Rustic Farmgirl Cast Iron Skillet Meals W/ Recipes

I have been spending some time trying out new recipes...With the cooler weather and the beautiful changing colors of the leaves falling from the sky... It got me in the mood to make some Autumn inspired suppers! And boy were these meals hearty, colorful and delicious. They were praiseworthy of sharing too...If they  are good, why not share right? I couldn't keep this all to myself. So here you go...I am sharing the recipes with ya'll!!!

~Skillet Cranberry Roasted Chicken & Potatoes~

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 4 skin-on chicken breasts or thighs
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• zest + juice of 1/2 lemon
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 cup white wine or chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Rub the chicken with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the thyme, rosemary, garlic and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken, skin side down, and sear until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook 5 minutes more. Remove the chicken from the skillet. Add 2 tablespoons butter, the potatoes, carrots, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine, deglazing the pan and scraping up any browned bits off the bottom. Simmer the wine for 5 minutes or until reduced slightly. Remove from the heat and nestle the chicken into the potatoes. Add the lemon juice.

In a small bowl, toss together the cranberries, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the cranberries over the chicken. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Plate the chicken and potatoes and drizzle with the sauce left in the pan. EAT!

 

~Sausage & Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash~

(serves 6)

Prep 15 min~ Cook time 1 hour~

Ingredients

• 3 Acorn Squash, halved
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 1 Small Onion, finely chopped
• 2 Large Celery Stalks, finely chopped
• 2 Apples, diced
• ½ tsp sage
• 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Using a sharp knife cut off each end of the acorn squash removing as little as possible, then cut in half.
3. Spoon out seeds.
4. Brush olive oil inside and on top of Acorn Squash.
5. Sprinkle Salt and Pepper over Acorn Squash to taste.
6. Bake for 40 minutes to an hour depending on size of your squash until tender and you can pierce with a fork, but still holding it's shape.
7. While the squash is baking begin sautéing the sausage for about 5 minutes, drain and pat dry with a paper towel to remove as much grease as possible, but don't discard grease in the pan.
8. Using the grease from the sausage add your onions and celery to the pan and sauté for another 2-3 minutes until it starts to brown. (add olive oil if necessary)
9. Add apples and sauté for another 2 minutes or until softened.
10. Stir in sage and bread crumbs.
11. Add ¾ cup Parmesan cheese and stir until cheese begins to melt. Set aside.
12. Once squash has finished baking and reached desired tenderness spoon in meat mixture until the squash is filled.
13. Return to the oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes depending on size of squash.
14. Remove from oven and top with remaining Parmesan cheese.
15. Enjoy!

~Autumn Pear Salad With Pecans & Golden Raisins~

Ingredients

• 3 medium golden pears (or regular) cored and sliced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 5 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• DRESSING:
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, saute pears in butter and syrup until just barely tender. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Meanwhile in a large bowl, toss lettuce with pecans and golden raisins. Top with cooled pears.
3. In a small bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Gently toss salad to evenly coat. Serve immediately.

These suppers were a delight to our family and friends who joined us for fellowship! Hope you make them and enjoy them yourself!

 I had left over Italian sausage and the pear salad, so I heated up the sausage adding two sunny side up eggs and coupled that with the salad for breakfast the next day! Boy was that delish!!!

Enjoy dear friends! See you next time!