Herbed Chicken with Spring Vegetables

***You probably all know by now that I love Giada's recipes...this one is certainly no exception. I recently saw her make this on the "Spring Forward" episode of Everyday Italian. It's the perfect time of year for this dish - Spring! I especially liked using the smaller, boiler onions that this recipe calls for. I've never used them until now...I didn't even know they existed! I only wish that the grocery store had had bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts available...I had to use leg quarters. I think the chicken breasts would have been even better. Nonetheless, this dish looked really pretty on the platter and was absolutely delish! This is definitely a keeper.***

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts

3 bone-in, skin-on thighs (I used 2 bone-in, skin-on leg quarters)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

6 cipollini onions, trimmed and peeled

8 ounces baby carrots, peeled and trimmed, but leaving on a bit of green tip

1 cup chicken broth

6 ounces snap peas, trimmed

4 ounces morel mushrooms (I left off the mushrooms)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl combine the thyme, parsley, garlic, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the chicken pieces on a work surface. Gently loosen the skin of the chicken and push the herb mixture under the skin. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, when the oil is hot. Cook until the skin is crispy and golden, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook the same way on the other side. Turn the heat off the pan and reserve. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish, skin side up again, and finish cooking in the oven, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile return the same pan to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the butter has melted add the cipollini onions and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and golden in places, about 7 minutes. Add the chicken broth and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the snap peas and mushrooms. Simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon the vegetables onto a serving platter along with the chicken. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis - Everyday Italian

Classic Pizza Margherita

***Homemade pizza is one of those things that I've always meaned to try, but I've never gotten around to it. I guess it's always just been easier to call up Papa John's and order our large supreme with no black olives or mushrooms...lol. What can I say?...I recently got ambitious and put together what you see here. I figured it would be best to start with a classic....a simple pizza made with tomato, mozzarella, and basil to imitate the colors of the Italian flag. I must say, it was pretty yummy!***

Classic Pizza Margherita
(Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Pizza)

The following recipe is my modification from Lynne Rossetto Kasper's recipe found HERE .

Ingredients:
Store-bought Pizza Crust (I used the refrigerated one by Pillsbury)

Margherita Topping:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 sprig parsley, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dry oregano (I think I used a smidge more...just add to suit your taste)
3 - 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced
4 - 5 fresh basil leaves
1 can tomato sauce
fresh mozzarella (in liquid), thinly sliced
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper and salt

TO MAKE MARGHERITA TOPPING:

In a 10-inch skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high. Sauté onion and parsley to golden, then stir in garlic and oregano for a few seconds. Add the tomato sauce. Boil, stirring, 5 minutes or until thick. Spread sauce over rolled out crust, sprinkle mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, basil leaves, and finally the oil. Finish with generous black pepper and a little salt. Bake as directed.

TO MAKE PIZZA CRUST:
Lightly oil a 14- to 16-inch pizza pan. Preheat oven to 500 degrees, setting rack as low as possible in oven. Roll out dough as thin as possible (no more than 1/16-inch thick). Spread over pan, rolling in edges to form a rim. Let rest 10 minutes. Bake dough for 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top as desired and bake 10 additional minutes. Cut and serve.

Source: http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/bread_pizza.html
- by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

DID YOU KNOW?...
"Pizza Margherita is a pizza prepared according to a recipe of the Italian chef Raffaelle Esposito. The pizza was first made in 1899 when Queen Marghereta visited Napels to escape a cholera epidemic in the north of Italy. The ingredients used to make a Margherita pizza, tomatos, mozzarella cheese and basil, imitate the colors of the Italian flag. Queen Margherata liked the pizza so much that she wrote a thank you letter to Esposito, who decided to name the pizza after the Queen." - Source: http://www.recipepizza.com/toppings/margherita_pizza.htm

Blogging with a Purpose

Jaime from Burnt Toast, has just made my day by giving me the "Blogging with a Purpose" award. I am truly flattered....thanks again, Jaime! =)

It's exciting to know that there are people like you that take the time to check out my blog. I started this blog mainly to be a place to save all my favorite recipes. I never guessed that there would be people who actually enjoyed reading it! I hope you keep coming back!

Now comes the fun part...I get to hand out this award to 5 other food bloggers!

1. Bethany at This Little Piggy Went to Market: Bethany always has wonderful stories to go along with her posts...I can't wait to try her chicken salad recipe from Food & Wine magazine.

2. Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe: Melanie makes delish desserts, among many other fabulous dishes! Just check out her "Solid Peanut Butter Cups" recipe...they look SO heavenly, and her "Dragon Birthday Cake" is super cute!

3. Katie at Good Things Catered: One word: Cake! Katie continuously impresses me with the things she makes...especially her cakes - they are beautiful!

4. The Way the Cookie Crumbles: This blog simply has beautiful photos and amazing recipes! Be sure to check this one out.

5. Sandi at Whistlestop Cafe Cooking: Yes, that's the one from the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes! I always love to see who wins Sandi's contest, Centerpiece of the Month.

Award-winners, here's what you should do:
1. nominate 5 blogs which haven't had this award before
2. each of the blogs must have a purpose
3.the nominated blogs must make a link back to this page
4. the logo from the award must be put on their blog and it must link back to this blog!

Herb-Crusted Pork Roast

***Here's yet another yummy recipe from Cooks Illustrated magazine. I used dried thyme and rosemary in place of fresh, and the roast came out delicious anyway.***

"Perfecting Herb-Crusted Pork Roast"
Cooks Illustrated magazine

Ingredients:
3 pound boneless center-cut pork loin roast
Kosher Salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 medium shallot, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons olive oil
Ground black pepper
1/3 cup packed fresh parsley or basil leaves, minced (I used fresh basil)
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 large clove garlic, minced

Directions:
1. Lightly score fat cap on pork, making 1/4-inch crosshatch pattern. Cut pocket in roast. Dissolve 1/2 cup salt and sugar in 2 quarts water in large container; submerge roast, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Rinse roast under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

2. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Place bread crumbs in a medium bowl and add 2 tablespoons Parmesan, shallot, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Using fork, toss mixture until crumbs are evenly coated with oil.

3. Add parsley, thyme, rosemary, garlic, remaining 6 tablespoons Parmesan, 3 tablespoons oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to food processor workbowl and process until smooth, about twelve 1-second pulses. Transfer herb paste to small bowl.

4. Spread 1/4 cup herb paste inside roast and tie. Season roast with pepper.

5. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add roast, fat side down, and brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes, lowering heat if fat begins to smoke. Transfer roast to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.

6. Using scissors, snip and remove twine from roast; discard twine. Spread remaining herb paste over roast and top with bread crumb mixture. Transfer baking sheet with roast to oven and cook until thickest part of roast registers 145 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 50 to 75 minutes. Remove roast from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to 150 degrees.

7. Using spatula and meat fork, transfer roast to carving board, taking care not to squeeze juices out of pocket in roast. Cut roast into 1/2-inch slices and serve immediately.

Source: Cooks Illustrated magazine - http://www.cooksillustrated.com/

Fresh Pico de Gallo w/Homemade Tortilla Chips

***Brad and I took our honeymoon in the Mayan Riviera. It was the most incredible place I've ever been to...from our beautiful resort, to the fabulous food. One thing that stands out was the yummy chips and pico de gallo. I swear, we could have eaten nothing but that and we would have been happy....LOL. This recipe for pico de gallo is as close to the real thing as I could probably ever get (short of taking a trip back to Mexico!). So, here it is!***

Pico de Gallo:

***I never measure things when making this recipe, so these amounts are just guesstimates....please feel free to adjust these amounts to your liking!***

Ingredients:

1 large tomato, diced into small pieces

1 small onion, diced

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Fresh lime juice, to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients. Stir well and chill in the fridge. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!

Homemade Tortilla Chips:

***I know, I know....buying a bag of store-bought tortilla chips is much easier. However, if you have the time, you've got to try this recipe at least once. You won't go back...I promise!***

Ingredients:

1 pkg corn tortillas

Canola Oil

Salt

Directions:

To make the tortilla chips, heat a saucepan of canola oil over medium-high heat. Cut each corn tortilla into 4 chip-sized wedges. Place wedges in hot oil and cook until desired crispness. Using tongs, carefully remove chips from oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Season with salt. Pretty simple, huh?