This all-purpose blend is a delicious way to season meats, vegetables, soups and stews. You’ll find this spice blend is a key ingredient in many Latin, Mexican, and Caribbean recipes.

You’ve likely seen it on the grocery store shelves in the Latin/Mexican section.

Making your own seasoning blends are a great way to use ingredients you likely already have on hand. Did you know most ground spices lose the majority of their flavor within a year? When’s the last time you cleaned out your spice cabinet? Hmmm, might be time for me to tackle that too!

So use up those spices by making time-saving blends instead of buying another jar.

This particular flavor enhancer can be sprinkled directly onto meat or vegetables as a dry rub before grilling or roasting. Sprinkled directly into soups and stews. It’s also fantastic when used to make a marinade with lemon juice and olive oil.

Adobo Seasoning contains: garlic powder, turmeric, oregano, cumin, salt and black pepper. It’s a key ingredient in Arroz Con Pollo (Latin Chicken & Rice). It’s not to be confused with Adobo Sauce which is a spicy pepper and tomato based sauce that’s big on flavor!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Homemade Adobo Seasoning Blend

Make a batch of Homemade Adobo Seasoning Blend to have on hand. This all-purpose blend a delicious way to season meats, vegetables, soups and stews.

Course Spices

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons salt
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 Tablespoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients. Store in a jar with a tight fitting lid.

The post Easy Homemade Adobo Seasoning Blend appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

My husband’s ancestors also have roots in Catania! Lucky for me it’s where we visited on a dream vacation a few years back.

Catania, Sicily

One day I’ll share more about our trip to Italy, one of the most marvelous adventures I’ve had the privilege to experience!

Nick’s grandfather immigrated from Sicily to Boston in the 1930s. We researched and discovered that the Zappalà family name is still prevalent in the Catania region of Sicily. We were fortunate to be invited to tour the Zappalà cheese factory outside of Catania and sample their outstanding products :) <3

Pasta alla Norma

Eggplant is the star ingredient in Pasta alla Norma, which can be pan fried or oven roasted – which is what I prefer. The oven method was much easier than pan frying and yielded a nice golden brown batch of eggplant.

For the sauce I make a simple Pasta Sauce that begins with sautéed onion and garlic. Then I give a can of San Marzano tomatoes a whirl in the blender and add those to the pan, along with dried seasonings (basil, oregano, parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes). Season with salt & pepper and simmer for 15 minutes.

Recipe note: Do you dry your own herbs? Oregano is one of my favorites to dry. Check out this easy method.

The Sauce

The result is a nice rich pasta sauce that comes together in under 30 minutes but taste like it’s been on the stove all day!

To Build the Dish

To build the Pasta alla Norma, the roasted eggplant is added to the pasta sauce. Then the al dente pasta is folded in along with 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, coating each piece in the silky sauce.

A generous sprinkling of pecorino Romano (or classically Ricotta Salata) and a handful of fresh basil finishes the dish.

Pasta alla Norma deserves its spot among the top classic Italian pasta dishes. The simplest of ingredients quickly come together to deliver a hearty vegetarian dish that even your meat lovers will savor.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma deserves its spot among the top classic Italian pasta dishes. The simplest of ingredients quickly come together to deliver a hearty vegetarian dish that even your meat lovers will savor.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the eggplant

• 2 pounds eggplant (about 2 medium) cut into 1" cubes
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the sauce

• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes blended
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

To serve

• 1 pound pasta (like rigatoni, penne or rotini) cooked al dente
• 1/4 cup pasta cooking water
• fresh basil leaves
• pecorino Romano (classically Ricotta Salata) grated

Instructions

For the eggplant

• Preheat oven to 450° F. Cut eggplant into 1" cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and spread in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheet. Roast in oven for 15 minutes, then flip and roast another 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the sauce

• While eggplant is roasting, heat olive oil In a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until translucent, add garlic and saute another minute. Pour in blended tomatoes, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Fold in roasted eggplant.

To serve

• While sauce is cooking, boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Add pasta and 1/4 cup cooking liquid to pasta sauce. Toss pasta well to coat.
• Divide eggplant pasta into bowls. Sprinkle with fresh basil and grated pecorino Romano cheese. Buon appetito!

The post Pasta alla Norma {Eggplant Pasta} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

The key ingredient are the canned San Marzano tomatoes. They are not at all difficult to find but should not be replaced by regular diced tomatoes.

San Marzano are whole plum tomatoes with very few seeds that are renowned for their balanced flavor. Rich tomato taste that is slightly sweet and less acidic. 

You can simply crush the tomatoes by hand for a ‘chunkier’ sauce or give them a whirl in the blender for a smoother sauce.

This Quick & Easy Homemade Pasta Sauce begins with onion and garlic sautéed in extra virgin olive oil. The tomatoes are added along with dried spices (basil, oregano, parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes), then seasoned to taste with salt and black pepper.

This Pasta Sauce is perfect with Spaghetti & Meatballs, on Pizza or tossed with eggplant in Pasta alla Norma. Enjoy!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Pasta Sauce

This quick and easy Pasta Sauce comes together in under 30 minutes yet tastes like it's been simmering all day.

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

Instructions

• Hand crush or blend tomatoes to desired consistency. Heat olive oil In a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until translucent, add garlic and saute another minute. Pour in crushed/blended tomatoes, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.

The post Quick & Easy Homemade Pasta Sauce appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Trust me when I tell you once you go with Homemade Enchilada Sauce you’ll never go back to the canned variety.  From start to finish in 20 minutes and worth every one of those.

Take 5 minutes to gather your ingredients before you begin.  Once you start making the sauce it moves quickly.

It’s delicious over your favorite Enchiladas and the star of your Game Day Cheesy Beef Enchilada Dip, but also a great base for Soup.

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Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 3 Tbl. canola oil
• 1 Tbl. flour
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 10 oz. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan heat oil over medium heat, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon.
• Cook for 1 minute, then add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• The sauce will thicken and smooth out. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt as necessary.

The post Homemade Enchilada Sauce appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I’m a huge fan of Italian Grinders aka Italian Submarine Sandwiches. 

I sprung out of my seat today and announced I’m headed to the grocery store.  Normally that wouldn’t take anyone by surprise.

However.  Just the night before I declared that we didn’t need a damn thing at the store. Woohoo!! We had a high-five, go us, eat out of the fridge/pantry, winning.  So needless to say, one questioned my change of heart.

I need to make a salad.  A crazy good salad that will go so well with our smoked burgers.  Fine, pick up toilet paper, it’s on sale.

You may be familiar with the plastic flip-top pour bottle of submarine dressing that is often marketed at the deli-counter.  Love that stuff.

I stepped up to said deli-counter today to order the ingredients for my Chopped Italian Submarine Salad.  Casually glancing around for a bottle of Italian Sub Love.  Wait.  What?  You always have Submarine Dressing.  You can’t be out.  Are you sure?  Ugh!

I can do this!!

Having a bottle of Basil infused Olive Oil from our local olive oil vendor certainly helped.  Don’t fret if you don’t have access to infused oils, you might just want to let your oil hang out with the dried basil and oregano for a while…the longer the better. Or throw a handful of fresh basil in your food processor with the remaining ingredients and puree. The result will be a delicious herby dressing!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Submarine Dressing

I'm a huge fan of Italian Grinders aka Italian Submarine Sandwiches.  For me, it's the Submarine Dressing that kicks up all those Italian meats and cheeses as they nestle into crusty Italian sub rolls.

Course Dressing

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Basil infused olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions

• Combine ingredients in a cruet and shake. Serve with your favorite sub sandwich or salad.

Notes

Don’t fret if you don’t have access to infused oils, you might just want to let your oil hang out with the dried basil and oregano for a while…the longer the better. Or throw a handful of fresh basil in your food processor with the remaining ingredients and puree. The result will be a delicious herby dressing!

The post Submarine Dressing appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I’m am so excited about this new Greek Whole Roasted Chicken recipe.

So excited.  Made it twice in less than a week just to be sure it was as amazing as I thought.  It’s that amazing.

It starts with a punchy marinade of plain Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice & zest, oregano, rosemary, Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning, salt & pepper.  The first time we made this dish we let it hang out in the marinade for a couple hours before roasting.  It was delicious.  In fact, that led us to make Lemon, Tortellini & Meatball Soup from the glorious homemade broth that followed.

The second time we made it, which was last night we planned ahead and marinated the chicken overnight to see if the flavors would build even more so.  Oh my wow.  It was amazing.  I know I’ve said that, but I’m sooo excited.

You may notice the Greek Salad pictured in the background.  It was the perfect side for our Greek Whole Roasted Chicken.  I hope you’ll give this recipe a try and share your feedback.

All my best,
Libby

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Greek Whole Roasted Chicken

Prep Time 4 hours hours

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 5-6 lb. whole chicken
• 1 cup Greek nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 Tbl. Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• juice & zest of one lemon

Instructions

• Mix marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Put chicken in bowl with marinade and coat completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-24 hours (preferably overnight).
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken in roasting pan on a rack. Add a couple of cups of chicken broth (or even water) to the bottom of the pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes or until nicely browned. Baste chicken with broth from pan. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and tent chicken with foil. Continue baking for an additional hour or until chicken is done (juices run clear and thermometer inserted into the inner thigh registers 165 degrees). If your chicken comes with a pop-up timer trust it. Baste midway through cooking time.
• Remove chicken from oven and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing, 30 minutes is preferable. Remember to reserve the carcass for making broth.

Notes

This recipe is best when allowed to marinate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

The post Greek Whole Roasted Chicken appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Have I got a great new soup recipe for you.  If you LOVE Italian Wedding Soup as much as we do, you’re going to adore this Lemon, Tortellini & Meatball Soup.

After enjoying Greek Whole Roasted Chicken seasoned with lemon, garlic & oregano it seemed only fitting to turn the yummy homemade chicken broth infused with those flavors into a Greek inspired soup aka Lemon, Tortellini & Meatball Soup.

This recipe builds in plenty of flavor infusion so don’t worry if you’re starting with plain chicken broth, the soup will be absolutely delicious.

To begin, make up a batch of chicken meatballs, seasoned with lemon zest, fresh rosemary and dried oregano.  Brown these off in batches in a Dutch oven, then reserve them to finish cooking in your glorious broth.

As with many of our favorite soup recipes, a classic mirepoix is a wonderful place to begin.  Once sautéed and tender, the broth is added along with additional seasonings, including fresh lemon juice and zest.  Just like a squeeze of fresh lime juice gives Mexican Chicken Soup it’s signature flavor, fresh lemon juice is paramount in this Lemon, Tortellini & Meatball Soup.

About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve, add the tortellini and meatballs to the pot and allow to simmer until cooked through.  For the best results, add the fresh spinach leaves just before serving along with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and flat leaf parsley.  I shared Lemon, Tortellini & Meatball Soup today at lunch and my taste-testers gave the Mmmm Mmmm Good stamp of approval!

Tip:  If you are not going to eat all the soup at the first sitting, I recommend only adding enough tortellini for the portions you need.  OR do as I did, which was to add it all, but then remove the extra tortellini with a slotted spoon to refrigerate in a separate container.  This kept them from sucking up all the good broth and turning into mush.  I added them back into the soup pot when reheated for lunch.  Worked great.

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