Lemony Roasted Chicken

So, I'm back in the kitchen again after a long break.  Trying out new recipes and foods is always fun for me.  The not so fun part is cooking for two people.  I never thought it would be hard, but after cooking for six people all through the years, it's hard to judge portions.

  Yes, they have all moved on but one, the vegan.  I don't cook for him anymore, just the hubby and I.  Now I have to strategically buy, plan and cook meals so there is no waste of food. Growing up I was told it was a sin to waste food, didn't understand it then, but totally understand it now.  We should all be so grateful, and not take for granted, that we have food on our tables everyday, as there are many who don't.

I found small roasted chickens on sale, so I bought two. One is in the freezer for a later meal, but I am using one today to make a Lemon Roasted Chicken. It's stuffed with garlic, lemon and rosemary and has a crispy butter, olive oil and fresh herb coating on the outside, yuuuuuum!

Recipe below.

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A few simple ingredients: Lemons, Butter, Olive Oil, salt, pepper, paprika, fresh garlic and rosemary.

 All mixed up in a bowl give this chicken the awesomeness that it has!

 My little chicken all stuffed with lemons, garlic and rosemary.  I pulled the skin up and pushed some fresh rosemary under it, added flavor.

 Trussed it up and slathered the lemon butter sauce all over the top.  Cover and bake.

Lemony Roasted Chicken

Ingredients

1 3-4 lb. roasting chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 stick butter, melted

5 springs fresh rosemary, mince 2 of them, leave 3 whole

4 large cloves garlic, minced

zest from 2 large lemons, save, then juice, stuff cavity with remains of lemons

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 cup water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Clean cavity then place whole chicken in a large roasting pan or Dutch oven.  In a medium bowl, mix the olive oil, melted butter, the minced rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, salt, pepper and paprika, set aside.  Lift the skin on the breast of the chicken and stuff each side with a sprig of rosemary.  Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the remains of the lemons and the last sprig of rosemary. Pour the olive oil/butter mixture over the top of the chicken, pour 1/4 water in bottom of baking pan.  Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours or until the juices run clear.  During the last 15 minutes of roasting time remove foil to brown the skin of the chicken.  Serve with your favorite sides. 

Mama Made Italian Roast Pork!

And again it's football season, so on Sundays it's easy eating in this house.  But, it has to be good food of course, no take out, no pre-packged stuff, just easy tasty guy food.  Italian Roast Pork sandwiches are front and center today with multi colored roasted Parmesan potato edges.  It's a SCORE!, for me because the pork goes into the crock pot to cook all day, all I have to do is cut potatoes and season them and off to the oven they go, then it's TOUCHDOWN TIME!

Recipe below.

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I cut the pork in half so it would fit in the smaller of the two crock pots that I have.

 A few simple ingredients make amazing roast pork, like some garlic.  It's Italian, ya gotta have garlic!

 I love the fragrance of fresh rosemary.....

 and flat leaf parsley.

 Sprinkle all the ingredients over the top of the pork tenderloin.....

 ......cover the crock pot, set on high, and let it do all the work!  The house smells amazing while it's cooking. When it's done shred with two forks.

Lightly toast kaiser rolls, top with cheese and pork.

 As a side dish I served roasted multi colored Parmesan potato wedges.

Cut into quarters, spread out on a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper roast at 400 degrees.

 In the last 5 minutes of roasting, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake until cheese melts.

Serve along side your pulled pork sandwich.

Italian Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pork tenderloin

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 long sprigs of fresh rosemary, minced

5 sprigs of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons water

Directions

Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a crock pot.  Cut the pork tender loin in half and place in the crock pot.  Sprinkle the salt, pepper, minced garlic, minced rosemary and chopped parsley over the pork. Add the water, cover and set on high.  Cook for 6 hours, add a little water if needed during cooking time so it doesn't dry out.  When it's done, shred with two forks and serve on toasted kaiser rolls with provolone cheese and/or broccoli rabe sauteed in garlic.

Herb and Mustard Roasted Potatoes

I have a lot of herbs growing in the garden, I love fresh herbs. There is nothing like the fragrance they throw off just touching them when you walk by.  I mix them in with flowers when I plant them, for that little something you don't expect.  I use many of these in cooking everyday, or clipping and mixing them in floral bouquets, just some ideas for you.

Today I used some of my herbs to make Herb Mustard Roasted Potatoes for dinner, and let me tell you they were fabulous!

  Recipe below.

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I used gold potatoes instead of white they are a little creamier and not dry.

 Tossed with olive oil, mustard, salt, pepper, garlic and herbs.

Roast them in the oven at 400 degrees, turn once during cooking.

And they taste even better than they look!

Herb and Mustard Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

4 large gold potatoes

1/2 large sweet onion

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons course ground mustard (I used Grey Poupon)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Wash potatoes and pat dry.  Cut the potatoes and onion into bite size pieces and put on a baking sheet. Drizzle on the olive oil, and add the mustard, toss to coat.  Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, minced garlic, parsley and rosemary, toss until all is combined.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, then toss the potatoes, bake for another 25 minutes.  As always, all ovens are different and cooking time may vary, potatoes are done when they are lightly brown on the outside and tender on the inside.  Makes 4-6 servings.

One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four!

Herb roasted potatoes with onion are a favorite in my house for dinner.  They are so much more flavorful than plain old mashed potatoes or french fries, so easy to prepare, and good as a side dish with any meat, chicken or fish.  This is how I make mine.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Start with any kind of potato, white, red, yellow or purple.  Wash and cut them into chunks, about the same size for cooking evenness, put onto a baking sheet.  Peel and slice up one half of a sweet onion, add to the potatoes.  Next, chop up about 1/4 cup of fresh flat leaf parsley, 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme.  Sprinkle all the herbs over the potatoes and onions.  Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Drizzle olive oil over the top and mix with clean hands to coat all the potatoes and onions.  Roast in oven for 45 minutes.  Turn oven to broil, to brown and crisp the tops of the potatoes.  Remove from oven to a serving bowl.  Ummm Ummm Good!