A New Favorite

I'm always on the look-out for QUICK easy meals, but my hesitation to try new things always seems to get in the way. What if I don't like it? What if it doesn't turn out how I expect it to? These are real concerns. I mean, making dinner takes some effort... I don't want it to be in vain! But I'm determined, so I've set out to try one new recipe at least twice a month.

I was so pleased with my latest experiment that I had to share it! Initially, the recipe caught my eye because it had everything that my boys could eat: chicken, sweet potatoes and carrots. And there's not many more things in it! (I think it was in the Taste of Home magazine, but I don't remember!) Oh, my word. SO easy and SO delicious. I just threw everything in the same pan and cooked it! My boys had open mouths and eager faces as we cut pieces of vegetables to give to them. It's one of my new favorites - Andy's, too!

Maple-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes

4 large skinless chicken thighs (about 1.5# with bones)
2 sm. sweet potatoes (about 1# total), peeled and cut into 1” chunks
1 sm. onion, cut into 1” pieces
½ bag (16 oz.) bag baby carrots or 8 oz. parsnips, cut into 1” chunks
¼ c. maple syrup

Preheat oven to 450˚. In 15.5” by 10.5” jelly-roll pan or large shallow roasting pan, combine chicken, sweet potato chunks, onion, baby carrots, maple syrup, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper, and toss to coat. Roast chicken mixture 40-45 minutes or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with tip of knife and liquid in pan thickens slightly, stirring vegetables once and turning chicken over halfway through roasting.