Dinner Updates

I have been making some fabulous dinners. I may sound a little full of myself, but that's because I am. I'm full in my stomach from all these incredible dinners! Get it?! Me neither... But seriously, I need to give some shout outs to where I've been getting my dinner inspirations from. Now, I'm not very skilled at the whole photography thing, so I decided not to take pictures of most of the meals. But I captured a few for you=)

Pizza Mac N' Cheese- This in in my family's top 5 favorite meals I've made! Cassie Craves is such a great dinner resource whenever I don't know that to make. She has never steered me wrong and I love this recipe. It sounds like a heavy dish, but there's a ton of veggies in there surprisingly. I definitely will be making this again.

Chicken with Pesto Mushrrom Cream Sauce- One of the comments we kept saying about this dish was how juicy the chicken was! I don't know if that was more due to the recipe or me, but we loved that. The pesto mushroom cream suace was great and great for dipping breadsticks into. This meal packed so much taste and it reminded me of something you would get at Olive Garden. Thanks again Cassie!

Garlic Breadsticks- I was so excited to make these! I've never thaought about making something like this from scratch and it always seemed impossible. But really, these were incredibly easy. I loved adding butter, garlic, italian seasoning, and tons of parmesan cheese on top. We really personalized them to our tastes. I made them really huge, but that didn't stop me from having seconds=)

Mexican Sour Cream Rice- This was from quite awhile ago but I remember we defnitely enjoyed it!

Salsa Verde Turkey Burgers- These were some fantastic looking burgers! They were so fun to make and I loved the avocado aioli sauce that came with it. I went a little crazy with the red onion, so don't do that. Overall, these were a disappointement. They looked great and had some great components, but the taste just wasn't there. No amount of salt could fix it either, though ketchup helped.='(

Cowboy Quesadillas- These were very easy to put together and since we haven't had quesadillas in awhile, they were much welcomed. I especially loved the bbq ranch dipping sauce, but I am a lover of all dips=) So this gets a thumbs up!

Well these are some of the meals I have been cooking up for my family! It's a little strange for an 18 year old girl to be cooking dinner for her family most nights, but I love it! Hopefully I post up our dinners sooner so I can remember what we thought of them while it's still fresh in my mind. It was one of my New Years Resolutions to cook more homemade dinners for my family, and so far  I think I'm doing fabulously=)

Weekly Dinners #2

So I have been up to a lot lately. That makes having regular dinners difficult=/ I have two major papers I'm trying to start early so I am not overwhelmed, but the deadlines are still coming up on me. And, I'm trying to still choose between two colleges. It's sooo difficult=( I'm staying over night at one of them in 2 weeks so hopefully that will help my decision.


Then, throw in musical rehearsals after school most days. I love musical so much but it does eat away at my time. I have a really nice role this year so I can't complain too much=) We're doing Little Shop of Horrors this year. If you know anything about the show you probably know there's a blood thirsty plant in it. We have rubber bloody body parts and everything. My role is one of the Ronettes. We're a group of doo-wap style singers that narrate the show basically. I'm on stage a ton dancing and singing, I have a solo, and we get some really fun costume changes! I'm so excited=)




Indian Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice:
As soon as I saw this dish, I knew I was going to make it no matter what. I am SOOO glad I made this. This is the best dinner I have ever made. The basmati rice was so easy I might even make it more often. The chicken and the sauce. I am speechless. Utterly speechless. I loved this beyond belief. Ok. Done talking about it now.


Lemon Dressing Drizzled Chickpea and Sweet Pepper Arugula Salad:
I wanted to have some lighter and refreshing options for dinner. This was good for an evening when we wanted a lighter side to some leftovers. And, I ended up having it for lunch for the rest of the week. I might try adding some mustard to the dressing (which was good already) for more flavor. Pretty good salad. I love chickpeas and peppers and the arugula has a citrus bite to it.

Chicken Lasagna:
Not photographed, due to its sloppy and unphotogenic manner, but oh so delicious. We can't actually have lasagna at my house because my dad and my sister don't like red sauce. If you've been reading my blog for any length of time you may have realized what kind of picky eaters I have to deal with on a day to day basis. Not cool. But, I decided to appeal to them for this meal. This is lasagna with a white sauce and a ton of flavor. Definitely 5 stars.


Winning recipe of Weekly Dinners #2? Indian Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice. I must make this again!

White Chicken Enchiladas & Spinach and Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese

As part of a new initiative to try to have more home cooked meals, my mom and I picked out three meals to make for one week. We gathered our ingredients at the store and put ourselves in the mindset that, yes, we were going to do the dang thing.

When looking for great dinner ideas, I recommend Cassie Craves. She promptly posts daily and has the most amazing breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes. They are all doable and nothing too elaborate. Perfect for anyone's family! I admire her great dishes all the time (and drool a little), but now it was time I finally tried one! I did attempt her stick chicken drumsticks a long while back, and they were a HIT! So I knew I could trust in her other recipes;)

We actually made two of her recipes. First: White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce.

The ingredients for this recipe are so simple, but you're still creating a masterpiece of a dish. Cassie has signature enchiladas she makes from time to time and they are just adorable. I liked the looks of this one especially. It all was so easy to make and the results we amazing! I just loved this dish so much. I can't wait to try the other varieties of enchiladas she has on her blog. Check her out!

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce
from Cassie Craves

8-10 soft taco size flour tortillas

2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided

2 cups shredded cooked chicken
3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream

1 7-ounce can diced green chiles
Cilantro for garnish, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix together 1 cup of the cheese and the chicken. Place an equal amount of the mixture into each tortilla, roll up and place seam side down into a 9 x 13-inch pan.

2. In a skillet or saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in sour cream and green chiles. Pour over the top of the enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Second: Spinach and Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese

This looked too good not to try. I love spinach and artichoke dip and this turns it into a main course. And, like Cassie mentions, it's a great way to sneak in veggies! My dad and sister actually ate this. And that's saying something. I loved the cheesey goodness and also have healthy veggies tucked.

Please excuse my lack of photos=(

Spinach and Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese
from Cassie Craves

1 pound short-cut pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups milk
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 can chopped artichoke hearts in water, drained
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, plus additional for sprinkling on top
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top

1. Place a large pot of water over high heat to cook the pasta. When the water is boiling, salt it well and drop in the pasta. Cook to al dente, according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and reserve.

2. While the pasta is cooking, place a medium pot over medium-low heat with the olive oil and the butter. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook the veggies until very soft, about 10 minutes.

3. Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, then whisk the chicken stock into the pan, cooking for another minute. Whisk the milk into the pan and bring up to a bubble. Add the vegetables and salt and pepper to taste to the sauce and simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cheeses to the sauce and stir until melted.

4. Toss the prepared sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle more of the cheeses over the top and broil under low heat until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown.

I will definitely be making more of her recipes in the future!!

Doughnuts and Dip

How's my week been you might ask?
Here's a quick recap:

Monday: Snow Cancellation
Tuesday: Snow Cancellation
Wednesday: Snow Cancellation
Thursday: Snow Cancellation
Friday: Snow Cancellation

Yeah. It's been rough and strenuous. But it's left plenty of time for baking and such things. That does leave me with a lot of goodies sitting around to stare at... Ahhh temptation!

I also made a stop at Pittsburgh's best breakfast place in town. Hands down. De Luca's Restaurant is my favorite pancake place ever. They have a fantastic menu with some of the best seafood options for a diner since they're lucky enough to be located right next to Pittsburgh best seafood markets. And they have a million other good eats with an extensive breakfast and sandwich menu. But they're pancakes are the best best best I've ever had. I got the cinnamon bun pancakes with a warm gooey apple cinnamon topping! My mom got the supreme banana split sundae pancakes. They have a mound of ice cream, whipped topping, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, cherries, candied pecans and all on buttermilk pancakes! Of course I tried some=)

Here's a few little things I've cooked up:

Doughnuts (I only made 1/4 of this recipe, so 2 mini doughnuts haha)
from Culinary in the Desert

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vanilla sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, olive oil and vanilla.

Pour into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Evenly divide the mixture between the wells of a 12-hole miniature doughnut pan. Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove and carefully turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

In a small bowl, stir together sugar and enough lemon juice to make a thick, but fluid icing. Dip top half of doughnut into the icing.


So I didn't take any pictures of this=( But this is my most favorite version of buffalo chicken dip EVER. I enjoy steaming hot, warm, and even straight from the fridge cold! Serve it with some blue corn chips and I'm a happy camper.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 lb shredded chicken breast
1/2-3/4 cup hot sauce
1 cup ranch dressing
2 8 oz packages of cream cheese
2 generous cups of cheddar cheese

Get out a 9 X 13 baking dish. Quickly grill chicken on your George Foreman, 3-5 mins. Shred your chicken well.

Saute the shredded chicken with your hot sauce until juices are absorbed and the chicken is heated through. Add cream cheese and ranch dressing. Once the cream cheese is pretty well melted in, pour contents in the 9 X13 dish. Even dump the cheddar cheese over top.

Cook for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbling, so probably less would be okay. Allow to cool for 10 mins. It WILL be hot!

Creamy Chicken Filled Turnovers

I've been trying to do more cookbook recipes instead of frozen meals or fast food. Back to basics recipes. No I don"t mean Ina Garten, but just some good home cooking. Too often I come home and end up just throwing odds n' ends food items together and call it a "meal". No more. I want to sit down and have a nice dinner. Now, don't get me wrong, I do have parents but I've kinda taken over as the cook in the family so some of the responsibility is placed to me. And trust me, my mom cooks plenty of nice meals, but coming home at 5 doesn't give much time and I'm soo hungry at that point that traditional meals are far off.

So I took some initiative and pulled out some recipes. Beginning with a crowd pleaser that I knew everyone in my family would enjoy.

These chicken turnovers were great dipped in a sauce stolen from another recipe in the book. They could have been a bit creamier on the inside but that was hardly a draw back. These are a great appetizer idea but there is a ton of labor involved. With the3 pastry making, rolling, and cutting. Then chicken grilling and shredding. But they were fun to make and super good to eat!

Creamy Chicken Filled Turnovers
from Land O Lakes "Treasury of Country Recipes" pg 11

Ingredients:
Pastry:
-1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
-1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
-1/2 c. butter
-2 to 4 tbsp. cold water

Filling:
-2 tbsp. butter
-2 tbsp. finely chopped onion
-1 1/2 c. cooked, shredded chicken
-3 oz. cream cheese
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. thyme
-1/4 tsp. pepper
-3 tbsp. chicken broth

Directions:
In 10" skillet melt butter; add onion. Cook over medium heat until softened (4-5 minutes). Stir in remaining filling ingredients. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until cream cheese is melted and heated through (2-3 minutes). Set aside.

Heat oven to 375. In medium bowl, combine all pastry ingredients except butter and water. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in water; shape into ball. On lightly floured surface roll out dough to 1/16" thickness. Cut with floured 2 1/2" round cookie cutter.

Place 1 tsp. filling on one half of circle; fold other half over. Press edges with fork to seal. Place on cookie sheets; repeat with remaining pastry and filling. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.


I made this dip for the turnovers, because I just love the idea of having dips for everything. Honestly, everything I eat is better when one thing is dipped into another. I always eat like that. I guess it's the contrasting textures that makes me love it so!

Dip
from Land O Lakes "Treasury of Country Cooking" pg 8
Combine:
1 c. sour cream
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp milk

Market District Cooking Class

I had my first Giant Eagle Market District Cooking Class today. It was fabulous! It was Mastering the Art of French Cooking based off of Julia Child's cookbook. All classes were free for the month of November, and although we had been hoping for other classes, this was the only one left with any available room. But, who could complain about learning to cook like Julia Child?! (No, I have seen Julie & Julia yet, but I want really want to!)

I went with my mom, of course, and altogether there were twelve in the class. We split into groups of four and we were paired with two sisters. It was a great group. We laughed, made mistakes, questioned and learned. Each group was assigned a Market District chef, and we were lucky enough to get the coordinator of the class. They also gave cute little binders for us to put the recipes we learned into it. And, for when we come back, we can add others to it.

On the menu was a gratin dauphinois (cheesey potatoes), coq au vin (chicken in red wine with onions, mushrooms, and bacon), and le tarte demoiselles tatin (upside-down apple tart) with creme anglaise.

We began with a demonstration on how to make creme anglaise. Then, we started with the apple tart so it could have time to bake. My mom and I went to making the crust while Julie and Lisa (the sisters), worked on peeling and slicing the apples. Well, my mom and I screwed up the crust (we all knew it was coming, right?) and so it had to be thrown out. Trust me, we were laughing about it=). So then we traded jobs and they got to make the crust, this time with the correct amount of sugar...

After they assembly of the tart, they were placed in the oven and we could begin working on the chicken. Chef David, our instructor, gave such great tips and tricks and really made us feel relaxed. We were able to have a lot of fun.

Mid way through the chicken we worked on the potatoes. It was just layered potatoes in a pie shell with cheese. Classic yet delicious.

The chicken was cooked in three cups of red wine and came out fabulously.I have now decided that that is my favorite way to eat chicken! The gratin was good, however, not great. But the apple tart with creme anglaise, incredible!!!

It was such a good time and the food was fabulous. At the end, we got the catalog for the classes in the coming months. These ones coming up will no longer be free, but I think it is well worth it.

Unfortunately I did not take any pictures, although it was visually adorable food. But I am including the awesome recipes!

Gratin Dauphinois

Ingredients
2 lbs. potatoes (6 to 7 cups when sliced)
1/2 clove unpeeled garlic
4 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup (4 oz.) grated Swiss cheese
1 cup boiling milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8" thick. Place in a basin of cold water. Drain when ready to use. Select a round metal (fire-proof) dish 10" in diameter and 2" deep and rub with cut garlic. Smear the inside of the dish with 1 tbsp. butter. Drain the potatoes and dry them in a towel. Spread half of them in the bottom of the dish. Divide over them half of the salt, pepper, cheese, and butter. Arrange remiaing potatoes over the first layer, and season them. Spread on the rest of the cheese and ivide the butter over it. Pour on the boiling milk, Set baking dish over heated stove and when simmering, set in upper third of preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, milk has been absorbed, and the top is nicely browned.

**I would add a lot more salt and pepper and definitely more cheese. Possibly a different cheese as well.

Coq Au Vin (chicken in red wine with onions, mushrooms, and bacon)

Ingredients
3 (4 oz.) chunk of lean bacon
2 tbsp. butter
2 1/2 to 3 lbs. cut-up frying chicken
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup cognac
3 cups young, full bodied red wine (Burgungy, Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, Chianti, Cabernet)
1 to 2 cups chicken stock
1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 cloves garlic
4 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaf

Directions:
Remove the rind of bacon and cut into lardons (rectangles 1/4 inch across and 1 inch long). Simmer for 10 minutes in 2 quarts of water. Rinse in cold water. Dry.

In a heavy 10" casserole, add butter. Sauté the bacon slowly in hot butter until it is very lightly browned. Remove from pan.

Dry the chicken thoroughly. Brown it in the hot fat in the casserole.

Season the chicken. Return the bacon to the casserole with the chicken. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.

Uncover and pour in the cognac. Averting your face, ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the casserole back and forth for several seconds until the flames subside. *we didn't do this.

Pour the wine into the casserole. Add just enough stock to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Bring to the simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 25 to 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and its juices run a clear yellow when the meat is
pricked with a fork. Remove the chicken to a side dish.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Simmer the chicken cooking liquid in the casserole for a minute or two, skimming off the fat. Then raise the heat and boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 1/4 cups. Correct seasoning. Remove from heat, discard bay leaf.

Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste. Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to the simmer, stirring, and simmer for a minute or two. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

Arrange the chicken in the casserole, place the mushrooms and onions around it and baste with the sauce. Serve from the casserole, or arrange on a hot platter. Decorate with sprigs of parsley.


Brown-Braised Onions:
12 to 24 small white onions, peeled 1" in diameter
1 1/2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tbsp. oil
1/2 cup beef stock or red wine
4 parsley sprigs
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. softened butter

Directions:
Place skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. When the butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet, add the onions and saute over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect to brown them uniformly. Meanwhile, wrap parsley, bay leaf, and thyme in cheesecloth. Pour liquid in pan and add herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 or so minutes or until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated.

Mushrooms:
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, washed, well dried, left whole if small,
sliced or quartered if large
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
Place a skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. During their saute the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear in thier surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.

**when salted, it is heavenly!

Le Tarte Des Demoiselles Tatin (upside-down apple tart)

Ingredients
Crust:
2/3 cup flour
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. butter, chilled and cut into bits
1 1/2 tbsp. shortening, cold
2 1/3- 3 tbsp. cold water
Filling:
4 lbs. firm cooking apples (Golden Delicious)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Optional: 1tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp. softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tbsp. melted butter

Directions:
Place the flour, sugar, and alt in the food processor fitted with steel blade. Add butter and shortening. Pulse 4 or 5 times. With processor running, pour in water until dough forms a ball. If not, drizzle in a little more water. Scrape dough out onto a slightly floured surface. With the heel of one hand, rapidly press the pastry down on the board and away from you in a firm quick smear. Gather dough again into a mass and form a round ball. Sprinkle it lightly with flour. Wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled.

Quarter, core, and peel the apples. Cut into half length-wise slices 1/8 inch thick. Toss in a bowl with the 1/3 cup of sugar and cinnamon. You should have about 10 cups of apples. Select a round baking dish that is 9- 10" in diameter and 2- 2 1/2" deep, and butter heavily, especially on the bottom. Sprinkle half of the remaining sugar on the bottom of the dish and arrange 1/3 of apples over it. Sprinkle with 1/3 of melted butter. Repeat with a layer of half the remaining apples and butter, then a final layer of apples and butter. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar over the apples.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out your pie crust to a thickness of 1/8", and cut it the size of the top of the baking dish. Place it over the apples, allowing its edges to fall against the inside edge of the dish. Cut 4 or 5 holes about 1/8" long in the top of the pastry to allow cooking steam to escape.

Bake in the lower third of the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes. If the pastry begins to brown too much, cover it lightly with aluminum foil. Tart is done when you tilt the dish and see that a thick, brown syrup rather than a light liquid exudes from the apples between the crust and the edge of the dish.

Immediately unmold tart onto a serving dish. If the apples are not a light caramel brown, which is often the case, sprinkle rather heavily with powdered sugar and run under a moderately hot broiler for several minutes to caramelize the surface lightly. Keep warm until serving time, and accompany with a bowl of cream. May also be served cold.

Creme Anglaise

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs yolks
2 tsp. corn starch
1 3/4 cup milk
1 large vanilla bean
1 tbsp. liquer (optional)

Directions:
Split vanilla bea in half and scrape insides into milk. Bring milk to a gentle boil. While waiting for milk to boil start to beat the sugar into the egg yolks and continue beating for 2 or 3 miuntes until the mixture is pale yellow and forms ribbons. Beat starch into mixture. Remove vanilla bean from milk.

While beating the yolk mixture, very slowly pour the boiling milk into the yolk mixture so that the yolks are slowly warmed. Do not add the milk too quickly or the yolks will curdle.

Transfer the mixture to a sauce pan and continuously stir with a wooden spoon over a medium flame until the sauce thickens. Do not let the custard come anywhere near a simmer. Maxium temperature is 165 degrees. Beat the sauce off heat for a minute or two to cool it. Strain through a fine seive. Add liquer to finished sauce.

**The apple tart with the creme anglaise was truly divine!!!!

A bit of catching up

So I have a bit of old business to attend to. First off, a long long time ago (like three weeks), I made these delicious drumsticks! My cooked marinade sauce didn't get thick at all, but it was extremely wonderful! They tasted barbeque-y, I loved the darker spots=), and a bit asian-y with the addition of sesame seeds. We had brown rice with it and I pretty much soaked mine with the cooked marinade sauce. Over all, 3 thumbs up.

Sweet & Sticky Chicken Drumsticks
from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 fresh rosemary sprigs
5 garlic cloves, halved
10 to 12 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Combine the vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves in a large, resealable plastic bag. Shake and squeeze the contents of the bag to dissolve the honey and the brown sugar. Add the chicken to the bag and seal, squeezing out as much air from them as possible. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Remove the chicken drumsticks from the bag, reserving the marinade, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the skin is caramelized and very dark in spots, 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile place the marinade in a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook over low heat until thick, about 15 minutes.

Use a pastry brush to brush some of the cooked marinade on the cooked chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with the sesame seeds and chopped parsley before serving.

Then there was the lemon cream pie. I made this while staying at my grandma's house. That said, I couldn't make anything too sophisticated with my left over lemon curd, (like a slew of lemon cookie type recipes I was looking at). She had limited ingredients and I didn't want to make her pay for a bunch of expensive items I'd need. So I settled on a harmless and easy to make lemon cream pie. I did need to buy a pie crust, and yes it was just your store bought graham cracker crust. Like I said earlier, I didn't have much to work with. Then all else I had to buy was some whipping cream.

I didn't use a recipe really, just the rest of my lemon curd (1 1/2-2 cups left maybe??), which into I folded 1 cup of whipping cream (which I beat until stiff enough), and a store bought pie crust to put it in. No fancy topping and I wouldn't put whipped cream on it since it's already in it. Then I just let it chill over night. Simple.