Hi there! Well, it has certainly been a while since I last wrote…well…anything. I could come up with some great excuse like I have in the past, but I’ll just pretend we’re all okay with the lapse and move right along.
I’m writing this lovely (and HOT) evening because I made a delicious meal today. Not just a “hey, that tastes pretty yummy” dinner, but a “…happy…soul…ahhhhh” sort of meal. The best part is that it wasn’t even anything difficult or exotic – it was a simple roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy, and green bean casserole on the side. You see, green bean casserole is a weakness of mine, and I do love a good made-from-scratch gravy. However, it was stupid hot today (for our neck of the woods, anyway), with the temp hovering around 95 (or more, with humidity), so it probably wasn’t the best time to roast a five pound bird. But the way I see it, the body wants what it wants!
I’ve been craving this, what I consider the ultimate in comfort food, for a few weeks and decided today was the day it had to happen. It’s been a tough couple weeks at the new job, and I had to work this weekend (first time in years), so my soul needed a pick-me-up. I prepped the roasting pan with a few glugs of olive oil tossed with chunks of celery, carrots and onions, and popped a few bits inside the chicken for extra flavor. Oh, and true to form, I threw in four cloves of garlic…mmmmm. Then I – get this – TRUSSED the chicken. I’ve never done it before, at least not correctly, so this was a momentous evening. :) Anyway, I placed the bird on the bed of veggies in the pan to prevent sticking and got ready to roast. Oh, and I should mention I went all Julia Child on that poor chicken…I slathered it with butter before putting it in the oven to crisp up the lovely skin. Wait, I’m drooling…
Sorry, I’m back! I baked it like my mama taught me, and prepped the baby red potatoes and green bean casserole. About an hour and a half later, we had mashed potatoes (with still more butter and sour cream) with homemade gravy (made from the pan drippings), and green bean casserole (with half n half instead of milk because that’s all we had). Oh my. So. So. Tasty. See?
I’m writing this lovely (and HOT) evening because I made a delicious meal today. Not just a “hey, that tastes pretty yummy” dinner, but a “…happy…soul…ahhhhh” sort of meal. The best part is that it wasn’t even anything difficult or exotic – it was a simple roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy, and green bean casserole on the side. You see, green bean casserole is a weakness of mine, and I do love a good made-from-scratch gravy. However, it was stupid hot today (for our neck of the woods, anyway), with the temp hovering around 95 (or more, with humidity), so it probably wasn’t the best time to roast a five pound bird. But the way I see it, the body wants what it wants!
I’ve been craving this, what I consider the ultimate in comfort food, for a few weeks and decided today was the day it had to happen. It’s been a tough couple weeks at the new job, and I had to work this weekend (first time in years), so my soul needed a pick-me-up. I prepped the roasting pan with a few glugs of olive oil tossed with chunks of celery, carrots and onions, and popped a few bits inside the chicken for extra flavor. Oh, and true to form, I threw in four cloves of garlic…mmmmm. Then I – get this – TRUSSED the chicken. I’ve never done it before, at least not correctly, so this was a momentous evening. :) Anyway, I placed the bird on the bed of veggies in the pan to prevent sticking and got ready to roast. Oh, and I should mention I went all Julia Child on that poor chicken…I slathered it with butter before putting it in the oven to crisp up the lovely skin. Wait, I’m drooling…
Sorry, I’m back! I baked it like my mama taught me, and prepped the baby red potatoes and green bean casserole. About an hour and a half later, we had mashed potatoes (with still more butter and sour cream) with homemade gravy (made from the pan drippings), and green bean casserole (with half n half instead of milk because that’s all we had). Oh my. So. So. Tasty. See?
I would have taken a picture of everything, but, well, we were hungry. It was the best thing I’ve eaten in a while...we've enjoyed some lovely home-cooked meals like chili and beef stew, but something is missing when your whole meal is just in a bowl. Where's the magic? It'll sustain, sure, but I like a little more flair sometimes. When we finished eating, Ben said it reminded him of when he was little…who could ask for a more comforting meal? And that, folks, is why I like to cook.
After indulging in some tasty cocktails and a mini Doctor Who marathon, I went out to our backyard and plucked this pile of raspberries from the bushes that popped up from nowhere last year…YUM.
After indulging in some tasty cocktails and a mini Doctor Who marathon, I went out to our backyard and plucked this pile of raspberries from the bushes that popped up from nowhere last year…YUM.
