I'm sorry for my Summer-ish sabbatical! I didn't realize I would be so missed, lol!!! Thank you for that! I can't get over the number of messages, calls, etc. I have received about coming back. So, here I am at 5am on a Saturday morning, sitting in the dark so that no one detects that they could potentially go ahead and start raising the roof at this hour! There's one drawback to kids who have good sleep habits...they have TONS of energy and it starts the very second their eyes open! haha...
Fall is in the air and it makes me want roasted chicken and veggies! But when those back to school days hit...so do all the activities and time is short! This is the quicky version - not one of those impressive scratch dinners - it is going back to basics!
What you need...
1 head of cabbage
4 chicken leg quarters
salt and pepper
Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage and wash. Remove the stem, lower 2-3 inches. Roughly chop the cabbage and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Generously pepper. I do add a pinch of salt, but I like to let it soak up all the flavors of the chicken and then test for salt in order to keep the sodium down a little. Top cabbage with chicken legs quarters, add several turns of cracked pepper and a pinch of salt to chicken. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.
Remove chicken to a baking dish. Preheat oven to 400F. Bake chicken on the top rack for about 15 minutes or until skin is gently browned and crisp. Serve warm with cabbage and your choice of tomatoes!
*Vegetarian - this cabbage works fine with 1/2 cup veggie broth added!
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| What you need... |
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| Tear outer leaves off cabbage, and wash... |
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| Remove the bottom, a couple inches, and roughly chop... |
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| Add to slow cooker and generously pepper, I don't use to use as much salt, but I do add a little, then test it when it's done and add more if needed. It will get a lot of flavor fem the chicken! |
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| Top the cabbage with the chicken quarters, add salt and cracked pepper. |
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| Cook on high for 4 hours. |
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| Remove chicken to an oven safe dish. Bake at 400F on top rack for about 15 minutes, just long enough to brown up the skin. |
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| Serve with cabbage... |
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| Fall Fare... |
Baked Tomatoes (2 ways)
I LOVE tomatoes...Like, love them the way Bubba Blue does shrimp in Forrest Gump. If I were stranded on a dessert island, salsa would be in my survivor kit. Tomato soup has always been my favorite, and really I would prefer to roast the whole tomatoes with garlic and balsamic vinegar, which I will share soon! But when a chill is in the air and the boys are headed to a Scout meeting, this is a faster version and still gives you the warm fuzzies! Yes....this is me simply spicing up a can of tomatoes! Good ol' sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper sure make a fabulous side option if they are still available locally!
What you need...
28 oz. can Whole Tomatoes
1 heel of bread
drizzle of honey
1 tablespoon butter
olive oil spray
Preheat oven to 400F. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with olive oil spray. Spoon out the whole tomatoes and place them into the dish, top with about half of the tomato juice from the can. Tear up the heel of bread into small pieces and spread out on top of the tomatoes. Gently drizzle with a tiny bit of honey, not even 1 tsp. Cut the butter into tiny pieces and dot them around on top. Bake at 400F for about 15 minutes or until bubbly, cool slightly and serve!
or
28 oz. can Whole Tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh Basil Pesto
Preheat oven to 400F. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with olive oil spray. Spoon out the whole tomatoes and place them into the dish, top with about half of the tomato juice from the can. Top with 1 tablespoon of Fresh Pesto, spreading it all around. Gently stir it into the tomatoes. Bake at 400F for about 15 minutes or until bubbly, cool slightly and serve. *This is wonderful over baked chicken as a sauce too!!!
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| What you need... |
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| Spoon out tomatoes, then top them with about half of the juice from the can... |
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| Tear up the heel of bread and top tomatoes with the pieces, drizzle with honey... |
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| Dot with pieces of butter... |
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| Bake at 400F for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned on top... |
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| or stir in pesto and bake at 400F for 15 minutes! |
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| Enjoy! |
