Roasted Turkey Breast

 An oven roasted turkey recipe, perfect for a Thanksgiving feast! 

Roasted Turkey Breast

Ingredients 

• One bone in Turkey Breast
• 2 oz salted butter (half a stick)
• 1 Tablespoon weeknight hero spice blend (equal parts: Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Smoked Paprika, & Whole Dried Parsley)

Directions 

• The day before cooking, place the turkey on a work surface and pat dry with paper towels. Season on all sides with salt and pepper. Transfer to an airtight container (or a large resealable bag); refrigerate until ready to cook.
• One hour before cooking, remove the seasoned turkey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature.
• Remove the plain butter from the refrigerator to soften.
• In a bowl, combine the softened butter and weeknight hero spice blend; season with salt and pepper. Using a fork, mash to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with foil.
• Thoroughly coat the prepared turkey with the seasoned butter. Transfer to the sheet pan, skin side up.
• Roast 50 minutes. Leaving the oven on, remove from the oven.
• Carefully place a large piece of foil over the turkey. Return to the oven and roast 20 to 30 minutes, or until the turkey is browned and cooked through. Reserving the drippings for the gravy, transfer the roasted turkey to a cutting board, skin side up, and let rest at least 20 minutes.

One Pot Lemon Chicken and Orzo

 One Pot Lemon Chicken and Orzo

This is a great transition dish from summer to fall. The chicken is juicy and the lemon makes it feel light(er), while it’s all nestled in creamy, rich orzo. Plus hidden greens adds a nice, fresh touch! And you can beat a one pot meal 👌 I made it with chicken thighs but would like to try thinly sliced chicken breast next time and see how that turns out. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or thinly sliced chicken breast)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 large shallots, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Season chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the Dutch oven in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side; set aside.
3. Add shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Stir in garlic, thyme and rosemary until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
6. Stir in chicken stock and Dijon, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in orzo; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in kale, Parmesan, heavy cream, lemon juice and lemon zest until the kale has wilted, about 3 minutes. Return chicken to the Dutch oven.

 

Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

One of my favorite comfort food meals, this dish is juicy, rich and creamy, with the mustard adding a slight tang. It’s perfect! One tip: make sure to let the wine reduce by half. If you don’t the sauce turns out slightly runnier and doesn’t coat the chicken.  I like to serve it with cheddar mashed potatoes and green beans. 

Ingredients 

• 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 3 whole Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 1 c. White Wine
• 1 Tbsp. (heaping) Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tbsp. (heaping) Grainy Mustard
• 1/4 c. (to 1/2) Heavy Cream
• 1/4 c. (to 1/2) Chicken Broth
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

Directions 

Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so that you have eight smaller, thinner chicken cutlets. Salt and pepper both sides.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook cutlets on both sides until nice and golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and keep on a plate. 

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the pan and saute it for a minute, stirring to make sure it won't burn. Next pour in the wine. Then just let the wine bubble up and cook until it's reduced by half. 

Throw in the mustards and stir to combine, then pour in the cream. Stir in chicken broth, adding more if the sauce seems too thick. Taste sauce and adjust whatever you think it needs. Add chicken breasts back to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Allow sauce to cook for another few minutes, shaking the pan if needed to move things around. 

Serve chicken spooning the sauce over the top.

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

 Crockpot Beef Stroganoff 

My first time making beef stroganoff and it couldn’t be easier in this crockpot version!

Ingredients

 

• ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ▢ 4 pounds boneless chuck roast
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 yellow onion , chopped
• ▢ 8 ounces crimini mushrooms , sliced (optional, I’m the only one who likes mushrooms in my family so I had to leave it out) 
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• ▢ 2 cups beef broth
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 Ranch packet
• ▢ 1 cup sour cream
• ▢ 8 ounces egg noodles , cooked a minute shy of done

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven on high heat.
• Season chuck roast with salt and pepper.
• Brown meat on all sides, 4-5 minutes on each side.
• Add the beef to slow cooker with onions, mushrooms and garlic.
• Whisk together beef broth, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, paprika and ranch packet, and pour it into slow cooker along with mushroom soup.
• Cook on low heat for 8 hours or on high heat for 4 hours.
• Remove meat from the slow cooker and gently break apart with two forks.
• Cook egg noodles just a minute shy of package instructions.
• Mix sour cream into sauce and add in the egg noodles, stirring to coat.
• Top with chuck roast and stir together

Brown Butter Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Another great addition to a Thanksgiving feast! The brown butter adds an almost nutty element to these potatoes and the cheddar adds a sharp bite that work together really well. They are super rich and indulgent! 

Brown Butter Cheddar Mashed Potatoes 

Ingredients 

2 ½ Ibs Potatoes

4 oz Cultured, Salted Butter

4 oz White Cheddar Cheese

¼ cup Grated

Romano Cheese

¼ cup Cream

1 bunch Chives

Directions 

• Fill a large pot ¾ of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high.
• Wash and dry the fresh produce.
• Medium dice the potatoes.
• Thinly slice the chives.
• Grate the cheddar on the large side of a box grater.
  Cook the potatoes
• Add the diced potatoes to the pot of boiling water. Cook 20 to 22 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Turn off the heat.
• Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.
• Meanwhile, in a medium pan, heat the butter on medium-high until melted.
• Once melted, cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the foam subsides and the butter is fragrant (it should smell nutty and toasted).
• Turn off the heat.
• To the pot of cooked potatoes, add the brown butter, cream (shaking the packet before opening), and grated cheddar. Season with salt and pepper.
• Using a fork (or potato masher), mash to your desired consistency. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Serve the mashed potatoes garnished with the sliced chives and romano.

Lemon Parmesan Brussel Sprouts

A great addition to any dinner or a Thanksgiving feast! This is a new twist on traditional roasted brussel sprouts. The lemon adds a nice tang while the Parmesan adds a creamy touch. 

Lemon Parmesan Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients 

2 Ibs Brussels

Sprouts

4 Tbsps Raw Pepitas

1 Lemon

1 bunch Rosemary

½ cup Grated

Parmesan Cheese

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Cut off and discard the stem ends of the brussels sprouts; halve lengthwise.
• Pick the rosemary leaves off the stems.
• Using a zester or the small side of a box grater, finely grate the
  lemon to get 2 teaspoons of zest. Quarter and deseed the lemon.
• Place the halved brussels sprouts on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.
• Arrange in an even layer, spreading them out as much as possible.
• Roast 15 to 17 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork.
• Transfer to a bowl.
• Meanwhile, in a medium pan, heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high.
• Once the oil is hot enough that a pepita sizzles immediately when added, add the pepitas; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until starting to brown (be careful, as the pepitas may pop as they toast).
• Add the rosemary leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the rosemary stops sizzling and the pepitas are golden brown.
• Turn off the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt.
  Finish the brussels sprouts
• To the bowl of roasted brussels sprouts, add the parmesan, lemon zest, the juice of 2 lemon wedges, and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Serve the finished brussels sprouts garnished with the fried pepitas and rosemary. Serve
  the remaining lemon wedges on the side, if you'd like.