Chicken Thighs and Rice

 Welcome November. Here is a comfort food recipe for you! 

This is one of my favorite recipes I have found on Pinterest. So I thought I'd share. 

Chicken Thighs and Rice

For the Chicken

8 pieces  boneless, chicken thighs skin-on or skinless, your choice

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil

 

For the Rice

2 tablespoons butter unsalted

1 medium onion diced

4-5 cloves garlic minced

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced

Directions:

This is one of my favorite pinned recipes from Pinterest.

https://cheerfulcook.com/chicken-thighs-and-rice/

Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika.

Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Remove the chicken and set aside. Lightly cover with foil.

Melt the butter over medium heat in the same pan. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened, but not browned. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the rice. Lightly toast the rice for about a minute.

Pour in the chicken broth into the skillet. Stir to deglaze the pan and scrape up the flavorful brown bits. Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, and minced parsley.

 

Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.

Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the chicken is fully cooked.

Remove the skillet from heat and allow the dish to rest for a few minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

**note, I took the liberty to add peas.

S'mores

 S’mores (From The Wintergreen Village Series)

1 pkg           Yellow cake mix

1                 Egg

½ cup          Dark brown sugar

2 Tbsp.        Honey

1 Tsp.          Vanilla

4 Tbsp.        Butter – melted

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°

Stir the cake mix and sugar, add the egg and stir thoroughly. Add the honey and vanilla and stir. Fold in the first 2 tablespoons of melted butter, then gradually mix the rest until the batter is firm. Spread evenly (about ¼ inch thick) onto a parchment lined quarter cookie sheet (8.5x11.5 in)

Bake for 18 – 20 minutes, depending on your oven.

Remove from the oven. When cooled for a few minutes, carefully remove the parchment and cake mix to a cooling rack or counter until cooled to room temperature. Cut into 12 squares. Set aside 6 squares on a plate. Put the other 6 with the parchment back on the cookie sheet, add a marshmallow to each square, broil until marshmallow starts to brown. (Watch carefully to avoid burning.) Remove from oven, roll the marshmallow over with a spoon and broil another couple of seconds. Remove from oven and add chocolate squares to the top of each marshmallow, mash down a little and put back in the oven and broil until chocolate is soft. Remove and add the other six squares to the tops to finish the smore.

Serve and enjoy.😊

Variations:
Instead of marshmallows, substitute with marshmallow crème.Instead of plain milk chocolate bars, substitute with two small miniatures, like crackle or with nuts. Use small peanut butter cups or peppermint patties.
Instead of yellow cake mix use cinnamon streusel muffin mix. The rest of the ingredients and measurements will remain the same.
Go wild and experiment! 😃

Get your Holiday Mood on! 

EASY Baked Zucchini Side Dish

 SUPER EASY Baked Zucchini

1                     Fresh Zucchini 

½ cup             Creamy Italian Dressing

1 ½ tsp.          Italian seasoning

½ cup             Parmesan cheese shredded (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the zucchini in ¼" slices. Put them in a bowl with the seasonings and dressing and mix until they are thoroughlly coated. Spread out on a foil covered baking sheet. Half way through sprinkle with the shredded cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Serve hot. 

FYI, the roasted potatoes I baked on the same sheet. I put them in a bowl with oil and Italian seasonings and baked for 30 to 40 minutes. At 20 minutes I put the zucchini on the other side of the baking sheet and baked for another 20 minutes. 

Thank you, Stanalei Fletcher, for the zucchini fresh from your garden.

Easy Crockpot Rosemary Chicken and Veggies

EASY Crockpot Rosemary Chicken and Veggies 

2           Chicken boneless breasts

4           Potatoes quartered

4/5        Carrots halved. rainbow colored optional

1 cup    Chicken broth

2 tbsp.  Olive oil

1/2 tsp. Onion powder

1/2 tsp. Garlic powder

1/2 tsp. Mustard ground

1 tsp.    Herbs De Province

2           Sprigs fresh rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

Add the oil to the bottom of the crockpot, then add the potatoes and carrots. Add the broth and sprinkle some of the seasoning over and stir. Rub one of the sprigs between your palms letting it fall over the veggies. Lay the breasts on top. Sprinkle the rest of the seasonings over the top and another sprig of rosemary. Lay the remaining rosemary on top.

Easy Summer Pasta Salad

Easy Summer Pasta Salad

1 pkg.         Rotini Pasta - Rainbow if you can find it.

1 pkg.         Cherry Tomatoes - halved

5-6 lg.         Radishes sliced

8-10            Mushrooms the button cut in quarters

1/2              Zucchini cut into cubes

1/2              Red onion chopped

1/2              Package of mixed salami meats, cut in quarters

8 oz            Creamy Italian Dressing

1/2 bottle    Artichoke hearts drain and slice

Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the pasta per the instructions on package. When done cool with cold water. 

Prep everything while Pasta is cooking/cooling. Then mix the ingredients in, add the dressing last. Chill in the fridge for at least two hours before serving. 

Serve with a side and some bread, or just by it's self. I have also used cubed cooked chicken instead of salami. Pairs well with a chilled Riesling. 

Baked Chicken Linguini

Baked Chicken Linguini  

1 lb.             Linguini

1 tbsp          Extra-virgin olive oil

1/2               Yellow onion chopped

1 cp             Frozen Peas

1 lb.             Chicken breasts cubed

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp        Chili powder

3 tbsp         Unsalted butter

3 tbsp          All-purpose flour

2 cups         Milk

1 cup          Low sodium chicken broth

2 1/2 cp      Shredded cheddar cheese

Finely chopped parsley (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot of boiling water prepare pasta per instructions until al dente about 7 minutes. 

In a large oven safe pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil and sauté onions until translucent. Remove onions and set aside. 

Season Chicken with salt, pepper, and chili powder in the same pan. Stirring occasionally until chicken is golden brown. set aside with onions.

In same pot, melt butter and whisk in flour and cook. Whisking constantly. Combine milk and broth stirring occasionally about 5 minutes until thickened. 

Add the pasta, onions, frozen peas, parsley and chicken into the pan. stir thoroughly. Add half of the cheese and stir in. Top with the remaining cheese. 

Place uncovered pan in oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. 

Fish Gyro's & Rice

 Fish Gyro's & Rice  

I had some Greek Pita Bread left over and thought, Mmm, how would a Fish Gyro be? So I found out. Sounds weird but tastes divine.

1/2 pound      Cod fillets

3 tbsps.          Garlic olive oil (Substitute extra virgin olive oil)

1 tbsp             Lemon juice (fresh if possible)

1 tsp               Pepper

1/4 tsp            Salt

1 tsp               Chili flakes (optional)

1 tsp               Mexican spicy seasoning (optional)

Sauce

1/4 cup          Plain Greek yogurt

3/4 cup          Light mayonnaise

1/2 large        Cucumber, grated and excess water squeezed out

2 cloves         Garlic, pressed and then finely minced.

1 tbsp            Lemon juice (fresh if possible)

1 tbsp            Extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp              Dried dill

1 tsp+           Chili paste (mild, med., or hot)

1/4 tsp          Salt

Gyro Fixin's 

2-4               Soft pita breads

1/2 cup        Cherry tomatoes halved

1/2               Red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup        Shredded lettuce (optional)

1/2 cup        Shredded Cheese

Grate the cucumber into a bowl, press and drain. Add the yogurt, mayo, and chili paste. You can replace the past with hot sauce of your choice if desired. Stir in the oil and lemon juice along with the dill and garlic mix thoroughly and place in the fridge.

Prepare the toppings and store in fridge. 

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place oil in skillet. Set heat to med/high. Place fish and flip over a couple of times to coat in oil. Add lemon juice and seasonings. Cook until flakey. 

Before servicing place the pita's on the oven rack for 2 minutes. Then place the fish on the pita, your choice of the fixin's and drizzle the sauce over it. 

Rice

I use 3/4 cup of Jasmine rice. Soak for 10 minutes. In the sauce pan heat some oil and then place the soaked rice in and stir for a while until heated on med/high. Add 1 1/2 cups water turn to high and bring to a boil Add can of spicy diced tomatoes with juice, bring to a boil. Cover and lower temp to low for 20 minutes. Stir at off and on, you may need to add a little more water. 

Enjoy!