Super tasty...super quick

Want a fail-safe, delicious dinner that takes about 20 min. to prep? Want to enjoy the robust flavors of summer in the middle of a gray winter? Here's your answer...

Lemon-olive oil marinated chicken:

2 lbs. of chicken pieces, bone in or out, skin removed

1/3 c. lemon juice

1 Tbsp ground pepper

3 Tbsp good quality olive oil

2 tsp salt

In a large ziploc bag or bowl (not metal), combine the lemon juice, olive oil and pepper. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Baste or stir every 1/2 hour or so. Grill, bake, or saute the chicken until just done. (adapted from Marcella Hazan's wonderful Classic Italian Cookbook)

Oven-roasted cherry tomatoes:

about 30 cherry tomatoes

3 Tbsp good quality olive oil

2 Tbsp parmesan cheese 

1 clove garlic, minced or crushed

2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme, oregano or marjoram (Fresh is preferred here, but not necessary. You can substitute about 2/3 tsp dried for 2 tsp fresh.)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 300' F. Cut the cherry tomatoes in 1/2 and squeeze the seeds out of each half. Brush a baking dish large enough to hold the tomatoes in a single layer with a thin coating of the olive oil. Arrange the tomatoes, flat side up, in the dish. 

In a small bowl, combine the remaining oil, cheese, garlic and herbs. Drizzle the mixture over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for about 2 hours, or until shriveled and slightly browned around the edges. (from James Peterson's Vegetables, a cookbook that focuses on retaining the nutrients and flavors in our vegetables)

Serve this delicious meal with whatever pasta you favor. The tomatoes burst with flavor and the lemon and olive oil-marinated chicken will wow you with its simple but wondrous flavor!

I know - I need to remember to take pictures before I eat it all up! ;-)