Pulling a tender, juicy roast chicken with crisp, golden brown skin out of the oven is so rewarding. For a simple side, roast a pan of in-season produce like spring onions, ramps, new potatoes or carrots during the last 20 minutes of cooking.
INGREDIENTS
1 Whole Chicken (4 Pound)
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove neck and giblets from chicken. Trim off any excess fat from neck and tail end of chicken. Rinse bird with cool running water. Pat dry with paper towels, and season all over with salt and pepper.
Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a small-size roasting pan or a 9×13 inch-baking dish. Tuck wings back and behind bird to hold them in place. Roast, basting once or twice with pan juices, until skin is deep golden brown and juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours.
An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh should read 165 degrees. Let chicken rest for 15 minutes and then carve.
To add fragrant flavor, stuff the cavity with a halved lemon or orange and a handful of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano.
Serve with an easy salad of greens topped with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Serves 4
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 90 Minutes
Total Time: 110 Minutes
“Work With What You Got!”
©Tiny New York Kitchen © 2018 All Rights Reserved
The end of summer is fresh produce heaven, which includes delicious vine ripened tomatoes. What do you do when you have a tomato abundance?
Here are some tips for making the most of the end of summer tomatoes.
Sliced: Incorporate into sandwiches or add to basil and mozzarella for a Caprese Salad.
Chopped: You only need a few chopped heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella, chopped basil, and olive oil for a colorful no-cook pasta sauce.
Puréed: There’s nothing like an icy cold gazpacho on a warm day.
Salsa: Fresh salsa is a must have condiment for grilled steaks or shrimp, brown rice and beans, scrambled eggs, and of course, chips.
Grilled: Toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, and herbs. Then cook in a grill basket until charred. Top fish, chicken, pasta, and charred slices of bread.
Stored: Keep tomatoes at room temperature until ripe and then use within a day or two. Don’t put them in the refrigerator as it affects their flavor and texture.
Preserved: Roasted, dehydrated, or stewed – savor the season by saving a taste of summer for later.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved
Grilled pineapple is so very versatile because you can use it for savory or sweet, hot or cold dishes. Grill over indirect heat and the sugars in the pineapple concentrate bringing out a sweet and meaty fruit that is ideal for endless summer recipes.
6 Ways To Use Grilled Pineapple
Slice and serve with grilled pork or fish.
Cut into chunks and toss with salt and lime juice for a smoky fruit salad.
Muddle and use as the base for a sweet-savory cocktail.
Dice and mix with chopped cilantro and chiles for salsa.
Purée and spoon over vanilla ice cream or good Greek yogurt.
Top with ice cream or sorbet.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved
It’s chilly out so I placed the big salad I made on the back porch while I made a pasta dinner. When I went out to retrieve the salad I saw that all but a few scraps had been eaten. Some deer or raccoon must have thought they were invited for dinner tonight!
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2015 All Rights Reserved
Thanksgiving Menu Guide
In the spirit of getting organized here is a Thanksgiving Menu guide that can help you plan according. Print this list out and add your own notes. Remember that the key to a successful Thanksgiving dinner is organization.
Soups & Starters
Italian Wedding Soup (Tiny Meatballs, Tortellini & Escarole)
Creamy Mushroom Soup (Rich Mushroom Broth With Sliced Mushrooms)
Sweet Potato Kale Soup (Sweet Potatoes, Corn & Peppers Simmered in Broth, Topped With Kale)
Butternut Squash Soup (Sweet Butternut Squash Simmered in a Light Vegetable Broth With Ginger & Mace)
Chicken Stock (Chicken Bones & Fresh Vegetables Simmered For Hours)
Wild Mushroom Strudel (Portabello, Shitake & Button Mushrooms Cooked With Garlic & Herbs Finished With a Mix of Goat, Mozzarella, Gruyere & Cream Cheese Wrapped In a Crispy Puff Pastry Shell
Bacon Wrapped Scallops (Sea Scallops Wrapped in Smoked Bacon)
Sides
Garlicky Greens (Steamed Kale & Chard Seasoned with Roasted Garlic)
Roasted Brussels Sprouts (Roasted Brings Out Their Natural Sweetness)
Green Beans With Almonds (Fresh Green Beans With Sliced Crisp Almonds With a Touch of Tarragon)
Creamed Spinach With Roasted Garlic (Spinach Seasoned With Nutmeg & Tossed With Cream & Garlic)
Roasted Corn Pudding (A Savory American Classic)
Roasted Butternut Squash With Dried Cranberries (Squash, Roasted With Onions & Herbs)
Cornbread Stuffing With Sausage & Spinach (Sausage In Rustic Stuffing)
Traditional New England Stuffing (Moist Bread Stuffing With Herbs & Spices)
Classic Mashed Potatoes (Velvety Smooth Made With Cream & Butter)
Maple Bourbon Sweet Potatoes (Mashed Sweet Potatoes Sweetened With a Bourbon Maple Syrup
Home-style Green Beans (Fresh Green Beans With Cherry Tomatoes)
Apple Fennel Slaw (Granny Smith Apples, Horseradish & Fennel)
Green Salad (Mixed Green Salad With Cider Dressing)
Sweet & Sour Cabbage (Red Cabbage Braised in Duck Fat)
Peas With Pearl Onions (3 Types of Peas With Pearl Onions)
Autumn Vegetable Ragout With Soft Polenta (Vegetables & Polenta)
Roasted Beets With Orange Vinaigrette (Warm Roasted Beets With Orange Dressing)
Celery Root Salad
Warm Spinach Salad With Goat Cheese & Apples
Sweet Potato & Banana Puree
Apple Bacon Cornbread Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes And Parsnips With Crisp Root Vegetable Strips
Roasted Cauliflower And Shallots With Chard & Dukkah
Brussels Sprouts and Wheat Berry Slaw With Smoked Paprika Dressing
Rich Turkey Gravy (Smooth With Deep Roasted Flavor)
Vegan Wild Mushroom Gravy (Deep, Robust Flavor From Wild Mushrooms and a Splash of White Wine)
Organic Cranberry Orange Relish (Organic Whole Berry Relish With Orange & a Touch of Cinnamon)
Brandied Cranberry Sauce With Pecans (Whole Cranberries Cooked With Pecans, Brandy & Sugar)
Main Attraction
Organic Whole Turkey (Brined or Un-brined)
Roast Turkey With Sage Butter
Cherry Glazed Turkey
Turkey Breast
Orange Pecan Cornish Hens
Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan
Breads
Family Style Cornbread
Parker House Rolls
Boston Brown Bread
Parmesan Garlic Biscuits
Popovers
Desserts
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie
Blueberry Pie
Cherry Pie
Pecan Pie
Apple Crumb Pie
Carrot Cake
Pumpkin Cake
Maple Bread Pudding
Cranberry Pear Crisp
Black Mission Fig Tart
Assorted Cookies
Make Ahead Items
Many Thanksgiving dishes or parts of dishes can be made in advance which is a big help. After writing out your menu and shopping lists look to see what can be done ahead of time.
Most soups can be made 1 or 2 days before serving.
Most appetizers (or parts of them) can be made 1 day before serving.
Roux for gravy can be made several hours before using. Just mix butter and flour together, reheat and add stock and pan drippings when time to make gravy.
Vegetables can be chopped 1 or 2 days before using.
Grate cheese or spices 1 to 2 days before using.
Wash, dry, and wrap lettuce in paper towels, and store in a ziplock bag. Place in the refrigerator until ready to toss 1 day before serving.
Most salad dressings can be made 1 to 2 days before serving.
Have turkey as prepped as possible (salted, spiced and rubbed with butter, in its pan) and ready to go in the oven.
Stuffing items such as onions, celery, mushrooms, etc can be cooked 1 day before combining with bread and stuffed into the turkey.
Bread for stuffing can be cut up the day ahead and stored in a paper bag. Dried out bread is the best for stuffing.
Desserts or parts of desserts can often be made 1 to 2 days ahead such as sauces, crusts, pie filings or toppings.
Labor Day Weekend Picnic
Labor Day Weekend is the perfect weekend for a picnic. To celebrate the end of summer I’ve organized a feast of some of America’s favorites – from fried chicken to chocolate cake, cheeseburgers to homemade strawberry ice cream.
Parsley Potato Salad
Mushroom Artichoke Salad
Chile-Spiced Bean Salad
Crusty Parmesan Chicken Breasts
Deviled Eggs
Pickled Beets
Barbecued Cheeseburgers
Tomatoes
Radishes
Lettuce
Red Onions
Pickles
Olives
Chocolate Buttercream Cake
Strawberry Ice Cream
Strawberries
Beer
Lemonade
Coffee
Packing the picnic: The salads can be prepared a day in advance. It’s probably not necessary to double the recipes unless you have a large crowd to feed. Be sure to include a serving spoon for each salad. The Crusty Parmesan Chicken Breasts can be served either cold or warm. Either bake it a day ahead, refrigerate it, and carry it in a cooler; or pop it in the oven about an hour before you leave and transport it hot. The deviled eggs can be made from your favorite recipes or one from Tiny New York Kitchen. They will need several hours to chill and must be packed in a cooler, along with the assortment of vegetables (each in a plastic container). Take along a basket or platter for the chicken, a tray for the eggs, and serving forks.
All of the barbecue equipment can travel in a sturdy cardboard box, if there’s room, lay the buns and cheese on top so they don’t get squished. The hamburgers and condiments should be packed in a cooler.
You can bake the cake and prepare the frosting well in advance; both can be stored in the freezer. After thawing, the frosting should be beaten for a few minutes with an electric mixer. A round plastic serving plate with a high, tight-fitting cover is ideal for transporting the cake; remember to carry along a knife and a cake server.
In a cooler, pack the ice cream custard, berry mixture, and ice, each in its own container. Take a hammer and large, heavy dishtowel for crushing the ice cubes, and rock salt for the ice cream freezer (which would be a non-electric one). Pack the fragile ice cream cones and berries for garnish last.
Keep the beer in the cooler. For the lemonade and coffee, you will need a couple of thermoses. Preheat the one for the coffee; don’t forget to take cream (kept cold) and sugar. Pre-chill the other thermos and fill it with cold lemonade.
At the site: Assemble the ice cream freezer and begin hand-cranking, taking turns so that everyone can participate. If the ice cream is ready before it’s time for dessert, remove the dasher, cover the container, and let it stay in the freezer to ripen; don’t forget to dump out the salty water and pack the freezer with fresh ice.
Fire up the barbecue about 30 minutes before you want to begin cooking. Grill the cheeseburgers when the coals are gray. Arrange the chicken in a basket, set out the rest of the food, and dig in.
