Honey & Herb Roasted Chicken with Autumn Squash

This Honey & Herb Roasted Chicken with Autumn Squash recipe is a delicious way to usher in the fresh & warm flavors of the fall season...

This recipe first appeared on the Bridgeport Farmers Market Let's Get Fresh site.

I am on a mission once again this outdoor farmers market season to show you all how you can create a delicious recipe purchasing mostly locally grown & raised produce and meats at your local farmers market. I started this locally inspired recipe series in the summer of 2017, and I am thrilled to be continuing the series this year as well. Each month I will be sharing a recipe here to the blog inspired by and featuring some of my own personal favorite fresh & local finds from my local market. 

For the month of September, I am sharing my last recipe post of the outdoor market season- this juicy and flavorful Honey & Herb Roasted Chicken with Autumn Squash. This roasted chicken recipe is a delicious way to usher in the fresh & warm flavors of the fall season. 

I am going to share a little secret with you all that I just recently learned myself- if you roast a chicken upside down, you will end up with the most moist & juiciest chicken breast that you have ever tasted. I know it seems weird to roast a chicken with the breast side down, but do trust me on this one, folks. Give it a try with this recipe. I guarantee that you won't regret it. 

20 Farmers Market Inspired Recipes for Spring

From breakfast recipes to appetizers to desserts & everything else in between, these 20 Farmers Market Inspired Recipes for Spring will have you racing off to your next local farmers market ASAP...

One of my favorite things about spring is that everything comes alive & my local farmers market starts to brim with fresh garden goodness again. Everything from asparagus to ramps to bright leafy greens & sweet strawberries. 

Springtime is also when my local farmers market goes from a once a month thing to a weekly happening, so I am always on the lookout for more market inspired recipes to use those locally sourced & harvested veggies, herbs, and berries in. 

Once again, my food blogger friends did not disappoint when I put out the call for their favorite farmers market inspired recipes for springtime. I literally combed through hundreds of recipes to narrow it down to just these twenty. From breakfast recipes to appetizers to desserts & everything else in between, these bright & fresh recipes will have you racing off to your next local farmers market ASAP...

4 Reasons to Attend a Local Farm to Table Dinner

If you have never attended a farm to table dinner before or have been on the fence about whether or not you should attend one, then be sure to check out these 4 Reasons to Attend a Local Farm to Table Dinner...

This post was created in partnership with Taste of Blue Ridge. As always, all opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own.

Through my work as a food & travel blogger and my involvement with the local food & culinary scene in my area, I have been fortunate to have been able to attend a handful of farm to table dinners over the past few years. 

Although each featured a different venue & highlighted different local chefs & farms, one theme remained the same- a love for & focus on locally sourced, grown, & raised ingredients. 





If you have never attended a farm to table dinner before or have been on the fence about whether or not you should snag a ticket to your next local food event, then today's post is for you! :) Below I am sharing my 4 top reasons why a local farm to table dinner is well worth your time & the price of admission...

Summer Blog Challenge, Day 29- "How To" Become a Better Locavore

Today's blog challenge is to write a how-to post.  For today's post I thought I would share with you my five simple steps on how to become more of a locavore.  In our quest to feed our families healthier food, to be kinder to the environment, and to support our communities, more of us are striving to buy and eat local more often.  But it is not always easy. 
Trying to become a locavore may seem daunting, but here are five easy steps that you can take now towards becoming one:


1.  This is probably the easiest and the most obvious, but shop your local farmers markets!  Not only are you buying local, but you can also talk directly to the farmers, producers, and artisans of what you are purchasing right there and then.  You can ask them about their growing methods, how they make their delicious jams, and where they raise their honeybees.  And often times, vendors are more than happy to let you have a taste of what they have on hand, so you can try it before you buy it. ;)

2.  Start small.  After visiting the farmers market, go through your fridge and pantry and choose two to five items you can start buying local immediately.  Local eggs and honey are a great place to start.  My family and I try to buy at least one local meat every week at the farmers market.  One week we bought flank steak.  Last week we bought ground beef. This coming week we are going to try chicken.  Replace your dried herbs with herb plants.  


3.  Start a garden of your own.  You really can't get more local than your own backyard, and you do not have to have a lot of land to start one.  Many vegetables do well in containers on patios.  If you have a smaller backyard like we do, try a small raised garden bed.  We planted a 3x3 foot bed this summer and are growing heirloom tomatoes, poblanos, and jalapenos.  Take it one step further and buy your vegetable plants at the farmers market or a local greenhouse instead of the big chain stores.

4.  And continuing on that thought, forgo the big chain stores and restaurants for smaller, locally owned businesses.  Choose to spend your money at one of these businesses at least two to three times a month.  Buying local means that your money is going right back into the local economy and the community.


5.  Visit a local farm.  I find that you are more apt to buy local (even if it means spending a little more) if you have seen where the food is actually coming from.  Most farmers and vendors welcome visitors and give tours.  I would actually be a little leery of a farmer who wouldn't want their patrons to come check out their facilities.  And bring the kids!  Children loves animals and getting dirty.  And bonus?  You will be lighting the spark in a future generation of locavores! :)