485 Degree Roasted Chicken with Perfect Garlic Roasting Sauce

from Food 52

If fall brings the roasted chicken back to your weekly menu, you have to try this style.

For me, the weekly roasting of the bird seems to be required. Typically, I fill the bird with lemon and a whole bud of garlic along with thyme. It's an Ina Garten recipe she calls perfect and I quite agree. After we dine on the freshly roasted meat, I have a couple of lunch options for the week. The bones become stock and, well, I feel saavy using every inch of the delightful gift and then some!

This week, Amanda and Merrill at Food 52 urged the use of this recipe. It's wonderful. The printed version is found here.

It's lovely to find a straightforward and simple roasting and deglazing recipe and this one is yummy. So, give it a try. We did just share that bowl of sauce. Fun!

One note: I used a brined chicken from Trader Joe's. I could have held back on salt. Especially in the sauce.

Bon Appetit!

Chicken Broth Success

Don't freeze your broth in Mason Jars. They break. I know. I tried.

I am so happy with the success of the Chef John's Roasted Chicken Broth. Easy. Though, with my three days on the task you might not know it. But, believe me, that's just life with a high school schedule.

It is so very delicious. Rich, full of body and ready for carrots and onions, celery and the chicken breast remaining. Here's his recipe. We're having soup for lunch and saving the rest for later (in the freezer, of course).

When you make it (and you should), just give yourself the space on a Saturday. The flavor is much different than a standard homemade stock, which I love, but the richness and depth of flavor makes it just perfect as a simple soup base. And, it's not labor intensive, it just needs the stretch of 3 hours to cook.

I'm planning to add red pepper, tomato and sausage soup to one of these, too.

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

Dinner on a Bread Slice

With fall advancing, here's an easy one with great results and it comes right out of Mom's 1960's kitchen.

Dinner on a Bread Slice

• One wide loaf French Bread (usually sold in the market bakery, no skinny baguettes) one or two days old cut horizontally
• 2 pounds ground beef 
• 1 egg
• 1 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Set your conventional oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the bread horizontally and place them on aluminum foil wide enough to completely cover them for cooking. (We never seem to have the wide aluminum foil, so I cut two lengths for each half and fold it together to produce a big enough piece.) Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, egg and soup mix.

Top the bread with equal parts of the beef mixture.
Sprinkle with equal parts cheese.

Cover with foil.

Place both on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.

My mom always froze the second cooked loaf for reheating later. You can also freeze the second loaf before cooking, but please allow defrosting time before you bake it if you choose this route.

It's rather perfect for Sunday supper with soup too.

Try it. And tell us what you think!