Greek Chopped Salad

Do you love chopped salads as much as I do? Eastern Mediterranean cuisine is full of different variations of them. Crisp and refreshing, they pair nicely with grilled fish, chicken or even stuffed into a pita with some creamy hummus. I find making chopped vegetable salads like this one easier than dealing with a bunch of lettuce. Just rinse the veggies, pat them dry, chop and toss with a light olive oil and lemon dressing.

Last night, the hubs and I indulged in oh-so-delicious cannolis and cream puffs at Boston's Modern Pastry Bakery. A girl's gotta live, right? If you come to Boston, remember to stand in the long line at this bakery and treat yourself to some.Today, I'm cooking light.

Roasted Chicken ~ Lemon, Oregano and Aleppo Pepper

Simple food, prepared with care, is good eating. When it comes to roasted chicken this rule almost always applies. As fall and winter approach, I yearn for my lemon and herb roasted chicken. It's easy. It's comforting. It makes us happy. 

Arrange this chicken in a pan, add some spices, a drizzle of olive oil and pop it in the oven. The spices give the chicken a boost of Mediterranean flavor. The addition of lemon, parsley and Aleppo pepper at the end cuts through the richness of the crispy skin and lend a fresh tartness and a mild peppery kick.

I often curl up on my comfy couch with a good book while the chicken is cooking, intoxicating aromas fill the house. In about an hour it's done. I'm happy being a couch potato on brisk fall evenings, especially when I know a homey dinner awaits us. I roast a little bit of unseasoned chicken for our sweet beagle too. It's her favorite treat... next to hamburgers. Yes, I even cook for the dog, lucky gal.

Roasted chicken is one of my husband's favorite meals. He loves it with either a baguette or a baked potato and a crisp salad tossed with a light lemon-olive oil dressing.