Pan Roasted Chicken with Rosemary

Yummmm! I serve this with roasted potatoes!

5 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks (6 thighs and 6 drumsticks)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions
Heat oven to 450 degrees F and arrange rack in middle.
In a large bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of the oil, rosemary, salt, red pepper flakes, and freshly ground black pepper. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat well.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter in a cast iron skillet or large frying pan over medium-high heat until butter foams. Working in batches, add 3 or 4 chicken pieces (don't overcrowd the pan) and brown on both sides until skin is crisp and golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. As chicken is finished, place in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
Once all chicken has browned, place in oven to roast until juices run clear when pricked with a knife and meat registers 160 to 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I am making these tomorrow for my sweet Sister-In-Law's Baby Shower! I have never known ANYONE to not like these when I have made them!


For the cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Instructions
For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, suger, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl, gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld elctric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins anbout 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.
Garnish with fresh raspberry or strawberry.

Rodney's Dip

This dip is really good. I have a friend who is an incredibly finicky eater, but inhales this stuff!

1 lb. Ground Beef (Sirlion is best)
1 lb. Ground Sausage

2 cans Rotel Tomatoes & Green Peppers (drained)

1 large stick of Velveeta Cheese (16 oz) cubed

In large skillet pan, cook ground beef and sausage completley. Add Rotel and cubed Velveeta Cheese and cook until cheese has completley melted. Lightly simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve with Fritos Scoops and watch your waistband expand!

Ryan's Apricot Jalapeno Salmon

This recipe is Ryan's specialty. EVERYONE who has tried this requests the recipe. I always serve this with Red Roasted Potatoes and Roasted Green Beans. This dish is my absolute favorite!

2 tablespoons oil

2 jalapenos, cut into rings

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine

3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

1 cup apricot preserves

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skinned and boned

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small saute pan over medium heat, heat oil. When hot, add jalapenos and saute until caramelized. Add garlic, and before it begins to brown, deglaze with white wine. Next add mustard and apricot preserves and bring to a simmer. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes and let completely cool.
Place Salmon fillets on baking sheet. Lightly season with salt & pepper. Liberally apply cooled apricot mixture.
Cook salmon until medium-rare about 10-15 minutes; remove from oven and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes until serving.

Vodka Cream Pasta

Don't worry my fellow LDS friends...The alcohol in the Vodka cooks out! This recipe was very simple, but more importantly DELICIOUS! I grilled some Ciabatta bread (drizzled it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, sprinkled with Pepper) and also served it with a tossed salad with a homemade vinaigrette dressing...let me know if you want that recipe! I think the next time I make this recipe, I will add some Pancetta or Prosciutto! The coolest thing about this dish? My finicky little critic (Rylee) LOVED it!

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil , once around the pan in a slow stream
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic , minced
2 shallots , minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
Coarse salt and pepper
16 ounces pasta , such as penne rigate ( I used Linguini)
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil , shredded or torn

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic and shallots. Gently sauté shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan (3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup). Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread.

Welcome!

I have been wanting to start a cooking blog for quite a while now. The recipes I post will ONLY be recipes that I have actually tried and liked. I hope you all will find something you like!