Tasty Tuesday--Roasted Chicken with Olives, Lemon, & Garlic

My SIL (sister-in-law), Ellen, found this delicious cookbook at a grocery store for $1! I spent a weekend looking through it and jotting down recipes, then later that day, I found the same cookbook at Tuesday Morning! Not for $1, but it was only $8! And it has some really awesome recipes in it. 

This recipe is from Susan Spicer, a New Orleans chef at Bayona and Herbsaint.

1 whole chicken (2.5 to 3 pounds)

2 lemons, zested and quartered

12 to 15 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

crushed red pepper flakes

6 to 8 sprigs rosemary (strip half the sprigs of their leaves and chop coarsely)

1 medium onion, cut into 8 wedges

1 cup pitted kalamata or picholine olives

Preheat oven to 450. Place a 13 x 9 inch roasting pan in the oven.

Rinse the chicken and use paper towels to pat it dry, inside and out. Squeeze 1 of the lemon quarters over the skin and rub the juice around with your fingers. 

Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the breast, and place a couple of the garlic cloves and some of the lemon zest under the skin of the best on each side. Let it sit about 10 minutes, then pat the bird dry again, rub the skin with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, red pepper, and some of the chopped rosemary. Make an incision on the inside of each thigh and insert a garlic clove. Place 3 of the garlic cloves in the cavity, along with the rosemary sprigs and 2 of the lemon quarters.

You may tie the legs together over the cavity, if you like. 

Place the chicken breast side up in the preheated roasting pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, watching to make sure the chicken starts to brown. Carefully loosen the chicken from the pan with a spatula and turn it over to brown the underside.

At this point, lower the oven heat to 400. Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil to the pan, then scatter the onion, olives, remaining garlic, lemon quarter and zest, and chipped rosemary around the chicken and cook for about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over again and stir the onion, olives, and garlic around a little. Cook another 10 to 15 minutes to re-crisp the skin.

When the chicken is a deep golden brown, remove it from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and collect any juices that drain. Tilt the roasting pan and spoon off the fat, if desired. Stir the olives, onion, and lemon around, pressing on the lemon a little to extract the juice. Add the chicken juices to the pan and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan to incorporate them into the mixture. Spoon the juicy olive-onion mixture around the chicken and serve.

Tasty Tuesday--Chicken Enchilada Soup

The weather is cooling down here (and by cooling down, I mean it's not in the 90's anymore), and I've been craving some soup.

When I make soup, I can't help but think of this guy.

Who doesn't love Seinfeld? If you don't, I'm not sure we can be friends.

Have any of you ever had the Baja Enchilada Soup from Atlanta Bread? Well, it is our favorite, but I never see it there anymore. I found this recipe on pinterest and had to try it. I did make some minor changes. And it was freakin' awesome.

Serves 6

1/2 of a deli rotisserie chicken, torn in bite size pieces

3 cups chicken broth, low sodium

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (19 oz.) can enchilada sauce (medium or mild...I used medium)

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 (10 3/4oz) can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

1 (10 oz.) packaged frozen corn

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon house seasoning (garlic salt, salt, pepper)

1. In a large soup pot, saute onion and peppers in oil over medium high heat, until soft--about 5 minutes. 

2. Add all other ingredients and mix until well-blended.

3. Let simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.

*for thicker soup, make a cornstarch/water paste and stir into soup, adding until you get desired thickness.

Tailgate Tasties

I'm heading up to Columbia to watch my gamecocks take on the Auburn Tigers, and I can NOT wait. The high in Columbia is supposed to be 70--perfect football weather! And I'm meeting up with Emily and Megan, and hopefully a few of my best friends from college.

I will be enjoying my morning tailgate mimosas out of my lovely GARNET shatter-proof champagne flute.

And I'm bringing these two Tailgate Tasties.

Tasty #1:  Pumpkin Whoopie Pies  (YUM!)

Pies:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 15oz. can pumpkin

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling:

1 8oz.  package cream cheese, softened

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp.

1 16oz. box powdered sugar (I used less…just taste as you go)

cap-full vanilla extract

pinch or two of cinnamon (to taste)

Pies: Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves.) Set aside. Beat the brown sugar, sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Add eggs one at time, allowing each to mix in well, followed by the vanilla. Slowly, add the dry ingredients to the wet.

Using a Ziploc bag with the tip cut out, pipe circle of batter about 2 inches in diameter. Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 11 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Filling: Beat cream cheese and butter. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Once the pies are cooled, frost and make “sandwiches”.  Eat them right away, or chill overnight.

Tasty #2: Cream Cheese Sausage Crescents

1 lb. regular breakfast sausage, browned and drained

1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls

Add the softened cream cheese to the browned sausage and mix well. Dollop a tablespoon or two of the sausage mixture in the center of the rolled-out crescents. Roll up and bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Here's to hoping the Gamecocks can make my day just a little more perfect! GO COCKS!

"The Baked Brownie"

Another pinterest find. 

Mine were a little under-cooked, but I prefer them that way!

These. Are. Amazing.

Rich, fudge-y, dense, amazing.

Slap-yo-momma amazing.

Even Oprah thinks they're amazing, as they were featured on one of her "favorite things" shows. 

The recipe is from the Baked cookbook, but I found it on brown eyed baker.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder

11 oz. dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup (8 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

5 eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13 glass or light-colored baking dish. Line with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt, and cocoa powder.

3. Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl over a pot of simmering water to melt. Stir frequently until smooth.

4. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove. It should be about room temperature.

5. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Add the other 2 and whisk until combined. Add vanilla & stir to combine. Do not overbeat at this point or you'll wind up with cakey brownies.

6. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate. Using a rubber spatula, fold until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible. 

7. Pour into pan and smooth the top.

8. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out with just a few moist crumbles.

9. Let cool in pan, then lift using the parchment paper. Cut into squares.

*I, of course, forgot to add the vanilla, and they were still great!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

This is a modified version of a recipe that I found on pinterest. 

The weather here this weekend has been so fall-ish. And fall is my FAVORITE. I love everything about it... 

pumpkin spice candles, fall leaves, boots, sweaters, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin bars, pumpkin bread, and so on.

So when I saw this recipe on pinterest, and woke up to a "chilly" morning, I decided to whip this up for me and the hubs.

Like I said, I first found the recipe on pinterest, but I made a few small changes.

This makes 2 servings.

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup steel-cut oatmeal (or the regular stuff)

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

maple syrup to taste

pecans

Bring the water to a boil. Add the oatmeal and lower heat to low. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until water is absorbed.

When oatmeal is *almost* done (just a little water remaining), add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, stirring to combine.

Serve with maple syrup and pecans.

Tailgate Saturday!

My Gamecocks play Navy today, and even though I had a ticket, I'll be watching from my couch. Pretty sure my germ-y third graders have gotten me sick already. 

Anyway, when I was planning on going, I was going to make these for the tailgate. I've made them before and they were a HUGE hit. They're kind of a take on the those yummy ham/mustard/poppyseed sandwiches.

recipe and picture are from southern living

• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 2 (9.25-oz.) packages dinner rolls
• 2/3 cup peach preserves
• 1/2 cup mustard-mayonnaise blend
• 3/4 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef, chopped
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced Havarti cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

• 1. Heat walnuts in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes or until lightly toasted.
• 2. Remove rolls from packages. (Do not separate rolls.) Cut rolls in half horizontally, creating 1 top and 1 bottom per package. Spread preserves on cut sides of top of rolls; sprinkle with walnuts. Spread mustard-mayonnaise blend on cut sides of bottom of rolls; top with beef and cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Cover with top halves of rolls, preserves sides down, and wrap in aluminum foil.
• 3. Bake at 325° for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Slice into individual sandwiches.

*I didn't use the walnuts*

Remember Me?

Yes, it has been a while. I have no excuse, except for the craziness of the beginning of the school year. I promise, I will try to do better!

With that being said, I have an awesome post in store for you. Well, I think it's awesome. And I'm usually right about most things.

My in-laws came in town for a visit this weekend, mostly because my mother-in-law's artwork was being featured in a local Charleston art gallery: Horton Hayes. She is so very talented, and we're lucky to have some of her artwork displayed in our house. Here is her painting from the gallery.

Love it? It's for sale, check it out here!

After the art show on Friday, we walked over to Social for [lots of] wine and dinner.

Saturday morning, I met up with Emily, a sorority sister and good friend of mine, who now lives in Dallas.

at a carolina game a few years ago.

Emily was in town for a wedding, so we met up for brunch at Poogan's Porch.

via

 I had only been here one other time, and hated it. However, everyone raves about this place so I gave it another shot. I'm glad I did. It was soooo good. I had the crabcake benedict and Emily had the shrimp and grits. The best part was definitely the biscuits! Just what I needed after a night of lots of red wine. It was great to catch up with Emily! I just love her.

That afternoon was the Carolina/Georgia game. My, oh, my was it a nail-biter! But, Carolina came out with the win! May not have been too pretty, but a W's a W.
It's always great to beat those bulldawgs.

Here's Lucy doing her touchdown dance.

Sunday afternoon, we had dinner with my parents and my in-laws at Leaf, a new restaurant in Charleston. It's located on Beaufain Street, where the old Vickery's used to be. I would describe it as "an upscale bar."
But it's so much more than that.

The atmosphere was amazing: floor to ceiling glass doors with flowy white curtains, a beautiful bar, and a cozy patio with an oaktree and lined with crepe myrtles.  Also, all of the artwork in the restaurant is Kevin Morissey's, who is one of my brother's best and oldest friends. I love his artwork!

And the food! Holy moly. Very good. And reasonably priced.

Here is the photo parade of the restaurant and the FOOD.

view from bar with patio in background.

Really? How many bars have you been to where the T.V's are in a pretty built-in with books and flowers?

My favorite of Kevin's artwork.

Another favorite.

pre-dinner cocktail: "skinny" citron mojito

app. = cornmeal-breaded frickles. Megan, you would die. So good.

app #2: fried oysters

mom, dad, and jack all got the meatloaf with mushroom au jus. don't let the pic fool you. it was amazing.

andy got the burger and sweet potato fries

sally got the basil tomato and brie pasta with shrimp. yummm

the. most. amazing. fries. EVER! Truffle oil fries.

my meal: grilled boneless chicken, mashed potatoes, and collard greens. 

You need to try this place. The prices are reasonable, the atmosphere is great, and the food is amazing.
If you do go, you have to promise me you'll get the truffle oil french fries. DO IT!