Cheer up! Two new recipes

Rate	Price	Duration
One Week	$4.00	for 7 days
One Month	$11.00	for 30 days
Three Months	$34.00	for 90 days
Six Months	$58.00	for 180 days
One Year	$104.00	for 365 days
Two Years	$160.00	for 730 days

It is so hard to fathom 2023 is here. I cannot believe how quickly 2022 passed, especially after the summer was over. It was a whirlwind of Halloween decorating, Thanksgiving celebrating and Christmas festivities, which were gone in the blink of an eye.

The coming of the new year didn’t feel like much of a celebration this year. I think in part because the holiday fell on Sunday and in part because I didn’t get to watch the Rose Parade. Apparently, the parade has never taken place on a Sunday in its 134-year history. I am pretty sure this is the first time in nearly six decades that I missed the show.

Anyway, time to find ways to cheer up the gloomy winter months, and nothing is more cheery and fun than experimenting with new recipes. I hope the following recipes will fill your plate with color, bold flavor and inspire you to try something new.

Chicken Parmesan

Meatballs

I really enjoy chicken Parmesan. The crispy chicken, melted cheese and rich tomato sauce are hard to beat, but these Chicken Parmesan Meatballs are just as tasty and a breeze to make for a weeknight dinner. Serve the meatballs on a bed of your favorite pasta and a side of garlic bread.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs, beaten

1 pound ground chicken, white and dark meat; all white will be too dry

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, finely chopped

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

½ cup fresh basil, chopped, with additional basil leaves for garnish

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 medium garlic cloves, grated

1¼ cups fresh Parmesan cheese, grated with a microplane grater, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup dry red wine

1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce

1½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Prep:

Combine eggs, chicken, prosciutto, panko, basil, salt, black pepper, red pepper, garlic and ½ the Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Gently mix with your hands to combine thoroughly, taking care to not overmix. Shape into 12 1¾-inch meatballs.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof skillet until shimmering. Cook meatballs in a single layer until browned on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium and add wine, scraping the bottom of the skillet to remove browned bits, until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add marinara sauce.

Arrange meatballs in the skillet in a single layer, coating with sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake until mozzarella is melted and internal temperature of the meatballs is 165 degrees, about 10 to 14 minutes. Garnish with remaining basil leaves and serve over pasta.

Chipotle-Maple

Chicken Thighs with

Candied Acorn Squash

Chipotle-Maple Chicken Thighs with Candied Acorn Squash is not your average chicken dinner. The dried chili powder and sauce give these chicken thighs a nice kick tempered by the sweetness of the maple syrup.

Ingredients:

1 medium acorn squash, seeded and cut into 1-inch-thick half-moons

2½ tablespoons olive oil, divided

2¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1½ teaspoons chipotle chili powder, divided

1¼ teaspoons black pepper, divided

1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided

8 6-ounce bone-on, skin-on chicken thighs

2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a 7-ounce can of chipotle chilies

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

5 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Cilantro leaves, for garnish, if desired

Prep:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss together acorn squash, 1½ tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon chili powder and ½ teaspoon each black pepper and cumin on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Arrange in a single layer.

Rub chicken with remaining oil and sprinkle with 1½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and remaining chili powder and cumin. Nestle on the baking sheet with the squash. Bake until squash is tender and a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together adobo sauce, vinegar, dry mustard, 3 tablespoons syrup and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Microwave on high until slightly thickened, about 1½ minutes. Set aside.

When chicken and squash are done cooking, increase the oven temperature to broil and remove baking sheet from the oven. Brush tops of the squash with remaining 2 tablespoons syrup. Brush skin on the chicken generously with the adobo mixture. Broil until chicken and squash are glazed and begin to char in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and top with cilantro leaves, if using.