Happy Holidays! (And some recent recipes reviewed)

This being the week of Christmas and Hanukkah, things are quite busy for me as well as for you, probably. So I'll keep this short. I'll be taking a planned break and will return in the New Year. But in the meantime, I wish you the happiest of holidays, and will share some recent recipes I've made. (I've marked affiliate/referral links with a *, which means I may make a little bit of money if you make a purchase or sign up using that link - thank you!):

Roasted Chicken with Fish-Sauce Butter (NYT) - This was a huge hit with my family. I doubled the chicken because *teenage boys* and it was barely enough. The croutons were amazing and the sauce was delicious, but the best part was the crispy chicken skin.

Avocado Chicken Burgers (RecipeTin Eats) - I came across ground turkey for 50% off at Whole Foods, so I used that in these burgers, which were definitely good enough to make again.

Chicken with Mushroom Gravy (RTE again) - This was soooo good. I made it with my college-age son, and it's simple enough for him to make on his own. We browned the chicken but finished cooking it in the sauce, instead of cooking it through to start and just warming it in the sauce. This thickened the sauce more and I think it gave the chicken more flavor. My son likes spicy so he added a good amount of cayenne pepper for a little kick.

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas (Big Vegan Flavor* by Nisha Vora) - I've made roasted chickpeas before, but these were the best I've ever made. I'm looking forward to using her technique with different flavors.

Cheesy, Spicy Black Bean Bake (NYT) - This was delightfully easy to make, and good enough as it is. But I think it could be made quite a bit better. The next time, I'll saute some jalapenos before cooking the garlic and maybe add some frozen caramelized onions. I also think a can of diced green chiles would improve the texture and add more flavor. And definitely use more cheese - I used at least 2 cups, maybe a little bit more 😂

Please let me know if there's something you'd like to see in the roundup. And don't forget to sign up for my monthly periodic email newsletter!