Orange & Honey Baked Ham

Sticky, sweet, tangy, and full of flavor… this orange & honey glazed ham is one that you’ll be happy to have as the star of your holiday meal or Sunday dinner!

Ham is perfect to serve for family holiday gatherings. There is not a lot of prep, it feeds a big crowd and it can be served warm or at room temperature.

Making a glazed ham is really simple, as the ham is already fully cooked, you’re just heating it up and adding a great glaze.  So don’t be intimidated here, I highly encourage you to give this recipe I try! 

Trust me when I say that you’ll be wanting this ham for MORE than just holidays or just Sundays!

Ingredients

Glaze 

• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 tablespoons brandy
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp. pumpkin spice 
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 orange sliced, thin 

Ham 

• 1 bone-in spiral ham (approximately 8lb.)
• 10 whole cloves 
• 1 orange, sliced 

Instructions 

Preheat the oven to 325°. 

In a saucepan, whisk all the ingredients for the glaze. Heat on low, stirring occasionally until it is well combined and smooth. Remove the pot from the stove.

Place one whole clove throughout the ham just push the clove into the ham.

Place the oranges slices in between slices of ham. 

Place the ham in a large roasting pan and cover top of the ham with foil. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Every 20 minutes, remove the ham from the oven and brush all over with the glaze. 

After 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove foil from ham, brush with the glaze & cook for additional 25 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham registers 135°. 

Transfer the ham to a platter and tent with foil. 

Let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. 

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Creamed Spinach

Most of us have heard of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. But how many of us know the founder’s unique history?

In 1965, single mother Ruth Fertel realized she needed to earn more money to send her sons off to college. She found a restaurant for sale in a New Orleans newspaper called Chris’ Steak House. She quickly learned that Chris’ steak house originally opened on her birthdate, and she took that as a sign of good luck to move forward with the sale. 

Shortly after Fertel purchased the establishment, a fire forced her to change the original location and she renamed the restaurant, “Ruth’s Chris Steak House.”

Though she had no restaurant experience, Ruth’s Chris became a huge success. Fertel opened her first franchise in 1977 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Today, there are more than 80 locations in the U.S. and overseas.

This delicious creamed spinach recipe is inspired by the dish served at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. It has just a hint of cayenne pepper to give it that Louisiana zing!

Ingredients

• 1 10 ounce package of frozen chopped spinach
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 ½ tablespoon flour
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions

Cook the spinach as directed on the package. Drain and squeeze all the liquid from the spinach when it is done. 

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 

Add the flour to the melted butter and stir until smooth. Cook for 2 minutes. 

Add the cream and heat for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Whisk often so that the sauce does not burn.

Add the cheese, spinach, nutmeg, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Cook for 2-4 minutes, stirring often. 

Serve hot.

Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon

Julia Child is one of our biggest cooking icons of all time- the Queen of French Cuisine. Julia Child was a beloved American icon who pioneered an entire genre of cooking shows and taught a generation of food lovers that cooking can be easy and enjoyable.

Still to this day, I love watching her cooking shows and reading her cookbooks. She helped me realize it is okay to make mistakes in the kitchen, that is what makes cooking fun! She lived fearlessly and fully until she passed at 91 years old. 

Here are a few of my favorite Julia quotes

“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook—try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun.”

“Always remember: If you’re alone in the kitchen and you drop the lamb, you can always just pick it up. Who’s going to know?”

“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”

“People who love to eat are always the best people.”

“The more you know, the more you can create. There’s no end to imagination in the kitchen.”

Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon is a world wide loved classic for a reason. Tender fall apart chunks of beef simmered in a rich red wine gravy 

This InstantPot recipe is inspired by her famous Beef Bourguignon recipe. 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef – beef chuck, round eye or ribeye
• 8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms – 1 package
• 1 large carrot – chopped thick
• 4 large garlic cloves – minced
• 1 medium red onion – diced
• 1 medium yellow onion – diced
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup red wine – Cabernet Sauvignon
• ¼ cup cognac
• 5 tbsp. butter
• 5 tbsp. flour
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• ⅛ tsp. smoked paprika
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper

Instructions

Prep work:

Chop baby Bella mushrooms in half and set aside. Chop carrot into pieces that are 1 – 2 inches thick, then slice each piece in half and set aside. 

Mince 4 garlic cloves and chop a tbsp. of thyme, and set aside. 

Chop onions into chunky pieces and set aside.

Cube the beef into large, 2 inch cubes (if your meat is that thick). You want the cubes to be nice and chunky.

Cooking 

Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté” on “High.” 

Add 2 tbsp. of butter to the pot and coat the bottom. Place the mushrooms cut-face down. Allow them to brown for 6-8 minutes. Once done, carefully remove them from the pot, and set aside.

Add 1 tbsp. of butter to the pot and add the carrots. Place them flat-side down so they can brown. Just like the mushrooms, allow them to brown on 1 side then remove them from the pot.

Add the onions cut-side down, and allow them to brown for only 5 minutes. 

Add the garlic and thyme to the pot. Stir gently so you don’t break the onions apart too much, and allow to sauté until thoroughly cooked. Remove from the pot and set aside. 

In a mixing bowl, toss meat chunks with 2 tbsp. of flour, 1 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of pepper until each chunk is thoroughly coated.

Add 1 tbsp. of butter to the pot, allow it to coat the bottom, then add the beef. Brown for 5 minutes, then flip and brown on the other side for 5 more minutes. You may want to do this process in 2 batches if each piece doesn’t sit nicely without overlapping others in the pot. 

Once done, press “Cancel” to stop the Sauté and pour in ¼ cup cognac to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the yumminess on the pot under the meat.

In a bowl mix together 1 cup beef broth with 2 tbsp. tomato paste, 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, ⅛ tsp. smoked paprika, ½ tsp. garlic powder and ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper.

Add beef broth mixture with 1 cup of wine to the Instant Pot. Add veggies to the pot and give them a gentle stir. Place the lid of the pot on and lock it in place. Set the Instant pot to “Pressure Cook” for 20 minutes on “High.” 

Carefully release the pressure by engaging the pressure valve. While it depressurizes, mix 3 tbsp. flour in ¼ cup of water. When the pot is finished depressurizing, you’ll add this to thicken your stew.

Lift the lid and mix in the flour liquid and give it all a good stir. Give it a taste and see if it could use more salt or pepper. 

Serve with baked mashed potatoes. 

Orange Chocolate Chai Roll

I’ve always wanted to make a swiss roll cake. Every time I watch a baking show on Food Network or my favorite show the Great British Baking Show, I’m memorized how they roll the cake and fill it with deliciousness. So when my friend Adam told me he made one, we started talking about different flavors to put together for a Christmas one. He inspired me to create my own. 

I used cocoa powder, brewed chai tea, and orange zest for the cake batter. For the filing, I used cream cheese, pumpkin spice seasoning, more zest and orange juice. 

When I sliced into the orange to add the juice, I realized I accidentally bought blood oranges at the market. I was so excited, I actually did a little dance. When my Papa and I were in Sicily, we would eat a blood orange every morning with breakfast. It was like he was sending me a little sign from heaven! 

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INGREDIENTS

CAKE:

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons chai tea
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup orange zest
• 3 tablespoons juice from orange
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• Powdered sugar to aid in rolling

FILING 

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons Heavy whipping cream

INSTRUCTIONS

MAKE THE CAKE:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line (10×15”) pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

Beat eggs at high speed for 3 minutes, until frothy and dark yellow. 

Beat in sugar, tea, and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together cocoa, salt, baking powder, and flour. 

Blend the dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

Spread in the prepared pan. Batter will be in a very thin layer and you will need to use a wooden spoon or spatula to spread it to all the corners of the pan. 

Bake for 10-15 minutes. You’ll know it’s done because if you lightly poke the top with your fingertip it will slightly bounce back.

While the cake is baking, set a clean kitchen towel out on a large work surface, lay a sheet of parchment paper on top of the towel. Sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar and cocoa powder (about ¼ cup). 

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, turn it over on the kitchen towel sprinkled with powdered sugar and cocoa. Remove parchment paper carefully.

Working at the short end, fold the edge of the towel over the cake. Roll tightly, rolling up the cake into the towel. Let cool completely while rolled, at least one hour (or you can wrap it and chill it overnight).

MAKE THE FILING

Combine cream cheese, pumpkin pie spice, and 1 teaspoon orange zest in a medium bowl. Beat at medium speed until well mixed. 

Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream, beating well after each addition until smooth and creamy.

Gently unroll cooled cake. Spread filling over cake to 1/2 inch from all edges. 

Starting at the 10-inch side, gently roll up the cake. 

Sprinkle with additional orange zest just before serving. 

Cut into slices. 

Festive Italian Dip

Creamy, spicy, addictive sausage dip that takes just minutes to throw together.

This dip is so good, it will be the hit of the party! Honestly you can even serve this dip mixed with pasta and have a hearty pasta dinner! There is so much packed into this dip, from the spicy Italian sausage to the gooey cream cheese!

The base for this dip is Hot Italian sausage. Don’t worry if spicy food isn’t your thing, this sausage honestly isn’t very spicy, it adds a nice flavor punch. Plus, paired with the cream cheese, it all balances out perfectly. I started by cooking the sausage in a large skillet. Once the sausage was cooked, I transferred it to a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up some of the grease. Cutting out some extra fat. 

Next, I wiped the same skillet clean, getting rid of some of the sausage grease but not all of it. Sauté up some onions, red peppers, tomatoes and garlic. Oh and add in a little Italian seasoning for good measure. And don’t forget the… WINE! I used Scout and Cellar Field House Chardonnay. It adds a zesty flavor!

Roughly chop up some baby spinach, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Honestly I just grab a handful from the bag, throw it on the cutting board and run my knife over it a few times, making sure there are no huge pieces. I used the whole 6 ounce bag of baby spinach. 

Then grab the cream cheese. I cut mine into four squares so it melts quickly. Make sure to grab the shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese too. Add all that cheese right into the skillet and stir. 

At this point I strongly encourage you to grab a spoon and taste! Mmmmmm!

Now, pour the mixture in a casserole dish. Sprinkle some more cheese on top, cover the whole top!

Bake it to perfection until the cheese is golden brown and the sides are bubbly. Your kitchen will smell like heaven! Serve with a baguette or crackers.

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So let’s get cooking! 

Ingredients 

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 pound hot Italian ground sausage
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 1 6-oz package fresh spinach, rough chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions 

Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees. 

In a bowl, mix together the two cheeses and set aside. 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage. Once cooked, remove from the skillet and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. 

Using a paper towel, wipe the skillet clean and saute the onions and red pepper in the same skillet, for 3-5 minutes, until translucent. 

Stir in tomatoes, and Italian seasoning; cook for 1 minute. 

Add the cooked sausage back to the skillet and stir to combine, cook together for 2 minutes. 

Stir in wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid has almost completely evaporated.

Stir in spinach and salt, and cook for 2 minutes or until spinach is slightly wilted. 

Reduce heat to medium; add cream cheese and 1 cup of the shredded cheese mixture. 

Cook and stir mixture until cheese is melted.

Pour mixture into a 2-qt. baking dish; sprinkle with the rest of the cheeses.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or cheese is bubbly and golden brown. 

Serve with crostini or crackers.

http://www.scoutandcellar.com/whiskawaykitchen.

Black Eyed Peas

Who knew there was so much history surrounding food!

I definitely believe in superstitions so every New Years Day, I make black eyed peas and collard greens with a side of cornbread! As I started digging into why this is believed, I was amazed by the history behind this tradition. 

For over 1,000 years, eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day has been considered good luck. In the Talmud written around 500 A.D., it was a Jewish custom at the time to eat black-eyed peas in celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

According to common folklore, the tradition spread after the Civil War. Under General Sherman’s march, the Union Army stole the Confederates’ food supplies but left the peas and pork, believing they were food for the animals. However the Southern soldiers felt lucky to have these supplies to get them through the cold winter. Another Southern tradition states that black-eyed peas are a symbol of emancipation for previously enslaved African-Americans, who were officially freed on New Year’s Day after the Civil War

If you serve black eyed peas with cornbread, it represents gold, and if they are stewed with tomatoes, it symbolizes wealth and health. As for collard greens, they’re green like money and will ensure you a financially prosperous new year.

Some people will even put a penny or a dime inside the pot of peas. Whoever is “lucky” enough to receive the coin will have the most luck for the rest of the year. In my family, my grandmother used to say whoever finds the bay leaf in their dish, has luck all year. A bay leaf is much safer than swallowing a coin! 

Seriously, I could go on and on about the theories and beliefs of this tradition. I encourage you to do some research yourself. For now, let’s get to cooking!

BLACK EYED PEAS INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon Thyme
• 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 lb. Black Eyed Peas, dried, uncooked and not soaked
• 1 lb. Ham Hock, or Ham bone (if you don’t have either you can use ½ cup real bacon bites)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 2 cups Water
• Salt & Pepper to taste

BLACK EYED PEAS INSTRUCTIONS

Turn on Instant Pot using the saute function, and allow the pot to get hot. 

Once hot, add the oil and onions. Cook the onions until they are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes)

Add the garlic and continue cooking for 30 seconds. 

Press CANCEL on the Instant Pot. 

Add the dried, uncooked, not soaked Black Eyed Peas, bay leaves, thyme, red pepper flakes and stir to combine the peas and seasonings. 

Make a well in the middle of the peas and add the Ham hock. 

Slowly pour in the broth and water. 

Close the lid, and set the valve to sealing. Press the manual (pressure cook) button, and adjust the time to 20 minutes. 

After the time is up, allow 15 minutes natural release before opening the valve to release any remaining pressure. 

Carefully, open the lid, and remove the bay leaves and ham hock, try to remove any meat from the bone and add it to the peas. If you are using bacon bites, leave them in the pot. 

Stir in the tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

Salt and Pepper to taste. 

Serve.

Check out my Collard Green recipe next!

Grouper Piccata

Living in Florida has many benefits, sunny days, beautiful beaches, and it also comes with the benefits of AMAZING fresh fish. 

I was lucky enough to grab some grouper fillets from my local fish market but you can also score some at your store’s frozen section. If you are unable to find grouper fillets, you can use snapper, cod, catfish or even chicken. 

This sauce highlights the fish without taking over. In this recipe, I use a simple piccata sauce with lemon and capers to create an easy meal that everyone will love! Oh, and this is a one pan dish! Hello easy clean up! 🙂

I’m not usually a Chardonnay fan but since I received a bottle of Scout & Cellar Fiddleneck Chardonnay I thought I’d give it a try. I am now a Chardonnay fan! The Fiddleneck Chardonnay is the perfect pairing to this recipe! It’s not oaky like most Chardonnays I have tried in the past. It’s light and refreshing with notes of yellow apple, candied lemon peel, and ripe pineapple. It truly is delicious with the buttery lemon flavor of the grouper piccata! 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 6-ounce grouper fillets
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  

INSTRUCTIONS

Sprinkle grouper fillets with salt and pepper. 

Dredge fillets on all sides in flour. 

Melt 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil in a large skillet. 

Add fillets to skillet; cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove fish from skillet.

Add garlic, lemon juice and wine to the skillet, scraping browned bits from the pan. Add the chicken broth and stir to combine. 

Cook for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. 

Tip: if the sauce is too bitter, just add ¼ cup of chicken broth at a time. 

Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, capers and parsley.

Serve sauce over fish.

I served mine with a side of angel hair pasta and baby broccoli.

www.scoutandcellar.com/whiskawaykitchen

Honey Garlic Salmon

I love salmon! This is one of my go to salmon recipes.  It’s garlic, sweet and sticky with simple ingredients. 

This salmon recipe pairs great with Scout & Cellar’s 2018 LITTLE JANE PINOT NOIR. Little Jane Pinot Noir is elegant and complex with red plum, black cherry and fresh raspberry balanced by garrigue, Asian spice, and a hint of coffee bean with soft tannins and a lingering finish.

https://scoutandcellar.com/?u=whiskawaykitchen

Ingredients:

Sauce: 

• 4 tbsp honey 
• 2 tbsp soy sauce 
• 1 tbsp white vinegar, distilled 
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated 
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Salmon

• 2 salmon filets 
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper 

Instructions 

Take salmon out of the fridge, 20 minutes before cooking. 

Pat dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

In a bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients. 

In a skillet, drizzle olive oil and gear over medium high heat. 

Place salmon in a hot pan and cook the first side for 3-4 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes. 

Pour sauce over salmon. Cook for 1 minute until the sauce starts to thicken. If the sauce thickens too much before the salmon has cooked to your temperature then just add 1 tablespoon of water to the pan and stir. 

Remove to plates & drizzle with sauce and serve. 

Tip: 

To determine the wellness of the salmon, check the side of the salmon to tell how cooked the salmon is- I like my salmon medium rare inside, if it’s coral inside (rare to medium rare). You can use a thermometer too. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the salmon- 120 F for medium rare and 130 degrees for medium

Remember the salmon will continue cooking for a minute after removing it from the skillet

https://scoutandcellar.com/?u=whiskawaykitchen

NUTELLA SWIRLED BANANA BREAD

Nutella Swirled Banana Bread is the ultimate banana bread recipe. It is extremely easy and moist with swirls of nutella spread throughout. It’s perfect at breakfast served with your morning coffee or for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

The best bananas for this recipe are ones that are over-ripe. The peels should be at least half brown and easy to remove. The insides should be squishy and browning. I find myself buying bananas and never eating all of them so this recipe is a great way to save the bananas and my wallet. 

There is no need for a mixer. You can mix everything together in one large  bowl. The first step is to mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl! I use the back of the spoon or you can use a potato masher. Then, I just throw everything else into the same bowl and mix it together. I told you it was easy!

Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Grab your Nutella jar and microwave it for 10-20 seconds. Pour half of the banana batter into the loaf pan, and drizzle two spoonfuls of the warm Nutella over the banana batter. Add the rest of banana batter and repeat with the drizzle of warm Nutella. To achieve the marble look, take a knife and swirl it through the loaf pan.Bake in your pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes until golden on top and a knife or toothpick comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the loaf pan and serve in slices. I like to cut mine into thick slices but that is totally up to you! 

ENJOY!!!

Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 overripe bananas, mashed (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 cup Nutella

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
2. Lightly grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Add the sugar, butter, egg & vanilla extract and mix until combined.
4. Gradually add the flour and baking soda, mixing until all combined.
5. Pour half the batter into your pre-lined loaf pan and smooth into the corners.
6. Warm your Nutella in the microwave for about 10-20 second to soften it slightly. 
7. Drizzle a couple of spoonfuls over the batter in the loaf pan before adding the remaining batter on top.
8. Drizzle the remaining Nutella to the top of your loaf before stirring the batter with a knife to create the marbled effect.
9. Bake in your pre-heated oven for 40 minutes until golden on top. 
10. Leave to cool in the loaf pan and serve in slices.

Jerk-spiced Chicken with Roasted Sweet Plantain Salad and Mango Chutney Yogurt

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved going to Disney World. It is definitely my happy place!

I have so many amazing memories, from camping at Fort Wilderness to birthday celebrations at Epcot’s Food & Wine festival. 

Epcot is my favorite park to visit especially when they are hosting one of their festivals; Food & Wine Festival, Art Festival or the Flower & Garden Festival. 

Epcot’s festivals combine my love for Disney, food and wine. Honestly, what could be better than hopping around the World Showcase and sampling new foods, drinks and rubbing elbows with Disney fans? 

Brian and I always enter Epcot, in the back by the United Kingdom. We have a beer at the Rose and Crown while I flip through the festival’s passport, which contains the menus for each World Showcase Booth and a sticker to use to mark off that you have visited. Yes, I am a complete passport geek, every time we stop at a World Showcase booth, I have to check off the foods and drinks we have tried. 

So when I saw Disney had a cookbook with recipes from all their festivals including the festivals at Disneyland, I couldn’t resist. I had to have it. 

After purchasing the cookbook, Brian and I took a margarita break in Mexico like we normally do. I’m a huge fan of the Three Caballeros ride and the margaritas in Mexico. As we sipped our margaritas, we looked through the cookbook. I was so excited to see so many of our favorite dishes from the festivals and some new ones I couldn’t wait to make at home! 

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During the Food & Wine festival, we absolutely loved the Jerk-spiced Chicken with Roasted Sweet Plantain Salad and Mango Chutney Yogurt at the Islands of the Caribbean booth. And guess what the recipe was in the cookbook! And here lays the inspiration for the recipe below! 

My parents are retired and love to travel. They recently bought me a Island Jamican Jerk Spice seasoning back from one of their cruise vacations. So this is the Jerk seasoning, I used but you can find a number of different types of Jerk seasonings at your local grocery store. 

In a large ziploc bag, toss chicken, 3 tablespoons of the Jerk seasoning and 1 tablespoon canola oil until chicken is completely coated. Refrigerate for one to two hours, the longer you allow the chicken to marinate the more flavor you will have. After the chicken has marinated, preheat the grill to medium-high heat, and remove chicken from the ziploc bag. Place chicken on grill grates and grill for approximately 10-12 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Rest for 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate, cover lightly with foil, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Mango Chutney

You can use a store bought Mango chutney or you can make your own. It is simple and turns out delicious. Chutney is made much the same way as you would make a fruit jam, but with vinegar to offset the sweetness, making it more appropriate for savory dishes. This chutney is spicy from ginger, garlic, and red chili pepper flakes. It gets its tangy-ness from the acidity in the mangoes and added vinegar, and it gets its sweetness from the mangoes and sugar. It pairs great with almost anything from his chicken, to a spread on a cheese board.

To make the sugar vinegar syrup, combine sugar and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add the peeled chopped mangoes, and chopped onion, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Leave the saucepan uncovered and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour until syrupy and slightly thickened. Stir occasionally during cooking.

Mango Chutney Yogurt

Whisk 1 cup plain yogurt and 2 ½ tablespoons of the Mango chutney with chopped cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator until dinner time. 

Sweet Plantain Salad

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and brush a baking sheet with canola oil. 

Your plantains have to be ripe. The best thing to do is buy them a few days before you are going to make this dish. Plantains may look like bananas but they do not peel like one. Ripe plantains are a lot easier to peel. To peel a plantain, you will need to cut off the ends of the plantain, run your knife lengthwise through the skin of the plantain without cutting into the flesh, and finally, use your hands to pull the skin off. If some of the skin doesn’t peel off, use a vegetable peeler to remove the “stuck” skin. Place your peeled whole plantains on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, then flip and roast for an additional 15 minutes. After a total of 25-30 minutes, plantains should be lightly golden brown and soft. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Cut into bite-size chunks. 

While the plantains are roasting, prepare the rest of the salad. In a small bowl, combine Apple Cider Vinegar and chopped garlic, whisk together. Slowly add the canola oil, whisking as you add it to the bowl. Chop your red onion, peppers, cilantro and place into a large bowl with the plantain chunks. Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is well combined. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the meal. 

Once everything is done, it’s time to plate it up! In true Epcot fashion, take a scoop of the Sweet Plantain Salad and place it in the middle of a plate. Lay the grilled chicken on top and serve with a dollop of the Mango Chutney Yogurt. I also drizzled some of the Mango chutney over the top of the chicken and sprinkled chopped cilantro on top. 

During the Stay at Home Order, I have definitely been missing trips to Epcot but this meal made me feel like I was taking a trip around the World Showcase. 

This is a great recipe to make for a summer cookout yet it’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Trust me, you will love it!

INGREDIENTS

Jerk Chicken

• 4 Chicken thighs and 4 Chicken drumsticks or 8 Chicken Breast
• 3 tablespoons of your favorite Jerk Spice
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Sweet Plantain Salad

• 3 medium or 2 very large ripe plantains (they should have some black spots and be slightly soft) 
• ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup canola oil, plus more for roasting the plantains
• ½ cup red onion, diced
• ½ cup red pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon Jalapeno, chopped (optional)
• 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Mango Chutney, or you can buy the jar stuff

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 4 cups mangoes (2 to 3), peeled and cut in 3/4-inch pieces 
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped 
• ½ tablespoon ginger
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes 

Mango Chutney Yogurt

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 ½ tablespoons Mango chutney
• 2 ½ tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Jerk Chicken Instructions

• Toss chicken, jerk seasoning and canola oil in a large ziploc bag, until chicken is coated. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. 
• Remove chicken from the refrigerator and let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature before grilling. 
• Preheat the grill to medium- high heat. 
• Remove chicken from the jerk marinade and place on a medium to high lightly oil grill. 
• Grill chicken for approximately 10-12 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You may also broil, or roast the chicken in a hot oven (425 degrees F).
• Rest for 10 minutes. Remove chicken thighs to a plate or serving tray, cover lightly with foil, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Sweet Plantain Salad

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and brush a baking sheet with canola oil. 
• To peel plantains, cut off the ends from both sides. Then cut a long strip down the length of the plantain without piercing the fruit. Remove the fruit from the peel. 
• Place peeled whole plantains on the prepared baking sheet and roast until tender and golden brown on both sides, about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through. 
• Combine Apple Cider Vinegar and chopped garlic, whisk together. Slowly add the canola oil, whisking as you add it to the bowl. 
• Chop your red onion, peppers, cilantro and place into a large bowl with the plantain chunks. Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is well combined. 
• Refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the meal. 

Mango Chutney, if not using store bought

• Combine sugar and vinegar in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Add remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, until syrupy and slightly thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir occasionally during cooking.

Mango Chutney Yogurt

• Stir together yogurt, mango chutney and cilantro. 
• Taste and season with salt and pepper. 
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. 
• Serve Jerk Chicken on top of Sweet Plantain salad with a scoop of Mango Chutney Yogurt and garnish with chopped cilantro.