Roast chicken and asparagus

I've been absent from my blog for some time (although, to be fair, I have been working diligently on my other blog 365 Pictures) but I have to share this tasty, and fairly simple, dinner.  


Roast Chicken and Sauteed Asparagus with Bacon
1 whole roasting chicken (I used one that is about 4lbs)
1lb of asparagus
4-6 slices of bacon
A selection of seasonings (depending on preference)


Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Remove giblets and any excess fat from chicken.  Rinse inside and out and let drain in a colander, cavity down until it's room temperature (about 15 minutes).
Pat chicken dry.  Drizzle with olive oil and season.  I used salt, pepper, garlic powder and basil, rubbed it on and let it sit.  Season inside with salt and pepper. 
Optional - place garlic cloves, pricked whole lemons or fresh herbs in the cavity (I used garlic).
To make the skin crispier, slide your fingers under the skin over the breasts to loosen then place a few pats of butter or olive oil under it.
Place chicken in a shallow roasting pan breast side up and roast for 30 minutes.
Lower oven temperature to 375 and roast for another 30-40 minutes until juices run clear.


While chicken is in the oven -
Gently rinse asparagus, trim ends and cut into 2-3 inch pieces.
Chop bacon into pieces and place in a pan over medium high heat.
Cook bacon until it has released the majority of the fat, about 5 minutes.
Add asparagus and toss for about 2 minutes.  After that, let asparagus sit, tossing occasionally until it has browned a bit.  The asparagus should be in the pan for no more than about 6 minutes.  You want it it be crisp not flimsy or soft.


Enjoy!

I had forgotten how the frogs must sound
After a year of silence, else I think
I should not so have ventured forth alone
At dusk upon this unfrequented road.

I am waylaid by Beauty. Who will walk
Between me and the crying of the frogs?
Oh, savage Beauty, suffer me to pass,
That am a timid woman, on her way
From one house to another!

Assault ~ Edna St. Vincent Millay

Music post: Alison Krauss

One of the most hauntingly beautiful songs, performed by Alison Krauss for the soundtrack of "O Brother Where Art Thou?". My yoga teacher plays this song during class from time to time. Today it seemed to be especially fitting.

Never Forget

Ten years ago I was a PA transplant, new to New York City. Exactly one year before, I had moved with two other girls to a railroad apartment in Hoboken, NJ hoping to join the ranks of all the other aspiring performers. My bedroom window just happened to face the Hudson River and lower Manhattan. On that morning of September 11th, we saw it all.

Ten years later I am still a New Yorker, 11 years strong. My memories from that day are still as vivid as can be. I will always remember how New Yorkers suddenly looked each other in the eye as they walked down the street. I will remember stopping in our tracks and cheering as truckloads of soldiers or fire engines drove by.

Every year I think that the 9/11 coverage won't move me to tears, not this time. Every year I am wrong. I am so proud to be part of New York City and still so moved to have been a part of such a life changing event. We will never forget.

Beermosa!

I would like to introduce to you your new Sunday-day-drinkin' drink - The Beermosa! It's half beer, half Orangina, all good. I used Stella Artois but first tasted this amazing little concoction with Coors Light. You could also use a wheat beer or pilsner. You really can't go wrong, it's perfect for Sunday brunch (or Saturday brunch, for that matter). It goes down super-easy, so watch out!

Note: Orange juice and seltzer can be substituted for Orangina.

Bean and Beet Salad

My coworker, Chiyoko, gave me a taste of her delicious little salad the other day when I was starving and too busy to stop for my lunch break. It was heavenly and so, of course, I grilled her for the ingredients, tweaked a few things, and concocted one of my own.

Bean and Beet Salad
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 corn on the cob or can of corn
1 red onion,finely diced
1 jar of pickled beets or can of sliced beets, finely diced
Fresh basil, chopped
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper

Basically, you mix everything together. Pretty simple. You can add or subtract as you like. Chiyoko used celery, I swapped in green bell pepper. She used the canned beets instead of pickled and didn't have kidney beans at all. I may try cilantro instead of basil the next time I make this.

You may also want to play with the amounts. I used only half of the red onion because it was fairly big and I used just about half of the pickled beets because I didn't want the flavor to overpower. If I had used canned beets I may have used more. Regardless, save the juice to make Red Beet Eggs(*). Then I drizzled olive oil and about 2tsps of balsamic over it and mixed it well. I seasoned to taste with the salt, pepper, and cayenne and added a little more olive oil throughout the mixing process. Let it chill and serve as an easy summer side dish or take it to work for lunch (I plan to do both).

*Red Beet Eggs
1 jar of pickled beets or can of beets
Hard-boiled eggs

Once the eggs are boiled, put them in the fridge until they can be handled. The quick cooling helps in removing the shells. A wide-mouthed jar is ideal but I don't have one so I'm using a tupperware and sucking it up that it will probably be stained. You should get about 3/4 cup of juice from the can and maybe a little less from the jar. For the can juice, add white vinegar until you have 1 cup total. For the jar juice(which already contains vinegar), I used just a little white wine vinegar and then a little water to make 1 cup. Place shelled eggs, some sliced beets and juice into container. Seal and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. The eggs will be ready when they are a lovely reddish-purple.

Happiness is a New Toy

I brought home two new toys today, a furry mouse to replace the one that had it's stuffing torn out and scattered around on my carpet, and a strange little "gummy worm" type of chew toy that is supposedly infused with catnip. Guess which one won Toy of the Day?

The song is "Pale Blue Eyes" by Lou Reed. Incidentally, his dog was a patient where I work and Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson were regular visitors.