Menu Plan Monday + Great News!!

I know I'm late with the menu plan.

I had it all planned out on Saturday, but then I threw out half of it. I needed things I could make using this:

That's right folks. We bought a grill!! *does happy dance*

As you know I've been toying with the idea for a while now. I had an electric one all picked out on Amazon. It was just spending the money that held me back. Should I, should I not... Welllll, on Sunday we were doing some shopping and came across a couple of grills that were on sale (which I may or may not have already known about before said trip to store...) This one was a great price and seemed to fit our needs. Not too big, not too small, it was just right!

So we snatched it up and went on our merry way.

We (meaning the hubbs, I watched and offered moral support) set it up on Monday, which was the greatest day every, by the way. 90 degrees. Do you know how long it's been since we've had 90 degree weather? Too long, too long. So naturally I did what every person should do when it's 90 degrees out. I laid by the pool. Stuck my feet in the water because it was too cold to actually go in (for me anyway) but, still, I fully enjoyed myself. :) After a few hours (tanless, I don't ever tan), I went home to supervise the grill setup and prepare our Memorial Day feast. Being grill newbies, we read ALL the instructions and freaked out over turning on the propane tank and the smell of gas after the burners were lit. It was fun. Memories were made.

The hubbs took on the job of flipping the burgers and all was well until...

...one of the burgers fell to the floor. Memories of our 1st BBQ experience.

But the other one tasted great! I'll be sharing with you the red ranch dressing I made to go with the burgers and the roasted potato wedges. It was so good!

And now, if you're still with me reading, here is our menu plan. :)

Burgers with Red Ranch Dressing & Potato Wedges
Honey Mustard Chicken
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Pork Chops with Fresh Berry Compote
Marinated Flank Steak

Link up at orgjunkie.com

How was your Memorial weekend? Got any good grill recipes? Pass them on! I need to build a collection.

Making Your Own Popsicles

I was flipping through my Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine this morning and saw these.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Ice Pop

Double Berry Ice Pop

Cappuccino Ice Pop

Caramel Corn Ice Pop

Green Apple Ice Pop

Can we say I Want Now...

Although now I need to buy ice pop molds. A useless kitchen gadget? I think not! Amazon has a ton of cute varieties, including these. Rocket shaped popsicles? Oh yes. I'd say they're absolutely necessary. 

How are you bringing in the start of summer? I can't wait to show you what we bought tomorrow. :)

Nantucket Peanut Butter Cookies

I dropped my laptop yesterday.

I was moving it from the kitchen counter to the floor so that I could do my Jillian Michaels DVD. I guess it was not a day for exercise. I sat there praying it would be okay (we all drop our laptops occasionally, right?) but when I opened it back up all I had was a gray screen. I'm very depressed. Lucky the hubbs had just come home and was able to console me and promised to get it fixed. I'll be using his laptop in the meantime. I feel so lost without my bookmarks and food pictures!

Anywho. You didn't come here for a pity party. You came here for some cookies.

I baked these for a special reason. My best friend back home is turning 25 this weekend. The big two five! We are getting so old. We've known each other for fourteen years. We met in the sixth grade when we both had long frizzy hair and spent countless hours on the phone talking about boys and complaining about our crazy strict parents. Good times, good times.

She's getting pampered and heading on a cruise to the Bahamas to celebrate. So, naturally, I baked her some cookies. To take with her. Or to eat on her own. Whichever! I hope you have a great time love, you deserve it. Drink up those pina colada's and strawberry daiquiris for me! But let's make it virgin. :)

Source: Recipe of the Week: Cookies by Sally Sampson
Yield: About 3 dozen cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used creamy)
1/2 cup white sugar, plus additional for rolling
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose white flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional but recommended)

Preheat the oven to 375. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Place the butter, peanut butter and sugars in a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix until smooth and creamy (we all know I don't have a mixer so I use my hand mixer). Add the egg and vanilla, mixing well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until everything is well incorporated.

To form the cookies, break off small pieces and roll into 1 inch balls. Roll the balls in the sugar and place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Using the tines of a fork, push down gently until you have made a crisscross pattern on top. Be careful not to press too hard, as they get flat while baking. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cookies begin to brown at the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 to 3 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Let the cookie sheet cool completely between batches and repeat with remaining dough.

Have you ever not been able to use your laptop for one time or another? Isn't it horrible! We are so dependent on technology..

Caramelized Onion, Apple, and Gorgonzola Pizza

This weekend I was craving my all time favorite pizza from California Pizza Kitchen- the Pear and Gorgonzola. If you've never had it, you don't know what you're missing! My first time going to a CPK was in Michigan, when the hubbs and I were apartment hunting. With the first bite of that pizza I was in love.

We didn't feel like going to the actual restaurant this weekend, so I decided to make my own version. I did a little searching online but didn't find an exact recipe, so I improvised.

I used apples instead of pears and pecans instead of walnuts. I chopped up an onion, took out some gorgonzola cheese and grated some mozzarella and pecorino romano cheese. I looove the greens on top of that pizza, so I added my own, using cesar dressing, which actually had a very similar taste effect.

It came out perfect, if I do say so myself.

We had a few leftover slices and I had them a few days later. It still tasted amazing. :)

Source: This Woman Cooks! Original, inspired by California Pizza Kitchen

Whole wheat dough- this is the recipe I used

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 apple, sliced and peeled

1 chopped onion

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 shredded pecorino romano

2 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Roll out dough and place on a pizza stone, if using. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add chopped onion and stir, making sure to coat onions evenly in oil. Cook unitl onions begin to get soft, add honey and stir. Cook until onions begin to brown and add sliced apples, stirring to coat. Cook for 1 or 2 more minutes.

While onion mixture is cooking, drizzle the dough with the other tablespoon of olive oil. Top with cheeses. Once the apples in the onion mixture have softened, sprinkle over pizza along with the pecans and gorgonzola cheese. Transfer pizza to over and bake for 30 minutes. 

Happy Hump Day! How has your week been going?

Menu Plan Monday

It's Memorial Week!! How excited are you to have Monday off? Hopefully you are lucky enough to enjoy this three day weekend. Anyone planning to grill out? I'm still dreaming of buying that grill...Hopefully the weather will be warm enough so that we can have our first pool day, or rather, lay-by-the-pool-day (that water still must be freezing).

The school year is winding down and the kids are starting to get a little crazy. With 16 days left, I certainly don't blame them. I for one am definitely excited for the summer. We've got family coming to visit us and you can bet I've already started thinking about what to serve at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And as well as what will be for dessert!  

Chicken Romano with  Lemon Butter Sauce
Crunchy Honey Chicken with Jasmine Rice
Glazed Salmon with Cranberry Quinoa
Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
Cheeseburgers with Roasted Potato Wedges

Got any exciting summer plans? What are you hoping to do this summer?

Link up at orgjunkie.com.

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Do you ever stop to think about how much you've changed? Since you were a kid. Since high school, college, since getting your first "big girl (or guy)" job? I'm sure there are many things about you that are still the same. Your favorite color (red). Favorite movie (Titanic). Favorite side of the bed to sleep on (right).

Did you fulfill your career aspirations, did you go to college, did you get married? Are you still in touch with friends from years past, or are you making new ones? Are there still things you'd like to accomplish, to experience?

I can tell you that I've always wanted to accomplish making strawberry banana muffins.

Haha. Just kidding! I actually do have reasons for these deep thoughts. And they are related to these muffins. I made them for the hubby. With rotations in full swing he doesn't have time to eat breakfast. He needs something to grab and go. So I make things for him. Banana bread, granola bars, banana nut muffins...

As of right now, I'm the person I always wanted to be. I went to go to college, became a teacher, and a good cook (I hope). I wanted to be married happily ever after. To someone who was smart and  intelligent. Who had drive and motivation. When the hubbs and I met in high school, he didn't know what he wanted to be. He didn't know until he took several science classes in college and said, hey, you know what, I think I want to be a doctor.

He declared his major in biochemistry, took the MCAT, and got into one of the best medical schools in the country. He survived his first two years (with me feeding him, clothing him, doing his laundry...) and took the first part of the boards exam. This week he found out his score.

How did he do? Phenomenal. Knocked it out of the water. And I just want to say that I'm so proud (and that he couldn't have done it without me, hehe). I'm so proud of who he is. Of who I am when I'm with him. Of who we are together. 

So I made him some muffins. It's the least I could do.

Source: Cook with Sara

1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large)
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
2 1/4 cups flour, divided
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and mashed banana. Add the melted butter and stir to combine.

In another large bowl combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a third bowl, combine the strawberries and the remaining 1/4 cup flour, stirring until all the berries are coated with flour. Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and stir only until just combined. Fold in the berries.

Divide the batter evenly among 12 paper lined or greased muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes 12-14 muffins.


By the way, these muffins are AWESOME. Incredible. The hubby and I split one as soon as they were cool enough to eat and I fought for the last bite! I love that brown sugar is used instead of plain ol' granulated sugar. I think it really makes a difference!

So, share with me, how have you changed? Or, what's something that you've recently accomplished?

Current Obsessions: Foods, Treats, Books!

I feel like sharing with you today. My obsessions!

 This blueberry vanilla candle that we picked up during our B&B weekend. It smells SO good!

 Blueberries. I am severely obsessed. It is a sad day when they are gone.

 The best organic yogurt ever! Notice the flavor? Yes...

 I'm having a bowl of yogurt a day (sometimes two), and pour this granola on top. I can't have yogurt without this granola!

Oh. My. God. These chips. I can't be left alone with them.

 Our backyard. It is sunny today.

Reading! I used to read a book a week back in the day. Even more when I was in high school/middle school. This is the stack currently in my bedroom. 

What are you obsessed with lately?

Pork with Mushroom Sauce

I've poured this sauce over everything. It is my second best sauce, over this one. Chicken, pork chops, your Thanksgiving turkey, even steak. I bet it would go well with stew or pot roast too. This is a magical sauce! 

You can up the mushroom quantity depending on how much you like mushrooms and how mushroom-y of a sauce you want.We all know how disappointing a big pot of mushrooms can be. You start out with a lot and end up with what seems like half. It's the same with spinach. Okay, maybe not as drastic, but you know what I mean...

I chose to use this sauce with the pork tenderloin I took out to defrost earlier this week. It was also on my menu plan! Yeah! :) The sauce complements pork wonderfully. Especially since I have the tendency to overcook my pork (does this happen to you?) and with this gravy you can't to tell! Yayy. It will still be moist and flavorful. That's a success in my book!

I halved the recipe dramatically as it was only the two of us. I included the recipe as is, but take note of what I did if you don't want a huge pot of sauce!

Source: Cooking Light

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
4 cups chicken broth (I used 1 1/2 cups, but I also like it thick)
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 tablespoon water (I used one)
1/4 cup butter (I used two tablespoons)
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet (or saucepan) over medium-high heat. Add shallots and saute 1 minute. Add mushrooms and saute 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly reduced. Combine flour and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and whisk. Stir flour mixture into mushroom mixture. Simmer 3 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently with a whisk. Remove from heat and add butter and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Who's ready for the weekend? I'm thinking of baking these and these. What are you cooking/baking this weekend?

Shrimp with Basil and Fresh Tomatoes

Pasta, pasta, read all about it!

Get your spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine!

This pasta dish was light, flavorful, fresh, and easy. And did I mention easy? There is nothing to this, we all can cook this up on a weeknight. You can make it even easier for yourself by using precooked frozen shrimp (that's what I did), dried basil (if you don't have fresh on hand), and canned tomatoes (once again, if you don't have fresh on hand). Warm up the shrimp, boil the pasta, shred some cheese, sip a little wine, and add your basil and tomatoes. Dinner will be ready in 20 minutes. How awesome is that! 

Pretty awesome. I know.


One day I will conquer my fear of shrimp-fresh-from-the-sea. Right now I'll buy it precooked, please. I don't know how I feel about this whole "deveining" thing. What kind of word is that anyway?

Source: Recipe.com
 

12 ounces fresh or frozen peeled and deveined medium shrimp  

1 tablespoon cooking oil 

1 large onion, chopped 

1 cloves cups chopped, plum or common tomatoes (I used diced canned tomatoes)

find more recipes with this ingredient

Store Brand Onions $0.99
Vidalia
thru 2011-05-17

Whole Foods

 

Store Brand Onions $0.69
Organic Other Sweet
Georgia vidalia sweet
thru 2011-05-21

Meijer

 

Store Brand Onions $0.79
Vidalia
Loyalty Card Required
thru 2011-05-22

Kroger

 

Store Brand Onions $0.99
Vidalia
thru 2011-05-22

Busch's

 

find more recipes with this ingredient

Store Brand Tomatoes 2 for $4.00
Greenhouse / Hydroponic / Regular
Grape tomatoes
thru 2011-05-21

Meijer

 

Store Brand Tomatoes 2 for $4.00
Organic Beefsteak
thru 2011-05-21

Meijer

 

Store Brand Tomatoes $1.48
Vine Ripe, Regular
Loyalty Card Required
thru 2011-05-22

Kroger

 

2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1 tablespoon drained capers (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

8 ounces spaghetti or other pasta, cooked and drained

1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese 

find more recipes with this ingredient

Kraft Parmesan Cheese 2 for $6.00
Grated
All varieties, save $0.98 on 2
thru 2011-05-21

Meijer

 

Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Set aside.

 

Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry onion and garlic in hot oil for 2 minutes or until onions are crisp-tender. Remove onion mixture from the wok. 

 

Add shrimp to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque. Return onion mixture to the wok. Add tomatoes, basil, capers (if desired), salt, and pepper. Stir all ingredients together. Cook and stir for 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot cooked spaghetti or other pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

How do you feel about deveining shrimp? Ever done it before? Share your secrets with me!

Menu Plan Monday

Our freezer and pantry is fully stocked. If we were to be attacked any time soon, we' ll be able to live off of chips, chocolate chips, crackers, and cheese. Costco trips are the best.

How was the weather in your neck of the woods this weekend? We had rain. A lot of rain. And then the temperature decided to drop a good 30 degrees from what we had on Thursday. Needless to say, I was not amused. This weekend was pretty low key, besides our Costco trip and Panera lunch, we didn't do much. I did do a fair amount of baking: granola bars, muffins, and chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. I also made a delicious mushroom mac and cheese and garlic breadsticks. 

I'm still looking for dinner ideas, so if you've got any, please pass them on. :)

Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Mushroom Sauce & Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Chicken Piccata with Roasted Asparagus
Classic Pot Roast
Pecan-Crusted Chicken Salad
Breakfast for Dinner: Blueberry Banana Pancakes
Penne with Asparagus, Chicken, and Gorgonzola Cheese

What's on your menu plan?

Link up at orgjunkie.com

Caramelized Onion Burgers with Spicy Mayo

It's burger season! By a show of hands, how many of you have already broken out the grill? I'm sure many of you have. I've got my eye on buying our first grill (!!)- nothing too big, nothing too fancy. One that is small and fits well in our backyard patio. I'd like an electric grill so I don't have to worry about charcoal and gas. Not for me! I'm thinking of getting this one!

Anywho, not having a grill doesn't stop me from making burgers. I cook them up in our kitchen, in a large skillet. I don't follow any particular recipe for the meat, I add 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce, salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Sometimes I get crazy and add chopped onion or garlic. 

The inspiration for this burger came from this recipe. I just followed the instructions on how to make caramelized onions, as I never have before. And now I'm obsessed. Surprised? You shouldn't be.

This was one of the best burgers I've ever had. The spicy mayo, that I found on Jamie Oliver's website, was a great addition. Trust me, you'll love it.


For the Caramelized Onions
Source: My Kitchen Addition

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon honey

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion.  The onion should sizzle but not pop and spatter in the oil.  Stir to evenly coat all of the onion in the olive oil. Continue to stir every minute or so until the onions are translucent.  Season with salt and add the teaspoon of honey.  Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onions caramelize and are a rich golden color.  Remove the onions from the heat and allow to cool.

For the Spicy Mayo
Source: Jamie Oliver

4 teaspoons mayonnaise 
1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
a good pinch of smoked paprika or cayenne pepper
juice of ½ a lemon

I'd suggest using your favorite burger recipe for the meat. I used Swiss cheese and added some lettuce to my burgers. Delicious! 


What's are your favorite burger toppings?

Simple Scalloped Potatoes

I have to share the scalloped potatoes recipe with you from Easter. I told you all about how much I LOVED our roast chicken. Well, this was just as good, if not even better.

Once again I feel like the pictures do all the talking. 

Hello cheesy potatoes.

Why can't I eat you every day?

This was another first timer. I've never made scalloped potatoes before and I am so glad they turned out so well! You're not going to get this out of any box. It really wasn't that hard, although, I can see how this can be a lot of work if you're inviting 6 to 8 people over for dinner. Get someone to help peel those potatoes! It was just us so I peeled about three large Idaho potatoes and thinly sliced them. After that they go into a skillet for a few minutes with some milk, chicken stock, nutmeg, and some bay leaves. Transfer that mixture into a large casserole dish and sprinkle it with tons of cheese. I'd like to experiment next time with different cheeses (I used my traditional pecorino romano cheese) or actual use the gruyere that's called for in this recipe. 

Cheese and potatoes, who would've thought.


Source: Food Network Magazine 

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing
1/2 clove garlic
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced inch thick (adjust according to how many people. This amount would serve up to 6-8 people)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 fresh bay leaves
1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese (about 2 ounces) (I used Percorino Romano)

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Generously brush a large skillet with butter, then rub with the garlic. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the potatoes, sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste, then arrange the remaining potatoes on top. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Pour the broth and milk over the potatoes, then add the nutmeg and bay leaves; simmer 3 minutes.

Generously brush a shallow baking dish with butter and slide the potatoes into the dish; arrange with a fork, if desired. (If your skillet is ovenproof, you can skip this step and bake the potatoes right in the skillet.)
Dot the potatoes with the cut-up butter and sprinkle with the gruyere. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Discard the bay leaves.

Got any more dinner recipes for me? Keep 'em coming. I'm building up a stockpile! 

Menu Plan Monday & Warm Weather Excitement

I fell in love with Michigan all over again this weekend. You see, this state and I have a love/hate relationship. On our first visit to Michigan, it was snowing. I had never seen snow before and I was mesmerized. I couldn't get enough of it and I sat in our hotel room the day the hubby had his medical school interview staring out the window. It was the most beautiful thing. On our second trip, it was summer. The days were long and warm (I couldn't believe there was still light out at 9:00 at night), the grass was SO green, and the skies SO blue. I loved it.

We left Florida in late July. Moved in and set up our new apartment. I began looking for a job. Then Fall came and oh my god if you thought I was bad about winter, I was madly in love with Fall (some much that I have to capitalize it). I love everything about Fall- the colors, the smells, the apple cider, doughnuts, and cider mills. It is hands down my favorite season and I can't comprehend how I lived before without having a Fall.

And then winter. Don't get me wrong, I actually do like winter. Up until February that is. By then I can't WAIT to shed all my layers and wear sandals again. 

So, coming around back to how I started this post, I fell in love with Michigan all over again because this weekend was gorgeous. It felt like the city has woken up again and everyone was dying to be outside. We went to the farmer's market (which you would know if you follow me on Twitter :) and it was full of people. We explored a new part of town that we didn't even know about. We opened up all the windows and breathed in the fresh air.

This is when I love Michigan.
And in the Fall, too. :)

So how about you? How's the weather in your neck of the woods? Are you as excited about the warmer temps as I am (or am I a tad bit crazy)? I hope you got to spend Mother's Day with your Mom, or your kids, or your grandma's. I didn't get to spend it with my Mom, but I am definitely excited to see her next month when she comes to visit! :) 

 Mom & I Christmas 2010

I don't understand how, but I'm finding myself with a lack of new recipes to try for dinner. Got any that have recently rocked your socks off? Please share. :)

Sauteed Chicken with Sage and Browned Butter
Orange Chicken Stir Fry
Pork Marsala
Mushroom Herb Mac and Cheese
Shrimp with Basil and Fresh Tomatoes

What state do you live in? What do you love/hate about it?

Garlic & Citrus Roast Chicken

I feel like the pictures do all the talking.

Hello beautiful chicken friend.

How I can't wait to eat you.

You were so good in my belly.

In case you didn't know, this is what I cooked up for Easter. It was my first time roasting a whole chicken. Who would've thought it'd be exactly the same as roasting a turkey (I'm sure many of you already knew this, I'm a little slow). Well actually no- not the same. I found it to be much easier! Probably because it didn't weight 10 pounds. And it didn't need to be in the oven for four hours.

I can't tell you enough how good this was. I kept eating and eating and eating and after the hubby left the table I had to force myself to put.down.that.fork and burn off those calories by cleaning up the kitchen.

I used a recipe of Giada's for inspiration. I followed it loosely but stole her general idea. I stuffed it with a few garlic cloves (her recipe calls for a whole head of garlic, which I didn't have), half an orange, half a lemon, and a some shallots. I seasoned it liberally with salt and pepper and smeared butter all over it. I chopped up an onion and shallot for the pan. While the bird cooked I basted it with a mixture of olive oil, juice of 1/2 a lemon & orange and oregano. I also poured a little pit of chicken stock into the pan for some moisture.

It's the best thing I've ever had. Ever made. Ever eaten. I'm a tad obsessed.

Source: very adapted from Giada's Family Dinners

1 3-4 pound whole roasting chicken, neck and giblets discarded
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
4 whole shallots
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 orange, halved
1 lemon, halved
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise (I used four garlic cloves)
1/2 cup of chicken stock (this is how much I used, use more if you need to)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon oregano

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400. Rinse the chicken, discarding neck and giblets. Pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan, breast side up (make sure the chopped onion is already in there!). Sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with half the lemon, orange, garlic cloves, and shallots. Using kitchen twine, tie the chicken legs together to help hold the bird's shape. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Make sure to rub it under the skin too and then rub the chicken with the softened butter. Pour half a cup of chicken stock into the pan.

Roast the chicken for 1 hour, adding chicken broth to the pan if necessary to prevent the pan drippings from burning. Squeeze the other half of the lemon and orange into a medium bowl. Add oregano and olive oil. Whisk together and brush some of the juice over the chicken. Continue roasting the chicken, basting occasionally, for about 45 minutes longer. Use a meat thermometer (if you like), check if chicken is done by inserting it into the innermost part of the thigh. Chicken is done at 170 degrees and when juices run clear. Once chicken is done, transfer to a platter and tent with foil for about 20 minutes before slicing.

Love.

Features, Food, and a CAR!

First off, I'm horrible and should have thanked It's a Keeper and Cupcake Apothecary  for featuring my recipes last week.

These lemon sugar cookies were in the top six at Cupcake Apothecary.

The buttermilk pork chops (also known as the ruler of all pork chops) was featured at It's a Keeper.

I can't thank these ladies enough! This was my first time being featured anywhere and they both so happened to be in the same week! I'm so honored. :)

What else is new? I made this AMAZING hamburger Tuesday night.

Caramelized onions, swiss cheese, lettuce, and spicy mayo. OMG, so good! Yes yes, I will share.

And then....on Wednesday night, we bought a CAR!!

I don't think you understand. We've only had one car since moving to Michigan. We used to have two cars, but they both went kaput. Literally. So we lived with one car that my parents so graciously gave us and whenever the hubby needed to be on campus, we dealt with odd drop off and pick ups, with me getting to work early, staying later, begging for rides (thanks neighbor!!) and calling cabs. Needless to say this is a HUGE stress reliever, as the hubby will begin rotations next week and will work all sorts of weird hours. One car wasn't going to cut it. This is going to be life-changing!

Alrighty folks, you've been updated on the This Woman Cooks! household. Thanks for reading. :)