Country Feast: featuring....Get Yo Man Chicken

So last week I was watching Down Home with the Neeley's and they were talking about all the recipes they made when they were dating and the ones that won her husband's heart over. Now I don't eat chicken but the recipe did sound good and with a name like 'Get Yo Man Chicken' I had to try it and it was a hit. I also have never been big on cabbage of any kind but this cabbage is spicy and delicious. However if you don't eat a lot of meat beware of the bacon, for its hard to pick out with how this is cooked down. I made a smaller version of this menu for Chad last week and it was so good I'm making it again tonight for my parents and their friends that are in town.

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Menu
Get Yo Man Chicken
Braised Cabbage and Carrots
Green Beans
Creamed Corn
Buttered Thyme Rice
Herb Biscuits
Sweet Tea
Pecan Bars

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Get Yo Man Chicken

from Down Home with the Neeley's on the Food Network's Website

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 chicken thighs, skinless
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in thick puree
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon lemon-pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken, meat-side down first, and turning once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate to reserve.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan.

Add onion to the pan and saute until tender, roughly 3 minutes. Add the stock and wine and stir, scrapping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the dried herbs and lemon pepper. Add the chicken thighs back into the pan.Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 40 minutes.

Remove chicken from liquid and serve on hot buttered rice. Ladle the sauce on top and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

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Braised Cabbage & Carrots from Down Home with the Neeley's on the Food Network's Website

• 1 large head (about 3 pounds) green cabbage
• 4 slices extra-thick bacon, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Smash Seasoning, recipe follows
• 1 (10-ounce) bag baby carrots
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Core cabbage and chop into 2-inch pieces. Clean thoroughly and let drain.

In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon halfway through. Cook's Note: It will release its fat and be lightly browned, but still moist.

Add the cabbage, water and Smash Seasoning. Cover and reduce to a simmer and steam 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. Drain water from pot and add carrots. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes, until carrots are tender. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Smash Seasoning:

• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

Mix ingredients thoroughly and keep in a tightly sealed container for up to 6 months.

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Buttered Thyme Rice

• 2 cups Jasmine Rice
• 3 cups Water (as package directs)
  
• Salt (to taste)
  
• 2-4 Tbs. Salted Butter
• 2-3 Tbs. Fresh Thyme

Cook rice as directed. Fluff rice and mix in butter, salt and thyme. Serve.

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Herb Biscuits - I didn't realize how easy and quick biscuits are to make.
taken from Ina Garten's recipe on the food network website

• cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced (I used salted and it was fine)
  
• 3/4 cup half-and-half (I used buttermilk instead)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives or fresh parsley leaves (You can use any herb or mix here)
  
• 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. With the mixer on low, add the half-and-half or buttermilk and beat until just mixed. Add the herbs and mix until just combined.

Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and knead lightly into a rectangle 3/4-inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush with the egg wash.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are firm. Serve warm.

(these are GOOD!)

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Shrimp Tacos!

Ok made this a couple of days ago....it was really good.
I'll separate it out into the different parts of the meal to make it easier to follow.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. I would marinate shrimp first, then get the veggies in the oven, then get rice going, then make sour cream sauce. When veggies, rice and sauce are done grill shrimp and heat tortillas.

List of All ingredients needed:

• 3/4 - 1 # Shrimp, cleaned and deveined
• 1 pkg. Soft Tortillas (I used and really liked the new Mission Low Carb ones, they are white and have 11 g. fiber! They were really good.)
• Jasmine Rice
• Chicken or Vegetable Broth (optional for rice)
  
• 1 small can Chipotle Chilies in Adobo
  
• 1 small can Chopped Green Chilies
  
• 1 jar Pico de Gallo (I used Pace, it was surprisingly good)
• 1 small can Corn
  
• 1 bunch Cilantro
  
• 2-3 Limes (for juice and zest)
• 1/2 Red Onion
• 1/2 Sweet Onion
• 1 Zucchini
• Lite Sour Cream
• Cumin
• Coriander Seeds
  
• Sea Salt
  
• Cracked Pepper
• Olive Oil and Canola Oil
  
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Honey
• Sugar
  

Grilled Shrimp
3/4 # Shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1 lrg. Chipotle Chili with 2 Tbs. Adobo (these come in a can w/the adobo sauce)
2 Tbs. Chopped Green Chilies
Honey (a good drizzle over top)
1/2 Tbs. Cumin
Juice from 1/4 lime
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper (to taste)
Olive Oil (a good drizzle)

Mix all ingredients together from above to marinate shrimp, cover and put back in the fridge. Continue on to make other items below.
Once everything is done, you will either be grilling the shrimp on a grill or grill pan. If its the grill I suggest using skewers. I used the grill pan, which was easier for such a small batch.
Put burner on a little higher than medium and brush grill pan with canola oil. When pan is hot, cook shrimp 2 minutes and flip, cook 1-2 minutes or until cooked. Serve.

Grilled Vegetables
1/2 Red Onion chopped into quarter moons
1/2 Sweet Onion chopped into quarter moons
1 Zucchini chopped into half moons
Red Wine Vinegar(a good drizzle over top)
Honey (a good drizzle over top)
1 Tbs. Corriander Seeds
1 tsp. Cumin
Juice from 1/2 lime
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper (to taste)
Olive Oil (a good drizzle)

Mix dressing together and pour over vegetables. Spread onto a non-lined baking sheet and roast at400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Mexican Rice
1 C. Jasmine Rice
1 1/2 c. Water or broth (follow package directions)
2 tsp. Cumin
2 cloves Garlic smashed and peeled
Juice and Zest from 1 lime
2 Tbs. Pico de Gallo
1 tsp. Green Chilies (if you want it spicier)
1/4 c. Corn, drained
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper (to taste)
1 tsp. Olive Oil (optional)
1/4 c. Chopped Cilantro

Mix everything together (except cilantro), cook as package directs. Bring to a boil, stir. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Take off heat when done and fluff.


Cilantro Lime Sour Cream
1/2 c. Sour Cream
Zest from 1 lime
Juice from 1/4 lime
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. Cracked Pepper
1 tsp. Chopped Cilantro

Mix everything together. Serve.
(can be made ahead)