Crispy Rosemary Chicken & Fries

I am trying very hard to eat healthier and this recipe sounded really good to use up some chicken thighs I had in the freezer. I also love these little red potatoes. Perfect! The chicken was very juicy and the potatoes, while not exactly crispy, were yummy as well.

Crispy Rosemary Chicken & Fries:
from allrecipes.com

8 chicken thighs
6 small red potatoes, quartered
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or as needed
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary (I used dried)
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano (I used dried)
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (I used garlic salt)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place chicken and potatoes into a large bowl. Pour olive oil over them and stir to coat. Scatter the chicken and potato pieces in a large baking dish, or cookie sheet with sides. Sprinkle with rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Bake for 1 hour (mine took 1 hour and 10 minutes) in the preheated oven, uncovered. Baste during the last 15 minutes for extra crispness.

Potato Croquettes

I'm not good at taking food pictures, so forgive this shot. These were very good. Crisp on the outside and super creamy on the inside. I got this recipe from Anthony Bourdain's blog, but I changed it up somewhat based on what I had on hand. This is VERY time consuming to make, but they are worth it in the end!!

Potato Croquettes:
adapted from almostbourdain.blogspot.com

3-4 medium potatoes (I used Yukon gold)

1 tsp. dried parsley

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 stick of string cheese mozzarella, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup bread crumbs

Canola oil, for deep frying

Peel the potatoes, place in a saucepan of cold salted water and boil until tender. Drain well, put through a potato ricer or masher, then return to pan over medium heat.

Stir potato for 2-3 minutes until all moisture evaporates. Transfer to a bowl and add parsley and parmesan.

Make a well in the middle of the potato mixture and stir in one egg until the mixture is combined. Season to taste.

Shape the mixture into croquettes, about 3/4" x 2".

Place a cube of cheese in the center of each.

Lightly beat the remaining egg in a shallow bowl. Dip the croquettes into the egg, allowing the excess to drain. Then, roll in breadcrumbs, pressing to coat well.

Heat oil in deep saucepan until 320 degrees. Deep-fry croquettes, in batches, for 3-4 minutes or until golden and crisp all over. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Cola Chops and Oven Roasted Potatoes

The chops were very good, although a bit dry. The next time I make this recipe, I think I would cook them longer at a lower temperature. The ketchup/cola mixture tastes like a sweet BBQ sauce. The potatoes were awesome, although I had to finish them in the microwave. 45 minutes was not quite enough time for the bigger chunks to cook. A pretty good meal without a lot of work though!

Cola Chops:

adapted from allrecipes.com

3 boneless pork sirloin chops

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup cola

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

Place the pork chops into a baking dish. Mix together the ketchup and cola until well blended. Pour mixture over the chops, covering them completely. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. brown sugar over the top of each chop. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Oven Roasted Potatoes:

from allrecipes.com

4 baking potatoes (I used red potatoes)

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. (I left the skin on mine) Place in a shallow 2 quart baking pan. Pour butter over and toss until well coated. Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Smoked Sausage Hash

This is one of my family's favorite easy weeknight meals. It's tasty and fairly quick.

Smoked Sausage Hash:

Adapted from Allrecipes

1 package turkey smoked sausage

6 potatoes

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

2 Tbsp. butter

6 oz. cheddar cheese - shredded

Sprinkle sausage with garlic and onion powders and brown in a deep skillet. Once browned, remove to a bowl.

While sausage is cooking, peel and dice the potatoes into small cubes. Pour into skillet once sausage has been removed. Add the butter and turn often until the potatoes are cooked and starting to brown.

Add sausage back to skillet and stir to incorporate. Sprinkle cheese over top and mix to combine cheese throughout.

Au Gratin Potatoes

I had some potatoes to use up and I was already making ham for my main course. Au gratin potatoes came to mind. I had all the ingredients, so I decided to go for it. I didn't allow enough time in the oven, but otherwise they came out really well.

Au Gratin Potatoes:

My own recipe

4 medium potatoes

6 Tbsp. butter

8 Tbsp. flour

2 cups milk

1 tsp. garlic salt

12 oz. colby jack cheese

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and garlic salt to form a roux. Add milk and whisk until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in colby jack cheese.

Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and slice into thin slices. Layer them in a greased casserole dish. Pour completed sauce over potatoes. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours. (I only had about an hour, so I finished them in the microwave)