Chicken Goes Dutch

Since the newly purchased dutch oven needs to earn it's keep, it was put into service again.  This go around was chicken. 

The recipe that I chose to experiment with was one that I found on one of my favorite blogs - 66 square feet.  I love this blog.  It chronicles life and times in THE big city - New York of course!  It intrigues me that a city dweller can produce food on a rooftop garden.  I would love to do it.  So that was the initial interest but beyond that it is diverse, informative and well written.  I sense a woman of character.

So, here we go.....no, first let's discuss vermouth.  This recipe called for a bunch of it.  Obviously I have heard of it before but had no idea - zero - of what exactly it is.  So since "Goodsearch" is my friend (Google's cousin but it donates money to worthy causes for your searches and shopping) I found out that it is a quasi-wine with herbs added.  K.

So here is what it looked like.....

The recipe called for whole chicken but I chose split breasts.  Legs will never be eaten in this house.

Chicken with potatoes, grapes, tarragon and other aromatics.

At the last minute I had some patty pan squash that needed to be used so I threw that in too.

 

De.light.ful!  Check out the recipe here.

Got Harvest?

After a rather dismal summer, weather wise and thus garden wise, I am finally reaping the fruits of my labor.  For what it's worth, yesterday I harvested my first.ever.celery.  Woo-hoo!  It grew very slowly but with very little attention.  I picked just this one and have four more to go.

This is what it looked like after plucking off the small outer celery stalks.

All chopped and cleaned and ready to munch on.

First up.......the Barefoot Contessa's "Company Pot Roast".  Time for an experiment. 

While I was out picking the celery my neighbor was lurking in his backyard. We chit chatted about this 'n that and I told him that I was attempting a pot roast in my spanky new dutch oven.   With that, he ceremoniously bent over and pulled a bunch of carrots from his garden.  Cool!!!  I am not much of a roast lover but hubby is so....this one's for you Mr.

With all the ingredients in place, today was the day.

Sweat those veggies.

Brown that beef.

Add those herbs.

....and we're off!

Suffice it to say that by the time it was ready I forgot to take a picture of the final dish. I was hungry and anxious to taste it.   It was...mmmm....mmm.....good!

If you want the recipe you can find it on the Food Network website.....Ina Garten...The Barefoot Contessa.....click here.  You won't regret it.

My New "Toy"

With the arrival of cooler weather my thoughts have turned to cooking.  Like clockwork.  Most of the summer consists of steaks on the BBQ, tomato salads and other foods that keep me away from the stove.  Yesterday the urge to cook kicked in.  So I turned on the Food Network and read through blogs to see if I might come upon something enticing.  And I did!  But there was a downside.....both called for a dutch oven.  Shopping I must go.

TJ Maxx here I come.  Just 5 minutes from my house.  Bingo!  A beautiful red enamel, cast iron dutch oven.

Cuisinart Dutch Oven - Purty, huh?

Let me say, they don't give these things away!  $60 at a discount store!  The "Compare at" price was $110!  Oh well if it is well used it will be worth it.  Tomorrow it goes to work!  Let the experiments roll.

To be continued.......

Spinach Salad & Strawberries...Yum

A few days ago I was looking for something to do with the abundance of spinach that I had just picked before I resort to blanching and freezing.

I opted for and posted a recipe for Orange Almond Salad. Thing is, I didn't have any mandarin oranges so I made do with what I did have.......juicy strawberries. Let me say this, as long as strawberries are available, no mandarins for this salad - they are for the off season. It was superb! I has been a meal accompaniment for 3 days and each one is as good as the last. I am posting a picture that doesn't look as attractive as it did before I decided to chop up and dive in but I wasn't thinking. Heck, I was hungry.

1st Harvest (Spinach) and Wonky weather

FIRST HARVEST!
Without further ado....my first harvest of the year..spinach! I guess I will be making Orange Almond Salad tomorrow - deee-lish! Just in case you're interested...

ORANGE ALMOND SALAD

• Bacon

Cook until crisp and then crumble.

• Almonds
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp butter

In microwave safe bowl combine almonds, butter and sugar. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes until sugar dissolves and almonds begin to brown. Stir from time to time to prevent from sticking together. NOTE: You can also buy prepared honey roasted almonds at the super market and skip this step. They work just as well.

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup salad oil
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp parsley
  
• tabasco sauce, to taste

Combine and chill until ready to serve.

• Spinach leaves
• Green or red onions, thinly sliced
• 1 - 10 oz tin mandarin oranges (Breaking news.....Try strawberries!)
  

Top salad with almonds, bacon, oranges and onions and serve with salad dressing.

WONKY WEATHER
Today I potted up some of the seedlings but was still hesitant to put anything in the raised beds. The weather is still so wonky that I am not sure what to do. Thursday and Friday were around 90'ish and today was 60 or so. In the middle of the afternoon? Hello? What gives? At least the pots can be covered easily.

The real bummer is when I looks at blogs and forums of gardeners not so far away. Some seem almost ready for harvest!