Sweet and Spicy Apricot-Glazed Chicken

OPEN KITCHEN with NATHAN SCOTT

Sweet and Spicy Apricot-Glazed Chicken

The combination of sweet apricot jam, tart cider vinegar, and spicy Cayenne pepper make this an interesting and delicious recipe for grilled chicken.

Ingredients

            Serves 4 to 6

		Canola oil, for greasing
	1	cup apricot jam, melted
	2	tablespoons red bell pepper, finely minced
	1	scallion, thinly sliced
	2	cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
	2	teaspoons cider vinegar
	¼	teaspoon ground ginger
	¼	teaspoon Cayenne pepper
		Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
	1	whole (4- to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces and patted dry
	6	apricots, halved and pitted

Directions

1.    Preheat the grill to medium-low and grease the grate with canola oil.  In a mixing bowl, combine the melted apricot jam with the bell pepper, scallion, and garlic.  Stir in the vinegar, ginger, and Cayenne pepper.  Season the sauce to taste with salt and black pepper.  Then, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2.    Season both sides of the chicken pieces well with salt and black pepper.  Place the chicken on the preheated grill, skin-side-down, and cook until the underside is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.  Flip the chicken over and brush with half of the reserved apricot glaze.  Continue to grill until the chicken is cooked through, another 12 to 15 minutes.  (If the chicken gets too dark before it is cooked through, move the chicken to a cooler part of the grill.)

3.    Brush the chicken with the remaining half of the apricot glaze.  Then, transfer the chicken to a serving platter and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

4.    Meanwhile, arrange the apricots, cut-side-down, on the preheated grill.  Grill the apricots, turning halfway through, until soft and juicy, 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Remove and serve the apricots with the grilled chicken.

Orange Couscous-Stuffed Peppers

OPEN KITCHEN with NATHAN SCOTT

Orange Couscous-Stuffed Peppers

Filled with a delicious orange-flavored couscous, these stuffed peppers make a great vegetarian entrée.

Ingredients

            Serves 4

	1	cup homemade chicken stock, or low-sodium canned chicken broth
	1	cup (about 3 oranges) freshly squeezed orange juice
	2	tablespoons unsalted butter
		Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
	1	cup couscous
	½	cup golden raisins
	2	navel oranges
	¼	cup shelled roasted pistachio nuts
	1	scallion, thinly sliced
	4	large bell peppers, stems cut out and reserved, ribs and seeds removed
		Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling and greasing

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.  In a saucepan, combine the chicken stock with ½ cup of orange juice.  Add in the butter and season with salt and black pepper.  Set over medium-high heat and bring to a rapid boil.  Remove from the heat and stir in the couscous and raisins.  Cover the saucepan and set aside to rest for 5 minutes, or until the couscous has absorbed the liquid.

2. Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from half of one of the oranges.  Cut the zest into thin strips and set aside.  Then, remove the peel from the two oranges and separate the oranges into segments (discarding the peel and seeds).  Using a fork, stir the orange zest and segments, as well as the pistachio nuts and scallion, into the cooked couscous.  Season the mixture to taste with salt and black pepper.  Then, stuff each pepper with some of the reserved couscous filling.  Place the reserved stems back on top of each pepper.

3. Spoon any remaining couscous stuffing into the bottom of a greased 1½-quart baking dish.  Drizzle over the remaining ½ cup of orange juice, and arrange the stuffed peppers in the dish.  Drizzle the peppers with olive oil and season with additional salt and black pepper.  Cover the dish with a sheet of parchment paper, followed by a sheet of aluminum foil.  Bake the peppers in the preheated oven until tender, about 30 minutes.  Then, remove the parchment and foil covering, and allow the peppers to continue to roast until lightly golden, about 10 minutes more.  Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.

Peanut Butter-Filled Whoopie Pies

OPEN KITCHEN with NATHAN SCOTT

Peanut Butter-Filled Whoopie Pies

Since the filling for these whoopie pies contains cream cheese, any uneaten pies should be refrigerated.

Ingredients

            Makes 6 whoopie pies

	½	cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
	1	cup granulated sugar
	1	tablespoon instant coffee granules
		Kosher salt
	1	large egg, plus 2 egg yolks
	½	cup sour cream
	3	tablespoons pure vanilla extract
	1¼	cups all-purpose flour
	¾	cup cocoa powder
	1	teaspoon baking soda
	1	bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
	½	cup smooth peanut butter
	1	cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1.    Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, coffee granules, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.  Incorporate the egg and egg yolks, one at a time.  Then, mix in the sour cream and 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract until well combined.

2.    Sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking soda.  With the mixer running on low, gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the batter, mixing until just combined.  Using a ¼-cup measuring spoon or ice cream scoop, shape the dough into 12 balls.  Arrange 6 of the balls on each of the 2 baking sheets, spacing them 4 inches apart and flattening the balls slightly.

3.    Bake in the preheated oven until cooked through (the baked cookies should spring back when poked), 12 to 14 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool completely.

4.    In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the cream cheese, peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.  Then, sandwich some of the peanut butter filling between the cookies to create 6 whoopie pies.

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

Happy National Admit Your Happy Month everybody! Why do we need an entire month devoted to admitting your happy, you might ask? I dunno... But I suppose the real question is – why do we need any holiday to admit that we're happy? I'm pretty sure that every school-aged child knows that “if you're happy and you know it” you should just “clap your hands.” But if you're not the sort who admits to your own happiness (or are incapable of clapping for some reason), this month is a great opportunity to fess up.

And in the event that you can't think of anything to be happy about, below you will find a couple of things that you can feel good about. So get into the spirit of things and BE HAPPY!

Happy Thoughts:

• We live in a world that has toilet paper.

• Bacon – no further explanation needed because if bacon doesn't make you happy, nothing ever will.

• Chocolate is now considered healthy for you.

• If it's raining, it means it's not snowing...

• And finally, when you stand on your head, all the wrinkles vanish.

End of Days, Part XXVI

When planning your End-of-the-Mayan-Calendar Party, it is important to select the right location for your party.  Sure it might be convenient to host the party in the comforts of your own home.  But is that truly the best location?  After all, this might very well be the last party you ever host.  So, it's important to choose the perfect location for your end-of-the-world party.  And in an effort to help you select that perfect party site, allow me to offer the following advice.

• Never host your party in a valley, lowland, or gravel pit.  If/when the world floods in a most Noah's Ark-ian manner, you and your dinner guests will not want to find themselves at the bottom of a newly formed ocean.

• If you live in Antarctica, you might consider moving your party to a different continent.  Should the Sun explode on December 21st, you and your guests are not going to want to be anywhere near the Hole in the Ozone Layer - you might get a little sunburnt.

• Be sure to avoid hosting your Armageddon party near a cemetery.  If/when the zombies start to roam freely, you and your party guests will not want to find yourselves being the first items on the the all-you-can-eat brain buffet.

• And lastly, if you live in or near a corn field, you might want to consider hosting your party elsewhere.  otherwise, if/when the aliens land you may find yourself on the receiving end of a rather unpleasant probe.  

Back to Work

After a week of vacation, it can sometimes be quite difficult to get back to work. Let's be honest here - we'd all rather be basking in the warming sunlight on some sandy beach, rather than laboring under the flickering fluorescents in some cramped office. So if you're finding it difficult to get back into office work mode, try one of the tips provided below. They might seem a little silly at first, but they should help make that first day back at the office a little more enjoyable.

• Purchase one of those inflatable kiddie pools and bring it to the office. Then, when it's time for your break, skip the water cooler and go swimming (or at the very least splashing) instead. Not only will this provide for a bit of fun and relaxation, but it will also be an opportunity to show off your skimpy new swim suit to Janice in accounting...

• It would most likely be inappropriate to drink any sort of umbrellaed cocktail at the office. But that doesn't mean you can't put those little cocktail umbrellas in all your other drinks! Coffee... soda... water... even chicken noodle soup can all be made much more festive with a simple cocktail umbrella.

• Bring a reclining lawn chair to the office. You would be amazed how relaxing a day at the office can be when you're working from your new office lawn chair...

• Forget about that big presentation and show a vacation picture slideshow instead. Sure nobody actually likes to look at other people's vacation photos... But when the alternative is a 60-minute presentation on the latest advancements in chopstick manufacturing, I think most people would prefer to see your vacation photos.

• And lastly, if all else fails, call in sick and enjoy one final day off before returning to work - tomorrow.

I hope these tips help. And enjoy your first week back to work!

Clam and Corn Chowder

OPEN KITCHEN with NATHAN SCOTT

Clam and Corn Chowder

This quick-cooking chowder is a delicious soup to prepare during the hot summer months.

Ingredients

            Serves 4 to 6

	8	ounces salt pork, cut into ¼-inch cubes
	1	small onion, peeled and chopped
	4	stalks celery, chopped
	8	cloves garlic, peeled and minced
	2	bay leaves
	2	sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
	1	pound fingerling potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
	1	quart homemade chicken stock, or low-sodium canned chicken broth
	1	pound littleneck clams, scrubbed
	2	cups (about 3 ears) fresh or frozen corn
	pinch	baking soda
	1	can (15 ounces) evaporated milk
		Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
		Fresh chives, chopped, for garnish

Directions

1.    In a large stockpot set over medium heat, cook the salt pork, stirring often, until crispy.  Then, using a slotted spoon, transfer the salt pork to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. 

2.    Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the salt pork drippings and return the stockpot to the heat.  Add the onion and celery to the stockpot and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, 4 to 6 minutes.  Add the garlic, bay, and thyme leaves and cook an additional minute.  Add the potatoes and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

3.    Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  Add the clams and corn to the stockpot.  Cover the pot and cook until the clams have opened, 5 to 8 minutes.  

4.    Remove the cover and reduce to a simmer.  Stir in the pinch of baking soda, followed by the evaporated milk.  Simmer until hot.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.  Then, ladle into serving bowls and garnish with a sprinkling of salt pork and freshly chopped chives.

Citrus-Glazed Grilled Salmon

The citrus glaze recipe, provided below, may also be used to glaze roast hams, chickens, or ducks, making it an incredibly versatile and easy-to-prepare recipe to add to your repertoire.

Ingredients

            Serves 4

		Olive oil, for brushing
		Juice of 4 navel oranges
		Zest of 1 navel orange, cut into thin strips (optional)
		Juice of 2 limes
	½	cup honey
	2	slices (¼-inch each) fresh ginger, peeled
	¼	teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
	2	scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
		Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
	4	center-cut salmon fillets (6 to 8 ounces each)

Directions

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, and brush the grate with olive oil.  In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice and orange zest with the lime juice, honey, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened to a glaze-like consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. 

2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and discard the slices of ginger.  Stir in the scallions, and season the glaze to taste with salt and black pepper.  Spoon half of the citrus glaze over the salmon fillets, coating the flesh of the fish well.  Season the salmon fillets with additional salt and black pepper.

3. Arrange the salmon, skin-side-down, on the preheated grill.  Grill the fish for 5 minutes.  Then, spoon the remaining citrus glaze over the salmon fillets, and continue to grill until the fish is cooked through, another 3 to 5 minutes.  Remove the finished salmon from the grill and transfer the fillets to a serving platter.  Garnish with a sprinkling of freshly sliced scallions and serve immediately.