Fresh Lime Margarita

Fresh Lime Margarita

1 1/2 cups gold tequila
3/4 cup Triple Sec
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons sugar
8 cups crushed ice
2 tablespoons kosher salt
6 lime wedges

Combine tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons sugar in large pitcher; stir to dissolve sugar. Add crushed ice. Mix salt and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in shallow bowl. Moisten rim of 6 Margarita glasses with lime wedge. Holding each glass upside down, dip rim into sugar-salt mixture. Pour Margarita into glasses. Garnish with lime wedges.

Herb Roasted Chicken with a Mushroom Cream Sauce

So yummy!!!! This is something that I derived from about 4 different recipes and made it into one...its easy! I actually used a whole chicken but it would be easier to use SKIN ON and BONE IN chicken breasts. You want to put the herbs between the skin and the breast meat to really give the chicken some flavor. I had all of these herbs in my garden but use what you like. I had a lot of yellow squash that I needed to make so I made a squash casserole to serve along side and some yummy bread. Its a crowd pleaser...you could make this for a dinner party as well and it would be a hit.

Ingredients
1 whole fryer chicken OR 4 skin on, bone in chicken breasts
1 T chopped rosemary
1T chopped thyme
1T chopped basil
1T chopped parsley
2 t olive oil
1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
1 pint of mushrooms
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup cream
2 T dijon mustard
1/2 T chopped tarragon (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse and pat dry chicken. Separate the skin from the meat by working your fingers under the skin until you've created a pocket to put herbs. In a small bowl mix herbs together with oil, salt, and pepper. Put herb mixture under the skin and spread around on the meat so its distributed evenly. Put some vegetable oil on top of chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper (the oil will help crisp up the skin). Place on baking sheet and in the oven for about 40 min or until done.
Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 10 minutes (so you let all of the juices redistribute throughout the meat). While the chicken is resting put 1 T butter in saucepan with mushrooms. Cook mushrooms about 8 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and mushrooms are starting to brown. Add wine and mustard and stir for 1 min. Add cream and let thicken for about 3 minutes. Add tarragon right before removing from heat. Serve mushroom cream sauce over chicken. ENJOY!!!!

Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinach

I know its been over a month since I've posted a new recipe...sorry about that. April was quite a busy month with vacation, Easter, and lovely weather. I have been cooking and making all sort of new recipes. I want to share this one with you that I made last week. It was great! If you aren't a fan of gnocchi you can use any pasta as well...rigatoni would be great. I also added much more spinach than the recipe calls for. I used 2 bags of spinach since I love it! Go easy on the salt...between the sausage and Parm thats plenty. Add a kick by using some hot sausage, if you like that sort of thing. Anyways, this recipe came from Real Simple magazine. ENJOY!!!!




Ingredients

• 2 9 ounce refrigerated gnocchi or one 17.5 ounce package shelf stable gnocchi
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 5 ounce bag baby spinach
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 Cup (3 ounces) grated Parmesan, plus more for garnishing

Directions

1. Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling it with a spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, spinach, salt, and pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Add the drained gnocchi, the reserved cooking liquid, and the Parmesan and toss. Divide among individual bowls and sprinkle with additional Parmesan.