PAN ROASTED CHICKEN WITH LEMON-GARLIC GREEN BEANS AND RED POTATOES!

This is how Wee Willie Willard and I are feeling right now--too pooped to poop! But he's lucky--he can just stay snuggly in his cozy little bed, while I always have SOOO much to do. This photo is telling me that Willie needs a bigger bed--he's not so "Wee", anymore:

Do you know what is a God-send, in my book, on days like today? You know, days where you are tired and a little blue (winter is NOT going away, anytime soon around here, I fear) and you just wish you had your mama around to make you a comforting dinner, but you don't? To me, nothing makes me feel better than the smell of chicken and potatoes roasting in the oven--smells like HOME! I found this fabulous recipe online a while back, and here's what I love about it the most: you can cook the chicken, potatoes and green beans in ONE pan! So terrific. And, this recipe uses tons of two of my very favorite ingredients--lemon and garlic. Yum. I did doctor the spices up a bit from the original, adding Herbs Du Provence. Every kitchen needs those spices, if you like to cook a little Frenchie Frenchie every now and then. And who doesn't? To get started, you need to preheat your oven to 450 degrees, then juice and slice up some lemon. Mince 4, count 'em, 4 cloves of garlic:

Arrange your lemon slices in a single layer in the baking dish, like so:

Rinse your green beans and potatoes, then trim the beans and quarter the spuds:

In a large bowl, combine some olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Add the green beans; toss to coat. Then, using a slotted spoon, remove beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices:

Add the potatoes to the same olive oil / lemon / garlic mixture, and toss to coat. Arrange the potatoes around the edge of the baking dish. Coat chicken breasts (or any chicken pieces you desire--I might try this with thighs next time) in same oil mixture, then place in the pan. Rub chicken breasts with Herbs Du Provence:

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and chicken is brown and crispy and cooked throughout (if chicken is done early, you can always remove it and cover, and let the potatoes continue to cook until fork-tender). Place a chicken breast on each serving plate; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Voila! You've got suppah:

By the way, the lemon slices roast beautifully in this dish, so you can use them as a garnish on your dinner plates. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

PAN ROASTED CHICKEN WITH LEMON-GARLIC GREEN BEANS AND RED POTATOES

Serves 4

8 tblsp. olive oil

2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced and 1 juiced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1 lb. trimmed green beans

8 red potatoes, quartered (leave skins on)

4 chicken breasts (bone in, with skin), or any combination of chicken pieces you desire

Herbs Du Provence (sold wherever spices are)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat large baking dish with 1 tblsp. olive oil. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the green beans and toss to coat. With a slotted spoon, remove beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon, arrange the potatoes around the inside edge of the baking dish, on top of the green beans. Place chicken in oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place chicken, skin side up, in the dish, and sprinkle with Herbs Du Provence. Pour any of remaining oil mixture over chicken and roast for 50-60 minutes, or until chicken skin is brown and crispy and potatoes are fork tender. (You may need to remove chicken, then let potatoes continute roasting until done) Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates. Divide green beans and potatoes equally.

TOP 3 THINGS I'M GRATEFUL FOR TODAY:

1. I'm grateful that I went back to my dermatologist this morning to have my stitches removed, because he found an infection in my chubby little finger that I didn't know existed! BLEECH!

2. I'm grateful that I found time to stop by Barnes and Noble for a Venti Skinny Latte. Best part of my whole day, second only to doing this blog post.

3. I'm grateful for the fun evening we had with our friend Ted from Saranac last night. He loved my Maple and Orange Salmon and he especially loved my Peanut Butter Pie!

And how can you not adore a man who loves peanut butter pie?

CREAMY DREAMY PEANUT BUTTER PIE!

This is what we woke up to this morning in upstate New York (and here in the Adirondacks, some of us got over two FEET over the last 24 hours!):

But here's where my mind is right now:

That's right--in a pretty, warm and sunny place with blue, blue skies and flowers and green lawns. This photo was taken of me a few years back, in the gardens of my girlhood. My dad is STILL quite the master gardener-- that's who I inherited my gardening passion from. ANYWAYS, I know warmer times are on the way, but I'm just feeling a little impatient today. Because I really really want to be outside, walking off the big hunk of Peanut Butter Pie that I inhaled last night!

Hey, SPEAKING of Peanut Butter Pie--boy oh boy do I have one killer of a recipe for you today! One thing I need to point out, though, before we go any further: whoever eats this pie MUST love peanut butter--because it's really peanut-buttery! And light and fluffy, yet amazingly rich. I could go on and on and on.....but here's how to put it together. First, make the crust out of chocolate cookie crumbs (I used Chocolate Teddy Grahams), butter and sugar--press it into your pie dish, bake, and let cool completely:

Then, in your mixer combine cream cheese, creamy peanut butter, sugar, a little butter, and vanilla:

With your wire attachment, whip that whipping cream into a frenzy (gotta love this action shot!):

Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture, then spread over your cookie crust, like so:

Chill for at least 3-4 hours, then serve. I garnished mine with little drizzles of chocolate syrup--I am telling you, this pie is DA BOMB! Enjoy!

CREAMY, DREAMY PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Serves 8

Crust:

1 1/4 cup chocolate cookie crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 (1/2 stick) cup melted butter

Filling:

1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 tblsp. softened butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

For the crust, mix all crust ingredients and press into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

For the filling, beat first 5 filling ingredients together. Fold in whipped cream. Spread over cookie crust. Chill until firm.

TOP THREE THINGS I'M GRATEFUL FOR TODAY:

1. I'm grateful that my parents are meeting Big Daddy and I  in Viva Las Vegas next month. My dad needs to teach Big Daddy to play Blackjack, and win!

2. I'm grateful that my silly dog loves to walk in the deep and fluffy snow--he makes me happy, because his live-in-the-moment joy is so contagious!

3. I'm grateful for the delicious Sunday dinner we had last night--a pan roasted chicken with little red potatoes and green beans--cooked all in one dish! Recipe to come in a few days.......

LITTLE HINTS OF SPRING, EVERYWHERE!

You know Spring is on its way, here in the North Country, when we girlfriends get together on a Friday night to plan our TOP SECRET St. Patrick's Day parade ideas. I'd tell you all about it, but I'd have to kill you first. The St. Patrick's Day parade here in Old Forge is a BIG stinkin' deal, and our group usually takes 1st prize for our entry, every year. Can you just feel the pressure, looking at these photos? I sure can, especially by the tense, uber-planning look on my friend Sharon's face, and by the way Gisele is stuffing her mouth full of popcorn~! Stress eating (and drinking!), doncha know:

Oh, don't you worry--you'll get all the inside scoop on our costumes and the parade itself, very soon (well, the Friday after St. Pat's, to be specific)....you will not believe the spectacles we make of our foolish selves!

Just so you know, my friends and neighbors all think I'm nuts. For real. Because even though there's still about 12,000 feet of snow on the ground (with more coming, tomorrow, I fear), I have officially started my Spring decorating. This happens every single year--the intense craving for freshness, for bunnies and chicks and eggs and bird's nests and little farm animals and Forsythia branches and Daffodils. So what if it still feels like winter outside? Here's some EARLY Springtime cheer, just for you!:

Do you spy the hidden little bunny?

My husband thinks this pig looks a little evil! No way!

Wishing you happy Springtime thoughts, everyone!

TOP 3 THINGS I'M GRATEFUL FOR TODAY

1. I'm grateful that I was able to take a nice, long walk with Willie--the forecasted heavy rains and ICE haven't hit yet.

2. I'm so grateful that BFF Lisa in California is coming to stay with us this summer--oh, the trouble we'll get into! I love you, girl!

3. I'm grateful that my husband loves his job--he is one happy man these days!

YUMMY-LICIOUS CROCK POT TORTILLA SOUP!

Here's another glare-ey slightly blurry old photo; this one is my dad, in his baby carriage, in 1932. His smile here just cracks me up, because he still smiles (and GIGGLES, really!) just like this:

And really, this old picture has NOTHING to do with Tortilla Soup, but it's my blog and I can do what I want to!

Do you remember a few posts ago, when I cooked the crock pot Pork Carnitas Tacos? Well, we alwayyyyzzzzz have lots of leftover pork from that (seeing that it's only the two of us at home anymore), so I freeze it to use in this soup recipe. You could also use the leftover shredded pork in burritos, but that's a whole 'nuther post. I love this recipe because it's so stinkin' easy--just get out your crock pot, dump everything in and off you go! If you are using uncooked meat, like chicken, you'll put it in at the beginning of cooking, but if you're using pre-cooked meat, you can just add it a few hours before the end of cooking time.

Here's what the soup looks like, cooked:

Now, because this is TORTILLA Soup, you're probably going to want some tortillas! I like to cut my corn tortillas into strips, cook them in olive oil, salt and pepper until golden brown. You can also cook them in the oven, like my friend Lisa does, for a lower fat version. I always make lots extra, just to nibble on:

Ladle your soup into bowls, and top with grated Monterey Jack cheese, fresh parsley and these tortilla strips, and you've got dinner! Enjoy:

CROCK POT TORTILLA SOUP

Serves 4-6
                                                                                      
2 chicken breast halves, skinned and cubed (or you can use pre-cooked chicken or pork in this)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tblsp. chili powder
1 small can chopped green chilis
2 tblsp. vegetable oil
4-6 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2 inch strips
salt  to taste
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Fresh chopped parsley or Cilantro

Combine first 9 ingredients in slow cooker (or, if using pre-cooked meats, do not add meat until 2 hours before end of cooking time). Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Heat oil in large skillet and add tortilla strips. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until crisp and browned, adding salt about half-way through cooking time. Drain on paper towels. Ladle soup into bowls; top with shredded Jack cheese, fresh cilantro or parsley and tortilla chips.

TOP 3 THINGS I'M GRATEFUL FOR TODAY:

1. I'm grateful for my nice, warm home; it was negative 11 out this morning!
2. I'm grateful for the sun shining in my windows, telling me it's time to dust!
3. I'm gratful that I have leftover split pea soup in the freezer for tonite's dinner; I really don't feel like cooking!

OSSO BUCO WITH WHITE BEANS AND SIGNS OF SPRING

Being March 1st and all (THANK YOU Baby Jesus!), I thought I'd share some little signs of spring that have been popping up, all around my house:

And while I know that green apples don't exactly scream, "SPRING", I think they look so fresh that I love to have them everywhere:

I also have this "thing" for terra cotta pots, especially in the spring. Why, just yesterday I took two clean pots and used them as utensil/napkin holders in my favorite basket:

Even my sewing space in our loft has gotten a little spring-like makeover; kinda looks like a flower shop right now!:

In the next few days I plan on transforming my front porch--the snowmen have just GOT to go!

Not to change the subject or anything, but my friend Billy, who owns a fabulous Italian restaurant here in town, knows how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE Osso Buco, and for some reason, he won't make it for me. So what is an Osso Buco loving kinda gal to do? Why, make her own! So I did, and I must say it came out fabulously. Traditonal Osso Buco uses veal shanks, which can be kinda expensive, so this is sort of a special occasion meal in our home. I like it served over white Cannelini beans and tomatoes--you might like yours over pasta instead. Which is probably much more traditional. But anyways.....to get started, dredge the veal shanks in flour, then brown in butter:

And by the way, you can do this whole dish in a Dutch oven--LOVE THAT! Next you add onion and garlic and carrots to the pan, and let simmer with the tomatoes for about an hour and a half:

(still loving my scooper thing!)

When it's just about done, mix some parsley and grated lemon zest together in a bowl (the smell of this is unbelievable)--and add it to the veal just before serving. We enjoyed our Osso Buco with White Beans served with some steamed fresh Brussels sprouts. All in all, a FABULOUS Sunday dinner!:

OSSO BUCCO WITH WHITE BEANS

Serves 3

1 1/2 lbs. veal shanks (about 3 medium sized shanks)

1/4 cup flour

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

2/3 cup white wine

2/3 cup beef stock

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

2 14oz. cans Cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 tsp. grated lemon zest

Dust the veal shanks lightly with flour. Melt butter in large oven-proof pot; add veal and cook until browned on the outside. Remove to a bowl. Add garlic cloves and onion to pot; cook and stir until onion is tender. Return veal to pot and mix in carrot and white wine. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour in tomatoes and beef stock; season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 and 1/2 hours. The meat should be tender, but not falling off the bone. Stir in white Cannelini beans. In a small bowl, mix together the parsley and lemon zest. Mix into veal just before serving.

TOP 3 THINGS I'M GRATEFUL FOR TODAY:

1. I'm grateful that I'm having lunch with my dear friend Shellie tomorrow--she always makes me laugh, and we have so much to talk about!

2. I'm SO grateful that spring is in the air, with the promise of many long walks to come in the very near future.

3. I'm grateful that I'm down another 4 lbs.--a month and a half to go until Vegas, baby!!