Balsamic Green Bean Salad ala ~DKBB~
(original recipe from www.tasteofhome.com)

photo from tasteofhome.com

2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1½ inch pieces
¼ cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. ground mustard
½ tsp. white pepper
1 large red onion, chopped
cherry tomatoes, halved
crumbled feta cheese

• Place beans in a 6-qt. stockpot; add water to cover; bring to a boil; cook, covered, 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and immediately place in ice water; drain and pat dry.
• In a small bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, mustard and pepper; drizzle over beans; add onion; toss to coat.
• Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour (but the longer, the better).
• Mix tomatoes, feta cheese, salt, and cracked black pepper to taste into individual servings to taste.

Black Garlic Pappardelle Pasta ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from www.cookingontheweekends.com)

photo from cookingontheweekends.com

1 lb. dry Pappardelle pasta
¼ c. olive oil (for the pasta and the pan)
¾ c. black garlic cloves (about 3 heads)
1-2 cloves (regular) garlic, minced (optional)
1 c. shallots, thinly sliced
1 c. dry white wine
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

• Cook the past in a large pot of boiling, salted water until it’s al dente, 8 to 10 minutes (the pasta should be tender, but with a bite); drain the cooked pasta, then toss with a couple tablespoons of the ¼ c. olive oil and set aside.
• If you need to, peel the garlic and roughly chop it, keeping it in relatively large chunks.
• Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with the remaining olive oil and place the pan over medium heat; add the shallots (and regular garlic, if you are so inclined) and cook until they are soft and beginning to brown (about 4 minutes); add the black garlic and toss with the shallots.
• Add the wine and turn the heat to high, letting it reduce to about 1/3; add the butter and swirl the pan around until it’s melted in the wine; season generously to taste with Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.
• Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce and very gently toss everything together.

Grilled Mahi Mahi ala ~DKBB~

Grilled Mahi Mahi ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from cdkitchen.com)

6 Tbsp. olive oil

6 Tbsp. lemon juice

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce

4 mahi mahi fillets, 4 to 6 oz. each (or you can use swordfish or halibut)

Salt and freshly ground cracked pepper

• In a small bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients.
• Sprinkle fish fillets with salt and cracked pepper; place into gallon-size zip-top bag and pour in marinade; seal and shake gently to coat fish evenly.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but no more than 6.
• Preheat grill to medium low; grill fillets, turning carefully, 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until fish begins to brown and flakes with a fork. You can grill the fish directly on the grill, or on foil, or on a soaked wood plank – your preference.

Serve with rice.

Blackened Roast Chicken ala ~DKBB~

Blackened Roast Chicken ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Sam Talbot)

Photo from People magazine

1 (2½ to 3 lb.) whole chicken

1 Tbsp. smoked and/or spicy paprika

1 Tbsp. onion powder

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

1 Tbsp. lemon zest (from 2 lemons)

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

½ bunch fresh thyme sprigs, tied together with kitchen string

¼ cup olive oil

1 small shallot, finely chopped

• Preheat oven to 375° F, or preheat Traeger or grill.
• Remove chicken giblets (save for another use or discard -your choice); rinse chicken off and pat dry with paper towel; place chicken in small roasting pan.
• Stir together paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, lemon zest, and cayenne pepper in medium bowl; cut lemons in fourths and add them and the thyme bundle to the mixture; toss to coat well.
• Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium heat; add shallot and cook, stirring often until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add cooked shallot and oil to seasoning mixture; stir/toss well to combine.
• Remove lemons and thyme bundle and place them in cavity of chicken; rub remaining mixture over chicken and under skin on the breasts.
• Roast chicken until thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh registers 165° F, about 50 to 55 minutes.
• Remove chicken from heat; remove thyme and lemons from cavity; if desired, squeeze lemon over chicken and garnish with untied thyme; let chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Chicken Piccata ala ~DKBB~

Chicken Piccata ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from Giada De Laurentiis)

 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half (so you have 4 total pieces)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

All-purpose flour, for dredging

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

5 Tbps. Extra-virgin olive oil, divided

¼ to ½ tsp. rosemary (crushed if dry, minced if fresh)

¼ tsp. ground thyme (optional)

¼ tsp. white pepper (optional)

Juice of ½ lemon

½ c. chicken stock

¼ c. brined capers, rinsed and drained

⅓ c. fresh parsley, chopped (optional – for garnish)

• Season chicken with salt and pepper; dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. butter with 3 Tbsp. olive oil; when butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes; flip and cook other side of chicken for 3 minutes; remove cooked chicken and transfer to plate.
• Melt 2 more Tbsp. butter for add other 2 Tbsp. oil; when butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes; flip and cook other side of chicken for 3 minutes; remove cooked chicken and transfer to plate with other 2 chicken pieces.
• Add lemon juice, chicken stock, capers, rosemary and thyme and white pepper (if desired); return to heat and bring to a boil, scraping up all brown bits from the pan for extra flavor.
• Taste liquid for seasoning and adjust as desired.
• Return chicken pieces to pan and simmer for 5 minutes; remove chicken to serving platter.
• Add remaining 2 Tbsp. butter to sauce and whisk vigorously; pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley if desired.

Serve with rice or potatoes.

Chilean Salad ala ~CHB~

Chilean Salad ala ~CHB~

(recipe by Chuck Butterfield)

2 tomatoes, sliced

1 avocado, sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

Olive oil*

• Layer tomatoes, avocado, and onions on two small salad plates.
• Drizzle with olive oil.
• Add kosher salt (not too much).

Chuck discovered this salad on a trip to Chile. It has become one of our favorites, and is especially yummy when we have fresh garden tomatoes.

*Try it with garlic infused olive oil whisked with Spanish vinegar. Perfection!