Rosemary Chicken and Zuchinni

Yum. I'm totally making this.

1 pound new potatoes
2 carrots
2 small zucchini
Olive oil
Whole-grain mustard
1 bunch rosemary
Kosher salt and pepper
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Quarter the potatoes. Peal and cut the carrots and zucchini into 2 inch sticks. Mix them in a bowl with 2 TB olive oil, 2 TB mustard, 1 TB rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oven to 400° F. Remove the bags from the freezer (you'll need 1 bag for each serving). Empty the contents of the bags into a baking dish. Roast for 25 minutes. Toss the vegetables, turn the chicken, and continue roasting until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes more. Divide among individual plates.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

via Real Simple

Spinach and Feta Frittata

I had this at a baby shower on Saturday and it was so good! I haven't tried the recipe myself, but I made sure to get it before I left. The woman who made it says she subsitutes low-fat versions of the cheeses and it comes out just the same (but I think if you are going to eat cheese, just eat the real stuff:)

1 package fresh spinach (cooked down and squeezed to removed extra water)
12 eggs
½ cup milk
½ -3/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
8 oz. Cottage cheese
½ cup parmesan cheese
½ cheddar cheese
Pepper to taste

Directions: Whisk eggs till light and fluffy and add milk. Mix again till combined. Add all remaining ingredients together in bowl and mix. Pour mixture into greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 F, until centre is set and slightly golden on top. This may take anywhere between 25-30 minutes, depending on your oven.

Roasted Potatoes

This is one of my favorite sides of late... It's so simple and yet so yummy! Great side with fish or simpler chicken/meat dishes.

1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, quartered (I just use white baking potatoes)
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a plastic bag; toss to coat. Pour into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees F for 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Top Ramen Salad

small head of cabbage, chopped
1 package top ramen chicken soup
2 tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

DRESSING:
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
seasoning packet from soup

Mix cabbage, seeds, almonds, and chicken. Pour dressing over and mix in. Chill several hours. Before serving, crumble noodles on top and fold.

Oprah's Cheese Sandwich

I DVR Oprah, and usually end up missing a lot of them if I don't get a chance to sit down and watch them. But, I just got to indulge for a bit tonight and watched a show called "Sandwich Showdown" that was tivoed from this week's Oprah.

1) I had no idea Oprah loved sandwiches so much. I do too!
2) Soup and a sandwich is my ideal meal. Love, love, love it.
3) I wish I could go on a taste testing of the nation's greatest sandwiches too.

I digress. I have to jot this cheese sandwich down before I forget it. I'm going to try to make it this week:

fresh, organic bread
havarti cheese
fontina cheese
honey
fresh tomatoes
fresh basil
european butter (?? my simple earth balance will have to do)

Grill to perfection.

I would never think to add honey, but they said it key (along with the basil).

BBQ Teriyaki Salmon

I had this at my parents house a few weeks ago...delicious.

I bought the wild caught salmon (better for you than farm raised) and marinated it in teriyaki sauce overnight. These are key. Get yourself a cedar board (pack of three at BBQ Galore) and bbq it on low for about 20 minutes. Guaranteed new favorite way to cook salmon.

*The cedar boards are a one time use only and you must soak it in water (submerged) for at least two hours before putting on bbq.

Breaded Chicken Wraps

I bought some frozen breaded chicken from Trader Joe's the other day. I put it in a tortilla with avocado, lettuce and tomatos with the Trader Joe's thick and creamy organic ranch dressing. So tasty! Easy meal, especially for a hot summer day.

Banoffee Pie

I think I've shared this recipe with Missy, but it is always a hit when I need to bring a dessert somewhere (among Brits and Americans). It's super easy, minus giving yourself a couple hours to be at home for the boiling of sweetened condensed milk. Oh, and it's not very healthy! :)

Banoffee Pie

1 pkg. of hobnobs (or enough graham crackers to cover the base of a 9x13 pan as hobnobs are hard to find in the US)

1 cup of melted butter

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

2 ripe bananas

Plenty of double or whipping cream

2 Cadbury flake bars or a Hershey type chocolate bar (This is just for presentation and would be grated or crumbled on the top of the whipping cream.)

In a pot boil the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk for ≈ 2 1/2 hours. Check occasionally and add water as needed so that the can is always covered with water. Meanwhile, crush the graham crackers with a glass (I put them in a ziploc and use a rolling pin) and mix with the melted butter. Press into serving dish and place in the refrigerator. Chill for at least an hour. When solidified, spread the boiled condensed milk on top of crust. Slice bananas and spread out on top of the milk layer. Whip the cream and then spread generously on the banana layer. Sprinkle top with grated Hershey bar or another chocolate candy of choice. Refrigerate until serving.

**Occasionally, you may find Dulce de Leche next to the sweetened condensed milk in the same can/packaging. This works too and obviously takes away from the boiling.

mexican meat mix

this was given to me by a friend with a crock pot for our wedding. it is a great filling for tacos, chimichangas, burritos, anything really.

original recipe (with my variations in red):

5 lbs beef roast or combo of beef and pork
2 tbsp veg shortening or oil (didn't use)
3 onions chopped (didn't use)
1 4oz. can chopped green chilies
2 7 oz cans green chili salsa (i used some of this then half a can of regular salsa as well)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 tbsp flour (didn't use)
4 tsp salt (used half that)
1 tsp ground cumin
juices from roast

cook:
cook in crock pot for 12 hours on low (6 hours on high did the job just fine)
let meat cool in crock pot
melt shortening or oil in large skillet, add onions and green chilies and saute. add the rest of the ingredients and cool for a minute over med heat. add meat and shred, while mixing it all together add some of the juices. cook 5 minutes till thick. add to whatever you are making.

but honestly, who needs more grease in this recipe- i skipped the whole saute onions and all. i just put the meat with some of it's juice in the skillet and shredded it. then i added the other ingredients and stirred it till it was hot and yummy.

i filled tortillas, rolled them, closed with a toothpick and fried them up. see what i mean about who needs more grease? usually i hate fried foods, but these are really good.

Leeks

Leeks: They have a milder, sweeter flavour than onions and a smooth texture similar to asparagus. In fact, in France leeks are often called the 'poor man's asparagus'. (via British Leeks)

I'm new to leeks. I don't remember eating them while growing up...or really ever until I moved to the UK, but my husband ate them all the time in his home. While looking for an image of leeks, I even came across a website called British Leeks. So, I think it's safe to say they are a very popular vegetable in this country! I can see why too. They are one of my favorites. I've only cooked them two ways so far (as side dishes), but I'll share what I know!

Firstly, the edible part of leeks are the white onion looking part and the light green stalk. So cut off the root and most of the dark green stalk. Then rinse well. You can cut them anyway you like - I usually cut them into 1-2cm or so type circles or rings.

The friendly British Leeks site (seriously, a whole site dedicated to this vegetable?) explains the various ways of cooking leeks so well. I've just copied their words for what I do.

Pan fried/ Sauteed - heat a small amount of olive oil and butter in a frying pan, add some sliced leeks and gently cook for about 5-10 minutes until tender. (I let them get a tinsy bit of brown on them + add sea salt.)

Roasted - pour some olive oil into a roasting tray and add leeks, making sure they are coated all over. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and roast in the oven (400 F ) for 30 minutes

There a ton of recipes that incorporate leeks into the actual dish, but so far I have mostly just stuck to eating them as a side dish to fish, chicken, or macaroni and cheese (and the like). I think seasoning them with sea salt is key. If you like salmon, this looks like an easy recipe to try. I will substitute with a white fish as I'm not a salmon fan. I'd also like to try Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Sour Cream sometime.

Try them as your next side vegetable dish and see if you like them!

Tell me...

...that you saw this recipe on Pioneer Woman Cooks. I can't imagine a more fun dessert (or gift) to give to someone or bring out after a little party.

Baked Lemon Spaghetti

We had this tonight. It was light and tasty and a great side for fish or citrusy chicken dishes. Not very cinco de mayo-ish though.

1 package spaghetti (I actually used fusili noodles just to make it more fun)
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 8 oz. carton sour cream
1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
3 tb. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt
pepper

Cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain and place in a casserole dish. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, and stir in sour cream, lemon peel and lemon juice. Mix until smooth. Pour mixture over noodles in casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and add parmesan cheese. Seaon with salt and pepper to taste.

PS: I'm taking a break from my nightly dinner meals. I'll just post something if it is new + tasty.

Quick Update

Great meals this weekend - we had taco bowls (so fun, all mini and bowl-like) one night and then a bbq at my sister's house another. I also made this meal on Friday night. Delicious. It is on the menu again this week, with fresh edamame and I will be adding some fortune cookies as a side. I accidentally added chicken because I thought I saw it on the ingredients, but after cleaning up the dinner I noticed it was not actually included. Either way, it's a new favorite in our house.

Lemon Squares

This is my mom's recipe and another one of my favorites. Like most of my lemon recipes, I always add a little more lemon into the recipe (be it more zest or more juice).

Lemon Squares

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (softened)
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar

4 eggs (slightly beaten)
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
6 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions: Mix the softened butter, 2 cups flour and powdered sugar together. Butter should be softened, but not melted. This creates a doughy-type base. Pat into a 9x13 pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

For the filling, mix eggs, sugar, 1/4 cup flour and lemon juice together. Pour over cooked crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Cool, dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars.

Enjoy!

Love me some lemons

Hi, there! I'm excited to post some of my favorite recipes on ATDT. Thanks for letting me be a guest blogger, Missy (and other contributors)!

Right now I have lemons on my mind! I pretty much love anything with lemons, so it is only fitting that for a family picnic tomorrow I'll be making my favorite lemon cupcakes! The recipe is from All Recipes.

Lemon Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (sometimes I add an extra tsp)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sour cream

Frosting:
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon milk

Directions: In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, cream butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, vanilla, lemon peel and milk; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes.

Welcome Lindsey!

Welcome our newest (and second ever, remember Lillie?) guest blogger on Add To Desired Taste.

A bit about Lindsey...she married Alan from London and now lives there with him and their daughter Isobel. She is pregnant (with a boy!) due on July 2nd. She loves to travel (their latest family vacation was to Egypt) and she usually posts recipes on this foodie blog. After she posted about leeks and how they were her new favorite vegetable I asked her to guest blog. I didn't have a clue what they (leeks) were, let alone how to cook them. I'm sure she will provide us with some great, new recipes.

Welcome Lindsey!

The Last Two Nights

Wednesday Dinner: Chicken Salad Sandwiches on croissants. Basically, I just put cooked chicken breast, sliced grapes, pine nuts, chopped celery and some carrots slivers and mixed it with mayonaiise and salt and pepper. On a croissant and it was tasty. I'm not sure what other chicken salad sandwich recipes include, but this one was good.

Thursday Dinner: Pizza. Again, feeling vegetarian so we just did a fresh mozzarella cheese on Trader Joe's pizza dough (good, but I am still missing my bread maker fresh dough).

On the menu for tomorrow? Taco Bowls