Muscatine

I'm sick of politics and those losers vowing for our votes.

I'm preparing for dinner, even though it's my day(calender says so) a couple of the most tender roasted lemon garlic hens you ever saw outside of martha's fine dining cover. Lemon Roasted garlic chickens send the most discerning taste buds to the moon.

If one had any way to improve her goal, she'd brine her birds at least 12-16 hours prior to stuffing. Rinse the brine off---Pat em dry, sprinkle a liberal(oops) amount of salt amd black or white pepper inside the cavities. Chop apr. 1 tblsp thyme or rosemary, peal and cut up a couple heads of garlic and dice into cubes a whole lemon--- seeds and all. Stuff these ingreds. into the cavity, tie the legs and fold the wings under.

Brush on a good wash of melted butter over all the exposed birds, sprinkle with more salt and pepper justy before you lay a few bacon strips over the breasts back to the tail and neck hole. That way the bacon can drip into the cavity. Do this with one two or how many you want. Leave uncovered in your short, pre-oild or sprayed roasting pan. Set the oven for 1hr and 20min at 425 allowing 5 mins for pre-heating. With 15 mins left to cook remove the bacon and baste the birds with the melted butter again re-salt and pepper just a (pinch) and slide em back into the oven. You can use the bacon for what ever you want. I like to use it chopped up over my twice baked potatoes. Let the birds brown another 15 mins. and remove em. Leave the herbs, garlic and lemons inside the whole time. Place a tent of foil over them for another 10-15 mins to finish and dig in. I like to use the left overs for chicken and noodles the next day. I tell you, these are so tasty and tender we forget about all our woes. If your oven temp varies you can test the bird temp at an hour and then another 20 mins. 180 should be good but don't touch bone with probe. Slide your twice baked potatoes in at 350 for the next 15 mins the birds are  steaming under the foil.

Happy Mother's Day  

It dawned on me

I didn't offer the twice baked taters recipe for those interested. Of course you can use any species or size you like, but for me those golden Yukons work best. The sheer size of these beauties makes them a meal alone. Bake them at 350 for a bit more than an hour depending on your oven's specifics--- a bit more, I like to foil wrap em. Don't poke em though. Take em out and cool them sufficient enough to hold without pain, cut out a wedge along the length but leave an inch each end. Dig them out with a teaspoon or a smaller scoop leaving apr. 1/4 inch wall. Turn em over and spray hollowed out tater boat with butter flavored Pam or brush with butter and sprinkle with parmesan OR if you prefer, use bacon grease instead of butter. It's worth the effort!!!!  In another dish mash the scooped out potatoes, then add a pinch of garlic powder, tsp/diced parsley, tsp parmesan & shredded cheddar, a dash of lemon pepper, a cup of Helman's, tblsp of sour cream and a 1/2 tsp of diced chive. Put your beaters in and mix to to a thickly paste consist. Spoon back into the boats filling each end first and then centers. Sprinkle a bit of shredded cheddar and your diced up bacon bits from the birds atop and slide back into the oven for apr.15 min at 425 or 20 mins at 350. Let em cool a few mins and dig IN!!

Ambrosia

You must eat well.   I couldn't match that in several months.

I'd love to eat well less.

I don't know if you looked very close at my picture, but there is a strong likeness to Claude Reins' sister should he actually have one. Seriously though, I love to cook and eating THAT------well at times these old knees complain at times. The last time we went out to dinner my husband said he wished we had stayed home for a real meal and boy howdy the prices out there. This weekend I think I'll toss some Kiev in the oven again. Iv'e taken to using promise here lately, but butter cannot be matched in the kitchen. Add a little swiss and some ham to those breasts and OH LORD the flavor-filled memories.

Gnight.