Honey Dijon Brussels

I came across some beautiful bright green brussels sprouts today at the market...definite purchase! I really enjoy these bold little sprouts of flavor. Whether in a salad, deep fried, roasted, shredded, or even grilled--I simply can't get enough of these little green guys. I decided to keep it simple yet flavorful by tossing these babies in a country Dijon mustard and local honey glaze.

    

Ingredients
serves about 4 people
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1lb. brussels sprouts
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon country Dijon mustard

Preparation

Fill a medium sized bowl with ice cubes and cool water to create an ice bath, set aside. In a large pot bring several quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and sprouts to the boiling water. Blanch brussels for about 3 minutes. Remove the brussels from the boiling water and shock them by placing them into the ice bath. After the brussels have cooled, drain and remove them from the water and clean them up by slicing about an 1/8 of an inch off the bottom stem. In a sauté pan, heat butter, honey, and mustard over low heat until melted and well combined. Raise the heat to medium, add the sprouts; tossing them in the mustard glaze until the veggies are well coated and warmed through.

Easy Roast Chicken

When I'm at the meat counter during my weekly shopping trips I prefer to buy whole chickens. Murray's chickens are my favorite. I don't really like to freeze meat so whatever I buy this week, we eat. A lot of times when I buy a pack of chicken legs or a pack of chicken breasts they never last, it seems like I have to cook them today or else!... despite the later "use by" date printed on the package. But I find that my chicken stays fresher longer when I buy a whole chicken and butcher it myself. Butchering a chicken isn't for everyone, but if you are up to it there are a million ways to do it. You just have to find what you are most comfortable with. Although I buy a chicken every week and do all sorts of different things with it, sometimes I decide to just roast the entire thing. Sometimes there is leftover chicken perfect for a salad or a sandwich or something. Just like there are a million ways to butcher a whole chicken, there are a million and one ways to cook it. I find the easiest way to cook and serve a whole chicken is by removing the back bone and laying it flat. The chicken cooks evenly and beautifully. This particular recipe will have your home smelling so fragrant and delicious, people will think you've been cooking all day!

  

Ingredients
serves about 4 people
2 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, sliced
2 Tablespoons of flat leaf parsley, chopped
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1 3-5 lbs whole roasting chicken
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

      

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small sauce pan, melt butter, olive oil, and garlic over low heat. Once melted an warmed through, remove from heat and add parsley, thyme, and lemon juice. Set aside. Rinse chicken and pat it dry. On a stable workspace with a cutting board for raw chicken and a sharp chef's knife, sit the chicken up on the board. Identify the spine. Starting at the very top of the chicken, slice down both sides of the spine removing the back bone. Lay the chicken flat on a sheet pan. Using a brush liberally place the melted butter mixture all over the chicken. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest out of the oven for about 10 minutes before serving.

Mixed Berry Crumble

There is something about the combination of warm, gooey, fruit deliciousness mixed with crispy, golden-spiced oatmeal topping that I just love. That amazing combo is a mixed berry crumble and I love to make them. Crumbles are relatively simple yet so delicious. You can use fresh fruit or frozen which is perfect because you can enjoy your favorite crumble anytime of year! Also, the recipe is pretty standard that you could swap in or out any fruit you'd like. I love mixed berry because it's so tart. Most children seem to like strawberry and banana, and apple is always a crowd pleaser but the possibilities really are endless. Crisps and crumbles are the perfect dessert to make with little ones because of it's simple nature and minimal need for knife use. You can also swap in whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour instead of all purpose if you want an even healthier dessert. Some people like to completely cover the fruit with the oat topping but I prefer to let the fruit shine with little bites of the crispy topping here and there.

Ingredients
serves about 6 people
Fruit:
5 cups of frozen mixed berries
3 Tablespoons flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Topping:
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup light brown sugar
   1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
   6 Tablespoons butter, cubed

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl combine berries, flour, sugar, and lemon juice; toss until well coated. Place berry mixture into a glass pie dish. For the crumble topping, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add in the cubed butter. Using your hands, incorporate the butter into the oat mixture until combined and crumbly. Sprinkle the oat and butter mixture all over top the berries. Cook in the oven for about 50 minutes or until the fruit is bubbly and the top is golden brown. Let it sit for about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Vegetables are a delicious and simple addition to any meal or spread and a great way to eat the rainbow! This easy recipe is a crowd pleaser and doesn't take too much time or skill. Whether its hummus, bean dip, or a vinaigrette I always like to add some sort of dip to these veggies when I'm serving them in a party setting. Recently I was invited to a potluck that was southwestern themed. While my daughter Gracie was taking a nap, I prepared these roasted vegetables. In addition to adding some chili powder and cumin to the veggies I also made a quick salsa verde to accompany them. The vibrant colors and bold flavors make these roasted veggies my go-to favorite!

      

Ingredients
*You can adjust the amount of vegetables for your needs but this is perfect party platter size for about 20 people

4 red peppers, cut into 1 1/2in strips
4 yellow peppers, cut into 1/12in strips
4 zucchini squash, cut across diagonally in 3/4in slices
3 red onions, cut into 1/2in thick slices, keep rings together
1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed
2/3 cup olive oil
5 teaspoons minced garlic
10 sprigs of thyme
 3 Tablespoons salt
1 1/2 Tablespoon pepper
4 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder (optional)
4 1/2 teaspoons of cumin (optional)



Preparation 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place red peppers on a sheet tray in one layer, paying close attention that the vegetables are not on top of each other. Do the same with the yellow peppers, zucchini, red onions, and asparagus. You want to keep each group of vegetables separate. Toss the vegetables on each tray with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of garlic, 2 sprigs of thyme, about 2 teaspoons of salt, about 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon cumin being extra careful not to separate the rings of the onion. Make sure the vegetables are arranged back in a single layer before placing in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes. Flip the vegetables and cook for another 7 minutes. Serve room temperature.