Oven Roasted Chicken

Today, I am actually making three recipes off of my Cooking "to do" List!  First, I am going to oven roast some chicken using Miz Helen's recipe from her blog.  Next, I am going to make a really great chicken gravy using the drippings.  And then, I am going to make some homemade chicken stock to freeze! 

So let's take a look at Miz Helen's Roasted Chicken recipe.  She likes to roast two chickens at once and says, "There is plenty of room in the oven which has to be heated up anyway and the pan is plenty big enough.".  Makes perfect sense to me!  You can just freeze the extra meat to use later.  I would just divide into portioned freezer bags before freezing.  Then you can just pull one frozen portion out to thaw at a time!

Here are some of my recipes I might use the extra chicken meat for:

Chicken Tacos
Chicken and Noodles
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
Enchilada Casserole
Chicken Pot Pie
Pasta with Proscuitto Peas and Cream

So let's get started!

Ingredients:

2 chickens
1 lemon, quartered
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, quartered
4 large stems rosemary on the stem
6 sprigs thyme on the stem
1 1/2 teaspoons salt - per chicken
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper - per chicken
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Cut the lemons and onions into quarters and chop the celery.

Wash each chicken and pat dry.

Place 2 onion quarters, 2 lemons quarters and 1 chopped celery stalk with 2 stems of rosemary and 3 sprigs of thyme in each chicken cavity.

Rub each chicken all over with 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil for each chicken. 

Season both chickens on each side with the salt and pepper.

Note:  I found it easier to measure out the salt and pepper into a small ramekin for each chicken.  I stirred it to combine and then sprinkled it all over the chicken.  That provides for a more even coating of seasonings.

Place on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Pour 2 cups of water in the bottom of the pan, do not cover.

Roast uncovered at 425 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes

Let the chickens cool completely before removing from the roasting rack.

When the chicken has cooled it can be removed from the bone or sliced for serving.

Miz Helen's Tip:

I also place the skin on top of the chicken for storing, it helps keep it moist.

The verdict:

This ended up being a lot of work all around for an okay meal.  The roasted chicken didn't have much flavor and I think I actually prefer the  roasted chickens from Costco.  The chicken gravy was REALLY good and saved this meal.  I am happy that I now have 3 ziploc bags of chicken and some frozen chicken stock in my freezer, ready for some quick dinners!  But I would probably not go to the trouble to make this again...



Recipe from http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/2011/06/roasted-chicken.html

Applewood Smoked Pork Ribs

Even though Southern California is dealing with the "June Gloom" right now, we are all antsy for summer to start.  Even though we can grill year 'round here, summer really makes us excited to grill out more often.  The hubby loves to grill and I am also more than happy to let him take over some of the dinner duties! 

Terry and I prefer pork babyback ribs (as shown). We get them in a 3 pack from Costco and they have a good amount of meat on them.

Begin (ideally the night before), by rinsing and drying the ribs. 

Cover the ribs with your desired rub (preferable 24 hours in adavance). Terry rotates between Gates, Arthur Bryants and several different apple rubs from the local BBQ store.  This looks like Stubbs that he is using here.

Rub it in by hand on both sides to coat really well. Wrap in saran wrap and keep in the refrigerator overnight. Bring out at least 1 hour before you are ready to grill to bring them to room temperature (covered).

The next day, start by soaking your apple wood several hours before you are ready to smoke your ribs.  You can usually buy applewood chips at any BBQ store and sometimes in the grocery stores.  I was able to buy a whole bundle of apple wood from a local orchard in Oak Glen. 

Get your charcoal ready with a charcoal starter.  This one allows him to "pour" the hot charcoals onto the sides of the grill for more indirect cooking (more info on that below).

Place a drip pan filled with water between the coals.  We just use a disposable aluminum pan for this. This is for indirect cooking. You want the meat to cook over the drip pan instead of directly over the coals.   Notice how he was able to arrange the coals on each side of the drip pan?  This is why the charcoal starter is perfect for this!

Place the soaked applewood on the sides over the charcoal, right before you put the ribs on the grill.  The soaked wood won't burn much and will just create applewood flavored smoke.  This gives the ribs a really great flavor!  I have heard that peach wood is really good also, but we just can't get it here in So Cal.

Be sure to keep the temp between 200 and 225 degrees F.  Terry uses a small grill thermometer that he can leave in the grill as everything is cooking. 

Place the ribs on the grill to sear for about 5 minutes on each side.

Then place the ribs in a standing rib rack. Every half hour, turn/flip them. Do this for about 2 hours total.  Be sure that the rib rack is centered over the drip pan to continue the indirect cooking.

Wow, don't these look good??  My mouth is starting to water!

Cover each rack of ribs with aluminum foil and return to the grill. Allow to cook for another hour - turning after 30 minutes.

Remove the foil, and cook the ribs on the grill for 10 to 15 minutes on each side. 

Remove from the grill and let stand for about 10 minutes before eating.  Use your favorite BBQ sauce or you can just eat them as-is (they are really that good on their own!)

Happy grilling to all of you and hooray for the start of summer!!

Also seen at:

The Sweet Details

A Well Seasoned Life

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Tasty Tuesdays

Tuesdays at the Table

Whats Cooking Wednesday

Making it with Allie

Recipe Swap Thursday

It's a Keeper Thursday

Full Plate Thursday

Recipe from my husband :) Terry Moffitt



I need a button for my link party!

Link parties have been my obsession lately and I really want to start my own now!  The problem is....is that I haven't the faintest idea how to create a link party button. 

So, I turn to my fellow bloggers for help.  Can anyone either create one for me, or tell me how to create one myself???



btw...I just realized that this will be my 100th post!!  I had planned to do a really fun recipe to celebrate, but I guess this will have to do :) 

WooHoo to 100!!

Thin & Crispy Oatmeal Cookies

As a kid, I never understood oatmeal cookies.  I always wanted the sugar cookies that were iced so pretty with icing and sprinkles.  That is what I thought a cookie should be....not something made from boring 'ole oatmeal.  Oatmeal seemed way too healthy and not nearly as sweet as a cookie should be!

Fast forward 25 or so years and now they are my absolute favorite!  I love thick and chewy oatmeal cookies just as much as I like thin and crispy ones.  Throw in some nuts and chocolate chips, but hold the raisins please :) 

Here is a really good thin and crispy version from Lottie & Doof, that has been on my cooking "to do" list for awhile now. 

Thin and Crisp Oatmeal Cookies with Sea Salt (adapted from a Cook’s Illustrated recipe)

1 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, but still cool (65 degrees Farenheit)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or my favorite substitution of Jack Daniels)
2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
sea salt


Directions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt in medium bowl.

In standing mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugars at medium-low speed, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute longer. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula.

Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium low until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl again.

With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated and smooth, 10 seconds.

With mixer still running on low, gradually add oats and mix until well incorporated, 20 seconds. Give dough final stir with spatula to ensure no flour pockets remain.

Divide dough into 24 portions, each about 2 tablespoons, then roll between palms into balls. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart, 8 dough balls per sheet.

Note: These cookies will spread quite a bit, so don't overcrowd your baking sheet! 

Using fingertips, gently press ball to 3/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle the tops with a few flakes of sea salt.

Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are deep golden brown, edges are crisp, and centers yield to slight pressure when touched, 13 to 16 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.

Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely on sheet.

Can also be seen at:

Making it with Allie!
Recipe Swap Thursdays
It's a Keeper Thursday
Full Plate Thursday
Sweet Tooth Friday
Friday Potluck
Feature Yourself Friday
Foodie Friday
http://www.bigklittlea.com/
Bake with Bizzy
Sweets for a Saturday
Watcha Got Weekend
Sweet Indulgences Sunday

Recipe from Lottie & Doof