Greek Chicken and Potatoes

We live across from Greektown in Chicago, so one of our favorite quick and easy dinners includes choosing one of the 15 Greek restaurants to eat at. My husband's favorite item on the menu is Greek Potatoes, and I've told him I would try and figure out how to make them myself. Well, I think I've done just that.

Can't wait to make this recipe again!

Potatoes:
8 large golden potatoes, peeled, cut into large wedges (about 6-7 wedges per potato)
4 large carrots
1 yellow onion
4 garlic cloves, minced (more garlic is a good thing, less garlic is a no-no for this recipe)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth (or water + chicken bouillon) 
1 tablespoon dried oregano (get the Mediterranean, it's the best!)
1 lemon, juice of, to 1 1/2
sea salt
fresh coarse ground black pepper


Chicken:
4 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (16 ounce) bag spinach (frozen works great)
1 cup feta cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 420°F (I would suggest spraying your pan with PAM). Then, put the potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, oil and chicken broth into a baking pan large enough to hold them. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper and give everything a toss to distribute. The garlic will drop into the water/oil solution but its flavour will permeate the potatoes, and this way, it won't burn. Bake for 40 minutes.


While your potatoes are baking, prepare the chicken. Slice 2 chicken breasts in half and make 4, or beat 4 chicken breast until thin and wide. Cook spinach in garlic and oil on top of stove until done. Add in feta cheese and mix well. (You can add as much as you like. I LOVE feta cheese!). Distribute spinach mixture onto each chicken breast. (You may have some leftover). Wrap chicken around mixture (kinda like a taco) and secure with a toothpick. 

When a nice golden-brown crust has formed on the potatoes, give them a stir to bring the white underside up, season lightly with a bit more sea salt and pepper and just a light sprinkling of oregano. Add 1/2 cup more water if pan appears to be getting dry. Add chicken into/onto potatoes, and pop back into oven to brown other side of potatoes. This will take about another 30-40 minutes. Do not be afraid of overcooking the potatoes- they will be delicious.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas themed Dinner

Friday night movie night is our kids most FAVORITE weekly activity.  Usually we order or make pizza have a carpet picnic and watch a movie together as a family.  This week Marc and I had decided to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  I thought it would be so fun to have a dinner to go along with the movie.   I made  Roast Beast Sandwiches, Who Pudding, Who Hash, Grinch Punch and Mount Crumpit Cupcakes.  Here are some recipes I used.  I think this will be a great tradition for our family.  Next year I would like to add on, maybe create a more whimsical dessert...The possibilities are endless!

Roast Beast Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 2-4 pound roast

1 package onion soup mix

1 bottle Weber Original BBQ Sauce

Provolone Cheese

Pretzel buns or other desired sandwich roll

Combine roast, soup mix and half bottle of BBQ sauce in a crock pot.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Slice pretzel buns in half, top on side with cheese and place under broiler until cheese is melted.  Pile the roast beast on and ENJOY!

Who Pudding
*From the official Dr. Seuss website

Ingredients
2/3 cup long-grain (not converted) rice
3 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, separated
1/8 cup of red and green M&M’s

What You’ll Need
double boiler, medium-size mixing bowls, small-size mixing bowl, wire whisk, deep serving dish.
1. With the help of an adult, combine rice and milk in top of double boiler. Cover and cook over simmering water for 30
minutes or until rice is tender.
2. Preheat oven to 325º F. Beat egg yolks with a wire whisk until frothy. Stir 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla, butter, salt, and egg
yolks into warm rice mixture. Mix well.
3. Grease a shallow baking dish. Pour in pudding. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
5. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours. Top with red and green M&M’s before serving


Who Hash
*Adapted from Food.Com

2 lbs frozen hash browns
1/2 cup margarine or 1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (10 1/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
1/2 cup onion, peeled and chopped
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1-2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 11 x 14 baking dish with cooking spray.  Mix the above ingredients together, place in prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until brown on top.

Grinch Punch

1 tub Lime Sherbet
1 2 liter bottle Sprite

Butternut Squash-Carrot Soup

I made this soup for Christmas last year, I am hoping that it will become a holiday tradition.  This is Miss C's most FAVORITE soup.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash, about 3 lb., peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 Tbs. chicken stock concentrate mixed with 6 cups water
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, stir together the squash, carrots, the 2 Tbs. olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are browned and tender, about 45 minutes. Set aside.

In the same pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and apple and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock, thyme sprigs and bay leaf, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

Working in batches, puree the apple-stock mixture with the roasted vegetables in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls or cocottes. Garnish with the parsley

Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta

I recently went to my favorite produce market and went crazy over the fall vegetables --- Brussels Sprouts, Eggplant and of course, Butternut Squash. I wanted to try a new recipe, and we were very pleased with this one! It's like Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Butternut Squash -- yum.

From Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash $
• Cooking spray $
• 6 sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices (raw) $
• 1 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 8 ounces uncooked mini penne (tube-shaped pasta)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour $
• 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk $
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese $
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese $

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and pepper. Place squash on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt mixture. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Increase oven temperature to 450°.
3. Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shallots to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Combine squash mixture, bacon, and shallots; set aside.
4. Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.
5. Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add provolone, stirring until cheese melts. Add pasta to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; top with squash mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Cornbread

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 cubes butter melted and cooled

Blend all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Put batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Brussel Sprout and Apple Sausage Pesto Pasta

1 Package Brussel Sprouts washed and cut in half
3 Chicken Apple Sausage links sliced ( I like the brand from Sam's Club)
16 oz Penne Pasta
2 garlic cloves minced
1 small jar prepared Pesto
Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 375, toss brussel sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Place on cookie sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes.  Cook penne according to package, reserve 1 cup cooking liquid.

In large skillet heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and add garlic.  Saute until fragrant then add sliced chicken sausage.  Add cooked penne, toss well, add roasted brussel sprouts, and pesto to your liking.  Add half cup of cooking liquid to loosen sauce.  Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese.

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

I wanted to make a fall treat for mutual and pumpkin bars were calling my name. I couldn't find our family recipe, but found this one online. I adapted slightly and these were so good!!

Recipe adapted from Paula Dean

Bars:

• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Icing:

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Add chocolate chips. Spread the batter into a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.