Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

My husband loves soup...he could eat it almost every day and actually tends to do just that! Even more than his love for soup, is his love for anything "lemon"! This seemed to be the perfect recipe option to please everyone, especially myself, who was wanting to use up some leftover chicken that I had in the refrigerator. To my surprise, the soup was even a big hit with my 3 1/2 year old--his exact words were "Mommy, you made a great soup!" (Talk about melting your heart!) I very much enjoyed the soup, but did feel that the lemon was a tad bit overpowering, as was the amount of soup base that the recipe called for--it tasted a little "salty" to me. I would suggest cutting back a little on the lemon juice and perhaps only adding 4 tablespoons of soup base, instead of 6, but all in all, this was a nice, hearty soup...it would be excellent with a loaf of French bread!

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

8 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
6 tablespoons chicken soup base
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cooked white rice
1 cup diced, cooked chicken meat
16 slices lemon
8 egg yolks

Directions:

In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, carrots, onions, celery, soup base, and white pepper. Bring to a boil on high, then simmer for 20 minutes.

Blend the butter and the flour together. Then gradually add it to the soup mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes more, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks until light in color. Gradually add some of the hot soup to the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Return the egg mixture to the soup pot and heat through. Add the rice and chicken. Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with lemon slices.

Source: Allrecipes

Oven Roasted Potatoes

I LOVE potatoes...baked, mashed, fried---anything "potato"! I was desperately trying to come up with a new side to go with my Garlic Roasted Chicken and I happened to stumble across this recipe. These might go down as my absolute favorite potatoes--my husband couldn't stop raving about them and don't forget...he's SUPER picky! My favorite part about this recipe was that I was able to put all of the spices in my spice rack to use--you know, the ones the "novice cook" like myself have never even opened! I didn't even think I had marjoram on hand, but sure enough, I had an entire little unopened jar! (Of course I still have no idea what it is!) All kidding aside, these potatoes were just bursting with flavor and per my husband's request, they will definitely enter into my "rotation".

Oven Roasted Potatoes

1/8 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).

In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, basil, marjoram, dill weed, thyme, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir in potatoes until evenly coated. Place potatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet.

Roast for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Garlic Roasted Chicken

My family and I have been attempting to eat a bit healthier lately, so this seemed like the perfect recipe! I'm horribly ashamed to admit this, but this is maybe the third time in my entire lifetime that I've made a whole chicken--for some reason, they intimidate me! I can never seem to carve it so it actually appears presentable, but I was up for a challenge. This chicken was absolutely delicious! As I cut into it, the juices flowed out--it was incredibly tender and moist. The recipe calls for a three pound chicken, but I would highly suggest either getting one larger chicken or making two, because I think it would reheat really well--especially if served with the gravy. By no means am I a gravy fan, but the gravy for this recipe was pretty good, if I do say so myself! I opted to use chicken broth instead of wine and apple juice, instead of sherry and I would certainly make it that way again. The only thing I did differently was use lime juice instead of a lime wedge, as I did not have any actual limes on hand.

Garlic Roasted Chicken

(1) 3 lb broiler/fryer chicken
1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth, divided
1 lime wedge
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 bay leaf
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
2 tablespoons sherry or apple juice

Directions:

Place chicken breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup wine or broth, lime wedges, garlic, bay leaf and thyme. Pour into cavity of chicken. Pour remaining wine or broth in roasting pan. Sprinkle chicken with paprika. Loosely tent with foil. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes, basting occasionally. Remove foil; bake 40-45 minutes longer or until juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees F, basting occasionally. Add additional wine or broth to pan of liquid evaporates.

Discard bay leaf and lime wedges. Remove chicken to a serving platter and let stand for 10 minutes before carving. Pour drippings and loosened brown bits into a measuring cup. Skim fat. In a saucepan, combine the cornstarch, bouillon and sherry or juice until smooth. Gradually stir in drippings. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy with chicken.

Source: Allrecipes.com