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Roasted Chicken & Caramelized Potatoes


Roasted Chicken & Caramelized Potatoes

Yes, you read that right - Caramelized Potatoes! If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life, I would chose to eat these. This is, in my opinion, the best way to eat potatoes and I am so excited to share this recipe with you!


Roasted chicken is a staple in our household, and lately we have been eating it once a week! It is such a delicious, easy, option that is super filling and usually lasts for a few days. The chicken always turns out juicy, the potatoes caramelized, and flavor is well rounded and beautiful! I could eat this forever.


One of the most important requirements for this recipe is a heavy bottomed enamel pan or pot. I get the best results using my Cuisinart 6.6 L enamel coated cast iron pot. It is large enough for the whole chicken, potatoes, veg and everything else. 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425.

First, slice the baby potatoes in half and put them cut side down into the pot. The size of your pot determines the amount of potatoes that you will need. This will create a sort of 'bed' for the chicken to rest on. It is crucial to place the potatoes cut side down, as that is the part which gets caramelized. Drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper over the potatoes.

Next, peel the onion and cut it in half. Slice two rounds from center of the onion and place both of them in the middle of the pot on top of the potatoes. The chicken will sit on top of these onions and infuse it with flavour. Chop up the rest of the onion into large chunks and set aside. 

Peel and slice the carrots into 2 inch chunks. If the carrots are really thick, slice those chunks length wise to allow for even cooking.

The butter mixture is the most crucial step in making a moist chicken. Take the butter and place it in a medium sized bowl. Add the lemon juice and Dijon to the butter and start to mix it all together with a spoon or fork. Add a splash of olive oil, the paprika, and the garlic powder. Continue to mix together the ingredients. Finally add the chopped rosemary and sage. If you have garlic scapes, feel free to chop them and add them to the butter mixture as well. 

Now it is finally time to deal with the chicken. It is best to use a fresh chicken, but also fine to use frozen. If you are using a frozen chicken, it is extremely important to make sure that it is fully thawed - It may take up to 3 days for a chicken to fully thaw (in the fridge) from frozen. I usually take the chicken, place it in the sink and pat it dry with paper towels. After I am satisfied with its dry skin, I place it back on a paper towel lined plate and begin to stretch the skin open with my fingers. On the top of the chicken you will see the two breasts - it is this skin you want to lift and open up. It is easiest to do this from the cavity side of the bird (if this makes no sense, I am sure you can find a tutorial on youtube). Shove half of the butter mixture into the breast and spread it around. Once it is under the skin you can spread it and move it around from the outside of the skin. Once half of the butter mixture is inside the breast, take the chicken and place it in the pot on top of the potatoes and onions. 

With the chicken in the pot, it is time to put a few of the onion chunks into the chickens cavity along with a dollop of the butter mixture. Then place the carrots and remaining onion chunks around the chicken. The final step is to take dollops of the remaining butter and place them among the vegetables and then spread the remaining on the top of the chicken. 

Roast the chicken un-covered for 2 hours.The olive oil and butter caramelize the cut side of the potatoes, and it creates the most delicious texture. The chicken will be juicy and moist, flavorful and delicious! Let the chicken rest for 20 minutes before serving! 

I hope you enjoy this delicious meal!


 

Thanks for reading,
Madison xx

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Spinach, Tomato, & Artichoke Pasta Sauce


Creamy, savory, flavorful, and fresh! These are the best words to describe this delicious Spinach, Tomato, Artichoke, and Chicken pasta sauce! It is packed with fresh tomatoes, fresh spinach, marinated artichokes, and shredded chicken. I think it is the most perfect pasta sauce for summer!

Our garden is overrun with spinach so I figured it was time to put it to use, and this dish was the perfect solution. If you are looking for a delicious, fresh, summery pasta dish, this may just be the one!


Directions

First melt the butter and olive oil together in a sauce pan over medium heat - use a pan with high-'ish' sides and a wide bottom. Then add the onion. Saute the onion until it is translucent, add some salt to extract the yummy juices! Once the onion has been cooking for approx 8 minutes, go ahead and add the tomatoes. It is important to use fresh tomatoes in this dish, I used vine ripened tomatoes. Stir them in with the onions, add salt and a hint of pepper, and let the mixture simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes. It will go through a very juicy, wet phase, as the tomatoes cook down, and then the mixture will begin to reduce and thicken up. Once there is little to no juice in the mixture, it is ready for the next step. 

After simmering for approximately 20 (or more) minutes, add the tsp of chicken stock powder. This adds a nice flavour to the mixture without adding any of the juices of liquid stock. If you do not have powdered stock, it is ok to leave this step out. 

Add the flour and mix well. The mixture should become somewhat paste like and be very thick. Let the flour cook out for a bit, to remove the flavor. Continue to stir the mixture for approximately 3 minutes. Then add the chopped artichoke hearts and shredded chicken. Mix them in, and allow the mixture to become cohesive and fully incorporated. At this point, there should be very little structure to the tomatoes, and they should resemble more of a paste. 

Once everything is incorporated, it is time to add the cream! Mix it in well, and watch the colour of the sauce change. I love seeing the transformation from deep reddish orange to a lighter, creamier, orange colour. You can use a whisk for this part, but a wooden spoon does the trick just fine. Bring the mixture to a bubble over high heat, and reduce to a simmer. You will want this to simmer for around 15 minutes, but remember to stir every so often. It is important to make sure that the cream does not burn. This part of the process is kind of like reducing the already thick cream. 

Once the sauce has been cooking for a while, add the handfuls of spinach. You may need to add one handful at a time, cover the pot, and allow it to wilt. This will allow for more room to add the rest of the spinach. After all of the spinach has been added, wilted, and stirred in, the sauce is ready! 

I served the sauce on a bed of al dente Gemelli pasta. Feel free to use which ever pasta you like, but I find the sauce suits a shorter pasta, rather than something longer like spaghetti or fettuccine. Garnish with a few cracks of fresh black pepper and dig in!

Enjoy!



Let me know if you try this recipe, and be sure to come back for more!

Thanks so much for reading,
Madison xx



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Non-Traditional Shepherds Pie



This version of Shepherds Pie is rich, creamy, savory, and plum full of delicious ingredients. This version uses ground beef rather than ground lamb, which is simply because beef is easier to find here in Alberta. I also chose to leave out the peas and corn, which many people consider necessary in a shepherds pie. I added a few different flavours instead and created this delicious, hearty dish! Enjoy!

Directions

In a large oven safe pan, dutch oven, other large walled skilled, or wide bottomed pot, add 3 table spoons of butter and a little bit of olive oil. Put the pan over medium heat and chop the vegetables while the butter/olive oil melts. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the melted butter and let them cook down for approximately 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and rosemary, stir them into the rest of the veg, and then make a well in the middle of the pot. I do this by pushing all of the contents around the sides until there is a good sized portion of the bottom of the pot showing. Add a bit more olive oil, and then add the ground beef to the center of the pot. Break it up with a wooden spoon, allow it to brown and get a little bit crispy, if that is what you like.

Once the ground beef is cooked, stir the contents of the pot all together and make sure everything is bite sized. At this point, the mixture should be quite moist and have some liquid within. If it isn't, feel free to add a bit more olive oil. Add the half cup of flour and mix it in, creating somewhat of a roux. You may need to add more or less flour in order to reach the right consistency. The mixture should be 'gummy' and stick together in lumps, kind of like a paste. It is important to 'cook out the flour' which is just a way to ensure that the flour taste will not carry into the dish. While the mixture is cooking, it is time to add the 'spices'. Stir in the grainy mustard (or dijon), paprika, worchestershire sauce, and lime juice. Be sure to season with salt and pepper at this point. 

Once the roux has been stirred and cooked for around 2 minutes, it is time to add the beer. I prefer using a darker beer, something that is not fruity or citrus tasting. Mix the beer in, and allow the mixture to thicken. Once the beer has been absorbed, add in the beef stock. Turn up the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling for a few minutes, turn down the heat to low and allow it to simmer. Preheat the oven to 400, cover the mixture, and let it simmer for 20 minutes or more. 

While the mixture is simmering, you can prepare the mashed potato topping. In a large bowl, add 4 cups of mashed potato. Left over mashed potato works perfectly here, but feel free to use fresh mashed potato as well! Add both eggs to the potatos and stir well, making sure they are fully incorporated. Stir in the shredded parmesan cheese and add salt and pepper. 

Now that the ground beef mixture has been simmering, it should be quite thick and gravy like! If that is the case, it is time to add the mashed potatoes on top. I place dollops of the mash all around the dish so that it is easier to spread them out evenly. I use a spoon to smooth out the mashed potatoes and then, sometimes, I use a fork to create some kind of design! Bake in the oven, uncovered, at 400 for approximately 20 minutes, or until the potatoes turn brown and crispy! Yum!

Once it is done, let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving, then garnish with a sprinkling of chives!

Enjoy!



Let me know if you try this recipe, and be sure to come back for more!

Thanks for reading,
Madison xx


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Pear & Goat Cheese Pizza




This Pear and Goat Cheese pizza has all of the delicious, delicate flavours that you look for in a gourmet pizza. There is the subtle flavour of the pear with the sharp saltiness from the prosciutto, both of which are complimented by the honey. The best part is getting a little hint of the tart goat cheese. Overall, this pizza is a great, light option for pizza night - bringing all of the delicious aspects of a pizza without the heaviness of gooey cheese and thick tomato sauce (both of which I definitely enjoy on occasion 😉).

I enjoyed this pizza with friends a few months ago and even though I just created it on the spot, I haven't stopped thinking about how yummy it was! I am all for sweet and savory together on pizza - (yes I am a pineapple on pizza kind of person 😋), so adding pears and honey to pizza seemed like a great idea!! 

To keep this pizza simple, there is no sauce, just simply some garlic olive oil (or plain olive oil, its up to you), and some honey drizzled on the dough. I am planning on adding my pizza dough recipe to the blog soon, so stay tuned for that! For now I recommend using Gemma Staffords pizza dough recipe, I have used it a few times and it has a really great flavour. 


Directions

First, preheat the oven to 425F, then stretch out your dough to the shape you desire. I usually oil a baking sheet and then put the stretched dough on top of that - the oil helps to crisp up the bottom of the crust. I always just use my hands and gravity to stretch my dough, but you can use a rolling pin if that works best for you! 

Once the dough is in place, drizzle some olive oil on top, either garlic or plain, and then drizzle honey on top of that. Feel free to rub the honey and oil into the dough, I like to do this to make sure it is spread evenly. Then I sprinkle a bit of coarse salt and add a crack of pepper around the pizza. 

After the base is done, add slices of pear around the pizza, it looks best in a circle design. Once there is pear all over the pizza, add the prosciutto. I usually rip it up into smaller pieces, as it can be hard to rip up with your teeth! Making it bite sized is a nice way to ensure a perfect bite each time! I usually just sprinkle the pieces of prosciutto over top of the pears and cover any holes with it. 

Now it is time for the goat cheese! I usually buy the herbed goat cheese, so I just take small dollops of that and place them evenly around the pizza. I don't like to crowd the pizza with the cheese, as it is only there to add a hint of tart to cut the sweet and salty. I prefer it to remain as a 'hint flavour' rather than a 'focus flavour'. 

The last step is to sprinkle dried rosemary and slivered almonds on top. The rosemary is for flavour, and the almonds are for texture! These are optional, but I think that they add a really nice touch to the overall flavour profile! At this point, you can also drizzle extra honey on top if you like! 

Bake it in the oven for 12-15 minutes - watch to see when the crust turns golden brown as that is when the pizza is done!



Pro-tip - simply remove the prosciutto to make this pizza a vegetarian option! With the tart flavour of the goats cheese, this pizza will still have a rounded flavour profile! In this case, you could also add parmiggiano-reggiano to bring another nutty, salty, element to the pizza. 

Let me know if you try this recipe, & be sure to come back for more!

Thanks for reading, 
Madison xx

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Heart of Palm Pasta Sauce




The star of the show in this dish is Heart of Palm! This vegetable is super delicious and often used in salads, or just eaten whole. I decided to play around with them a bit and figured out that they are also super delicious when they are cooked! This is a tomato based pasta sauce that goes perfectly with spaghetti, tagliatelle, pappardelle, among others! Feel free to pair this sauce with whatever pasta you have on hand!


Directions

In a wide bottomed sauce pan, heat both garlic and olive oil on medium heat. Add the anchovy fillet and allow it to melt. You can add as many as you like, depending on taste. I prefer the subtlety of one.

 Add in the crushed tomatoes, diced heart of palm, capers, and sugar. Stir to combine and allow the mixture to come to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to your desired taste. (Keep in mind, the anchovy gives a salty flavour). Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 In another pan, add a splash of olive oil and turn it on medium heat. Allow the oil to heat thoroughly and then add the chopped mushrooms.

 Once the mushrooms have cooked down, turn off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley. Season lightly.

 After the tomato mixture has simmered for 15 minutes, add the mushroom and parsley mix and stir to combine - simmer for another 10 minutes. Add in a splash of pasta water if the sauce becomes too thick - this allows the sauce to thin out slightly.

 Finish off the sauce with a healthy grating of parm and sprinkling of fresh parsley!

 Serve over freshly cooked pasta & enjoy!


Let me know if you re-create this recipe & be sure to come back for more!

Thanks for reading,
Madison xx
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Overnight Oat Bread



We go through bread so quickly in our household, so I have been making it at home more regularly! I grew up with my parents making bread every now and then, so I definitely enjoy the taste of good quality homemade bread. While I use a plethora of recipes for bread, "Overnight Oat Bread" is different as it provides a dense, moist texture as well as rich flavour! It is also SUPER EASY to make, as it requires no kneading and very little time to prepare!

 

Directions

Pour 2 cups warm water in a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast into the water. Warm the honey slightly and then drizzle it into the yeast mixture, stir it well, and then let it sit for 5 minutes to let the yeast activate.

Once the yeast is activated (foamy), add in the oats, 3 cups flour, and salt - reserve the 4th cup of flour. With one hand, start to mix the wet and dry ingredients by using a folding motion. I find this method the easiest when making any kind of bread dough. Once things start to come together, add the 4th cup of flour a little bit at a time, as needed. The dough is meant to be quite sticky and wet at this point, so try not to add any more than 4 cups of flour. 

When the dough is well combined cover the bowl with saran wrap and drape a towel over top. This creates a dark, humid environment for the dough to proof in. Place the dough in a dark(ish), warm(ish) place like the pantry, or a drawer, where it wont be disturbed - I have the best results when I put it in the microwave to proof! The dough needs to proof for 13-15 hours, so it is best to do this at night and let it proof until morning.

After proofing the dough should be triple the size it was and look nice and bubbly, you may even be able to hear it popping! It will still be quite sticky, so use wet hands to pull the dough away from the sides of the bowl. Once it is pushed down it should still be quite pliable and moist. 

Take a bread pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper - you can grease the pan if you don't have parchment. Make sure to cover every inner part of the pan, as this loaf could stick to the pan. 

Put the dough into the pan and squish it down with wet fingers. Sprinkle the top of the dough with oats and dust it slightly with some flour. Then take some more saran wrap, dust it with flour, and place it over top of the loaf. Once again, put a towel over the loaf, and allow it to rise for another hour. In the mean time, preheat your oven to 400F. 

After its second proof, place the dough in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. When it is done, the bread should be lightly golden brown on top and should sound hollow when tapped. Allow it to cool a bit in the pan, 30 minutes or so, and then remove the bread from the pan to cool completely. Store in a bread bag on the counter for up to a week. My favorite way to eat this bread is toasted with butter and jam. 



Let me know if you try this recipe & be sure to come back for more great recipes!

Thanks for reading,
Madison xx


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