Hot Spiced Tea

I make the Ritz Chicken and Orzo side dish together for parties or larger group meals. Both are great as leftovers.

Ritz Chicken (adapted from the S.R.D cookbook)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound box Ritz crackers (Whole Foods/Central Market carry a no transfat alternative which works well)
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 4-5 T mixed herbs
• 1/2 cup margarine, melted
• 2 tsp worcestershire
• 3 lbs chicken breasts
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Instructions:

- Soak breasts in buttermilk covered in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.
- When ready to prepare, drain and pat chicken dry.
- Pre-heat oven to 350.
- Crush crackers and mix with mustard and herbs in a large bowl.
- Blend melted margarine with Worcestershire in another bowl.
- Dip breasts in margarine and then shake/roll in crumbs.
- Place in a shallow glass baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes to crisp a little.

Recipe:  Orzo with Artichokes and Pine Nuts
Origin: Gourmet Magazine, 2006
Link to the Recipe

Orzo with Artichokes and Pine Nuts is a fabulous side dish.  I consider it a medium difficulty recipe because it requires zesting a lemon and toasting pine nuts.  I picked up a zester at a kitchen store several years ago for $5.  I typically buy the orzo and pine nuts from the bulk section.  When toasting the pine nuts, pull them off the stove the second browning starts because they will keep cooking in the skillet and it is really easy to burn them.

A few nights ago, I had a pound of salmon sitting in the fridge, but no time to grill. I started some rice in the rice cooker, and then looked in the pantry to see what might be good with salmon. I pulled out a box of panko, a bottle of the Chipotle Spread from Whole Foods, salt, pepper, and a bottle of mixed herbs called “Herbs from Italy”. I try to keep some sort of mixed Italian herbs in the pantry at all times.

I pulled out this recipe from Elise’s Recipes that I bookmarked some time ago, and modified it with my ingredients. The salmon tasted fabulous and Jon has approved this as “food men like”. I added a quick side salad as well.

Here’s my take on this recipe:

Quick Panko-Crusted Salmon for 2 (with leftovers)

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 pieces thickly cut, boneless salmon (with skin on)
• salt and pepper
• Whole Foods Chipotle Spread
• 2/3 cup panko bread crumbs (in the “asian” section at Whole Foods)
• mixture of italian dried herbs

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Set the salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Spread a liberal amount of the chipotle spread on the top of each salmon section.
3. Stir together the panko, spices and olive oil in a small bowl, using your fingers to distribute the olive oil. I added about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of dried herbs.
4. Top the salmon with the panko mixture, evenly distributed.
5. Roast the salmon for 10-12 minutes, or until it is almost completely firm to the touch and flakes when poked with a fork. Serve as soon as you can get your butts in the chairs and say a prayer of thanks for the wonderful meal you are about to eat.

** With salmon, it keeps cooking for up to 10 minutes after you pull it from the oven, so I tend to pull it at 10 minutes, even if a little pink, cover with some foil, and know it will be ready when we actually sit down.

SIDES
- rice
- salad
- roasted veggies …. veggies like asparagus, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, squash, zucchini, garlic etc. usually take about 20 minutes to roast. Cut the veggies into large chunks, or trim ends (if asparagus) and place in a baking sheet. Drizzle the veggies with some olive oil and using your hands, mix the veggies into the olive oil to cover. Give the pan of veggies a good shot of salt and pepper and any dried herbs and roast at 400F for 20 minutes. With this salmon meal, roasted veggies are a plus because everything goes in at 400F.

I don’t remember the first time I made Hot Spiced Tea, but I’m guessing that it was with my mom, and that she assigned me the task of juicing the lemons and oranges. Hot Spiced Tea is a recipe that has been in my family for several generations. It comes from my grandmother, who I never met, but who I know was incredible, because I know my mom, and she is incredible. I am so thankful to have this recipe and to know how my grandmother liked to serve people.

When making Hot Spiced Tea, I recommend waiting until the first really cold day of the winter. Hot Spiced Tea just tastes better the colder it gets outside.

And, when making Hot Spiced Tea, I recommend having a helper. People of all ages and kitchen abilities can help make the tea. Just last weekend, Jon’s cousins Kiki and Zachy, who are 8 and 6, helped juice all the oranges and lemons with the electric juicer. It is great fun.

Also, finally, when making Hot Spiced Tea, don’t try to substitute powdered cinnamon for the cinnamon sticks or bottled orange juice for the fresh squeezed OJ… you’ll have something drinkable, but it is not Hot Spiced Tea.

Hot Spiced Tea

• 5 oranges
• 5 lemons
• 5 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cups of sugar
• 8-10 Lipton tea bags
• water
• a small pot with a lid
• a large pot
• a hand or electric juicer

1. Bring 4 cups of water and the 2 cups of sugar to a boil in the smaller pot. Add cinnamon sticks, remove from heat, and cover. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.
2. Make 2 quarts of strong tea in the larger bot. When I make the 8 quarts of strong tea, I boil 8 cups of water, remove from heat, and steep 8-10 lipton tea bags. If serving the tea in the evening or to a group with a lot of pregnant women, I use decaf tea.
3. Juice the lemons and oranges.
4. Before serving, add the cinnamon infused sugar water and lemon/orange juice to the tea and heat it up right before the boiling point. It should get rather steamy, but try not to let it boil.