I have never seen or tried any recipe like this. And what a mistake! You need some roasted chicken for dinner or for other recipes? Look no further. This chicken is amazing!!!! I'm guessing this is akin to brining a chicken. But the flavor, the moistness of this chicken is out of this world, either to eat as is, or to use the meat in another dish.
An added bonus....your home will smell incredible. I don't know how this works or why, but if you need some good roasted chicken, you must try this.
ROCK SALT ROAST CHICKEN
1 whole chicken (3-5 pounds....as long as you're doing it, I'd go larger)
one 4-pound box rock salt (also called ice cream salt.....found in the seasoning aisle of your grocery store, year-around, next to the kosher salt and canning salt)
1 lemon
3-4 sprigs of parsley
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced (I used minced)
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a 9x13" pan with foil for easy cleanup (I had read some people used metal dishes versus Pyrex dishes because they heard Pyrex dishes could explode. I used the glass dish with no problem) and pour the rock salt into the pan, evening it into a thick, smooth layer.
Remove and discard anything (neck, gizzards, etc.) from the inside of the chicken, if included, and rinse the chicken inside and out, draining thoroughly. Generously S&P the inside and outside of the chicken.
With a fork (or ice-pick), poke holes all over the lemon. Put the lemon, parsley, and garlic into the cavity of the chicken. Secure the chicken closed with a toothpick or two. Place the chicken on the bed of salt. Bake for 40 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken over and bake for another 40-50 minutes until cooked through (the chicken should register 165F on an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part of the chicken breast).
I start with the chicken breast down and finish with the breast up, but I don't think it really matters.
Needing a recipe to use up some leftover ham, I ran across this incredibly delicious recipe on-line. "Healthified" is right.....almost 3/4 less fat and 1/2 few calories in this revamped recipe. And honestly, oh so good!!!
HEALTHIFIED HAM and POTATO CASSEROLE (Serves 6)
4 cups cubed (1/2") unpeeled red potatoes (4 medium)
1 tsp olive or canola oil
1 cup chopped green bell pepper (1 medium)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/4 cups fat-free skim milk
2 Tbsp AP flour
1/4 cup reduced-fat or fat-free mayo
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
2 cup cubed cooked ham
Place potatoes in a 2 quart saucepan; add enough water just to cover potatoes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook uncovered 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Drain.
Heat oven to 350F. In 10" nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and onion; cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix milk and flour with wire whisk until well-blended. Stir into vegetables in skillet. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cook uncovered 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in mayo, pepper, and cheese; stir until cheese is melted.
Place ham and potatoes in ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Pour milk mixture over ham mixture; stir to mix. Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and light golden brown on top.
Recipe Source: www.livebetteramerica.com
I love all kinds of nuts, there's not one I wouldn't eat. And when any of them are spiced up, oh well, that just sends it over the top for me. I have made and eaten countless kinds of spiced-up nuts and have never been disappointed. This is terrific, especially this time of year since our rosemary thrives here year around, even with freezing temperatures.
FYI, Jim and I tend to be hyper-sensitive to cayenne pepper and if a recipe calls for it, I generally use less than 1/4 of what is called for. Except in two recipes: Alton Brown's peanut brittle and this recipe. It was definitely not too hot for us. Make it as listed the first time and then adjust it to your taste when you make it again.
ROASTED ROSEMARY CASHEWS
1 1/4 lb cashews
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp cayene pepper
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp melted butter
Spread cashews on ungreased baking sheet and roast in 375F preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Toss the warm nuts with the rosemary mixture until the nuts are completely coated. Serve warm.
Recipe Source: Ina Garten
I know this is a little late for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, but I had frozen my leftover turkey breasts and dressing. I still had some gravy and cranberry sauce in the frig I wanted to use up. Doing a search on-line, I ran across this incredibly easy (4 ingredient) recipe which turned out to be surprisingly delicious. I thought that the cranberry sauce would kind of melt into the dish, but it actually stays jelled. So if you still have stuff in the freezer, here's a great way to use them.
LEFTOVER TURKEY and DRESSING CASSEROLE (Serves 4)
4 cups prepared turkey dressing
2 cups cooked cut up or sliced turkey
1 3/4 to 2 cups prepared turkey gravy
1/3 cup jellied or whole cranberry sauce, cubed (I used about 1/2 can of sauce, and sliced it and placed it on top)
Butter or pan-spray bottom and sides of a 2-quart baking dish. Arrange half of the stuffing in the bottom of dish. Add half of the turkey and then half of the gravy. Repeat layers. Top with cranberry sauce.
Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.
We love Brussels Sprouts around here. I have tried different recipes, but nothing has ever proven better than simply boiled sprouts with a bit of butter. Until now. I love bacon and horseradish so why wouldn't I try this recipe? It was absolutely delicious and I am so glad I now have an alternative to one of our favorite side dishes.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS with BACON-HORSERADISH CREAM
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
4 strips crisp-cooked bacon, finely chopped
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tsp prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, add 1" of water and bring to a boil. Put sprouts in the basket and steam until tender, about 6-8 minutes.
Mix bacon, sour cream, horseradish, S&P in a medium bowl. Add the sprouts and toss to coat.
Recipe Source: EatingWell.com
This was a really delightful surprise. I had run across some salmon in the freezer which I had smoked a few months ago and knew I needed to use it immediately. I also had some fresh dill on hand I wanted to use, so I did a quick search for a recipe.
And I hit the jackpot. This is truly a lovely, light dinner. It would make a great summer meal. I served it with steamed asparagus on the side, but you could certainly just add it directly into the pasta dish.
Use hot-smoked salmon for this dish. Also, personally, I would probably double the amount of pine nuts, and add more lemon juice and zest.
SMOKED SALMON PASTA RECIPE (2-4 servings)
8 oz spaghetti
salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp EVOO
1/3 cup chopped shallots (or finely minced sweet onions)
2 cloves (2 tsp) garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup cream
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp lemon zest, divided
2 Tbsp (or more) freshly chopped parsley or dill (use the dill!!!)
4 oz smoked salmon, cut into bit-sized pieces
Freshly ground, coarse black pepper
Heat to boiling a large pot with at least 4 quarts of water in it. While the water is heating, brown the pine nuts (optional). Put the pine nuts in a single layer in a large skillet. Heat on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove pine nuts from pan and set aside.
Once the water is boiling, salt with 1 Tbsp of salt for every 4 quarts of water. Once the water returns to a boil, add the pasta to the pot. Leave uncovered, on high heat and let cook with a vigorous boil. Put the timer on for 8-10 minutes, or whatever your pasta package says is appropriate for al dente (cooked, but still a little firm).
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a large skillet heat olive oil on medium-high. Add the shallots and garlic, cook for 2 minutes, then add white wine, lemon juice, and 1 Tbsp of lemon zest. Increase the heat and let boil down by half. If you want a slightly creamier sauce, add the cream and let boil a minute more. (The sauce should be done about the same time the pasta is done. If you get done earlier with it than the pasta, take it off of the heat.)
Once the pasta is done, and before draining the pasta, scoop out one cup of the pasta cooking liquid and reserve. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the sauce. Add back some of the pasta cooking liquid to the pasta if it is a little dry. Add the smoked salmon, pine nuts, parsley or dill, and the remaining lemon zest. Season with black pepper.
I had some leftover mushrooms I wanted to use up and I love having soup in the frig, especially during cold weather. Looking through my vegetables and grains, I found I had enough to make this recipe. You can either use regular barley or quick-cooking barley. It's a great meal by itself or with a salad and some crusty bread. Personally, it makes a fantastic breakfast for me!
VERY EASY MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP (6 servings)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp minced garlic
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
6 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup barley
S&P to taste
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic; cook and stir until onions are tender and transparent. Stir in the mushrooms and continue to cook for a few minutes.
Pour in the chicken broth and add barley. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until barley is tender (about 50 minutes for regular barley, 10-15 for quick-cooking barley). Season with S&P before serving.
