Jamie Oliver's Roast Chicken.... yes please.  

Recipe here

The pierced lemon in the cavity creates for an amazing flavor.  I complimented with thinly sliced lemon under the skin.  Yummmmm.

Mini Eggplant for the Patio....

Pot Black Eggplant

The tiny fruit produced by the Pot Black Eggplant is perfect for container growing.  Ripe from the size of a golf ball to a tennis ball, how did I miss out on this one for my balcony this year!?  Its flavor and texture is something I am interested in checking out, either way its leaves and pretty purply fruit would be a beautiful addition to any patio.  

The National Garden Bureau discusses this new varietal here.

And so far the only place I have found to buy seeds is DT Browns out of Europe.  

hmm.... D.T. Brown's Seeds

Fabulous Flatware

 

 I haven't wanted something this bad in a while.  I must find a way to make this flatware mine.  Dinnerware in general has a place in my heart, but this is just.... wow.  It is iridescent purple!

Find this beautiful flatware at Anthropolgie.

Potato Leek and Turnip Soup

4 cups of Water

2 cups of potatoes, diced
2 cups of turnips, chopped (smaller than the potaotes)
1 Leek, finely chopped
1/2 white onion diced

2 celery stalks
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Bring water to  boil, salt water.  Add potatoes, leeks, onion.  bring back to a boil.  Turn heat down and simmer for 45 minutes.  Add desired amount of crushed red pepper.  Saute celery and garlic in pan and a bit of olive oil until garlic browns slightly.  After 30 minutes of water and veggie simmer time add celery mixture and oregano to pot.  Now adding this was definitely an after thought for me, but the crunch from the slightly less cooked celery was an exciting bonus.   Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!  Super easy, super healthy.   I did let this cook a little longer, which made the potatoes break down and thickened the soup. 

   Yummmmmmmmm....

New Cooking Garb For Me!!

SUPER excited about my new (vintage) apron for only $8.  I am definitely moving up in the cooking world now!

Love love love the vintage store around the corner from my house.  Thank you A Touch of Vintage!

To visit their website click here.

Quick and Easy Quiche

I make this quiche often and vary what ingredients are used, but the base is always the same.  Switch out the broccoli for spinach or get creative with bacon and sun dried tomato.  Anything really works.  Very easy to whip together and impress your guests.  Or cook in advance and reheat for lunch.

4 eggs
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 oz. swiss cheese, shredded
1 cup of Broccoli chopped
1/2 cup onion diced
1 frozen pie crust (I prefer deep dish)
1 tbs fresh chopped parsley (optional)
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.  Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a whisk, pour into the frozen pie crust (do not defrost).  Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour or until top begins to brown.  Let rest for a few minutes before cutting and serving.

The original recipe that I knocked off some time ago included half and half in addition to the milk and 8 oz. of cheese not 4.  I have cut it down and really have not noticed.  If you would like to "beef" it up I suggest the addition of these.  I also use skim milk and light mayo and it is still equally yummy.

The Perfect Roast Chicken with Herbed Rice

I have to attribute this recipe to two amazing chefs.  The following is a combination of the infamous Julia Child and Tyler Florence, with quite a few tweaks from me.  Keep in mind, oven times may vary.  

As always take any recipe with a grain of salt and make changes based on your tastes and especially based on what needs to be used up in your fridge.  If something is on the verge of going bad, find some way to use it in the dish you are costructing tonight!

Below,  whenever I refer to salt I am referring to coarse sea salt and I used white onions.

Start with a 1 whole frier chicken, about 3-4 lbs
I used an organic amish chicken this time, I am not sure if it is worth the extra money, but let me tell you I don't usually splurge in this mannor, but I think it might make all of the difference.

Scrub chicken under hot water, rinse inside and out. Dispose of gizzards and organs (or reserve to make stock).

Slide your fingers under the chicken skin on the breast side, separate from the meat as much as possible with out tearing the skin.

Slice thinly 1 medium onion and 1 lemon, toss in a bowl with olive oil and salt and pepper. 
Stuff the inside of the chicken as full as possible with the onion mixture, reserve any that could not fit, if you have it tie the legs together with chicken string.

Chop a handful of fresh rosemary, a handful of fresh parsley and a handfull of fresh thyme (substitute a dried if necessary, rule of thumb 1 teaspoon of the dried herb = 1 tablespoon of the fresh, just estimate)
Mix together (you could use the bowl from the onion mixture even if there is some left in it) with a splash of olive oil and a little salt. I believe Tyler Florence would suggest to blend in a food processor to create a paste, totally doable, but just dirtys one more gadget, I leave this step out.

With your hands spread the herb mixture under the skin on the breasts and on the skin. Sprinkle the top with salt and make sure the skin has a thin coat of oil on it (Julia would suggest butter).

Put in the oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes to brown and crisp skin, then turn the oven down to 350 degrress for 1 hour 15 minutes. 

About 30 minutes into the cooking process top the chicken with 1/4 cup of dry white wine and spread coursely chopped carrott and onion around it in the pan.  Baste the chicken and vegetables through out the cooking time.

When the chicken has reached 170 degrees pull out of the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.  Slice and serve with herbed rice (recipe below) and carrot and onion mixture.

I made this for my neighbors and I one Monday night after work, it was so yummy we all went back for thirds! Totally unnessary food consumption, yet so good.


Herbed rice:  Cook white rice to package directions, saute slowly 1/2 an onion in a pan until slightly browned toss in 1-2 minced garlic cloves sautee for another couple minutes.  Add to rice with a handful of chopped parsley stir well.  Add a little lemon if you have it on hand.