I put a lot of thought into what would be the perfect first recipe to share and I came up with several ideas. After not being able to settle on one, I finally went to my panel of judges-kids and husband-and asked them what to do. They unanimously gave me the same answer: Roasted Chicken. Ironically, my old boss, Chef Flay, was on the Today Show yesterday morning making none other than Roasted Chicken, which to me meant that fate had showered me with confirmation that I had made the right decision. I think he shoved garlic and herbs into the cavity, seared it breast side down and popped it in the oven until the thigh registered 155 degrees. There are probably a million ways to do this but again and again, I go back to the same method that I have perfected and thankfully nail every time, resulting in moist, delicious chicken for a family of five, with leftovers (sometimes). My way is similar to Chef Bobby’s but I find that as a mom, even searing takes too much time and more surface to wipe down and clean from the splatters. Plus, we never eat the skin anyway-kind of defeats the purpose of eating a healthier meat, right?
I chose a couple of sides to go with the chicken that include ingredients that everyone knows you’re supposed to eat but tend to be used in very boring ways. I livened up kale by making it the main ingredient for a chopped salad and I combined quinoa with pumpkin purée, eggs and cheese to make a savory cake that is sure to surprise you.
So take a stab at these recipes and let me know what you think. Try them all at once or one at a time and discover how simple and delicious can go hand in hand!
Easy Roasted Chicken
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
1 medium onion,
ends trimmed
1 4-5 pound whole
chicken
6 sprigs fresh
oregano
Salt and pepper
to taste
Equipment:
1 medium skillet,
large enough to fit the chicken
1 cutting board
1 pairing or
chef’s knife
Paper towels
Meat thermometer
Procedure:
-Preheat oven to
375 degrees and set rack in middle of oven.
-Pour olive oil
into skillet. Score lemon 4-5 times from end to end so juice will release.
Slice onion into three thick rounds. Set aside.
-Remove chicken
from packaging and discard insides. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with
paper towels. Place in skillet and roll around to coat with oil. Separate skin
from breast, being careful not to tear the skin. Place ½ of oregano sprigs
between each breast and the skin. Season entire chicken, inside and out, with
pepper and inner cavity with salt (The salt will prevent the skin from crisping
properly.). Place lemon in the cavity and onion rounds underneath chicken so it
is perched on top.
-Roast until the
thickest part of the thigh registers 155-160, approximately 1 ½ hours. (My oven
is always exactly 1 hour and 35 minutes for a 4 ½ pounder.) You will also
notice that if you grab a leg and twist it, the meat will come away from the
bone when it’s ready. That’s the old-school way to tell the chicken is done!
-Set aside for 15
minutes before carving.
-Don't forget the two oysters on the back! My husband and I always eat one before we even sit down because they are the BEST part of the chicken. The top picture shows a purplish cavity just above the lemon. That's where I carved one out. Can you tell where the oyster gets its name? The second picture is just to give you an idea of how big it is (the lemon is for scale).
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Now for the Chopped Kale Salad. I used hemp seed oil because it is really good for you. A LOT of Omega 3's. If you don't have it, use extra virgin olive oil instead. As for the leftover red pepper half, I usually cut it into strips, along with cut-up carrots, and give it to my kids as a side since the salad may be a little much for them. This is what I call "deconstructing a recipe" to make it more appealing to kids. If your kids don't like things mixed together, pull some or all of the critical ingredients out and serve them indiviually just so it is less intimidating. That way they will expand their palates and get some nutrients too. I swear deconstructing recipes has made my kids better eaters overall!
Chopped Kale Salad
Serves 6
Ingredients:
Dressing
1 clove garlic,
minced or chopped
1 tablespoon
chopped oregano
3 tablespoons
balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon sea
salt
¼ cup hemp oil or
olive oil
Salad
1 bunch Kale
1 medium carrot,
peeled
½ red pepper
1 bunch scallions
Equipment:
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Measuring cups/spoons
Small food processor (if you have one)
Medium bowl
Whisk
Procedure:
Dressing
-Small Food Processor Method: Place garlic and oregano in food processor
and pulse to chop. Add vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper and pulse to combine.
With the machine running, slowly pour in oil until blended.
-Hand Method: Mince garlic and chop oregano
and place in medium bowl. Whisk in vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. In a
slow, steady stream, pour in oil, whisking constantly until blended. Set aside.
Salad
-Remove stems
from Kale one by one. (Technique: With
one hand, hold the thick base of the stem. With the other hand, run your
fingers along the stem, separating the stem from the leaf.) Stack stems and
slice into small strips. Add to large bowl.
-Starting with
the tip of the carrot, use a peeler to make 2” strips. Peel directly over kale,
turning the carrot and moving up the carrot as you go.
-Dice the red
pepper. (Technique: Slice the pepper
in half from stem to base. Remove stem by pulling it from the inside toward the
outside.) Chop half of pepper into small dice and reserve other half for
another use.
-Add peppers and
scallions to kale and carrots. Toss with 2/3 of dressing, reserving remainder for another use, and serve.
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I absolutely LOVE quinoa but I like to serve it in more interesting ways than you would with a bed of rice. The Pumpkin-Quinoa Cake is not a cake like a birthday cake but more a savory cake, just like crab cakes are savory. You could shape these and bake them as indivual cakes but I thought by doing one big one and slicing it, more time would be saved! Everything but the chopped parsley is more or less a pantry item so it is quick and easy to prep. Throw it in the oven with the chicken and walk away until it's done. It is gluten free and if you prefer to make it vegan, substitute vegetable stock for the chicken broth, omit the cheese and eggs and brush the top with olive oil. Bake as you would the original version but scoop instead of slicing since it will fall apart.
Pumpkin-Quinoa Cake
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 ½ cups quinoa
3 cups gluten
free, low-sodium chicken broth or stock
3 eggs, lightly
beaten
1 15-oz. can pure
pumpkin puree
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
(or good quality parmesan) cheese, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
3 tablespoons
chopped Italian/flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon
cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon
ground black pepper
Equipment:
Small mesh hand
strainer
1 medium saucepan
with tight-fitting lid
Measuring
cups/spoons
Large bowl
Wooden spoon
Pie plate or
other decorative small casserole dish
Procedure:
-Preheat oven to
375 degrees. Spray a pie plate or a small casserole dish with cooking spray and
set aside.
-Rinse quinoa
under cold, running water. Place in saucepan with broth and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until liquid is
all absorbed. Cool slightly.
-Mix quinoa with
remaining ingredients, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese on top, and bake for 35-40 minutes. It will puff a little when
done and will feel slightly firm to the touch. Cool 10 minutes to set and serve
in wedges.
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Time to go to the bus stop. Bon Appetit!
I am so going to make this MYSELF! My first response was to say "Hey, honey, will you make this?". Awesome, and I am really looking forward to the pumpkin-quinoa cake. Yum!
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