There is no better time in the year than spring. The earth comes alive after a long winter and the beauty of everything just seems amplified. I spent another lovely day with Ella Newman and her wonderful photography skills and once agin it was so much fun. I made some delicious new recipes and as usual she took some amazing pictures. I always am excited for any change of season because it means new produce, and different vegetables and fruits to work with. Spring has some of the best: asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb the list goes on and on. It gets me excited just thinking about it. So to celebrate the coming of spring I made roasted chicken thighs with a fresh basil and scallion sauce, the bright green color alone is enough to get excited about! I also made some orange rolls because whats better than a springy orange roll for Sunday dinner in the backyard. Ella brought some beautiful lilacs and they just made the whole table, nothing makes me think of spring like those wonderful smelling blossoms!!

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Basil Scallion Sauce

6 chicken thighs (with the bone in and skin on)

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

Sauce

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

4 scallions sliced thinly

1 clove garlic minced

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup olive oil

To start preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place your chicken thighs on a sheet tray and drizzle each with just a bit of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a bit of chopped basil and put in the oven to bake for 20-30 minutes depending on how big the thighs are. You'll know they're done when the juices run clear and the skin starts to get a bit of color on it. Meanwhile while they cook prepare the sauce. Chop up your basil and scallions and throw them in a bowl with the minced clove of garlic and a good amount of salt. Add the olive oil and stir, let it sit while the chicken is baking so the flavors had time to combine and marinate.

Finally, remove your chicken from the oven, let it rest for about 10 minutes so the juices can redistribute. Place it on a serving platter with extra basil and serve with the sauce spooned over top.

Spring Orange Rolls

dough recipe adapted slightly from http://www.epicurious.com

1 envelop active dry yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg yolk slightly beaten

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cup flour

non-stick spray

Filling

1 stick butter

zest of 2 oranges

1/2 cup sugar

Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice

To start place the yeast and 3 tablespoons warm water in a bowl with 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir to combine and let sit for 10 minutes or until foamy. In an electric mixer beat the egg yolk, orange juice, melted butter, salt and remaining tablespoon of sugar. Add your 1 3/4 cup flour and yeast and mix until dough just comes together. Turn your dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth (about 5 minutes). Dough will be fairly sticky. spray a bowl with non-stick spray and place your dough in the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size. While waiting mix your filling together cream the softened butter with the sugar and orange zest and set aside.

Once the dough is doubled in size spray a 9x13 pan or a muffin tin with non-stick spray. Turn your dough out onto a floured surface and shape into a 12x14" rectangle. Spread the filling across the dough leaving a small boarder around the edge. Roll the dough over itself starting with the edge of one of the 14" sides, until you have a long rolled log. Slice the roll into 12 pieces, the dough will be very soft so if you have trouble you can place it in the fridge for 20 minutes to make it easier to cut. place the rolls in their pan or muffin tin and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Lastly, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Let them cool for about 10 minutes and make your glaze. Combine your powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth and creamy, then drizzle over the top of the rolls. Serve warm.

There you have it, a delicious spring meal you can whip up any time. Just add a green salad and dinner's ready! Happy spring!

So, over the past year or so I have become obsessed with chicken thighs - mostly because they're always flavorful, and unlike a chicken breast they're never dry! This recipe is so simple and classic it can be used in millions of different ways. I like to serve mine with rice or roasted potatoes and a simple arugula salad on the side. It would also be great with pasta, or shredded in a salad, or whatever your heart desires!

Herb Roasted Chicken

Serves 4-6

6 Bone in, skin on, chicken thighs

4 Tablespoons softened butter

1 Tablespoon chopped chives

1 Tablespoon chopped thyme

1 Tablespoon chopped parsley

Sprinkle of salt and pepper

To make your chicken, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lay the 6 chicken thighs in a 9x13 pan and season with salt. Next, make your butter herb rub. Put the softened butter in a bowl and combine with the 3 herbs and some salt and pepper, mash with a fork until well combined. Smear the butter mixture across the top of the 6 chicken thighs and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the skin is browned and the chicken juices run clear. To get the skin extra crispy, when my chicken finishes baking I throw it under the broiler for about 5 minutes to get that pretty brown color.

Aww, look how delicious and juicy that thigh looks! I have to say, the chicken is great, but my favorite part of this dish is the buttery, lemony sauce. I love to pour it all over my rice as well as the chicken. I could probably just eat it with a spoon!

Lemon Butter Sauce

1 Cup chicken broth

1 Tablespoon cornstarch with equal parts water

3 Tablespoons butter

Salt

Pepper

Sprinkle of herb mix (above)

Squeeze of lemon juice

Start your sauce when the chicken is close to being finished. Pour chicken broth into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, add the cornstarch slurry (mix cornstarch with equal parts water before adding to broth, to avoid lumps). Whisk well while adding a tablespoon of your butter and let the sauce boil for 2-5 minutes until you can see it's beginning to thicken. Add your last 2 tablespoons butter, and whisk until combined. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but not as thick as gravy. Turn off the heat and add in your herbs (same as chicken mixture), and salt and pepper to taste. Lastly, a nice big squeeze of lemon juice. Mix and serve immediately over chicken thighs.

I served this with basmati rice cooked in chicken broth for added flavor. It's simply 1 cup rice to 2 cups chicken broth and a pat of butter, bring to a boil and then cover and cook for 20 minutes on low heat.

There you have it, a simple yummy dinner easy enough for everyday, but pretty enough for company, enjoy!