asian food in a small bottle...there were various kinds and I opted for a sweet one...but there are definitely ones with kick too.)
3 T. soy sauce
2 T. olive oil
2 T. vinegar
1 T. grated fresh ginger or 1 t. ground ginger

In a medium mixing bowl, gradually stir water into peanut butter.  Stir in chili sauce, soy sauce, olive oil, vinegar, and ginger.  Add chicken; stir to coat it with marinade. Chill in refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.


Mango Salsa
1 cup chopped fresh mango
1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber
3 ½ T. sugar
1 T. canola or olive oil
1 T. vinegar
1 T. lime juice
½ c. fresh cilantro, chopped


In a medium mixing bowl, combine chopped mango, cilantro, cucumber, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours.

Coconut Rice
2 c. coconut milk (I used the stuff in a can, also found with the Asian food.)
1 ½ c. white rice
1 c. water
3 ½ T. sugar
½ t. salt 

Combine the coconut milk, rice, water, sugar, and salt for the rice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stir once, then cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Fluff with a fork, cover, and keep warm until serving. (You can also use your rice cooker.)

To Serve:
At dinner time, grill the chicken.  You can also broil the chicken in a broiler safe pan lined with tin foil.  Just make sure if you do it this way that your chicken isn't too thick or it will burn before it's cooked through.  Spoon extra marinade on chicken and stick under broiler (about 10-12" from broiler) and bake until slightly blacked on one side and then flip over, spoon more marinade on and broil on that side until cooked through.  Serve chicken with the mango salsa over the hot coconut rice.