Mediterranean food always tastes so fresh and healthy! This chopped salad is no exception. Luscious cucumber, tomato, red onion, feta cheese, parsley mixed with Zahtar, lemon juice and olive oil. So delicious. My kiddos adore this. Great for a quick meal on its own or serve with Sumac-Sheet Pan Chicken.

Zahtar is a middle-eastern/mediterranean spice mix that is hand blended from sesame seeds, coriander, sumac, thyme, cumin and black pepper. This is fantastic on chicken, fish, vegetables, bread and dips (mix with Feta cheese and olive oil for a great dip with pita chips).

We enjoyed a cold glass of chablis with this salad.

Wine & Spice Makes Everything Nice!

We eat a lot of chicken in our home and I love coming across new and different spice blends. The Recado Rojo is from Mexican cuisine, especially of the Yucatán and Oaxaca areas. You may be surprised at the flavor quality that the achiote provides—this is sometimes added to tamales and empanadas for added color and flavor.

You can mix Recado Rojo with vinegar and a little orange or lime juice until your desired thickness is reached. Hand blended from achiote, coriander, cumin, allspice, Mexican oregano, sea salt, black pepper, garlic, cinnamon, lemon peel and whole cloves.

For this recipe I marinated chicken thighs (with skin) overnight in a little oil and Recado Rojo. The color and flavor of this blend is truly something special—fantastic! You can use chicken breasts if desired. It does not get much easier than this!

I served the Marinated Recado Rojo Chicken with our Bean Salad with Honey Chipotle Vinaigrette. Hope your family enjoys this as much as we did!

Happy cooking!

A glass of Argentinian Shiraz went very well with this meal.

Wine & Spice Makes Everything Nice!

I love cooking dinner on a sheet pan. It doesn't get much easier than that. This recipe uses Sumac which is very common in the Middle East and other countries around the world. Cooks in those regions use Sumac instead of lemon zest or lemon juice. It has an acidic lemony flavor that really enhances the flavors of what you are making.

I marinated the chicken in olive oil and Sumac for a couple of hours. You can do this in the morning and let it marinate until you get home from work. Throw it on a sheet pan and voila—dinner is prepared!  

I served this with our Israeli Chopped Salad and Zahtar sprinkled on pita bread. Lightly brush olive oil on pita and sprinkle with Zahtar. Bake at 350º until golden brown, around 5 minutes.

A glass of slightly chilled Pinot Noir is great with this meal.

Wine & Spice Makes Everything Nice!

Seoul City BBQ is such a fun spice blend to play around with. This mix is hand blended with demerara sugar, garlic, onion, sea salt, black pepper, sesame, soy sauce, ginger, Korean chile flakes, orange, turmeric and chives. It is really great on chicken, beef, pork and fish. Also excellent on roasted vegetables. Using it is like traveling with your taste buds. Quickly becoming another favorite!

My kids have been begging me to make Chicken Lettuce Wraps, we love this at P.F. Changs. This is my version of that dish. Depending on your love of spicy, use more or less of the sriracha sauce.

An ice cold glass of Chardonnay is very tasty with this dish.

Wine & Spice Makes Everything Nice!

I enjoy playing with new spices! Zahtar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that has become a new favorite. It is hand blended from sesame seeds, coriander, sumac, thyme, cumin and black pepper. It has a distinctive lemony flavor that is derived from the berries of the Sumac bush that grow in the Middle East and in Italy. This is great on veggies, fish and chicken.

Today I made a fun taco that is so delicious with a new flavor profile. So fun to experiment!

We sipped an ice cold beer with this meal.

Wine and Spice Makes Everything nice!

I am having so much fun learning to cook with new and unusual spices! Zahtar is one of my new favorites. It originates in Middle Eastern cuisine and prior to trying this from Milford Spice Company had never heard of it. I really like it on Naan or as a finishing touch on soups and Middle Eastern dishes like this one. I also used the Moroccan Vegetable Rub which is fabulous on much more than vegetables!

This May in Colorado has beed really wet and cold! This is a light dish but hearty enough for for a cold day. It is also a super quick and easy meal to make! My hubby and girls loved this dish, I hope your family will too!

I served Naan with this, simply prepared with garlic butter and Zahtar. Really yummy!

Wine & Spice Makes Everything Nice!