Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Dates and Apples (with a side of crispy roasted fingerling potatoes)

The dates and apples caramelize to make this a very delicious chicken. Make sure to use fresh dates!

Created in our kitchen

Ingredients:
~3.5-4 lb fresh chicken
~1/4 lb fresh dates, pitted (To remove the pit, simply slice into the date with a paring knife. The pit resembles a small almond)
~1 apple, cored and cut into slices
~2 sprigs fresh rosemary (removed from stems and chopped) or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
~4 tbs butter, softened
~1/2 tsp salt
~1/2 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425. Combine butter, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
2. Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry. Place in dutch oven or roasting pan.
3. Using your fingers, rub 1/2 of butter mixture under the skin around breast and thighs. Rub the rest of the mixture on the outside of the chicken - this will give you that lovely brown skin!
4. Place a few dates and a few apple slices inside the cavity of the chicken. Put the rest around the outside of the chicken in the pan.
5. Roast chicken in oven for about an hour and a half uncovered, or until internal temperature reaches 160.

To make potatoes, you will need two pounds of fingerling potatoes. Slice into rounds and put in a bowl with 2-3 tbs. olive oil (we used a garlic olive oil and it was delicious!) Toss potatoes to coat and arrange on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast with the chicken for 35-40 minutes.

Orange-Mustard Glazed Pork Chops

I often think pork chops are hard to cook - a lot of times they end up dry and tasteless. This is a recipe that redeemed them for me - and it's easy and looks beautiful!

From Cooking Light

Ingredients:
~1/2 cup fresh orange juice
~2 tbs orange marmalade (we used a blood orange marmalade - yum!!)
~1 tbs whole grain mustard
~4 bone-in pork loin chops (about 1 inch thick)
~1 tbs canola oil
~1/4 tsp salt
~1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
~2 rosemary sprigs
~1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
~2 tbs fresh lime juice

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Combine juice, mustard, and marmalade in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes or until syrupy.
3. Heat a large oven-proof skillet (I used my cast-iron dutch oven) over medium-high heat and add oil. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper and add to pan. Cook for about 5 minutes or until browned.
4. Turn chops over and add rosemary and onion to pan. Pour juice mixture over chops and bake for 10 minutes.
5. Remove onion and rosemary and add lime juice. Return to medium-high heat on cooktop and cook for 4 minutes or until liquid is syrupy.
6. Plate chops and drizzle with sauce.

Lamb Burgers with Goat Cheese and Avocado

These are scrumptious! Try them out for a different take on a burger. The goat cheese and avocado make a creamy and tangy topping.

From Fork Knife and Swoon

Ingredients:
~1 lb ground lamb
~4 brioche or fancy buns
~4 tbs goat cheese
~1 tsp curry powder
~1 tsp smoked paprika
~1 tsp salt
~1/tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large bowl, mix together lamb and spices. Form into patties about 3/4 inch thick. Cook over medium high heat on a grill pan until cooked through - about 4 minutes per side. Remove and let rest for a few minutes.
2. Toast buns (I toasted ours on the grill pan after I removed the burgers and let the bread
soak up the juices in the pan). Top burgers with goat cheese while they rest and you toast buns.
3. Mash avocado and spread on bottom bun. Top with goat cheese burger and bun top.
4. You could add any additional toppings you want, but we at them as-is and thought they were delicious.