Chicken Marsala Meatballs

I love making meatballs at home since they are super easy to make and they aren't very time consuming. I was watching Giada on the food network a few months ago and saw an episode where she was making Chicken Marsala Meatballs. I saved the recipe and I finally got around to making these gems. Dr. Sweetpea LOVES Chicken Marsala, so I knew these would be something that he would enjoy. I'm super bummed that I waited sooooooooo long to make these! The Chicken Marsala Meatballs were FABULOUS! They were super tender and the sauce was perfect! I did add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to thicken it up a bit though. I served the meatballs on top of homemade risotto to make it a meal.

Chicken Marsala Meatballs

(Source: Giada De Laurentiis)

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons milk, room temperature

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Marsala wine

1 pound ground white meat chicken

1/4 cup grated pecorino, plus extra for serving

1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 large shallot, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons flour

1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat the broiler to high.

In a large bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, milk and 1 tablespoon Marsala. Leave to soak for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, pecorino, egg, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. With your hands, gently mix together the ingredients until just combined. Form the mixture into tablespoon-size balls and place on an oiled baking sheet. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the meatballs are beginning to brown and are just barely cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a straight-sided skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mushrooms are brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for another 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the flour and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the 1/3 cup Marsala and stir until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for an additional 5 minutes to let the flavors blend. Serve hot, garnished with grated pecorino.

***Edit: 4/12/2015 - I have made this for Dr. Sweetpea several times now over the last few months. I have made a few changes to this recipe, and I think my adjustments creates a more pronounced Marsala flavor. I use 2 large shallots instead of 1. I also double the Marsala wine, so instead of 1/3 cup of Marsala wine, I use 2/3 cups of wine. I reduce the amount of chicken broth to 1 cup. To thicken the sauce, I mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water, create a slurry and mix it in after the chicken meatballs have cooked in the sauce for a few minutes.***

***Edit: 6/13/2015 - I made some more changes to the original recipe and Dr. Sweetpea said this version is the best that he has tasted so far. I doubled the panko in the meatball, so I used 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs. I used 2 large shallots instead of 1. To make the sauce more flavorful, I increased the Marsala wine to 1 cup and reduced chicken broth to 1 cup. I simmered the sauce longer so the wine could cook off before adding the chicken meatballs. To thicken the sauce, I mixed 3 tablespoons of wine with 1 tablespoon of corn starch to create a slurry. Then poured that mixture into the skillet to thicken the Marsala sauce.

Almost Hands-Free Risotto

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

5 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
Salt and Pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 ounces Parmesan Cheese, grated (1 cup)
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Bring broth and water to a boil in large saucepan over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low to maintain bare simmer. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened, 4 - 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in rice and cook, stirring often, until grain edges begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in 5 cups hot broth mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and rice is just al-dente, 18 - 19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking. Add 3/4 cup hot broth mixture and stir gently and constantly until risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in parmesan. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, stir in remaining broth mixture as needed to loosen texture of risotto.

Spiced Upside-Down Apple Bundt Cake

So it's officially Fall!! Which means it's time to do a ton of baking using apples and pumpkin. Who doesn't love the smell of apple pie or pumpkin bread baking in the oven?! Anyhow, I wanted to do something different last weekend. One of my coworkers shared her Food and Wine cookbook with me and showed me the Spiced Upside-Down Apple Bundt Cake recipe. I'm so glad I made a copy of this recipe and made it over the weekend because it's SOOOOOOOOOOOO good! I'm pretty sure the streusal topping added a unique touch to this bundt cake. This is definitely one of my favorite apple cakes that I've tried over the last couple of years. Definitely try making this at home if you want bake something with apples this year.

Spiced Upside-Down Apple Bundt Cake

(Source: Food and Wine)

STREUSEL TOPPING

1/4 cup pecan halves

2 tablespoons rolled oats

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

CAKE

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

4 Granny Smith apples (2 pounds)—peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup Calvados

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

3 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 325°. On a parchment paper—lined baking sheet, toast the pecans for about 12 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool. In a medium skillet, cook the oats over moderate heat, tossing frequently, until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Let cool.

In a food processor, pulse the flour with the toasted pecans until the nuts are finely ground. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the oats, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, black pepper and cinnamon. Using a fork, stir in the butter until large clumps form. Spread the streusel on the parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool. 

Increase the oven temperature to 350°. Generously butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan. In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the sugar with the cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice. Add the apples and toss until the apples are thoroughly coated.

In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the spiced apples and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until they're almost tender, about 6 minutes. Scrape the apples onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until they are cool, about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt. In a measuring cup, mix the buttermilk with the Calvados and vanilla. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the remaining 2 sticks of butter and 2 cups of sugar with the orange zest at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. At low speed, in 3 alternating additions, beat in the dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture; scrape down the side of the bowl as necessary.

Spoon the cooled apples into the bottom of the Bundt pan, spreading them out. Scrape the cake batter over the apples and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake the cake in the center of the oven for about 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes.

Set a cooling rack on a baking sheet. Invert the cake onto the rack and scrape any apples stuck to the pan back onto the cake. While the apples are hot, pack the streusel topping over the top of the cake. Let stand until cool, about 1 hour. Slice the cake with a serrated knife and serve.

Moussaka

I'm waaaaay behind on posting recipes on my blog! I have been cooking and taking pictures but I always seem to fall behind with posting recipes. That said, I made a wonderful Greek dish a few weeks ago and I'm finally getting around to posting it. It's a layered casserole style meal with potatoes, ground beef, eggplant, and topped off with bechamel sauce. It's definitely very time consuming to make, but well worth the time because it's delicious. Dr. Sweetpea devoured all of it within days! P.S. I know it looks ugly in the picture but I promise this Moussaka is absolutely delicious :o)

Moussaka

(Source: Brown Eyed Baker)

2 1/4 pounds eggplant, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds

1/2 cup olive oil

1 yellow onion, grated

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 pounds lean ground beef

16 ounces tomato puree

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

Salt and pepper

1 egg white, lightly beaten

5 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

5 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 1/4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds

For the White Sauce:

3 cups whole milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Salt and white pepper, to taste

5 tablespoons heavy cream

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1. Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and let drain in a colander for 1 hour. Rinse, squeeze out any excess water and pat dry.

2. Heat ¼ cup of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant and cook, turning occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned on both sides (if you don't have a pan big enough, do this in two batches). Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula and drain on paper towels.

3. Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened. Increase the heat to medium, add the ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a spoon, for about 10 minutes, or until browned. Add the tomato puree, allspice, and sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool, then fold in the egg white and parsley.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the white sauce. Place the milk in a small saucepan and bring to barely a boil, then remove from the heat. Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, then stir in the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. Return the sauce to medium heat and simmer, whisking constantly, for 10 to 15 minutes, until thickened and smooth. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the nutmeg, salt and pepper.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 10x15-inch lasagna pan with butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs. Cover the base of the dish with the potato slices, overlapping them slightly. Spread half of the meat mixture on top and sprinkle with half of the Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of the remaining bread crumbs. Cover with the eggplant slices, overlapping them slightly. Spread the remaining meat mixture on top, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese and the remaining breadcrumbs. (At this point, the dish may be covered and frozen. Thaw before baking.)

6. Whisk the cream and egg yolks into the white sauce and spread it evenly over the surface of the dish. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before 

Chicken Teriyaki

My mom makes the best Chicken Teriyaki ever! I'm talking big, juicy, tender pieces of Chicken covered in a delicious teriyaki sauce. I've been craving it when I moved to Minneapolis, and I finally got her secret recipe!

Chicken Teriyaki 

(Source: My Mom) 

1 pound package of chicken thighs, cut into strips

2 - 3 teaspoons soy sauce

1 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch 

1 - 2 teaspoons garlic powder

Black Pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 orange bell pepper

Green onion

Teriyaki Sauce

Combine chicken thigh strips, soy sauce, cornstarch, and garlic powder together in a large bowl. Once the chicken strips are completely covered with the mixture, let it rest in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. A few minutes prior to making the chicken teriyaki, slice the bell peppers into long strips and cut the green onion into 2 inch pieces. Pour a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet and let the oil heat up a few minutes. Add the chicken thigh pieces and cook until browned on all sides. Add the bell peppers and green onion and let it cook for 3 -5 minutes. Pour in your favorite teriyaki sauce and serve! 

Easiest Ever Chicken Pot Pie

I've been on a comfort food kick since it has been cold the last couple of days. So when I saw Chicken Pot Pie at Costco a few days ago, I couldn't get it out of my head and wanted to try making it at home. That said, a lot of the pot pie recipes I found online listed condensed cream of chicken soup (yuck) as an ingredient, so I was immediately turned off. Then I looked through my America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Meals Cookbook and saw the "Easiest Chicken Pot Pie" recipe. I thought it was suuuuuuper weird that Boursin Cheese was one of the ingredients but decided to girl it a whirl since it didn't list condensed soup. Honestly, this is the BEST Chicken Pot Pie I've ever had!!!! It's super quick to make and the Boursin Cheese makes it suuuuper creamy. I couldn't stop eating this by the spoonfuls and Dr. Sweetpea said this is the best Chicken Pot Pie ever! This is definitely something we will make again this fall :o)

Easiest Ever Chicken Pot Pie

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1 (5.2 ounce) package Boursin Cheese, crumbled

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots, thawed

Garlic powder (my addition)

Onion flakes (my addition)

Refrigerated Pillsbury Pie Crust

 Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Microwave mushrooms on plate lined with 2 layers of coffee filters until softened, about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, combine shredded chicken, Boursin, broth, cream, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until cheese is melted and mixture is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in microwaved mushrooms and peas and carrots. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I also added some garlic powder and onion flakes for more flavor.) Carefully unroll one of the pie crusts and lay it on the pie plate. Pour chicken mixture over the pie crust. Carefully lay the second pie crust over the top. Tuck overhanging dough underneath itself to be flush with rim of pie plate. Cut three 1 inch steam vents into top of dough. Bake until filling is bubbling and crust is browned, about 25 minutes, rotating pie halfway through baking. Let cool slightly and serve. 

All American Beef Chili

It's definitely feeling like Fall here in Minneapolis. The sun rises later and sets earlier and the weather reporters are saying it won't even hit 60 degrees later this week. Whenever the temperature dips into the chilly range, I'm all about comfort food. I have been craving a delicious bowl of hot chili ever since it became September and decided to try the one in my America's Test Kitchen Cookbook. Their recipes are absolutely fool proof and I have never been disappointed with my meals. The plus side? It's sooooooooooooooo simple to make too! I devoured a big bowl in no time flat and Dr. Sweetpea had two big servings!!! Definitely try this recipe at home if you want a delicious and simple chili :o)

All American Beef Chili

(Source: America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 yellow onions, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt, divided

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds ground beef (85-90% lean)

2 (15-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree (I used tomato sauce)

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it is shimmering. Add the onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the beef and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans, diced tomatoes (with their juice), tomato puree and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat so it maintains a slow simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to simmer for an additional 45 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste before serving. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, if desired. Leftover chili can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The chili can also be frozen for up to 1 month.

Limoncello Tiramisu

It's starting to get cold in Minneapolis, so for my last summer treat, I decided to make my infamous Limoncello Tiramisu. It's very similar to a traditional Tiramisu recipe except that the lady fingers are dipped in a Limoncello mixture. This is seriously the best dessert to eat while sitting on your balcony while enjoying the last days of summer.

Limoncello Tiramisu

(Source: Culinary SOS)

3 large eggs (separated)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 cups whipping cream

1 pound mascarpone cheese

1 cup limoncello

2 cups milk

About 5 dozen ladyfinger cookies

2 to 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

About 1 cup shaved white chocolate

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the egg yolks, powdered sugar and lemon zest until light and pale, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the whipping cream and mascarpone and continue to beat (if using a stand mixer, switch to the paddle attachment) until fluffy. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl if using a stand mixer. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the mascarpone base. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the limoncello and milk. Quickly soak the ladyfingers in the limoncello mixture and use them to line the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Gently spoon over about half of the whipped mascarpone mixture, smoothing it over the soaked ladyfingers. Add another layer of soaked ladyfingers, then cover with the remaining whipped mascarpone mixture. Refrigerate just until chilled, about 2 hours. Serve within a few hours of assembly. Before serving, sprinkle over the cocoa powder and top with shaved white chocolate.

Four Cheese Pizza

My parents went on a Hawaiian cruise earlier this year and they kept talking about the 4 cheese pizza they ate on the ship. It's a little different than the pizza that we're all used with pizza sauce but it's SOOOOOO good! It's also super easy to make, especially when you use Naan as the pizza crust.

Garlicky Four Cheese Naan Pizza

(Source: My parents)

1 store bought Naan

Garlic infused olive oil

Crumbled Gargonzola Cheese

Shredded Provolone Cheese

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Shredded Mozzerella Cheese

Drizzle garlic infused olive oil on Naan and spread around using a pastry brush. Then sprinkle the four different cheese over the Naan and bake at 350 until the cheese is melted and golden on top. 

Baklava Cookie Bars

So I absolutely LOVE Baklava! The crunchy, sweet, nutty, sticky little gems are addicting yet expensive when you buy them in grocery stores. I tried making them at home and failed miserably because it's really time consuming to make and fillo dough is incredibly finicky. I was about to throw in the towel until I came across these Baklava Cookie Bar recipe on Betty Crocker. It's seriously the best of both worlds because it's part cookie and part Baklava. The best part? The Baklava portion of the cookie tastes exactly like the real deal but with the fraction of the work!

Baklava Cookie Bars

(Source: Betty Crocker)

Cookie Base

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 egg

Filling

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 frozen mini fillo shells (I used all the mini fillo shells from a 1.9 oz package)

Glaze

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

Garnish

5 tablespoons honey

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir walnuts, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and the salt with fork until mixture is well mixed and crumbly. Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over partially baked base. With hands, crumble frozen fillo shells evenly over nut mixture. Bake 18 to 20 minutes longer or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave 1/3 cup honey, 2 tablespoons butter, the brown sugar, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon uncovered on High 1 minute or until bubbly. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle honey mixture evenly over fillo. Cool completely, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Before serving, drizzle 1/2 teaspoon honey over each bar. Store covered at room temperature.

Spicy Maple Chicken Drummies

Want an easy and quick dinner to make during the week? This drumstick recipe is absolutely amazing! So simple to make and so flavorful. The only change that I made was doubling the sauce so Dr. Sweetpea and I could drizzle some over our chicken before devouring the drumsticks.

Spicy Maple Chicken Drummies

(Source: Pillsbury)

1/2 cup real maple syrup or honey

1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce

4 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne), if desired

2 pounds chicken drummettes (about 20) ---we used drumsticks

Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix all ingredients except chicken. In ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan, place chicken. Pour syrup mixture over chicken; turn chicken to coat. Bake uncovered 45 to 55 minutes, turning once and brushing with syrup mixture after 30 minutes, until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut to bone (180°F). Serve chicken with syrup mixture.

Creamy Salty and Sweet Spirals

A couple years ago, I decided to make my mom's creamy spirals and take it to work for a potluck. I had all the ingredients on hand except the chopped red peppers, so I substituted dried cranberries for the red peppers and it made this spirals even better. I now exclusively use dried cranberries since they add a tangy/sweet flavor and balances out the saltyness from the ranch. 

Creamy Salty and Sweet Spirals

2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened

1 package of ranch dip mix

Chopped green onions

1 package of dried cranberries

Chopped black olives

Flour tortillas

Mix cream cheese and ranch dip mix. Spread a thin layer of mixture on tortillas. Sprinkle green onions, dried cranberries, and black olives over the cream cheese. Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap overnight. Slices rolls into 1/2 inch pieces before serving. 

 

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Looking for a quick and simple way to use your red potatoes??? Garlic Roasted Potatoes are it! Plus, if you're a huuuge fan of garlic like us, than this is going to be a double hit since the garlic makes this side dish super flavorful. 

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

(Source: Ina Garden)

3 pounds small red or white potatoes

1/4 cup good olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning. Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

Holy Yum Chicken

I'm always browsing Pinterest for good recipes to make for dinner. I found this recipe a few months ago and many people have said this is one of the best chicken recipes out there. I finally bought maple syrup and made this for dinner tonight. Not only is this chicken seriously delicious but it's also soooooooo simple to make! Definitely going on our regular monthly rotation for an easy weeknight dinner.

Holy Yum Chicken

(Source: Table for Two)

1 1/2 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. fresh rosemary for garnish (I used parsely)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 8x8" oven-proof pan with 2 layers of tin foil. In small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Place the chicken thighs in the foil layered pan then pour the mixture on top of it. Turn the chicken around in the sauce to make sure it gets all coated. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let chicken sit for 5 minutes then transfer to a plate. Do NOT discard the liquid. Immediately after plating chicken, whisk in the 1 tbsp. of cornstarch into the liquid in the pan. You'll create a nice, thick sauce to drizzle over your chicken. You need to do cornstarch mixing immediately because the liquid needs to be hot in order for it to thicken properly. If it's still not thickening after 1 tbsp., you can add a little more. Sprinkle rosemary on top before serving.

Serve with rice or potatoes or vegetables.

Chicken Flautas with Avocado Cream Sauce

I absolutely LOVE Mexican food! Love love love loooove it! Needless to say when Dr. Sweetpea and I were in Cozumel earlier this year, I pigged out and ate a ton of it. When we came back to Minneapolis, I was Mexican Fooded out and didn't want any for a while and now my cravings are back. I was looking for some Flauta recipes online when I came across a recipe by Sunny Anderson. I saw it had a ton of amazing reviews and decided to try making them at home, especially since it's so simple to make! Plus, who doesn't love cutting down the cooking process by using store bought Rotisserie Chicken? Anyhow, these flautas are quick to throw together and packed with a ton of flavor. Dr. Sweetpea devoured 4 flautas in one sitting and told me to never lose this recipe!

Chicken Flautas with Avocado Cream 

(Source: Sunny Anderson)

Vegetable or canola oil, for frying

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 small red onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat finely shredded

1 cup salsa

1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves

1 cup shredded Cheddar/Monterey jack blend

1 lime, juiced

Salt

16 (5 to 6-inch) flour tortillas

2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, for serving

For the Avocado Cream:

1 very ripe avocado, halved, pitted and flesh removed

1 (4-ounce) container sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt

Fill a large pot with enough oil to reach 2 inches up the side of the pan. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reads 375 degrees F. To make the flautas: In a pan over medium heat melt butter and saute onions and jalapenos until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Add chicken and salsa; stir to combine. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, cheese and lime juice. Let cool slightly. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.Working with 4 tortillas at a time, spread a heaping spoonful along the middle of each tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly around the filling and secure with a toothpick. Using tongs, hold each flauta in hot oil until firm, then release to continue cooking. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt. Keep flautas warm in the oven on a sheet tray while assembling and cooking the remaining tortillas.

To make the Avocado Cream: In a serving bowl, mash avocado, sour cream and lime juice until smooth. Season with salt, to taste. To serve, arrange flautas on a platter of shredded lettuce and serve with Avocado Cream on the side.

If you can bake these instead of frying them by:

Place 3 Tablespoons of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Goulash

Several years ago, I watched Paula Deen make her famous goulash on the Food Network. It's always been on my "make one day" list but definitely not something I was in a rush to whip up. I wanted something super quick and easy to make over the weekend, and since I had all the ingredients available, I gave her goulash a try. I definitely wish I tried this much earlier because it's really delicious for something so quick! It definitely makes A LOT of food, so be prepared to have a ton of leftovers. If you're looking for something quick to make, this is definitely it! 

Bobby's Goulash

(Source: Paula Deen)

1 tablespoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3   bay leaves

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

2   (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

2   (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce

3 cup water

3   cloves garlic, chopped

2   large onion, chopped

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 tablespoon Paula Deen Seasoned Salt

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

In a Dutch oven, saute the ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Break up the meat while sauteing. Spoon off any grease. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water, along with the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, House Seasoning, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes more before serving. Serve with garlic bread and a salad.