Easy Dinner? It’s in the Bag!

I’m short on time.  Between working on two businesses and chasing my toddler around; making an amazing dinner has become more and more of a chore.  That being said, I am always on the lookout for recipes that are low on prep time, don’t need a lot of fussing over, are healthy, don’t come straight out of a box, and are delicious. Sounds like a tall order doesn’t it?  I’m promising to post whatever I find out there for anyone who is looking for the same.

The first recipe I’d like to share is “Brown Bag Chicken”.  The chicken literally roasts in a brown grocery bag!  The result is a super moist chicken and is no fuss and amazingly easy.  There is no need to add any oil or butter, and you don’t even have to truss it – just throw it in the bag and tie it up!

Brown Bag Chicken (adapted from Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen)

Ingredients

• 1 (3- to 3 1/2-pound) chicken
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary or 2 tsp. dry bouquet garni or 2 tsp dry italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon ground hot Hungarian paprika
• 1 tsp granulated garlic

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse chicken, pat dry, and remove any excess fat. Generously season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Place onion and rosemary (or your choice of dry seasoning) inside cavity; rub skin with paprika & granulated garlic, place garlic cloves under chicken skin.Lay a standard-side brown paper grocery bag on its side; place chicken inside bag and tie bag with kitchen twine to enclose. Place bagged chicken on a rimmed baking sheet; transfer to lower third of oven, making sure there is plenty of room between the bag and the top of the oven. Roast chicken for 1 1/2 hours.
3. Remove chicken from oven and carefully open bag to release steam. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should reach 165 degrees and juices should run clear when thigh is pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Let stand for 10 minutes before carving; serve warm.

Sweet, salty…sigh

We never had dessert in my house growing up, so I never really had much of a sweet tooth.  Lately though, I’ve been  jonesing for something sweet after dinner.  I don’t have the appetite for something big; just a taste of something to quell the craving.

My husband has been bringing home dark chocolate bars lately, and I’ll have a square or two just to calm the urge for something sweet.  Some of them have been bitter, some a little waxy…but I think I’ve found one that is just right.  It’s sweet, a tad bit salty, and sigh…just what I need to scratch that sweet craving itch.  That scratch comes in the form of the Lindt Excellence “A Touch of Sea Salt” Dark Chocolate Bar.  Smooth and delicious dark chocolate seasoned with fleur de del sea salt crystals…Get it!