Two nights in a row!!! I typically would not post again this soon but we made the tastiest chicken last night with herbs from our garden!  This dish was simply amazing and so easy. I promise it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and you can literally forget about it for an hour!

To start I want to talk herbs!!!  They are currently my new addiction.  Fresh herbs that is, not to be confused by the boring dehydrated herbs found in supermarkets.  I have recently started a container garden full of tomatoes, peppers, acorn squash, watermelon, and herbs of course!  For my birthday Heath got me an amazing book that I would recommend anyone who is starting to garden or who has limited space to garden but would still like to benefit from fresh and homegrown goodness.  The book is called "The Bountiful Container by Rose Marie Nichols McGee and Maggie Stuckey" http://www.amazon.com/McGee-Stuckeys-Bountiful-Container-Vegetables/dp/0761116230/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310600258&sr=8-1 
Please do not judge this book by its cover.  When I first opened it I thought Heath had gone crazy, but trust me, it's a really really good book.  


To start off I want to talk about the herbs I have growing now.  I started off my containers with seeds (not easy to do if you are gardening for the first time).  I had no idea what I was getting into, and as a result only 6 plants out of 9 remained.  So now I am left with a large Basil plant, Thyme, Marjoram, Rosemary, Stevia (sugar substitute), and Chives.  Last night I used fresh Thyme, Marjoram, and Basil so those are the ones I will give some info on tonight. :) 

 Thyme


There are many reasons why I chose Thyme for my herb garden.  First and foremost it is a perennial (living more than two years) so I knew I could count on this guy for a while.  Also, Thyme is pretty low maintenance, loving full sun and dry soil, it also can survive through a mild winter outside! The soil needs to be well drained though, so before you start planting be sure to place some rocks in the bottom of your pot and then cover them with dirt.  This will allow the water to easily drain away from the roots preventing them from rotting. 

To harvest simply cut sprigs off with scissors.  Thyme is a common herb that is used for meats such as poultry and beef and is also a great additive to vegetable soup! 

Marjoram

This herb is not one that I had heard of before my herb garden, however I decided to plant it and find out what it can be used for.  (Plant to the left)  Since Marjoram is an annual (one growing season) I decided it would be well worth the risk of trying this year.  Marjoram like Thyme is very easy to grow and loves full sun and hot days.  The best part about this little guy is it isn't fickle about its water so you really can't kill it.  Marjoram is a sweet plant and goes well with poultry. 

Basil

 Basil is a garden MUST!!  This plant is used in so many recipes giving them that "fresh" flavor.  It is common on pizzas, used to make pesto, fish and meats, fruits and will soon be your garden favorite.  Each night when I water the garden I can't help but smell it!! (Plant to the right)  Basil can grow up to two feet tall and is also an annual that enjoys full sun (it actually tastes better when the weather is hot), comes in many varieties, and is one of the most versatile of herbs.

Now that you've had a crash course in herbs I'm going to tell you how I used them last night!!! So as I have mentioned before Heath and I have been cutting back our meat intake primarily due to trying to cut back on our grocery bill and also to buy better quality meat when we eat it.  So for this meal we used big old chicken thighs (on the bone....meat on the bone is MUCH cheaper in the store --> 5 big thighs only cost $4.37!).

To start I harvested my herbs.  Always harvest your herbs with scissors or a sharp knife.  You never want to pull at the plant in fear of damaging what you are leaving behind (the goal is to keep it growing!).  For Thyme and Marjoram cut at the base from the outside of the plant to the inside (being careful not to over harvest), for Basil simply cut off several leaves.  

For herbs that grow on course stems (Thyme/Rosemary) perform a quick rinse and simply shred the leaves (taking your hand and going down the stem) in the direction that the leaves are growing.  All of the leaves will be loose at this point which you can continue to chop or use as full leaves, discard stems. (shown below)

So I took two of the chicken thighs into a sprayed brownie dish and drizzled them with EVOO and covered them in Balsamic vinaigrette (probably 1/4 cup). I then took my minced Basil and Thyme and rubbed it into the skin of the chicken and topped it off with two full sprigs of Marjoram. 

 Place your dish in the oven at 350 F uncovered (so the skin will get crisp) and let it cook until the chicken has reached 170 F or more (40-45 min).  Once your chicken is up to temp turn the oven up to 425 F and let cook on the top rack of your oven for another 5-7 minutes. 

Best. Chicken. Ever!!!  Seriously so good, I couldn't believe it.  Buying meat on the bone keeps the meat moist and the Marjoram gave it a nice sweet flavor.  Place a sweet potatoe in the oven at 350 (poked with a fork) and let it cook as long as the chicken and you have yourself one hassel-less and delicious dinner with less than 10 minutes of preparing!
Yummo!!  


Enjoy!!
<3

Spaghetti Squash....oooo la la

Before I get to the good stuff I thought I would start with a house update!!!  We are officially closing on our house on Friday!  We are more than excited to FINALLY get moved in, however we have to wait yet another week to make the big move.  Either way...we are getting somewhere! 

Last night I made one of my all-time favorite meals that I thought I would share.  This happens to be a recipe I just randomly threw together one night on a whim and it actually worked!!  I do not have a name for it yet so be sure to throw out some recommendations if you try it!  (or if it exists already let me know so I can compare!!)

Last fall Heath and I decided we were going to branch out and start experimenting with foods we had never tried before.  First on that list was Spaghetti Squash!  For those of you who have never tried this incredible squash you are really and I mean REALLY missing out!  Soo easy and so delicious or as Heath would say "good and good for you" in his yoda voice. ;)

First of all don't be intimidated, this squash is super easy to prepare and what makes it most amazing is that it can be substituted for just about any noodle.  I actually have a great lasagna recipe using spaghetti squash that I will be sure to share on here.  So for those of you looking to cut out the carb in your pasta addiction this may just be the thing!! 


To start off cut the Spaghetti Squash length wise and remove the seeds with a spoon.  These guys are tough so be sure to use a sharp knife, a lot of elbow grease, and a flat surface.  Once you have the seeds removed place each half face down on a baking sheet or stone (I most always use baking stones, they seem to cook faster and more thoroughly for me) and place in the oven at 350F for about an hour or until a fork can poke through easily. 


About 15-20 minutes in between prepare the saute.  Cut up 2 to 3 onions and an entire package of mushrooms (we prefer baby bella if they are on sale).  Also mince 4-6 cloves of garlic and place in a large saucepan on low heat with 1-2 tbl EVOO (extra virgin olive oil).  Add one 12.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (or 3-4 fresh roma tomatoes diced up) with the juice.  I typically add pepper, paprika, and italian seasoning to taste)  Simmer for 20+ minutes. 

 


Once the spaghetti squash is done (fork easily pokes through) remove it from the oven and turn bottom side up (turn over).  The next thing you will need to do is to shed the squash into spaghetti with a fork.  ***Be sure to let the squash cool before you attempt this! 


Take the spaghetti squash over your simmering saute and shred the squash out of the shell with a fork into your large saucepan.  The squash should easily shred like spaghetti into your pan....if you are struggling the squash needs to cook longer in the oven. 

Allow the spaghetti squash to simmer for another 5-10 minutes until well mixed and serve!  (If you notice that during your simmer it is beginning to get dry add 1/4-1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth and continue to simmer)




We always eat this as a main dish however it would also make a great side dish!  Make sure to try this easy and delicious recipe and let me know what you think.  

Enjoy!! 
<3

Fourth of July!!!

Sorry it has taken so long for a second post!  Things have been busy around the DeWalt household.  It seems as though we spend all of our time at work so once the weekend gets here we go into weekend overload and cannot sit still.  I have been dying to get back on here!

I have successfully completed my first recipe from the moosewood cookbook! 


Quick background about the cookbook:

Title: The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen 


This cookbook was written and first published in the 1970's and has since been redone and republished with improvements to each recipe.  The book does a good job of focusing down on each ingredient giving options for healthier substitutions and recommendations for fresher ingredients. Not only is this cookbook user friendly but it is vegetarian focused and gives you tons of recommendations for lower-fat cooking, dairy reduction or substitution, egg options, as well as useful kitchen tools and pantry notes for what whole food items to keep on hand and even how to use them!!  I have recently started an herb garden and this book was great for informing me how to successfully use fresh herbs in place of dried herbs and how much to use.  (1 tsp dried = 1 tbs freshly minced)


This cookbook is broken up in sections such as soups, salads, sauces and dips, baked things and sandwiches, entrees, and of course desserts. 


The first item I will be sharing is off of page 188 and is, of course, from the dessert section!  What a better way to start right??  I decided to make Orange Cake for our fourth of July party because it has such a nice citrus flavor that hit the spot on such a hot day. 


ORANGE CAKE 

--> Before you start

        - Zest an orange to obtain 1 tsp of grated orange rind 
        - You will need 1 cup total of orange juice....I decided to fresh squeeze since it always tastes better and I had already zested and orange (3 lg. oranges) 

- Preheat the oven to 350 F and butter a bunt pan
- Beat together 1 1/2 cups butter (I used unsalted) and 1 3/4 cups Sugar, add 4 eggs (one at a time) 
- Stir in the orange rind (1 tsp) and vanilla (1 tsp)
- In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients (3 cups flour, 1 tbs baking soda)
- In a separate bowl combine 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup Greek yogurt**, and 1/2 cup orange juice.  
- fold in dry and liquid ingredients, start and end with dry ingredients alternating with liquid ingredients. 
- Combine and place in buttered bunt pan and place in oven for 50- 60 minutes until a knife comes out clean 

Orange Glaze

- In a small saucepan bring remaining orange juice (1/2 cup), 1 tbs sugar, and 1 tbs lemon juice to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Drizzle over the cake once it has cooled. 

Easy and delicious!  Be careful not to take a big slice, while this cake is full of yumminess it can be a bit heavy and a little goes a long way!  Enjoy it with a cool scoop of vanilla icecream and you will be in bliss!! 
 


** Greek Yogurt 

- This ingredient was chosen over sour cream which is what the recipe calls for.  I decided to give it a try and it worked perfectly!  The cake had a nice moist flavor and you would never know yogurt was even added.  For those of you who have not tried Greek yogurt you are missing out!  Warning!!  This yogurt is not for those who don't like the taste of sour cream.  In fact it tastes a lot like sour cream if you eat it plain.  If we eat it plain we usually drizzle some honey or agave nectar over it with some walnuts and raisins (wonderful breakfast).  
- The great thing about this yogurt is that it is a really healthy option for people, like us, who love yogurt!  
- To give you an idea Greek yogurt has tons of protein (about 2x more than normal yogurt), along with less carbs and lactose which means it is easier to digest and doesn't stick around on your thighs as long! ;)  Don't be surprised by it's thick texture, after fermentation the liquid whey is removed making it a lot thicker than normal yogurt. 
-You can find Greek yogurt in most stores (Stoneyfield makes this and is a personal favorite)
-Check out this link...http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410302,00.html

Well that is all for tonight.  I hope you all are inspired to make Orange Cake!!  
<3