Here's an old standby recipe of mine. I especially love to make a roasted chicken on Sunday (like this last Sunday), and serve with mashed potatoes and vegies. I love this particular recipe because the chicken is always tender and juicy, with crisp skin, and very flavorful. I like to buy the 2 pack of chickens at Costco. At $6.00 per chicken, this makes for an economical (and yummy) meal.
Roast Chicken
1 whole chicken (about 6 lb.)
1 T. butter, softened
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 lemon
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 large onion
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water and pat dry (including cavity) with paper towels. Cut onion into thick 1/4" slices and place them in 2 rows in a heavy duty roasting pan to form a bed for the chicken to rest on. Place the chicken on onions and tuck tips of wings under the bottom to keep them from burning. Put garlic cloves and thyme sprigs into cavity. Roll lemon on counter and pierce several times with a fork. Put lemon in cavity. Spread butter over entire exposed surface of the chicken. Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Bake for 1 1/2 hours (I generally find the length of time to be spot on). When you take the chicken out of oven let rest on cutting board for about 15 minutes before carving. You can take the drippings from the pan and make a gravy if you like. When carving I like to squeeze some of the lemon over the chicken.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Thomas Friedman is My Idol
I was reading the newspaper on Sunday and saw that one of my idols, Thomas Friedman, was going to be speaking at Abravanel Hall on Tuesday night. So last night on a whim I went and bought a cheap seat and had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Friedman speak. If you haven't heard of Thomas Friedman, he is a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist for the New York Times and he has written several books about world affairs. Some of the topics he has covered include the Middle East conflict, the cold war, U.S. domestic policy and foreign policy, terrorism, and global warming. For those of you local here, his column often appears in the editorial section of the Deseret News. I have always been a fan of his work, when he speaks - I listen. I like his world view and his arguments always make sense to me. Last night he spoke about his latest book, Hot, Flat and Crowded, which I haven't had a chance to read yet. Last year I read another recent book of his, The World is Flat, and I learned a lot from it. Now I just need to put Hot, Flat and Crowded on my reading list!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Gettin' Away
Last weekend I just had to escape so me and the girls (Jen and Amy) got out of town and headed to St. George where it was a little warmer. It was so relaxing and we did a whole lot of nothin'. We tried a really good Thai place and, of course, In-N-Out. Shopping, hot tubbing, the movie, hiking, napping, like I said - a lot of relaxing. Saturday morning we drove out to Snow Canyon and hiked around the Petrified Dunes. I love it down in southern Utah, I love that vast ocean of red rock. All in all, it was the perfect weekend to relax with great friends.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Sweet Find
I want to get the word out, if you are looking for some unique and personalized custom made jewelry, look no further. Check out this blog:
My sweet cousin Kenna makes really unique initial pendants. She just started a blog to showcase her designs and if you like something you see you can go ahead and order it. One of her ideas I really like is you can give her your meaningful photos and have them made into a pendant. For my Grandma's 100th birthday, Kenna made her a pendant with a photo of my grandma and grandpa early in their marriage. It is a treasure! So if you're looking for a special gift for someone or you just want to treat yourself, check out this blog!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Goodbye Fabio
Last night was the first part of the finale on Top Chef. I have been rooting for Fabio all season, but alas, he made a good run and was eliminated. So SAD, and now we're left with crazy Carla, cocky Stefan, and Hosea (who I think if given the chance would like to knife Stefan in the back). But back to Fabio, I HEART FABIO! He has been so entertaining to watch all season, this guy cracks me up. His accent is adorable and it makes his comments even more hysterical. So, in honor of Fabio I thought I would post some of his better quotes of the season:
It doesn't matter how many dragoon you kill, it just matters that you bring home the preencess.
Colicchio. He is like Pope to me.
There is no freakin' blue food.
end of story....
Do I know how make hot dog? No! I know how make sausage!
I'm 30 years old and I have to sleep on the BUNKY bed.
Describing his car: it is a piece of...poo.
Here's 2 variations:
I could serve monkey ass on a clam shell and my team would win.
But I'm a chef. There's nothing that can stress me out. If they gonna give me monkey ass to fill with fried banana, I'll come up with something anyway. It's not a problem.
This is Top Chef...not Top Scallop.
And finally, the last 2 are my favs:
No way, hospital? I'll chop it off and sear it on the flattop so it doesn't bleed anymore, and tomorrow I'll deal with my finger.
I got so many kick in my ass, that sometime when I'm in the bathroom, I still pull shoes out of my ass.
End of story... now vote for Fabio for fan favorite!
Monday, February 16, 2009
2 for 1
Here's a couple of recipes that I made recently that I think are winners. The first recipe I found in Cooking Light Magazine, it was easy, economical, and low in fat.
Chicken Tamale Casserole
1 c. preshredded 4 cheese Mexican blend (I used cheddar)
1/3 c. fat free milk
1 egg
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1 - 14 oz. can cream style corn
1 - 8.5 oz. box corn muffin mix
1 - 4 oz. can chopped green chiles
1 - 10 oz. can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 c. shredded cooked chicken breast (I used about 3 c.)
1/2 c. fat free sour cream
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. combine 1/4 c. cheese and next seven ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until cheese melts. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces and top each serving with 1 T. sour cream.
I was watching Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals the other day and she was making this Chili Suizas Bake. It looked so delish I had to try it last night. Just an FYI, ground chicken is really hard to find. I went to several stores and apparently they don't offer ground chicken because of some health code. I ended up going to Marberger Meats in Bountiful (a great butcher shop BTW), and they ground me some fresh chicken. I think you could try this with ground turkey, but I prefer the ground chicken. This ends up being kind of like a chili/soup with the chips and cheese on top - kind of like a chili version of Enchilada Suizas. Yum - O!
Chili Suizas Bake
3 large poblano peppers (I didn't find poblanos so I ended up using anaheim peppers)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs. ground chicken
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
12 large or 16 medium to small tomatillos, peeled, rinsed and halved
1/4 c. cilantro, a handful
2 c. chicken stock
2 tsp. honey
salt and pepper
1 lime, juiced
1/2 c. sour cream
3 c. lightly crushed tortilla chips
1 c. shredded swiss cheese
1 c. shredded monterey jack cheese
Heat the broiler to high. Place the poblanos under hot broiler and char until blackened on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Leave the door of the oven cracked to allow the steam to escape. Place the peppers ina bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. All the peppers to cool enough to handle. While peppers char, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and lightly brown, 3 -4 minutes. Stir in onions, jalapeno and garlic and cook to soften onions about 5 minutes. While onions cook, place tomatillos and cilantro in the food processor and process until smooth. Pour the tomatillos into the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Stir in chicken stock and honey, season with salt and pepper and simmer chili 10 minutes.
When poblano peppers are cool enough to handle, peel the skin off, remove seeds and chop, stir into chili. Remove chili pan from heat and stir in lime juice. (at this point you could either leave the mixture in the skillet, or put into a 9 x 13 pan - I used the 9 x 13). Add dollops of sour cream on top of the chili, placing spoonfuls evenly across the pan. Cover the pan with a layer of crushed chips and top with swiss and monterey jack cheeses. Place under broiler until brown and bubbly. Serve from hot skillet, spooning chili into shallow dinner bowls.
I served this with chopped red onion and avocados.
Chicken Tamale Casserole
1 c. preshredded 4 cheese Mexican blend (I used cheddar)
1/3 c. fat free milk
1 egg
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1 - 14 oz. can cream style corn
1 - 8.5 oz. box corn muffin mix
1 - 4 oz. can chopped green chiles
1 - 10 oz. can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 c. shredded cooked chicken breast (I used about 3 c.)
1/2 c. fat free sour cream
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. combine 1/4 c. cheese and next seven ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until cheese melts. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces and top each serving with 1 T. sour cream.
I was watching Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals the other day and she was making this Chili Suizas Bake. It looked so delish I had to try it last night. Just an FYI, ground chicken is really hard to find. I went to several stores and apparently they don't offer ground chicken because of some health code. I ended up going to Marberger Meats in Bountiful (a great butcher shop BTW), and they ground me some fresh chicken. I think you could try this with ground turkey, but I prefer the ground chicken. This ends up being kind of like a chili/soup with the chips and cheese on top - kind of like a chili version of Enchilada Suizas. Yum - O!
Chili Suizas Bake
3 large poblano peppers (I didn't find poblanos so I ended up using anaheim peppers)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs. ground chicken
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
12 large or 16 medium to small tomatillos, peeled, rinsed and halved
1/4 c. cilantro, a handful
2 c. chicken stock
2 tsp. honey
salt and pepper
1 lime, juiced
1/2 c. sour cream
3 c. lightly crushed tortilla chips
1 c. shredded swiss cheese
1 c. shredded monterey jack cheese
Heat the broiler to high. Place the poblanos under hot broiler and char until blackened on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Leave the door of the oven cracked to allow the steam to escape. Place the peppers ina bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. All the peppers to cool enough to handle. While peppers char, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and lightly brown, 3 -4 minutes. Stir in onions, jalapeno and garlic and cook to soften onions about 5 minutes. While onions cook, place tomatillos and cilantro in the food processor and process until smooth. Pour the tomatillos into the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Stir in chicken stock and honey, season with salt and pepper and simmer chili 10 minutes.
When poblano peppers are cool enough to handle, peel the skin off, remove seeds and chop, stir into chili. Remove chili pan from heat and stir in lime juice. (at this point you could either leave the mixture in the skillet, or put into a 9 x 13 pan - I used the 9 x 13). Add dollops of sour cream on top of the chili, placing spoonfuls evenly across the pan. Cover the pan with a layer of crushed chips and top with swiss and monterey jack cheeses. Place under broiler until brown and bubbly. Serve from hot skillet, spooning chili into shallow dinner bowls.
I served this with chopped red onion and avocados.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Christmas Q & A
I was sent this in an email recently and then my friend, Jen, blogged her answers and I thought it was a fun little quiz. So here are my answers, please leave me a comment, I would love to hear some of your answers.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I'm really bad about making my presents presentable, but usually wrapping paper.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. Last night when I was stringing the tree with lights I was really wishing for a pre-lit artificial. Is that lazy or what?
3. When do you put up the tree? Just did it last night.
4. When do you take the tree down? Usually around New Years.
5. Do you like egg nog? Just a few sips.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? My cabbage patch doll (fake of course) ranks high, I also remember a porcelain doll that played music.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, my mom and I make a glass etched Nativity scene that I love. I also have a children's nativity that the kids love to play with.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My mom, she always asks for World Peace (which includes peace in our family).
9. Easiest person to buy for? My brother Jared, he's fun to shop for.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Neither. Would texting Christmas greetings be acceptable?
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can I pass on that?
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Does it have to be one? Here are my top three: A Christmas Story, White Christmas, and National Lampoons Christmas.
13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Hmm...I don't recall.
14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? On Christmas Eve, we always do a traditional homemade Mexican dinner with tacos, tamales, posole, and my famous guacamole. I also usually make chocolate mousse or something else yummy for dessert. Maybe this year flan? We also like to put out all the goodies that we get and graze on those.
15. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear.
16. Favorite Christmas song? I love all of my Christmas music, my favorite last year were Josh Groban, Sissel and Sara McLaughlin.
17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home.
18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and of course, Rudolph.
19. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning.
20. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Idiotic drivers and store traffic. I just want to go postal when you're walking down Costco and someone stops right in front of you to have a convo in the main aisle ("Oh, Hi Marge! How's Billy doing?") and there are about 20 people backed up behind you. I do my best to give them stink eye and loudly say "Excuse Me". Please people, do your talking in a side aisle!
21. Favorite ornament theme or color? I love snowflakes.
22. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? Our traditional dinner for our family party is ham and funeral potatoes, got to have that once a year.
23. What do you want for Christmas this year? My mom, Jared and I are going to Neil Diamond on the 19th. Woo Hoo!!! Oh, and world peace.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I'm really bad about making my presents presentable, but usually wrapping paper.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. Last night when I was stringing the tree with lights I was really wishing for a pre-lit artificial. Is that lazy or what?
3. When do you put up the tree? Just did it last night.
4. When do you take the tree down? Usually around New Years.
5. Do you like egg nog? Just a few sips.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? My cabbage patch doll (fake of course) ranks high, I also remember a porcelain doll that played music.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, my mom and I make a glass etched Nativity scene that I love. I also have a children's nativity that the kids love to play with.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My mom, she always asks for World Peace (which includes peace in our family).
9. Easiest person to buy for? My brother Jared, he's fun to shop for.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Neither. Would texting Christmas greetings be acceptable?
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can I pass on that?
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Does it have to be one? Here are my top three: A Christmas Story, White Christmas, and National Lampoons Christmas.
13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Hmm...I don't recall.
14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? On Christmas Eve, we always do a traditional homemade Mexican dinner with tacos, tamales, posole, and my famous guacamole. I also usually make chocolate mousse or something else yummy for dessert. Maybe this year flan? We also like to put out all the goodies that we get and graze on those.
15. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear.
16. Favorite Christmas song? I love all of my Christmas music, my favorite last year were Josh Groban, Sissel and Sara McLaughlin.
17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home.
18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and of course, Rudolph.
19. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning.
20. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Idiotic drivers and store traffic. I just want to go postal when you're walking down Costco and someone stops right in front of you to have a convo in the main aisle ("Oh, Hi Marge! How's Billy doing?") and there are about 20 people backed up behind you. I do my best to give them stink eye and loudly say "Excuse Me". Please people, do your talking in a side aisle!
21. Favorite ornament theme or color? I love snowflakes.
22. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? Our traditional dinner for our family party is ham and funeral potatoes, got to have that once a year.
23. What do you want for Christmas this year? My mom, Jared and I are going to Neil Diamond on the 19th. Woo Hoo!!! Oh, and world peace.
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