Dinner Parties and Roasted Chicken

Last night, four of my Charlotte buds, Brett, Joe, Ricky, and Lindsay, came over for dinner and I wanted to make something delicious but easy. I raced from work to get my CSA and stop by the Teeter to pick up the chicken and other necessary ingredients.

Now on to the good stuff. My mom used to make "Chicken in a Pot," which is basically a roaster in a Le Creuset with some veggies. The chicken is so moist and lets off so much juice that it basically becomes a soup. I revamped her recipe, and I think it turned out great.

I got a 4.75 pound chicken (free range, organic, duh), rinsed and dried. I stuffed the chicken with a peeled and quartered lemon, onion, and rosemary (fresh from my CSA). Then, I put a mixture of melted butter, rosemary, chopped lemon peel, and garlic underneath the chicken skin. I coated the entire chicken in garlic olive oil, salt, and pepper, and placed it on top of chopped carrots, onions, and baby bellas in my very own Le Creuset (a Hanukkah present from a few years ago). I put the bird in the oven at 475 for 20 minutes, uncovered, then lowered the temperature to 400 for about an hour. Easy. The meat was cooked perfectly and no one got sick from it, so I'll count this culinary adventure as a success. The chicken skin was crispy, and no, cooking it uncovered did not sacrifice the moistness of the meat. Pure deliciousness. Who would guess I was a vegetarian for two years until June?

I didn't cook potatoes in with the chicken (which is a good option) because I wanted something with a different texture than the carrots. I boiled 10 red bliss potatoes in water with salt and pepper. When they were done enough that a knife slid easily into the flesh, I put them on dish towels to cool slighty. Then, I mashed them down so they looked flat. I put a dab of butter on each potato with salt and pepper, then stuck them in the oven with the chicken until they got crispy. Seriously, SO delicious. I only have a before picture, but they were amazing and you should go home and make them tonight. Bonus points: healthier than mashed potatoes (no cream, less butter) but you still get a very creamy texture from the boil + roast technique.

Lindsay brought a super yummy salad with lettuce, chickpeas, tomatoes, feta (I think?), avocado, and croutons. The dressing was phenomenal...I think it had some sesame oil in it? Whatever it was, it was perfect. We also had some french baguette topped with a goat cheese / basil / lemon mixture. Holy yum that was good. Brett brought wine which obviously made the food taste even better. For dessert, I wanted to use up some of the apples from my CSA, so I made this super easy crisp. Just cut up apples and mix them with lemon juice and vanilla.

The crumble on top is just brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and apple sauce. Easy peasy and not too sinful.

I loved having people over for dinner, especially since the apartment has been so lonely this week. The best part of the night might have been when Brett asked if a maid had been to my apartment earlier in the day -- I guess I am neater when the guys aren't around! I'm so glad it's Thursday because tomorrow I get to FINALLY see Tuck and Rob. I hate these two week spans and am glad this one is almost over. We are definitely lucky enough that our long-distance is only 90 minutes, but it is definitely not ideal. See you soon, Robble Gobble!