Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken by Barefoot Contessa

This is soooooooo easy and delish!  

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup good olive oil

1 lemon, halved and sliced 1/4" thick

1 yellow onion, halved and sliced 1/4" thick

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 (4 lb.) chicken, backbone removed and butterflied

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

Juice of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Place the thyme, fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a mini-food processor and process until ground.  Pour the olive oil into a small glass measuring cup, stir in the herb mixture, and set aside.

Distribute the lemon slices in a 12" cast-iron skillet and distribute the onion and garlic on top.  Place the chicken, skin side down on top of the onion and brush with about half of the oil and herb mixture. Turn the chicken skin side up, pat it dry with paper towels (very important!), and brush it all over with the rest of the oil and herb mixture.

 

Roast the chicken for 30 minutes.  Pour the wine into the pan (not on the chicken!) and roast for another 10-15 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155-160 degrees.  

Remove the chicken from the oven, sprinkle it with the lemon juice, cover the skillet tightly with foil, and allow to rest for 10-15 min.  Cut the chicken into quarters or eighths, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with the pan juices, cooked lemon, and onion. 

Caprese Salad

This is the easiest salad to make to go with any pasta dish or the grilled chicken and salad, pictured below!

You need just a few ingredients:

Fresh tomatoes
1 small ball fresh mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil
Olive oil
Salt and pepper







Slice your favorite variety of tomatoes, tear fresh basil, and cut pieces of mozzarella cheese.  Season with salt and pepper and olive oil.  Delish! 

Grilled Chicken Breasts

This is the easiest, tastiest way to grill chicken!  It's especially good for food prepping for the week.  Use it as a staple when you are eating clean!











You will need Wishbone Italian dressing and Fiesta fajita seasoning. I buy the fajita seasoning at Walmart. I use Red Bird chicken breast fillets.  I slice the chicken breast fillets horizontally.  Sprinkle each side generously with the fajita seasoning.

Shake the dressing well, and pour a good amount into a Ziploc bag. 

Add the seasoned chicken breast fillets. 

Let the chicken marinate for at least 20 min and up to overnight.

Place chicken on grill and grill about 4 minutes on one side until the chicken is opaque. Flip over. 

 Close grill lid and cook until done! 

Yogurt Crème Brûlée

This is so easy to make, and great for an update on your usual morning routine! I saw Bobby Flay make this on his Brunch show. 

Take your favorite fruit and sweeten it with a little agave or honey.  Whichever you prefer.

Sprinkle on a little granola.

Cover fruit, granola with a layer of yogurt. Then, place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle on a thin, even layer of sugar in the raw or granulated sugar. Then, using a torch, brulee the sugar until it hardens.

It is so fun to do!  Make sure that you do it on a safe surface, though.

Crack the surface with your spoon and dig in!

Coconut Pecan Cake

Coconut Pecan Cake for a celebration!  What makes it so delicious is the toasted coconut frosting!

This simple cake recipe was adapted from AllRecipes.com.  It is easy to make!  I even make it in a 13 x 9" pan to make it even easier! 

Cake Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package moist white cake mix

1 1/4 cups water

4 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups shredded coconut

1 cup chopped pecans, (I toast pecan halves in the oven for 5 min, and let them cool and then chop them)

Frosting:

4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)

2 cups shredded coconut

1(8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temp.

2 teaspoons milk

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour two 8" round pans or one 13 x 9" pan.

In a large bowl, blend cake mix with the water, eggs, and oil.  Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 4 minutes.  Stir in one cup of shredded coconut and pecans.  Pour into prepared pan(s).

Bake for 35 min.  Cook completely.

For frosting, melt 2 tablespoons better with softened cream cheese.  Add 2 cups shredded coconut, and stir constantly over low heat until golden brown.  Spread toasted coconut on absorbent paper towel to cool.

Cream 2 tablespoons butter with softened cream cheese.  Add milk and sugar alternately, beating well.  Add vanilla and stir in 1 cup of the coconut.  Ice the cake and sprinkle with remaining coconut.

This cake is best served chilled!

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

I made these for my dad's friends so that they could celebrate his 80th birthday with him.  They are his coffee buddies.  This is so easy, and they look and taste great!

Ingredients

Use your favorite Chocolate Cake mix

Raspberry preserves

1 cup of heavy cream

8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, broken in pieces

Fresh raspberries

Bake chocolate cupcakes by following manufacturer's directions on the box.  You can use cupcake liners or grease and flour the muffin tins to make your cupcakes.  I personally don't use the cupcake liners in this recipe because I think the cupcake looks more elegant. 

After cupcakes have cooled, carefully remove them from the muffin tins.  You may have to go around the edge with a sharp knife. 

Spread the raspberry preserves in a thin layer directly on top of each cupcake. 

For Ganache...

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until small bubbles form.  around the edge of the pan.  Add chocolate, turn off heat and let sit for 5 min. 
Whisk well.

Quickly dip cupcake into ganache by hand.

I have to say, it was delicious!   

Peaches!

It's that time of year again!  A tradition in our family.  Put up freezer peaches. I think I started in 1993 or 1994.  My friend Millie taught me about canning and we have passed that on to our children, who are all adults now. It's so fun for Millie and I to go to the Farmer's Market together and pick our peaches! We buy them by the box!

When you get home, place your peaches on newspaper in the coolest part in your house.  I use the cement floor in the basement.  I lay newspaper down first and then carefully place each peach on the paper to ripen.  This may take 1-3 days depending on your peaches.



The night before you prepare the peaches, make a few batches of simple syrup.  Let cool and then chill until the next day.

Simple syrup 

4 c. water
3 c. sugar
Fruit fresh
Combine sugar and water and let come to a simmer, or until the sugar has dissolved.  This makes about 5 1/2 cups of simple syrup.  Then add 1 teaspoon of fruit fresh for each cup of syrup.  I usually make about 4 batches of simple syrup.   

                         

Clean and sterilize your canning jars.  I just put mine in the dishwasher.  I also prep by precutting sheets of waxed paper to place on top of the peaches.
Let's get started!  We need to remove the skins.
Heat a big pot of water to boiling and carefully add your peaches one by one just a few at a time.
Let the peaches sit in the hot water for about 30 seconds.  
 Remove the peaches and place on a tray to cool.  Peel each peach.

      
Cut each peach in half and remove the pit.  Slice each peach half into medium slices and place into jars.  I usually do a few at a time so that the peaches don't turn brown.  Pour in simple syrup to completely submerge the peaches.

Then, top with a piece of cut waxed paper.  Seal with the lid and wipe the outside of the jars to remove any syrup from the sides of the jar.  

Place the jars in the freezer to enjoy all winter long!

The peaches are especially delicious when they are semi-frozen. They make you so happy that you took the time to freeze them!