Sharing recipes again

As some of you may know, at the beginning of 2020, I decided to take a break from writing the cooking column after 13 years, 340 columns, and one book. Who knew that just three months later, we would all be on lockdown and home? At first, it was a daze. We were on a March vacation in Utah. Flying there was normal. Flying home just days later felt very different. A few people were wearing masks, but it really hadn’t set in yet how bad it would get. By April, we all knew about COVID-19 and I thought maybe a gap year was a good idea after all.

I needed a break to refresh my mindset. I’ve always wanted to write a positive column that I could share with you. Nothing too crazy or political, and definitely nothing upsetting. Just good food and good friends. I found that I had lost sight of all of you. Sometimes I felt as if no one was really interested in cooking for themselves anymore. I was so wrong! I started getting emails and Facebook messages almost immediately that you wanted recipes now more than ever. It was so nice to hear your ideas. To be honest, I was stumped, too. My husband and sons were home working and studying online. I needed to cook now more than ever.

I dug out some recipe boxes and cookbooks to find traditional meal ideas. Shopping for a lot of ingredients wasn’t possible. I started stocking a kitchen like my parents, ready for the apocalypse. I found comfort food had a new importance. It wasn’t just about a meal; it was about soothing a soul during an unprecedented time. Smells took on a new meaning. The baked chicken smelled of warmth, the cake took on the smell of a hug, and citrus lightened the darkest days with a smile. Here are three of my favorite new recipes.

I missed you, friend, and I’m glad to be back.

Peace, Sandy

“No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other’s worth.” — Robert Southey

Baked Chicken Breast

Four boneless, skinless chicken
breasts

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 450^º.

To brine your chicken breasts, fill a large bowl with 1 quart of warm water and 1/4 cup salt. Stir to combine until most of the salt is absorbed. Add the chicken breasts and let them sit in the mixture to brine for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the brine, rinse them with cold water, then pat them dry with some paper towels.

Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in a large baking dish. Brush on both sides with the melted butter. In a separate small bowl, whisk the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until combined. Then sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the chicken on both sides.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts. Cut open at the thickest area; you should not see pink. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165^ºF.

Once the chicken is cooked, loosely tent the plate with aluminum foil. Let the chicken rest for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 box spice cake mix

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling

3 eggs

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
(1/2 block)

1/3 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350^ºF. Spray a 9” x 13” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl, mix cake mix, pumpkin puree, and eggs until thoroughly combined. Spread batter into baking dish. (Batter will be thick).

Bake for about 30 minutes until the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely, then make the frosting.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth (this is easiest with an electric mixer). Add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Then stir in vanilla extract. And lastly, mix in the milk.

Mix until smooth, then spread on cooled cake.

Lemon Spaghetti in Cream Sauce (An excellent side dish to baked chicken)

8 ounces spaghetti noodles

4 ounces cream cheese

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook spaghetti according to package directions in a pot of boiling salted water.

Warm cream cheese, oil, Parmesan cheese, and 2 Tbs. lemon juice in a saucepan over low heat.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Stir reserved cooking water into cream cheese mixture. Add pasta, lemon zest; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.