Joanne's Easy Bake: Simple Spicy Lavender Roasted Chicken Breasts

Joanne's Easy Bake: Simple Spicy Lavender Roasted Chicken Breasts: Ever since I started using culinary lavender buds in my baking, I just love the aroma and have been really adventu...

Simple Spicy Lavender Roasted Chicken Breasts

Ever since I started using culinary lavender buds in my baking, I just love the aroma and have been really adventurous, using them in my baked dishes every now and then. If you bought one whole bottle and do not know what to do with it, give this a try! This rub is easy to mix and the ingredients are mostly from common herbs which are easily available in most supermarkets. It is only mildly spicy because not everyone is accustomed to overly spicy foods. If it is made only for me, I will double up the cayenne pepper!

Utensils Needed:-

1 small mixing bowl
Measuring spoons
Meat thermometer
Stoneware Baking Dish; large enough to hold chicken breasts in.

Wet ingredients:-

2 pieces fresh, raw whole chicken breasts with skins and bones in (cut in half)
1 tablespoon cooking wine (any Chinese cooking wine)**
1 tablespoon canola/olive oil/peanut oil or any edible oil of your choice

Dry ingredients:-

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder (you may add more if you wish to turn the 'heat' up)*
1 teaspoon culinary lavender buds
2 teaspoons onion powder (not onion salt)
1 teaspoon fine iodized sea salt **
1 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1 teaspoon dried crushed tarragon
1 teaspoon pure mustard powder
1 teaspoon dried rubbed marjoram

Method:-

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Place chicken breasts, with skins facing up on the baking dish and arrange in a single layer. Please do not stack them.

3. Drizzle the meats with cooking wine and oil.

4. Measure and place all the dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Combine evenly using one of the measuring spoons.

5. Rub chicken breasts all over with the dry ingredients on both sides; be sure to cover the skins and the bony undersides.

6. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of one of the chicken breasts.

7. Place the baking dish into the oven and bake until the chicken breasts turn a golden brown and the meat thermometer reads 190 degrees F or 87 degrees C for poultry or when the juices run clear.

8. Remove from oven and cover the dish immediately with an aluminum foil to tent the meat for at least 15 minutes before serving.

9. Serve with your favorite carbs and greens! Enjoy!!!

Please note:
*If you do not have cayenne pepper powder in your pantry, you may substitute with dried chilly flakes.
** We can only get salted cooking wines in Toronto. If you are using unsalted cooking wine, you may vary the amount of iodized sea salt to 1-1/4 teaspoons instead of 1 teaspoon.

Joanne's Easy Bake: Easy Vegetarian Banana Oatmeal Patties

Joanne's Easy Bake: Easy Vegetarian Banana Oatmeal Patties: This is an extremely easy recipe for banana oatmeal patties that contains no oil, eggs or flour. Sugar is also optional, which means it i...

Easy Vegetarian Banana Oatmeal Patties

This is an extremely easy recipe for banana oatmeal patties that contains no oil, eggs or flour. Sugar is also optional, which means it is really 'skinny' but surprisingly filling. It was made by trial because I had too much bananas that were ripened till almost brown. Instead of throwing them out, 'waste not want not' is always my motto, so I decided to turn them into patties with whatever ingredients in my pantry. You may make these and chew on them in between meals as snacks!

Utensils
Measuring cups and spoons
Ice-cream scoop (optional)
Baking sheet
Mixing spoon
Cookie spatula
Parchment paper

Ingredients

2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (approximately 4 large bananas)
1-1/2 cups quick cooking oats or minute oats
1 handful of roasted and coarsely chopped almonds
2 tablespoons unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside until ready to use.

3. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until evenly combined. It looks like a thick paste.

4. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop paste onto the lined baking tray. Space out the paste and flatten it to roughly 1/4" thick with the back of a spoon or fork.

5. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and using a heat resistant cookie spatula, turn over the patties and return to the oven to bake for another 5-8 minutes until they are dry to touch or nicely brown.

7. Once done, remove from oven and slip them onto a wire rack to cool. Start snacking! Can keep 1-2 days in a lock-lock lunch box. Enjoy without worries of putting on too much extra weight!!!

Makes approximately 12 patties