Are you chicken?

Have you read about Glamour magazine's new cookbook?  It's called 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know, and they do all sound scrumptious!

Actually after listening to Gayle King's show (on XM) this morning, we (me and you!) HAVE to make this chicken!  They have 72 attributed cases of engagement to this delicious, juicy chicken that's both simple and impressive all at once.  Now, I know I'm already married (and probably you too), but why not treat the men that once asked for our hand in marriage to Engagement Chicken too? : )  They'll be so thankful they chose US.  (well, my husband will be glad he chose me, yours will be glad he chose you...you know how it works ; ) heehee)


For time's sake, here is the recipe:

Engagement Chicken
1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 whole lemons, including 1 sliced for garnish
1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Fresh herbs for garnish (4 each rosemary and sage sprigs, 8 thyme sprigs, and 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley)
Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the giblets from the chicken, wash the chicken inside and out with cold water, then let the chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander for 2 minutes.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the chicken breast-side down in a medium roasting pan fitted with a rack and pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out.
Prick 2 whole lemons three times each in three different places with a fork and place them deep inside the cavity. Chicken cavity size may vary; if one lemon is partly sticking out, that’s fine. (Tip: If the lemons are stiff, roll them on the countertop with your palm before pricking to get the juices flowing.)
Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn the chicken breast-side up. Insert a meat thermometer in the thigh, and return the chicken to the oven and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 180 degrees and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Continue roasting if necessary. Keep in mind that cooking times in different ovens vary; roasting a chicken at 350 degrees takes approximately 18 to 20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. And here’s the secret: Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken — this is the “Marry me juice.” Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.
Serves 2 to 4.

And here is your extra! : )

Secretly Good for You Banana Soft Serve
Secretly Good for You Banana Soft Serve
2 to 3 frozen peeled bananas, broken into pieces
Cocoa powder or ground cinnamon, for sprinkling (optional)
Fresh berries, chopped nuts, whipped cream, or favorite liqueur (optional)
In a food processor, process the bananas for about 5 minutes, stopping a few times to scrape down the sides. As each minute passes, the bananas will get light and fluffy, and take on a creamy texture — sort of like soft serve.
Scrape the banana “ice cream” into serving bowls. For an extra flavor kick, sprinkle a bit of cocoa powder or cinnamon on top, or get creative by adding other toppings such as berries, chopped nuts, whipped cream, and/or a drizzle of your favorite liqueur.

Umm?  Delish!  And one last one since I love you (and we always love for the family to think we are doing a great job!):

Impress His Family Chardonnay Cake (Creamy White Bundt Cake with Chardonnay Glaze)
Cake:
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature, plus more for buttering the pan
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
One 3.5-ounce package regular or instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup chardonnay or another medium or full-bodied white wine, such as Chablis or Viognier
1 cup whole milk, warmed in the microwave for about 20 seconds
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking powder
Glaze:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine
Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt pan or a 9-by-9-inch pan, shaking off any excess flour. Set aside.
With a stand mixer or hand mixer, in a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, pudding mix, chardonnay, milk, and vanilla until well combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. If it looks a little lumpy due to specks of butter, that’s OK; do not over mix.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the edges of the cake appear light golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reduces by one fourth.
When the cake has finished baking, remove it from the oven and pierce it several times with a skewer or carving fork. Immediately pour the hot glaze onto the cake and let stand for about 15 minutes, until the glaze has been absorbed.
If using a Bundt pan, carefully turn it over onto a plate and tap the edges a bit. The cake should glide out easily. Serve immediately. Save a slice or two to enjoy with coffee the next morning.
Serves 10.


Chicken sounded so good that I decided to get one (yes..precooked, so I couldn't mess up) this evening (with a crazy night of dance, a baseball game (that went into overtime-these poor boys need their sleep!), and our two favorite shows ending!), but when I got it home and started cutting it up...it had red liquid between the leg/thigh and the breast.  Umm..in my book-red liquid is only one thing.  GROSS!!  I was so sickened.  We piled up the chicken, and put it back in the "box".  We are taking it back.  I really wish I'd gotten a fresh chicken and cooked it myself (with lemon and fresh herbs!).  It sounded so good tonight.  I've learned.

When I took Mary Claire to dance tonight, she was really nervous.  She missed dance last week since we were in Florida, and she's becoming more anxious about her dance recital this Sunday.  They practiced tonight, and I talked to her teachers about her not coming Sunday, but they encouraged her to stay and be brave.  I also video taped her practice, so I could help her tomorrow and Saturday night (don't laugh!).

Please pray for my girl that she'll get better and gain confidence in herself.  Sometimes being a parent is harder than making a chicken..or taking one back.