“Gravy”

DSC_0427

Tools required: Immersion blender
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 slice bacon
Chicken giblets
Chicken juices reserved from Mediterranean Chicken recipe
Dried oregano and rosemary to taste
2 Tb mashed cauliflower (for use as thickener)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In pan, cook the bacon – it adds wonderful flavor.
Remove the cooked bacon, but keep the grease (this is what we’re after anyway – feel free to snack on the bacon).
In the bacon grease, cook chicken giblets and remove from pan for more snacks (this step deepens the flavor of the gravy).
Now, add the chicken juices reserved from the roasted chicken and stir.
Add a tsp each of oregano and rosemary if you like.

Once combined, pour into your 2 cup measure along with 2 Tb mashed cauliflower.
Blend with immersion blender until you reach a gravy consistency (you may need to add more mashed cauliflower to reach your desired texture).
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour liberally over EVERYTHING. Seriously, this is delicious.

Rosemary Lemon Chicken

Before:

Take the raw, whole chicken and smother with olive oil and lemon rind
Stuff with rosemary and the lemon (punctured all over)
Bake @ 350 for about an hour (3-4 pound chicken)

After:

Edamame Cheese Salad

We already love edamame, so adding cheese can only be a good thing! Found and followed the recipe from FoodNetwork.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 cups (9 ounces) shelled edamame beans
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
5 ounces pecorino, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

 

More

Leg Lamb

Ingredients

1 4lb leg of lamb with bone removed
5 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of chopped rosemary plus 4 twigs of rosemary
5 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper
4 potatoes sliced

More

Pot Roast

Ingredients:

1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 whole Onions
6 whole Carrots
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste
1 cup Red Wine (optional, You Can Use Beef Broth Instead)
2 cups To 3 Cups Beef Stock
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary


More

Cottage Pie with Mashed Yams

We found this yummy recipe on the Nourished Kitchen blog and just had to try it (with our own additions and modifications, of course)!

Ingredients:

1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1 cup beef stock
1/3 cup cream
1 stick butter
1 large onion, chopped
1+ cup frozen peas
1+ cup diced carrots
3 medium sized yams or sweet potatoes
2 cups shredded cheese
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
sea salt and crushed black pepper to taste

More

Butternut (or any other Squash) Soup

We found this recipe at Wise Food Ways, but found it too bland initially so we added in our own little concoction of garlic and rosemary to give it a little more oomph! Other variations could include pumpkin, or any other squash you have on hand.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 leeks, sliced into rounds
1 butternut squash (seeded, baked four about an hour, peeled and cut into chunks)
1 bouquet garni (an herb bundle tied with string) including any or all of the following:
a bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, a sprig of sage, a sprig of parsley, a rosemary stem
Chicken stock
1 cup yogurt, buttermilk, half-and-half, or whole milk (or 3/4 cup cream or crème fraiche)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: minced garlic and chopped fresh rosemary


More

Esalen Provençal Veggie Turnover

Another amazing recipe from the Esalen Cookbook! Savor this with minestrone soup or a greek salad! If you can’t find fresh herbs, you can use dried but make sure to reduce the quantities by half!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (either the type in olive oil pat dry, or the totally dry type)
1 medium onion
2 bell peppers
1 medium zucchini
olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
2.5 cups grated parmesan cheese
1-2 boxes of puff pastry (we had enough filling for 12 turnovers)

 

More

Italian Potato Salad

Some of us really like potato salad, in all it’s many variations. Basically if it has potatoes, it must be good.
But some of us aren’t big fans of mayo, so when a potato salad must be made, we like this lighter, Mediterranean version!

Prep time: 10-15 mins Cook time: 10 mins

ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
6 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
8 tablespoons sliced green onions

More