I love to feed my family home cooked meals as much as possible. People are always asking me for quick recipes they can do during the week that don’t take a lot of time. Here is a baked chicken recipe that I made up recently that came out really good! Then while the chicken is cooking, I work on different side dishes. Time management is really the key to quick dinners. Considering process, how long things take to thaw, prepare, and/or cook really matter in planning. On the drive home from work I start thinking about my execution from start to finish. If you do it right, all you food should be ready at the same time. With this recipe I really like scallop potatoes (which I also have a great recipe for) or a simple baked potato. Of course veggies or a salad is a must for a balance meal!
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season chicken with garlic salt and pepper on both sides. Be generous but careful not to over-season. If you have time, let sit overnight; if you don’t then proceed. Add 1 tablespoon of butter in a baking dish for every 5 pieces of chicken. Place dish in the oven to let butter melt. Season chicken on both sides with paprika (I like smoked paprika). Add seasoned chicken to the buttered dish. Cook chicken for 10-12 minutes on each side. Then reduce heat to 375 degrees and cook for another 15-20, or until done.
Not sure what I was thinking back in December when I volunteered to do a post on planter gardens. Those who knew my grandfather “Papa” know he was an amazing gardener and he truly loved spending time outdoors in his garden. Somehow that “Green” gene missed me….or maybe it’s in me and just suppressed by my “Divatude”. Don’t get me wrong, I love fresh fruits and vegetables but I prefer to pick mine up from a local farmers market or grocery store. It must have been all the years of being forced to care for a garden in my younger years. I grew up on a farm and both my parents also loved to garden and we always had a huge garden that required lots of manual labor.
One month into my new home and I had the genius idea that I wanted a nice little planter garden and I would document my journey to creating this little garden of mine (just one of the many BIG ideas I have for my new home). I did lots of research and even found the perfect blueprints for creating a manageable planter box garden and I pinned it, on Pinterest. The only problem is I married a city boy and my country, farm girl ways are long gone. The task of building a planter box and plating my little garden quickly seemed like a huge task and not one I am currently ready to take on.
Rosemary, Basil, MinHow stinkin’ cute and PERFECT is that Edible Arrangements mug? And to think I almost did not buy it because it was $1.50 (vs. $0.99 like the other bowls).Wooden basket to hold my herbs
But all is not lost! One of my biggest frustrations when grocery shopping is the price I pay for fresh herbs. Most of the time a recipe calls for just a sprig or two of Rosemary or maybe a few fresh basil leaves. Well, when was the last time you bought a sprig of Rosemary or a few leaves of basil? So you see my dilemma. Wasted herbs and wasted money is not how I roll. While browsing through my local home improvement store, I noticed my favorite cooking herbs on sale. The price for one plant was what I usually pay for a package of my favorite herbs at the grocery store. The almighty light bulb clicked on in my head and I had my “aha” moment. I decided to pick up the plants on sale and bring them on home to start my very own kitchen herb garden…because that was another cool project I pinned on Pinterest (do you know about Pinterest, really, you should because you will hear me talk about it, a lot). Now this is the type gardening I can manage, no weeds to pull, and no complicated planter box to put together. All I needed was a few cute containers to plant them in and I was set. Enter my new favorite past time: visiting my local thrift stores. I knew I could pick up some nice containers for a much cheaper price then what my local home improvement store would charge for a little ol’ plain looking pot.
I lucked up at the thrift store and I could not be happier with the way my new Kitchen Herb Garden.
Once I find my Thyme, it will go in the middle and make my herb garden complete.I found the ceramic dishes at a thrift store too. The olive oil dispenser I picked up at my local T.J. Maxx.
Cost:
Mint – $3.99
Basil – $3.99
Rosemary – $3.99
Wooden Basket (thrifted) – $1.99
White speckled ice cream bowls (thrifted) – $0.99 ea.
Edible Arrangements mug (thrited) – $1.50
Total for kitchen herb garden: $16.45
I have been on the hunt for thyme to add to my herb garden. I can’t wait to cook with my fresh herbs year round. First up Basil Marinated Chicken Thighs.
Do you have any plans for a indoor or outdoor garden this year?
When a new year starts, a lot of us vow to make lifestyle changes towards being healthier, exercising, losing weight, etc. Well, this year, a lot of my friends have decided to go the vegan route. I came across this great vegan recipe for yummy desert: Brownie Pumpkin Pie with a Crunchy Pecan Topping. This is the perfect way for me to support my vegan friends and still have some delicious dessert! It’s super easier and everyone will love it! ~by Charlene Green
Ingredients (8-10 servings)
pumpkin brownie layer
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened
• 3/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour (other flours may work)
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot)
• 1/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
Pumpkin pie layer
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup organic cane sugar
• 3 tbsp almond milk
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 & 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg)
pecan topping
• 1/4 cup earth balance
• 1/2 cup Sucanat (or brown sugar)
• 1/3 cup flour
• 3/4 cup pecans
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a pie pan.
2. For brownie layer: In a stand mixer or by hand, mix together the coconut oil, pumpkin, vanilla, and sugar until blended well. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking, soda, sea salt and mix until incorporated. Take the entire mixture and place in pie pan. Wet spatula and spread around evenly so it is smooth.
3. For pumpkin layer: In a large bowl mix together the pumpkin, vanilla, and milk. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well until all clumps are gone. Now add on top of brownie mixture. Garnish with grated chocolate (I used a lemon zester to grate the chocolate).
4. For Pecan topping: Mix all ingredients until well combined and sprinkle on top of the pie.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350F. Remove from oven and cool for 20-30 minutes and then move to the fridge to chill for 1.5 hours.
6. Serves approx 8-12 slices. Serve with vegan ice cream if desired. I love coconut bliss vanilla.
Green Girls Rock 