M., Author at A Kitchen of Herbs

Chicken Souvlaki: Yogurt Marinades are Great

Posted on October 17, 2022September 5, 2025 by M.

Today I wanted to share one of my new favorite marinades: Chicken Souvlaki!

I might not have progression photos, but that’s ok because its simple and delicious. Its the kind of meal that lets you pretend you’re a decorated chef with very little effort.

You can serve this marinated chicken in 15 different ways without even trying hard. (In my head, I’m hearing “George, not even trying hard!” – as he shrugs, grins, and spins a lion over his head. Yes, I love George of the Jungle.)

This chicken souvlaki recipe is reminiscent of something I used to make in my restaurant days. I never got that official recipe, so I made my own version. And I think I can actually say I prefer mine.

Without further ado, I give you: Yogurt-Rosemary-Olive Oil-Lemon Juice-and-a-Bunch-of-Other-Spices Chicken. This dish is more commonly known to the rest of the world as Chicken Souvlaki.

Why You’ll Love This Marinade

Effortlessly Flavorful: The yogurt tenderizes the chicken. Rosemary, lemon juice, and other herbs pack it with bright, Mediterranean flavor.
Unbelievably Versatile: Use it on breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or skewers!
Meal-Prep Hero: Let it marinate for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can marinate it for up to a day. This allows for an easy dinner waiting in the fridge.

How To Use This Marinade

We’ve dispensed with further ado because my small human is napping. As soon as I try to get a post written, he will invariably wake up. So, time’s a-tickin’! Here’s the simple method:

Cut your chicken into cubes for skewers, or leave pieces whole.
Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
Coat the chicken thoroughly and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Cook it your way:
- Skillet: Cook the cubed chicken over medium-high heat until golden and cooked through.
- Grill: Thread onto skewers and grill for that authentic smoky flavor.
- Bake: Place drumsticks or thighs in a baking dish and bake at 375°F (190°C) until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Serving Suggestions

This versatile chicken is fantastic with:

Noodley Rice* (recipe coming soon—I promise!)
Fluffy pita bread and homemade tzatziki
A simple Greek salad with tomato, cucumber, red onion, and feta
Over a bed of leafy greens for a healthy lunch

Chicken Souvlaki

No Ratings

The Story Behind The Recipe

I actually made the Noodley Rice to go with mine. But due to the current election cycle, I neglected to photograph the delicious result. I will of course provide the recipe and photos in the future…the next time I make it – which might be next week or next year. You know I like to keep you guys on your toes!

As always, thanks for reading my nonsense and trying my recipes! If you enjoy it here, please stop by our Instagram page. You can also check out our Facebook! Drop a follow if you like what you see.

Have a comment or request? Let me know below! See you (I mean, type to you) next time. 😉

Ancho Chili

Posted on October 10, 2022September 28, 2025 by M.

I have been craving a really good bowl of chili with a side of cornbread for weeks now. Fortunately it’s also the perfect time of year for it as the weather has gotten ‘chili-er’ hahah…see what I did there? No, it just looks wrong without the extra ‘l’. Chillier. Is that even a word? It could be the sleep deprivation or I might actually have lost my grasp of the english language.

Regardless…I’m quite happy with how this turned out since I started with no spice guide in my head. Sometimes, going with your gut pays off.

I’ll spare you the photos of me chopping veg. Here is EVERYthing at once.

This is my favorite part.

Stir it all up and let the vegetables get to know each other for a few minutes.

My hamburger was still half frozen, ok, so I had literally just pulled it out of the freezer. Don’t judge me. Anyway, I browned the meat separate because of this but you can just dump it into the veggie mixture if it’s thawed.

I like to use at least one can of red kidney beans and one can of black beans. The third is always the What-the-hell-is-this-kind-of-bean-and-what-do-I-put-it-in can. Mine was White Acre Peas. Worked great, who knew?

I didn’t this time, but you can always add canned corn, black olives or anything else. Chili is a canvas in my world. Whatever paints you want to throw at it, it makes you look like a Picasso in the end.

I don’t remember who that is, but I know he painted something, somewhere at some point, ok? He seems to be kind of famous, since people are always referencing him. Actually, was he a him? I don’t even know that. Ok, moving on.

Isn’t it beautiful?

I should do this for a living.

Oh yeah, we’re not done. This is a less pretty picture but it shows the bubbling pot after all the tomato stuffs have been added. What tomato stuffs, you croak? THESE. Ha, you thought I forgot, didn’t you?

Honestly, you could dump it all in and it will still be delicious. The more tomatoey goodness the better, I say. Spell check tells me that is not a word. I didn’t ask you, sir. English is entirely borrowed, stolen and fabricated anyway. I have made a new word. You may thank me later.

Allow everything to bubble happily on medium low for, I don’t know, an hour or so? Cooking time in my house is more often determined by how hangry everyone is. Like spaghetti, this meal just gets better the more it’s cooked. As long as you don’t scorch it.

Potato Omelette

Posted on September 16, 2022September 5, 2025 by M.

One of my favorite breakfasts growing up involved our version of hashbrowns. This dish takes a while to cook but it is worth the wait. I recommend it for weekend mornings when you can’t decide what to make.

Heat 8″ skillet on medium.

Add:

1 – 2 T. Oil or Bacon Grease

Grate:

1 – 2 Potatoes

It’s important to let the skillet and oil heat up before adding the potatoes. When adding a piece of potato makes it sizzle, it’s ready.

Add grated potatoes to pan and cook until browned.

Season with Salt.

It’s tempting to turn up the pan and speed this process but I assure you, it will only result in burnt, raw potatoes.

Flip potatoes.

Sometimes they are perfect and flip in one piece. Some days it will look like there was a potato explosion on burner 3. It’s ok either way. Just smash it back into a flattish disk and move on with your life.

You can let it take some time to brown on the other side before the next step, if you want.

Scramble or simply crack on top:

1 – 2 Egg(s)

Season lightly with salt.

Flip again to ensure all egg is cooked.

It always looks like a hot mess at this point, because it’s hot and it’s a mess of potatoes and eggs with no toppings. Have no fear, cheese is near.

Grate, shred, zest or slice on top:

1/4 c. Cheese

See? I told you there would be cheese. There is always cheese. Always.

Of course you must now let the cheese melt.

If you’re starving by now, have some more coffee. You will be able to pretend you are not hungry, with some luck.

Now you can decide how fancy you want to be.

Green onions are easy and pair perfectly. Have some fresh basil? That’s great too. Parsley? Not my style, but go for it.

None of the above? Dump some hot sauce on top and call it a day. It’s one of my favorite toppings for this dish anyway.

Happy Breakfasting!

Veggie Frittata: Quick & Delicious One-Pan Breakfast

Posted on September 5, 2022September 11, 2025 by M.

This veggie frittata is the perfect breakfast to use up random odds and ends in the fridge.

That shriveling tomato…the dying peppers…that half of an onion from last week..and the salad greens that are looking suspiciously like they want to go mushy.

Chop up whatever treasures you can find and toss them in a skillet over medium heat.

For an 8″ skillet, I used 8 eggs.

I was feeding a grown man, myself and my baby, Hulk Jr.

Whisk up the eggs, pour over sautéed hodge podge.

Cover with lid and turn heat down to low.

Cut into quarters and flip when mostly cooked through.

Slice or grate cheese on top and allow to melt.

Garnish with fresh green onion and enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Jerk Pork: The Best Comfort Meal

Posted on September 1, 2022October 18, 2025 by M.

We recently traveled to a nearby town to stock up on gently used clothes for our growing Hulk baby and stopped for lunch at a Jamaican restaurant. The meal I ordered included some delicious sweet and spicy jerk pork.

I’m sure you can all relate – You have an amazing, authentic lunch and then all you can crave for weeks is the meal you had there. So then, of course, you do your best to recreate it.

This last week was rough. Everything emotionally exhausting that could happen in one week, did. Somehow, creating this spice mix and using it to create a delicious meal made things a little easier after the chaos. May it also save your sanity today!

Roasted sweet and spicy jerk pork shoulder

Why You’ll Love This Sweet and Spicy Jerk Pork

Before we get to the ingredients, let’s talk about why this recipe is a keeper. It’s more than just a meal; it’s a flavor experience.

An Explosion of Flavor: This isn’t a one-note spice rub. It’s a complex blend of sweet, spicy, and savory that creates an incredible crust on the pork.
Comforting & Healing: There’s something truly therapeutic about creating a beautiful, aromatic meal from scratch, especially after a long week.
Feeds a Crowd (or Provides Leftovers!): A pork shoulder roast is perfect for a family dinner with plenty left for amazing lunches the next day.
Incredibly Versatile: The homemade jerk seasoning is the real star—you can use it on chicken, shrimp, or even roasted vegetables.

Chef’s Tips & Tricks

A few simple tricks will make your jerk pork roast absolutely unforgettable:

Don’t Skip the Marinating Time: While you can cook the roast immediately, letting it rest with the rub in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight) is the single biggest thing you can do for depth of flavor. The spices truly penetrate the meat.
The Low & Slow Secret: Pork shoulder is a tough cut with lots of connective tissue. Roasting it low and slow (300°F is perfect) is what breaks down that tissue, transforming it into the most tender, pull-apart meat you’ll ever have.
Crispy-Ends Bonus: For an incredible treat, once the pork is shredded, spread it on a baking sheet and pop it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. You’ll get amazing crispy, caramelized edges that are packed with flavor.
Spice Control: This recipe has a gentle heat. If you love fire, don’t be shy with the cayenne! For a milder version, you can reduce it or replace it with a pinch of sweet paprika.

Serving Your Flavorful Feast

I served this succulent pork with a full Caribbean-inspired spread: Smokey Greens, Skillet Cabbage, Field Peas & Snaps (we love Margaret Holmes), Steamed Rice, and Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

Don’t worry, I’ll get to those side dish recipes someday!

Sweet and Spicy Jerk Pork Roast

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes

No Ratings

Ingredients

1 c. Brown Sugar
4 t. Garlic Salt
4 t. Dried Thyme or 6 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 t. Allspice
2 t. Smoked Paprika
2 t. Chili Pepper Flakes
1 t. Cloves
1 t. Cinnamon
1 t. Nutmeg
1 t. Cumin
1 t. Cayenne Pepper
1 Boneless Pork Loin/Pork Shoulder
1 c. Water/Chicken Broth/Orange Juice

Instructions

Combine all spices and sugar.
Rinse meat and pat dry.
Trim any excess fat if you prefer. About 1/4″ layer on top is ok for me.
Rub spice mixture into meat well on all sides.
Place in iron skillet or other baking dish.
Preheat oven to 300*.
Add 1 c. liquid of your choice.
Cover with foil and roast 4 hours.
Remove foil and roast another 2 hours.

Notes

This made just enough for me to use on a whole pork loin. Just remember, never be afraid of too much seasoning. Use your inner chef, but err on the side of too much. I got you.
You can also marinate the pork ahead of time in the spice mixture.

A Note on Cooking and Chaos

You might have noticed I mentioned it was a rough week. I don’t say that lightly. In the midst of life’s chaos, the simple, predictable act of measuring spices, the focused attention of preparing a roast, and the nurturing aspect of creating a meal for my family became a small anchor.

There’s science behind it—the attention required for cooking can act as a form of mindfulness, pulling you out of anxious thoughts and into the present moment. The scent of toasting allspice and thyme filling the kitchen is a kind of aromatherapy. And the final moment of sitting down to a meal you built from scratch, no matter how simple, provides a tangible sense of accomplishment on days you feel you’ve achieved nothing else.

So, if you’re also having one of those weeks, I invite you to let this recipe be more than dinner. Let the process be your therapy. Let the flavors be your comfort. This is what “A Kitchen of Herbs” is truly about—using the gifts of the earth to nourish both body and soul.

Flavors in This Recipe

A closer look at the key flavors from my Herbs and Spices collection that created the iconic jerk taste!

Cumin: Earthy Heart of Great Flavor

Allspice: The Warmth of the Caribbean

Cloves: The Pungent Jewel of Spices

Thyme: Pungent and Earthy

Cinnamon: The Warm Heart of the Spice Rack

Nutmeg: The Warm, Sweet Soul of Baking

Fancy Breakfast Sandwiches

Posted on August 10, 2022September 14, 2025 by M.

Cook in iron skillet over medium high heat:

4 Strips Bacon (cut smaller as shown, if you like)

4 Sausage Patties

(Alternately, batch bake up a sheet or two here.)

This is where it gets fancy. Watch out!

You can use any sort of egg ring, metal cookie cutter or something round, about the same size as whatever bread you are using and heat resistant.

Oh yeah, choose your bread.

In pan, heat on medium:

1 T. Bacon Grease / Butter / Olive Oil

Swirl the ring in the pan to make sure the insides and bottom surfaces are greased lightly.

Break into ring:

1 Egg

This is the part where I realized that unless you have 4 or more of these rings, this is really a recipe for a single sandwich. So, here’s another option for ya if you have more than 1 person to feed.

Fit as many eggs as you can in the pan.

Break the yolks to ensure even cooking and to speed up the process.

You can also just scramble the eggs before hand because you are going to cut them into pieces in a minute.

Cover pan and cook on medium low.

Steam is your friend. It speeds up the cooking and gives a much better texture. Also even if your pan was too hot for some reason, the steam will help cook everything before things get crispy.

As soon as eggs in rings can hold their shape, remove the ring.

If not using rings, use a spatula to cut eggs into portion sizes.

Melt in pan:

1 T. Butter

Place bread, english muffins or biscuits face down in butter to toast.

Flip.

If desired, melt on egg:

1 Slice Cheese

Add meat of choice.

Or don’t. It’s a free country.

So far, at least. Kind of.

Voila!

I know, they sounded fancier than they look.

They TASTE fancy, though. Or at least better than drive-thru version.

At the very least, you can pretend you had fast food without wondering what is in your sandwich.

Bakin’ Bacon: Perfect Mess-Free Bacon

Posted on August 8, 2022October 18, 2025 by M.

There are few kitchen smells better than bacon frying in the morning. But if you’re still cooking it in a splattering skillet, you’re working too hard and missing out. This oven method is not just a way to cook bacon; it’s a technique that delivers perfect mess-free bacon strips every single time and rewards you with a jar of pure liquid gold—strained bacon fat—to use in other recipes.

If you’re anything like me, you tired long ago of standing at the stove, cooking off bacon in the skillet…especially if, like me, you had 3 ravenous brothers.

Luckily for all of us, there is a better way, which I learned from making breakfast for 200 hungry people in a commercial facility.

I bet you can’t guess the solution.

fresh perfect mess-free bacon strips curled on top of paper towels to drain

Why This Oven Method Wins

Perfectly Cooked, Every Time: No more curled, unevenly cooked strips. The oven’s consistent heat renders the fat slowly and evenly.
Hands-Off & Easy Cleanup: No standing over a sputtering pan. Just slide the tray in the oven. Lining the pan with foil makes cleanup a breeze.
Safety First: No more getting popped with hot grease.
A Two-for-One Reward: You get incredible bacon and a jar of precious bacon fat to elevate your cooking for weeks.

What You’ll Need for Perfect Mess-Free Bacon

Thick-Cut Bacon: One pound is a good starting point. The thickness is key for a meaty, crispy result.
Rimmed Baking Sheet: Essential for containing the rendered fat.
Aluminum Foil or Parchment Paper: For the easiest cleanup of your life.
Wire Rack (Optional): Using one allows heat to circulate completely around the bacon for extra crispiness.

green digital display of oven temperature

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Good old 350* works best for me. Feel free to try different temperatures and see what happens! My oven operates best if I stick to the basics most of the time.

preparing sheet pan with parchment paper

Step 2: Prepare the Pan

My usual method is to simply line the pan with parchment or foil. If you happen to have an uncoated cooling rack, I recommend using it instead. Not only does the bacon cook more quickly (air circulation!) it saves having to drain the bacon at the end.

raw thick-cut bacon strips layed out on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Step 3: Arrange the Bacon

One thing that you don’t have to worry about is over crowding the bacon. Because of the high fat content, you can even overlap the pieces 1/8 – 1/4″ and they will just naturally separate during cooking. I like to lay mine nice and cozy but not crowding anyone.

raw bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet placed on the middle rack of a preheated oven.

Step 4: Bake to Perfection

I would say the one drawback is the time it takes for the bacon to cook in the oven, but truthfully it often takes just as long on the stove top, especially if you’re having to batch it…plus you are standing there…and its taking up valuable burner space.

Pop your pan of bacon on the middle rack. Now you can forget it for half an hour (or more).

But seriously, how long do I bake it for?!

I have found that 30-40 minutes gives a nice chewy result while 40-50 minutes is best for crispy perfection.

freshly cooked perfect mess-free bacon strips on a parchment lined pan

Step 5: Drain & Strain

If you happen to have used a metal (uncoated) baking rack, then you may not have to do any draining. Otherwise, it is important to remove the bacon to paper-towels on a plate or even to a cooling rack with another pan underneath. As soon as the bacon grease begins to cool, it solidifies, so we don’t want our bacon swimming around in that as it cools down!

Sometimes if I’m in a rush, I will simply carefully tilt the sheet pan enough that the bacon grease drains out of one corner of the pan into a small glass bowl. This way if I don’t have anywhere else to cool the bacon, the majority of the grease has been removed from the pan.

Tips for Perfect Bacon

Storage: Let the bacon fat cool completely before sealing the jar. It can be stored in the refrigerator for months. Use it for frying eggs, roasting potatoes, or making gravy.
Watch Closely: Bacon can go from perfectly crispy to burnt very quickly in the last few minutes.
For Chewier Bacon: Bake for a shorter time (20-30 minutes).
For Extra Crispy Bacon: Bake a little longer, up to 40 minutes for thick-cut.

How to Use Your Liquid Gold

This is where the real magic happens. That jar of strained bacon fat is a flavor bomb waiting to be used.

Cooking Fat: Use it to fry your morning eggs for an incredible flavor boost.
Roasting: Toss root vegetables like potatoes or Brussels sprouts in melted bacon fat before roasting. (This is the secret behind my famous Crispy Baked Potatoes!)
Flavoring: Add a spoonful to soups, stews, or gravy for a deep, savory, smoky undertone.

Companion Recipes

The best part of this is that now you are not being attacked by sizzling bacon and there is now enough room on the stove top to start on other key components for breakfast. Check out some of my favorite pairings below!

The Secret to Crispy Baked Potatoes: Roasting with Bacon Fat

Fancy Breakfast Sandwiches

Simple Tips for Making Delicious Cheesy Grits

Oven Baked Barbecue Pork Ribs

Posted on August 2, 2022September 20, 2025 by M.

Believe it or not, all you need to make delicious, fall-off-the-bone-tender ribs at home is an oven and a few spices. These oven baked barbecue pork ribs are so delicious!

Lately the best sales have been BOGO deals and cash back on all things Pork Ribs, so naturally that is what we are making today. It’s best to try to get the rub on and let them marinate for a day or so, but it will be ok if you don’t have time.

If you don’t happen to have any ready made BBQ sauce, here’s a recipe for Tomato Barbecue Sauce.

Most people here make Potato Salad* and Baked Beans*…maybe some Corn on the Cob* to go with these. You can also just cook up a pot of Jasmine Rice or throw some potatoes in the oven with the ribs to bake alongside..

As always, * = will eventually post this recipe.