Oven Roasted Asparagus

These turned out even better than grilled asparagus, and it was so much easier.  The heads were crispy and the stalks were flavorful.  Big hit!

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
Fresh asparagus stalks, trimmed
Salt and pepper

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees.  Place stalks on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Roast in oven for 8-10 minutes.  Enjoy!

Zucchini Saute

As Andrew says, "I want you to cook zucchinis like this every night." They turned out so buttery and garlicky and creamy and delicious, I can't say I blame him.

Zucchini Saute

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
3 large zucchini squash, thinly sliced (use a mandolin slicer)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes, or until fragrant; don't let it brown. Add the squash, salt and pepper and cook until the squash is tender but still slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the squash to a serving dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Original link:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/zucchini-saute-recipe

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken

Here's another super quick dinner recipe. Be careful not to overcook the chicken - thin cuts cook fast!

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
Salt Pepper
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
Creamy Parmesan Garlic Sauce:
¼ cup butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon flour
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup spinach, chopped

Directions

In a large skillet add olive oil and cook the chicken on medium high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until brown on each side and cooked until no longer pink in center. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until tender. Remove and set aside.

To make the sauce add the butter and melt. Add garlic and cook until tender. Whisk in the flour until it thickens. Whisk in chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, pepper and salt. Add the spinach and let simmer until it starts to thicken and spinach wilts. Add the chicken and mushrooms back to the sauce and serve over pasta is desired.

Original link:
http://therecipecritic.com/2016/06/creamy-parmesan-garlic-mushroom-chicken/

Honey Dijon Chicken with Potatoes and Broccoli

I couldn't believe that this recipe turned out so well. It was just as easy and delicious as advertised.

Honey Dijon Chicken with Potatoes and Broccoli

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
½ tsp Kosher salt plus more to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, to taste
16 ounces baby red potatoes, halved or 1 lb red potatoes cut into 1 inch chunks
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 5-6 oz each, pounded to even thickness (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch)
20 ounces broccoli florets

Directions

Whisk together 1 Tbsp of the olive oil with the honey, Dijon, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.

Reserve half of the sauce for later, then marinate the chicken in the rest of the sauce for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Parboil the potatoes by placing them in a pot and adding 1 tbsp salt and enough water to cover them by an inch.  Bring the water to a boil over high heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Toss the potatoes with the second Tbsp of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a small spoonful of sauce.  Toss for about 1-2 minutes until covered with a starchy coating. Place them on a baking pan on one half and lay the chicken breasts on top.

Bake 15 minutes.  Add broccoli to the other half of the pan, then drizzle the reserved sauce over the top of the broccoli (and a couple dabs on the chicken if there is enough).  Cook an additional 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.

Original Link:
http://tiphero.com/honey-dijon-chicken/
https://www.facebook.com/tiphero/videos/10154477673848761/

One Pot Chicken Alfredo

This was a very easy and very tasty meal.  I would definitely recommend for any weeknight.

One Pot Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cubed
3 garlic cloves, minced
14 oz chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 lb uncooked Penne pasta
1.5 cups grated Parmesan
Parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a pot or deep skillet, heat the oil and brown the chicken. Add garlic, and sauté for about a minute. Add broth, cream, and pasta, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for 15-20 min. Turn off heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Top with parsley if desired. Enjoy!

Original Link:
https://www.facebook.com/buzzfeedtasty/videos/1685259908393318/

Juicy Buttermilk Pork Chops

This incredibly simple recipe was surprisingly amazing.

Juicy Buttermilk Pork Chops

Ingredients

4 1-inch-thick bone-in pork rib chops (about 12 ounces each)
1 quart buttermilk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

In a large bowl, cover the pork chops with the buttermilk and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drain the chops, pat them dry and season with salt and pepper. In a very large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the pork chops and cook over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn the chops, transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the chops registers 135 degrees. Let the chops rest for 5 minutes, then serve.




Original link:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/juicy-buttermilk-pork-chops

Steamed Artichokes

Artichokes are so delicious.  They make an excellent snack or side dish for a long drawn out meal.  I found this great way to cook them up with simple aromatics to make them even tastier.  I always eat mine with melted butter as dipping sauce.

Steamed Artichokes

Ingredients

1 or more large globe artichokes
2 cloves of garlic
1 bay leaf
1 slice of lemon

Directions

Cut of the tips of the petals: If the artichokes have little thorns on the end of the petals, take a kitchen scissors and cut of the thorned tips of all of the petals. This step is mostly for aesthetics as the thorns soften with cooking and pose no threat to the person eating the artichoke.

Slice off the top of the artichoke: Slice about 3/4 inch to an inch off the tip of the artichoke. A serrated bread knife works great for this.

Remove small petals at the base: Pull off any smaller petals towards the base and on the stem.

Cut off excess stem: Cut off excess stem, leaving up to an inch on the artichoke. The stems tend to be more bitter than the rest of the artichoke, but some people like to eat them.

Alternatively you can leave the whole long stem on the artichoke, just cut off the very end of the stem, and peel the tough outside layer of the stem with a vegetable peeler.

Rinse the artichokes: Rinse the artichokes in running cold water. While you rinse them, open up the petals a little so that the water does get inside more easily. (This is where it helps to have cut off the thorny tips, it makes the artichoke easier to open without getting poked!)

Set up a pot with some water, aromatics, and a steaming basket: In a large pot, put a couple inches of water, a clove of garlic, a slice of lemon, and a bay leaf (this adds wonderful flavor to the artichokes). Insert a steaming basket.

Steam the artichokes: Place artichokes on top of the steaming basket. Cover the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 25 to 45 minutes or until the outer leaves can easily be pulled off.

Original link:
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_cook_and_eat_an_artichoke/