Greek Chicken and Potatoes

This recipe is so delicious! The lemon and spices and herbs make my house smell so good! This is so simple, but it can make you look like a master chef in the kitchen. The key is to use the Cavender's Greek Seasoning and leg quarters with the skin ON! Please don't use skinless chicken, or it will dry out.

Greek Chicken and Potatoes

1/2 cup butter, room temp

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Cavender's Greek Seasoning 

2 lemons, juiced or 1/4 cup juice

4 Chicken Leg Quarters*

4 or 5 baking potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, cut into thick slices
2 lemons, sliced thin

Oil and lemon for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix the butter, garlic, 1 tbsp Cavender's and lemon juice. Loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers or with the handle of a spoon. Be careful not to break the skin. Loosen as much as you can even down the legs. Place a scoop of the butter mixture under the skin and rub down, spreading the butter under the skin. Repeat this process until the butter is covering all the leg quarters. Dust chicken with Cavender's Greek Seasoning. Place the potatoes, onions and some of the lemon slices in a 13X9 casserole dish. Drizzle with oil and lemon juice and sprinkle the Greek Seasoning over the potato mixture. Place chicken on top of potatoes and onion.

Bake uncovered for 45 min to an hour or until chicken is golden brown** and potatoes are tender.

*You can multiply this recipe to feed as many people as you need. I usually allow for one leg quarter per adult. 

** I check my chicken temps and remove from the oven when it reaches 165 degrees F.

Sausage Balls

This has to be the easiest 3 ingredient recipe perfect for the Holidays! I did add some garlic powder and onion powder, but you don't have to do that step. Or you can add more flavor if you like! 

2 cups Bisquick Baking Mix
2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
16 oz package Mild Sausage*

(I added 1 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp onion powder)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients and mix thoroughly until all dry ingredients are picked up by the dough. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to measure out sausage mixture. Roll into balls. Space about an inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes and check. Cook 5 minutes longer if needed but watch to make sure the bottoms don't burn. 

* You can use a medium or hot sausage if you'd like. My family doesn't like a lot of heat, so we use mild. I always have plenty of hot sauce at parties! 

Note: If your sausage mixture is still dry after mixing well, sprinkle with little water with your fingers. Mix again and repeat until all the mixture is combined.

One Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta

 

2 tablespoons butter

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 cup diced onion 
1 cup diced bell pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
12 oz uncooked pasta, your favorite 
1 cup frozen sweet peas
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1/4 cup sliced green onion 

In 5-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl; cover and keep warm. Add bell peppers, onions, pepper and salt to butter and drippings in pan; cook over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.

Stir in broth and whipping cream; heat to boiling. Stir in pasta; return to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in frozen peas and chicken; stir 3 to 4 minutes or until pasta is cooked to desired tenderness and sauce is thickened.

Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Top with green onion.

Simple Cheeseburger Pie

 

• 
  
  
  
  
  Cheeseburger Pie
  
  
  
• 
  1 lb lean ground beef
  1 onion, chopped 
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1 teaspoon garlic powder
  2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (or more if you like)
  1/2 cup Biscuit mix
  1 cup milk
  2 eggs
• 
  
  

Heat oven to 400°F. 

Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.
In small bowl, stir biscuit mix, milk and eggs with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Chicken Lo Mein... More Chinese Takeout at home!

I didn't have the Lo Mein noodles, so I just used what I had in the pantry. Angel Hair Pasta worked just fine! 


Chicken and Vegetable Lo Mein

8 oz Angel Hair Pasta or Spaghetti

2 chicken breasts, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

1 head of broccoli cut into flowerets
1 carrot, matchstick cuts
1 onion halved and sliced
1/2 cup water chestnuts
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

2 cloves garlic minced

Cook the noodles one minute shy of the directions.
Drain and toss with a little oil in a bowl to coat. 

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium to medium-high heat.Cook the chicken about 5-10 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove from the pan and add in the vegetables and garlic and cook them for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until just softened.

In a bowl add water, cornstarch, soy sauce, and teriyaki sauce. Mix to dissolve the cornstarch and pour into the skillet. Bring to a low boil to thicken the sauce.

Add in chicken and noodles. Stir until heated through. Serve! 

Roasted Garlic, Onion and New Potatoes

I made a new potato recipe, and we can't decide which is better... these or Greek Potatoes?!? These little yellow new potatoes are the perfect size, and they are crispy on the outside and buttery and creamy on the inside! The onion and garlic combo seasons them perfectly! 


1 lb yellow new potatoes, washed and cut in half
3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper, to taste
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the cut potatoes in oil and add seasonings. Arrange potatoes cut side down on a cookie sheets. Pour the remaining oil and seasonings over the potatoes. I added a little more salt and cracked pepper, but that is up to your taste. I also waited until the last 15 minutes to add the onion to the tray to keep from burning them. Roast potatoes for about 30 to 45 minutes or your desired crispiness. 

Tuscan Soup... requested by a guy that hates soup!

Last time... "My guys don't eat soup. One night I was making this soup for my step-mother who wasn't feeling well. My son and husband were in the back of the house playing the play station. They came into the kitchen asking what the terrific smell was... Needless to say, I had to make another batch of soup!"
This time the hubby actually asked me to make this soup!  I decided to make it a little heartier. I used Kielbasa because that was all I had on hand. I added large chunks of mushrooms and a teaspoon of minced garlic. I also a cup of evaporated milk. The basic recipe is listed below. Fell free to add or take out what you'd like!

Tuscan Soup

6 cups chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
3 (3.5 ounce) links Johnsonville Italian sausage
3 large potatoes, cubed
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped
1/4 cup evaporated milk
salt and pepper to taste

Remove skin from sausage and crumble into frying pan. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Place meat in a large pot; add stock and potatoes. Boil until potato is cooked. 
Add spinach. Continue boiling until spinach is lightly cooked. Remove soup from heat, stir in evaporated milk, and season to taste.

Chicken Fajitas

At our house, we love tacos, burritos, enchiladas and fajitas! I have never made fajitas, and we don't care for bell peppers. I decided to try making some and substitute mushrooms for the peppers. It was delicious!

Filling:

1 large chicken breast, cubed
1 large onion, thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
8oz mushrooms, thick slices
butter
Fajita Seasoning

Saute the chicken in butter until no longer pink in the middle. Add onions and mushrooms and saute  until tender crisp. Add garlic and stir. Pour in about a 1/2 cup of water to lift any bits stuck to the pan. Stir in the seasoning and simmer until thickened.

For the fajitas:

Chicken mixture
Flour tortillas
Cheese, such as a Mexican blend
Sour cream
Fajita sauce

Heat the tortillas. Add the filling mixture, cheese and sauce. Add sour cream or serve it on the side. 

Baked Fish with Meyer Lemons

This recipe is wonderful! Even kids will love this flavor. I don't like a strong fishy taste, so this is perfect! It's a quick recipe to put together, leaving time for family and friends while it bakes... and it smells heavenly! You don't have to worry about the smell of fish filling your house!

2 fish fillets per person
Talapia, Bass, Catfish or Whitefish (all white meat fish will work)

Flour
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 Meyer Lemons, sliced thin
1 bottle Zesty Italian or Balsamic Vinaigrette salad dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the Flour, Salt & Pepper and dredge the fish. Place them in a shallow baking dish so they fit snug. Place lemon slices on the fish, then sprinkle with onions. Pour dressing over the fish (use about 1 cup of dressing). You can add your favorite spice such as dill, basil or garlic to the dressing if you like... just taste it and adjust the flavor. The flour will bake with the dressing and thicken into a wonderful sauce! Bake fish uncovered for about 30 - 45 minutes or until fish is firm and flaky.

Top with lemon slices and bake!

Roasted Vegetables with Meyer Lemons

Last March, I won a Meyer Lemon Tree in a giveaway sponsored by Simply Citrus Nursery, and it has been an adventure! The lemons are finally ripening, and I am having a blast with all the possibilities! Find the giveaway story in the link above.

Beautiful Meyer Lemons, and they taste delicious!

I decided to start with what I had on hand. I love roasting and caramelizing vegetables in the oven, especially root vegetables! I had carrots, potatoes and onions on hand so I threw in some lemon juice and lemon slices. OMGoodness!!! We already ate one lemon by itself, but roasting the slices and eating them rind, pith and all was more than delicious! My mouth is watering as I think about it!

Roasted Vegetables with Meyer Lemons

Carrots, peeled and sliced into sticks about 2-3 inches
Potatoes, peeled and cubed
Onion sliced thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Dash of pepper
Dried basil, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium sized bowl add carrots, potatoes and onion.

In a small bowl, add the vinegar, lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil. Whisk until combined.
Pour the vinegar mixture over top of the vegetables. Toss until well coated then pour them onto the cookie sheet.

Place in oven and roast for about 30 to 45 minutes until golden brown and caramelized. I like a good bit of color on my roasted vegetables, as you can see. Remove from oven. Transfer to a bowl. Serve warm.

Served on a pretty platter.

It tastes better than it looks, if that is possible!

Roasted Vegetables!

Living in South Carolina all my life, I went through the eye wall of Hugo all those years ago, and I remember it all to well! The storm, the eerie calm and starry sky as the eye passed over, and the aftermath of the other side of the eye wall are still fresh in my mind with every passing storm. We are watching Irma and hoping for the best! I have a wedding Saturday to prepare for, and then we will decide what to do next. We are as prepared as we can be here in this ancient double wide mobile home. (that I hope does NOT become truly mobile!)

In the mean time, I'm cooking some foods that might perish if we are left without power for any significant time. Today I roasted some vegetables I had sitting around. Awesome flavors!

Potatoes, Carrots, Onions and Garlic Cloves

Cut into chunks, except the garlic. Leave it whole.

Tossed in oil and a little lemon.

Seasoned with basil, Kosher salt and pepper, to taste.

Roast on a baking sheet for about 30-45 minutes at 400 degrees.

My kitchen smells amazing!

Hamburger and Potato Casserole with a Bechamel Twist

I was trying to figure out what to cook for supper with the things I had on hand. The cabinets are getting pretty bare, and those that know me, know that "running to the store" is not an option out here. I need a couple of hours to be able to do the shopping. Well, I had ground beef in the freezer and thawed it out. I had a few potatoes, a couple of onions and some cheese. Most recipes would call for some cream of mushroom or broth next, but I didn't have any on hand. I decided to go with a bechamel with a garlic kick. Here's a step by step, and the recipe is at the end.

Layer potatoes and onions.

Next combine hamburger, spices and bechamel,

then top the potatoes and onions.

Next Cheese!

Another layer of potatoes and onions.

More meat mixture.

Continue layering.

After 4 hours cooking on high.

All plated and ready to gobble up! It went fast!

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

¼ cup flour

2 cups milk

2 garlic cloves, run through a garlic press

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp. Pepper

3 lbs. peeled russet potatoes, sliced

1 sliced onion

3 cups shredded sharp cheese

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Brown the ground beef on the stove top. Remove meat and reserve grease. Add flour to grease and stir to cook the flour to make a roux. Add a little butter if needed. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil. Sauce won’t thicken until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in meat and seasonings.

In a Crock Pot* base, layer 1/3 of the potatoes. Salt and Pepper the potatoes, to taste. Add 1/3 of the onions, 1/3 of the meat mixture, and 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers ending with cheese.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or until the potatoes get soft.

*If you don’t have a crock pot, layer as instructed in a casserole deep dish and cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until potatoes are fork tender.

Southern Style Tomato Pie

I asked the Hubby to go pick the ripest, prettiest tomatoes he could find from the garden. I told him that I wanted to cook a tomato pie. He said, "A what?" I laughed and told him he'd like it! Most people don't know much about tomato pie unless their Grandmama made it. Quite frankly, I don't remember Mama or my Grandmama making a tomato pie. The first time I tried it was in Santee, SC at Lone Star Barbecue & Mercantile. That first taste was enough to inspire me to make them from then on! I finished the pie and offered a slice to him. He is now hooked! I was short on tomatoes because I had already processed a lot for sauce the day before, so this pie is a little pitiful. The next one will be more substantial! LOL

This is what I found on the counter this morning!

I think he liked it! LOL

• 1 - 9 inch pie shell (or homemade pie crust, below)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 cups cheese I used a combination of Sharp Cheddar and Mozzarella
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Pre-bake the pie shell in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned.

Lightly salt the chopped tomatoes and set them in a colander over a bowl to drain (I used my Easy Greasy Colander System.) while you are pre-baking the crust. Squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the chopped tomatoes using paper towels.

Sprinkle a layer of chopped onion over the bottom of the pie crust. Spread the tomatoes over the onions. Sprinkle the basil over the tomatoes.

In a medium bowl, mix together the grated cheese, mayonnaise, hot sauce, and freshly ground black pepper. Spread the cheese mixture over the tomatoes.

Place in oven and bake at 350° until browned and bubbly, about 25- 30 minutes.

My pie crust was a little thin and rustic,

but it was not soggy. It was crispy and delicious!

Pie Crust:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
8 Tbsp (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 to 4 Tbsp ice water

Place the flour, salt, and sugar into a food processor and pulse until well combined. Add half of the butter cubes and pulse about 6 times. Then add the other half of the butter cubes and pulse about 6 more times. You should have a mixture that resembles a coarse meal, with many butter pieces the size of peas. Work quickly with the dough, you don't want the processor to heat up and start to melt the butter.

Add a couple of tablespoons of ice cold water to the food processor bowl and pulse a couple of times. Then add more ice water, slowly, about a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the mixture just barely begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready, if not, add a little more water and pulse again. 

Remove the crumbly mixture from the food processor and place on a clean, smooth surface. Use your hands to press the crumbly dough together and shape into a ball. Work the dough just enough to just bring the dough together. Do not over-knead or your hands will overheat the dough and break down the butter. This will make the dough tough. You should be able to see little bits of butter in the dough.

Sprinkle the dough with a little flour. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (You can freeze the dough for several months until ready to use. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before using.)

When you are ready to roll out the dough, place it on a clean, smooth, lightly floured sheet of wax paper. (You can place it on a counter top, but I like to transfer the crust on the paper.) Sprinkle some flour on top of the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 12 inch circle, to a thickness of about 1/8 of an inch thick.

As you roll out the dough, check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking.

Place dough onto a 9-inch pie plate. (If you use the wax paper, it's ok for it to stick a little. I invert the paper over the pie plate and gently peel the wax paper from the dough.) Gently press down to line the pie dish with the dough. Crimp or pinch the dough around the top or press with the tines of a fork.

Re-purposed Onions! LOL

Have you ever pulled out your onion drawer, bag or basket and found they all have sprouted green tops? Sure! What do you do? If the onion isn't rotten in spots, I go ahead and use/cook it. What if it's a little too far gone for that? I peel the dead pieces away until I get to the last green stalk. Sometimes one onion will yield several sprouts. I did this today. The pieces of onion that I peeled away are going to be caramelized and added to gravy and topped on hamburgers and hot dogs. Nothing goes to waste here!

I harvested 7 onion plants from 3 onions.

I used empty water bottles cut in half for the taller shoots

and one about 2 inches deep for the smaller shoots.

Sit the shoots in water.

In a few days, the shoots will have roots!

This one should have been planted a few days ago,

but we got sidetracked. It will be planted today!

These are the peelings I got from the "rotten" onions.

I cut them up and sauted them for burgers.