The Perfect Sunday Roast Chicken

I think there is nothing better than a Sunday Roasted Chicken, and there is nothing better than that crispy yummy skin.  I have tried many different methods, massaging it with olive oil and butter and then I read about something that sounded interesting and it worked fantastic!

I read an article that indicates you can combine baking powder and salt and rub on the skin and let me tell you it works.  It is a bit of a process as well as the baking powder and salt.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, giblets, etc removed
Salt
Baking Powder
Orange cut in half, skin on
Onion cut in half and peeled
Black pepper

For best results, salt the bird several hours before roasting (mix equal parts baking powder and salt) and rub into the skin, then let it air-dry, uncovered, in the fridge, also sprinkle on pepper.

The baking powder's a drying agent, producing really crispy skin (don't worry, there's no lingering chemical aftertaste).

Place the orange and onion half into the cavity of the bird and roast

 If using a vertical roaster, put the bird on upside down so the juicy dark meat will “baste” the white meat keeping the breasts moist. If using a rack, start roasting breast side down for the first 30 minutes for the same effect. The crispiest skin is had from using a convection oven, then an electric oven, and lastly a gas oven.

 For gas ovens, we recommend roasting at a high temperature. Anywhere between 400 degrees F and 450 degrees F will lend the best results, just be certain to use your exhaust fan. Crispy skin is the goal but don’t overcook the meat in the process! Always check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer and pull the chicken out of the oven about 10 degrees early.

Residual cooking will continue as the bird rests.

Veggie Pasta Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

We were going to grill pork chops for dinner and I wanted a veggie and pasta combination of some sort to serve as a side.  I had half a box of gluten free pasta and some veggies.  The dressing I came up with for this salad is nothing short of amazing and so good for you to boot!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

1/2 Box Pasta (your choice but I used small (rotini)
Handful of small grape tomatoes
1/2 Red Bell Pepper diced into small pieces
3 green onions, diced
Olives (optional, but I did not include because my hubby hates them)

Cook your pasta to Al Dente and rinse in cool water, drain and set aside.

Add your diced veggies and tomato

The dressing:

2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped and seeds removed
1 lime, juiced
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Hot Sauce to taste
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp rice wine vinegar

Whir in a food processor, stick blender or blender

Mix with your pasta and refrigerate till ready to serve

Apple Galette

It is Apple season here in Oregon and my favorite apple, the Honeycrisp finally comes down enough in price that I feel ok buying them.  They are a very flavorful and crisp apple.  I had a few in my fridge and decided to make an Apple Galette, so easy and so good!

4 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
1/2 cup brown sugar, you can use a little less
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground Ginger
1/2 cup Golden Raisins
1 pre-made pie crust (the rolled kind in the freezer department)
Egg wash (egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
Turbonado Sugar (sugar in the raw) for dusting on top of crust

To make the pie:

Thaw the pie shell and flatten with your hands after you place it on a baking sheet (I use a Silpat also)

In a bowl mix the apples, spices, sugar and raisins

Place the apple mixture in the middle of the pie crust, leaving about a 2 inch edge of dough

Carefully fold the dough towards the middle of the pie as shown, folding as you go

Brush the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle the Turbonado Sugar over the crust and the apples

Preheat oven to 400°F

Bake for approx 20 minutes checking for too much browning around the edges and placing a piece of foil over it if it is getting too dark

Let cool and serve alone or with ice cream or whipped cream