One Pan Meal- Baked Chicken Thighs and Potatoes with Herbs and Garlic

I hope everyone had a nice and relaxing Sunday! After yesterday’s race, all I wanted to do today was sleep in and be lazy. I got my wish. We slept until almost 9. The girls came in requesting Waffle House, so we got up and ate some yummy food. I sat outside and read magazines while the girls played. I sat around and watched a bunch of DVR shows that I needed to catch up on…(Bones, The Americans, and The Kitchen). Later I cooked this yummy easy meal.

Baked Chicken Thighs and Potatoes with Herbs and Garlic

Ingredients

6 chicken Thighs (on sale for $3.26 at Kroger!!!)
6 small Idaho potatoes, chopped in to small pieces. Use what you have; red, russet, purple, etc…
6 pieces of garlic, crushed and minced
1 large handful of chopped herbs- basil, sage, rosemary, and thyme (mix with garlic and a bit of olive oil to form a paste)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Chop potatoes in to a small dice. Chop your garlic and herbs. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Lay potatoes flat in the pan and coat with olive oil. Add half of the garlic and herb paste. Mix well. Salt and pepper both sides of your chicken thighs. Lay on top of the potatoes. Add the rest of the herb and garlic paste to the top of each piece of chicken. Cook for 45 minutes or until potatoes are done and chicken is cooked through.

Family Favorite- Beer Battered Cod

Evening guys! So today was the day we have been preparing for all season. It was the Girls on the Run 5k. I was a little worried last night when it was raining and it was predicted to storm all day. I was equally worried when I heard the rain as I got ready and drove through the rain to the Georgia Tech campus, the BEAUTIFUL site for the run. Once we all got there, thankfully it was delayed 1 hour. After this time, the sky was cloudy but the rain had stopped. It was a great run! What a great inspiration to see young girls run and feel empowered to be themselves and achieve great things!

After the race, most of the coaches went to lunch at a local diner. If you are ever in Downtown Atlanta near Georgia Tech, you should go to OK Diner. It was pretty yummy. Everyone loved their food…hamburgers, chicken and waffles, eggs and grits, french toast and bacon, and a turkey club (mine- the best turkey club I have ever eaten; and the fries were legit…)

When I got home, I showered and immediately took a nap with my kitty, Pumpkin (16 years old, blind,and sick; please keep him in your thoughts and prayers). Then I read for a bit and piddled around the house before I went to the store to buy the ingredients for dinner.

Beer Battered Cod

Ingredients-

1 1/2 pounds of firm-fleshed white fish cut into “nuggets”, but you can make them in to strips, or whole pieces if you want. I used cod, but you can use any white fish you like.
Beer Batter-
Whisk the following in a medium mixing bowl:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
Whisk together slowly with 1 cup of brown beer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Directions-

Heat some vegetable oil in a pan. While it is heating up, dredge your fish in some cornstarch and tap off any excess cornstarch. Dip in to the batter and put in oil. Don’t crowd the pan. When the batter is set on one side, turn the fish over and cook until golden brown and delicious.

I served with some Annie’s Mac and Cheese and green beans.

Running Buddies and Semi-Homemade Pasta Salad

Hey guys! So last night I had a craving for pasta salad. I had just left a very fulfilling and kinda weird Girls on The Run practice. It was our last practice before the big 5k this Saturday. A couple of girls and I led the pack. We had just circled the school almost 4 times (about 2 miles). We were on track to probably run another 2 laps before practice ended; another mile to almost complete a 5k. Then the fire alarm of the school sounded. We stopped and everyone was in a bit of a panic. What do we do? Everyone in the building had to evacuate. We were almost at the front, so I asked them to run the rest of the way with me. They were in and we ran our hearts out. It was awesome!

On the way home, I really wanted pasta. Then I thought about veggie pasta. But I was so hot, so maybe I wanted something cold? OHHHHH, pasta salad, just like in the summer!!! I thought of last July 4th when I made an awesome pasta salad that everyone loved and gobbled up…https://funfoodiefamily.com/2014/07/05/make-it-your-own-boxed-pasta-salad/ So I made this, except I added sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese. SO GOOD!!!!!!

Leftover Loving- Veggie Alfredo Pasta

Good afternoon! I hope everyone had a great day. Last night I was trying to think of something to make for lunch with the leftovers in my fridge. I spied some leftover Alfredo noodles and a bunch of veggies.

So I prepped the veggies and sauteed them in a couple tablespoons of olive oil with plenty of salt and pepper.

I started cooking 1 onion-chopped, 2 carrots- sliced, 3 stalks of celery-sliced, and 1/2 container of sliced mushrooms, about 15 minutes. Then I added some cooked shelled edamame and 2 handfuls of spinach to warm the peas and wilt the spinach, about 5 minutes. Last, I added in the pasta (already cooked with the Alfredo Sauce- or use jarred if you have it).

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients
1 stick butter
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
Pasta cooking water, as needed

Directions
In a saucepan or skillet, warm the butter and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Add the Parmesan and stir until melted. Toss to combine, thinning with pasta water if needed.

If it needs more sauce, you can add more heavy cream, butter and Parm. Or even a little olive oil will do.

Try The World- Moroccan Chicken and Couscous

So I recently signed up for Try the World http://www.trytheworld.com/ It is one of those boxes delivered straight to your door. It is pretty awesome. Every 2 months they send you a box of 5-6 small samples from a different country. If you LOVE something, you can buy the bigger version (or try to copy it and make your own). This month it was Marrakesh. Pretty awesome.

So the first thing I decided to make was a Moroccan Chicken. I used these 3 ingredients, plus chicken thighs and salt and pepper…

I patted the Kefta Rub by Villa Jerada (mix of Cumin, Paprika, Pepper, Mint, Coriander, Cilantro, and Cinnamon) on the chicken thighs. Then I cooked the chicken in a cast iron skillet for 45 minutes. These were actually pretty thick, so I ended up cooking them for almost an hour. In the last 10 minutes, I took out the chicken and poured the Couscous sauce in the pan. I put the chicken back in and cooked it together for the last 10 minutes. I plated the chicken and sauce over the couscous.

I served with a side of broccoli and crusty bread. Everyone LOVED the dinner! We all loved the rub…a little bit goes a long way, so I have lots left for a couple more recipes =)

Also got these gems…Palmiers Pure Beurre…Um, that just means a sweet treat made out of flour, butter, sugar, and salt. PERFECTION!!!

Weekend Wrap Up, Taco Night, and Meal Planning

I can’t believe another weekend is coming to an end! Why does it always have to go by so fast???
Our weekend was pretty awesome. The girls went to their grandparents and had a blast! The hubby and I went to a cabin in the mountains with a few of our best friends. It was super relaxing and lots of fun.

We went to Helen, a cute little tourist town, with lots of shops and restaurants. We went to a little restaurant on the river and ate outside. The rain held up for the day and it was so beautiful. After that, my friend and I got a tattoo. I never really considered getting a tattoo, but after Lizzie passed away, I decided I wanted to get a small one in her memory. I decided I wanted it to say Lulu, my nickname for her. I got it on my wrist, so I could see it all the time and think of her. My friend decided to get one as well. These friends are so close, they are like uncles to the girls, so it was very meaningful to me that he did this. They are perfect.

Later that afternoon and evening we played lots of board games and had a blast together. I made everyone tacos for dinner, and they turned out perfect. I made ground beef, shrimp, and salmon for a bit of variety. I basically just put my homemade taco seasoning on all 3 proteins.
https://funfoodiefamily.com/2013/07/23/homemade-taco-seasoning-mix/

I added it to the beef and cooked that first, since it takes the longest.
Then I added the rub to both sides of the salmon. I added the salmon, skin side down, to a cold pan with a bit of olive oil. This helps the salmon get a crispy skin. If you put it in a hot pan, the skin will most likely shrivel up and separate from the fish. I cooked the first side the longest, about 5 minutes, then flipped it and cooked it about 3 minutes on the second side. You still want it to be a little pink in the middle, so if it starts to turn white, it is overcooking.

I added some shrimp to a bowl and massaged it with the taco seasoning. Then I added a little more olive oil in the pan with the salmon . I finished cooking the salmon and shrimp in the same pan. Less dishes!

Here is what is up for the rest of the week… Cleaning out the fridge and freezer and trying not to go to the store. We will see how long that lasts =) See ya later tonight for a new chicken dish!

Sunday- Moroccan Chicken and Couscous with a veggie
Monday- Veggie Fritatta
Tuesday- Fish Sticks, mac and cheese, veggie
Wednesday- Bean and Beef Burritos
Thursday- Miss Mandy over for dinner- Chinese?
Friday- Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Throwback Thursday- Steak and Potatoes

Today I got to eat lunch with the girls, so I brought them Zaxby’s. I asked Becca if she wanted to order pizza for dinner on our last night of the kitchen being closed. She said, “No, I want you to make your steak and potatoes.” Hmmmm…..apparently she is ready for a home cooked meal. Ok, then! I had a few days off, but I guess I am ready for a home cooked meal as well. The kitchen is back open for tonight!

https://funfoodiefamily.com/2015/02/15/steak-twice-baked-potatoes-and-pan-steamed-broccoli/