Baked Chichen and Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic

Baked Chicken and Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic

I had planned to make Tacos with some leftover chili/avocado/tomato/lettuce and hot peppers but at the last minute I realized I lacked one of the main ingredients TACO SHELLS!

I quickly grabbed a large chicken breast from the freezer and set it to thaw.  Without a lot of time to cook tonight, I thought what I could make that did not need me watching a grill or pan on the stove and decided a baked dish would be simple and easy.  I just picked some fresh Rosemary from my end of the year crop and decided I wanted to use that as well.

I made this for two but it can easily be multiplied.  It was rich with flavor and yet simple to prepare.

Ingredients:

1 large chicken breast

2 medium white potatoes

1 large garlic clove minced

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary roughly chopped

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel and cut potatoes into one inch pieces.  Boil in water until fork tender (about 8 minutes)

Cut the breast lengthwise into two pieces.

Chop the rosemary and mince the garlic. Mix all the spices together and sprinkle 1/2 on the Chicken. 

Let it sit while the potatoes boil.   

     Drain the potatoes and toss in the remaining spiced mixture.  Lay the potatoes and chicken (so all get a chance to cook evenly) in an oven proof dish and sprinkle with the olive oil.

Bake in oven at 375. For 15 minutes – until chicken is cooked.   

   Remove the chicken and tent with foil to keep warm as you replace the potatoes in the oven and turn the heat to broil.  Cook about 5 minutes until the potatoes brown on the top edges.

 

Serve and pour any juices in the dish over all.

TIPS:

Add your favorite vegetables and or salad for an easy no fuss dinner.
Use red potatoes and you will not need to peel them.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

ROASTED RUSTIC TOMATO SOUP

ROASTED RUSTIC TOMATO SOUP

                                         

Not every recipe I post is “ all mine” nor fully designed by me, as really all thoughts of ”new” recipes come from something I saw, ate, read, watched on TV,  took from a book or website or handed down and then I played with it!

In this case, my daughter, Alexandra, sent me the recipe she was using last evening for her dinner in her Greek home.                                                                                                                                                                                            See link:

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/roasted-tomato-soup.html?oc=linkback

 I did very few changes, as it was a GOOD recipe!  But I am sure hers was better, as we have already seen the decline here in Pennsylvania in the quality of the tomatoes, as we edge into winter and the summer’s bounty is finished.  But this particular recipe is all about the flavor that is developed from the roasting of the vegetables.  I was thrilled with the thought or roasting the Tomatoes.  My recipe usually for a tomato soup required me to  “blanch” the tomatoes to remove their skins and roasting made the job simple and the flavors infused by roasting adds so much.

The amounts in the recipe given by Alexandra needed to be cut in half for us for sure, as this recipe will make a lot and we are two persons and I don’t like to freeze soups with cream/milk in them.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound tomatoes – best ripe ones to be found at this time of year. (Posting In the beginning of November)

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, for garnish (optional) –

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 big cloves garlic

1 medium onion, sliced

1-2 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 – 1 1/2 cups chicken broth - depending on how juicy the tomatoes are.

1 bay leaf – large so it can be removed before pureeing

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2/3 cup half and half cream or full milk

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Core and halve the tomatoes or if they are large, I suggest to cut them in 1/4ths (leave the cherry tomatoes whole).   

This is just a few of the tomatoes used

 Heat a flame proof roasting pan over medium-high heat so that all the tomatoes, onions and garlic can evenly be spread out I one layer. 

Place the tomatoes, onions, garlic in the pan and drizzles with the oil.  Season with salt and pepper.   

The skins have just browned lightly

Roast until the Vegetables are caramelized – about 20 to 25 minutes and the skin on the tomatoes is lightly browned in spots. (Be careful the garlic and onions are not burning.)  You must keep them under the Tomatoes and toss a few times.  I think keeping the skin side up on the tomatoes is best to blistered and get that Smokey flavor...

     Peel off the skin of the tomatoes.   

In a stock pot warm the chicken broth and add the bay leaves and bay leaf.   

Once the vegetables are done in the oven, add them to the stock pot.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid is reduced by one-third, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth (or puree in a regular blender and return to the pot).    Reduce the heat to low, add the cream/milk and adjust the seasoning. Blend again and serve piping hot!

·        TIPS:
-Salt-:  please adjust as you like. Sometimes the chicken stock will be more salty than other times. I like salt as a major flavor ingredient.  HOWEVER: I should cut down!!!!   So please reduce and add as you please when the soup has been pureed and simmered.

-I think roasted red pepper would add a nice twist

(just add red pepper cored and seeded and cut in 1/4ths to the pan before roasting        the Vegetables)

-Tomato soup should be paired with grilled cheese

-SUPER FUN IDEA: make a grilled cheese sandwich and make sure pressed very thin by weighting the top as you bake or fry it. Cut it into cubes and use as croutons. Clever –right!

- One can drizzle olive oil for taste/presentation – bit I think we used enough (cut down on oils)

REFERENCE:  I made this from this major basic great recipe:

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/roasted-tomato-soup.html?oc=linkback

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

QUICHE LORRAINE

QUICHE LORRAINE

SERVE WITH A NICE FRUIT SALAD

This past weekend I had the pleasure to have a wonderful family reunion in Upper Black Eddy, PA on the Delaware River.  My Family (we were a group of seven) came from all over and stayed in a rented fabulous River House. Thank you brother Paul!  My brother organized the gathering and also had the furthest to travel.  He wanted it to be a mini –vaca for all and simple for all - no fuss and no mess and eat out and just tour the fun Bucks county towns.

I had wanted to bring the Saturday night meal but he said he would call the trip off if I did anything like that – So I heeded his words and planned to at least sneak in some breakfast items.  Bagels, cream cheese, cut up fruit, juice,coffee, tea and a QUICHE LORRAINE!  I choose to make a quiche, as they can be made ahead of time and frozen and then

just reheated! That was simple – so I stayed within my brother’s rules.

            Quiche comprises of a tender custard filling in a delicate single crust pie and can be made with many additions to the simple Custard. ( ie all kinds of cheeses like: goat, cheddar, vegetables such as: broccoli, peppers, mushrooms; meats: ham, bacon, sausage;

and different herbs from parsley, dill, tarragon etc)  Be inventive and use what you have on hand.

But the age old French favorite – the traditional QUICHE LORRAINE is specific in adding onion, bacon and Swiss cheese to the custard.

Here is what I made.        

               (sorry for the lack of pictures of making it as I didn’t think to blog at the time.)

Ingredients:

One Pillsbury pie crust

One Large pie tin (I think it was 10 inches)

Filling:

8     slices bacon, (cooked until very crispy and then crumbled)

1     cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4  cup finely chopped onion, then sautéed

(1     tablespoon olive oil - use if you baked the bacon instead of bacon fat from frying)

6     large eggs

2     cups whipping cream or half-and-half

¼     teaspoon salt

¼     teaspoon pepper

1/8   teaspoon paprika

Spray your pie tin with a on stick spray. Place a pie crust (I used a pre-made one) rolled to be about 1 ½ inch wider than the tin.  Fit the crust to the bottom well and then up the sides. The extra hang over crust you will roll and crimp to make a decorative edge.  With a fork prick the bottom so when we bake it bubbling up will not take place.  Bake at 400 for 5 minutes (just before the sides begin to sink down)  OR fill with dried beans and bake 10minutes.

Fry the bacon until very crisp.  Drain on paper towels and when cool crumble.  Meanwhile, in the bacon fat saute the onions until soft – 3-4 minutes on medium heat.  Then beat the eggs until well mixed and add the cream and spices.

Sprinkle the cheese, onions and bacon on the bottom of the crust. Top with the filling.  Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes until set and lightly browned.   

If you are freezing make sure to remove from the oven just before the center sets as warming will again make the custard more dense.

TIPS:

• ·        This is a great breakfast, brunch, dinner or side dish.

• ·        Leftovers warm nicely for a few days.

• ·        Sprinkle chopped parsley for a more colorful dish
•  
• As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to         
                                  what YOU have on hand!
•