No Shame in Eating Leftovers

I enjoy making yummy food and I am not adverse to eating leftovers the next day. Thankfully, my husband shares the same philosophy. Luckily, this is also a nice money-saving tactic. When we were dating, we were all about the dinners out, the lunches out, and the brunches out. Or if we were in a hurry, take-out. Now that we are married and presumably wiser and more responsible, we have realized that was a stupid way to live! We still go to restaurants to eat on occasion, but it's much more budget-friendly to eat at home, not to mention more comfortable, nutritious, and a bit better for our waistlines. I'm always on the lookout for simple, tasty recipes for 4 to 6 people, that way my husband can pack it for his lunch and we can eat it again the next night if we feel like it. I say simple cause let's face it, as much as I love preparation and cooking, I don't always feel like making something as epic as boeuf bourguignon every day, you know what I mean? Also, having recipes simplifies your grocery list, and therefore, narrows down your budget! Chicken and potatoes are always a very easy and tasty creation, and should be a kitchen staple.

 

Crisp Mustard-Glazed Chicken Breasts:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (I couldn't find any so I used skinless)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for breasts
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup coarse breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
• 3/4 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half & half instead)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub chicken breasts lightly with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Combine 2 tablespoons butter with the mustard; reserve 2 teaspoons for sauce. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter; mix with breadcrumbs and thyme, and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear chicken skin side down until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Smear with mustard mixture, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Turn skin side up; apply mustard mixture and breadcrumbs.
4. Transfer skillet to oven, and roast until chicken is cooked through and top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Add stock and cream to skillet over medium heat, and stir with wooden spoon until creamy and reduced to 3/4 cup, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in reserved mustard mixture. Strain through a fine sieve, and serve with chicken. Garnish with thyme.   

Roasted Potatoes:

• 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in quarters
• 1/4 olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat oven to 375°. Place potatoes and onions in a shallow roasting pan. Drizzle the vegetable oil over vegetables and sprinkle with pepper, parsley, basil, and thyme. Lightly stir vegetables to coat all sides with oil and seasonings; bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour, or until fork-tender, turning occasionally to keep the vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Serve immediately. 4 servings.