Easy Peasy roasted chicken

Sep24

I am usually reviewing products and services on this blog. But this roasted chicken recipe was so easy that I had to share.
I went to Food Network’s site and found Emeril Lagasse recipe for roasted chicken. I searched for roasted chicken and decided to use the recipe that looked the least complicated. I am in no way a good cook. I don’t like too many steps (like sear then bake). And I don’t like any dish that requires constant attention because I am probably going to mess it up when I forget about it. Yea. It is not a question of IF but WHEN. If I can throw the ingredients together and come back in a predetermined time, that is the best for me.

Step 1: Cut up big chicks of onion, celery, bell pepper, carrots, potatoes and put into the roasting pan.
Step 2: Wash and dry chicken. Take out guts from the inside
Step 3: Season chicken with salt and pepper. Rub skin with a mixture 4 tablespoon olive oil / 4 tablespoon butter / 1 tablespoon dry rosemary. Squeeze juice of one lemon and put the lemon rind in the cavity. Put into roasting pan and bake 500 degrees for 50 – 60 minutes (you know it’s done when juices run clear when you poke the leg at thickest point).

Step 4: Rest chicken for 15 minutes (meaning out of the oven but don’t cut into it) and enjoy.

The steps are so simple. And I set the timer on the oven to check the chicken after 50 minutes and the chicken looked perfect. The roasted veggies and chicken were full of flavor and cooked just right. I was hesitant to follow the instructions as described because I thought that oven temperature was too high. But I decided that I am going to follow the recipe to the letter and if it did not come out right, I was going to complain. I don’t know why I had any doubts. Emeril has never steered me wrong (I tried one of his recipes once before and it was equally delicious).

The final product was something worth publicizing. I shared my picture on my FB page, Instagram, and emailed a lot of my friends. Hubby asked me if I impressed myself. "YEP!" I said.
Even if you have never roasted a chicken, this recipe is so easy to follow that it will make you feel like you are Julia Childs.

I did think about trying to cook something else for the next day, but I got tired and took a nap instead.

White Orchard tea

Sep18

This is one of my favorite tea brands. The tea bag are big enough to allow the tea leaves to expand for full flavor. The flavor White Orchard is light, fruity, and fresh. The delicate aroma is so relaxing. Hot or cold, this tea is good sweetened with honey or by itself.

Compromise and change equals love story?

Sep17

A Compromising Affair (Arabesque) – Gwynne Forester

Scott Galloway is an ambassador who has finished one assignment and wants to find a wife before taking his next assignment. Denise Miller is a philanthropist working for an organization that helps children of immigrants (important later). Since Scott decides that he wants a wife, he begins to direct his attention to Denise (I still do not know how I feel about the man being on the prowl- seems like he is getting married for the wrong reason). They have a mutual attraction, but Denise has a lot of hang ups that prevent her from committing to a serious relationship.

Scott’s interim assignment was heading the immigration division which caused additional problems with their relationship. The organization, that Denise works with, made some statements that differed with the government’s official policy. Someone made the comment that Denise should publically support Scott. I did not agree with that.

Denise should not be forced to change her opinions in order to conform with her boyfriend. To me that was saying that two political figures could not have a successful personal relationship if they support different policies.

Her friends keep telling her to get it together because Scott is everything she wants. Scott wants her to trust him so that their relationship can progress. Knowing what Denise was dealing with emotionally, I did not like the fact that Scott was so pushy. I understand he was on the fast track to get a wife that fit into his career timeline, but I do not think that was fair to Denise.

As the book progressed, so did my frown lines. There is pressure from all directions, but is the relationship that what she really wants? Do they have what it takes as a couple to have a lasting happy marriage?

Maybe I am overreacting but the moral of this story to me seemed to be this: A woman has a job until she meets the man she is going to marry. Then she compromises and changes to do what he wants.

Since I am used to a different type of romance novel where the main characters revel in their differences while giving into to their love for each other, I admit that this may be an overreaction. Check out A Compromising Affair (Arabesque) and let me know what you think.

Thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat

Sep17

All For One – Ryne Douglas Pearson

This is a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire book.

The story begins in the Prologue with Joey Travers, Elena Markworth, Bryce Hool, Micheal Prentiss, Paula Jean Allenton, and Jeff Bernstein taking a bat to Guy Edmond. It seems that this is a particularly gruesome display of violence. And the premise of the book is that these children create a pact to stick to their story so that none of them will be arrested for Guy’s death.

In the course of the story, we understand why each one would have reason to kill Guy if they did. He was evil and spiteful. Calling him a bully does not fully describe the extent to which he went to terrorize the other children in the school and neighborhood where he lived. He destroyed people’s property, played cruel practical jokes, humiliated, and demoralized others. After his death, he was gone, but the emotional and physical scars haunted those who had suffered by his hand.

Yet it is a police detective’s job to find a killer. No one should be killed because of vigilante justice.

We know it is not right, but it is difficult to want to find the killer of a horrible person whose main delight was in the intimidation of others.

During the reading of the book, I had so many questions.

Did the children kill him?
If so, who will be the one to break and tell the police?
What will happen to them if they are guilty?
If they are not guilty, who really did it?

The author creates a story that engages the reader in such a way, that there is angst and anxiety for the children. These are children that are having to deal with repressed memories of torment and oppression by a devious individual. I sympathized with his victims. I could understand why some of them were celebrating his death and treating the murder suspects with, what some would call, misplaced gratitude.

But does that make their actions justified?

My mind said no, but my heart said maybe. In the end, in All For One Pearson answered all of my questions and provided a somewhat satisfying explanation to all events.

Another hot Westmoreland going after what he wants and The Chase is ON!

Sep10

The Chase Is On (Silhouette Desire) by Brenda Jackson

Chase Westmoreland owns a soul food restaurant and Jessica opens a bakery next door. And since a romance novel is nothing without a little drama, Jessica is the granddaughter of the assumed nemesis of Chase’s grandfather. She is trying to find out what happened to cause the rift between the two men.
Chase’s grandfather told him never to trust any member of Jessica’s family. So it gets complicated. Jessica knows who Chase is hoping she can find out what really happened before Chase finds out whose family she is part of. Jessica’s reasons for leaving that information out of the introductions has a lot to do with the fact that she was hoping to prove and present Chase with the proof that will substantiate her grandfather’s innocence. But she knows that the longer she waits, the harder it will be when the truth comes out.
While Chase turned on the charm as soon as he realized he has a cutie for his business neighbor, Jessica began a losing battle trying not to reciprocate. Once she gives in hesitantly, the immediate attraction seems to be smooth sailing until Chase finds out that she has withheld some pertinent information pertaining to her ancestry. With both of them having relationship issues because of previous experiences (e.g. her father was class A jerk), it is interesting to see how they end up together at all.

The Chase Is On (Silhouette Desire) is entertaining, funny, and a little nail-biting at the same time. As the reader, I had information that Chase did not and as I got to know his personality, I wondered how he was going to react when he found out. This is another must read from Brenda Jackson.