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Having chicken tonight? Are you planning on popping it into the oven, boiling some potatoes, and warming up a can of vegetables? That's what I would have done myself, especially when the clock said 4:30 and dinner is supposed to be at 6! Yikes! So, I'd throw the chicken into the oven, cut up the potatoes with the skin still on, put them on to boil, and get back to my business of life... slowing down in time to open up the peas and pour them into a pan for heating.
In the same amount of time, I can now accomplish a one pot meal for the family and garner all kinds of praise for my culinary abilities. (Which are really pretty nil, if you want to know the truth!)
Adding simple everyday herbs and spices to an everyday dinner takes you into a whole new realm of health and delicious taste.
The next time chicken is on the menu, try this:
POT ROAST CHICKEN
Makes 4 - 6 servings
3 medium onions, peeled and quartered
8 stalks of celery, washed and cut in thirds
8 medium carrots, peeled and cut in thirds
1 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. black pepper from the shaker
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. oil
3 pound whole chicken, washed inside and out
1 pound small red potatoes
15 ounce can chicken broth
2 Tbsp. flour
3/4 cup water
In a Dutch oven that you can use in your oven, brown together the onions, celery, carrots, rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage, oregano, pepper, salt, and oil. This will take 5 to 8 minutes over medium heat.
With a slotted spoon, remove all the ingredients and place in a bowl, except the drippings. Leave them in the Dutch oven. Set the bowl aside.
Add the chicken to the Dutch oven. Brown it on all sides, then place it ON ITS BACK in the Dutch oven. This will take about another 5 - 8 minutes.
Return all the vegetables and herbs to the Dutch oven. Add the potatoes which you have washed, but not peeled, and the chicken broth. Cover the Dutch oven.
Bake at 400 degrees for an hour and a half. When the chicken is tender, remove it to a platter and cut into serving pieces. Surround the chicken with the vegetables and herbs.
Add the flour to the 3/4 cup water and blend. Stir into the drippings left in the Dutch oven, stirring constantly over medium heat until drippings have thickened enough for gravy.
Serve!
This is a great dinner any time of year, but really warms the soul, the home, and the heart on those rainy, dreary autumn days. It's so packed with good taste that you don't even notice all the great vitamins and minerals you are getting to keep healthy and fit!
Not peeling the potatoes keeps most of the nutrients inside. The herbs add Vitamin C, A, and needed minerals to a daily diet.
Skimming the drippings before mixing in the flour and water will keep this meal relatively cholesterol free.
Try making up a banana bread recipe using canned pumpkin in place of the banana in the recipe to serve with this great supper idea!
While there are many reasons for teaching kids to cook -- less expensive than eating out, preserves family heritage, etc, the most important
reason is that by teaching your child to cook, you're giving him a better chance to be a healthy grown-up. Enabling your child with the ability
to appreciate freshness and to transform ingredients into tasty foods opens their eyes to making wiser choices about what to eat...