Sweet Love and Ginger

Jessica

Weekly Meal Plan 3.29.15

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I get a lot of questions about food, mainly what I’m having for dinner; what I like to cook; how I stay out of a food rut, etc. I thought that it might be fun to start a weekly list of what I’m cooking/plan on cooking during the week. I am hoping that this will give you some inspiration to get excited about cooking as well as provide another view point on meal planning and healthy eating. The focus for these meal plans will be weeknight meals, since we either travel or cook more elaborate meals on the weekends.

I may only do this for the next few weeks depending on how you guys like it and if I feel it’s actually adding value to the blog. If you like what you see or don’t like what you see let me know.
 
Friday – Chicken Monte Cristo & Mixed Greens Salad

10 Amazing New Recipes to Try this Spring!

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You have heard me (read me?) talking about how excited I am
for spring for a while now, so I thought it might be a good idea to share a
bunch of really awesome recipes that I’m excited to try for spring. Enjoy!!
Asparagus-Spinach Pesto Pasta with Blackened Shrimp | gimmesomeoven.com #recipe
Asparagus Spinach Pesto Pasta with Blackened Shrimp

Buttered Radish and Ricotta Toast | @naturallyella
Buttered Radish and Ricotta Toast
Smashed Twice Cooked Potatoes with Leeks and Green Garlic
Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole
Lemon-Pepper Chicken with Artichoke Salsa and Roasted Asparagus
Balsamic Strawberry and Chicken Pizza
Bacon & Asparagus Carbonara
Asparagus and Gruyere Tart
Asparagus and Gruyere Tart

Grilled Ramps with Sherry Ramp Vinaigrette

Chicken Teriyaki Meatball Skillet

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Chicken Teriyaki Meatball Skillet
If you have been around here for a while you may notice a recipe that keeps popping up when I talk about eating clean eating, it’s my Southwest Meatball Skillet. I originally got the recipe from Clean Eating Magazine, and over the years have developed it to a tried and true recipe that we love and eat often.

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Crock Pot Roast Chicken; Home Cooking Made Easy

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Recently I told you all about our favorite crock pot meals, 100 of them to be exact, but I skipped a big one, perhaps the one that we use most often. That is the crock pot roast chicken. I might still be sounding crazy since I’m telling that roasting chicken in the crock pot is the single most important thing that we do around our house, but let me explain.
Using the crock pot ensures that the chicken is cooked through. I know that many people have problems and nervousness about whether the chicken is cooked correctly; using the crock pot takes all of that away. Using the crock pot means that it can cook while I’m at work, so that dinner only takes a few minutes to throw together when I get home. The last thing I want to mention is the benefit of having cooked chicken in the house to help us get through the week. It’s so convenient! Whole young chickens go on sale and are pretty inexpensive per pound. Additionally a single 4-5 pound chicken can provide 3-4 meals for the two of us that is 6-8 servings.
A few notes on this recipe:If you do not require crispy skin than you can omit the foil and additional oven time. However the crock pot does cause the chicken to pretty much fall off the bone, and the foil is very convenient for  transferring the chicken out of the crock pot to a cutting board.

 I do not suggest adding vegetables to the crock pot, because the liquid from the chicken tends to remain in the crock pot it will cause the vegetables to be overly mushy and greasy. I like to roast them in the oven while the chicken is crisping, usually in their own pan. However this is just my opinion feel free to experiment with your own methods.Typically when you buy a whole chicken it is packaged in plastic. Once you take it out of the plastic there is also a bag on the inside of the chicken cavity that contains the giblets. This has to be removed before cooking. The giblets can be thrown away, used for gravy or saved for later use in stock.

 

Crock Pot Roast Chicken; Home Cooking Made Easy
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10 to 12 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 whole (4-5 lb)
  • Chicken
  • ½ tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp garlic
Instructions
  1. Place a large piece of tin foil in the crock pot so that the edges hang over the sides.
  2. Place the chicken, breast side up inside (Optional: tie the legs up with kitchen twine and fold the wing tips under). Sprinkle with spices and
  3. cover.
  4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove lid and using foil transfer the chicken to a roasting pan.
  5. Place in a preheated 475 degree oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the skin gets crispy.
  6. Remove from oven and let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.
This isn’t the only way that I roast a chicken I also roast it in the oven if I have the time.
The spices that I use to roast my chicken are simple, but I am wondering what are your favorite roast chicken seasonings?

Project No. 2 – Ink

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Prints are the thing now. 
They are everywhere from etsy shops to major stores, and everyone seems
to have them in their homes.
Somehow I stumbled across this print (I believe it was a blog post). I loved the idea of it and immediately wanted
it for my own kitchen. Roast chicken is near and dear to our hearts. It’s
something I cook almost weekly, with a tired an true recipe that both Chuck and
I love, this print seemed perfect.
The only thing about it that I didn’t like was that it wasn’t
my recipe. I thought having a print that was all mine would be amazing, so I decided
to get to work. It took me a while to figure out a design that I liked, and
then figure out what pens /markers/tools to use. I did a fe side projects to
get comfortable, and then just went for it.

I think it turned out pretty good. I made one small mistake,
but a little white out isn’t noticeable from far away. I could always scan it
into the computer and photoshop it out, but that’s a lot more effort, and
imperfections are part of life. I think it will remain as is for now. Also the matting that I made myself from colored paper is a little off, but I think it adds to the imperfect look; at least that’s what I’m going with for now.

I put it
up in our kitchen where we used to hang a calendar and love opening our door to
it every day now. After Project no. 2 I am even more in love with this
challenge. I hope to fill this house with handmade items, and art. It fills my
heart during the creative process and then seeing these things get use every
day.