Category: Recipes

Sriracha-Honey-Lime Chicken

July 11, 2019
by Gary Huber

Sriracha-Honey-Lime Chicken

This chicken will have you firing up your grill in no time. The honey gets wonderfully caramelized into crunchy bits and the heat from the sriracha provides a perfect balance of savory to the sweet.
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Ingredients
  

  • 3 TB soy sauce use tamarind for gluten-free
  • 6 TB honey
  • 1 TB olive oil try the roasted garlic for extra flavor or, you can turn up the heat with Prairie Fire from Pickle Creek Herbs
  • 3 TB fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 1/2 ” square piece of fresh ginger or 1 TB of grated ginger from a jar
  • 1 1/2 TB sriracha sauce
  • 1 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 TB fresh chopped cilantro or 2 tsp dried
  • 2 1/2 lbs of chicken boneless or cut up pieces
  • Additional chopped cilantro & lime wedges for serving optional

Instructions
 

  • Place everything except the chicken in the blender and blend until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of marinade for basting during cooking. Pierce each piece of chicken several times. If using boneless chicken, cut into 1 1/2″ pieces.
  • Place chicken pieces in a resealable plastic bag and pour in the sauce. Turn the sealed bag a few times to coat each piece of meat. Marinate for 1 to 2 hours, turning the bag a few times to redistribute the sauce.
  • Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. If you’re using boneless pieces, thread onto skewers. Oil the grill grates, and grill until chicken is cooked through. If you’re using whole pieces of chicken, you may need to lower the heat to prevent the outside from over caramelizing before the meat is completely cooked. Use the reserved marinade to baste the meat during the cooking process.

Notes

Serve on a platter garnished with chopped cilantro & additional lime wedges.

Marinated Steak

June 27, 2019
by Gary Huber

Marinated Steak

This quick and easy marinade delivers a great flavor in little time. It’s perfect for anything from a NY strip to a flank steak to a skirt steak and everything in between. So, fire up your grill, grab your favorite steak, and let’s get to it.
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Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce I like to use low sodium tamari
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 TB red wine vinegar
  • 1 TB minced ginger
  • 1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of steak NY Strip, flank, skirt, ribeye, T-bone, or sirloin

Instructions
 

  • Combine the olive oil, soy sauce, honey, garlic, red wine vinegar, ginger, red chili pepper flakes, and black pepper in a small bowl.
  • If you’re using a skirt steak, slice it into 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick pieces against the grain. (Since flank steaks are more lean, those need to be sliced against the grain after cooking and resting.) Place the beef in a resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over it. Turn to coat and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
  • Heat your grill to high heat, drain the marinade from the meat, and oil your grill grates. Grill the steak to desired doneness. Remove from heat and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Ingredients available at the Iowa Food Cooperative:
Olive oil, Honey, NY Strip, Flank Steak, Skirt Steak, Ribeye, Sirloin, T-bone

Spicy Chorizo Spaghetti

June 13, 2019
by Gary Huber

Spicy Chorizo Spaghetti

Who doesn’t love spaghetti night and a quick, easy – under 30 minutes – dinner? Spice up your next one with chorizo, fresh tomatoes, and basil.
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 clove of garlic finely minced
  • 1/2 oz. fresh basil
  • 8 oz. grape cherry, or baby Roma tomatoes, halved
  • 1 lb. chorizo
  • 8 – 12 oz. spaghetti depending on how much pasta you like
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. While the pasta is boiling, roughly chop the basil, including the stems, keeping leaves and stems separate.
  • In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook the chorizo, garlic, and basil stems, breaking the chorizo up, until the meat is cooked through. This will take 5 or 6 minutes.
  • Measure out about 3/4 cup of water from the pasta to be used later, then drain the pasta and set aside.
  • Add the tomato halves to the chorizo mixture and cook until slightly softened – about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the drained spaghetti to the pan and few large splashes of the pasta water to loosen things up. Stir to combine and add additional pasta water if needed.
  • Remove the pan from heat, add in the chopped basil and Parmesan, stirring to combine. Allow to sit until the cheese has melted.

Notes

Serve with buttered, crusty bread and a salad for a complete, easy dinner. Leftovers make for a wonderful lunch.

Grilled Pizza

May 30, 2019
by Gary Huber

Grilled Pizza

Just because the temperature is rising doesn’t mean you have to forgo homemade pizza for carryout or delivery – let’s put that grill to work and make some awesome pizzas without heating the house. Have a few friends over, and make a creative (and delicious) night of it – you’ll be amazed at the possibilities you can come up with.
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Ingredients
  

  • Pizza crust dough
  • Pizza sauce
  • Flavored olive oil
  • Fresh greens such as spinach arugula, or spring mix
  • Veggies such asparagus mushrooms,squash, or tomatoes
  • Fresh basil
  • Precooked meats such as proscuitto pepperoni, bacon, sausage, ground beef, or chicken – anything you want!
  • Semolina flour or corn meal
  • AP flour
  • Grated or shredded cheese such as Parmesan Reggiano or melting Italian cheese – for something different give the Italian seasoned Gouda from Frisian Farms a try!
  • Suggested special equipment:
  • Pizza stone
  • Pizza peel

Instructions
 

  • Place pizza stone on the grill (gas or charcoal) and allow to preheat to the hottest setting possible, for at least 30 minutes, keeping the lid closed. Preheating the stone gives the crust that nice crunch on the outside, just like from your favorite pizzeria.
  • On a lightly flour dusted surface, roll out pizza crust for a thin crust pizza – I typically get 3 crusts about 12″ in diameter from one prepared pizza crust.
  • Sprinkle a pizza peel or large, unrimmed sheet pan with semolina flour or corn meal. Give it a little shake to make sure the crust can slide. If it doesn’t, gently lift it up and add more semolina or corn meal to the problem areas. This guarantees your crust will slide off the transport device and onto the pizza stone.
  • Thinly spread the crust with pizza sauce, olive oil, or your other favorite sauce. Top with your favorite toppings (pictured is one vegetarian pie with olive oil, shaved asparagus, oyster mushrooms, and grated Reggiano cheese; and a meat pie with prosciutto, tomato sauce, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella, then topped with handfuls of arugula after cooking). When grilling pizza, less is more on the toppings – if you overload the toppings, the bottom will burn before the toppings cook.
  • Transfer your pizza, to the pizza stone, close the lid, and allow to cook until the dough is cooked through and the cheese is melted – with a 600 degree grill, this typically takes about 6 or 7 minutes. Check on the pizza at about the 5 minute mark.
  • Remove from the grill, allow to cool for a couple of minutes, and enjoy!

Notes

Once you start grilling pizza at home, your possibilities of flavor options are virtually endless – the sky is the limit, so let your imagination run wild. You can even make dessert pizzas, breakfast pizzas, BBQ pizza is a great way to use up leftover pulled pork or chicken – nearly anything.

Antipasto Burgers

May 16, 2019
by Gary Huber

Antipasto Burgers

Sometimes you really just want a basic burger, other times you want to kick burger night into overdrive. This is one of those nights.
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Ingredients
  

Burgers:

  • Ground beef
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Garlic powder
  • Cheese
  • Burger buns
  • 2 slices Genoa salami per burger
  • Roasted red pepper
  • Salad greens
  • Queen size green olives 1 or 2 per burger

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, mix aioli ingredients and set aside.
  • On a preheated grill, grill burgers to desired doneness.
  • When burgers are cooked, add cheese to each and allow to just begin to melt. Remove from heat.
  • Spread aioli on top half of bun, place 2 slices of Genoa on the bottom bun, top it’s roasted red pepper, burger, and salad greens. Top with top half of bun, and garnish with skewered olives.

Notes

A crisp salad with your favorite Italian dressing is a wonderful accompaniment to these burgers.

Chicken Milanese Salad

May 2, 2019
by Gary Huber

Chicken Milanese Salad

This is one of those quick and easy dinners that everyone loves to have on hand for a busy day, or anytime you want something on the lighter side, but still quite satisfying. With spring picking up pace, and summer activities right around the corner, why not treat yourself to an easy, but still relatively healthy dinner or lunch?
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken or capon breasts
  • 2 TB Ghee
  • 2 TB Olive Oil Pickle Creek Herbs Basil & Roma tomatoes infused or Oregano & Garlic add a little something extra
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • Salad greens such as arugula spinach, or leaf lettuce mix
  • 1 lemon
  • Salt & pepper
  • Shaved Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Whisk the eggs and milk together in a flat, shallow bowl. Place the flour in a second shallow bowl, and the bread crumbs in a third.
  • Slice each poultry breast in half horizontally. If necessary, pound to between 1/4″ and 1/2″ thick. Season each piece with salt & pepper.
  • Dredge each breast first in the four, coating each side. Next, dip it in the egg mixture, then dredge it with bread crumbs. Each piece should be relatively heavy on the breading.
  • In a large skillet, heat 1 TB of ghee & 1 TB of olive oil over medium-low heat. When the pan is hot enough to sizzle when you drop a sprinkle of flour in the oil, fry the first two pieces of meat until golden brown – about 3 minutes per side. Add the remaining ghee & olive oil and repeat with the remaining meat.
  • Divide the salad greens between plates. Top with the fried chicken breast. Squeeze lemon juice over each plate, and top with shaved cheese.

Quick Marinated Steak

April 18, 2019
by Gary Huber

Quick Marinated Steak

This is one of those back-pocket recipes that you pull out when you want something great, without a lot of dishes or fanfare – it’s a good, standby recipe for busy weeknights, Saturday afternoons, or really anytime you want an easy meal that tastes great. You can turn this into an entree with a side vegetables, or over pasta or salad greens; it’s also just as easily turned into sliced steak sandwiches – your possibilities are virtually endless!
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 – 2 lbs of steak such as skirt flank, NY strip, or top sirloin
  • 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger or 1 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Instructions
 

  • Combine olive oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, black pepper, and rice wine vinegar in a small bowl.
  • Place steak in a ziplock bag, pour the marinade over it. Massage the marinade into the steak for about 5 minutes and then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
  • Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, or a grill to medium-high. Remove the steak from the marinade and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until desired doneness.
  • Remove from heat and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. If using a larger cut to divide, slice across the grain to serve.

Notes

Pictured is a skirt steak served the with sides of vegetables for dinner one night, and a couple of days later I used the leftovers over salad greens for an entree salad.

Spinach & Bacon Dinner Salad

April 4, 2019
by Gary Huber

Spinach & Bacon Dinner Salad

This dinner salad is perfect for a night when you want something a bit lighter, are pressed for time or simply want to enjoy the simple beauty of local ingredients from our producers.
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Ingredients
  

  • 4 slices of bacon cut into 1/2″ pieces
  • 2 1/2 TB apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 TB honey
  • 1 tsp honey mustard or 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Pinch of your favorite spice blend – I highly recommend the Penzey’s Mural of Flavor or BRAISED Chaga-Thyme Superfood Seasoning
  • About 6 cups fresh spinach
  • 5 oz. sliced mushrooms – button baby bella, shiitake, or a blend
  • 2 hard or soft boiled eggs peeled and halved
  • Shaved Parmesan-Reggiano optional

Instructions
 

  • In a medium-size nonstick skillet, fry the bacon pieces until crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and spice blend. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Add the spinach and sliced mushrooms; gently toss to coat.
  • Divide the salad between two bowls, sprinkle in the bacon, and garnish with the eggs and Parmesan, if using.

Notes

Serve salads warm.

Thai Lettuce Cups with Vegan and Gluten-Free Options

March 21, 2019
by Gary Huber

Thai Lettuce Cups with Vegan and Gluten-Free Options

Winter is finally leaving! The transition from winter to spring always makes me happy, however this year, it’s making me downright ecstatic since it seemed as if it would never stop snowing or get warm. Join me in welcoming spring with these colorful, delicious, and easy to put together Thai Lettuce Cups. Pair these with pre-made dumplings for a complete dinner that’s on the table and ready to enjoy in under 30 minutes.
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 head of butterhead lettuce
  • 1 1/2 TB canola oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 TB finely chopped or minced ginger
  • 2 small or 1 large clove of garlic minced
  • 1 lb ground beef ground capon, plain ground pork, or finely chopped mushrooms
  • 1 TB soy sauce or tamari if gluten-free
  • 1 TB fish sauce or umami paste optional – if not using, add an additional 1/2 TB of soy sauce
  • 2 TB dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 1 1/2 TB fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 scallion white and green parts, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 TB chopped fresh mint
  • 2 TB chopped cashews

Optional for serving:

  • Sriracha
  • Matchstick cut carrots
  • Lime wedges
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Dumplings

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute longer.
  • Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground meat or chopped mushrooms. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, breaking apart the meat as it cooks. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce (or umami paste), brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and red pepper flakes. Continue cooking until meat is cooked through, or an additional 4 minutes if using mushrooms.
  • Off the heat, stir in the scallion, cilantro, mint, and nuts. Spoon into lettuce cups and serve with garnishes and dumplings for an easy weeknight, or any night dinner or lunch.

Notes

Leftover filling can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week, or frozen for up to 3 months. Simply gently reheat on the stove top or in the microwave.

Old Fashioned Sorghum Caramels

March 9, 2019
by Gary Huber

Old Fashioned Sorghum Caramels

Preparation Time 15 min. Cook Time 25 min (or longer depending on your pot & the weather) Cooling: 3+ hours
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Ingredients
  

  • 7 ounces 14 tablespoons unsalted WW Homestead butter (if you use a different butter, stick with something with a high butterfat & lower water content than commercial butter
  • 8 ounces 1 cup plus 2½ tablespoons, packed light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup Maasdam Mills sorghum syrup
  • 10 ounces 1¼ cups Hansen Dairy heavy cream
  • Special equipment: candy thermometer & heavy bottom pot preferably enamel on cast iron

Instructions
 

  • Line an 8″x8″ pan with parchment paper. Make sure the paper sticks out all around the edges. (This will help you lift the caramels out later.)
  • In a 5-quart heavy bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
  • Add the brown sugar, sorghum, and cream and stir together.
  • Bring this mixture to a boil cooking over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
  • Continue stirring scraping the sides with a silicone spatula to prevent crystals forming on the sides of the pot. Do not rush.
  • Cook until the mixture reaches 248 degrees (hard ball stage). Cooking further could make the candy too hard.
  • Pour the caramel into the prepared pan, and allow to cool in an undisturbed area for about 3 hours.
  • Once set and cooled to room temperature, lift the caramels out of the pan by lifting up the parchment paper edges.
  • Flip the caramels over on to a clean cutting surface & peel off the parchment paper.
  • Use a buttered knife to cut into bite size pieces & either wrap in parchment paper or dip in melted chocolate then place in mini cupcake liners for packaging.

Notes

These should keep for several weeks in the refrigerator & months in the freezer.