Cool Weather = Time to Start Cooking!

One of the reasons I love fall and winter is that the cooler weather means it's time to turn on the oven and get cookin' again! With the the advent of our rainy, gray days this week, I've done just that. Not only that, they were both NEW recipes! And, they BOTH turned out great!! (Love it when that happens...)

Here's the first one:

Maple Roasted Chicken with Vegetables
1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs and/or drumsticks (I'm sure it would be fine with chicken breasts, too ... but not skinless since they dry out so easily)
poultry seasoning to taste
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups carrots, cut into 1" pieces
3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 red onion, cut into 1" pieces
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons thyme

Arrange the chicken in an 8 x 13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Place the carrots, sweet potatoes and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle with maple syrup and olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme and toss to coat. Pour veggie mixture over chicken. Cover with foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, stir and cook uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees. Remove from oven, cover with foil and let stand 5 minutes before serving. YUM!!!

The seond one is a great mac'n'cheese recipe:

Pepper Jack Mac
2 cups elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
1 can 2% evaporated milk

Topping:
1/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 small (individual serving sized) bag crumbled Baked Lays potato chips

Cook macaroni according to package instructions; drain. Return macaroni to the pan and mix in milk and cheeses. Stir until cheese is almost melted. Pour into baking dish and sprinkle topping all over. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until just slightly brown.

They're both absolutely delicious! If you happen to try one, drop me a line and let me know what you think. Happy cooking!