Cast Iron Skillet- Roasted Lemon Chicken

Ina Garten aka the Barefoot Contessa one of my favorite Food Network shows,  It seems no matter what I have tried of hers it never fails, and this Lemon Chicken is another winner.

Since we are still on a #Saferathome order here in Florida 🌴I have been studying my Herbalist course and trying a lot of new recipes, but sometimes you just don't have all the ingredients you need so you just have to improvise 🤷‍♀️.

So I'm going to list Ina's ingredients and next to it I'll put my adjusted ingredients.

Let me just tell you this was Amazing,  the aroma coming from my oven nearly drove me crazy. I served this over rice and added a little extra sauce in a ramekin for dipping.  Yummy 🥰

I love using my Grandmother's Cast iron Skillet.

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds.(I did not have fennel seeds, so I substituted 1/2 teaspoon of cumin).
• And I added 1 teaspoon of Herbs de Provence because it contains fennel ♥️
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• 1 lemon, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick
• 1 yellow onion, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick
• 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced(I used 4 well just because I love Garlic, lol thank goodness hubby does also)
• 1 (4-pound) chicken, backbone removed and butterflied.( Well I had legs and thighs).
• ½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio(I had Sun Blush from Lakeridge Winery)🍷
• Juice of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place the thyme, fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor and process until ground. (Or the herbs you have on hand).  Pour the olive oil into a small glass measuring cup, stir in the herb mixture, and set aside.

Distribute the lemon slices in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and distribute the onion and garlic on top. Place the chicken, skin side down, on top of the onion and brush with about half the oil and herb mixture. Turn the chicken skin side up, pat it dry with paper towels 😉(very important!),😉 and brush it all over with the rest of the oil and herb mixture.

Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan 🙈(not on the chicken!) 🙈 Again VERY IMPORTANT!   And roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155 to 160 degrees.

Remove the chicken from the oven, sprinkle it with the lemon juice, cover the skillet tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters or eighths, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with the pan juices, cooked lemon, and onion.

The pan juices are amazing!  I had some leftover so tomorrow I'm going to roast some shrimp ( Another one of my favorite Ina Garten recipes) And have the leftover pan juices on the shrimp♥️

Enjoy!

Stay safe at home

Allison 🤗

How to Make and Use the Legendary Four Thieves Vinegar Blend

History and Folklore of the Four Thieves Vinegar Blend

As most of you know by now, I have been studying Herbs for some time now, on and off for years, since we have been staying in place now for over 3 weeks, due to the Covid-19 pandemic I have been getting more study time in.  So i Thought I would share one of my favorite recipes with you with most interesting folklore. And if your interested in learning more I put a link on the side bar for you to enjoy a Free Mini Course.  

 

In medieval times, four thieves were said to rob the homes of those suffering from illness and those who had died from the 17th-century plague, the Black Death. It is said that on moonless nights in Marseilles, France, the thieves would anoint their bodies in vinegar that had been infused with “protective” herbs now known to have antibacterial and antiviral properties. This herbal vinegar was thought to give the thieves an advantage against contracting the illness. Fleas were thought to be one especially sneaky carrier of the plague. In addition to its antimicrobial potential, the thieves’ aromatic cloak may have also acted as a natural flea repellent!
At first, the four thieves’ behavior wasn’t of much consequence, as folks assumed the plague would eventually take hold of them. However, the thieves’ resistance was strong, and their thievery continued. When they were finally apprehended, judges offered a less agonizing form of execution if they would be helpful by sharing their immunity secret. 
An alternative to this tale is that the four thieves had been caught for their acts of robbery and were then sentenced to bury the dead after the plague hit. In order to try and stave off catching the disease, they created this potent herbal vinegar in which they rubbed behind their ears, on their temples, and in their hands. 


Whichever myth is true, the recipe they revealed has been a well-known bit of folklore ever since, and today, I will share it with you! 


When making the Four Thieves Vinegar Blend, feel free to use fresh or dried herbs, depending on what you have on hand. The following recipe calls for dried herbs, as these help to extend the shelf life of the preparation. If using fresh herbs, simply double the amount that is called for in the recipe (1 teaspoon of dried herb equals 2 teaspoons of fresh herb) and know that since fresh herbs contain water, the shelf life of the Four Thieves Vinegar will be reduced, and the preparation will need to be used more quickly.

Four Thieves Vinegar Blend

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Get ready to make perhaps one of your most versatile, spicy herbal blends! This infused vinegar can be used internally, externally, as an ingredient, or even as a cleaning item. You may find you enjoy (or grow used to) taking a swig each morning or night to promote wellness, or keeping it on hand for days you feel you may have had contact with someone who is sick. If nothing else, you can use it just as you would almost any other vinegar!

Ingredients

2 cups (16 fl oz) organic apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dried sage (Salvia officinalis) leaves
2 teaspoons dried rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) leaves
2 teaspoons dried lavender (Lavandula officinalis) flowers
2 teaspoons dried juniper (Juniperus communis) berries
1 teaspoon black peppercorn (Piper nigrum) seed, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme (Thymus vulgaris) leaves
1 bulb fresh raw garlic (Allium sativum) cloves, chopped

Directions

• Fill a quart-sized canning jar with the herbs and top off with organic apple cider vinegar to 1-inch below the top of the jar. Stir the mixture with a clean spoon to remove any air bubbles and to ensure the herbs are thoroughly saturated with the vinegar.
• Seal the jar with a plastic lid, or place a piece of parchment paper between the jar and a metal lid to prevent the vinegar from corroding the metal and touching any coating on the lid.
• Let the mixture macerate for a month in a dark cupboard. Shake the jar daily to keep the herbs and vinegar mixed as this will ensure a better extraction.
• After a month, strain the vinegar using a sieve and layered cheesecloth. Reserve the liquid and compost the herbs.  Bottle the liquid in an amber-colored bottle to protect from light and label.

There are many ways to utilize the benefits of the Four Thieves vinegar blend! Use your Four Thieves blend wherever vinegar is called for in a recipe. If you are looking for a mocktail, add the blend to fizzy water and relax. Do you like to make your own salad dressings? If so, use your Four Thieves vinegar blend to make a delicious and flavorful vinaigrette base. If you feel a cold coming on, use this vinegar blend as a tincture or take it by the spoonful. It can also be a creative addition to the vinegar portion of a Fire Cider formula, or you could simply mix the vinegar with honey and enjoy as an easy oxymel. 
This Four Thieves vinegar blend can also be used externally as a household cleaner for any kitchen or bathroom surface. Because of its antimicrobial action (Serafin, Shah, & Yagnik, 2018), it discourages the overgrowth of certain types of microbes when it comes into contact with them, thus helping you to keep your home healthy during cold and flu season.   

Finally

Making a Four Thieves vinegar blend can be an easy, creative, and fun way to combat seasonal colds, flu, and infection. This all-purpose aromatic vinegar is just what you need to stay unplagued and healthy especially with a global pandemic going on.
God Bless
Enjoy!
Allison

Grandma's Ultimate Mac and Cheese

I have been making this decadent,  creamy macaroni and cheese for as long as I can remember. One year to save time I bought Stouffers. While I love Stouffers frozen foods, I've never lived that down and some of my family think that is what they have been eating for years. Lol  So to save face I am giving the rest of my family the recipe. 

I hope your happy ! Brent,Jason,Timothy, Nicole, Amelia and Camila♥️

 

3 Cups uncooked elbow macaroni 

1 package 16oz Velveeta cubed

2 Cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

2 Cups shredded White Cheddar cheese OR Sharp cheddar ( I use Sharp usually)

1 and 3/4 Cups whole milk

1 Can (12oz ) evaporated milk. NOT CONDENSED!

3/4 Cup of butter melted

3 large eggs lightly beaten 

Grease you crock pot with butter.

Cook macaroni in salted boiling water till Al dente.about 7-10 min. DRAIN.

( Don't cook to long you want it a little firm because it's still going to cook in the crockpot. )

After you drain the macaroni add it to the crockpot,  put cheese in,

Mix your eggs, milk, evaporated milk, and butter in a bowl till combined. 

Now pour that into the crockpot and stir till combined. 

Cook covered for 2 to 2-1/2 hours on LOW

stirring once halfway through cooking time. At the half way point you can add a little more milk if not creamy enough, but usually it's perfect.

Enjoy!

Allison

Mom

Grandma

Grammy♥️🥰

Beet Pickled eggs

Beet pickled eggs  • 1can of  beets sliced 1 cup beet juice, I just use the whole can• 1 cup cider or white vinegar whatever you have on hand.• 1/2 onion, sliced • 3/4
Cup granulated sugar • 2 garlic cloves smashed and cut in half • 1 bay leaf • 6 hard cooked eggs, peeled.
Put peeled eggs into a clean glass jar.
Bring all other ingredients to a boil, till sugar melts.
Let cool slightly then pour into eggs, cover and refrigerate.  Will keep for months, but ours never last that long.  The longer they sit the more flavor they develop,  but we've eaten them the next day , sometimes you just can't wait lol
Enjoy!
Allison