Maple Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

A friend of mine gave me some old Real Simple magazines and I looked through one the other day (February 2009)  and found this recipe to try.  We tried it tonight and it was great!!  Very simple to put together and very simple flavors but delicious.  I made it with just bone-in chicken thighs since that is what I had in the freezer

Maple-Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 onion, cut into 1" wedges
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 3.5 - 4 lb. chicken cut into 8 pieces
3 Tbsp. maple syrup

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a 9x13" baking dish, toss the sweet potatoes, onion, thyme, oil, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.  Season with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Nestle the chicken among the vegetables and drizzle with the maple syrup.

Roast, stirring the vegetables once, until the chicken is cooked through, 55 to 65 minutes.

Crockpot Swedish Meatballs

This is an easy recipe and while it does use canned soups, you can easily find the recipes online for the homemade equivalent if you want to.  But this is a quick, easy recipe and one my family loves!!!

Crockpot Swedish Meatballs

premade meatballs (I get them at the grocery store - they are 2 lbs. - you can make your own as well)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of garlic mushroom soup
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Lawry's seasoning

Mix all together in the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours.  Serve over noodles.

The Best and Easiest Apple Pie!!!

This week at our homeschool group, we made an apple pie that was SOOO easy and SOOO delicious that I just had to share.  It can be made in one bowl and does not require a rolling pin to roll the crust so that is why I decided it is the best AND it tastes absolutely wonderful which now just puts it over the top!  For our homeschool group, I had the kids make up three baggies of the ingredients with everything already mixed except the apples (we peeled and sliced them there), the butter (just brought it as the wrapped stick) and the oil and water) I brought that and added it there) and if you wanted to, you could make up a few baggies yourself to make an easy apple pie "mix" for busy nights!!  It's also great to get the kids involved and get their hands dirty - it's a great pie to make with your hands!!

Apple Pie

Pat-a-Pie Crust

In an 8 or 9 inch pie pan, mix with a fork:

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Add:
1/3 cup canola, vegetable or corn oil
2 1/2 Tbsp. water

Mix very gently with a fork until moistened.  Pat into a ball, flatten the ball and press from the center to edges to form a crust.  Crimp edges as desired.


Filling:

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
dash salt
6 cups thinly sliced pared tart apples (about 6 medium)

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.  Stir in apples.  Turn into pie crust.

Topping:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Mix until crumbly.  Top the apples with the crumb topping.

Bake on baking sheet for 40 minutes then cover lightly with foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until apples are tender.  Cool on baking rack.

Italian Beef Stew

This is an old family favorite.  I found the recipe when we first got married and have been cooking it ever since.  It also freezes well so when I cook it, I usually cook at least a double portion.

Italian Beef Stew

1 1/2 lb. boneless beef chuck, cut into 1" cubes
3 Tbsp. oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz. can tomatoes, cut up
1/2 cup minced parsley
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. pepper

In a large, heavy saucepan, brown the beef in hot oil.  Remove and set aside.  Add onion, celery and garlic to pan drippings; saute until tender.  Return beef to pan and add remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beef is tender.  Serve alone or over noodles.

Lemon Sticky Roast Chicken

This is a standard in my house and VERY much loved.  It can be cooked regular (350 until done) or with this method but I find this way turns out REALLY good and it's great when I'm busy in the afternoon.

Lemon Sticky Roast Chicken

6-7 lb. whole chicken roaster
1 tsp. each:  salt (up to 2 tsp.), paprika, onion powder, sage, garlic powder and lemon pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 lemon

Put chicken in baking pan and squeeze lemon over the skin.  Mix all spices and rub on the outside and inside of the chicken.  Put the quartered lemon in the cavity.  Roast at 250 degrees for 5 hours, ignoring the pop-up timer if there is one.

Williams Sonoma Baked Ziti

This was delicious!!!  Hubby doesn't like baked ziti because it's just....baked ziti.  This one he loves.  He rated it a 9.5 just because he can't quite get it up to those few things that are his favorite.  :)  The kids all gave it a 9.5 to a 10 so that means it stays in the rotation!!!  I changed the recipe a bit to make sure it was enough for my family so I'll post the link to the original recipe but I'll post what I actually made.

Here's the original recipe:  http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/baked-ziti.html

Here's mine:

Baked Ziti with Eggplant and Sausage

4 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 can (16 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 lb. ziti, cooked until al dente
2 Tbsp. dried basil
1/3 cup rinsed, chopped Kalamata olives
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1.  In a 10" nonstick fry pan over medium high heat, warm 2 tsp. of the olive oil.  Add the sausage and cook, stirring and crumbling with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

2.  Discard all but 1 Tbsp. of the fat in the pan.  Set the pan over medium-high heat and warm 2 tspl of the olive oil.  Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 6 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl.

3.  Set the pan over medium heat and warm the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil.  Add the onion and cook until softened, 5-6 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add the wine, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up the browned bits.  Cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.

4.  Add the sausage, basil, olives, 2 cups of the mozzarella and the tomato sauce to the bowl with the eggplant and stir to combine.  Add to the pasta (use a large bowl or the pot the pasta was cooked in).  Season with the salt and pepper.  Transfer the pasta mixture to a large casserole and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and the Parmigiano-Reggiano on top.  Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 -30 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Black Bean and Corn Salad - AKA Confetti Salad

I've been making this for some time - ever since I first saw the recipe online.  It was posted by an online friend on a board and it is YUMMY!  Very fresh tasting and great as a garnish on something, as a dip with chips or just to eat with a fork - my favorite way.  :)

Black Bean and Corn Salad

1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 can corn, drained
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh cilantro
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

Dressing -

1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. lime juice
salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all salad ingredients.  Combine all dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk well.  Pour over salad and stir.  Serve with tortilla chips.