Classic.

There is nothing I like more than being able to throwing a complete meal in the oven.  Let the oven do all the work! Here is a recipe for the perfect oven roasted chicken.  I found the perfect combination of flavor and not a lot of fat.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

1 Whole Chicken (Organic Preferably)

4 Rosemary sprigs

2 Tablespoons butter, cubed

Medley of vegetables roughly chopped (similar in size)

salt & pepper

Bring your Chicken to room temperature. (Always bring your meat to room temperature for even cooking.) Preheat your oven to 450° F. Pat your chicken dry with paper towels inside and out.

Generously sprinkle salt and pepper all over the bird. (really be generous) Place two rosemary sprigs under the skin with a few cubes of butter. Smash a few cubes of butter on your bird to create a beautiful golden crust. Chop or quarter your vegetables (similar sizes, for even cooking) and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place the chicken on a rack ( I used a cooling rack) to keep the chicken elevated and off the vegetables.  Place the rack on top of the baking sheet. If you don’t have a rack, rase your bird with balled up foil.

Place your bird in the oven and bake for 50-65 minutes or until your meat thermometer reaches 165° F. Place the thermometer in-between the breast and the leg for the most accurate reading.  THIS NEXT STEP IS VERY IMPORTANT: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes. I know its tempting to dig right in but this allows the juices to redistribute themselves creating a juicy, flavorful bird. Serve with roasted vegetables and crusty bread.

Vegetables I used: I chopped, carrots, parsnips, fenel, sweet potatoes and onions. 

Light & Sweet.

There is nothing like a Homemade Marshmallow. Really, if you haven’t tried them before then you are missing out. I’ve made them a few times and “coincidentally” James just wasn’t around for any of them. So once again, on a cold afternoon I decided to surprise him with some freshly made mallows and a delicious cup of hot cocoa.

Homemade Marshmallows (recipe from Alton Brown)

This is one of those recipes that you don’t have to make any edits or changes to so here you go!

Ingredients
3 packages unflavored gelatin

1 cup ice cold water, divided

12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Nonstick spray

Directions

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

For regular marshmallows:

Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners’ sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Happy Birthday My Love.

 Happy 30th Birthday James Pierini! Love you so much and I am glad I get to celebrate many more with you. 

 

 

The Smell of Cinnamon.

A few weeks ago we got a little snow in NYC.  We have been pretty luck this winter. The snow seems to come only on the weekends when we are nice and cozy in our little apartment. Which then turns into any excuse to make comfort food.  Of course it had to be the food that we normally would not allow ourselves to eat.  So while we curled up on the couch with our newspapers in hand, coffee steeping and Youth Lagoon playing in the back I thought I would add one more thing . . .the smell of cinnamon baking in the oven. Perfection.

Pizza Dough Cinnamon Roll
(adapted from The Kitchn and the frosting is from Alton Brown recipes)

1 package Trader Joe’s plain pizza dough (or make your own)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 handful of chopped walnuts (optional)

Icing:

2 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened, approximately 1/4 cup
3 tablespoons milk
5 1/2 ounces powdered sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. On a lightly-floured surface, roll pizza dough into a 9-inch square. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and walnuts leaving 1/2 inch border of plain dough around edges.

Roll dough to form a tight log, pinching to seal the seam shut. With the seam side down, cut evenly into six pieces with a serrated knife. Place in buttered pan, and brush tops with any remaining butter. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool for a few minutes before icing.

Icing: Whisk cream cheese and milk in large bowl until thick and smooth. Sift in confectioners’ sugar; whisk until smooth glaze forms, about 30 seconds. Drizzle glaze over buns and spread with a butter knife.  Serve warm.

Where to Start.

It has been awhile since I last posted and I feel its been so long that its the perfect excuse to keep putting it off. My life has changed a lot just in the last month! I turned 30 and put in my two weeks notice at work. (more on that soon) I am still a little shocked by the second one.  Its funny, if you were to ask me 8 months ago what I would be doing right now it would not have been this. I have pushed my boundaries and limitations to a new level that I feel they don’t even exist anymore and I am pretty excited about that.

Since a lot has happened and I don’t want to bore you with a novel here are a few pics from the iPhone. I really need to pick up my fancy camera more often, but its just so easy to use the phone. Plus, I am addicted to instagram.

Happy Holidays!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend! It’s strange this will be our first Christmas away from home but good thing we have FaceTime. We will be chatting with the fam all weekend. Can’t wait to see the nieces. Ok, now its time to go eat, drink and by merry!

Cheers,

The Pierini’s

Holiday Spirits.

During the winter months I gravitate toward richer, spicier cocktails. Don’t get me wrong you don’t need “winter” to enjoy these flavors. However, there is something about the spices combined with the sweetness from the citrus that is perfection. We have been enjoying this little sipper quite a bit lately. All in moderation of course.

Bourbon with Ginger Beer & Citrus

1.5 ounces Bourbon

Ginger Beer

1/4 orange wedge

Orange peel

Ice

Fill a 9 oz. tumbler with ice. Add bourbon, juice from 1/4 of an orange. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with an orange peel.  Serve.