chicken drumsticks

I had some drumsticks in the freezer and since we’re snowed in and not going anywhere, today was the perfect day to bring them out.  Super bowl Sunday!

1 package of chicken drumsticks (wings work, too!)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to season
Ranch or your favorite wing dipping sauce

Pre-heat the oven to about 375 degrees.

Take the chicken drumsticks (or wings) and put them in a baking dish (or a sheet).  Pour the oil over top and add salt and pepper to taste and toss coating all of the drumsticks.  If you want other seasonings you can add them now.  I added some of my favorite seasoning (garlic and rosemary).

Bake for about 30 minutes or until cooked.  Let the drumsticks rest and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

These turned out really juicy.  Yum!

sweet potato quesadilla

The past few days I’ve been ordering food.  Well, we ordered pizza & wings on Wednesday which was then my lunch and dinner on Thursday and lunch on Friday.  I ordered out with my friend Friday night and then we had a huge snow storm!!!!  After braving the roads I made it home in the afternoon.  Today I’m definitely staying in.   So for lunch i had sweet potato quesadillas.  While I’m not a fan of Rachel Ray (and many people say I look like her) I do like her magazine.  I got this recipe from it.

1/2 sweet potato, mashed
1/3 cup black beans
1/4 cup fat free cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded chicken (I didn’t use it today – the quesadilla is tasty with or with out the chicken)
2 flour tortillas (i use the high fiber tortillas)

Microwave the sweet potato and cut length wise.  Scoop out the inside into a bowl and mash.  Smear half of the smashed potato onto a tortilla.  Add the black beans on top of the sweet potato and mash lightly.  Add the cheese and put the other tortilla on top.

Heat a non-stick pan (preferably bigger than your tortilla) to medium heat.  Place the quesadilla on the pan and warm until it gets crispy; flip and repeat on the other side.

Cut with a serrated knife into quarters and enjoy!

I do not dip this quesadilla in anything but you can dip it in whatever you’d like.

san guiseppe pino grigio rose

Another wine!  I bought this wine because it was on sale.  It normally goes for about $13 but it was on sale for $6.49.  I couldn’t pass that up!  This has some really light and citrusy notes.  It would be very good with some fish or chicken.  Or just by itself.  🙂  Thumbs up, guiseppe!

homemade ham and veggie soup

Since we’re snowed in courtesy of “snopocalpse” I decided to finally make that ham and veggie soup I’ve ben wanting to make.  You can use how much or little veggies you’d like.  This is what I had on hand.

1 can chicken broth
4 cans water (using chicken broth can)
1 pound (roughly) of cooked ham, cubed (mine was frozen)
5 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 an onion, chopped
1.5 pounds red potatoes, cubed
1 can green beans
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
In a stock pot pour in chicken broth and water.  Add ham, carrots and onions and bring to a simmer.  Cook until veggies are tender.  Add the potatoes and cook until the potatoes are tender.  Add the green beans and bring to a boil.  Add roux and let the soup thicken (and so the flour taste of the roux disappears).  Serve.

This is also a soup that is great after it sat in the fridge for a day or two.  I definitely have some leftovers to keep me warm while the snow is still here.

Thank you, mom, for giving me loose directions to make this soup.  Now it is my own.

twin vines’ vinho verde

I love to cook with wine.  I sometimes even put it in my food.

It’s so true for me.  Currently I’m using and drinking Twin Vines’ Vinho Verde.  This might be one of my favorite vino verdes that I’ve tried.  This one is from Portugal, like most, and it is just very light and citrusy.  I’ve tried a few other vino verdes and they have been bitter.  This won’t last me until about 9pm tonight so I’m going to have to grab another bottle for around 9 bucks.  Not bad AT ALL!