Hot Roast Chicken

Gadget Driven.

I don't often cook things that rely on gadgets to insure they turn out right but this is definitely one of them. It's also definitely worth the investment.

The recipe itself came about quite by accident. I had been accustomed to starting out my roast chicken at 450 for 15 minutes then turning the oven down to 350 to finish cooking. One day when I was tired and distracted I forgot to turn the oven down after the timer went off. Because I do use a probe external thermometer I was a wee bit surprised when the 175* degree alarm went off so quickly. However the resulting chicken was a-mazing. Super crispy skin and succulent juicy meat. Now it's the only way I fly. (ha ha)

Gadgets
You will need:
A good quality probe thermometer with external alarm
A heavy duty pan of appropriate size to roast as many breast halves as you need. (I usually roast three or four and use my beloved 10" square cast iron skillet for the task.) Just make sure whichever you use it can withstand a 450 oven. It would also be nice if it could go to the cook top afterwards.)

Ingredients:
Skin on, bone in chicken breast halves
For each breast:
1 teaspoon butter softened
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 clove garlic finely minced
1/4-1/3 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon thyme
heavy pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
(Multiply ingredients by amount of chicken breasts you are using)

Preheat oven to 450.

Mix together all of the butter ingredients and set aside.

Gently loosen the skin of the chicken and place a heaping teaspoon of the flavored butter under the skin. Smooth out the skin to distribute the butter and completely cover the meat. Place in a heavy duty pan, skin side up. Repeat with remaining chicken. It's alright if the breasts slightly overlap but don't crowd them in.

Rub the outside of the chicken with any remaining butter and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Decide which chicken breast is the largest. Insert the probe of the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. Set your temperature alarm for: 135 (At which point you would put your roast potatoes in the oven or start your brown rice.) or 155 (at which point you would start your Gadget Driven extra easy home made mashed potatoes{recipe coming soon}or your white rice.) once the first alarm goes off reset the temperature alarm to 175. (You can also start with 175 if you aren't making a time consuming side dish.)

Once the temperature reaches 175 remove the chicken from the oven and place on a cutting board or platter to rest while you make...

THE GRAVY!!!

If you used a pan that can be put on the cook top go on then put it on the stove over medium heat. Other wise scrape your pan dripping into a skillet and place it over medium heat.

Add 1 cup sherry or dry white wine.
Simmer for a minute or two then add:
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary
Bring to a boil and cook two to three minutes.

Thicken with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in 1/3 cup water.

Recipe can be doubled or tripled.

You can also flavor the butter mixture in any fashion you like:

Coriander, orange peel and cardamon
   or
Garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano and basil
  or
Sesame seed, ginger and soy
  or
Lemon peel, parsley and garlic
  or
Lime peel, chili powder and cilantro
  or
Lemon peel, curry powder and garam masala
  or
Hoisin sauce, ginger and garlic,
   or 
Hot sauce and garlic
  or
Brown sugar, lime peel, red pepper flakes and ginger

Really the combos are endless.


*Look I know that FN chefs say chicken is just fine at 160-170 but I am a child of the 1970's. For years I couldn't even eat chicken unless it sucked all of the moisture out of my mouth for fear of terrible chicken diseases. I will admit if you take the chicken out at 160 that the meat is definitely juicier. I will also tell you that there will be pink near the bone and I cannot eat chicken that is pink near the bone. It's psychological, I know but it makes me happy AND at 175 the chicken is still really moist and juicy. So if 160 makes you happy then go ahead, 160 it.)  

Sunday Morning I made Waffles!

                                       Whole Grain Waffles
 Dry ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye flour (or an additional 1/2 cup whole wheat flour)
1/4 cup rolled oatmeal
1/4 cup rolled barley (or an additional 1/4 cup rolled oatmeal)
1/4 cup unprocessed wheat bran (optional but delicious)
2 Tablespoons stone ground cornmeal or grits or polenta
2 Tablespoons flax seads
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk (or change water from wet ingredients to milk)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
a bare pinch of each nutmeg and cinnamon 

 Wet ingredients:
2 cups water (or omit dry milk from dry ingredients and substitute milk)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

 Method:
In a large bowl mix together all of the dry ingredients. (And yes, we are counting honey as a dry ingredient.) Mixture will be lumpy and bumpy.

Pour water eggs and vanilla over the dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined. If batter is really thick add slightly more water. Set batter aside while you prep and heat your waffle iron according to manufacturers direction.

Bake waffles according to your waffle irons directions. If your waffle iron has a ready light and it comes on but you notice a lot of steam coming off the iron cook the waffle for an addtional minute to insre a crisp outside.

Serve with butter and syrup or fruit and cream or leftover turkey gravy if that's your thing.

Enjoy.

P.S. I made the exact same batter the following week but made it into pancakes. It worked like a charm which isn't often between waffle and pancake batters. Usually one is too fluffy to make crispy and vice-versa. So hurrah for a multipurpose, multigrain recipe!

Sunday Morning Ridiculicious Blueberry Muffins

We are big believers in Sunday breakfast. All week long we eat cereal or waffle sandwiches so Sunday mornings are filled with pop overs or pancakes, sausage gravy and home made biscuits,. Dutch babies, omelets or french toast and on super special occasions Full English Breakfast!

Today we are going out to lunch to celebrate Birdie's 17th birthday. I didn't want to make anything too filling but I still wanted a Sunday morning feel.

These are not healthy packed with bran and whole grain goodness. These are sweet and light with a slightly crisp crust and meltingly tender crumb loaded with pops of blueberries. Yum.

Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of one lemon
5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
3/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon real vanilla
1-1 1/2 cups blueberries (I like more)

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt and lemon zest. Stir in the butter until well combined.
Add the sourcream, egg and vanilla and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries leaving a few behind for the end muffins.

Scoop batter into lined muffin tins (I use small tins and got 9 regular size. Mini or jumbo will of course make more or less.)
Drop the reserved blueberries on top of any muffins that seemed lacking. Usually the last two or three)

Bake for 20-30 minutes until tops are golden and pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes (or as long as you can stand.)

Mmmmmmmmmm

Give a little whistle...

Chloe-"Okay if you need me just whistle like this Toowhoo!"
short pause
"But don't whistle like me because I can't whistle."

Chocolate Ice Cream

6 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips

In a large bowl combine sugar, cocoa, salt and eggs beat until well combined and set aside.

Place the chocolate chips in a different heat proof large bowl and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat warm milk stirring frequently until bubbles begin to form around the edges.

While whisking pour one cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture. Then whisk the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk.  Stir constantly until mixture thickens slightly. Pour the mixture through a strainer onto the chocolate chips and add the vanilla. Whisk  to combine.

Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight then churn according to your ice cream makers directions.

We put ours into individual containers (Portion control!) But whatever has a nice fitting lid. Allow to ripen (get more frozen) in freezer 2-4 hours before serving.

Yum!

Down on the farm...

This afternoon we went to visit the Martins. Wub had a great time drinking fresh milk and helping feed the calves and steers. Now she want to be a farmer and a Musketeer.

Chloe-"Mommy, are bears delicious?"
Mommy-"Well, I've never eaten a bear before so I don't know. But my Uncle Pat has eaten a bear."
Chloe-"Why did he eat a bear?"
Mommy- "Well he lives in Montana and a bear attacked his house so he shot it and killed it. And My Uncle Pat is a lot like Mommy and believes if you kill something you have to eat it. Otherwise it's a bad wasteful thing."
Long pause...
Chloe-"Well if I ever have to shoot a person, I am NOT going to eat them."

And that is of course, how it should be.

A very small budget...

So the other night while we were watching the "Games of the Thirtieth Olympiad!" a commercial came on for possibly insurance and they mentioned the word budget. Chloe immediately began ranting...
"I can't believe they said budget! Why would they say budget? I can't believe they just said budget on tv! Budget is not a nice word AT ALL!"
Mommy-"Budget means how much money you have to spend."
Chloe-"Well Kaysie calls me a budget all the time and I don't like it!"
Mommy-pause "You mean midget?"
Chloe-"Yeah! midget!"