Simple Roasted Chicken

This is one my favorite chicken dishes...It's easy and delicious. It calls for simple ingredients and is ready in no time.

Ingredients

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 2 tsp of Thyme
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 1/2 stick of butter, room temperature
• 1 Large onion, thickly sliced
• 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
• 4 pieces of celery cut into 2-inch chunks
• 3Yellow potatoes quartered and halved 
• Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Clean the chicken by removing the giblets and any remaining feathers. Rinse the chicken inside and pat the outside dry.

Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Slightly lift the skin and salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with  both halves of lemon, garlic and 1 tsp thyme. Rub the butter all over the chicken. Generously salt and pepper the chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and celery in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 1 tsp of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. (Temperature should be 165 degrees)  Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

For Pan Gravy:

2 tbsp of butter
2 tbsp of flour
Roasted Chicken Drippings (Juice)

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted add the flour and stir vigorously to prevent lumps. Stir for2-3 mins. Add the drippings and stir quickly once combine taste, add salt and pepper as needed. Serve over chicken and vegetables.

 Enjoy!

As Always Happy Eating!

Asian Glazed Salmon

This is one of my go to dishes on week nights. It's simple, healthy and quite delish! This dish is hard to mess up. You simply marinade the fish and grill or bake it in the oven.

3 tbsp of Soy Sauce
2 tbsp of Dijon  Mustard
1 1/2 tbsp of Brown Sugar
2 tbsp of Olive Oil

4 pieces of Salmon 3-4oz

Preheat of to 400 degrees

In a shallow dish wisk together all the ingredients and add the salmon. Marinate for about 15-30 minutes.

Grease a baking dish lightly and bake for about 15-20 min. Serve with rice and steamed veggies.

 

Happy Eating

Creamy Shrimp and Grits

For the Grits:
2 cups water
1/4 tsp of salt
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup quick grits (I use Quaker)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup of half & half

For the Shrimp:
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, without tails
Cajun seasoning
3 slices of bacon (diced)
1/2 cup of half & half
1/4 cup of white white
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup of diced Vidalia onions
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp of butter
1 cup of chicken broth
1 tbsp of olive oil
1/4 cup of fresh petite diced tomato
1 tbsp of parsley
1.5 tbsp of cornstarch 

Mix shrimp and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and set aside. 

In a medium saucepan, bring water, salt, butter to a boil then stir in the grits, return to a  boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 7 mins, until grits and thickened and tender. Wisk in half & half and cheese. Stir as needed to prevent the grits from sticking.

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat add olive oil and bacon. Cook until crispy, then set aside to draine on a paper towel. Reserve about 2 tbsp of the bacon grease.

Add the onions, garlic and mushrooms to the bacon grease and cook until tender. Add the shrimp cook until just slightly pink on both sides then remove them from the pan.

Turn the heat to medium high, add the wine and reduced the liquid by half (about 2 mins) then add your chicken broth and reduce for another 3-5 mins. Add your half and half, tomato, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning to taste. Dissolve cornstarch with about one tablespoons of water, add it to the sauce, bring sauce to a boil to thicken, then return shrimp to the pan.

Turn your heat to medium low and add the butter. Melt the butter gently, this will help thicken the sauce.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve over the grits with the crispy bacon.


Makes about 2-3 Servings

Happy Eating!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

For starters this is one of those dishes that you can make your own. It by far is one of my favorites and absolutely delicious. It's full of flavor, with the perfect amount of heat , and a decadent creamy sauce that balances the whole dish perfectly. With 2 cups of cream and butter, it's certainly not something you'd want to eat every day, but this could easily be lightened up by using half-and-half instead. Plus, the pasta is full of vegetables, which redeems it a little bit, right?

Regardless, my hubby and I really love this dish. It's hearty and yummy and works great as leftovers, which is always a plus in our house.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup of onions diced
1 green onion, sliced
2 cups heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
8 ounces linguine, cooked according to packaging
Finely chopped parsley (optional)

1.  Season chicken with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning and set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat the oil and butter until melted then saute the chicken  in until almost tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Add peppers, mushrooms and onions; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.

4. Add cream, salt, pepper, lemon-pepper and garlic powder heat through.

5. Add linguine and parsley and toss; heat through.

Happy Eating