Israeli BBQ Chicken #SundaySupper

It's so great to be back contributing to #SundaySupper, and a what better way to jump right in than a Middle Eastern Cuisine theme!  Amanda from MarocMama is hosting, and I couldn't be prouder!  Not only was she my first "mentee" in Sunday Supper, but she's a fellow Wisconsinite! (that is, until she moved to Morocco)  She is a fabulous blogger, a wonderful mother and wife, and an inspiration to me.  You definitely need to check her blog out- such great stories and mouth-watering recipes!  You won't be disappointed!

Okay-- now let's get to the food!  Being Jewish myself, I love Middle Eastern foods.  The spices get me all excited, so when I heard about the theme, I thought I would plotz! (hey- if I can't use a little Yiddish during this week, when can I use it?)  I immediately thought of Israeli BBQ Chicken.  It's so simple to make, but it's a hit whenever I bring it to a potluck or make it for a gathering at my synagogue.  If you can roast chicken pieces, you can make this.  The wonderful thing about this recipe is that you probably own most of the ingredients right now.  And here's a little warning- if you haven't cooked Middle Eastern food before, don't let the quantity of spices scare you. I promise that you'll love this.  I even find myself using heaping spoonfuls for my measurements because I want mine extra tasty!

The chicken tastes best when its cooked on the barbeque, but seeing that I'm in Wisconsin, I can't do that when it's 20 degrees below zero. When it's crazy cold out, I'll make this in my oven.  It still tastes great, but you don't quite get the crispy skin that you would when you grill it.  For the pictures today, I used my oven.  I probably could have grilled, but hey-- I was feeling a bit lazy.  It happens.  My family didn't seem to mind that it wasn't grilled.  Even the dog loved it-- she doesn't often "photo bomb" pictures, but she couldn't help but stick her nose in this one. 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• Juice of two lemons (use fresh lemons- not bottled juice!)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 3 pounds of chicken pieces, skin on

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Mix until well combined.  Add the chicken and turn until the chicken is completely coated.  Cover, and place in refrigerator for at least an hour.  Can be left overnight.

When cooking, can either use a barbeque or can roast in the oven.  Make sure internal temperature gets to 165 degrees, and be careful not to overcook the chicken.  When done, serve with lemon wedges.







Won’t you join me and the other #SundaySupper bloggers today for some amazing dishes? We’d love to share our Middle Eastern hospitality with you! Here's what the team prepared:


Mezze {Appetizers}

• Muhammara – Supper for a Steal
• Homemade Labneh Cheese – The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Jerusalem’s Burnt Eggplant with Garlic, Lemon & Pomegranate Seeds – Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Sun Dried Tomato Hummus – Family Foodie

Salata {Salads and Sides}

• Fried Cauliflower w/ Sesame Parsley Sauce (Qarnabeet Mekleh Bil Taratoor) - girlichef
• Burnt Eggplant and Chickpea Soup – The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Couscous, Lentil and Chickpea Salad – Citronlimette
• Persian Jeweled Rice – Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Lebanese Rice – Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Main

• Shish Kafta (Middle Eastern Meatballs) – Growing Up Gabel
• Quinoa Falafel- Jane’s Adventure in Dinner
• Jamie Oliver’s Beef Tagine – Shockingly Delicious
• Chicken Biryani – Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Crockpot Curry Chicken – The Foodie Army Wife
• Quinoa Falafel with Fresh Herbs – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Shakshuka – kimchi MOM
• Manti (Turkish Dumplings) – Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Beef Tagine Over Couscous – Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Grilled Red Snapper with Cilantro and Onion Stuffing  or حمراء مشوية مع حشوة – Food Lust People Love
• Falafel with Israeli Salad - Webicurean
• Chicken Shawarma – The Texan New Yorker
• Spaghetti Squash Pastitsio with Greek Yogurt Bechamel – Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Kushari – Curious Cuisiniere
• Israeli BBQ Chicken – From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Easy Persian Rice with Spiced Beef – MarocMama

Halwa {Desserts}

• Ghraybeh Cookies – Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Rosewater Baklava – The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Fried Honey Citrus Cakes – Neighborfood
• Easy Baklava Cake – NinjaBaking.com
• Ghraybeh - That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Sesame Tahini Cookies – Magnolia Days
• Basbousa (Semolina Cake) – Mess Makes Food

If you like what you see, make sure to join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 6:00 pm CT and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can find more information and sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement




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Tasty Apple Cobbler

It's apple season in Wisconsin!  One of my favorite things to do this time of year it to discover new ways to serve apples.  My family loves apple pies, but I have a confession to make-- I hate making pie crusts.  There... I said it.  Does that make me a bad home cook?  I hope not. Please don't judge.  Some day I will learn to embrace the art of making pie crusts.  Until then, I'll continue to search for different ways to bake apples into desserts.

This cobbler is inspired by the basic apple pie recipe that we all know and love-- you know-- the one where you toss the apples in a bit of lemon juice and spices, top it with a crust, and bake it.  I didn't want to make an apple pie or cake, and I definitely didn't want to make an apple crumble with oats.  I wanted to really enjoy the sweet and tangy combo of the apples, lemon juice, and spice and then balance that off with a sweetened, buttery, biscuit-like layer on top.  I used a lot more butter than I'd normally use in a basic cake recipe-- but it paid off!  The entire thing was deliciously moist, perfectly flavored, and the walnuts added just the right amount of crunch so as not to distract from the simplicity of the flavors.  When it cooked, the moistness of the apples and the butter from the batter combined into the heavenly moist center layer.  Oh so yummy!

An interesting note:  I wasn't quite sure what to call this...  A crisp? A crumble? A cake? A non-pie? A cobbler?  I took to my Facebook page to ask my friends--- the consensus was Cobbler.  So, that's what it is!  They did come up with a few other fun names like "Apple Tasty", "Apple Thing", "Apple Surprise", "Apple Slump" and "Apple Event".   My friends and family are so funny!

Ingredients

For the apples:

• 8-10 cups of apples, peeled and sliced
• juice of 1 fresh lemon
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the batter:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Wash, core, peel, and slice the apples.  Place in a large bowl and combine with the lemon juice, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Mix until well combined.  Pour into a greased 13x9 inch baking dish and set aside while you prepare the batter.

In another large bowl, cream the butter, vanilla and remainder of the brown sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, until combined.  Slowly add the flour and mix until smooth.  Mix in walnuts, if desired.

Spoon large drop-fulls of the batter throughout the top of the prepared pan of apples.  Using a spoon or spatula, gently spread the batter lightly over the top of the apples.  Try to cover as much of the apples as you can, including the edges, but do not be concerned if there are a few tiny spots of apples that do not get covered.

Place the uncovered dish in the oven and bake approximately 40-45 minutes or until the batter is golden brown.  Serve warm, and if desired, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!  Store covered and reheat individual servings in the microwave on high for approximately 30 seconds.

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