Television Feasts

I am a home cook who backyard gardens and has a serious closet addiction to the Food Network. I envision visiting the world in my own kitchen.

From Julia to Giada, I am a bi-product of the quirky world of anything food television. At age 10 I wanted to lunch with Julia; at 12 I thought sitting at Graham Kerr's table would be bliss; in college I was a diligent voyeur student of Jeff Smith's; and as a newlywed I envisioned myself being Martha. Then the sky opened up and violin music played in the background when I discovered an entire family of food shows on the blossoming food network. Twenty years later I am still a home chef with a backyard garden, yet in my head I am a trained chef who has eaten her way around the world, tasted all things exotic, competed in many challenges, judged the best of the best, and have a circle of friends which includes Emeril, Bobby, Rachael and more. I like to learn and challenge myself simply for the pleasure of all things food. I am a student of the University of Food Network and my textbooks, exams and extra-curricular activities all stem from channel 39.


Sunday, January 12, 2014

Roasted Balsamic Glazed Chicken

This was my favorite kind of day. Slept in (I am an early riser so that meant 7:30 am, bliss), enjoyed weekend coffee (we save the treat of rich flavored coffee for weekends, and use regular priced coffee during the week), read the paper and de-decorated the last of the holiday decorations.  I even got a couple of hours work in.  Finally it was afternoon.  I turned on a movie and lost myself in the kitchen.

Whole chickens were only .98 cents a pound this week.  There is nothing more comforting on a cold Sunday afternoon than roasting a chicken.  I am a big proponent of keeping roast chicken simple; but, I wanted to give it a boost today.  I read this recipe on Rhee Drummond's blog.  I love the combination of balsamic and lemon.  We keep fresh rosemary growing all year.  Roasting a chicken has to be one of the easiest meals going.  Wait till you see how I make this $6 chicken stretch this week!

Roasted Balsamic-Glazed Chicken

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 Olive Oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
8 garlic cloves
3 T. herbes de Provence
1 lemon, juiced and halves reserved
1 (5-6 lb ) roasting chicken
4 sprigs of Rosemary
1 sliced onion
2 fennel bulbs halved

Preheat the oven to 350°

Combine the vinegar, oil, salt & pepper, herbes de provance, and lemon juice.  Whisk all together.


Place the sliced onion on the bottom of your roasting pan.  Place the chicken on top.  Fill the cavity with the garlic, rosemary and lemon halves.

Pour the glaze all over the chicken.  Place fennel halves cut side down around the chicken.


Turn the oven down to 300°  and roast the chicken for 2-3 hours.




I added a side of simple pasta with lemon and parmesano reggiano, and some roasted broccoli.  The meal was elegant. Keeping the sides simple let the chicken shine through. The balsamic seemed to sweeten as the chicken roasted.  It was amazing how that crust of herbs infused delicious flavor into the chicken.  This recipe is a keeper!

Hope everyone enjoyed there weekend....bring on Monday!

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