Yogurt Herb Potatoes

Sometimes you just want some good 'ole meat and potatoes. But mashed or baked can get so ho hum. And I can do without the fat of oodles of sour cream and butter. I knew herbs would be delightful, but how could I get them to envelope the starchy spuds? Greek yogurt once again proves its versatility.

These guys are given a simple roast and then tossed in a herbed and lemony yogurt mixture for a warm, ooeey, gooey bite.

Yogurt Herb Potatoes
2lbs small potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup plain, non fat Greek yogurt
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tablespoons minced parsley
2 tablespoons minced chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place quartered potatoes on a lined cookie sheet. Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for one hour, or until potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice and herbs. Toss warm potatoes in yogurt mixture. Serve immediately.

Perfectly Roasted Chicken

There are few meals more satisfying and comforting than a perfectly roasted chicken. This is truly something every cook should know how to do. And it's not about fancy ingredients, it's about good technique.

Isn't she gorgeous? There's a reason countless schmancy restaurants serve it. Juicy meat, crisped skin and vegetables cooked to perfection in the drippings.

The variations are endless, but when I'm making roasted chicken, I'm craving traditional comfort. Red potatoes, onion and carrot make the perfect roasting rack and lemon, rosemary and garlic give classic flavor.

Technique Tip #1 -- Rinse out your chicken inside and out and then take the time to pat it dry, both inside and out. If the skin is wet, not only will the spices not stick, but skin won't crisp. The extra moisture would, in effect, just steamed the chicken. No no.

Technique Tip #2 -- Pack the inside full of flavor. Sometimes people only season the skin of chicken, but seasoning and stuffing inside will infuse flavor throughout the meat. The bright floral notes of rosemary are perfectly complemented by hot garlic. With lemon and onion pulling it all together.

Technique Tip #3 -- Tie the legs and tuck the wings. One of the tricky things about a whole chicken, is that the dark and white meats cook at different rates. If you tie up the legs, it holds the bird together and ensures the entire thing cooks more evenly.

Technique Tip #4 -- Grease and season the outside. Give that chicken a full body massage with good olive oil and then load up with salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence. Once the bird is oiled and seasoned, pull the wing tips around front and tuck under the chicken. This will help ensure even cooking and prevent the tips from burning.

Some extra effort in the technique department pays off when you see this beauty come out of the oven.

Your nose will tell you when it's ready and yes, your apartment will smell heavenly. But since this is chicken, it's important to confirm that it's cooked through. Make a small cut between the breast and leg and check the juices. If they run clear, it's all done; but if they're still pink, back in to the oven. 

While this small cut is important, you should NOT cut in to the chicken straight out of the oven. Allow the chicken to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute within the meat. 

Oh and fancy that, all those veggies are done too. Hello complete meal.

Perfect Roast Chicken
1 4-5lb roasting chicken (I prefer organic)
1 lemon, quartered
2 yellow onions, quartered
1 head garlic
1 bunch rosemary
3-4 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb red potatoes
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Herbes de Provence
Kitchen twine

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse chicken inside and out with cold water. Use paper towels to thoroughly dry the inside and outside of chicken.

Liberally sprinkle salt and pepper on the inside of the chicken. Slice off the top of a head of garlic and stuff the head of garlic inside the chicken, follow with 1/2 an onion, lemon quarters and rosemary. Use kitchen twine to firmly tie the legs together.

In a large roasting pan, spread remaning onions, carrots and potatoes in an even layer on the bottom. Transfer the chicken to the pan, resting on top of the vegetables. Rub down liberally with a few tablespoons of olive oil and then sprinkle with salt, pepper and a few tablespoons of Herbes de Provence. Tuck the wing tips under the chicken.

Roast chicken for 1 1/2 hours. If skin begins to get too brown, loosely cover with aluminum foil. Test chicken doneness by making a small cut between the chicken breast and leg; juices will run clear when chicken is cooked through. Allow chicken to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Serve chicken with vegetables and pan juices.

Poblano Leek Soup

Do you ever have menu regret? You know, when you wish you'd ordered something at a a restaurant and can't stop thinking about it. Just me? Am I really that 1) neurotic and 2) obsessed with food? Well, the Husband and I went to Mexique on Saturday and had a delicious meal, but I wasn't quite hungry enough to take on their Poblano Leek Soup. So many pork distractions!

So what's a girl to do? I created it myself the next day. 

One of the things I love most about cooking is that you can take a basic recipe and make it your own with a twist or two. I started with Julia Child's Potato Leek Soup and simply added roasted poblanos. 

The ingredients are simple. Start with these lovelies and add just a bit of water, salt and cream.

Leeks have a wonderfully delicate onion flavor and are oh so versatile. They do take an extra prep step though. Since they grow in sandy soil and have many layers (just like my SOUL...get deep guys), they need a good rinse after slicing. Simply float in a big bowl of water and swish around. Let the sand settle and scoop out the leeks from the top of the bowl. 

For the poblanos, roast in a very hot oven until they look blistered and scary. I'm for realsies. 

When they are hot out of the oven, wrap in foil and put into a plastic bag. Close and allow to cool in the bag. The steam is a good thing... it will actually help the meat of the pepper separate from the skin.

Once the pepper has cooled, those peps will slip right out of their skin. Straight strippin'

Simmer potatoes and leek together in water for about 40 minutes, until everything tenders up.

Once the potatoes and leeks are cooked, add chopped poblanos and get after it with your immersion blender. You could also do this in a food processor or blender, but I was excited to use my new toy.

Garnish with a bit of cilantro to finish. Don't live with menu regret, figure it out on your own. You're smart like that. Also, menu regret doesn't seem like a productive use of time, am I right?

Poblano Leek Soup

1 large Russet potato, diced

4 leeks, trimmed, sliced and thoroughly rinsed 

2 poblano peppers (or 1 if you don't like to get too spicy)

5 cups water

1 tablespoon salt

4 tablespoons cream

Cilantro, chopped for garnish

Combine leeks and potatoes in a large dutch oven and simmer for 40 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 450. Roast poblanos until skin is blackened; about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove peppers from oven and wrap in aluminum foil and place in a sealed plastic bag. Once cooled, remove from bag and peel off skin using fingers. Slice off tops and discard stem and seeds. Roughly chop peppers. 

Once potatoes and leeks are tender, add poblanos and salt. Use an immersion blender to puree soup. Just before serving stir in cream. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

Chicken and Root Vegetable Pot Pie

I wasn't feeling like myself. In fact, I hadn't cooked since late-January. When work and life get in the way, our hobbies are the first thing to go. For me, that meant no time in the kitchen for the past few weeks. But just like riding a bike, you get back to feeling like "you" in no time when it's your favorite thing to do. 

Yesterday I was looking for comfort and a dish that would give me something to "do" in the kitchen. For the first time in weeks, quick and easy wasn't the goal. So, I luxuriated in chopping and relaxed into dough rolling. With some good tunes, there's nothing better. 

It's days like this that I'm reminded that I truly LOVE this. The goal for the day was just to enjoy myself. At the end, we were had a warm and cuddly bowl of Chicken Pot Pie. 

The basis for this pie are tasty root vegetables, including potatoes, pearl onion, sweet potatoes and flavor-packed parsnip. Above ground peas, mushrooms and thyme complete the pie. 

The majority of prep time is spent chopping up all of the veggies. Do your best to get things about the same size. This will ensure things will cook at the same rate.

Cooking is quite simple for this dish, just an easy simmer in chicken stock and wine. This also keeps the fat low, since you're not browning or sauteing any ingredients. Good quality stock (preferably homemade) and white wine add lots of flavor.

Mid-way through the cooking you'll add chicken and continue to simmer until cooked through. Then using a slotted spoon, you'll remove the vegetable mixture to a bowl. The cooking liquid will be the basis of a creamy sauce.

To avoid clumping, whisk together the milk and flour before adding to the hot stock and wine mixture. Ahh...doesn't it feel so good to be back in a cute apron? So much more like you than a business suit.

Cook the cream sauce until thickened. A good indicator of thickness is when it is viscous enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Vegetables and cream sauce united!

Roll out thawed puff pastry. Feel the grit of flour in your fingers and feel like you're finally home. With any luck, you'll have some on your face.

Baked to oooey gooey perfection. Relax you're back. You're you again.

Chicken and Root Vegetable Pot Pie
4 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
2 cups white wine
2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
4-5 parsnips, peeled and diced
1 (10oz) package frozen pearl onions
1lb cremini mushrooms, quartered
1lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring chicken stock and white wine to a boil in a large dutch oven. Add peas, potatoes, parsnips, onions and mushrooms. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for another 10-15 minutes; cook until potatoes have softened and chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and vegetables to a bowl, using a slotted spoon.

In a bowl whisk together flour and milk, taking care to avoid lumps. Increase heat to medium and whisk in the milk/flour mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Add chicken and vegetable mixture to cream sauce and stir in thyme, salt and pepper. Spoon into greased individual oven-proof bowls or a 9x13 baking dish.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over a clean surface. Roll out dough to and cut in individual squares to cover bowls or an 11x15 rectangle. Brush beaten egg around edges of baking dish (or dishes). Place dough on top of dish and press into egg-washed edges. Brush top of dough with egg wash. Cut slit into the top of dough to allow steam to escape. Place on a foil-lined baking dish and bake for 30 minutes; or until filling is bubbling and dough is golden brown.

Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

No one wants ho hum potatoes on Thankgiving, but so many of the flavor-boosting solutions seem to come in the form of hefty cheese products and cream. In my quest to lighten up Thanksgiving, I borrowed an idea from a friend's mother and paired potatoes with parsnips.

This white root vegetable packs a complex flavor so you don't need near as much butter or cream, compared to traditional mashed potatoes. And the parsnips blend in with your potatoes both in texture and color, so you can fool even the biggest skeptic. Or you can just force them to try parsnips because you're the host and you said so.

You'll prepare the parsnips just as you would the potatoes... wash and peel. Just be sure to chop them in even sizes.

Then both go into a cold pot of water with a generous pinch of salt. Bring water to boil and allow potatoes and parsnips to cook until fork tender.

See you can hardly even tell the difference between the two.

Mash with a manual potato masher or you can use a hand mixer. Be sure to break down some of the woodier pieces of the parsnip. This is when you'll add a touch of butter and cream.

Finish with a touch of parsley

Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips
3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and peeled
1 lb parsnips, washed and peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
S&P

Roughly chop potatoes and parsnips to equal sizes. Add potatoes and parsnips to pot and cover in cold water. Add salt and bring water to a boil. Cook until potatoes and parsnips are fork tender, about 30 minutes (depending on size). Drain potatoes and place back in hot pot.

Over low heat, begin mashing potatoes and parsnips until water from boiling has evaporated. Add butter and cream and continue mashing until melted and combined.

Stir in fresh parsley and S&P to taste. Serve potatoes hot.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry

Before we dive in , just wanted to let you guys know that this blog is now CareyOnLovely.com... dropped the .blogspot (#legit). It will still redirect, but you may need to adjust your subscription. Good news is... it's now much easier for you guys to tell your friends the blog address :)

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Turns out you guys are just as lazy as I am, because I've gotten lots of requests lately for slow cooker recipes. I'm a bit of a slow cooker novice actually, getting my first one as a wedding gift last year. I totally get why people are addicted to them, especially if you're a beginner cook. I think the results can be great, but you need to be selective about the recipe and ingredients you cook to avoid the all-too-familiar slow cooker mush.

This veggie-forward recipe avoids blahsville with a punch of curry and delivers on health and weeknight ease. No crockpot classic cream of mushroom soup to be found here.

Seriously... look at all these vegetables. These ingredients are also really adjustable based on your personal preferences or what's leftover in the fridge.

Leftovers from my Butternut Squash Pizza made their way into this recipe.

There is just a bit of prep work for this recipe, but it can easily be done a few days before. I sauteed up my onions, squash and potatoes on Sunday and assembled everything on a weekday morning.

From what I've read from slow cooker recipes and my manual, ideally you need liquid to come up about halfway to the inside rim of the slow cooker bowl. I have an inherent fear every time I use one of these that I won't use enough liquid and will create a burnt mess. Rule of thumb, you're not really going to lose any liquid, so think about what you're looking for in the final product.

Also, DO NOT open your slow cooker lid during cooking. This will really throw off the cooking time. Add a snarky note to keep your husband/friends/kids out of there. Profanity encouraged.

Just before serving, in go coconut milk and spinach. You always want to reserve any "milks" until just before finishing. Otherwise you'd have a curdled mess.

Give things a stir and you're ready to go. Also, your entire apartment will likely smell like curry. And maybe for a few days. But it will be okay...you get to eat it after all.

Serve with naan bread and relish in all the extra time you have on a weeknight evening. I painted my nails with the pup... it was adorable and much needed.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 russet potatoes, diced
1/2 butternut squash, diced
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons curry
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup beer
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 16-oz can chickpeas
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 head cauliflower, but into florets
1 28-oz can diced tomato
1 6-oz bag baby spinach
1 cup light coconut milk

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion until translucent; add potato, butternut squash and salt. Continue cooking until potato edges begin to soften; about 5-7 minutes. Add curry, garam masala, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and cayenne. Stir until spices are fragrant and then add beer, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove browned bits.

On the day of serving, add potato mixture to the slow cooker bowl. Add chickpeas, red pepper, green pepper, cauliflower and tomato. Pour chicken stock over mixture until bowl is filled halfway. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. DO NOT remove lid during cooking.

When ready to serve, stir in coconut milk and spinach. Serve with warm naan bread.

This will make a LOT of food, so be prepared for leftovers. It freezes well.

*Recipe inspiration from The Kitchn