Lemon-Roasted Chicken with Arugula Salad and Dilled Orzo

Honestly, this is the easiest dinner recipe I know -- and it is a true Bruzer pleaser!! He LOVES this dinner!!!!

1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 10 pieces (I usually just get a package of bone-in chicken breasts with the skin-on)
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 lemons, quartered
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup orzo
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
3 bunches arugula (12 to 16 ounces total), thick stems removed, washed well

*Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Set a large saucepan of water to boil.
*On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together chicken, garlic, lemons, oregano, and 1 teaspoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast chicken, skin side up, until golden and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
*Meanwhile, generously salt boiling water. Add orzo, and cook until al dente; drain well, and return to saucepan. Add dill and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper, and mix gently to combine.
*In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. When chicken and orzo are ready, add arugula to bowl; toss to coat. Drizzle chicken with pan juices, and serve with lemon wedges, orzo, and arugula salad.

Roasted Cherry and Almond Cake Trifle

I saw this recipe in Cottage Living recently and can't wait to try it!

Ingredients

1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 ounces almond paste, broken into pieces
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
6 large eggs, at room temperature*
3 pounds frozen cherries, thawed
6 tablespoons Cognac
3 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean, split in half
1 pint whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1/2 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped and toasted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan.

2. Sift together first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Process almond paste and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a food processor until blended. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed 1 minute. Add sugar mixture and 1 teaspoon vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down sides. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing just until blended.

3. Pour into prepared Bundt pan, and bake 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into cake center comes out clean. Remove from oven, and let cool.

4. Toss cherries with Cognac, cinnamon sticks, 3 teaspoons vanilla, 3 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla bean halves in a bowl; pour into a roasting pan. Increase heat to 425°, and bake cherry mixture 10 minutes. Place vanilla bean halves and cinnamon sticks in a small bowl, and let cool. Strain cherries, and reserve all cooking liquid.

5. Scrape vanilla beans with a spoon, and place seeds in bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Add whipping cream. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, add cardamom, if desired, and whisk until stiff peaks form.

6. Assemble trifle in 16 (10-ounce) individual glasses. Slice cake into 3/4-inch pieces. Layer cake pieces, 1 1/2 teaspoons cherry liquid, cherries, and 3 tablespoons cream; repeat layers, ending with 1 tablespoon cream. Chill 2 hours, sprinkle with almonds, and serve.

*To bring eggs to room temperature safely, remove from refrigerator and place in a bowl for 30 minutes.

Makes 16 servings

Berry-Lemon Shortbread Tart

Just about any berry can be used in this -- my favorite is blueberry, but raspberries are really good, too!

3 cups frozen blueberries, raspberries, etc...

1 stick + 6 T cold butter, cut into pieces

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3 large eggs

Zest & juice of 2 lemons

Powdered sugar, for dusting

*Preheat oven to 400.

*Using your fingers, combine the butter, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1 1/2 cups of flour -- blend together until coarse crumbs form. Pour the mixture into an ungreased non-stick springform or removable bottom tart pan. Press down evenly to form a crust. Bake until lightly golden -- about 20 minutes.

*Remove shortbread from the oven and reduce the heat to 325. Scatter the frozen fruit on top of the crust.

*Beat the eggs with remaining 3/4 cup sugar until thick & pale yellow. Whisk in lemon zest, lemon juice and remaining 1/4 cup flour. Pour the lemon cream over the fruit/shortbread and bake for 30 minutes or until the custard is set.

*Let cool, then dust with powdered sugar.