Soy Sauce Roasted Chicken

This is a simple yet utterly delicious way to liven up a roasted chicken! It's so ridiculously easy to prepare, and the flavor pops! Serve this with garlic roasted asparagus, fried rice, ginger garlic veggies, or any other "Asian" inspired sides.


Ingredients:

• 1 roasting chicken
• 4 cups soy sauce

 Directions:

1. Place the chicken in a gallon-sized zip-loc bag. Pour in the soy sauce and marinate the chicken for at least 12 hours (the longer the better, I marinated mine for 2 days!). 
2. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Foil and lightly grease a roasting pan (or 9x13" casserole). Place the chicken breast-side up in the dish and roast in the lower third of the oven for 15 minutes. Decrease the oven temperature to 375 F and roast for an additional 50-60 minutes*.
3. Let it sit for 10 minutes before carving, then serve!

 * Note: Keep an eye on your chicken as it roasts, some ovens run hotter than others. The chicken should be a dark golden brown when it's finished. You want the chicken to be sitting just a little lower than the direct middle of the oven for best results!

Key Lime Pie

For Easter I decided to make a key lime pie, committed to bringing it to the BF's family dinner, and instantly realized that I've never made it before. I usually like to play around with new recipes, but this time I decided to pick a recipe and stick to it to avoid a disaster.
I chose Martha Stewart's Key Lime Pie, and it is beautiful! Tomorrow we will eat it, so I'll get feedback that I can add in later. I was really happy with how easy this recipe is, and I think it will be a perfect Easter dessert!

The recipe was pretty straight forward and I didn't have a hard time finding any of the ingredients which was nice. I knew that I could use regular limes if I didn't come across any Key limes, but I got lucky and stumbled upon a bag of Key limes in a nearby grocery store. For a "first time" recipe, I am so glad I chose to follow this one!

Tips and Suggestions:
I baked the pie crust then reduced the oven temperature before prepping the filling to ensure enough time for the crust to cool. 
Get yourself organized before you start! Locate the zester, the juicer, the whisk, the wire rack! Melt your butter! Make sure you have graham cracker crumbs on hand! 
Make this well ahead of serving time! I baked my pie a full day ahead.

Ingredients

•  1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lime zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix the butter, crumbs, and sugar with a fork in a medium sized bowl. Press the mixture into a 9" pie plate (I use glass pie plates!) and bake for 12 minutes. Cool the crust on a wire rack -- cool it completely before filling it!
2. Decrease the heat of the oven to 325 F. Whisk the milk, yolks, lime juice, and zest in a medium bowl, then pour into the crust. Bake for 15-17 minutes (I baked it for the full 17 minutes) and then cool completely on a wire rack. 
3. Let the pie sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours before serving for optimal flavor, and serve with whipped cream!