Baked Garlic Chicken served with Bacon Mashed Potatoes and Beet-Arugula Salad

This chicken recipe I got from Marc's mom. She made it one night with baked potatoes and I nearly died. It was amazing. So after raving about it, she gave marc and I the spices so I could make it. So sweet! Like most recipes, this was told to me verbally so I'm sure that I don't make it exactly the same way...which is probably why it never turns out as good as when she makes it.

Tonight I decided that I wanted to use up some of the random things in my fridge like basil, heavy cream and bacon, soooo.....I made rather unhealthy mashed potatoes to go with the meal. I also made a beet-arugula salad. But other than the potatoes, the meal is really healthy. Serious food for fall!

This dish serves about 4.

Prosciutto-Sage Wrapped Pork Chops

This meal is super easy, yet very gourmet. I adapted the recipe from one of Jamie Oliver's. I served it with a side of sauteed kale and no starch since the pork is rich and filling enough already.

Amaranth Carrot Raisin Biscuits

These are not your ordinary biscuits. The taste of amaranth is very distinct and these biscuits are unlike any other.  They are a bit savory and a bit sweet.

Spinach-Matzoh Pie!

Sadly, this picture does not even represent how delicious this pie is. I have made it three times, and the last for my book club. I think it went over well. The good thing is it can be as healthy or as rich as you want it to be. I have made it with low fat milk and cottage cheese and it has turned out just as good. I think the trick is using fresh dill. And while it is not a requirement, two of the times I made it, I let it sit overnight in the fridge because I was having company and needed it to be prepared in advance. That is a true bonus--coming home and popping it in the oven. This recipe is adapted from Epicurious.

Goat Cheese Lamb Bolonese

I made this sauce tonight because I wanted something fast for dinner. This is definitely a good dish for the cold, wintery weather, even we aren't quite there yet! Can you tell I can't wait for the cold? The goat cheese is just enough to make the sauce creamy but not overpowering. As well as the lamb and the goat cheese complement each other nicely.

The sauce is inspired by Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbook's 5 minute tomato sauce but I kicked it up to a new level with the meat and the cheese.

I served my sauce over pasta with a side of sauteed rapini. For the rapini, I cooked in a splash of olive oil, salt, pepper, and 4 cloves of minced garlic. This was the perfect side. The entire meal took 30 minutes to cook start to finish.

Steak with Bok Choy in Ginger-Soy Sauce

This meal is amazing because you can have it on the table in literally 20 minutes. It is another Jamie Oliver Inspired meal. I don't usually cook a lot of red meat but Marc's mom sent him Allen Brothers Steaks. They have some amazing cuts of meat. What a smart gift-- amazing steaks delivered to your door and poof! a live-in girlfriend to cook them for you!

Chicken in a Sage-Marjoram-Leek Cream Sauce

Here is another Jamie Oliver inspired recipe, however, I basically just highjacked the ingredients and then modified them to my own tastes. I did not follow his cooking methods at all because, well that's what I like to do with recipes!