Lemon Chicken

I'm sure you have been on the edge of your seat wondering how my first big meal for the in-laws went.  I shared in my last post that I had, after much stress and frantic texting with my sister-in-law, decided to make a salad and roasted fall vegetables, along with chicken.  I was trying to avoid chicken at all costs.  There is just something about raw chicken that, as a vegetarian, I just cannot handle.  You may have noticed that I have posted numerous meat recipes since Mark and I got married, but I very rarely attempt to do anything with chicken.  However, I realized that for this night, I wasn't going to be able to avoid it.  With all the dietary restrictions my in-laws were bringing to the table, lemon chicken was added to the menu.

Let me explain the choice.  First of all, it came from Annie's Eats, who I can always trust.  Second, it called for chicken thighs or drumsticks.  I liked that, because it meant no cutting - that's the worst part.  Third, I liked the idea of cooking chicken with the flavors of lemon and fresh herbs, so I braced myself and drove to the grocery store and bought a package of drumsticks and thighs and tried not to notice that it said "fresh young chicken."  TMI - I don't want to know their ages.

Okay let's talk chicken.  I decided - after conferring with meat-eating friends - to marinate the chicken the night before to make the next day easier.  It sits in a marinade of lemon zest and juice, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper - even a vegetarian can appreciate that mix of flavors.  Then on roasting day, I brushed the chicken with melted butter and roasted it in the oven, adding the marinade halfway through baking.  As far as a meat dish goes, this was pretty easy, so my fingers were crossed!

The final result?  My whole meal was a hit!  I was so happy to see my newest family at my dining room table, happily eating my salad, roasted veggies, lemon chicken, and bread that Andrea brought from Rose32.  It was a great dinner.  Mark's dad, who is a great cook, even asked for the recipe, which I knew was a big deal.  I will definitely be making this again for the carnivores I know and love.

I am very happy that I sucked it up and made chicken for a chicken-loving group of people.  I happily ate side dishes and lots of bread.  After all, what is more important these days than making the ones you love happy?  Merry Christmas, everyone.  This has been both the best and hardest year in many different ways, but I am glad you were a part of it.

Recipe:

lemon chicken
from Annie's Eats
serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 - 3 tablespoons melted butter
2 - 4 pound of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
thinly sliced lemons for garnish

Instructions:

1) Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large zipper-lock plastic bag.  Seal the bag and shake well to blend.  Place the chicken pieces in the bag with the marinade, pressing out excess air and sealing once more.  Refrigerate and let marinate for 2 hours.

2) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Remove the chicken pieces from the marinate and transfer to a baking dish, skin-up, reserving the leftover marinade.  Brush the top of each piece of chicken with melted butter.

3) Bake for 50 - 55 minutes, until the skins are crispy and well-browned.  Halfway through baking, pour the remaining marinade over the chicken pieces in the baking dish.  Once fully cooked, cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes before serving.  Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with lemon slices, and serve.

Roasted Fall Vegetables

I am sure that every new bride has the same nauseating anxiety the first time she has the in-laws over for dinner in her new home.  You have to make something everyone will like, that will be impressive but not flashy, and doable on a work night without having to spend the entire evening in the kitchen.  I like cooking challenges; I was prepared.  But here's the background: I once tried to have the Ajemians over this summer when I made roasted vegetable burritos, and the first thing they said when they walked in the door was, "is that broccoli and cauliflower I smell?  We hate that."  Oh dear.  So that added a little bit to my nerves this night, when I was having them plus Kaz and Andrea over.

Besides knowing my parents-in-law's distaste for broccoli and cauliflower, there was more to consider.  I, of course, am a vegetarian, but I was already pretty sure that I was going to have to suck it up and be brave because I wasn't about to serve them lentils.  Then there's Andrea, who is semi-vegetarian in that she doesn't eat red meat (which includes pork).  Then there's Kaz, who has celiac disease and can have no gluten.  And my mother-in-law is a meat-and-potatoes kind of girl; she is kind of like my mom in that she doesn't like things overly spiced or too flavorful.  Take all those dietary restrictions into consideration and tell me you aren't feeling pangs of sympathetic anxiety!

Hours of stressing and texting Andrea ensued, and I finally settled on my menu: chicken (more on that in the next post), salad, and these roasted vegetables.  I know you cannot go wrong with roasting vegetables - as long as they aren't broccoli and cauliflower - and these ones were no exception.  I am sure that most people don't feel the need to use a recipe to simply roast veggies, but I needed to make sure every detail was perfect that night!  And this is perfection: carrots, brussel sprouts, red new potatoes, and sweet potatoes roasted together with salt and pepper, and dried oregano, thyme and basil.  That's it.  It's so simple but so amazing.  I love how the vegetables get sweeter and more complex-tasting, and the herbs freshen them up.  The colors of this dish are gorgeous as well.  It's just so simple; they bake for just under an hour while you can work on the main dish.

I will make you wait until tomorrow to hear how the entire meal went, but I can tell you these vegetables were a hit :)  I have since made them one other time for my pre-Thanksgiving celebration with my family - more on that coming up too!  So many recipes to share... and luckily, so many days off in which to do so.  2 days till Christmas vacation!

Recipe:

roasted fall vegetables
from Love Grows Wild

Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch thick pieces
1 1/2 medium brussel sprouts, halved
4 cups red new potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces
1 cup sweet potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) Divide chopped vegetables onto 2 baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil.

3) Sprinkle vegetables with salt, pepper and dried herbs and toss gently to coat.

4) Spread vegetables into an even layer on baking sheets and bake for 45 - 50 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time.

Pizza Buns

I have made pecan rolls many, many times now.  They're glorious.  Sweet, sticky and delectable, these sweet buns have made their way into birthday parties, Thanksgiving, and random days.  But you know me: I am not a big fan of sweets, so imagine my excitement when I saw this recipe for savory buns!  Pizza buns!!!!  Pizza buns, people.

They are basically pizza rolled up into a beautiful little roll, and you can customize them however you want.  I added just cheese to mine, but put some chopped up pepperoni into Mark's.  Maybe next time I could add some vegetables too.  The options are endless.

I did make my own pizza dough and sauce, because, why not?  Then I rolled the dough out thin, added sauce and desired toppings, and rolled it back up.  I used my excellent secret cutting technique: a piece of string wrapped around the log of dough, bringing both ends together to squeeze out a perfectly round roll.  Then bake, and voila: pizza buns.  These were absolutely wonderful right out of the oven (and dunked in the leftover sauce!), but I popped them into Mark's and my lunch bags for the next week and they were great at room temperature as well.  These are definitely make-agains.  Are you looking for a cute appetizer a for Christmas party?  Add some fresh basil and you have a red and green snack that will be loved by kids and adults alike.

With that said, I have an ugly sweater party tonight and my cookie swap tomorrow.  Lots of recipes to come... not the best time to be hit with a bad cold!  Off to finish my snack and take some medicine to get me through :)

Recipe:

pizza buns
from Fresh Mama
makes 16 - 20 buns

Ingredients:
for dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup warm water
for sauce:
1 14-ounce can tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
toppings:
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pepperoni or sausage, chopped
olive oil spray

Instructions:

1) Place warm water, yeast, sugar, salt and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer with hook attachment.  Slowly add flour mixture and mix on low speed until well combined.  If too dry, add additional warm water one tablespoon at a time until dough forms one big ball.  Then increase the speed to medium and stir an additional 5 minutes until dough is well-formed and stretchy.

2) Place dough in large bowl and cover with damp kitchen towel.   Place in warm spot for 30 - 45 minutes until dough is doubled in size.

3) While dough is rising, heat tomato sauce in small saucepan, with garlic and Italian seasoning.  Simmer about 5 minutes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

4) Once dough has doubled in size, punch down the top, place on counter, and knead a few times until it forms a smooth ball.  Allow to rest an additional 10 minutes to make it nice and stretchy when you are ready to roll it out.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

5) Sprinkle a clean and dry countertop with flour, place your dough ball on the flour, and flatten it with your palms.  Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a rectangle approximately 12x16".

6) Spread 2/3 cup pizza sauce on the dough, all the way to the edges.  Sprinkle with cheese and pepperoni or sausage.

7) Start rolling lengthwise until a log is formed.  Spray a 9x13" baking pan with olive oil.  Use a sharp knife or length of string to slice the log into circles, slightly less than half an inch thick.  Place circles in baking pan, leaving a 1/2 inch gap between buns.  Place in oven and bake 25 - 30 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Banana Bread Overnight Oats

If you have been on Pinterest in the past two years, you have heard of overnight oats.  I have seen tons of pins about them, and even pinned quite a few of them myself.  But to be totally honest, I was a little skeptical.  Oats that don't get cooked?  Oatmeal that is eaten cold?  Gross.  Then again, millions of people were pinning the recipe.  It couldn't be all bad.  I finally got the guts to try out a few recipes last month.

Here's the basic idea of overnight oats: you mix up oats with the milk of your choice (I use vanilla almond milk) and usually some Greek yogurt too.  My favorite recipe also calls for chia seeds to thicken it up a bit.  Then unless you want flavorless oatmeal, you add some sort of flavoring.  I've tried bananas, blueberries, almond, and apples, among other flavors.  That's it: you're done.  Put the container in the fridge, and by morning, your overnight oats have turned into breakfast.

I like to consider it more of a breakfast pudding; especially with the chia seeds, it has more a pudding consistency than oatmeal; plus it makes it totally acceptable to be eating it cold.  I was grossed out at the thought of cold oatmeal, but it's really so good.  It's also fine at room temperature, which was good because I can throw a container of it in my lunchbox and eat it at work before lunch without needing to heat it up.  In fact, I've never actually heated it, but I am sure that's good too.

Let's talk about this recipe in particular.  It really does have all the food flavors of a banana bread: bananas, cinnamon, maple syrup, even a hint of nuts from the milk.  Sooooo delicious.  I have never even added the pecans in the morning (mostly because I forget), but I imagine they would be a very welcome addition.  Besides tasting great, it's quite filling, with all the protein you get from the yogurt, the chia seeds, the oats, the almond milk.... you get it.  And how easy is it!?  Mix everything together and put it in the fridge.  Basically the easiest breakfast you can imagine.

So, yes, I am a believer of overnight oats.  I've made it many times in the past few weeks, and after many recipe trials, I can honestly say that there is really only one that is good enough to share with you.  The flavor, texture, and consistency of the banana bread overnight oats were far superior to the other recipes I tried - but if you have a favorite overnight oats recipe, let me know, because this is my new thing!  In the meantime, try this one; you'll be a believer too, I know it!

Recipe:

banana bread overnight oats
from the Wheatless Kitchen

Ingredients:
1/3 cup whole oats (gluten-free if you so choose)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 banana, halved
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
pecans for topping

Instructions:

1) In a container, combine the oats, yogurt, milk, chia seeds, cinnamon, maple syrup, and half of the banana, mashed.  Stir to combine.

2) Let sit in the refrigerator overnight to thicken.

3) Top with pecans and the other half of the banana.  Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Apple Sausage Couscous

I'm really becoming a master at this cooking meat thing.  I've tried lots of different types of meat in an attempt to feed my husband more than just quinoa and lentils - although, gotta love him, he happily eats those too.  In fact, I think he is really a vegetarian in disguise.  There are some meats he will not eat, like anything that has been ground, or sausage.  Yeah, I found out about the sausage after I had already bought the ingredients for this chicken apple sausage couscous.  Oh well.

Forget about the sausage, since it was in there but neither Mark nor I ate it.  Let's talk about the other flavors.  This is no ordinary couscous.  Thyme, cumin, coriander, and curry powder (not to mention a hefty helping of pepper) spice it up beautifully, and then there are dried cranberries to give it a touch of tart sweetness.  Pine nuts give it a great crunch, and, for sausage-eating carnivores, there's some apple sausage in there for ya.

Mark and I agreed that the couscous itself was delicious, and invited over Kenzie, Nick and my mom to eat with us and help us out with the sausage.  How did they feel about it?  I'll let this picture speak for itself.

If you eat sausage, please make this.  It's tasty and quick and easy and healthy.  You won't be sorry.

Recipe:

chicken apple sausage couscous
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 yellow onion, sliced into half moons
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
12 ounces precooked sweet apple chicken sausages, or other type sausage/kielbasa, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dry whole wheat couscous

Instructions:

1) Start the couscous cooking according to the package directions.  You can cook it in water, but cooking it in chicken broth gives it a boost in flavor.

2) Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet, toast the pine nuts over medium-low to medium heat, tossing frequently, until they are golden.  Remove the pine nuts to a small bowl and return the skills tot medium heat.

3) Heat the olive oil until rippling and hot.  Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to turn translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add the chicken sausage and brown lightly, about 2 - 3 minutes.  Add 1/3 cup of the chicken broth to the skillet with the salt, pepper, thyme, cumin, coriander and curry powder.  Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer.  Cook until the onion is very tender and most of the liquid has evaporated and/or absorbed.  It should still be slightly wet but not soupy.

4) Add the cranberries and the remaining chicken broth (2/3 cup) to the skilled.  Simmer for 2 - 3 minutes until the cranberries are heated through and softened a bit.  Stir in the cooked couscous and let the entire mixture simmer for 2 - 3 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed but the couscous is not dry.  It should still have some tender moisture to it but not be saturated with broth.

5) Stir in the toasted pine nuts and serve immediately.

Honey-Lime Sweet Potato, Black Bean, and Corn Tacos

Can we talk about how much I wish it was summer?  I am literally having trouble feeling my fingers, and my heat is on. My laptop is so cold, it's hard to put it on my lap.  I'm covered in blankets and I am still desperate for July weather.  Argh.

So let's talk about something hot.  How about tacos?  How about tacos with sweet potato, black beans, and corn?!  How about those veggies are tossed with cumin, paprika, coriander, honey, lime and cilantro?  These are flavorful little tacos where I promise you won't miss the meat.

Also, let's discuss corn tortillas.  Remind me again why I don't use them more often?  They get so toasty and golden in the skillet and have much more flavor and texture than flour tortillas.  Plus, most of them are gluten-free.

I will admit to a really weird thing I did with the leftovers: I added the vegetables to scrambled eggs and made myself some breakfast burritos.  I know, honey-lime eggs don't sound good, but I swear they were better than you would think.  The honey-lime thing wasn't overwhelming.  I just loved this filling so much, I wanted to eat it at all meals.  Don't judge me.

Recipe:

honey-lime sweet potato, black bean, and corn tacos
from Cooking Classy

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled if desired and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 14.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
corn tortillas
toppings such as romain lettuce, purple cabbage, cotija or feta cheese, diced avocados, salsa, etc.

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil, then place sweet potatoes on foil.  Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss to evenly coat.  Sprinkle evenly with cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper, and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss evenly to coat.  Bake in preheated oven 15 - 20 minutes until tender, removing from oven and tossing once halfway through baking.

2) Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add onion and sauté until caramelized, or golden brown on edges and tender, about 5 - 6 minutes.  Add garlic during last 30 seconds of sautéing.

3) Reduce heat to medium-low, add in drained black beans, corn, honey, and lime juice.  Heat until warmed through.  Toss in roasted sweet potatoes and cilantro.  Serve over warm tortillas with desired toppings.

Homemade Hamburger Helper

I'm pretty much the only food blogger I know, but last year, Laura's friend started her own.  Fresh Mama is probably far more legit of a food blogger than I am; she makes up her own recipes and has a Facebook account for it and everything.  And of course, she has some pretty good recipes.  I tried a couple out recently, and here is the first one.

It's probably not surprising that I have never had Hamburger Helper.... first of all, because it has hamburger, but second of all because it comes in a box.  I am really not much of a box eater and I never have been, because my parents weren't.  Besides Ramen noodles and Spaghettios, we have always been real food eaters.  With that said, I know millions of people have loved Hamburger Helper for years.  This is one of Fresh Mama's recipes that Laura tried and she talked me into trying it for myself.

Here's how it works: you make a healthier, weird chemical-free version of the powdered mix.  It makes such a big batch, you will have enough for 5 batches of Hamburger Helper.  Then you mix it up with ground beef, elbow macaroni, and cheddar cheese.  Apparently, that's that!  I couldn't stand to serve my family a meal without any vegetables, so I added peas, corn, and a shredded carrot, but that's up to you.

I wrote directions on the bag to make it even easier!

I made this one night when Nick, Mom and Kenzie were over; Mark was out, so he didn't get to try it.  Nick loved it, as I knew he would; it just seemed like his perfect meal: cheesy, saucy meat and noodles!  Kenzie liked it a lot too.  The two of them were so happy with it, I ended up giving them the bag of seasoning mix so that they can make it next time.  My mom was also a fan, but she thought it was a bit too sweet (there are a tablespoon and 2 teaspoons of sugar in the seasoning mix).  Again, we aren't sure what the real Hamburger Helper is like, but we are guessing that it's a little sweet.  If you aren't a fan of the sweetness, feel free to reduce it or cut it out.

The bottom line is that this recipe can really streamline your dinner preparation.  Once you have the seasoning mix, you just brown the burger; add hot water, milk and seasoning; add the pasta, and cook (and any vegetables if you are so inclined!).  The cheese gets mixed in last.  And voila: dinner is ready.  Not so vegetarian-friendly, but definitely budget- and clock-friendly :)

Recipe:

homemade Hamburger Helper
from Fresh Mama

Ingredients:
for seasoning mix: *will make enough for 5 batches
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
for meal:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup hot water
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups elbow or small shell macaroni
3 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoons seasoning
1 cup shredded cheese

Instructions:

1) First, make a bulk batch of seasoning.  Mix all seasoning ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar and mix thoroughly.  This makes 5 servings of seasoning.

2) Brown ground beef in large skillet.

3) Add hot water, milk, and seasoning.

4) Add macaroni.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low 10 - 12 minutes until pasta is tender.

5) Once pasta is cooked through, add cheddar cheese and stir well.