Chicken thighs (boneless skinless) in the oven

 How have I not shared this easiness?  What is now years ago I was looking for something (probably easy) to do with chicken thighs and found this on TheKitchn.  I will copy and paste their instructions at the bottom, but really, I just go the laziest easiest route I can with these, and I'm always happy with them.  Maybe one of these days I'll try the sauce.

Preheat the oven to 425 and in the pan (I use a 7x11) I place the chicken thighs, drizzle with some olive oil, and season with some salt, some pepper, and a Penzey's seasoning (in this picture I used Fox Point).  Mix with hands and add a bit more seasoning if you think it needs it.  Bake for 20 minutes or more until temp is 165.  Around the time it's almost done, start some veggies in the microwave and let the chicken rest  a bit (I don't really hit ten minutes like it says).

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil

For the sauce (optional):

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Pinch red pepper flakes

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EQUIPMENT

• Bowls
• Spoon
• Whisk
• 9-inch or 8-inch baking dish
• Aluminum foil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven and season the chicken. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F. Place the chicken in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. The most basic seasoning that this meat really needs is salt and pepper. At this point, if I'm not adding another sauce, I drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the meat too, to help it brown well in the oven.

2. Make a sauce (optional). Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl.

3. Toss the chicken with the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to combine.

4. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish. Place the chicken in a single layer in an 8- or 9-inch baking dish. No need to grease the dish, just lay the chicken inside.

5. Roast the chicken. Boneless, skinless thighs cook quickly. Roast until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165°F, about 20 minutes. If they are not ready, continue roasting and checking the temperature every 5 minutes.

6. Rest the chicken. Remove the baking dish from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. This will help it be more tender. Eat and enjoy!

One-Pot Spinach Artichoke Chicken Pasta

 

This recipe comes from TheKitchn and it's the next one in my one-pot meals series (if you will).  The only chicken sausage I could find at the store was a breakfast one.  In hindsight, I should have probably just gotten one of the usual summer sausages and not worried about it not being chicken.  The boyfriend didn't love it, but that may have been related to the sausage.  I liked it and loved that it was only one pot!  It also came together really quickly!  Also, I did not use the optional parmesan rind.

YIELDServes 4

PREP TIME5 minutes

COOK TIME8 minutes to 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces cooked chicken sausage
• 1 (12-ounce) jar quartered, marinated artichoke hearts
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 12 ounces dried linguine pasta
• 1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch fresh spinach
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut 12 ounces chicken sausage into 1/2-inch thick rounds and drain 1 jar marinated artichokes hearts. Place both in a large, straight-sided skillet. Add 4 1/2 cups water, 12 ounces dried linguine, 1 Parmesan cheese rind if desired, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

2. Bring to a boil over high heat (this will take about 5 minutes). Boil, stirring and turning the pasta with tongs occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is al dente and almost all the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add 1 bunch spinach.

3. Remove from the heat. Remove the Parmesan rind, add 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt as needed.

One-pot beef stroganoff

 

So I've just decided I need to focus a bit more on one-pot meals.  Things that don't make a lot of dishes (and ideally those dishes all go in the dishwasher!).  Tonight was a new recipe.  I found it on pinterest (doesn't everybody go there first for recipes these days?).  I found that it ended up tasting kinda like a Hamburger Helper of the old days (before they changed the formula).  So, if you're looking for an easy dinner without making a ton of dishes, this might be the thing to make.

INGREDIENTS

• ▢1 tbsp olive oil
• ▢8 oz mushrooms stems trimmed and sliced, such as cremini or white mushrooms
• ▢2 tbsp butter unsalted
• ▢1 medium onion chopped
• ▢2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢1 lb ground beef
• ▢3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ▢1 tsp paprika
• ▢¼ cup white wine dry
• ▢4 cups beef broth low sodium
• ▢¼ tsp salt or tot aste
• ▢½ tsp pepper or to taste
• ▢8 oz egg noodles or other dry pasta
• ▢¾ cup sour cream
• ▢1 tbsp parsley chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

• Cook the mushrooms: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Cook the beef: Add the butter to the same pan then the ground beef. Brown the beef till it is no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes. If using regular ground beef, drain the excess fat.
• Create the sauce: Add the onions and garlic and cook till soft with some salt and pepper. Sprinkle in the flour and paprika, stir and cook for about 1 minute until the raw flavor has cooked off the flour. Add the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the pot, until almost evaporated. Add the broth and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer.
• Finish the Stroganoff: Add the noodles and mushrooms along with their juices and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are al dente. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Garnish with parsley and serve!

Aunt Shirley's Famous Creamy Mashed Potatoes

 

These are the mashed potatoes from Food Charlatan that go with the best pot roast ever!  My only recommendation is to halve the recipe - five pounds of potatoes makes A LOT of mashed potatoes.  And while they are completely awesome, the first time the boyfriend made them we had way more potatoes than we needed for the amount of roast (as in the meat was gone, but we still had tons of potatoes).  Besides, they are fairly easy and you can always make another batch of them if you do end up needing more the next night.

Aunt Shirley's Famous Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Serves 10-12    

My Aunt Shirley is famous for her mashed potatoes! They are SO creamy, fluffy, and have TONS of flavor. They are like soft pillowy clouds that melt in your mouth. I could describe them forever but you're just going to have to make them! A very unique recipe.

Ingredients

• 8-10 large russet potatoes (5 pounds), peeled
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, smashed and minced
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
• 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base*
• 1 to 2 teaspoons Lawry's seasoned salt (taste it)
• fresh minced parsley, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. 
2. Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1 or 2 inch pieces. (See photos) 
3. Chop the onion. Smash and mince the garlic.  (You can use garlic from the jar in a pinch, but fresh is always better.)
4. Add the potatoes, onions, and garlic to the pot of boiling water. Bring it back up to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. 
5. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are very fork tender. 
6. Drain the potatoes carefully. I always use the lid and tip it over the sink but this can be a little heavy. Use a large colander if you have one. Return to the pot.
7. Add the cream cheese, butter, chicken bouillon, and 1 teaspoon seasoned salt. 
8. Use an electric mixer to whip the potatoes until ultra creamy. You shouldn't need to whip more than 1-2 minutes. Make sure you scrape the sides and bottom with a spatula. Don't over mix; once it's whipped, turn off the mixer.
9. Taste it and see if you would like to add up to 1 more teaspoon of seasoned salt.
10. Garnish with fresh parsley if you're a food blogger and need to post pictures of pretty food on the internet. Otherwise you can safely skip this step ;) 

Recipe Notes

*I like to use the Better than Bouillon brand, it's a paste that you store in the refrigerator after opening. It adds so much flavor! But if you don't have any, instant chicken bouillon granules will work too. That's what the original recipe calls for. Oh and I almost forgot, I used 1 tablespoon of chicken and one tablespoon of TURKEY base. Love that stuff. It's got tons of flavor. It's perfect for making Make Ahead Turkey Gravy, too. 

Source: This recipe, is, of course, from Aunt Shirley. :) 

Easiest Fall-Apart Pot Roast (slow cooker)

 

Here's my confession, I was never big on pot roast.  I couldn't understand the attraction.  Then the boyfriend found this recipe on Food Charlatan and made it.  I have now made it again a couple of times and it's the only way I'll make pot roast from now on.  In addition to how good it tastes, it's also really simple!  I am pasting her entire recipe below, but I don't sear it, just skip over those steps and jump to the part where she seasons the meat and adds it right to the slow cooker.  In addition, she has an amazing recipe for mashed potatoes (the boyfriend made them the first time, and I made them again this most recent time) and I will also blog them.   note: the carrots in my picture are roasted as I had to run to work and didn't have a chance to add them to the slow cooker.

The Easiest Fall-Apart Pot Roast (Slow Cooker)

Serves 6    

Super tender, juicy, fall-apart pot roast is not as hard as you think! This slow cooker recipe uses a few simple ingredients (one of them is patience...) to make the most flavorful (yet stupid easy) pot roast ever! Carrots add the perfect touch!

Ingredients

For the roast

• 3 to 4 pound chuck roast*
• copious amounts of salt and pepper (copious I say!)
• 1 tablespoon oil, optional (for browning)
• 1 and 1/2 cups water
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base**
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (1-ounce) packets of onion soup mix
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks

For the gravy

• 2-3 cups of drippings from the meat
• 1-2 cups COLD water
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 2 tablespoons butter, optional
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. First you are going to have to make a choice about whether you want a really good roast, or a really REALLY good roast. Browning the meat before slow cooking makes it extra special. To do that:
2. Heat a wide skillet over medium high heat. Generously salt and pepper all sides of the roast. I would say I use somewhere between 1 and 1/2 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and about a teaspoon of pepper.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the hot pan and swirl around to coat the bottom. It should be shimmery right away if your pan is hot enough.
4. Add the roast to the pan and don't move it for about 1-2 minutes. Check to make sure it is nice and brown, then flip it over and repeat on the other side. Brown every side of your roast that you can. It should not take more than 5-6 minutes.
5. Transfer the roast to your slow cooker (6 quart or larger).
6. Keep the hot pan on the stove and add the water and beef base. Stir, breaking up any brown bits on the pan, until the beef base is dissolved. Pour the liquid into the slow cooker.
7. Sprinkle the roast with the dried thyme or add the fresh thyme. (Just throw the sprig in the pot)
8. Add the bay leaf.
9. Dump the 2 packets of onion soup mix directly on the roast (not in the water). Use your hand to rub the dry powder into the part of the roast that is exposed. Some of it will just fall off into the water, and that's fine.
10. Cover with the lid and set to low heat. Cook for 8-10 hours. If you are a bit short on time, you can turn the slow cooker on to "high" for one hour to get things boiling, then turn back down to low. I do NOT recommend cooking this on high for 4-5 hours. You can if you want, it will be cooked, but it will not be as tender!
11. If you are not browning the meat, it's so easy. Salt and pepper the meat, rub on the thyme and onion soup mix, and place in a slow cooker. You don't need the oil. Add all the other ingredients, set it on low, and you're done!
12. Add the carrots: about 3 hours before you want to eat, add the peeled and chopped carrots. See photos, they don't need to be tiny pieces, I tend to like the bigger chunks myself.
13. When the meat is fork tender and easy to shred, carefully remove it to a cutting board and let rest for a couple minutes. Then shred with two forks or slice with a serrated knife against the grain. Transfer the roast and the carrots to a serving platter and keep warm. (Taste a carrot to see if it needs salt and pepper)
14. To make the gravy: Use a fat separator to get the fat from the top of the drippings. Discard fat and add the drippings to a medium saucepan. Turn the heat to high. (Use all of the drippings that you have, up to 3 cups. You want about 4 cups of liquid going into your gravy, and at least one cup needs to be COLD water to dissolve the flour.)
15. In a measuring cup, whisk together 1-2 cups COLD water (or beef stock, if you're not using beef base) with the flour. Make sure you get rid of all the lumps.
16. When the drippings have heated to a boil, slowly stir in the flour mixture while stirring. Add the beef base and bring the mixture to a low boil.
17. Let the gravy simmer for 3-5 minutes until it has thickened.
18. At this point you can add the butter if you want. It's not necessary, but it does add some richness that I love. Season with salt and pepper. Make sure you taste it first!
19. Devour, preferably with these Famous Creamy Mashed Potatoes. To die for!!

Recipe Notes

*Meat options: For this recipe you can use a chuck roast, boneless chuck roast, chuck shoulder pot roast, etc. Look for good marbling! 

**You can omit the water and beef base and just add 1 and 1/2 cups good quality beef stock instead! This goes for the gravy too. (The ratio is 1 teaspoon of base per cup of water.) This is not a sponsored post, I just love how easy it is to keep beef base on hand in the fridge.