Roast Chicken with Herbs and Garlic
There are lots of cooks who will tell you that entertaining is very simple if you do a lot of planning and ahead-of-time preparation, but I also think that it is pretty simple in this day and age to pull together a last-minute gathering where people are satisfied and impressed. I think it all comes down to making a little effort look like a lot.
Contrary to the advice of our local weather forecasters, I ventured out into the morning air wearing no wool and only a jean jacket for protection against the elements. To be sure, I am glad I did so. Though only a few days ago, I saw some wet flurries, it appears that spring is returning to the frigid Midwest.
With the dicey Chicago weather, it is hard to decide when the food seasons really change. If you are like me, you enjoy lots of hearty soups and comfort foods in the colder months and crave cool, crisp salads with the heat of summer. This year, I feel like the Bun and I made a lot more soups than in previous years, partly due to the fact that, with the economy being in the toilet, we’ve tried to be a little more frugal and eat out less often. We ran the gamut of recipes, from new vegetarian options to updated, meat-rich classics. Some that stick out in my mind include Cream of Asparagus Soup (garnished with a dollop of crème fraiche), Chicken, Kale, and White Bean Soup, and Old-Fashioned Ham and Bean Soup, which I updated a little by switching the white beans with black-eyed peas, and with the addition of greens and some hot sauce. If anyone is interested in these recipes, please let me know and I’ll put them on the recipe page. Continue reading
Shallots Web 