The first time I made whole roast chicken I made one chicken for four adults and two little children. I watched nervously as we cut the chicken and worried there would not be enough chicken to go around. Luckily, we had enough. I suppose having grown up eating chicken every week that I figured a chicken would be similar to turkey; endless amounts of meat with lots left over...or maybe chickens were just larger in the sixties. Lesson learned.
I've probably roasted more whole chickens over the years, but not that many. I prefer chicken cut up into pieces; it's easier to cook and to keep track of how much I really have. However, a Mark Bittman recipe popped up on my Facebook page and it looked too delicious to resist. It features citrus and cumin. I was cooking for two this weekend so having enough was not a problem. I had all the ingredients at home. And it's potluck week at I Heart Cooking Clubs, so I guess this was meant to be.
The very easy recipe can be found here. Because I am trying to use up items that have been sitting in my pantry, I used some old honey that was halfway crystallized. I was worried that it would burn, but it turned out fine.
The chicken comes out moist, but as Bittman points out, this is not because of frequent basting. The basting adds flavor. Keeping an eye on the chicken and turning it every ten minutes, keeps it moist. The chicken was really good. Although next time, I may make it using chicken pieces instead of whole chicken.
Go to IHCC to discover a variety of other wonderful recipes this week.
We've been having a warmer than usual winter here in southeastern Virginia. There have been patches of cold here and there, but the temperature is near the 70 degree mark this weekend. Not exactly perfect weather for enjoying a hearty bowl of stew, but it is Bowled Over! week at I Heart Cooking Clubs and because I haven't made stew in over a year, I figured it was as good a time as any.
Ellie Krieger's recipe is really a soup, but I used about half the liquid and made it more of a stew. It was tasty, filling and very easy to make. You brown the beef, chop up and sauté a lot of veggies, pour in the liquids, spice and barley. Let it cook on the stove top and voila.
I used Trader Joe's 10 Minute Barley. Apparently, our local branch doesn't carry regular barley. No matter. I put it in 15 minutes before the stew was finished (instead of 50 minutes) and it came out fine.
The recipe can be found in The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. I couldn't find the recipe on-line although this one from foodnetwork.com is similar. Other warming, delicious options for soup/stew/chili can be found here.
This blog has been dormant for a little over two years. I had been part of two on-line cooking groups, but stopped during an especially challenging year at work. Fortunately that is behind me and I'm ready to restart. I found iheartcookingclubs This blog features one cook for about six months. This week we welcome Ellie Krieger.
I am really happy she is the featured chef. I recently found The Food You Crave at our library's used book store and it is full of great looking recipes. Also, both my husband and I are thinking about eating healthier. Ms. Krieger is a nutritionist as well as a cook, so she keeps the recipes healthy.
Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach and Couscous is described as a great dish for "a busy mom who is really cranky when she's hungry." Even though I am an empty-nester, I can identify with the cranky when hungry part. The dish requires a little prep and then comes together quickly. I really enjoyed that although the dish was easy to make, it wasn't dull. There was a great combination of flavors; the spinach by itself would make a tasty side dish.
You can find the recipe in The Food You Crave or on-line at this link here. Head over to I Heart Cooking Clubs to see what other cooks enjoyed.
