Roast Chicken and Vegetables w/ herbs de Provence

If you have already cooked all day at your job, like me, or worked all day at your job and you are tired and want to relax, yet you have to feed your family and as long as you are going to eat you want to eat well, then one of my favorites is to do the one pan roast dinner.

Beef or venison is great roasted along w/ potatoes, carrots, onions, celery. But the red meats take two or three hours, depending on their size.

Do chicken. Put it in a preheated black cast iron pan w/ olive oil , onions, carrots celery, and potatoes. Season all w/ herbes de Provence(bo't as a blend it includes basil, fennel seed, lavender,marjoram,rosemary, sage,summer savory and thyme - according to the Food Lover's Companion) which are to be strewn moderately over the chicken and vegetables. Add salt, pepper, garlic. Place in a 350 degree oven for about one hour, and all are done simultaneously. Vegetables should be fork tender. Chicken's juices should run clear when pierced w/ a knife or toothpick or should be 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

The secret of this dish is no secret. You do not want to over cook the chicken, nor under cook it. The simplicity of this meal is that the vegetables and chicken are done at the same time - about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Beef or venison will take 2 to 2/ 1/2 hours, covered, and you have to add the vegetables to the pan for the final 45 minutes of cooking.

The chicken is simple, rich, and delicious. You can make a pan gravy after removing the meat and vegetables, by adding enough flour( a tblsp or 2) to absorb the fat in the pan along w/ red or white wine or brandy( cognac) and some water and whisk. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

It is so good and so simple. Bon Appetit!

Mn Bouillabaisse After The Workout

I worked out at Downsize Fitness in Pierz today - getting in beach shape for a trip to San Diego - and craved a healthy, balanced , restorative meal afterwards,

I made a soup w/ carrots, celery, onions( the mirepoix of French cooking - pronounced mihr-PWAH) w/ the addition of chicken for protein. Chicken stock, bayleaf, garlic, black pepper, Herbs de Provence, v-8 juice, and some crushed red pepper for spice. Olive oil, too, to saute the chicken and vegetables in before adding the stock and water. Add brown rice already cooked at the end.

Rich, delicious, healthy. Serve w/ artisinal bread of your choice. New French Bakery has great frozen bread products available in all of our local supermarkets, I think. They are all good. Use your favorite.

It is not unlike a bouillabaisse, but w/ chicken instead of fish and seafood. You could add Mn fish or/ and shrimp, mussels, etc to this soup towards the end to gently poach, after the vegetables and chicken are cooked, if you are a fish/seafood lover. This is one of my favorites - a one dish meal , simple, that is a feast for a family, friends or even a wedding.

If your timing is right , you can do this in 20 minutes. Terve' tuluoa!