Whole Roasted Chicken (First time)

Servings: about 4 Ingredients ■1 4-5 pound (2 kilo) whole chicken, preferably organic ■2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (approximate) ■2 tablespoons Penzey’s Florida Seasoned Pepper (or black pepper, salt and granulated garlic) Tools Kitchen twine to tie the legs 10″ – 12″ cast iron skillet Directions 1.Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, unwrap and allow to stand for one hour. Wash the chicken with cold water, discarding any packet of innards. Remove any extra fat globs around the cavity opening. Dry well. 2.Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine and trim off wing tips with kitchen scissors or shears. 3.Season the chicken liberally with Florida Seasoned Pepper. Add salt if you prefer. Alternatively use coarse ground black pepper, granulated garlic and a coarse salt such as kosher or seal salt. Drizzle with olive oil. 4.Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees (190 C). Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the hot pan bottom side down and sear for a few minutes until you achieve a golden crust. Watch your heat level and turn the heat down if needed so as not to burn the chicken. 5.When you get a golden crust on the bottom, turn the chicken breast side down and do the same. When the breast side is golden, stand the chicken on the sides and sear both sides. 6.When the chicken is golden all over, turn the chicken breast side up and put the pan in the oven. Roast until a digital thermometer reads 165 degrees in the thigh. Timing will depend on the size of your chicken. A 4 to 4 ½ pound (2 kilo) chicken will take approximately 50-60 minutes in my convection oven. 7.Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for about 20 minutes. Carve and serve. See photos to help with cutting up the roast chicken. Refrigerate leftover chicken as soon as possible and freeze the carcass to make chicken stock. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. While pan is heating, season the chicken liberally and drizzle all over with olive oil. Place chicken in the hot pan bottom side down and sear for a few minutes until you achieve a golden crust. Watch your heat level and turn the heat down if needed so the chicken does not burn. When you get the golden crust at the bottom, turn the chicken breast side down and do the same thing. When the breast side is golden, stand the chicken on it's sides and sear the sides. This is where tying the legs helps; the chicken is more stable when on it's sides. It may seem awkward, but just go with it. She used silcone tipped tongs to make handling the chicken easier. Recipe here

Taco Seasoning

I forgot where I got this but it's good! And it's nice to really know what's in the mix instead of buying the taco seasoning packs..

2 T Chili Powder
1-1/2 T Cumin
1-1/2 T Paprika
1 T Onion Powder
1 T Garlic Powder
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions: Put all spices in a container and shake to combine! To make taco meat, mix 3 Tablespoons of them mixture with 1 lb of ground meat and salt to taste. Brown the meat, add the seasonings and 1/4 cup of water simmer for 5 minutes.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies

These were a hit! everyone I shared these with liked them very much!! yay!





I got the recipe from Picky Palate

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.

2. Cream your butter and sugars into a stand or electric mixer until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla mixing until well combined.

3. Place flour, oats, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Mix to combine. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips, mixing until just combined. Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Press cookies down to about 1/2 inch before baking. Bake for 11-14 minutes, until edges start to turn golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Let cool completely.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (paleo version)= no dairy, no grains, no beans

I made Chicken Tortilla soup for the first time!! And it's so good!!! The added avocado on top definatley makes it special.




I got the main recipe here

Ingredients
•2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
•1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
•1-½ teaspoon Cumin
cayenne pepper(not included in recipe but gives it a kick if you can handle it :) )
•1 teaspoon Chili Powder
•½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
•½ teaspoons Salt
•1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
•1 cup Diced Onion
•¼ cups Diced Green Bell Pepper
•¼ cups Red Bell Pepper
•3 cloves Garlic, Minced (didn't have this at the store :( just did garlic powder)
•1 can Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
•32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock(mine was free range too)
•3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
•4 cups Hot Water
•Garnishes:
•Diced Avocado (this was all i did. Delish!)
•Diced Red Onion
•Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
•Cilantro
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20(i do 20) to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix (i sprinkled cayenne pepper in there too to give it some more heat) . Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 60 minutes, uncovered.

Check seasonings, adding more if needed—add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Ladle into bowls, then top with diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

Paleo I have been cookin up ;)

Got 2 fresh salmon from Sprouts, about 4 oz each, got a sautee pan, medium high, a little lower heat. Kept the skin on them while they cooked. 1/2 TBSP for each salmon went in the pan. Seasoned them with seafood seasoning before putting them in the pan, then cooked face down first, then other side till done.


This is just 2 scrambled free range eggs with sauteed mushrooms, 2 oz avocado, half an organic apple


2 scrambled free range eggs again with precooked and warmed up sweet potato chips(bake on 450 8 min one side 7 min other side salt and pepper and olive oil)


I browned grass fed beef , with garlic powder, onion powder, and then roasted portabella mushrooms, and put hot sauce on it and it was actually really good :)


Turkey breast meat from the store, cucumber, balsamic vin dressing, and spinach


2 scrambled eggs, 2 oz avocado, and hot sauce mmm


sweet potato chips ready for the week


spaghetti sauce with zucchini noodles and waaaay too hot jalopenos but still good even though i was crying my eyes out :/


asparagus roasted and chicken wrapped in bacon!


yep just ate spaghetti sauce the other night for dinner with mushrooms mmm! spiced it up with cayenne


chicken, tomatoes, red leaf lettuce, and balsamic vin


salmon!! sautee with skin on 4 oz in 1/2 TBSP of olive oil and used seafood seasoning before putting them in the pan.


fajita chicken!! cut chicken breast into strips and season and sautee in olive oil, I sauteed the green bells in olive oil too! quick and easy ;)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe Mostly adapted from Here
And added on to by my wonderful sister :)

Ingredients
1. 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1 teaspoon baking soda
3. 1 cup margarine, softened
4. 1/4 cup white sugar
5. 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7. 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla
pudding mix
8. 2 eggs
9. 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
10. 2/4 cups pumpkin pure
11. 2 tsp cinnamon
12. 1 tsp nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Set aside. In another large mixing bowl, combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and pudding mix. Beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. Drop batter by heaping teaspoonfuls, about 2 inches apart, onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 9 1/2 minutes, or until browned.

Baked Honey Thyme Organic Chicken Legs

These were super easy and had great flavor! And my husband said they were pretty good! Another go to recipe thank goodness!



Recipe Adapted Mostly from: Evil Shenanigans

Maple Thyme Chicken Legs Yield 4 servings (8 legs) (I only had 5 legs but still used the same amount)

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if desired
Fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons maple syrup( I used my raw honey!)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
8 chicken legs, skin on

In a zip-top bag mix the thyme, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, maple syrup, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add the chicken and massage to coat evenly. Let the chicken sit on the counter for thirty minutes(I did this), or you can refrigerate overnight.
Heat the oven to 400 F and cover a baking sheet with foil then spray with (instead of non stick spray I did extra virgin coconut oil)non stick spray. Place the chicken on the sheet, making sure there is plenty of room around the chicken legs. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the skin is brown and the meat reaches 160 F. Let the chicken rest ten minutes before serving.