Wow... what a week this has been for new recipe sources!  First Michelle Fagone released Ladle, a soup and stew ebook which you can read about here.  Then yesterday, Anne Marie and I released The Paleo Cookie Exchange, a FREE ebook perfect for the holidays that can be downloaded here.  And now today Amy Densmore is releasing her debut cookbook, The Paleo Cupboard Cookbook.  I am so excited about the chance to share about all of these with you!  This post is focused on Densmore's book, because it deserves every positive review you are sure to read about it.

Paleo Cupboard is a blog with modest beginnings, as so many of the best ones are.  After ditching her low-fat, calorie-counting eating habits for a paleo lifestyle, Densmore's family wanted in on her new-found energy and weight loss.  She began Paleo Cupboard as a way to easily share her recipes with those in her life who were curious about why she felt so good.  In time, she began gaining more readers and the website grew to be a huge influence in the paleo community.  This cookbook is like an all-star conglomeration of her best recipes, plus new ones written exclusively for the book.

Photo courtesy of victory belt publishing, inc.

Photo courtesy of victory belt publishing, inc.

It is clear that Densmore truly put a lot of time and care into this piece of work.  Besides the incredible recipes (which cannot be understated), she has included an "about me" blurb, the story behind the book, an informational section about the paleo lifestyle and which foods to enjoy/avoid, how to stock a paleo kitchen, a clarification on different flavor types and how to create them with real food, and even an 8-week meal plan with a shopping list.

I have seen many of these features included in other books, but the flavors section is something new that I never would have had thought to include if I were writing a book.  It is something that many people don't think about because the different flavors are recognized without needing names, but Densmore's decision to elaborate on how to make them is a genius move.  I know I can get stuck in flavor ruts, so I'm sure everyone has the same issue from time-to-time.  This is a great resource to have no matter what your cooking experience is.

On top of all the features that make up this book, Densmore has done a fabulous job of capturing her personality along the way.  She is charmingly funny and from what I can glean from the few personal exchanges I've had with her, very friendly.  You can truly tell when reading everything from the prose to the recipes that she genuinely loves what she does and wants to make others smile when she shares it with them.  That is something truly special.

Okay... one more awesome thing.  Amy is letting me share this butt-kicking and oh-so-simple recipe from her book.  It also happens to be the food featured as the cover!  I made these babies for dinner and they are just as easy as they are delicious.  Give them a go this week while you're waiting for your copy of the full book to come in the mail!

Lemon and Thyme Chicken Thighs

Prep time: 5 minutes   Cook time: 30 minutes   Total time: 35 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Directions

Ingredients

  1.  Preheat oven to 450ºF.
  2. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Heat the ghee in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Place the chicken thighs in the pan, skin side down, and cook for 2 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking the thighs without touching them for another 10 minutes, or until the skin has released from the pan (the skin will initially stick to the pan and then will release once the fat has rendered).  Drain any excess fat from the pan, then transfer the skillet to the oven (remember, the handle will be hot).  Cook for 10 more minutes.
  3. Remove the skillet from the oven and flip the chicken pieces over.  Nestle the lemon slices and thyme sprigs between the chicken pieces, then return the pan to the oven for 5 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and the juices run clear when a knife is inserted and the meat is no longer pink inside, or the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165ºF.  Remove from the oven, drizzle with lemon juice, and serve.

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter), lard, or tallow

1 large lemon, sliced

6 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

 

If you would like to purchase The Paleo Cupboard Cookbook, it is available NOW on Amazon.