Chicken with Bacon, Tomato, and Thyme

This is such an easy recipe. It's also visually aesthetic, so I really like the idea of that. The chicken isn't the most flavorful and moist like basted chicken, but I was surprised by its moisture content and outcome. It wasn't tough and the bacon grease gives it an addictive flavor, while the tomato keeps the chicken from drying out. It cooks quickly, requires minimal ingredients, and the flavor can easily be altered to your taste. As you can see in the photo, the chicken is lightly cooked. I thought I'd mention that. I was surprised and was unsure if it was cooked through, but it was fine. The first two photos are mine, and the last photo of the recipe I got from the Food Network website. This is a Low Carb and Lovin' It recipe. I thought I'd compare the photo to ensure that the color of the chicken is safe. I had this with my friend, and we both really enjoyed it. As always, I omitted the red onions because I think they're gross, but the original recipe did call for some. I also marinaded the chicken for a while, but the original recipe didn't call for that.

8 pieces of bacon, parcooked halfway (may use precooked)
1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into halves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
Enough slices of Roma or another type of large sized tomato to top on each chicken breast
1 bunch fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

To par-cook the bacon, lay slices on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes until half-cooked. Remove and reserve.

Coat the chicken with extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. I let the chicken marinade for half an hour because the pieces were so small. (Normally, I would've marinaded for much longer). Wrap 2 pieces of par-cooked bacon strips criss-cross around each piece of chicken, forming an X-pattern in the center. Place a thick slice of Roma tomato over each chicken breast. Bake the chicken until it's completely cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, about 30 minutes.

Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Asparagus, and Lemon

Isn't this photo beautiful? It's about time after presenting some rather visually deceptive images. I found this recipe from www.marthastewart.com, but at the moment, the recipe page is coming up blank. Fortunately, it's a popular favorite among many, so I managed to find the recipe online. From what I can recall, the recipe listed is exact to the original one I followed (more or less).

1 1/2 lb. small new potatoes, halved
3 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 whole cut up chicken (about 3 pounds)
1 lb asparagus
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
6 sprigs fresh thyme

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

2. Place potatoes and 1 1/2 tbsp butter in a large, shallow roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until potatoes are golden, 20-25 minutes.

3. Place chicken, skin side up, on top of potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken begins to brown about 20-25 minutes.

4. Scatter asparagus, lemon, and thyme around chicken. Cut remaining 1 1/2 tbsp butter into small pieces and sprinkle on top. Roast until asparagus is tender and chicken is opaque throughout (and nicely browned), 5-15 minutes. (But I accidentally left mine in for 17 minutes. That's why it has that beautiful, crisp look. It was an advantageous accident). Serve chicken and vegetables drizzled with pan juices.

I was initially intimidated by the idea of roasting the potatoes by just dotting it with butter on top. I was concerned that the bottom would become scorched, but it was fine. I also used baby potatoes for mine. The asparagus had a nice roasty flavor to it. I included white asparagus in addition to the standard green ones. I was curious about how the white ones would taste. They're a softer, more tender flavor. They don't take as long to cook, but it can also have a crispier texture, too. But that's when it's blanched. I learned that green asparagus is most suitable for this recipe. The lemon was refreshing. I can't imagine that the thyme did much for the flavor other than aesthetics. I bought 3 lbs. worth of random chicken parts already cut up. I also began by roasting the chicken for only 20 minutes but found that another five minutes was necessary. The outside looked ready, but the inside was still pink, although still very yummy. I decided to cook it through for safety reasons, though. This is one of those favorites you'll make over and over without tiring of it. It provides not only scrumptious flavor but also visual allure, the color contrasts are striking. It's a great choice for potlucks.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

DISCLAIMER: When I categorize dishes "Vegetarian", I standardize it on the absence of poultry and meat such as chicken, duck, turkey, beef, or pork. I don't consider ingredients such as eggs which come from poultry or seafood vegetarian because I know many vegetarians who eat these ingredients without complaint.

I must admit that I didn't particularly like this recipe. I found the tuna to be dry and the flavor was bland and slightly tough. Perhaps it was the brand I used, but I was under the impression that Chicken Under the Sea is a favorable brand. Maybe I'm just not a fan of canned tuna. I used to be, but it has been a long time. And this was cooked in the oven. I still think this recipe is worth listing especially for tuna lovers. I wouldn't mind remaking this by substituting tuna with chicken or something like that. I can be a huge fan of casseroles, but I am new to them. So I'm not making an informed decision as I say this, but I think that with more exposure, this will probably not be on my top list. I'm mostly attracted to it because of its simplicity. Ingredients are commonly found in most kitchens. Since a lot of people find difficulty coming up with recipes, simple go-to dishes like these are ideal.

1 can of tuna, drained
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can peas
8 or 9 oz. of noodles
3/4 cup milk

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. In a casserole dish, mix in tuna, cream of mushroom, and milk. Add the noodles and carefully stir in the peas. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes.

As I typed out the instructions for this recipe, I started to remember the flavors more. Even through the photo, you can tell that the pasta looks a little dried out in some areas. Well, that was my mistake. I should have naturally gone for flatter noodles or, at the very least, stay away from choices that expand so much. In the future, if I use large pastas like that, I'll use less noodles, substitute with chicken, maybe add more soup, and introduce new ingredients such as broccoli and mushrooms. That sounds good.

Slow Cooker Beef with Root Vegetables

I bought a slow cooker with the belief that it'll make cooking much easier. I consider myself a neglectful cook. I prefer oven cooking because it allows me to do other things while the food is being cooked, whereas stovetop cooking requires my full, undivided attention. I like to be productive with my time and do as many things as I can. Because I don't have enough counter space, my slow cooker is tucked away. And considering how the preparation for the slow cooker (slicing and dicing) is similar to oven cooking, I don't use my slow cooker as often as I had originally anticipated. I expected to do a few days worth of slicing and dicing and put everything together early into the day, so the food would be ready for me when I come home. Or turn it on before going to bed and waking up to a nice home cooked meal. I never realized that in the morning, I don't make time to use the slow cooker, no matter how much time is available to me. At night, I have different taste preferences, so I make something else. I'm most interested in using my slow cooker in the afternoon, but I end up staying awake until it finishes cooking, throwing my sleep pattern off. After neglecting my slow cooker for some time, my boyfriend expressed an interest to use it. So I went online to search for a recipe.

I came across some promising choices but chose the Slow Cooker Beef with Root Vegetables. I got this recipe from the Food Network, but it was altered. I omitted onions, substituted red potatoes with Russets, couldn't get my hands on rhutabaga, and used baby carrots instead, according to what looked right, not what the recipe specified. The recipe didn't suggest or instruct adding water, but my boyfriend thought it would be a good idea. He suspected that without the water, the meat would dry out. But, more importantly, he thought that the recipe would be unsuccessful, and he felt uncomfortable by the idea of having something cook over a long period of time without any liquid. I imagine that's why the tomato sauce, a liquid form, was present, but he didn't think that would be adequate. He was open to following the recipe, but I wanted to try his method. What he said made sense, and at worst, the recipe would've been watered down, but everything would have stayed moist. You can always thicken something up, but trying to rehydrate a dry roast is more infeasible. I'm willing to correct the recipe, but I didn't want to risk coming home to a failed one.

It was easy to make, maintenance free, and flavorful. The meat just easily peeled apart. It was moist and tender. The vegetables were soft and transformed into a more delicate flavor. While I'm not put off by tomato sauce, I'm not the biggest fan, either. I find the flavor to be bland and yet dominant, at times. I love sweets, but I usually prefer sweet flavors to not be present in meat dishes. I was pleasantly surprised that the tomato sauce was soft in flavor and the brown sugar didn't leave any residual sweet flavors.

Slow Cooker Beef with Root Vegetables

3 Russet potatoes, chopped
A quarter bag of baby carrots
1 turnip, peeled and chopped
1 3-lb. chuck roast
Salt and pepper to taste
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp garlic powder

Arrange potatoes, carrots, and turnips in the bottom of the slow cooker. Season beef all over with salt and black pepper. Place roast on top of vegetables. Whisk together tomato sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, mustard powder, and garlic powder. Pour mixture over beef. Cover and cook on low for 12 hours or or on high for 8 hours. I cooked it on 8 hours, but I kept it on warm until the next day. That's why the meat appears a little dry, but it was actually quite tender.

Greek Garlic Chicken

This recipe makes delicious, flavorful chicken. I've made this for a number of pot lucks with success. It can be made ahead of time without worrying about the flavor altering. It doesn't take long to make it, and the results are worthwhile. I usually prefer to marinade my poultry or meat overnight, but the concentrated amounts of garlic make it unnecessary for this recipe. The ingredients are easy to find. My only criticism is that the garlic odor becomes intense during the cooking process. I wait for the chicken to be done, open a window, and then I go for a 30 minute walk. By the time I return, the offensive odor has dissipated, and it's left with an appetizing smell. Because of this, I wouldn't recommend leaving this recipe to the last minute when friends are coming over. Give the space time to air out. Other than that, it tastes amazing. The chicken isn't dry, and the garlic flavor isn't overwhelming. It mellows and marinades the chicken beautifully. I believe this is a Food Network recipe, but I can't remember who made it exactly.

8 chicken legs
2/3 cup minced garlic (about 3 heads)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp pepper
1-2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Parsley sprigs

1. Rinse chicken, pat dry, and discard fat. Put legs in a rimmed 12 x 17" pan.

2. In a bowl, mix minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, pepper, and salt. Smear garlic mixture evenly over chicken, then arrange legs, cut side down, in a single layer.

3. Bake in a 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven until skin is well-browned, about 1 1/2 (1 1/4 hour in a convection oven). After 45 minutes, baste chicken with pan juice every 10-15 minutes.

4. Transfer chicken to a warm platter. Skim and discard fat from drippings. Add 1/2 cup boiling water to pan, stir to loosen browned bits, and pour sauce into bowl.

5. Scatter chopped parsley over chicken; garnish with parsley sprigs. Add sauce to taste.

TIP: Try to mince the garlic as precisely as possible. Larger chunks will burn quickly especially if you have an unusually strong oven, which I've had in the past. Even then, basting it will prevent most garlic burns. If you find some garlic crisps, simply smear them off with a knife. I was surprised to find that the entire recipe wasn't ruined.

NOTE: I actually don't use a roasting pan, so I never had the luxury to eat this chicken with the sauce. It still tastes unbelievably delicious, though. I imagine following the recipe completely will be even better. I just seem to fail at making gravy, so I opted against making the sauce.

One-Pan Chicken

This is one of the easiest recipes I've come across. In a single ovenproof pan, you add all of your vegetables and chicken. I recommend using a traditional cast iron skillet. It's a great way to maintain its seasoning properties, and I think this recipe just looks attractive with it. I ate mine with rice, but you can also have it with dinner rolls. All you do is simply chop up your vegetables of choice, which is the only labor in this recipe. I added carrots, zucchinis, and potatoes, but you can add whatever you want. Baby tomatoes are a wonderful addition I've put in before. They become juicy and flavor the other vegetables. Liberally coat everything with extra-virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. The oven does the rest. I know this is a really brief, border lining unhelpful guide, but it's just that simple. It's a Nigella recipe. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 45 minutes. That's it. I promise.

Tips: Don't use unevenly shaped vegetables such as broccolis or cauliflowers because they cook unevenly and burn quickly. If you do use vegetables like these, place the chicken on top to prevent burning and keeping the vegetables moist. I can't guarantee any promising results, though.