You really, really, really need to make this now. It is the perfect comfort food that has just enough freshness that you feel healthy after eating it. Healthy comfort food – that’s an oxymoron.

Arroz Con Pollo

(Small adaptations from SmittenKitchen)

Chicken

• 3 large garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
• 4 chicken breast halves with bone, halved crosswise
• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 4 chicken thighs

Rice

• 3 ounces Spanish chorizo (cured sausage), skin discarded and sausage cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (I used a bratwurst because I didn’t have chorizo)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 California bay leaf
• 1 lb. tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 12-ounce. bottle beer (not dark)
• 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups long-grain white rice (14 ounces) I used Jasmine and it was great
• 1/4 cup roasted red pepper, cut into strips

Marinate chicken: Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 2 teaspoons salt, then transfer to a large bowl. Stir in vinegar and oregano.

Remove skin and excess fat from chicken, then toss chicken with marinade until coated and marinate, covered and chilled, at least 1 hour.

Cook chicken and rice: – Cook chorizo in olive oil in a 6- to 7-quart heavy pot (12 inches wide) over medium-high heat, stirring, until some fat is rendered, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add cumin, oregano, paprika, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add chicken with marinade to chorizo mixture and cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring frequently, 10 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, beer, broth, and rice and bring to a boil, making sure rice is submerged. [Deb note: I actually had a really hard time keeping the rice underneath the chicken so that it would cook evenly. I’d suggest that you use tongs to temporarily remove the chicken from the pot, mix the rice in with the other ingredients in the pot, and then replace the chicken, pressing it into the broth a bit before going onto the next step. ]

Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover mixture directly with a round of parchment or wax paper and cover pot with a tight fitting lid. Cook, stirring once or twice, until rice is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Discard parchment paper and bay leaves, then scatter pimiento strips over rice.

Do ahead: Chicken can be marinated up to 2 hours in advance.

I am a big fan of greens but I understand that some are not. I know one gentleman in particular who is not keen on choosing greens but when it arrives mysteriously on his plate, he’ll eventually take a bite. That’s how I got him to eat these collards and now he’s a big fan. And that’s why I’m sharing this recipe in particular. It’s a hit and I usually prepare it when we have ham around because, why not?

Braised Collard Greens

Adapted from this food network recipe.

• 2 six-inch long, two-inch wide pieces of ham cut into chunks (can switch for 2 strips of bacon)
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 bunch fresh collard greens, leaves stripped from large inner veins and chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Salt and pepper

Cook the ham (or bacon until crisp) in a deep saute pan on medium-high heat leaving the fat in the pan. (If you use bacon, take it out before proceeding to the next step. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic and lemon zest, and saute until fragrant. Add the collard greens and cook until they begin to wilt. Add the chicken stock and 1/2 cup water and cover, lowering the heat to a simmer. Let cook until the greens are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Uncover, (add the bacon back to the pan if using), raise the heat to medium-high, and reduce the liquid by one-quarter, 1 to 2 minutes. Add about 2 tsp of lemon juice and taste. If you need more add it to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

This is really great to make on New Years Day with Hoppin’ John and then eat together the next day as leftovers.

I have so many recipes and photos stored and have not shared in WAY TOO LONG. So this post is to hold me accountable to keep a promise. I promise to post at least three recipes per week until I’m caught up. That’s the promise. Next comes the recipes.

This pie has become a Thanksgiving staple. It has even (gasp!) replaced my pumpkin pie. It’s the perfect amount of tart but not too sweet compliment to ending a rather filling meal. 

I know that it’s January but I didn’t get a chance to post this in November. I did see cranberries at the grocery store. If not for this month of gluten-free trials, I would be making this right now. Oh, and it’s delicious for breakfast the next day!

  
Cranberry and Pear Pie (recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma)

* 2 rolled-out rounds Pie crust

* 5-8 pears, peeled, cored and cut into slices 

* 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

* 1/4 cup  granulated sugar

* 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

* 1/4 tsp salt

* 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

* 1 tsp. grated orange zest

* 1/4 cup cornstarch

* 1 TBS Brandy

* 1 TBS grenadine (cherry or pomegranate)

* 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

* 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp. water

* 2 tsp. turbinado sugar

Fit 1 dough round into a 9-inch pie dish and gently press into the dish. Trim the edges flush with the rim. Prebake for 10 mins with pie weights in a 400 degree oven. 

Using a ruler as a guide, cut 10 strips of dough of varying widths from the remaining dough round. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

   
    
 To prepare the filling, in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, stir together the pears, the brown and granulated sugars, the cinnamon, salt, lemon juice, orange zest and cornstarch. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pears are just tender but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their ripeness. Uncover, stir in the brandy and grenadine and let cool to room temperature.

Stir the cranberries into the pear mixture and pour the filling into the prepared pie dish.

To create the lattice, lay 5 strips of dough spaced evenly apart on top of the pie filling. Fold back every other strip halfway and lay down a strip perpendicular across the unfolded strips. Repeat to place 5 strips of dough evenly across the top, folding back the alternate strips each time. Pinch the lattice strips onto the dough on the rim of the pie dish to make sure they bake together. Brush the lattice crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.

Place the pie dish on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling has begun to bubble, 45 minutes to 1 hour; check the pie after 30 minutes and cover the top and edges with foil if they become too dark. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 1/2 hours before serving. Serves 8.