At one point, Kyle and I contemplated just spending the whole day here at the house - just the four of us. I had grand plans to make a recipe given to me by Lynn - Crispy Skin, High-Roast Chicken with Potatoes. On a whim, I had purchased an organic, whole chicken. This, from a girl who doesn't eat much meat. I surprise myself sometimes.

I think it was really the challenge of roasting a whole chicken. I've read Julia Child's cookbooks and I love a cooking challenge. Plus, I'd never dealt with a whole chicken before. I was sort of excited about the prospect. However, when the chicken had refused to thaw itself out after a night in the fridge and was still very much a solid block around 11, I realized my plan was going to have to be rearranged. Dinner, instead. So, we headed over to my parents for a delicious turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, hot rolls and Old South dressing extravaganza. It was a truly wonderful meal. We started quoting from episodes of Arrested Development and were laughing so hard we were almost choking on our turkey!

After Brooklyn went down for her nap, I tackled the chicken. After making sure it had thawed, my instructions were to brine it for an hour. Sit the whole thing in a bowl filled with water, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup salt for an hour. Meanwhile, cut up about 5 Russet potatoes in slices 1/4-1/8 inches thin. After tossing the taters in olive oil, salt and pepper, these were strewn about a foil-lined roasting pan.


The chicken, well. We bonded. I cut out the backbone, a particularly crunchy and gruesome experience which I admit I really enjoyed. I slid my fingers up underneath its lumpy, fatty skin, revealing the smooth muscle beneath to spread on some butter mixed with tarragon. (My own invention). Then I flattened the whole shebang out under the full weight of my body (applied by my hand), and rubbed some olive oil and pepper on the top. The cute little chicken, with its friendly little wings waving about (with my help), introduced itself to Brooklyn who play-acted right along. "What's your name, little chicken? I'm gonna eat you!!!" That cracked me up. Despite the friendliness of the chicken, my 2 year old daughter grasped that this little guy was about to become dinner. And she was cool with that.


I popped the chicken on the roasting pan, positioned over the potatoes and set it in a 500 degree oven for 20 minutes. Rotated it, and put it back for another 25 minutes. Checked it for doneness, sopped up grease from the potatoes and served it up. And oh my. It was pure yummyness.


Nothing P90X approved about it. But this is such a rare thing to be served up at my house, it was ok. And we were so good to not overeat at lunch. AND we squeezed in our scheduled Kenpo workout today. So we had earned it. I was so proud of myself!!!


45 minutes later...



One happy family sitting down for their evening Thanksgiving meal.