40 Garlic Clove Chicken

This meal is one of the best I have made in a very long time. It was so good that no pictures of the finished product were taken because my husband and I scarfed it up so quickly! The chicken was juicy, oh so wonderfully garlic-y. My husband was literally drinking the gravy that I made with the juices. With fresh herbs and a ton of garlic (40 cloves, to be exact) this chicken was out of this world delicious. An added bonus is your house will smell divine as it cooks! Do yourself a favor and serve it on top of some mashed potatoes. 

40 Garlic Clove Chicken
Found on The Crepes of Wrath
Serves 3-4
Printable Version
Ingredients
3 1/2-4 pound fryer chicken (I used a whole chicken but recommend chicken that is already cut into serving pieces)
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
40 cloves of garlic, peeled but still whole (about 3 cloves of garlic)
3/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon thyme (I used way more because I had fresh on hand)
1 teaspoon rosemary 
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon butter 

Directions
Spray the inside of your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Rub the chicken generously with salt and pepper and place in your crock pot. 

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet and add the peeled whole garlic. Cook for 5-8 minutes over medium heat until the garlic is golden. 

Then add the white wine and stir until the liquid has mostly evaporated, another 3-5 minutes.

Pour the garlic and white wine over the chicken and sprinkle the thyme and rosemary over top of everything. Add in the bay leaf. Turn on the crock pot to low and cook for 3-4 hours. Set aside. Pour the juices from the pot through a mesh sieve into a saucepan. Press the garlic through the mesh sieve, scraping it off to form a paste. Cook with a tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat until slightly thickened and serve over the chicken and whatever else you happen to be eating (cooked vegetables, potatoes, crusty bread, etc). Enjoy! 

And because I don't have a finished product photo for you here is something pretty for you to look at -- this view is from my front yard (and what I often see out my kitchen window) - an amazing sunset over the East China Sea!

BLT Pasta Salad

This crowd friendly pasta salad puts a spin the traditional BLT by turning it into a pasta salad. It can be made ahead and served cold or served warm right after you make it. It makes a huge batch and even tastes great the next day as leftovers. I added chopped avocado the next day we ate it and it made this yummy salad even more delicious, so if you like avocado I would recommend putting it in your salad from the beginning. 

BLT Pasta Salad
From a bird and a bean
Printable Version
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
12 ounces corkscrew shaped pasta
1/2 cup milk
12 ounces lean bacon
3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup mayo (for a lighter version use 1/4 cup mayo and 1/4 cup greek yogurt)
1/4 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons chopped chives (I used green onions)
5 cups lettuce (Bibb or romaine) chopped
1 avocado, chopped (optional)


Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, as the package directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl and set aside. Meanwhile cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. 

Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 tablespoons of drippings from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. 

Crumble the bacon into bite sized pieces, setting aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta. 

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, and three tablespoons of chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce and toss again to coat. 

Garnish with the reserved bacon, remaining 1 tablespoon chives, and avocado. Serve at room temperature. Note: if going to refrigerate and serve later make sure to reserve the lettuce, along with the avocado, 1/4 cup of bacon garnish and 1 tablespoon chives to add in right before serving!

Chicken Pot Pie

I've been really into comfort food lately and chicken pot pie is the quintessential comfort food. I decided to go all out and to make this chicken pot pie completely from scratch, with homemade crust, fresh veggies and herbs, and oven roasted chicken. Unfortunately my pie crust did not turn out. It was too sticky to roll and even though I kept adding flour it still didn't work out. I consulted my mom on what to do and she told me to  just piece it on. That was great advice because while it wasn't the prettiest pot pie in the world, it still tasted incredible. 

The best part was honestly the smell it created in my house while it was baking. It reminded me of my Gram's house when she was cooking. I feel like I get my Gram back for a little while when I am making her food or when my food smells like her food.  

This meal takes a while, but is well worth the time and effort. It's creamy, rich, and belly and heartwarming! 

Chicken Pot Pie
Adapted from Simply Recipes and Baking Bites
Printable Version


Ingredients
For the pie crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced into 1/2 inch cubes (best to chill cubes in freezer for at least 15 minutes before using)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, chilled
3-4 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:
3 cups of chicken, cooked and diced (I oven roasted my chicken with thyme, rosemary, and olive oil)
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup onion, thinly sliced
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 cups peas
Salt and Pepper to taste


Directions
Prepare the crust. Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the chilled butter cubes and pulse 5 times to combine. Add the shortening and pulse a few more times until the dough resembles a coarse cornmeal with some pea-sized pieces of butter. Slowly stream in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition until the dough sticks together when you press some between your fingers. Empty the food processor, placing the dough on a clean surface. Use your hands to mold into a ball, then flatten the ball into a disk. Sprinkle with a little flour, warp in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days) before rolling. 

Preheat the oven to 400. In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add in onions, carrots, and celery and cook for 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. 

Stir in the flour and cook, stirring continuously for one minute. Stir in chicken stock and milk. Bring to a simmer then decrease the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chicken, peas, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour filling into a 9 or 10-inch pie plate. 

Take the chilled dough fro the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surgace until it is large enough to cover the top of the pie plate. Cover the filling with the dough, pressing around the edges of the plate. Cut 4-5 slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake for about 30-35 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the pie crust is golden. Let pie sit for about 5 minutes before serving. 

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Roasted Veggies and Garlic Gravy

Isn't there something wonderful and satisfying about roasted chicken? I am in love with this one pot meal of comfort. I could seriously eat it again and again, but I would probably have such horrible breath from the garlic gravy that no one would ever want to talk to me. Ever.

This dish is worth it though... moist, crisp chicken accompanied by roasted veggies covered in a peppery, garlic gravy. Are you drooling yet? My husband was when he walked into our place the night this was on the menu. I served it with homemade Milk & Honey Bread to sop up the gravy and juice. Dinner just doesn't get much better than this, friends!

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Roasted Veggies and Garlic Gravy
From Foodie Suz
Serves 4
Printable Version


Ingredients
3 tablespoons, olive oil, divided
4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped (I used dried, since I didn't have any fresh in the house)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
12 baby potatoes, cut into quarters
5 carrots, peeled and halved vertically (I used about 10 baby carrots) 
1/4 cup white wine (I used our favorite Michigan wine, Tabor Hill)
2 tablespoons white flour
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
pepper


Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch Oven. Combine salt, pepper, thyme, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Rub all over chicken. Place chicken in the Dutch Oven, skin side up. Throw in the 4 garlic cloves and cook for 30 minutes, uncovered. 

In the meantime prep the carrots and potatoes. Put in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil, salt and pepper.

After 30 minutes, take the chicken thighs out of the oven and place on a plate. Put veggies in the Dutch Oven and cook for another 20 minutes, uncovered. Then add the chicken thighs back in, coating with juices, and cook for another 20 minutes. 

Take the Dutch Oven out and scoop the chicken and veggies and put in a serving bowl. Cover with foil. Put the pan on the stove on medium heat. Take the garlic out of the skins and mash up in pan. Scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add wine and cook for a minute. Slowly whisk in flour. Whisk in chicken stock/broth and season with pepper. Pour over chicken and serve. 

Fried Smashed Red Potatoes with Lemon Herb Dressing

Any time I watch the lovely Giada De Laurentiis' cooking show, Cooking at Home, I immediately want to make whatever beautiful dish she is featuring. I love just watching her cook and listening to her describe the flavors. Her food is accessible but elegant. I will readily admit I have a ginormous cooking crush on her! :)


The other day she did a show on lemons and these Fried Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Dressing looked so delicious, I made them a few days later. I love how cute the potatoes are after you smash them. The herbs, lemon, and garlic make these potatoes burst with flavor.  Even though we're in the dead of winter, this recipe will make you think spring has arrived. I served them with scrambled eggs for breakfast but Giada served them with Roasted Branzino.


Fried Smashed Red Potatoes with Lemon Herb Dressing
From Giada De Laurentiis on Food Network.com
Printable Version

Ingredients
2 pounds red potatoes (fingerling will work as well)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra if needed
3 garlic cloves
3 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 lemons, zested
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper


Directions
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Boil on medium heat for 20 - 25 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and cool. Use the palm of your hand to gently press the potatoes until they are smashed.

In a large nonstick skillet heat the 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and light brown. Remove the garlic and discard.  Add the potatoes in batches and cook without stirring until golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Use a spatula to turn and cook until golden brown on the other side, adding more olive oil if needed, about 5 to 8 minutes again.

In a small bowl whisk the 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, thyme and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon the dressing over the potatoes. Toss to coat and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Transfer to a platter and serve.

30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30: Chicken Braised in Red Wine

This recipe was on my 30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30 list because it was one of the best looking recipes in my Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook, a wedding gift that I have not used enough.


 I'm always drawn to really beautiful food pictures and the picture of this dish is really delicious looking in the cookbook. Also since it uses bacon and wine, I knew it would make hubby happy! :) This is a very labor intensive and time consuming dish, but it's hearty dish with a lot of wonderful flavors and it makes a ton. Thankfully the hubs doesn't mind taking leftovers for lunch. The book recommended serving this dish with caramelized Brussels sprouts, which I did and absolutely loved. I actually liked the Brussels sprouts MORE than the chicken, but hubby strongly disagrees. 








Chicken Braised in Red Wine
From Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook
Printable Version

Ingredients
1 bottle (24 fl oz/750 ml) fruity red wine (I used Zinfandel but you could also use Pinot Noir)
8 chicken drumsticks and thighs, with the skin
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup flour, plus 2 tablespoons
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 slices thick bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound button mushrooms, stemmed, brushed clean, and quartered
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup brandy (I didn't have any on hand, so omitted)
2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh parsley


Directions
Pour the wine into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until reduced by half and set aside. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Spread the 1/2 cup flour in a shallow dish and lightly dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. In a large saute pan or cast-iron frying pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. In batches as necessary to avoid crowding, brown each piece of chicken on all sides. 

Transfer the chicken to a platter and set aside. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan, melt, and add the onion, bacon, and garlic. Saute until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Stir often and lower the heat to avoid browning the onion. 

Add in the mushrooms, thyme, bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a little pepper. Raise the heat to medium and saute until the mushrooms release their moisture, about 5 minutes. Add the brandy and continue cooking for another minute.

Transfer the onion and mushroom mixture to another large saucepan or Dutch oven. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of flour over the onion and mushroom mixture, then add the stock, browned chicken pieces, and reduced brandy. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to low, and simmer gently, uncovered, until the chicken is opaque throughout and fork-tender, and the flavors have married, about 15-20 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil or the chicken will toughen.


To serve, remove and discard the thyme sprig and bay leaves, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken pieces to a serving platter. Return the pan with the sauce to medium-high heat and whisk until the sauce combines and thickens. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper, if necessary. Ladle the sauce over the chicken pieces and garnish with the parsley. Serve at once. 

30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30: Rack of Lamb

I was the most nervous about this item on my 30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30 List. I do not cook with much red meat and if I do, it's beef. But this list and my cooking adventures is all about challenging myself to try my hand at new ingredients so rack of lamb made the list. My husband was very excited about this one. He loves lamb and will order it when we dine at a nice restaurants. I will usually take one teensy weensy bite of his lamb, but I am not usually a fan of the taste, as it is often very gamey or tough. I was really expecting the worst. 


Finding rack of lamb at my local grocery stores proved difficult in itself. I finally came across a rack of lamb from New Zealand at Costco. I usually try to buy fresh, local, organic meat, but I really had no other choice. I started to research recipes and found this recipe for Herb Marinated Lamb on Food Network.com. While reading the reviews of the recipe, I learned that imported lamb from New Zealand is tends to be less gamey than domestically raised lamb and this was very true for the rack of lamb I bought. It was tender, flavorful, and had just the right amount of crispiness on the outside of the meat.

I apologize that I don't have more pictures of this recipe - - the photo software on my computer is being testy and I lost several pictures of the lamb. I had some beautiful pictures of the meat after we cut it too. Sigh. On a brighter note, I thought I'd point out how my husband ate every morsel of meat off his racks and that our pug Wendell tried very hard to get a bite. 

Herb Marinated Lamb
From Food Network
Printable Version


Ingredients
1 rack of lamb, about 8 or 9 ribs each
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled and crushed
1 rosemary sprig, crushed
3 thyme springs, crushed
2 rosemary sprigs for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt

Directions
Clean the rib bones well by scraping off sinew with a small sharp knife. Mix together the olive oil, garlic, crushed rosemary, and thyme sprigs in a large bowl. Add the lamb and coat well. Grind some coarse black pepper over all. Marinate overnight.


The next day remove the lamb from the marinade and scrape off as many herbs as possible. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 


Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season the lamb well with salt. Sear fat side down until golden, about 7 minutes. Turn over so that the fat side is up and roast in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Let the rack rest for 10 minutes before cutting. 


To serve cut each lamb rack into equal pieces. Garnish with rosemary. 
Note: I served these with Emeril's rosemary roasted potatoes and it was outstanding!

30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30: Rib-eye Steaks with Pan Jus

This recipe is from Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook, a wedding present that I received from my Mom's dear friend Sidney. When I came up with my list of 30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30, I saw this recipe in the book and knew it would make my husband a happy man. Plus, I was interested in trying steak served with pan juice. I am not a big fan of red meat, but this was an excellent dinner. The steak is juicy and the jus that is created from the meat drippings, red wine, broth, and fresh herbs turns regular rib-eye into succulent piece of meat! My husband was in heaven because I served blue cheese mashed potatoes as a side.


Rib-Eye Steak with Pan Jus
From Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook - I definitely recommend this book as wedding present by the way! :)


Printable Version



Ingredients
18 - 20 ounces of rib-eye steak - look for one that is about 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt and pepper
1 sprig fresh rosemary (I used three springs!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup dry red wine (I used a Cabernet Sauvignon)
1/2 cup beef or chicken stock (I used broth since that is what I had on hand)
2 springs of fresh thyme

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper. Pick the rosemary leaves from the stem and press them into the steak. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat. Let the oil get quite hot, but before it starts to smoke, sear and brown the steaks one each side for 1 minute.

Place the pan with the steak in the oven and roast for 10 - 12 minutes or until the steak is medium rare (or desired doneness). Remove the steak from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile add the wine, stock, and thyme to the drippings in the pan and place over medium high heat. Deglaze the pan, loosening any caramelized bits stuck to the bottom. Simmer until the sauce is reduced by half. Remove the thyme sprigs (I left in!)

Carve the steak with a sharp knife into thin slices. Arrange the slices on a plate and spoon the pan juices over the top. **I actually put the meat into the pan with the juices and covered the meat, then put it on the plate and added more juice My hubby used the juice as a gravy for his mashed potatoes.

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

These roasted sweet potato fries make a wonderful, healthy side dish. The deep orange color of these fries is beautiful and the flavor is earthy and sweet. I tossed mine with fresh garlic, thyme, rosemary, and kosher salt because those are my favorite fresh herbs, but there are so many different ways you can season these. The aroma of these baking will fill up your house and make it seem that you were very domestic even though this is a very simple recipe.

Sweet potato fries do not crisp up like traditional fries, instead the texture is much softer. These are so filling and yummy I made a batch with just one potato and ate it as my lunch. 

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

3 sweet potatoes (some people peel them, but I like the skin on!)

Fresh rosemary 

Fresh thyme 

Garlic, minced

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Pepper

Directions

Preheat over to 400 degrees and spray a large baking sheet or two small baking pans with cooking spray.  Wash the sweet potatoes and cut them into wedges. Rustic is good here! Place the sweet potatoes wedges in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season to taste with rosemary, thyme, Kosher salt, and pepper.

Spread out on pans and bake for 40 - 45 minutes, turning the fries every 15 minutes to prevent browning.