Tag Archives: Potatoes

15Jan 2013

Tasty Tuesday – The Perfect Roast Chicken

by Nicole ⋅ 1 Comment

I have a little bit of an obsession with Food Network. If there isn’t a show recorded on DVR that I want to watch, Food Network is my next go-to channel, followed by HGTV. Food and home improvement … you can clearly see where my passions lie. One day while blogging and watching Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten was cooking her “Perfect Roast Chicken“. I quickly made a mental note that I must make this dish. An opportunity quickly presented itself and I adapted the recipe just a little. This dish is well … absolutely DELISH!!!

Not only is this recipe super yummy, but totally falls within the healthy cooking/eating category. WIN WIN!!! And just to add one more log to this amazing fire (yeah I’m horrible with analogies, but I try!) it is also a pretty cheap dinner menu item that will impress!! So I hope you enjoy the Tasty Tuesday recipe this week.

Ingredients:

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme (and/or rosemary)
1 lemon, quartered
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted (can be substituted with olive oil)
2 large yellow onions, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
4 Yukon Gold Potatoes cut into quarters

When you get the chicken home remove the chicken giblets and pat the outside dry, salt it inside and out, wrap it and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Preheat the over to 425*. Place the onions, carrots, potatoes and some thyme in a roasting pan.

Pat the chicken dry and liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, lemon, and all the garlic.

Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper.

Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Place the chicken on top and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken cover with aluminum foil for about 15 minutes. I suggest putting this in a bowl, because the juices will seep out of the chicken as it rests. I did this on a cutting board the first time and literally juice all over the floor and my dog, Sophi, was seriously pleased about this!!!

Allow the vegetable to continue cooking. Slice the chicken and place it on a platter with the vegetables. I like to pour some of the juices over the chicken/veggies. The rest of the juice/gravy put in a gravy boat … I promise your guests will appreciate it! This serves about 4 people.

Happy Cooking!

22Dec 2011

Potato Latkes Recipe

by Nicole ⋅ Leave a Comment

Happy Hanukkah (or Chanukah depending on your spelling preference)!!!

This year my friend who usually hosts a Hanukkah party decided to go on a vacation with her sister and mom. I mean really how dare she go away without providing me with potato latkes before she left. =) So this meant I would have to make my own potato latkes for the first time ever.

This recipe is super easy and if you have a food processor / Cuisinart it is like a hop skip and a jump to the frying pan.

Ingredients:

2lbs (~3 large potatoes)
1 medium onion
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons flour
vegetable oil

You will also need apple sauce and sour cream to serve with your potato latkes, and I guess if you are my husband then hot sauce should be on the table as well. Hot sauce is new one for me and I would say skip it, but he insists it tastes good.

Using a food processor or a box grater shred the potatoes and onions. The food processor saved me a ton of time and makes it so easy! I got to use one of the attachments for the first time, which is always exciting (it’s the small things, right?!).

Transfer them to a colander and squeeze dry. Mix the potatoes and onions with the eggs, flour and salt.

In a skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil. Drop about four tablespoons for the mixture into the skillet and press lightly to flatten them. Cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned and a little crispy. It should be about 6 minutes.

I found that a fish spatula worked really well for flipping these babies and not messing them up. Just randomly grabbed it, but thought I should pass along the tip nonetheless. Remove from skillet and place the latkes on paper towels to drain the oil. It makes about 12 latkes. And take a look … Voila!

MAKE AHEAD: The potato latkes can be at room temperature for up to 3 hours. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350° oven before serving. If you plan to reheat them remember that they cook a little extra in the oven so don’t over fry them.

Just writing this blog makes me want to go reheat the extra latkes and eat them! Anyways put some sour cream (I prefer light as it is less fat but still tastes great) and apple sauce on the table and serve.

And seriously how cute is that double serving bowl? Thank you wedding guest and Crate and Barrel’s Registry.

Happy cooking!