Category: <span>Josmo’s Cafe</span>

Main Dishes By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Lemon and Herb-Roasted Chicken Thighs

Lemon and Herb-Roasted Chicken Thighs

I found this recipe on myrecipes.com by Oxmoor House. If you love olives, lemon, and tender chicken like we do, this dish is for you. It is so easy and good. Marinate the chicken the evening before or early in the day for the most flavorful results.

As a side dish, I roasted cauliflower in another pan. Toss cut-up cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on jelly roll pan lined with non-stick foil.  Roast at the same temperature for 20 minutes.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (1 tsp dried)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (1 tsp dried)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (1 ½ tsp dried)

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (I used 3 tablespoons)

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons) – (I used 2 garlic cloves)

1/4 cup coarsely chopped green olives with pimentos (such as Sicilian)

8 (3-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Preparation

  1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Remove 2 tablespoons marinade mixture; place in a small bowl, and stir in olives. Set aside.
  2. Add chicken to remaining marinade, tossing well to coat. Seal bag, and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 450°.
  4. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until done. Place chicken on a serving platter. Spoon reserved olive mixture evenly over chicken.

Serves 4.

Josmo's Cafe Sweet Treats By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Chocolate Chess Pie

Chocolate Chess Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 5 tablespoons cocoa powder (I like Ghirardelli best)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine sugar, cocoa, flour, and salt and set aside.
  3. Beat together eggs, butter, milk, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Add the sugar mixture mixing well.
  5. Pour into pie shell.
  6. Bake for 45-50 minutes. At 25 minutes, crust may need to be covered to avoid over browning.
  7. Pie is done when a knife is inserted in the center and comes out clean.
  8. Cool completely before slicing.

Use a refrigerated pie crust for a super quick and easy pie. Serve with a whipped cream and berries, if desired.

Josmo's Cafe Main Dishes By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Zesty Salsa Chicken

During winter months, John and I are always looking for easy and healthy dinner dishes to quickly assemble and pop in the oven. This zesty salsa chicken fits the bill perfectly!

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts – if thick, butterfly

4 scallions – chopped – use only ½ of green tops

½ – ¾  packet taco seasoning mix (if you contaminate taco seasoning with chicken, throw the rest away)

1 or 1 ½ cups of salsa – use Pace or another thick salsa

¾ cup shredded Mexican cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Line baking dish with non-stick foil or lightly grease.
  3. Coat chicken breasts with taco seasoning on both sides of chicken breasts and place chicken in pan.
  4. Spread scallions on top of chicken.
  5. Spoon salsa on top of chicken and scallions covering well.
  6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is tender and juicy and its juices run clear.
  7. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese.
  8. Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with rice or potatoes. The heated salsa makes a wonderful sauce.

Enjoy!

Brunch By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Grand Marnier French Toast

From the Kitchen of Honeysuckle Hill B&B

Barnstable, Massachusetts

John and I love to have friends for brunch especially in the winter. We have large picture windows, a striking view, and very reliable North Carolina blue skies. The sunshine beautifully complements this scrumptious orange-flavored French Toast, a Josmo’s Café specialty. Josmo himself is the chef! We add mimosas, sweet apple-maple chicken breakfast sausage, and a big bowl of assorted berries. Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

  • 2 loaves French bread cut diagonally into 1” slices
  • 12 eggs beaten
  • 2 cups orange juice
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 Tablespoons Grand Marnier
  • Orange zest from 1 or 2 oranges

Directions:

The night before, in a large bowl, except for the bread, combine the beaten eggs with the other ingredients. Dip the bread slices into the mixture and place in large glass baking dishes. Pour the rest of the batter over the bread, cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, turn the bread slices once and allow them to come to room temperature. In large skillets or on a griddle, melt butter and sauté the French toast slices on both slices until cooked through and golden brown. Serve on a warm platter, sprinkle with powdered sugar and garnish with a few fresh berries. Serve with genuine maple syrup.

Serves 8.  As an added bonus, it freezes very well – if there are any leftovers!

Josmo's Cafe Side Dishes and Salads By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Rosemary Smashed Potatoes

Our mild winters in North Carolina are very kind to our outdoor rosemary plant. With rosemary on hand year round, we serve a lot of rosemary roasted potatoes at Josmo’s Café to accompany steaks and pork chops.

I was glad to find an interesting variation in the April 25, 2016 issue of People Magazine. This is my slightly adapted version of a recipe created by Pati Jinich author of Mexican Today.

 

1 ½ pounds baby red potatoes or if larger, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

¾ cup olive oil plus extra for baking sheet

2 crushed garlic cloves

2 T fresh rosemary – chopped

½ tsp chili powder

1 tsp kosher salt

½ cup Parmesan cheese – finely grated fresh

 

  1. Cook potatoes in salted water about 20 minutes until tender.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Drizzle with olive oil until lightly coated.
  4. Drain potatoes when done.
  5. While potatoes are hot, place them one at a time on the baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, press down on the potatoes being careful not to break the potato apart.
  6. Stir together olive oil, garlic, rosemary chili powder, and salt. Drizzle over potatoes.
  7. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
  8. Bake potatoes until golden and slightly crisp on the bottom about 25-30 minutes.

 

Josmo's Cafe Sweet Treats By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Banana Carrot Bread

Banana Carrot Bread

Early autumn is when I start baking all my favorite quick breads to enjoy with a cup of coffee in the morning or herbal tea in the afternoon. This recipe is one I’ve been making since my college days. It’s moist, flavorful, and colorful with shreds of carrot running through it.  Enjoy!

1 cup (2-3) mashed bananas – see tip below on freezing bananas

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

2 eggs

2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup finely grated raw carrot

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

  • Beat eggs until light. Add in sugar, oil, and mashed bananas. Beat with an electric mixer for two minutes.
  • Sift together flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  • Fold dry ingredients into banana mixture mixing thoroughly. Sir in carrots and nuts.
  • Spoon into one 9×5 loaf pan or 4 small bread pans that have been sprayed with non-stick spray.
  • Bake at 350 degrees. Large loaf 50-60 minutes. Small loaves 30-40 minutes.  Check loaves near end of baking time in case they need to be tented with foil to avoid overbrowning.

*Buy bags of overripe bananas from the produce discount shelf. Peel bananas and freeze whole in freezer bags. About an hour before baking, put frozen bananas on the counter to thaw at room temperature. Squeeze out excess moisture before adding bananas to recipes.

Josmo's Cafe Sweet Treats By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

½ cup butter

½ cup oil

 

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup buttermilk

 

2 ½ cups flour

½ tsp allspice

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

4 tablespoons cocoa

 

2-3 cups peeled and grated zucchini (2-3 zucchini)

 

1 cup chocolate chips

 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour (use cocoa) a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
  • In medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
  • In large bowl, cream together sugars, butter, and oil. Beat in eggs, vanilla and buttermilk.
  • Mix dry ingredients into creamed mixture.
  • Stir in zucchini until blended.
  • Pour into prepared pan.
  • Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
  • Bake for about 45 minutes until cake tests done in the center.
Josmo's Cafe Side Dishes and Salads Uncategorized By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Four Bean Baked Beans

Summer picnics need awesome baked beans! This yummy, old-fashioned baked bean casserole is from a 1975 Minnesota church cookbook. It proves our mothers and grandmothers knew what was good!

 

1 can kidney beans, drain only half the liquid

1 can lima beans, drained only half the liquid

1 can butter beans, drain only half the liquid

1 can pork & beans with molasses, do not drain

 

Mix beans together in an oven-proof casserole.

Make sauce:

Brown ½ pound chopped bacon with 2 large onions. Add garlic salt, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, ½ cup catsup, and ¾ cup brown sugar. Simmer for 10-20 minutes. Add to beans and mix well.

Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Josmo's Cafe Side Dishes and Salads By Emily Huling 0 Comments

Roasted Asparagus with Kalamata Olives

Roasted Asparagus with Kalamata Olives

I make this delicious side dish when I have the oven heated to a hot temperature to bake fish or roast potatoes. Easy to make and easy clean up using non-stick foil.

1 # asparagus – cleaned and dried

Whole and pitted Kalamata olives – about 20

Lemon pepper seasoning

Olive oil

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place asparagus on baking lined with non-stick aluminum foil. Sprinkle olives on top. Dust with lemon pepper seasoning. Drizzle with olive oil.

Roast for only 10-12 minutes until lightly brown and sizzling.