Roasted Chicken

Roasted chicken is such a great, classic dish. It's good anytime of the year, and can be paired with almost anything. This is my favorite way to prepare it, because the skin is crispy and the meat is really juicy. You can make it your own by using your favorite herbs and spices, or follow my way and see how you like it :)

Here's what you'll need:

1 whole roasting chicken
1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
the juice from 1/2 of a lemon
1 tbsp of fresh parsley, minced
1 stick of butter, softened
olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450. Clean and dry the chicken, and place into a roasting pan.

Combine the butter, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until fully incorporated.

Carefully use your hands to separate the skin from the breast of the chicken. Take some of the seasoned butter and carefully push it under the skin, until it is evenly covering the meat. Then take the butter mixture, and coat the outside of the chicken. Drizzle some olive oil over the outside of the chicken. This will help to crisp the skin.

Bake on 450 for 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 and cook for 20 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is done, and then let it rest before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is one of my favorite appetizers, and it's so easy to make! It's light, fresh, and a great compliment to any meal. I've had many different variations, but this is one of my favorite ways to eat it. You can also customize this recipe and replace anything you don't like, or add ingredients that I may have left out. I know many people like their bruschetta with fresh parmesan, which I also think is great, however the fresh mozzarella makes it delicious as well! It can be a little pricey, but places like Sam's Club and Costco often have great deals on the cheese.

Here's what you'll need:

4 ripe tomatoes, diced
4-5 leaves of fresh basil, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1tsp of olive oil, plus about an extra 1/4 cup for the bread
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1 loaf of french bread
1 package of fresh mozzarella cheese
garlic powder to taste

Chop the tomatoes, basil, and garlic and add to a medium sized bowl. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir well, until fully incorporated. Taste the mixture to make sure it is seasoned to your liking, and then refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Start the broiler in your oven. Cut the french bread into thin slices and lay on a cookie sheet. Take a small bowl and add olive oil and garlic powder. Add as much garlic as you want. We really like garlic, so I typically add a couple teaspoons. However, you can add more or less, depending on your taste. Spread the mixture evenly onto the slices of bread.

Broil for several minutes, checking often to prevent the bread from burning. Once the bread has browned, remove from the oven. Cut the mozzarella into thin slices and place it on top of the bread, then add the tomato mixture on top of that. Serve and enjoy!

Roasted Vegetables with Chicken Sausage

As it's starting to warm up outside, I love to make easy meals, that aren't too heavy on the stomach. When it's summer, I switch to mostly grilling, but for now I still roast food in the oven. I like one pan meals that are easy to make, especially on Sunday nights, when we're trying to get everything ready for the week. The kids love this meal too, so it's a plus! There are also a bunch of ways you could mix it up. You can add asparagus, carrots, peppers, brussel sprouts, or whatever else you like :) You can also add different herbs if you want. Thyme goes great with garlic and potatoes! I like to serve this with roasted garlic aioli, it's delicious!

Here's what you'll need:

3-4 potatoes, peeled
1 onion
2 cloves of minced garlic
5 chicken sausages
2 tbsp of olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400, and then chop all of your vegetables into bite sized pieces. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and seasonings.

Chop the sausage into bite sized pieces, then carefully toss with the vegetables.

Grease a cookie sheet with olive oil and carefully spread the vegetables and sausage, so that everything is laying in a single layer.

Bake for about an hour, and flip several times while cooking.

Serve and enjoy!

Spinach and Cream Cheese "Meatballs" -Vegetarian

As I said in my previous blog post, my family and I love meatballs! However, we do have several friends and family members who are vegetarian, and sadly cannot eat the meatballs I typically make. This is a great recipe for vegetarians, and helps them to not feel left out on Italian night :) This recipe is a hit, even with people who eat meat. You can also customize it a bit to make it your own, such as adding fresh parsley or other herbs and cheeses. These also can be baked or fried, however baking is a lot healthier.

Here's what you'll need:

1 box of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1-1 1/2 cups of italian bread crumbs (Start with 1 cup and add more if needed.  I use more if I'm going to be simmering them in sauce, so they won't fall apart)
1 package of cream cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of chopped or ground walnuts (optional)
1/2 stick of butter
1 tsp of minced garlic
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375. Mix all of the ingredients together, until they are fully incorporated.

Form into balls. Coat a baking sheet in olive oil, and space the balls evenly on the pan.

Bake the "meatballs" for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through.

Once they are done, you can either serve them, or simmer them in sauce. Enjoy!

Italian Style Meatballs

My son's favorite food is meatballs. He is crazy about them! In fact, he requests that I make them for his birthday each year, which is in late June.  That time of year may be a little hot for meatballs, but that doesn't seem to bother him!! This is my absolute "go to" recipe for meatballs. Everyone I've made them for, loves them. I also get a lot of people asking for the recipe, so here it is :) These are great simmered in sauce and used in spaghetti, or for meatball subs. They are also great just as they are! I usually make a double batch, because they go so quick.

Here's what you'll need:

1 lb of ground beef (you can use ground turkey to be healthier, but I prefer beef for this)
2 eggs
1/2 cup of grated parmesan or romano cheese
1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs
2 tbsp of fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp of fresh minced garlic
1 tsp of salt
pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp of olive oil


Start by combining all of the ingredients, except for the olive oil, in a bowl. Make sure you mix until everything is evenly incorporated.

Roll the meat mixture into even sized balls. You can make them any size you want, depending on your preference. I usually try to do bite sized ones. Remember, the bigger you make them, the longer they will take to cook in the middle.

Heat the oil in a pan, until it is hot. Carefully add the meatballs into the pan, but try not to crowd them.

Cook until the meatballs are browned on each side. Carefully move them to a paper towel covered plate, in order to remove the excess grease from cooking. At this point you can choose to serve them, or simmer them in sauce for several hours, or as long as desired. The longer they cook in sauce, the juicier they will be. They also help to make the sauce a lot richer. Enjoy! :)

Roasted Root Vegetables

One of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables is roasting them. I think they are perfect for spring, because they are light, flavorful, and easy to make! They go with most any kind spring time food and can be seasoned in a variety of different ways, to mix it up a bit! My typical "go to" is with potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic. I do like to also mix in brussel spouts at times, but I have to be in the mood for that :) The aroma from these cooking, is fantastic! Plus, kids love them!! Win-win :)

Here's what you'll need:

3-4 large potatoes
1/2 bag of baby carrots
1 large onion
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp of olive oil, divided
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper

Preheat the oven to 425. Start by cleaning and chopping your vegetables into bite sized pieces, and make sure they are chopped into the same size, so that they all cook evenly. Add the salt and pepper. You can also add other seasonings at this time as well, it just depends on what you have a taste for!

Toss them in 1 tbsp of olive oil, until they are evenly coated.

Coat a cookie sheet with the remaining olive oil. Carefully pour the vegetables onto the cookie sheet. Cook for 45min-1 hour, flipping once halfway through, and remove when they are fork tender. Try them and add more salt and pepper if needed, depending on your tastes. Then, serve and enjoy!

Roasted Garlic Aioli

Spring is in the air...or at least I'm trying to will it to be! I love grilling, and have found a new love and appreciation for turkey and chicken sausage. One of my new favorites is garlic and spinach flavored chicken sausage. Whether I choose to cook it with roasted potatoes and onions, or put it on a sausage roll with onions and peppers, the thing to really complete it is this roasted garlic aioli. This sauce is like crack and everyone who has tried it, loves it! One batch works well for my family, and I always have a little left over for other things. However, if you have a large crowd, make sure you double or triple it, because it goes fast!! :)

Here's what you'll need:

For the roasted garlic:
1-2 cloves of garlic, depending on the size and how much you like (I say, the more the merrier!)
olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste

For the Aioli:
2 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice
3/4 cup on mayonnaise
3/4 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. Take your clove of garlic, and cut off the ends. Remove any loose peel, however do not completely peel the garlic.

Place garlic on a piece of foil and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Close and seal the foil, in a tent like fashion, to enable it to steam while roasting.

Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.

Squeeze the garlic into a container. It should come out easily. Discard the peel.

Pour in the lemon juice and mix well, until the garlic is well incorporated.

Add the mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Mix well and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Serve and enjoy!

Sauteed Cabbage in Brown Butter

I love cabbage, however never really knew how to cook it. I had always had it either raw or boiled with corned beef and potatoes, but was never fond of how overly "crunchy" or "mushy" the consistency was. I craved the flavor, but wanted a way to cook it, so it would still have a bit of a crunch to it, yet be soft. One day I decided to just sauté it in a pan with butter and salt, and it was fantastic! It had everything I wanted...the flavor, it was crisp yet soft, and melts in your mouth!! The best part, is that it's so simple to make :) This side is a great option for springtime meals, such as corned beef or even a roasted chicken.

Here's what you'll need:

1 fresh cabbage
2-3 tbsp of butter
salt to taste

First step, wash the cabbage.

Cut the cabbage in half down the middle, then cut into large chunks. I cut out the core and throw that part away, however keep the remaining white part of the cabbage; it's good and crunchy.

Melt the butter in the pan, until is starts to slightly brown.

Add all of the cabbage. Do not worry if it seems crowded, it will cook down. Sprinkle with salt and cook on medium-high, until it starts to brown.

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the cabbage has browned. However, be careful not to burn it. Taste and add a little more salt if necessary. Then serve and enjoy!

Guinness Corned Beef

St. Patrick's Day is one of my favorite holidays of the year. My dad's side of the family is Irish, and we make corned beef and cabbage every year. I got a little tired of the traditional cooking technique of cooking everything in water, because it just wasn't as flavorful as I wanted it to be. I decided to cook the meat separate from the vegetables, and to try cooking it in beer. I was not disappointed!! In fact, this is my favorite way to cook corned beef, and I may never go back!! This Guinness corned beef, aka "the best corned beef ever", is amazing! I have everyone ask me for the recipe. Not only does it taste great, but it's incredibly simple to make :)

Here's what you'll need:

3-4 bottles of Guinness draught (I prefer over stout, because stout can make it somewhat bitter)
1 2-4 lb corned beef
1/2 cup of brown sugar
salt to taste

Start by opening the corned beef and rinsing it off under cold water. You can discard the seasoning packet if you wish. I personally discard it, but you could always add it if you want.

Rub the entire corned beef in brown sugar. Make sure you coat all of the sides and lay the corned beef in a crock pot, fat side down.

Carefully pour the Guinness around the corned beef until it just covers the top of the meat. If you see a little bit of the meat sticking out, that's okay. Make sure you don't pour the Guinness directly onto the meat, because you don't want to wash the brown sugar off.

Cook for 6-8 hours, flipping the meat once, half way through.

Carefully take the corned beef out and place of a cutting board. Scrape the fat off of the meat. It will be very easy to remove, so don't be intimidated by how gross it looks lol

Cut the corned beef against the grain, into strips. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve with a side of cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. This recipe also makes great leftovers! Try serving the leftover meat on Hawaiian bread sub rolls, with a little thousand island dressing...delicious!