Lemon and Rosemary Martini

Tags

cocktail, gin, gluten free, lemon, martini, rosemary, Southern

One of my favorite things about living in Lexington is the food scene. We have tons of new restaurants and food based events. This past week, we had Burger Week; 36 establishments created and sold a $5 specialty burger. Some were creative, using things like kimchi or other non-traditional toppings. Others were more traditional but used high end ingredients like homemade corned beef with homemade kraut and dressing. This week encourages you to go out and try new places.

While at Napa Prime, located between Lexington and Versailles, I was pleased to see a Lemon and Rosemary Martini on the menu. Though I drank sangria that night, I was inspired to go home and create. Below is my version. Multiply this recipe by the number of total drinks you want to make…. Or just be selfish and make one only for you….

Lemon and Rosemary Martini

• 2 oz gin (or vodka if you prefer) *use gluten free spirits for gluten free version
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz simple syrup
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• Ice, preferably crushed
• Lemon peel and additional rosemary to garnish

In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, juice, syrup and the rosemary sprigs. Top with ice and then shake vigorously. Strain and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with the lemon peel and a rosemary sprig. Serves 1.

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Rosemary Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Sitka Spruce Salt

Tags

fingerling, gluten free, potatoes, roasted, rosemary, side dish, sitka salt, spruce, vegetarian

One of the best side dishes is roasted potatoes. Simple. Frugal. Delicious.

Rosemary Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Sitka Spruce Salt

• 1 lb fingerling potatoes
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Sitka spuce salt for finishing

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Halve each of the fingerling potatoes. Place in a cast iron skillet and drizzle with olive oil. Add rosemary, salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Right before serving, sprinkle the potatoes with the finishing salt. Serves 2 to 3.

Rosemary Garlic Grilled Chicken

Tags

chicken, garlic, gluten free, grilled, marinade, rosemary, summer

Here is a quick chicken recipe perfect for any cookout or quick weekend meal. It only uses ingredients you probably already have. And you can use the leftovers to top salad or place in wraps.

Rosemary Garlic Grilled Chicken

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp microplaned garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
• 1/8 cup lemon juice or vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, whisk together the garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Marinade the chicken in the mixture for 3 to 5 hours. Grill over medium heat until the chicken is cooked though and the juice runs clear, about 5 minutes on each side.

Onion Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Tags

food, garlic, main dish, meat, onion, pork, rosemary, tenderloin

Periodically I get stuck in a rut. I tend to use an ingredient like crazy then totally forget it exists. I have been using a lot of chicken as of late and very little pork. After the delicious pork tacos the other day, I was reminded of just how awesome pork is. So here is another great recipe embracing the beauty of pork.

Onion Crusted Pork Tenderloin 

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add olive oil to an over-proof saute pan (I used a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. In a saute pan, over medium-high heat and add butter, onion, garlic, and rosemary. Cook until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Rinse the tenderloin and pat dry. Season liberally with salt and pepper and place pork in pan. Pour shallot mixture over the pork. Roast until a thermometer placed in the center of the meat registers 155 degrees, about 20 minutes. Remove the pork from oven and let rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Slice tenderloin and garnish with additional rosemary.

Rosemary Spiced Nuts

Tags

almond, appetizer, gluten free, rosemary, snack, spiced, vegetarian

A quick little snack for your cocktail hour. Or in my case, a snack to make the work hours more bearable.

Rosemary Spiced Nuts

• 1 lb whole almonds
• 2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the minced rosemary, cayenne, salt, and nuts in a large bowl. In a small bowl, melt the butter and the sugar together. Pour the butter over the nuts. Toss well to coat. Spread the nuts in an even layer on a large baking sheet and warm them in the oven for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through baking time.

Honey Rosemary Pork Chops

Tags

food, gluten free, grilled, honey, pork, rosemary

I have been on a grilling kick lately. Grilled Margarita Pizza, Honey-Glazed Grilled Plums with Ricotta and Thyme, Grilled Vegetable Tacos, Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese-Bacon Vinaigrette. I like grilling because it means less dishes, a cooler house, and a tasty meal.

One Year Ago: Family Reunions and Cornbread Salad (one of my favorite recipes!)

Honey Rosemary Pork Chops (from Plain Chicken)

1/8 cup honey
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
4 6-ounce boneless pork chops, each about 3/4-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat a clean grill to medium-high with the lid closed for 8-10 minutes.  Lightly brush the grates with oil.

In a small bowl whisk together the honey, olive oil, and rosemary. Season chops with the salt and pepper to taste.  Lightly brush the honey-rosemary glaze on both sides of each chop.

Place the chops on the grill.  Close the lid and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Turn the chops and baste with remaining glaze.  Continue cooking for 6 to 8 more minutes for medium.  Remove the chops from the heat and set aside to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Lemon Tart with Rosemary Crust

Tags

dessert, food, lemon, rosemary, summer, tart

Yesterday the hubby and I went to an awesome Derby Day/Cinco De Mayo/Retirement Party at a friends house. Plenty of good food, enjoyable company, and lots of laughs. I love afternoons spent with friends!

The hostess requested I bring something sweet. I didn’t want to do something traditional like cookies, brownies, etc. Not enough pizzazz for such a momentous party. Plus, some of my foodie friends were there. Can’t let them down. And I needed a nice post to follow up my Derby themed food week.

This little tart is divine. Just enough sweet but still plenty of tart lemon flavor. And the rosemary adds a special feel to it. This is perfect for a summer picnic, BBQ, or even a baby shower. It was easy to make and was a big hit at the party.

Lemon Tart with Rosemary Crust

Filling: (from Happy Yolks)

• 1 cup plain, full fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Crust: (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon frozen butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary

In a food processor, add flour, sugar, rosemary and salt. Pulse to mix. Add in the butter, blending until there are no more chunks of butter. Add the egg and pulse until the flour mixture becomes dough like. On a floured surface, turn out the dough and kneed until the dry dough bits are mixed in.  Press into a tart pan or a glass pie plate. Freeze crust for 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil (or use nonstick foil) and fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.

In a bowl whisk together the yogurt and the sugar. Add in the lemon juice and zest. Add the eggs. Mix well. Pour into cooled tart shell. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes on 375 degrees or until center is set. Refrigerate for an hour or until cold. (You could also make this in advance if needed).

 

Rosemary Parmesan Chicken with Lemon Dipping Sauce

Tags

chicken, chicken strips, Dinner, lemon, rosemary, sauce, Supper

I have made several versions of oven baked, breaded chicken. This one is made special with the rosemary and the lemony dipping sauce.  It is easy to make and looks/tastes fancy. I served it with a asparagus salad and mushroom wild rice. I had to restrain myself from eating my honey’s portion.

Please excuse the rather sloppy presentation and the crumbs in the dip. I had to sample it 😉

Rosemary Parmesan Chicken with Lemon Dipping Sauce

Chicken:

• 2 chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp rosemary leaves, minced
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Dipping Sauce:

• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp mayo
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp parsley, minced
• Lemon zest
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the bread crumbs, rosemary, garlic, olive oil, cheese, salt, and pepper together and press onto the chicken breasts. Bake at 400 degrees on a greased 9×13 inch glass dish until the juices run clear.

Combine dipping sauce ingredients together and chill before serving.  Makes 2 servings as an entree or 3 servings as an appetizer.

Lavender Rosemary Potatoes

Tags

garlic, gluten free, lavender, potatoes, rosemary, sides, vegetarian

I love the versatility of the potato. Is there any food as flexible? Maybe pasta or rice. But neither are so nutritionally solid.

Lavender Rosemary Potatoes

• 1 russet potato, washed and cut into large cubes
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 small sprig rosemary
• 1 tsp dried lavender buds
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a oven safe baking dish, toss the potatoes with the rosemary, lavender, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Bake on 400 degrees until tender.

Rosemary Olive Oil Buns

Tags

bread, buns, Dinner, herbs, homemade, quick, rosemary, Supper

This recipe is originally from the driven cook, who sadly has taken a brief break from blogging because some jerk broke into her home and stole her computer, etc. She published this gorgeous recipe a couple of months ago but I have had it in my recipe file ever since. I am so pleased by how they turned out and by the ease in which they were made.

I am pairing them with Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loins, a nice salad, and hasselback potatoes (my new addiction).

Rosemary Olive Oil Buns

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 egg, whisked with a little water

In the bottom of a large mixing bowl, combine the water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit and work for 10 minutes or so. Add the flour, salt, rosemary, italian seasoning, pepper, and olive oil. Mix in gently until the rough dough forms. Remove from the bowl and kneed on a floured surface until smooth. Do not overwork, as it will lead to tough bread. Place in a greased bowl and allow to rise for an hour, until doubled in size. Separate into even balls (I had enough for 6) and set on a greased cookie sheet. Allow to rise for 45 minutes. Coat the buns with the egg wash for a nice surface color. Bake at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.