Beautiful Roast Rosemary Chicken

We’re deep into Australian “winter” right now, which means time for plenty of baking, roasting, and Christmas in July celebrations (which we’re celebrating this weekend—I’m already making cookies!). But, this recipe would be great year-round with some gorgeous fresh veggies and herbs, should you have a rainy weekend and a desire for a quick roast.

Originally this was a Donna Hay “Fast 50″ recipe, but I’ve altered it rather beyond recognition. What makes this dish lovely is using chicken thighs still on the bone (also a somewhat cheaper option at the butcher), plenty of rosemary, and a liberal smattering of smoked paprika. You could use any woody herb here; sage or thyme both work great with chicken, or you could use a combination.

I’m also pleased to announce that my kitchen just gained a slow cooker—so you can look forward to a few more recipes that take so little effort!

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Edited: July 13th, 2011

Tomato Soup – Homemade & Healthy!

I love tomato soup. It’s just so wonderfully comforting and filling, and is a wonderful vehicle for consuming a large number of grilled cheese sandwiches (one of my favourite pass times!). This tomato soup is, if I do say myself, a gorgeous and slightly more grown-up version of the traditional “from a can” stuff that you probably had as a kid. And it’s ever-so-satisfying to the tastebuds as well as the stomach—the addition of red lentils makes this soup heartier and more filling.

Another great thing about this soup is how quickly it can be made; I literally threw it together in fifteen minutes, then just had to let it simmer for a little while. If you have nothing but tinned goods in your pantry but need something warm and filling, this fits the ticket admirably! Consider replacing the tinned diced tomatoes with fresh tomatoes, about 2-3 per tin, depending on their size. The soup would also be wonderful with a handful of fresh basil leaves, blended in or as a garnish.

Enjoy this hearty and delicious soup!

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Edited: May 17th, 2011

Steamed Moroccan Vegetables

Do I have an obsession with anything “Moroccan”? Sort of. Stick Moroccan in front of any kind of food and I’m going to be excited to try it. After my friends Alaina and Ashton (yes, one of the original Cheeses and her hubby) had a Moroccan-themed dinner party at their apartment to showcase their tajine and new recipes (from… you guessed it, Morocco!) I was so impressed by the combinations of unique spices and flavours—I mean, what North American would even consider putting cinnamon with meat? It blew my mind and my tastebuds and I’ve been gobbling up Moroccan recipes ever since.

This recipe is an alteration from Martha Stewart, so I can hardly claim any sort of authenticity. But darn, these baking paper-wrapped parcels of veggies are good! If you actually own a tajine, this recipe could be easily adapted.

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Edited: February 7th, 2011

Eggplant Tomato Soup

Maybe my favourite thing ever is when cold weather mixes with gorgeous early summer produce. Australia is in the middle of one of its wettest and coolest summers on record (it’s only 25 C! woe, according to the Aussies!). This does mean that everything is lush and green and growing, though, so the produce these days has been fabulous. Despite a broken fridge—the true woeful part of this story—we’ve been taking advantage of all the fresh fruit and veg to the nth degree.

This soup is a wonderful combination of a cold weather comfort food made with fresh seasonal veggies—or a great recipe to use up a slightly aged eggplant, since the soup transforms it into a soft mushy deliciousness anyway. I figure you could even use zucchini instead of the eggplant for something more ratatouille-esque. I made my own chicken stock for this recipe; omit the chicken and use vegetable stock instead for something vegetarian, and use gluten free noodles for a gluten free option.

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Edited: December 7th, 2010