Category Archives: Meat

Basics, Dairy-Free, Low Calorie, Lunch, Meal Prep, Meat, Weekend Dinner

Baked Chicken Breasts

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Baked Chicken Breasts

Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: California, Simple
Keyword: Basics, Chicken, Meat
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 184kcal

Ingredients

Brine

  • 6 cups water
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 4 tbsp seasoning

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of room temperature water and the salt. Stir until the salt is dissolved.
  • Add the chicken breasts, making sure they are fully submerged. Brine for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. (Cover and refrigerate if brining for more than 30 minutes.)
  • Heat the oven to 425 degrees and line a sheet pan or large baking dish with parchment paper. While the oven heats, remove the chicken breasts from the brine and pat them dry with paper towels, discarding the brine. Place the chicken breasts on the prepared pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil, flipping chicken so both sides are coated. Sprinkle with the dried oregano, garlic powder, paprika, if using, and some black pepper.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breasts reaches 165 degrees. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing into the chicken and serving.

Notes

5 servings

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 1517mg | Potassium: 484mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 228IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition Facts
Baked Chicken Breasts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 184 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 0.01g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 58mg19%
Sodium 1517mg66%
Potassium 484mg14%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 0.5g1%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 228IU5%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 203mg20%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Holiday, Meat

Cast-Iron Steak

This is part of a special meal that’s a tradition from at least 2014, maybe even earlier. On New Year’s Eve (or sometimes New Year’s Day, plus or minus a day or two), I cook up very nice steaks and serve with twice-baked potatoes and sometimes roasted vegetables, like asparagus. A tannin-heavy red wine is a great friend as well.

I have traditionally liked buying New York Strip, but a Ribeye would also be delicious. If you can, select Prime, but Choice is good if it is what is available. Bone-out is easier to cook in a pan and the bone has little impact on the overall flavor or cooking.

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Cast-Iron Steak

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Beef, Meat
Servings: 2 servings

Equipment

  • 1 cast-iron skillet, 12"
  • 1 Thermapen

Ingredients

  • 2 steaks at-least 1" thick
  • Salt and pepper
  • Canola oil
  • Butter
  • Thyme
  • Shallots

Instructions

  • As soon as you can (up to 4 days in advance, and at least a few hours before), salt the steaks by covering all sides with a good amount of kosher salt, but not too much. (Some people say to rinse off the salt before cooking but that sounds like a bad idea to me.) Place in the fridge.
  • About 90 minutes before you're ready to cook the steaks, remove them from the fridge and allow to warm up a bit. This is, according to some science-based food writers, apocryphal, because the internal temperature increases very slowly so the effect is minimal. I still recommend it.
  • When ready to cook, put the cast-iron on the stove and heat to medium-high. Add canola oil as the pan warms up. Heat for a minute or two, but not too long. Oil should be shimmering but not smoking heavily.
  • Add the steaks carefully. Flip frequently (every 15 seconds) for up to 4 minutes, until a basic crust begins to form. Turn the heat to medium to start allowing the pan to cool a tiny bit.
  • Then, add some butter to the pan along with the thyme and shallots. Continue flipping, though less frequently, and use a spoon to baste the meet. If you are seeing lots of smoke, turn the heat further down.
  • Start checking the temperature after a minute or two of the basting. Remember, the steak will continue to cook off the pan. For medium-rare meat, a final temperature of 130ºF (or 125ºF in the pan) is ideal; for medium, (or 135ºF in the pan) 140ºF is your goal.
  • Place the steak on a plate or cutting board Let rest for a few minutes.
Holiday, Meat

Twice-Baked Potatoes

This, along with the cast-iron steak, is a New Year’s tradition since at least 2014, when I first published this recipe on my former website. I then updated the recipe in 2020. And finally I made small updates and published on my new site in 2021.

It’s classic for a reason! Indulgent and the leftovers even save pretty well for a day or two.

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Twice-Baked Potatoes

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Potatoes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 5 slices bacon
  • 3 baking potatoes
  • ½ cup salted butter
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • chives
  • thyme
  • olive oil
  • 4-6 oz cheddar cheese
  • paprika

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two sheet pans with tinfoil. On one, add the cooling rack and place the bacon on top. Bake the bacon for 18 minutes or longer until it’s crispy. Remove and put on paper towels.
    5 slices bacon
  • While that cooks, clean each potato and then rub thoroughly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour, making sure they're sufficiently cooked through. (When cooked, they will slice easily and cleanly.)
    3 baking potatoes, olive oil
  • Once both are done, turn off the oven for now. Shred the cheddar cheese until you have more than 1 cup. Strip thyme leaves from the stem.
  • While the potatoes are cooling, in a stand mixer with the flat attachment, add ½ cup of butter, 2 tbsp cream cheese, ⅓ cup sour cream and ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Add the thyme leaves.
    ½ cup salted butter, 2 tbsp cream cheese, ⅓ cup sour cream, 4-6 oz cheddar cheese, thyme
  • Cut each potato in half, lengthwise. You want to scrape the insides out into the stand mixer bowl, but make sure you leave a small amount around the edge (close to the sink) that will give the potatoes structure. Lay the potato shells on a baking sheet.
  • By hand with a spoon, gently mix the potatoes and the ingredients until just combined, so you don't develop the starch into a glue-like texture.
  • Fill the potato shells with the filling, hopefully so that the potatoes are overflowing some. Sprinkle smoked paprika on top. Top each potato with a little more grated cheese and pop 'em in the oven until the potato is warmed through and developing a nice crust, about 15 to 20 minutes.
    4-6 oz cheddar cheese, paprika, chives