Roasted Chicken and Mushrooms

Yes, I say it all the time…but this recipe is SO easy. It takes a few minutes to assemble the ingredients and then the oven does all of the work. A spatchcocked chicken is the way to go here, you can buy them already butterflied or you can ask the butcher at your grocery store to remove the backbone for you. I do it myself, you can use kitchen shears or a good sharp knife and cut along the backbone to remove it and then flatten out the bird. This allows everything to cook more evenly and quickly. Surrounding the chicken with mushrooms to soak up all yummy chicken juices might be my new favorite way to make mushrooms. SO GOOD!

What you need:

One whole chicken, spatchcocked

16oz of mushrooms, any variety. I used a combination of shiitake, hen of the woods, oyster, and cremini

1 large shallot, roughly chopped

2 tbsp salted butter

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450°. Add cleaned mushrooms and chopped shallot to to a roasting pan and drizzle about 2 tbsp olive oil over the top and then sprinkle some salt and pepper on them. Add the rosemary and parsley. Stir to combine the olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper and then move them to the outer edges of the dish. Meanwhile pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and cut the butter into 4 equal pieces (1/2 tbsp each). Gently separate the skin of the chicken and tuck the butter between the skin and breasts. Drizzle one tbsp olive oil on top and one tbsp Dijon mustard. Rub the olive oil and mustard all over the skin of the chicken and then add some salt and pepper. Add a pinch of dried rosemary. Lay the chicken skin side up on the pan and surround with the mushrooms. Roast for about 45-50 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 160° It will continue to reach 165° to 170° while resting. Stir the mushrooms half way through and rotate the pan if it is browning unevenly. Let rest for about 10 minutes before carving the chicken. Enjoy!

We served with caramelized parsnip purée but would be great with potatoes or risotto too.

Kale and Ravioli Soup

I found these cute little pastas labeled Plin at Whole Foods which basically means “pinch” in Italian. These were small ravioli stuffed with cheese and pesto. They inspired me to make a delicious rainy day soup. It has a lot of similarities to my Italian Sausage Soup recipe. The main similarities being it starts with carrots and onions and gets most of its flavor from the Italian sausage and garlic. This soup uses pasta instead of root vegetables to add bulk and it doesn't require cream. It’s a delicious and healthy meal. We made a large pot and are happy to have leftovers as its going to be another rainy weekend. I recommended the Pesto Plin that I used but to be honest the pesto didn’t contribute a whole lot of flavor so I think any type of bite sized cheese filled pasta would work. Johnny added red pepper flakes to his but I thought it was perfect without.

What you need:

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 pound of bulk turkey or chicken Italian sausage or links with the skin removed (you could also use pork but will want to drain some of the fat after browning the sausage)

3-4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1.5-2 quarts of low sodium chicken broth

9 oz of fresh bite sized ravioli or small tortellini

1 cup frozen chopped kale

1 Parmesan rind

Toast or Garlic bread for serving

Begin by adding the onion and carrot to a soup pot with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables have softened a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and start to brown, break it into small pieces as you stir occasionally. When the sausage is mostly cooked add the garlic. After 2-3 minutes the garlic should produce a strong aroma, now add the broth. I would start with 1 and a 1/2 quarts and reserve extra in case you need to add it after the pasta has thickened the soup. Bring the pot to a boil and then add the kale. Reduce to simmer and toss in the Parmesan rind. Allow to simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Remove the Parmesan rind and taste to see if it needs a touch more salt and pepper. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions (mine said 4 minutes). If the soup is too thick add the remaining broth. That’s it, enjoy! So easy : )

The Best Chili

Chili needs no introduction, it’s the ultimate comfort food. We love it all winter long but it’s especially good for our current snow day. We love to use Elk or Venison because it adds a rich gaminess that blends so well with all the spices. A little bit of bacon adds smokiness and just enough extra fat. If you are using ground beef instead of game, I would omit the bacon.

What you need:

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb ground venison, elk, or bison

2 -3 slices of bacon, chopped into small pieces

1 small sweet onion, finely chopped

2 poblano peppers, finely chopped

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp dried crushed chipotle chilies

1/2 tsp dried onion powder

1 tsp dried oregano

2 cups of tomato sauce (15 oz can)

2 cups of low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 15 oz can of dark red kidney beans

1 15 oz can of black beans

Salt and pepper

Begin by adding the butter and olive oil into a soup pot and turning the burner to medium. Toss in the onions, peppers, chopped bacon, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally. After the bacon has rendered and the onions and peppers have softened up quite a bit add all of the spices. Coat the peppers and onions with the spices. Let that cook for a minute and then add your meat. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top and brown the meat. Chop up the meat while stirring occasionally and when it’s mostly cooked add the tomato sauce and broth. Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer for around 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and make sure the bottom isn’t burning. After about 45 minutes rinse and drain the beans and then add them to the pot. Taste and see if it needs any additional salt or seasonings. Cook for another 10-15 minutes and then it’s ready to serve. If you can make this a a day in advance it’s even better the second day. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, corn chips, and/or corn bread. Yum!