cooking love :)

My finest dishes include frozen pizza, pasta, mac n' cheese, and maybe a salad.  This summer I have a new obsession with cooking.  I decided it was time for me to learn to cook and I mean really cook...not unwrapping a frozen pizza and throwing it into the oven.  With having chefs like my parents around all the time you would think that I'd be the head chef of some 5 star restaurant.  But I am far from that.  Really though, my parents are fabulous cooks.  So I'm sucking all the cooking skills out of them in the time I have left at home and sharing the recipes with you.  The whole Duvall family is on Weight Watchers and our friends, the Greens, gave us this amazing Weight Watchers cookbook, and that's what I've been mostly cooking out of.  

So hopefully this will give you some yummy, healthy recipes that will inspire you to become the next Food Network star :)

p.s.  All the recipes are dinner recipes because i'm never home for lunch, but take the leftovers and make them into a delicious lunch too!

Day 1:  Grilled Lemon Chicken with Olive Oil and Lemon Smashed Potatoes

Grilled Lemon Chicken:

serves 4

1 garlic clove, peeled

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 (5-oz) skinless boneless chicken breasts

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. With side of large knife, mash garlic with salt until it forms a paste.

2. To make marinade, combine lemon zest and juice, oil, garlic paste, oregano, and pepper in large zip-close plastic bag; add chicken.  Squeeze out air and seal bag; add chicken.  Refrigerate, turning bag occasionally, at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

3. Spray grill rack with nonstick spray.  Pre-heat grill to medium  fire using direct method.  

4.  Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.  Place chicken on gril rack and grill until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.  Serve sprinkled with parsley.  

Hint: (kind of obvious) The longer the chicken marinates in the lemon mixture, the more intense the lemon flavor.  

Olive Oil and Lemon Smashed Potatoes:

serves 6

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

1. Combine potatoes and enough water to cover by 1 inch in large saucepan; bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 12 minutes; drain. Remove saucepan from heat.

2. With potato masher, coarsely mash potatoes.  With wooden spoon, beat in oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper.  

Top the chicken off with some parsley and serve the two with a spinach salad with strawberries, slivered almonds, feta, and dressing of your choice!