Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in South Florida Family Events and Recipes

You may be preparing for a week of (safe!) holiday hosting and gathering, so in the meantime, try these quick and easy recipes to keep your energy levels up!

Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes (found on Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

• ½ cup fresh lemon juice

• ½ cup olive oil

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 medium (2-1/4" to 3" dia, raw)s russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

• ⅔ cup chicken broth, plus splash to deglaze pan

• chopped fresh oregano for garnish

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Lightly oil a large roasting pan.

• Place chicken pieces in large bowl. Season with salt, oregano, pepper, rosemary, and cayenne pepper. Add fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. Place potatoes in bowl with the chicken; stir together until chicken and potatoes are evenly coated with marinade.

• Transfer chicken pieces, skin side up, to prepared roasting pan, reserving marinade. Distribute potato pieces among chicken thighs. Drizzle with 2/3 cup chicken broth. Spoon remainder of marinade over chicken and potatoes.

• Place in preheated oven. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Toss chicken and potatoes, keeping chicken skin side up; continue baking until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 25 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken to serving platter and keep warm.

• Set oven to broil or highest heat setting. Toss potatoes once again in pan juices. Place pan under broiler and broil until potatoes are caramelized, about 3 minutes. Transfer potatoes to serving platter with chicken.

• Place roasting pan on stove over medium heat. Add a splash of broth and stir up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Strain; spoon juices over chicken and potatoes. Top with chopped oregano.

Quick Crescent Taco Pie (found on Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix 

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• ½ cup water

• ⅓ cup black olives, pitted and sliced

• 1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls

• 2 cups crushed tortilla chips 

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preparation

• In a large fry pan, brown the ground chuck. Drain off the oil. Stir in seasoning mix, water, and olives. Simmer for 5 minutes.

• Separate crescent dough into 8 triangles. Place triangles in an ungreased 10-inch pie pan, pressing to form a crust. Sprinkle 1 cup corn chips over the bottom of crust. Spoon meat mixture over crust and corn chips. Spread sour cream over meat mixture, and cover with cheese. Sprinkle remaining corn chips over the top.

• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Quick Creamy Spinach and Tomato Pasta (found on Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces angel hair pasta

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 2 cups baby spinach leaves

• ½ cup sour cream

• 1 tablespoon prepared basil pesto

Preparation

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender. Drain.

• While you wait for the pasta, combine the tomatoes and spinach in a saucepan over medium heat. When the spinach begins to wilt, stir in the sour cream and pesto. Toss sauce with drained pasta and serve immediately.

Enjoy your weekend!