how about an easy, delicious, fast recipe for baked chicken?

when i say easy...i mean really, really easy. sometimes you want a terrific tasting dinner without any work..and you do not want to buy prepared food...this go-to recipe is one of my solutions...easy to find the ingredients...easy to prep...35 minutes in the oven...and extremely versatile. the key is my broken-record mantra of only using the best-freshest-organic if possible-ingredients. organic chicken drumsticks, my persimmon jam, honey-mustard, excellent extra virgin olive oil, grey sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. i always have these ingredients...minus the chicken..in my pantry...so this dish is perfect for answering the oft-asked last minute "what's for dinner?" question.couple of notes...i use our persimmon jam because i love the slightly sweet, mild flavor it gives the chicken. you can easily substitute apricot or peach jam for the persimmon. i have also made this with our meyer lemon marmalade...without the mustard. use what you like...just pick a jam which lists the fruit as the first ingredient...not sugar...better tasting...better for you...

persimmon glazed baked chicken

10 chicken legs (organic if you can)

1 jar napa farmhouse 1885™ persimmon jam

2 tbsp honey-mustard

extra virgin olive oil

grey sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

preheat oven to 425 degrees. line rimmed baking sheet with foil, drizzle approx 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over foil. using a pastry brush, coat entire pan with the oil. place chicken legs on prepared baking sheet. generously season chicken with the salt and pepper.

place jam and mustard in small saucepan. heat over medium heat stirring to combine. do not let boil. when mustard is thoroughly incorporated into jam, remove from heat. using your pastry brush, coat each chicken leg using all the jam mixture. drizzle top of prepared chicken with additional olive oil..approx 1 tbsp in total.

place chicken in preheated oven and bake 35-40 minutes...until chicken is cooked. (juices should run clear when pricked with a sharp knife). turn chicken twice during cooking time.

serve immediately.

i serve this with steamed red potatoes drizzled with the absolute best quality extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with grey sea salt...add a salad and dinner is served!

what are your favorite easy & fast go-to dishes in fall/winter? please share your recipes in the comments section of this post.

i am excited to tell you that i will be attending the 2009 fancy food show in san francisco this week. (although i do dislike the name "fancy food"?... ick... but i digress)...i have never been so i am attending to see what is new, what is popular and to get a feel if i want to participate as a vendor in the future. how cool is this assignment..3 days of 6000 vendors sampling their best food products? i will tell you all about it via blog posts when i return...wish me (and my waistline) luck..

(my husband peter...aka the company photographer ...decided he just had to take a bite during the shoot)

happy mid-january!

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

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