Pepperoni Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

1 lbs of mushrooms, cleaned and de-stemmed.
6 oz. full fat cream cheese
25-30 pieces of pepperoni
1 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
2 heaping Tbsp pizza seasoning
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper

(Keep the stems, or chunk them...your call. No need for them in this recipe.)

Clean and de-stem the mushrooms. Place mushroom caps, open side down on a paper towel for at least an hour (the longer the better, unless you want to dry them).

Add remaining ingredients to a food processor, scraping down the sides until the pepperoni is finely chopped up and evenly distributed.

Fill mushrooms. It's easiest to do this with your fingers, the mixture is too thick for a piping bag, and really even a spoon. I usually roll a log-ish type roll in my hands and then break off pieces and push them down into the caps.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes, or 350 for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes (I prefer the longer cooking time, but the shorter one works in a pinch.)

Bring to any event and watch your plate get licked clean...or make them for dinner and prepare to Eat. Them. All.

Enjoy!

Balsamic, Tomato & Garlic Chicken Marinade

6 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp sundried tomato pesto (get it beside the sun dried tomatoes)
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp minced garlic ((I use the jarred stuff)
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp pepper
1/2 Tbsp rosemary

Mix in your large freezer bag. Add 4-5 lbs of chicken (boneless, skinless breasts are usually what we use in this). Allow to marinade overnight, or for a couple of days in the fridge. Roast or grill chicken.

(If it doesn't weird you out...add remaining marinade to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or so and serve on top...it's delicious - and it has cooked as long as your chicken, so you shouldn't be weirded out, but my hubby still is, so to each their own!)

Citrus Roasted Chicken Thighs

4-5 lbs bone-in, skin on chicken
1.5 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp dried onion flakes
Zest and Juice of one lemon, lime OR orange

Mix all spices, zest and juice in a small bowl. Pull chicken skin back from meat, without completely detaching it. Distribute spice mixture evenly among chicken thighs, usually about a spoonful per thigh is what I get. Fold skin back over and rub any remaining spice mixture on your hands over the skin (More for looks than anything else :)

Roast in the oven for any of the following intervals/temperatures.

350 degrees for 1 hour and 45 minutes
400 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes
425 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes

Once they are done, if you aren't ready to eat, you can simply turn the oven off and leave them in for up to about an hour and then serve without drying them out (LOVE chicken thighs for this reason).