Rosemary Roasted Chicken & Potatoes

I think I may have mentioned it before but Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs. The flavor is so versatile, lending itself well to meats, potatoes, vegetables like carrots or corn on the cob. You get the point. I love it. And to my good fortune, it just so happens that my neighbor has a rosemary plant growing in her yard that she so graciously shares with us. Now under normal circumstances I would have to practice a bit of restraint. You know so as to be sure I didn't leave her with just a skeleton of her former plant. But as luck would have it this aint no ordinary rosemary bush...

I don't really talk like that. I just thought, for effect.. you know?

Anyway, back to the rosemary bush.

This sucker is mammoth! Rosemary for everyone!

There is more rosemary here than two families could possibly use in a season, but that wont stop me from trying. "Say, Liam how about some rosemary chocolate milk?" Or "oh, you like it? Its peanut butter and rosemary"

Have I gone too far? Perhaps.

For the purposes of this post lets just stick with what works, shall we?

This works.

Here is what you will need:

6 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, well trimmed
Red potatoes halved or quartered depending on their size
3 cloves garlic, minced
fresh rosemary, chopped- I probably used two heaping tablespoons
zest and juice from half a lemon
4 Tbsp EVOO, divided
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper

In a large skillet add two tablespoons of evoo and heat to med-high. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then add to heated pan to sear. About 3 minutes a side. If you cant fit all 6 in one pan break it up, one tbsp evoo to 3 breasts.
transfer chicken to a large roasting pan or baking dish and arrange cut potatoes around the chicken.

In a mixing bowl add garlic, rosemary, lemon juice and zest, two tablespoons of olive oil and chicken stock. whisk together and pour over chicken and potatoes.

If your rosemary grows on trees like mine does throw of few sprigs in the pot for good measure.

Bake (uncovered) at 375 for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

I love this dish, its easy and it has always won me compliments from dinner guests. The olive oil and stock keep the chicken juicy and tender and the flavors are mouth watering. Enjoy it soon!

Zucchini fries

Ok, I meant to post this years ago. Or maybe it was months? I cant remember but either way I made them forever ago and they were deceptively satisfying. If it weren't for the lack of melty mozzarella dangling from my chin I would have mistaken them for cheese sticks. almost.

These would be great as hors d'oeuvres at your memorial day party or just a super sneaky way to get some extra veggies into your tot.

3 medium zucchini sliced into 3" x 1/2" sticks

1 large egg white
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese- get the good stuff, it matters.
cooking spray
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt
fresh pepper

Quick Marinara Sauce (1 cup)

1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 small bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
salt and fresh pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 425°.
In a small bowl, beat egg whites and season with salt and pepper. In a bag, place breadcrumbs, garlic powder and cheese and shake well. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
Dip zucchini sticks into eggs then into bread crumb and cheese mixture, a few at a time and shake to coat. Place the breaded zucchini in a single layer and spray more cooking spray on top. Bake at 425° for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with 1/2 cup marinara sauce for dipping.

Its zucchini season and if you're like me your looking for new and creative uses for all the zucchini you've got in your crisper! This fits the bill, Enjoy!

Sustainable sustenance

Ok. About a month ago Chris and I saw the documentary Food Inc. and it dramatically changed the way we buy and eat food. We were on the right track buying organic when it was available at the market but we were incredibly uninformed. I'm embarrassed by how much we didn't know. Anyway, I'm going to spare you the lecture on why you should see this film and in turn stop buying meat from Tyson, Perdue or Smithfield (Shame on you, Paula Deen!) to name a few. Instead, I'll just start posting recipes of the sustainable foods that are making their way to our table.

Now, a certain little boy with an affinity for all things electronic dropped our digital camera down the stairs and busted the lens. So for the time being my posts will be sparse with even lower quality (didn't think that was possible, did you?) pictures taken from my phone.

Recipes in the works: Blackeye pea cakes, cheesey mac cupcakes (what!?) and Rosemary chicken with red potatoes.