What’s cookin’ this weekend??? March 25, 2011

Hello, lover....what's cookin'?

Ok, it’s not gonna be a spring weekend…so let’s just get the thoughts of something super-springy on the menu right out of your mind. With snow in the forecast..alas…it’s a weekend for something a bit heartier. So I modestly offer what I had last weekend…a perfectly braised and roasted chicken, surrounded by vegetables and pancetta. Super-easy, super-delish. here we go.

Love the witty Joseph Joseph glass cutting board...

First, quarter some new potatoes…..any taters will do, but red ones do add a dollop of color. And the toughened glass cutting board is from Joseph Joseph…it’s the queen made from vegetables, and I love it. They have all kinds of witty ones, including Elvis made from veges.(Update: just heard from a reader, Jamie, that glass cutting boards dull your knives pretty quickly…and when I googled it, found he was absolutely right…see this post on things that dull your knives! I’ll save the glass cutting board for serving something…maybe cheeses, or crudite?) Darn it, it’s still cute.

Onyums...

Then some onions….I think I cut these too small….quartered onions would be more substantial at serving time. My bad.

Carrots, and some chopped pancetta...

Add some carrots….and don’t be stingy, I feel like I never do enough carrots! Teh chopped pancetta I get from Trader Joe’s, already in this perfect little dice. I keep some in the freezer, for all kinds of dishes…adds a lovely flavor(duh, it’s Italian bacon). Here it is, ready for the oven after I added some garlic cloves, wine in the bottom, salt and pepper, and some Provencal herbs.  I covered it and cooked it for two hours at 325 degrees, then removed the top and upped the temp to 400 for another 30 minutes or until browned on top. Get some crusty bread and dinner is ready! Get crazy and invite your neighbors over for dinner….a new study out this week said that social connections…make you lots happier than money(ok, not happier, but as happy)….and when your friends get there, give them a glass of wine, don’t throw rocks or talk politics, and wherever you go, come home safe…’cause we miss you! ♥