Roast Chicken

I always hesitate to roast a chicken and Steven always hesitates before a meek "sounds good".  But I have no idea why - its cheap, easy, and the oven version of a one pot meal. Although I have never made a bad one, I haven't made a great on either. Until now.

And yes, its a little 'icky' dealing with a whole raw chicken but getting a big batch of homemade chicken broth is worth it.

Roast Chicken
Adapted from Dinner: A Love Story

• 6 red potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks
• 3 carrots, cut into bite sized chunks
• 1 whole roasting chicken, 4 pounds, giblets removed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• salt and fresh pepper
• 1 lemon, pricked with a knife
• 1 small bunch of fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 425F. Spray a 9 by 13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.  Arrange the potatoes and carrots in the dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry. Brush the chicken with butter then sprinkles with lots of salt and pepper.  Stuff the chicken with thyme and the lemon. 

Take the vegetables out of the oven and place the chicken breast side up on top of the vegetables.  Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes until a temperature of 165F is reached.

The Big Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

This is no measly cookie. Its a cookie to keep you full.  Two with a glass of milk could be a meal replacement if they had any nutritional value.

The Big Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie
Adapted from Alton Brown

• 8 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• 2 ounces sugar
• 8 ounces brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 12 ounces bread flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips - the good stuff

Pour butter and sugars until a stand mixer bowl and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract.  Turn the mixer to "stir" and slowly pour in the egg mixture. Mix until combined, 30 seconds.

Meanwhile in a medium bowl, sift together the bread flour, salt, and baking soda.  With the mixer on slow slowly add the dry ingredient mixture.  Stop and scrape down the bowl as needed.

Once everything is combined, drop the speed to stir and add in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 375F. Scoop tablespoon sized dough portion onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake in the middle of the oven for 13 minutes, rotating the pan halfway. Remove from oven and slide parchment paper onto a cooling rack.

Sour Cream and Onion Popcorn

Vacuuming my house is the most pointless chore - it is just as dirty 2 hours later. Between the fur tumble weeds from three animals, crumbs from Henry's constant grazing, and Steven stomping in every leaf from outside I can't compete.  So I quit trying and made this popcorn which we ate in front of the TV and covered the whole floor, table, and couches with white powder and popcorn kernels. And then I vacuumed...I'm not an animal you know.

Sour Cream and Onion Popcorn
Adapted from Shutterbean

• 3 tablespoons chopped dill
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons powdered milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• popcorn from 1/3 cup kernels
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix all the ingredients aside from the popcorn and olive oil in a small bowl.  Drizzle the olive oil on the popcorn, toss, then sprinkle on the dry ingredient mixture.  Eat fresh.

Kale with Avocado and Pickled Onions

What to say about kale, except Steven owes me. Steven loves kale as much as any leafy green and with a little pickled red onions, I can be tempted as well.  

Kale with Avocado and Pickled Onions
Adapted from Dinner: A Love Story

• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 medium red onion
• kale, with stems removed, chopped, and washed
• olive oil, salt, and pepper
• 1 avocado

For the onions, bring the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and onion to a simmer in a small sauce pan. Cook for 15 minutes then remove with tongs to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, cook the kale in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove with tongs to an ice bath and then to the large bowl with the onions.

Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Cut avocado into chunks and give it a light toss into the kale.  Taste and add a little more salt then serve.

Shrimp Avocado Ceviche

This has to be the perfect summer recipe- it was a lot more filling than we both thought and we ate too much. It might have had something to do with the freshly fried tortilla chips.  Those just can't be beat.  Make this ahead of time then chill out with an alcoholic beverage of your choice when you would usually be cooking. 

Shrimp Avocado Ceviche
Adapted from Dinner: A Love Story

• 1 pound shrimp, shelled and de veined
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper
• 1/3 small red onion
• 1 small container grape tomatoes
• 2 limes
• 1 avocado
• 1 bag corn tortillas
• vegetable oil for frying

Boil shrimp for 3 minutes, drain, cool, chop and add to a large bowl.  Finely shop 1/2 jalapeno pepper and red onion - add to bowl. Quarter grape tomatoes and add to bowl.  Squeeze the juice from two limes over the shrimp and toss.  Add a little olive, salt, pepper, and let chill in the fridge for up to a day.

When you are ready eat chop the avocado and toss into the mixture.

Quarter the tortillas and heat an 1/2 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Once the oil is hot fry the tortillas in batches until crispy.  Remove to a paper towel and salt.  Serve the ceviche  with the hot chips.

Stuffed Pizza Bites

I am very into football season...food.  The games are nice for an excuse to get together with some background noise but no season as better snacks. Case in point: stuffed pizza bites

Stuffed Pizza Bites

• pizza dough - homemade or store bought
• desired pizza toppings and cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• pizza sauce - homemade or store bought

Preheat oven to 400F or whatever temperature is on the pizza dough package. 

Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface until its 12" by 8". Use a pizza cutter to slice into 24 even squares. Place cheese and toppings on each square - make sure not to use too many so the you can close the pizza dough.

Wrap the pizza dough around the toppings and pinch into a ball. Place seam side down in a pie pan sprayed with non-stick spray.

Brush the tops with olive oil then sprinkle garlic powder and Italian seasoning.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.  Serve warm with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

Note: if you pepperoni other large toppings, quarter them or chop them smaller so the dough will fit over the toppings.

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

So we were eating dinner in front of the TV...like, ya know, shitty parents, and we were bringing out all the snack food to the coffee table while Henry was munching away.  He runs into the kitchen and starts pulling our arms going "Let's eat together! Let's eat together!". Thank God good kids can come out of okay parents.

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

• cherry tomatoes
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• feta
• basil
• crostini

Place cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast at 400F for 30 minutes.  Move to a bowl and stir in feta crumbles and chopped basil. Serve on crostini.

Happy 200th post

It would have been smart to find the best 20 recipes in the 200 post blog but I just went through the whole thing and happen to get 18.  Plus this blog never claimed to be smart only delicious. So these are our favorite 18 recipes. They are ones we still talk about even if we only ate it once or we eat it several times a month and it just feels like home.

Banh Mi Sandwiches

Sausage, Red Beans, and Rice

Vegetable Beef Soup

Chicken Salad

Hamburger Tomato Pizza

Buttermilk Pancakes

Popcorn

Crostinis

Killer Garlic Bread

Gumbo

Ancho Chili Flank Steak and Sweet Potato Tacos

Bratwurst with pepper and onions

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

Peaches and Cream French Toast

Frito Pie

Chicken Mushroom Marsala

Pork Braised in Milk

Spiced Lemon Cake

This cake would have been beautiful if I wasn't sooo pregnant and sooo hungry.  I rushed it out of the oven, skipped the cooling process, dumped it out, and dug in.  Naturally it fell apart but still tasted amazing.  This is a thick cake and could easily be justified as a breakfast cake. That's a thing, right?

Spiced Lemon Cake
Adapted from shutterbean

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom <-very expensive but essential.
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.

Beat the butter, sugar, lemon zest, and cardamom with medium-high speed with a mixer until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating between the eggs. Beat in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Then reduce the speed to medium-low.  Add in about 1/3 flour mixture, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/3 flour mixture, 1/4 sour cream, then the final third of flour mixture. Once mixed pour batter into the cake pan.

Bake about 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Turn out on a wire rack and let cool completely.

While cooking whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and confectioners sugar in a bowl until smooth. Pour over cooled cake and serve.

Spinach Smoothie

Because man can not live on jalapeno dip alone.  If you want an equally delicious but ugly smoothie replace the mango with frozen berries.

Spinach Smoothie

• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup frozen mango
• lots and lots of spinach- a couple of handfuls
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds

Put all ingredients in the blender and give it a whirl until smooth. 

Jalapeno Popper Dip

My friends are going to an all inclusive beach resort two weeks before my due date.  I'm not jealous or anything. I'm just going to destroy their bikini ready bodies. mwahaha. It was real good- couldn't nab a picture fast enough.

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Adapted from Simply Gourmet

• 6-8 slices of bacon, cooked and diced crispy
• 16 ounces of cream cheese, soft
• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• 4-6 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup green onions

Topping:

• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well. I used a fork since my cream cheese wasn't so soft.

Transfer to a pie plate or oven proof dish.

Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle on the top.  Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve with Ritz crackers.

Chicken Parmesan

There is also something about pounding a chicken breast flat to make a chicken breast seem like a lot of food.  All the pasta didn't hurt either. Winner winner chicken dinner, indeed. I only cooked 2 chicken breast and it was more than enough for 3 people.  If you are halving the chicken, don't half the dredging materials, it makes it difficult to completely cover the chicken.

Chicken Parmesan
Adapted from Sheet pan dinners

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika (I would use a less next time)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded to 1/2 inch thick
• 1 jar marinara sauce
•  6 to 8 slices provolone cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400F and spray a sheet pan with non stick spray.

Get out 3 large shallow bowls. In the first whisk: salt, flour, pepper. The second: 2 eggs. The third: the panko, garlic powder, dried oregano, paprika, and salt.

Dredge the chicken cutlets into the flour first, then eggs, then panko - making sure to get the entire surface area of the chicken. Then onto the baking sheet.

Bake the chicken for 15 minutes until the panko has browned and cutlets are almost cooked through. Remove from oven, add 1/2 cup marinara sauce and a slice of provolone cheese. Return to the oven for 10 minutes. 

Serve hot on top of a giant plate of pasta.