One Pan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables - in 30 minutes!

I was inspired to make a one pan chicken and vegetables dinner after having most of the ingeredients at home and seeing this recipe on PBS's saturday cooking lineup.

It really is so simple but as usual I added my own twist(s) on the original recipe.

Here's my version and below is the site where you can find the videos and recipes from The Test Kitchen Show.

Normally I brine my chicken, so even though it's a 24 hour process it really just involves dissolving some salt, sugar into water, adding in a bit of acidity (lemon/drop of vinegar) and then some herbs and spices, or just the basics of pepper corns and a sliced head of garlic.

This is done the day before and it stays in the fridge on it's own until you're ready to use it, so it's totally hassle free.

When ready to prepare the dish you just want your chicken to come to room temp so I removed it from the water and let it sit an hour, in this time I also chopped the chicken as the recipe mentions into 8 pieces, 2 drum sticks, 2 upper thighs, and each breast (on the bone) into 2 pieces by slicing in half horizontally.

The wings, and spine were removed and they can go into another recipe or stock making.

I sprinkled the chicken with some Worcestershire sauce and let it sit while preparing the veg.

In this hour you can also chop the veggies:

- Carrots, sliced into 2 inch pieces if they're medium to small carrots or chopped into 2 inch pieces and then split down the middle.

- Remove brussel sprout bottoms and slice down the middle of each one to create nice halves.

-  2-3 shallots, sliced in half down the centre.

- Red potatoes, cut into cubes.

Toss all the veggies with some olive oil, salt, black pepper and a sprinkling of sugar (for browning, perhaps)

Keep the brussel sprouts in the middle of the pan and mix and lay out the other veg around the edges.  I scattered in some whole garlic cloves, peel on, throughout.

Add chicken breasts to the middle of the pan, laying over the brussel sprouts, lay the other pieces on the sides.  Brush the chicken with butter and herbs (I just used butter)

Now it all bakes on 475 F for 30-40 minutes and you've left with a one pan delicious spread of roasted chicken and vegetables all cooked beautifully.

Perfect comfort food for busy weekdays!

http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/One-Pan-Roast-Chicken-with-Root-Vegetables/32806/?incode=M00KSCR00

Chicken & Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Ingredients

Chicken and Stock:

• 1 (3 to 31/2 pound) whole organic chicken
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 4 to 5 black peppercorns
• 1 head garlic, split through the equator
• 2 tablespoons salt

Directions

Buttermilk-Chive Dumplings:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen pearl onions
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish
• Chopped chives, for garnish

For the stock:

Place the chicken and all stock ingredients in a large Dutch oven and cover with water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour until the chicken is tender. Skim the surface of fat and scum as it cooks.

When done remove the chicken to a cutting board. Strain the stock and shred the meat into big pieces - the stock will be used for the sauce and the chicken will be folded into it.

For the dumplings:

Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, using a whisk, lightly beat the eggs, chives and buttermilk together; pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold. Mix just until the dough comes together; the batter should be thick and cake-like.

To prepare sauce: In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the butter and oil. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, and bay leaves and saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes to coat the flour and remove the starchy taste. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add frozen peas and pearl onions.

Let sauce simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in heavy cream.

Fold the reserved shredded chicken into the sauce and bring up to a simmer. Using 2 spoons, carefully drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling batter into the hot mixture. The dumplings should cover the top of the sauce, but should not be touching or crowded. Let the dumplings poach for 10 to 15 minutes until they are firm and puffy. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and garnish with chopped chives before serving.

Chicken pot pie

What do you do when you have a whole chicken and lots of peas? Well I was in the mood for chicken pot pie!

When I realized I didn't have any butter at home (from all the baking over the weekend) so I had to run to the store to get some. As soon as I set foot outside I realized "chicken pot pie" was a bad idea. It is one of the hottest days of the summer so far!

The chicken was already roasted the night before (lots of salt and lemon for a flavourful tender chicken) took all the meat off the bones and reserved the liquids from the pan in the same container for the meat to soak it up in the fridge, yum!

With fresh peas I shelled them and blanched for a few moments (as soon as they float) I threw them into an ice bath and then put them in the fridge for the next day.

All the vegetables like carrots, celery, onion, small chunks of potato and a few cloves of garlic got boiled in a stock until tender then it was time to make the roux... butter and flour in the pot and milk added to that, some black pepper and a bit of salt in the end.

Veggies and chicken got layered in the casserole, cream sauce was poured over and the oven was preheating on 375-400.

The pastry was made before hand (as soon as I got home with my butter!)

Chopped butter into small cubes and worked it into the flour then some cold milk brought it all together and the dough was shaped into a disk and refrigerated.

At this point it was ready for use so I rolled it out and draped it over the casserole/pan, poked a few holes in it and did an egg wash over.

Baked until it was bubbly and the crust was flaky and browned.

Crunchy zucchini fries

Crunchy Zucchini Fries


What you will need:
-Fresh zucchinis (the smaller the better and less bitter)

- Egg

- Cornmeal

- Salt & black pepper

- Hungarian smoked paprika or any spice you like

- Olive oil


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 or 425 F. Wash and dry your zucchini, cut the ends off and begin cutting them in thick strips (too thin and they will get soggy, remember there is a lot of moisture inside a zucchini)

2- Prepare a plate with beaten egg. I seasoned the egg with some salt and pepper. Throw the zucchini in and toss until all are coated.

3- In a large container (with a tight fitting snap on lid OR in a large zip lock type bag) Add your corn meal, salt and pepper, paprika and any other seasoning's you like.

4- Add your zucchini into the bag and shake well, or close the container lid and shake shake shake until all are coated evenly.

5- Have a large tray ready lined with parchment, now lay out your zucchini nicely so they are not too crowded. Drizzle with olive oil .. all of them need a light drizzling to develop a browned and crispy cornmeal coating.

Bake and allow some crispiness to develop then flip over for all sides to brown evenly.

Serve with a salsa, ketchup or your favourite sauce. A creamy mayo based sauce would be yummy too.