Super Easy Herb Roasted Potatoes

More nights than not, simplicity is key. 

It never fails. Just as I'm starting dinner someone pinches their finger in a drawer or can't find their leotard or is suddenly in dire need of help stapling 30 sheets of paper together. More than likely all three. That is why, my friends, recipes like these easy-enough-to-pull-off while applying band-aids and stapling through mountains of paper yet deeply satisfying and delicious roasted potatoes are absolutely essential. Your welcome.

Super Easy Herb Roasted Potatoes
adapted from Fine Cooking

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
2-3 pounds small red potatoes, washed and halved (quarter larger potatoes so they're all about the same size)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 handful fresh thyme sprigs (roughly 8-12 sprigs)
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle a baking sheet with 2 tbsp oil. Use your fingers to spread the oil to coat the entire pan.

Put the potatoes in a large bowl. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over the top. Season with salt and toss together.

Arrange the thyme on the bottom of the prepared baking sheet. Layer the onion slices on top of the thyme.

Arrange the potatoes on top of the onions, as many cut sides down as possible. If there's any olive oil still hanging out in the bottom of your bowl, pour that over the top of the potatoes.

Put the whole ensemble into the preheated oven and roast for about 35 minutes until the potatoes are soft and starting to brown.

Use a spatula to loosen the onions and potatoes. Sprinkle chives over the hot potatoes, adjust the seasoning with more salt and/or pepper as needed and toss again.

Not bad for 10 minutes of hands on time.

Crispy Iberian Pork Bites

When all else fails, serve dinner on colorful toothpicks.

So easy, very little hands on time, relatively neat to eat one-handed while doing homework, and totally customizable with whatever you happen to have on hand in the spice cabinet, meet your new best friend on a busy school night.

No lemons? Use limes. Not feeling the cumin and paprika? How about lime juice, soy sauce, freshly grated ginger, and a splash of fish sauce for an Asian vibe instead? Use the Spanish-style version below as a jumping off point but then feel free to play around. The flavor profile possibilities are limitless. Try lime, chili powder, cumin, and fresh cilantro for a taco-like feel. Or how about lemon juice, red wine vinegar, thyme, and oregano for a Greek take? Ooh, serve those with some sliced tomatoes and cubes of good Feta cheese. Whatever you do, don't forget the cute toothpicks.

Crispy Iberian Pork Bites
adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

2 pounds pork shoulder, trimmed of some, but not all fat
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup minced onion
1 tbsp olive or canola oil

Cut the meat into 1x1-inch cubes. Put the meat in a large, nonreactive bowl and toss with all of the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Scatter the meat on a rimmed roasting pan in a single layer. Roast for about an hour, stopping to stir the meat occasionally. You want it crisp and brown on all sides, but not burned. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon. Serve on toothpicks with lemon wedges and/or Cumin Yogurt Dip.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Pears with Balsamic Drizzle

I admit it. This one's just for me. And for you, of course. Pull up a chair.

My kids won't tolerate anything orange and mushy. There's no meat here and sweet potatoes don't rank high in Mufasa's diabetes-fighting, low-carb diet. But, sometimes we need to do a little something for ourselves, yes?

Consider this. You're cooking for a group and needed to accommodate various food allergies and sensitivities. Simple roasted vegetables are a safe bet. Roasted sweet potatoes with pears and balsamic vinegar are not only super tasty and make the house smell like pie, but are also free of the top 8 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, dairy, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish) and gluten-free too!

And no pressure but one of these really seems to help the process along. Ignore the Jack Daniels glass. He's not invited to this party.

Fill a rocks glass with ice. Pour in an ounce of bourbon, an ounce of fresh lemon juice, top with good ginger beer (here's my fave) and garnish with a lemon wedge. Do it! Do it! Just saying. All it needs is a snappy name. Suggestions?

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Pears with Balsamic Drizzle

2 or 3 sweet potatoes
2 large firm pears (I used Bartletts but the choice is yours. Cored, halved Seckels would be lovely)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Good quality, aged syrupy balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub the sweet potatoes and slice them into wedges about 1 & 1/2-inches thick leaving the skin intact. Put them on a sheet pan. Douse with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast about 20 minutes until they're starting to soften but not yet done.

While the potatoes roast, core, stem, and slice the pears into wedges about 1-inch thick. Add the pears to the sheet pan with the potatoes. Drizzle on the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss the pears and sweet potatoes gently. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes more until the sweet potatoes are done and the pears are tender. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Season with more salt and pepper and serve warm.

Roasted Seckel Pears with Vanilla Mascarpone Cream and Thyme

Have you encountered the Seckel pear yet this season? I couldn't resist buying a bag last week at the grocery store because they are just so darn cute.

That's a Bartlett standing by for size comparison. 

The kiddos were smitten and they've been slurping their "baby pears" for breakfast, snack, and in their lunchboxes all week. Seckel pears, however, are most definitely not just for kids.

Wouldn't these look snazzy with a cocktail dress and a glass of champagne?! Seriously, what a sexy, succulent two-bite treat for Christmas, New Year's Eve or any event that entails balancing a cocktail and eating with one hand.

Of course you can use a fork.

The soft pears are so lush and velvety and sweet enough to punch any dessert craving in the face, but totally sophisticated and not overly indulgent compared to the hunks of peppermint fudge and frosted sugar cookies that will be here soon enough.

Roasted Seckel Pears with Vanilla Mascarpone Cream and Thyme
adapted from Food52.com

8 Seckel Pears (or 4 larger pears), halved and cored
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp unsalted butter, diced
1 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tbsp water
5 sprigs fresh thyme

For the cream
1 cup heavey whipping cream
1 whole vanilla bean
1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
1 tbsp powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place cored pear halves cut side up in a baking dish. Drizzle lemon juice over the tops of the pears, dot with butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Pour about 3 tablespoons of water into the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange thyme sprigs around the pears. Bake Seckel pears for about 30-40 minutes, flipping the pear halves to skin-side up halfway through baking. Larger pears will take longer to cook - estimate an additional 20 minutes or so. They are done when a fork easily slides through the flesh in the thickest part of the pear. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, pour cream into a medium mixing bowl. Slice a vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the gooey vanilla seeds to the cream and stir, then throw in the bean pod too. Refrigerate the cream mixture and mixing bowl for an hour or more.
3. Remove the vanilla bean pod from the cream. Add the Mascarpone and beat on medium speed until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
4. Top each pear with a dollop of the cream mixture. Sprinkle with chopped fresh or roasted thyme leaves (from the pear roasting pan).