Lazy Day Gourmet

Rosemary's Chicken & Pasta

Today, I'm featuring a recipe that falls into a unique Lazy Day Gourmet cooking category. I call this recipe a Make One - Freeze One. Make one to eat tonight, and while you're making that one, make another one to stick in the freezer for later.  Much like our favorite Moo Noodle Pie or "Moodle Pie" recipe, this dish is completely cooked before you wrap it up to put it in the freezer.

If you want to Make One - Freeze One, you'll need to double this recipe.

Rosemary's Chicken & Pasta
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast(s)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 large button mushrooms, chopped
2 1/2 cups whole milk (can sub half and half)
1/2 yellow onion(s), diced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12  ounces penne pasta
Salt & Pepper to taste

Freezer Prep:
Place the chicken breasts on a small, rimmed baking sheet or pie pan and drizzle with olive oil. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool and cut into small cubes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 6-7 minutes, until not quite al dente.

Heat the butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, making a roux. Add the mushrooms and cook for a minute, just to soften, add the milk and stir to thicken. Let cool.

Cut the chicken in to small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion, rosemary, cheese and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Gently fold in the pasta. Place the mixture into a baking dish and cover with foil.Using packing tape, place the label on the top and place it in the freezer.

Warm Up Instructions:
Thaw
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake, covered for 1 hour. Serve immediately.

Parmesan Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This chicken recipe is one that I keep in the freezer all the time. It's a great meal for Once a Week or Once a Month cooking, and is fancy enough to make ahead for a dinner party or special occassion.

My only suggestion for making this recipe extra delicious is to use a little more salt than you might normally use in the dry ingredients mix. 

I also like to add a little thyme to my version. If you are not a big fan of thyme, feel free to omit it from the recipe.  It's still delicious!

Parmesan Stuffed Chicken Breasts
4 chicken breasts, bone in & skin on
1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup oregano
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste (Use more than you think you'll need on this one!)
Optional: Add 2 TBS of dried thyme for a little more flavor

Freezer Instructions:
In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, oregano, Parmigiano and garlic. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Carefully loosen the chicken skin with fingers. Divide the oregano mixture into equal mounds and tuck the oregano mixture under the skin, pushing down to spread out. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Wrap each breast individually with plastic wrap and then place all of the breasts in a large ziptop freezer bag.

Using packing tape, affix the cooking label and place in the freezer.

Cooking Instructions:
Thaw.
1. Unwrap the chicken and place the breasts in a roasting pan covered with cooking spray.
2. Bake until the skin is crispy and the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted should register 165 degrees.

Southern New Year's Stew - Crockpot

If you've ever spent New Year's in the South, then you know about the tradition of eating black eyed peas and collard greens on New Year's Day.  Eating this traditional meal is supposed to guarantee you plenty of green money in your wallet and coins in your pockets. 

This is a fabulous crockpot recipe that includes all the necessary New Year's ingredients (and then some!) to make sure your upcoming year is fat and happy.

Southern New Year's Stew
1 1/2 cups black eyed peas, dried
4 cups water
2 cups cooked cubed ham
1 15 oz can white hominy, rinsed and drained
1 10 oz package frozen oka, cut
1 cup chopped onion
2 TBS minced garlic
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 1/2 cups water
4 cups chopped collard greens (or spinach if you don't "do" collards)
1 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained

1. You can either soak your black-eyed peas overnight, or use the quick soak method.  To quick soak, rinse the peas and drain.  Combine peas in 4 cups of water in a large saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, and then reduce heat down to a simmer. Let the peas simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse peas again.
2. In your crockpot, combine the peas, ham, hominy, okra, onion, garlic, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.
3. Add 4 1/2 cups water to the crockpot.
4. Cover and cook on the low setting for 8 to 10 hours. (Or cook on high for 4 to 5 hours)
5. If you're using the low setting, after 8 to 10 hours, turn the crockpot to high. Stir in your collards and the undrained tomatoes. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. 
6. Serve hot with cornbread!

Amazing Spinach & Pear Salad

Over the holidays, I tried a new salad recipe that has turned out to be my absolute favorite salad recipe of all times.  With a wonderful rosemary and parsley dressing, fresh pears, and a few blue cheese crumbles, it's wonderful as a starter salad for a nice dinner with company, or great as a dinner salad.

The pears and the spinach together are just sweet and wonderful.

Amazing Spinach & Pear Salad
1 large bag of spinach salad greens
3 medium pears, ripe
2 TBS rosemary, finely chopped
2 TBS parsley, finely chopped
4 TBS olive oil
4 TBS red wine vinegar
4 TBS rice vinegar
1/4 cup bllue cheese crumbles
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Wash your spinach and shake gently in collander to remove water.
2. Slice pears very thinly, leaving the skin on. If you like smaller bites, cut to the size you like.
3. In a blender, small food processor, or a cup with a tight lid add the rosemary, parsley, oil, vinegars, salt and pepper. Blend until thoroughly mixed, or shake until thorougly mixed.
4. Toss the pears into the spinach greens.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss using your tongs.

Let's Roast a Chicken!

If you're an incredibly busy cook like myself, you have probably (more than once!) bought a pre-cooked roasted or rotisserie chicken at the grocery store.  They come in all flavors like Mojo, BBQ, Lemon Pepper, and really couldn't be any more convenient.  And oh man, if you've even gotten one from Costco, YOWZA, so juicy!

Cooking the whole bird may seem like some sort of mystical task that should only be tackled by your grandmother and on special occassions, but roasting a chicken is actually super easy, and makes the house smell divine while dinner is cooking.  Give it a try this week!

Yummy Roasted Chicken
1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds)
1 TBS mayonaisse
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Onion Powder

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. Remove the giblets from the chicken.  If this if your first time roasting a chicken, the giblets are usuallly packed in a little bag inside the chicken body. Just reach in, and remove the giblet package. You can dispose of them. We won't be needing those!

3. Pat your chicken nice and  dry with paper towels.

4. Now comes the fun part! Take your 1 TBS of mayonaisse and rub it all over the chicken, just like you're applying it's oven ready suntan lotion.  Don't miss an inch. Just keep rubbing.

5. Once the chicken is well lotioned, sprinkle it will equal parts of salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder. Make sure you flip the chicken and season it on all sides. 

6. Place the seasoned chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, and place it in the center of your pre-heated oven.

7. Roast for 1 and 1/2 hours.  Juices should run clear when you penetrate with a fork between the thight and the body.  Once the juices run clear, remove the chicken from the oven, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. 

And THAT IS IT!  That's all there is to it.  This is the perfect meal to make while you are preparing your Lazy Day Gourmet meals for the week. By the time you finish preparing and packing 5-7 dinners in the freezer, you've got a succulent roasted chicken ready to serve for dinner.   Now that's smart cooking.