Another Chicken Idea

We eat a lot of chicken. I am sometimes surprised we don't grow feathers. This a great option.

Orange and Balsamic Chicken (from EveryDay Food magazine)

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 unpeeled orange, cut into 8 wedges
1 TBSP unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 450. Season chicken withe salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until golden and crispy, about 7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and pour off fat from the skillet. Return chicken, skin side up, to skillet and transfer to oven. Bake until cooked through, 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

2. Heat skillet over medium and add vinegar and orange wedges. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until orange begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter. To serve, return chicken to skillet and toss with orange and sauce.

This was quick, easy and very tasty. I made it with 6 thighs instead of 4 (The recipe says 4 thighs are 4 servings. Not in this house.) I did not change the amount of sauce. Next time I would probably double the whole thing. It's really dependent on how big a pan you have. I served this with rice and broccoli.

Sunday Roast

It was a warm but rainy day here today. So I thought a roast would be nice.

Mustard-Crusted London Broil (from Prevention Guide Quick & Healthy Meals)

3/4 C panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves
1 lb. top round London broil
1 1/2 TBSP Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1. Arrange oven rack in top position. Preheat oven to 450. Fit baking or roasting pan with wire rack. Mix panko and thyme on plate.

2. Season both sides of London broil with salt and pepper to taste. Combine mustard and garlic in small bowl and cover meat with mixture.

3. Coat meat with panko mixture, pressing crumbs into meat so they stick. Place meat on rack and coat top and sides thoroughly with cooking spray. Roast meat 16-18 minutes for medium, or until crumbs are golden. If crumbs begin to brown too much, cover beef loosely with foil. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes. Slice into thin strips and serve.

I realized as I was typing this that I forgot to spray the roast with cooking spray. Apparently it is not crucial because mine came out great. The mustard gave the beef a nice flavor and the panko gave it a wonderful crunch. I served this with sauteed spinach, onion-soup roasted potatoes and broccoli. I was the only one who ate the spinach but the meal was otherwise a big hit. I expect the leftover beef with be lovely in sandwiches or salad. I made an almost two pound roast so we have some leftovers. I also used dried thyme, which worked just as well. ( As an amusing side note, the spell check wants "panko" to be "pinko".)