Roasted Chicken with Rosemary and Garlic and Tomato Basil Salad.

Chop and cube enough white potatoes, sweet (orange) potatoes and carrots to cover the bottom of a roasting pan. Put a fresh roasting chicken in the middle of the dish on top of vegetables. Pour two - four cups broth (I use organic vegetable bouillon from the natural food store. I used one block for two cups of hot water. Make sure the bouillon has dissolved in the water) pour the broth over the chicken. The broth will fill the bottom of the pan coming to about half the height of the vegetable layer. I then garnish the chicken with rosemary and sage, I put whole garlic cloves on the chicken and on top of the vegetables, I also add large onion chunks. I remove the garlic cloves and onions before serving as they are used for flavouring the food as it cooks. Give a good shake of salt and pepper over the entire dish. Cook for three hours at 300 degrees. Or until the chicken is cooked. The best way to check if a roasting chicken is cooked through is by pricking through the skin on the side. If clear juice flows out it is probably done, if it is pink it still needs time roasting!

Tomato Basil Salad

2 Cucumbers; slice half the skin of, hen slice the cucumber into thin rounds.
4 medium tomatoes; sliced into moon shapes.
1 small red onion; cut into large strips.
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
¼ cup fresh basil for

Slice the cucumbers, tomatoes and put in your salad bowl. Chop the onion and place in a small bowl pour the vinegar over the onions and cover for thirty minutes with a plate. The vinegar is going to neutralise the onion and release the red onion sweetness. Toss the oil over the vegetables, when ready add the onion and vinegar to the vegetables. Mix in the salt and pepper. Place the fresh basil leaves over the salad when ready to serve. Do not add the basil too early, as the vinegar will turn the basil brown.

I often have this meal on Monday as it only needs one pot and I can slip it into the oven and let it cook during the busy afternoon hours. And if you are a ‘savvy saver’ boil down the bones to make a soup stock, when the bones have turned the water a yellowish colour remove the bones. Add the left over chicken meat, potatoes and carrots, add a few fresh diced carrots, a diced onion, some crushed garlic, a handful of kumut noodles or brown rice, add a bouillon cube. Boil until the noodles and carrots are soft. Now you have some chicken noodle soup.

Bon Appetite

Rosaleen