11 Best Dishes of 2018

Yum

Happy New Year!

2018 was a year full of highs and lows but it seems that it went so fast that it was a blur.  The food we made was a full of variety.  The most popular dishes seem to have a comfort food theme with a little bit of restaurant flair thrown in.   

I've gathered the eleven most popular dishes (there was a tie for 10th place that I couldn't break) from 2018 in one spot for you to reference and enjoy!

Enjoy all the precious moments that 2019 will bring.  We only live once!

11 TOP RECIPES OF 2018

In no particular order...

Cajun Roasted Potatoes

Chili Lime Salmon with Roasted Vegetables

Baked Honey Soy Chicken Legs

Spicy Turkey Chili 

Garlic and Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mediterranean Rice

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Stew

Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Easy Cinnamon Peach Cobbler - Family Sized

Sheet Pan Beef Fajitas

There are plenty of dishes to come in 2019.  Lots of comfort food, weeknight meals, stir frys, southern dishes, and easy restaurant style meals.  Enjoy a prosperous holiday and I am so grateful for all of my followers.  I wish you the best to come in 2019 and will be talking to you in the new year!

Cajun Roasted Potatoes

Yum

I have a problem.  A serious "cookbook" problem.  Seriously.

I don't know any other person, other than my mother, that collects so many cookbooks! Honestly it can't control myself.  I have a wonderful bookcase full of different collections of cookbooks, and then I had to go and get a Kindle!  Oh man, I'm in big trouble.  How easy is it to just download a cookbook for reference and not see how many you have accumulated?  I know!  It's a real problem.

So putting one of those cookbooks to good use I got on my Kindle and found one I haven't looked at yet.  I just basically read it cover to cover and bookmarked all the recipes I wanted to try.  

The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook by Mary Younkin, creator of BarefootintheKitchen.com

I was looking for items for my weekly dinner menu that were quick for a weeknight meal and found the perfect side dish, Cajun Roasted Potatoes.

CAJUN ROASTED POTATOES

Potatoes are in season now:  You can find potatoes in the stores, in all sizes, shapes and colors.  I went to Sprouts for my weekly shopping, and found a bag of small yellow potatoes that were so cute, I new they would be perfect for this dish. Any of your favorite potatoes will work well with this dish.

What do I need to make these?:  A good baking sheet is a must.  Here's a commercial grade sheet pan that I always use and swear by. A good set of tongs such as these, is always handy to have as well.  

What are the spices used?  With this recipe we will make our own Cajun spice blend using, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, thyme, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.  This is a great recipe to make your own spice blend for use with other items such as chicken, burgers, fish etc.  

They turned out fantastic!  Perfect with my dinner.  These spicy potatoes are a great side dish for roasted meats.  They would also be great for breakfast with some eggs and sausage!  The spicy blend pops in your mouth with a bit of heat and tons of flavor.   Any leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days and quickly reheated in a skillet or microwave.

Enjoy!







Cajun Roasted Potatoes

5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 tbsp. smoked or plain paprika
1 tbsp. granulated garlic or garlic powder
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp granulated onion or onion powder
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 lb small red or yellow potatoes
Unsalted butter, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Lightly grease a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Stir together the herbs and spices with the remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a large mixing bowl.  Wash and dry the potatoes.  Slice each potato in half.  Add them to the bowl with the spice mixture and toss well with your hand to thoroughly coat.  

Spread the potatoes on the baking pan.  Roast for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and beginning to crisp.  Stir with a metal spatula and roast for an additional 10 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp.  Serve with soft butter on the side, for dipping, if desired.  

Cook's Notes:  If your potatoes are bigger then 1 to 1 1/2 inches, you'll want to quarter them (instead of simply halving them) to make sure they pick up plenty of flavor from the seasonings.  Adjust the amount of cayenne for less heat, if that is your preference.

source:  The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook by Mary Younkin, creator of BarefootintheKitchen.com

Chili Lime Salmon with Roasted Vegetables

Yum

So I have to admit that this is a rare posting of a "fishy" dish.  I don't eat fish but MGG loves it.  So I will on occasion make him fish while cooking a piece of chicken for myself.

Since I hadn't made him a salmon dish in quite awhile I thought it was time to do just that!  It just so happened that this particular salmon dish came out fabulously delicious that I had to share it all with you.  You are gonna love this.

Chili Lime Salmon with Roasted Vegetables

The flavors in this dish just POP!  The salmon is bursting with a chili lime seasoning and I use a searing and roasting method that produces a crispy fish on the outside and juicy and succulent on the inside.   This method is really easy to do and is perfect if you are cooking four or less fillets.  The best tool that you can use for this is a cast-iron skillet.  It cooks the fish beautifully!

Serve along a combination of roasted potatoes, green beans, and butternut squash.  A great combination that turns out to be the perfect side dish to the fish. 

This is one easy weeknight meal, that is perfect for the fish lover!

Enjoy!

Chili Lime Salmon with Roasted Vegetables

serves 4

2 tablespoons of butter
4 salmon fillets
2 Tablespoons chili lime seasoning (such as Mrs. Dash)
3/4 lb fresh green beans
1 1/2 lb baby gold potatoes (halved or quartered)
1 lb cubed butternut squash
olive oil
salt & pepper

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a sheet pan place the butternut squash and potatoes, spreading them out so they don't overlap too much. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat and spread out again on the pan.

Cook the vegetables for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and toss and add the green beans. Cook an additional 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cover with foil to keep warm.

Turn the oven down to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle the seasoning over the salmon fillets. In a cast-iron skillet over medium high, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the salmon fillets, skin side down and cook for 3 minutes over to brown the skin. Spoon some of the melted butter over the top of the fish as it cooks.

Transfer the skillet to oven. Roast until fish is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Farmers Market Bounty Summer Vegetable Soup with Chicken

Yum

Soup in the Summer?  Heck yea!

Soup is not just for winter my friends.  A good soup can be enjoyed all.year.long.  So why not take advantage of the farmer's market bounty of fresh vegetables!  That's just what I did last weekend.

My girlfriend and I went to check out the Farmer's Market held in Calabasas.  Of course we picked the hottest weekend to go, and even though we went early it was smoldering hot at 9am!  Not to be deterred we plunged in among the sea of stands where local farmers were selling the best fresh fruits and vegetables.  Armed with a large shopping bag I intended to get a variety of fresh summer veggies to make a wonderful soup that evening.  Boy did I hit the jackpot!

FARMERS MARKET BOUNTY SUMMER VEGETABLE SOUP WITH CHICKEN 

Just look at this bounty!  I couldn't resist the tempting fruit as well, and totally overloaded my bag.  So bearing the heat and the crowd I would say this shopping spree was a huge success!  I love the variety of items at the Calabasas Farmer's Market, so if you are in the area on a Saturday morning, put this on your list.

My Farmers Market Bounty Summer Vegetable Soup with Chicken is all about fresh veggies, with a little chicken added for protein.  7 types of crisp, fresh from the farm, vegetables are the star of this dish! Cook them in a hearty chicken broth, laced with herbs, and add some tender roasted chicken and you have one healthy summer soup!

Why not take advantage of summer's fresh vegetables and make your family a healthy hearty dinner that's on the table in 45 minutes.  Everyone will love the flavors and the freshness. 

I'm also sharing with you a little trick to add extra flavor in the soup.  It will taste as if the soup has been cooking all day.  The secret is to add a little concentrated stock base such as this one.  It gives you the boost that you need to create that long simmered flavor.  Shhhh! don't tell anyone, they'll never know you weren't slaving away all day for this awesome soup!

Three cheers to the wonderful farmers that bring such fresh and delicious quality vegetables!!!  It's so appreciated, and our tummys thank you too!

Enjoy!

Farmers Market Bounty Summer Vegetable Soup with Chicken

1 medium sweet onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2  stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water

1 - 1 1/2 tsp chicken stock (such as Knorr Chicken Homestyle Stock)
1/2 lb. 2-inch-diameter red potatoes, quartered
1/2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (1 1/2 cups)
1 yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise, and cut into thick slices

1 zucchini, halved lengthwise, and cut into thick slices
2 cups coarsely shredded cooked fresh chicken meat (light and/or dark meat)
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a Dutch oven or large stock pan cook onion and celery in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally. Add garlic and cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, beans, and squashes. Return to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in the chicken meat, tomato, thyme, sage, and pepper. Heat through about 10 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls.



(This post contains affiliate links which may provide compensation without any increase in cost to you.)

Presto Pesto Panko Chicken with a Green Salad and Roasted Potatoes and "Hello Fresh" Final Installment

Yum

It's hump day, and I'm posting the last installment of my Hello Fresh food delivery service series.

Another weekday meal is on the agenda for today and I dare say this was the easiest one to make.  I previously shared the Pineapple Pork Chops with Snap Peas and Jasmine Rice and the Lean Green Steak Machine with a Mint Chive Dressing and Veggie Succotash.  Both meals were tasty and simple to make.

Today's recipe is Presto Pesto Panko Chicken with a Green Salad and Roasted Potatoes.  As I said this was the easiest of the three to make as both the chicken and potatoes are baked in the oven.  So I took the liberty and turned this in to a "sheet pan" dish!  That made it even easier!! Don't you love that?  Both the chicken and the potatoes bake in the oven at the same temperature and for the same length of time, so why not?  Less dishes to clean, and in my book that is a bonus!

The flavors of this were not quite as bold but this is a good solid dish to have in your repertoire when you need a quick meal that is quick and easy to put together.  The pesto gives the chicken flavor, while the panko crust creates a crunchy texture.  Paired with roasted potatoes (who doesn't love those?) and a simple salad and you have a weeknight wonder!

So let's talk about Hello Fresh food delivery subscription service. The Pros: The delivery service easy and convenient, and there is a variety of meal choices.  The produce was very fresh and I love that the meat is shrink wrapped.  

The cons:  The portion size seemed to be a little small for us.  MGG is tall and slim but has a big appetite and I found that the meat potions were leaving him wanting more.  So I would say that should be a consideration.  Remember when you choose a two person meal there are no leftovers!

Overall, being a blogger it's hard to stick to a pre-determined meal schedule.  Plus we blog about what we eat, so my blogging would mainly include their recipes instead of the ones I create or choose.  I think that a new cook would enjoy the ease and instructions.  I also think that you pay for the convenience of someone shopping for you. If you don't like to shop, it's perfect!  

Enjoy this most recent Hello Fresh recipe!    

Presto Pesto Panko Chicken with a Green Salad and Roasted Potatoes

12 oz Yukon potatoes
12 oz chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1/2 cup panko
2 Tbls fresh pesto
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 oz arugula
1 lemon
5 Tbls olive oil
salt and pepper

Wash and dry all produce. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut potatoes into ½-inch cubes.

Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.   In a small bowl, combine panko, mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Place chicken breasts on the same baking sheet. Brush 2 TBSP pesto onto tops. Press crust mixture into pesto to adhere. Roast in oven until chicken is no longer pink in center, about 20-25 minutes, tossing the potatoes halfway through

Halve lemon. In a large bowl, toss together arugula, a squeeze of lemon, and a large drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide potatoes and chicken between plates. Serve with salad on the side.

source:  Hello Fresh food delivery subscription service

Savory Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges

Yum

I think I've been on a potato kick lately. 

A few weeks ago I brought you my go to recipe for Outrageous Oven Fries.  I make this recipe quite often because it's easy, and it goes with so many dishes.

Today we are going to showcase another recipe that is based on some potato wedges we had at a local restaurant we love.  Potatoes  wedges with the skin kept on and fried but topped with a sprinkle of garlic and Parmesan which just melts all over the top! Oh the smell of garlic and cheese on fries is AMAZINGLY good.   

SAVORY GARLIC PARMESAN POTATO WEDGES

MGG was talking about those fries the other day so we set out of try and make them slightly healthier, at home!  To accomplish that is to remove all that fat from frying which baking or roasting does.   I've mentioned before that we ALWAYS make oven fries because it cuts the calories by like a gazillion calories....can't beat that if you are craving fries!  

You're gonna love this recipe as this is soooo EASY to make!  The oven really does all the work and with just a little time you have wonderful Savory Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges to serve as a snack, appetizer, or side dish.  Make a bunch, because they won't last long!

I find that if you buy smaller russet potatoes they are easier to cut into wedges.  Make sure to give the skin a good scrub since you'll be leaving those on like "home fries".  Using garlic powder instead of fresh allows the garlic to stick to the fries better during baking, plus I use finely grated Parmesan which also help with the coating.  Simple and easy is what I love and these potatoes are gonna become a family favorite in your household, no doubt!

Enjoy!






Savory Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges

serves 4

3-4 small russet potatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 450.  Place a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet.  (Easy clean up)

Scrub the potatoes really well.  Leaving the skin on cut the potatoes into wedges.  Place in a medium bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.  Sprinkle potatoes with garlic powder, tossing to coat well.  Place the cheese on a plate or pie pan and dredge the potatoes in the cheese so that they stick and are coated well.  Place on the prepared baking sheet, skin sides down and make sure they are not touching. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes until potatoes are slightly crispy and golden brown. Serve immediately.