winter's last gasp/spring is a-springing

I have been terribly remiss.   Not cooking, not blogging, not much of anything-ing, really, but spring she is a-coming and we here in Chicago are ready to toss the winter gear and the winter attitude back into the attic where they belong.  It was 70 and sunny this weekend and, as I do every year, I marvel at how much more I like my life, my city, my kids, my job, my everything when the sun is shining and the windows are open.

Of course, two days later it was freezing and rainy but that gave me an excuse to make one more round of comfort food.  Here goes.


Baked Ziti
Make some sauce.  Or buy it.  But, really, make it if you can 'cause it's soooo much better.

Cook up a package of ziti or mostaccioli.

 Add the following to a large bowl:

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 small container cottage cheese (below is large size - I doubled recipe)

1 small container low fat ricotta cheese

2 eggs, slightly beaten

  Add to the pasta and stir well.

 I know, it looks disgusting, but looks, my friend, can be deceiving.

 Add 2-3 cups sauce and mix well.

 Coat the bottom of a 9x13 with sauce, toss the whole mixture in, add another cup or so of sauce

Sprinkle parmesan generously on top.

Cover with foil.

Bake for about 30 min at 350, remove foil and go for another few minutes

Serve with extra sauce and parmesan and crushed red pepper.

SOOOOOOO Yummy.

And this week I made a roast chicken.  I rarely make a roast chicken, but every time I do I wish I did it more, because a)it's easy, b)it's cheap and c)your whole house will smell amazing.  

Part of why I never make it, though, is that I find handling raw chicken to be, well, disgusting.  

First world problems.

Rinse and pat dry a roast chicken.  Don't forget to remove the gizzards.

 Chop up some fresh rosemary.  And thyme, too, if you've got it.  I didn't.  Add it to about 4 Tbsp softened butter and lots of salt and pepper.  Mix into a paste.

 Slather the boid with the paste.  Slide some under the skin, too, if you can stand it. 

 Tie up the legs with twine, and cook that sucker in a roasting pan for about an hour, depending on the bird's size, until the juices behind the drumstick run clear or a meat thermometer reads 165.

 Take it out and let it rest a good five or ten minutes, then slice up and serve. 

Bon appetit and happy spring!!