Roasted Chicken

This chicken is so yummy, I highly recommend it!  I always use organic chicken as I find there is a huge difference in the texture of organic and non organic roasting chickens.  So many times I have made chicken and all the flavor is in the skin, not with this recipe, the meat is so flavorful and juicy.  Brushing it with butter creates a crisp brown skin, really pretty.  Serve with bread to soak up the delicious juices.

1 (4-5 pound) organic roasting chicken
1 lemon, halved
1 head of garlic, cut in half crosswise
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 large white onion, cut into quarters
1 1/2 cups baby carrots
1 1/2 cups fresh brussels sprouts
4 large russet potatoes, cut each into six sections
4 tablespoons Herbes de Provence
coarse salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Remove giblets from inside of chicken and rinse.  Place onto roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Sprinkle inside of chicken liberally with salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the herbs.  Stuff cavity with lemon halves and head of garlic.  Tie legs together with kitchen twine.

Brush chicken with melted butter.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl combine onions, carrots, brussels sprouts and potatoes.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with remaining herbs.  Toss to coat.

Pour vegetables onto roasting sheet and spread out around chicken.

Place in oven and roast for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until juices run clear.  Remove from oven, cover pan with foil and allow to sit for 15 minutes. 

Slice chicken and serve!

  

Braided Fruit Bread

One of my new favorite web sites is the King Arthur Flour site.  I want to try so many of the different recipes and they also offer baking classes which I am super excited about!  I take my first one in May :)

This bread looks so professional and it is super easy!  The recipe calls for lemon curd which I used for one loaf and used peach preserves that I had canned over the summer in the other!  So yummy!!

This recipe is adapted from Braided Lemon Bread, King Arthur Flour.

Sponge 

3/4 cup warm water
2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1/2 cup flour

Dough

all of the sponge
3/4 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups flour
egg wash
sparkling sugar

Filling

2/3 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup lemon curd or other fruit preserve of choice

In a small bowl combine all of the sponge ingredients.  Stir well, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes. 

In bowl of stand mixer combine the completed sponge, yogurt, butter, eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla.  Add 4 1/2 cups of flour and mix with the paddle attachment until dough comes together to form a shaggy ball.  Switch paddle attachment to the dough hook.  On speed two knead dough for 5 minutes, adding the remaining 1/2 cup of flour until dough is smooth. 

Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow dough to rise  for 80-90 minutes until puffy and about doubled in size. 

About 10 minutes before dough is done rising begin to prepare filling.  Combine cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, lemon juice and flour in mixing bowl.  Mix until smooth.

Divide dough in half with a floured knife.  Place first half onto parchment paper.  Roll dough out into a 10X15 inch rectangle.  Using your finger mark an indent in the dough every 5 inches (into thirds).  In the middle third spread out half of the cream cheese mixture leaving one inch of dough showing on the top and bottom.  Cover cream cheese with fruit spread.

Cut one inch thick strips into the dough on each side. 

Make sure the cuts are equal on each side.  Beginning on one side of the dough cross the strip over the middle and repeat with the other side.  Continue until bread is completely braided.  The end strips are a little tricky and you just have to make it look the best you can!  You will see when you start!

Repeat with second loaf.  

Place loafs onto baking sheets and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Allow to rise again for 45 minutes until puffy.  

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Brush the loaves with egg wash and sprinkle with sparkling sugar.  Bake for 30 minutes, until loaves are golden brown.  If top gets to brown tent with foil and continue baking.  Remove from oven and cool for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.  

Mussel and Sausage Paella

A guest post from my sister!!

After a long tiring day at work and a chilly commute home I knew I wanted something warm and comforting.  My fiance has been asking for paella for months now and I figured tonight would be the perfect night to make it.  This was the most delightful of recipes and I will be making it again quite soon.

Mussel and Sausage Paella

4 tablespoons flour

olive oil

1 cup diced Spanish onion

2 red bell peppers, cored and sliced into 1/2-inch strips

2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 to 6 cloves)

2 cups white rice

5 cups organic no salt added chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon kosher

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound andouille smoked sausage, sliced into ½ inch rounds

1 pound mussels

Position a rack on the bottom tier of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the mussels on a large bowl. Sprinkle with flour and cover with water. 

Heat the oil in a large ovenproof stockpot.  Add three large swirls of olive oil to the pan.  Add the onions and cook over low heat until translucent, stirring occasionally.  Turn up the heat to medium and add the red bell pepper.  Stir until mixed with the onions and then add the garlic.  Cook garlic until fragrant, two minutes or so.  Add rice, chicken stock, saffron, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Bring to a rolling boil then promptly turn off the heat.  Place a lid on the pot and place into the oven for 15 minutes. 

While the paella cooks take a large colander and place it in the sink.  Carefully pour the mussels into the colander and spray clean with fresh cool water.  This process freed the mussels of any sand or extra debris that was hiding inside their shells.

When the timer goes off take the pot out of the oven and stir the mixture.  Leave the lid off and place the pot back in the oven for another 10 minutes.  Once out of the oven, add the sausage and mussels.  Steam for 5 minutes.  If the mussels haven’t popped turn a low flame under the pot until the mussels open.  Scoop paella into large bowls and enjoy!   

Spelt Cranberry Pecan Bread

I haven't been posting many entrees lately because I am on this crazy diet!!  I have still been baking for others which I enjoy.  But when it comes to meal time I am serving diet food to my family which they are less than thrilled about!  The author of the diet recommends spelt flour in breads instead of whole wheat flours.  You can however substitute in this recipe.  I have never worked with spelt flour before.  So in baking with it the only difference I notice is a denser bread.  This loaf turned out really great, the only thing I would have liked was to have more cranberries.  I did add another 1/4 cup which the recipe reflects below.        

1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup warm water (105-110 degrees)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 cups spelt flour

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans

In stand mixer bowl combine all ingredients.  Mix with the paddle attachment until combined.  Once combined switch paddle attachment to the dough hook.  Knead for 1 minute or until dough is soft and smooth.

Remove dough from bowl and form into a ball.  Place into a oiled bowl and roll around dough to coat.  Cover bowl with saran wrap and let rise for one hour until puffy. 

Meanwhile oil a 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 inch loaf.  Form dough into a log shape and place into pan.  Cover and allow to rise for about another hour.  Bread should be about 1 to2 inches about the rim of the loaf pan.   

Place bread in a 375 degree pre-heated oven.  Cook for 35 minutes.  Internal temperature should read 190 degrees. 

Remove loaf from pan and allow to cool on rack.

Conversation Heart Cookies

I don't know what it is but I have been in baking mode lately!  And Valentines Day is the theme :)  I made these conversation heart cookies today and I love them!  They are time consuming but really fun to do.  

I tried a new sugar cookie recipe today and I really like it.  Can't say this is the end all recipe, I will keep adjusting but an improvement from previous recipes!


Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

In mixer bowl cream together butter and sugar.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  In medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix into

butter mixture alternately with heavy cream.  Scoop mixture out onto plastic wrap.  Wrap and chill in refrigerator for 2-3 hours. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into desired shapes.  Smaller cookies will take about 6 minutes and larger 7-8 minutes to cook. 

Royal Icing

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons meringue powder

6 tablespoons water

gel food coloring

In large mixer bowl combine all ingredients.  Starting on low speed mix until combined.  Once combined increase to high and mix until glossy, about 3 minutes.  Separate into smaller bowls depending on how many different colors you are using and tint icing. 

At this point the icing will be at the appropriate consistency for outlining and writing on the cookies.  Once you go to fill in the cookies add a tad of water to each bowl, continue to add water and stir until at the correct consistency for easy spreading. 

Homemade Vanilla Extract

I got this great book for Christmas.  It is all about canning and preserving, which I started doing this past summered really enjoyed!  One of the recipes in the book was for homemade vanilla extract.  Really simple, but one downer...it has to sit for 30 days before it is done!  I am so anxious to try it, really hope it comes out great.  I didn't have any pint jars so I had to use half of a quart jar, which I assume will be fine, but would definitely recommend a pint jar.

I will update in 30 days :)

4 Vanilla Beans (I used Madagascar Vanilla)

1 Pint Vodka

1 Glass Pint Jar

To sterilize the pint jar submerge in boiling water, boil for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile split the 4 beans in half length wise and then cut into one inch sections. 

Remove glass from boiling water.  Fill with vodka.  Place beans into vodka.  Seal the jar and place in a cool dry place for 30 days.  Shake the jar everyone few days.