Scott's Paleo Chicken Thighs

I was sick all last week, and had to take some time off! Scott really helped out in the kitchen. He truly enjoys cooking and is pretty darn good at it... (he also keeps it Paleo)! I should give him more opportunities to take over the kitchen! This recipe is on of my favorites that he made... a winner with us all! Our daughter even asked for seconds, which to Scott was pure victory!

Now you should know a few things about Scott's cooking... 1. Alcohol is almost always an ingredient! It cooks down and really provides a rich flavor, but you could easily substitute the red wine in this recipe for chicken broth. 2. He will almost always use these two cooking tools: his cast iron skillet or his BBQ. 3. Garlic, garlic and more garlic! 4. He also makes a huge mess of the kitchen, but that's another story! ;-)

Thank you for taking care of the cooking, babe!

Ingredients:

6-8 Chicken thighs, with skin

black pepper and pinch sea salt

2 T olive oil

Sauce ingredients:

1 T olive oil

4-5 cloves garlic, crushed & minced

1/2 sweet yellow onion, sliced

1 can (15oz) diced tomatoes

3/4 C red wine (or chicken broth)

1/4 C water

1 T Italian seasoning

1 T Oregano

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a cast iron (or heavy, oven-safe) skillet, heat the olive oil. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Brown thighs in olive oil. In a separate skillet prepare the sauce. Saute garlic and onions in olive oil. Add the diced tomatoes, red wine, herb seasonings. Cook over medium heat until it thickens and reduces. Add water. Pour over chicken thighs and place entire cast iron skillet in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes, uncovered. Serve with your choice of sides, and enjoy!

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Spicy Cauliflower Stuffed Tomatoes

Ok, what a totally fun dinner this was! Delicious and ready to impress! And honestly not difficult at all... just a lot of veggie prep. If you give this a try, I promise you won't be sorry! Have fun with it.. and enjoy.

Spicy Cauliflower Stuffed Tomatoes:

6 ripe tomatoes

1 C cauliflower rice

2 T olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapeno peppers, minced

1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped

1/3 C reserved tomato pulp

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. black pepper

pinch sea salt

Rice the cauliflower in a food processor. Reserve 1 Cup, and save (or freeze) the rest for another time. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 1/2-inch slice off the top of each tomato, save the tops! Hallow out the the tomatoes by scooping out the seeds and pulp from the tomatoes, reserve a 1/3 C. Rub some olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish and place hallowed tomatoes on it. Saute garlic and jalapeno peppers in some olive oil until tender. Toss cauliflower rice with tomato pulp reserve. Add garlic, peppers, cilantro, olive oil and spices. Combine well! Spoon mixture into the hallowed tomatoes, mounding slightly. Place tomato tops back on top of the stuffed tomatoes. Bake for 20 minutes, until heated through. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Tuna Steaks:

Seer tuna steaks 2 minutes on each side, and then cook 4 minutes on low. We used the grill for this. Just season with a little salt and pepper if desired.

Top steaks with some pico de gallo (recipe from Cinco de Mayo)!

This meal is a winner! I promise! :-)

Paleo Carne Asada y Pico de Gallo

Feliz Cinco de Mayo! What a great excuse to eat well! Everyone loves a good south-of-the-border flavor! Spicy and satisfying... Tonight's meal has left me full and happy! Hope you enjoy this Cinco de Mayo feast.

Carne Asada Recipe:

1 large skirt steak (about 2 lbs.)

Marinade:

juice of 2 limes

1/4 C olive oil

1/4 C fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground cumin seed

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. course sea salt

Sauteed Onions & Peppers:

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1/4 C fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Combine all the marinade ingredients and the meat in a container with a lid or in a sealed bag. Marinate the meat at least 2 hours (preferably overnight). Grill meat until nicely browned on one side and then flip and brown the other side. Skirt steak cooks quickly, so be careful not to overcook it. Transfer to a cutting board and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. Slice in thin strips.

In a skillet over medium heat, saute onions and peppers in olive oil until tender, set aside. Add sliced carne asada to skillet and toss together... finally add chopped cilanto. Serve with pico de gallo!

Pico de Gallo:

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1 avocado, diced

1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, finely minced

1/2 C finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 T lime juice

Pinch sea salt

Combine all ingredients and toss together well! Use generously to top carne asada! Enjoy!

We also enjoy some steamed yellow zucchini tossed with some sauteed onions and more cilantro! :-)

Celebratory Steak

Congratulations to all who completed and competed in these six weeks of CrossFit games qualifiers! What an awesome accomplishment to all who took on this challenge! I witnessed some amazing performances at CFSCC. Nothing beats seeing your peers exceed their expectations and personal goals!!! Emotions raging from stress, fear, anxiety, dread to elation, shock, pride, and jubilation (and later probable intoxication).

I had an utter blast (slightly participating), watching, coaching, cheering and judging. So tonight, I felt very celebratory! We enjoyed a very nice grass-fed ribeye steak, sauteed summer squash and... yes, a fine bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon!

Good ... no... GREAT times, my friends! Congratulations!

Recipe:

grass-fed ribeye steak, 2

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Summer Squash:

4-5 summer squash, chopped

2 tsp. olive oil

1/4 C chicken broth

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

2 T cilantro

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Heat grill to medium heat. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Grill steaks for about 5-7 minutes on each side.

In a saute pan, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat. Add summer squash. Stir in chicken broth and cover for about 5-7 minutes. Toss in cilantro salt and pepper within the last couple minutes. Cook until tender when pierced with a fork.

Enjoy!