Herb Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Olives

I love sheet pan meals! Easy to make and easy to clean up.

• 1/4 c olive oil
• 3 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
• 3 tbsp fresh sage, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 baby potatoes, quartered
• 1/2 c pitted Castelventrano olives
• 1 lb chicken thighs
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 450. Spray a large baking pan.

Combine herbs, garlic, oil, salt and pepper in a large boil. Add potatoes and olives and toss to coat. Place potatoes onto pan. Top with lemon wedges.

Toss chicken in the remaining oil and place on baking pan.

Bake 40 – 45 minutes. Serve.

Serves 4.

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Red Pesto Gnocchi

This is the perfect weeknight dish based on pantry staples and fresh herbs! You can use cauliflower gnocchi or regular. You can add cheese or not – it’s all up to you.

• 10 sun dried tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 20 salt cured olives, pitted
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp rosemary
• 1 package gnocchi

Place all ingredients except gnocchi in a food processor and pulse until chunky and almost smooth.

Cook gnocchi according to package.

Toss with sauce and serve.

Serve 4.

Cauliflower Gratin

This is such a yummy veggie dish – it takes about 45 min to bake, with a total time of about 1 hour – so it may not work for a crazy weeknight.

• 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp pine nuts
• 16 Kalamata olives, halved & pitted
• Salt and pepper
• 3-4 tbsp nut milk
• 6 oz feta
• 1/4 c bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a casserole bowl with olive oil.

Steam cauliflower until just tender.

Toss tomatoes, garlic, olives, thyme, salt and 1 tbsp oil in a large bowl, toss with cauliflower and place in casserole.

Pulse milk and cheese in a food processor until blended but a little chunky. Spread over cauliflower.

Toss together bread crumbs, pine nuts and 1 tbsp of oil and spread over cauliflower and bake for 45 minutes.

Serves 4 – 6.

Pasta with Kale, Chiles & Hazelnuts

This is adapted from Diana Henry's recipe. I upped the amount of kale and added some kalamata olives – so good.

6 oz pasta
Salt and pepper
8 oz baby kale
1/4 c olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili flakes
Zest of an orange
1/3 c hazelnuts, toasted abs chopped
1 oz flat leaf parsley, minced
Grated Parmesan
1/4 c kalamata olives, minced

Cook pasta according to package. Reserve pasta water.

In a 12 inch skillet heat oil add garlic and peppers and gently sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir in kale and heat heat through. Add pasta, zest, parsley, and nuts. Serves topped with cheese and olives.

Serves 2.

Farro with Asparagus, Pea Pesto and Cured Olives

This spring on a plate!!

Ingredients:
3/4 c pearled farro
1 bunch of asparagus
1/2 c pea pesto
2 c arugula
Salt and Pepper
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c pine nuts
1/2 c oil cured olives, chopped
1/4 c chives, chopped

Pea Pesto:
1 c peas
3 tbsp olive oil
2 c basil leaves
2 oz parmesan
1/4 c walnuts, toasted
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
1/2 tsp salt

Comine all pesto ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Cook farro according to package.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook Asparagus for 3 minutes until bright green. Plunge in an ice bath and slice thin on the diagonal.

Combine the asparagus, farro, olives, cheese, chives, Pesto and pine nuts.

Serves 6.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Artichokes

I’m obsessed with my multi cooker now that is is fall. This dish is simple and oh so good. You can eat the lemon slices – they taste great.

Ingredients:
3 lb chicken thighs
1 tbsp olive oil
1 jar of marinated artichoke hearts
1 can of artichokes in water
1 c castelvetrano olives
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
1 lemon thinly sliced
6 thyme sprigs
1 c chicken stock
1/2 c dry sherry
1 tbsp asian fish sauce

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in multicooker over medium sauté, add chicke and brown. Remove from pot.

Add brine from marinated Artichokes, stock, sherry and fish sauce, bring to boil. Add the chicken and remaining ingredients. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low. 

Discard the thyme. Serve.

Serves 6 – 8.

Pasta with Green Olives, Garlic and Mint

This is a bright and tasty pasta – perfect for a rushed weeknight.

Ingredients:
1 c pitted green olives
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 c fresh mint
1/4 c olive oil
2/3 c grated parmigiano
Pepper

In a food processor, combine olives, garlic, mint and oil and half the cheese. Pulse to create a rough chopped sauce. Season with pepper. Transfer to a bowl that will hold the pasta.

Cook the pasta according to the package. 

Toss pasta with sauce and remaining cheese.

Serves 4.

Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms and Artichokes

Ingredients:
8 oz pasta
10 oz mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz spinach
6 oz artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8 oz ricotta cheese
1/4 c kalamata olives, chopped
Toasted pine nuts
Aleppo pepper
Grated parmigiano 

Cook the pasta according to the package.

In a 12 inch skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms until nicely browned. Turn heat to low, add spinach, ricotta, artichokes, and olives, cook until warmed through. 

Add pasta and toss, add a little pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Too with pine nuts, Aleppo pepper and parmigiano.

Serves 4.

Slow Cooker Picadillo

  
This is from Skinny Taste, so it’s delicious and healthy!!

Ingredients:
2 lean ground beef
1 cup minced onion
1 cup diced red bell peppers
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 small tomato, diced
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 c green olives
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper

If your slow cooker has a sauté function, Brown meat over medium-high heat; season with generously with salt and a little pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into small pieces. When meat is no longer pink, drain all the liquid from pan. Add the onions, garlic and bell peppers to the meat and cook an addition 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the meat to the slow cooker, then add tomato, cilantro, tomato sauce and olives then add the spices.

Cook for 4 hours on high or 8
hours on low.

Serve with rice and coleslaw.

Serves 6 – 8

Puttanesca Pasta

  
On one of the those nights when you don’t feel like cooking, this is the perfect remedy. It comes together in the time it takes to cook the pasta. This dish is packed with flavor, the anchovies do really make it special, so don’t leave them out.

Ingredients:
1/4 c olive oil
4 achovies, minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt
28 oz tomatoes, puréed
30 black olives
4 TBSP capers
1 lb pasta
1 c parsley, minced

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package.

In a 12 inch skillet, heat oil, garlic, rep peppers and anchovies over medium heat until garlic just browns, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoe, olives, and capers, cook over medium heat while the pasta cooks.

Drain pasta and add to sauce, cook another 2 min, stir in parsley and service.

Serves 4.