Since I’ve already provided recipes for each of the dishes we made on Sunday, I’m going to make this one post. I’m sharing ingredients here, since they vary from the previous posts, but for procedure and method, refer to linked posts.

Zucchini Pesto and Autumn Chicken.

First, to set the scene, an exquisite sunset over Mount Tam, view from my dad’s deck, and his dog Jocko.

Next: Fresh Pesto. There was leftover, so I got to take it home in a jar. I cooked with my stepmom, Miriam.

Ingredients

1 bunch of fresh basil
1 clove of fresh garlic
2-3 tbsp pine nuts
olive oil
salt to taste
we added fresh lemon juice as well

Then the zucchini part of the recipe. Zucchini Pesto

Ingredients

pine nuts
Crimini mushrooms, sautéed
zucchini, julienned & sautéed
salt to taste
garnished with parmesan

Then a different variation on Baked Autumn Chicken, with alternate ingredients.

Preheat: 375°F
Cook Time: about an hour

Ingredients

whole chicken, cleaned and trimmed
1/2 cup tangerine juice
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
olive oil
salt and pepper
pearl onions
clementine tangerines
pecans
raisins
dried apricot
cinnamon
nutmeg

FYI pearl onions take a year to peel, so leave yourself plenty of time.

Lightly coat the bird on both sides with oil and seasonings.

Bake the chicken breast-side down for the first 3/4 of the cook-time to keep the breast juicy.

Flip the chicken for the remaining 1/4 of the cook-time to brown the breast.

Also, I got to make a salad for more than one person (aka in a large wooden bowl) for the first time in months!

Ingredients

mixed greens
sunflower seeds, raw
heirloom tomatoes (various colors)
avocado
raisins

Wonderful weekend at home. I love cooking by myself but there’s something great about cooking with people for more than one portion. Also, Miriam sent me home with a bunch of lemons, so now I want to try lemon poppyseed pound cake as my next baking endeavor.