Foodie Friday: Lemon Thyme Chicken Thighs, Twice Baked Potatoes

This is a two part chicken dish but don't worry it's still super simple! The lemony rub with herbs and seasonings is so good and would probably work really well on the bbq as well. This recipe starts with a quick pan roast just to get the chicken nice and crispy before you finish cooking it in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Ingredients :

8 skin on chicken thighs

Lemon Rub

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

Instructions:

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.Mix all of the lemon rub ingredients together in a bowl

3.Rub the mixture onto each chicken thigh

4. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and place chicken skin side down cook for about 2-3 minutes or until skin is crispy. Flip chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes

5.In another bowl whisk together chicken broth, lemon juice, and lemon zest and set aside

6. Add broth mixture to the pan and place in oven to continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through  about 20-30 minutes

 These twice baked potatoes are an adaptation of the loaded mashed potatoes that I make. I try to bake the potatoes ahead of time so that I don't have to wait for them to cool before I can prepare them. Throw them in the oven during the day, take 'em out and let 'em cool so they are ready to go when you want to start scooping and stuffing them in prep for the second bake .

Ingredients:

8 Russett potatoes

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/4 cup chopped chives

1/2 cup shredded  cheddar cheese

2 tsp salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

1. wash potatoes thoroughly and wrap in foil. puncture a few times to allow steam to leave the potatoes

2. cook in 375 degree oven for about an hour or until soft when squeezed

3. Allow potatoes to cook then cut in half length wise

4. scoop out the middle of the potatoes leaving about a 1/4 inch border of potato all the way around 

5. scoop the middles into a large bowl and add all other ingredients to the potatoes and whip together

6. refill the potatoes with your loaded mash mixture and bake for 25 min at 375

Hope you enjoy the recipes! Let me know what you think :) While you are here check out the awesome BEAUTY BAG GOODIE SWAP Boy oh Mamas Boys! and I  are hosting ! This is round two of our beauty bag swap and we are looking forward to meeting some new ladies and reuniting with our first beauty bag goodie swap friends !

 Now , Back That Azz on outta here with a little Jhene Aiko ft. Kendrick Lamar

Foodie Friday: Creamed Corn, Arroz Con Gandules,Orange Creamsicle Cookies

This weeks Foodie Friday is all about side dishes. Im a carb junkie and a side dish queen. If the sides are good enough chances are I will skip the main course.The first recipe on this weeks feature is for Creamed Corn...yum ! and to top off your excitement its a crock pot dish ---simple, comfort food!I know you are into it already,unless you are still on your "New Years Resolution" diet, if so sorry to entice you :( If not please join me in over indulging so I don't feel like I'm the only one haha

Creamed Corn 

Ingredients:

3  cans whole kernel corn-drained
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried parsley ( plus more for garnish)
8 ounces cream cheese cubed
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into thin slices

Instructions:

1. Place corn into a slow cooker with milk, sugar , pepper, and parsley . Stir to combine
2. Top the corn with butter and cream cheese but do not Stir
3. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours
4. Uncover and stir until butter and cream cheese are well combined 
5. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 15 minutes
6. Garnish with parsley 

You've prob figured out by now that I LOVE mexican food, well not just mexican but any type of Latin food Spanish, Peruvian,Cuban, and especially Puerto Rican. I grew up with a very good friend who is Puerto Rican and I kinda weaseled my way into the family years ago and haven't left since. I mean who doesn't love big families and huge parties with tons of good food?!As I said before I am kinda obsessed with side dishes, especially carby ones.This is my absolute favorite Puerto Rican dish and luckily I am spoiled and Grandma makes it for me every time I visit! I have finally got it down and can make it for myself when I'm missing my Puerto Rican Fam so I thought I'd share it with you.You can get all the ingredients at your local Mexican market.

Arroz Con Gandules

Ingredients:

2 cups grain rice (rinsed)
4-5 cups beef broth
½ cup sofrito 
16 ounce can of gandules 
1 tablespoon capers

1 tablespoon green olives (sliced)
2 packets of Sazon with achiote
1 can tomato sauce 
3 tablespoons  olive oil 
1 1/2  teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

1. In a largepot or deep pan add oil ,tomato sauce, sofrito, sazon, capers, and olives and cook on high heat for about 3-5 minutes2. Add  rice, gandules, salt, pepper and enough beef broth to cover the rice about 1 inch over the rice line Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until most of the broth is absorbed ( about 10 min)3. Once the broth has been absorbed, stir gently from bottom to top - once or twice only( if you stir more it will get too mushy) .Some of the rice will be stuck to the bottom on the pan and will be a little crispy. Puerto Ricans call that Pegao its really flavorful so at this point scrape it off the bottom with your spoon and stir well  
4. Turn heat to low ,cover, and cook for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.

This weeks sweet treat ORANGE CREAMSICLE COOKIES was really good as is and didn't need any tweaking so here is the link to the original recipe on Six Sisters Stuff .Check them out they have some great recipes.











While you're here don't forget to check out the Beauty Bag Nail Polish Swap that Kayla from Boy oh Mamas Boys and I are hosting. Its going to be a fun swap and a great way to get to know some new bloggers! Help us spread the word by sharing our link
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