Lemon Herb Chicken

Chicken is one of the most versatile proteins to add to a meal. It can be prepared in so many delicious ways that it's hard sometimes to decide where to start. I was searching Pinterest a few weeks ago for some new chicken recipes when I stumbled onto: Grilled Chicken Breasts with Lemon and Herbs. I made it for the first time the very day that I found it... and it was goooooooood! Very juicy and tender and light. Pairs great with my Sautéed Spinach and Herb Roasted Potatoes. This will be a great addition to your recipe collection. It's simple and easy and so very tasty... so check it out!

2-4 Foster Farms Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsps finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 Tbsps lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Prepare the chicken by cutting off excess fat or gristle and rinsing. Pound each piece with the flat side of a mallet between a folded piece of plastic wrap to avoid splattering.

Prepare spices, salt, pepper and garlic.

Put chicken in a freezer bag of appropriate size for how many chicken breasts you have. Pour the spices mixture over the chicken. Squeeze in the lemon juice and then add the oil. Massage the marinade onto the chicken to ensure it is evenly coated. Put in the refrigerator to rest.

The marinade should stay on as long as possible. I've done as little as 2 hours and as much as 3-4 days (with slightly frozen chicken to start with). At least overnight would be ideal. The longer you can let it set, the better it will be. Pull the chicken out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before ready to cook. Heat the skillet. You can add a spoonful of marinade to know when the skillet is hot enough. Add chicken to the skillet and cook on both sides until browned and cooked through.

Pair this chicken with your favorite sides and enjoy!

Rosemary Garlic Butter Steak

While I really love a tender juicy well seasoned steak, it's just not something I eat often. When I saw this recipe on Pinterest for Rosemary Garlic Butter Steak, I knew it was worth a shot. I like rosemary; I like garlic; and I like butter. How can it get any better? And the gamble paid off! This steak is very tasty and most definitely worth a shot!

4 rump steaks (or one or two larger cuts) (1 to 1.5-inches thick), room temperature
2 or 3 garlic cloves
2 Tbsps fresh rosemary leaves
3 Tbsps butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
A splash of white or red wine

Dice the rosemary and garlic and mash together with the salt in a mortar and pestle.

Rub mixture on both sides of the steak. Allow to rest for 15-20 minutes.

Heat a skillet over medium/high heat and melt butter. Add oil to prevent it from burning too much. Add steaks, season them with pepper and cook 1 or 2 minutes on each side.

Turn it over. Cook it 2 or 3 more minutes and add the wine (you can add extra garlic and rosemary now too to the skillet). It will steam furiously. Cook the steak 2 or 3 additional minutes for medium rare, remove steaks and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the wine until reduced and a kind of sauce is formed. Slice the steaks and pour the sauce over it.

Herb Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes are another item that is very versatile and a common staple in my kitchen. This recipe, specifically, I found on Pinterest at Lemon Herb Roasted Potatoes. I have made this recipe several times, and they are delicious every single time. I've used fresh herbs and dried herbs; I've used russet and fingerlings and small golden butter potatoes and more. This recipe is delicious no matter how you decide to try it. I often fix these with my Chicken Piccata, and they accompany it well. The recipe is rather simple, but it does take a bit of time to roast the potatoes correctly, so plan accordingly.

6- 8 large sized russet potatoes, peeled (if desired) and cut into 1½ to 2 inch chunks
juice of one lemon
¼ to ⅓ cup olive oil (butter or other oil will work as well; a butter/olive oil combination is very good too)
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper

1/2-1 tsp garlic powder
1½ Tbsp dried herbs, oregano, thyme and rosemary are good choices

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and while it is heating up, place the roasting pan in the oven to heat up. Allowing the pan to get hot will help keep the potatoes from sticking when you put them in the oven. 

Peel (if desired) and cut potatoes. Boil them for only four minutes.

Drain the potatoes.

Add lemon juice and toss potatoes until they absorb it all.

Add oil and herbs and toss potatoes.

Once pan is hot, pull it from the oven and pour the potatoes in the pan.

Roast potatoes for 60-75 minutes, stirring and turning potatoes every 15 minutes or so, until potatoes are tender with crispy edges. Pair with your favorite meal and enjoy!

Tuscan Bean Soup

I think we can just go ahead and agree that Italians really know how to cook. At least Italian food ranks really high around my house. And this spinoff of a minestrone is so hearty and comforting that you will not be disappointed if you decide to give it a try. I found the recipe on Pinterest as Easy Tuscan Bean Soup. It was very similar to a minestrone that I made, so I decided to try it. I altered it just a little bit by leaving out the celery, swapping out the diced tomatoes for a can of tomato sauce, adding kidney beans,  using more spices and garlic, and using a flavored chicken stock. However you decide to prepare it, you won't be disappointed!

2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 yellow summer squash, diced
8 cloves garlic, pressed
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1/2-1 tsp dried or fresh thyme
½-1 tsp dried or fresh rosemary
1 quart vegetable (or chicken) broth (I used Tuscan flavored chicken broth)
2 (14 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14 ounce) can Italian flat green beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 cups chopped kale, ribs removed and rinsed, or spinach
2 tsps salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp white sugar
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

Prepare your ingredients - once you get going you won't have time to stop and chop. Cut and rinse kale. Peel and chop squash, carrots, zucchini and onion. Chop or measure out spices, garlic, and salt and pepper. Open cans of beans and rinse.

Heat 2 Tbsps of olive oil in a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, zucchini, and squash.

Saute for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and rosemary. Cook 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, beans, and tomato sauce.

Bring the contents to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and add the chopped kale.

Cover the pot and simmer for 15-30 minutes. Use an immersion blender, or you can use the poor man's version - a masher lol - to partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks of beans and vegetables for texture.

Add the salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve topped with your favorite cheese. I used some samples I picked up at Publix, and they worked wonderfully. We also had some Rosemary flatbread with ours, and it was delicious! Feed your body and warm your soul with this wonderful, fulfilling meal.

Amish Country Bread

I know I've mentioned this before, but I love bread. I mean really love bread. I think I could subsist off of a good bread. Until about a year ago, I thought bread was so hard to make, but it isn't! And since I got a 6-quart stand mixer for Christmas, it's gotten even easier. I've tried out a number of recipes, and I have more pinned to try out. This recipe for Amish Country Bread, which I found on Pinterest, of course, was really easy and only took a bit over an hour to make. It is goooood! And it makes two loaves, which is even better. If you want to try your hand at some homemade bread, then this is a good first-time recipe.

4 Tbsps sugar

1 1/2 cups hot water

1 Tbsp of rapid rise yeast

2 Tbsps butter

1 Tbsp salt

5 cups flour

If you have rapid rise yeast, then combine all the ingredients and mix in a mixer or by hand until the dough is ready, but not less then 10 minutes.

If you have active yeast, then combine sugar, water and yeast in your mixer and allow yeast time to activate, usually 5-8 minutes. Add salt, flour and butter and mix for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle some flour in a bowl, put the dough in it and let it rise for half an hour.

Cut the dough in half, make two balls and put in a baking pan after sprinkling some flour in it. Make some nice small cuts on top (see image) and let sit for 10 minutes.

Brush an egg and sprinkle some salt and rosemary. 

Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

I think I've mentioned that I love bread. I could subsist on a bread-only diet if it came down to it, and I love all kinds of bread. Buttered, toasted, garlic, rolls, dipped in marinara, and many many more ways. So, I've started making homemade bread, because, well, it's bread. It's warm and homey, and makes the kitchen smell amazing. I found this recipe for Rosemary Olive Oil Bread while searching for bread recipes to try. I've made this loaf of bread several times, and I'm finally getting comfortable with it. Absolutely amazing flavor. It doesn't make a huge loaf, which is nice for a small family.

1 cup warm water (100-110 F)
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning (I used about 1/2 tsp -or pinch of each ground garlic, dried oregano, and dried basil)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup bread flour + extra for kneading
1 egg, whisked + 1 Tbsp water, for egg wash dried rosemary, for sprinkling

In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 10 minutes to proof.

Stir in the salt, rosemary, seasonings, olive oil, and whole wheat flour. Add the bread flour and stir until the dough forms a ball. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl; cover and let rise until double in size, about one hour.

Punch down the dough and form it into a round loaf. Place it on a cornmeal dusted parchment paper; cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven (and pizza stone) to 400 degrees. Once the dough has risen, gently brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with dried rosemary.

Bake on preheated stone for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.