Zing is the Thing

I love lemons.  They're pretty and perky and bright.  The color alone makes you think of sunshine.  And summertime.

Today I was craving some lemon chicken.  I found a recipe on Food Network that got good ratings and decided to give it a try.  I did change the original recipe slightly by sauteing "naked" chicken (no flour coating) and omitting the honey.   This was very flavorful and zingy.

Baked Lemon Rosemary Chicken

Adapted from a recipe by Food Network Kitchens
(click here to print)

3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, patted dry
lemon pepper and salt (I used Penzey's Sunny Spain salt-free blend)

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Zest of 1 large or 2 small lemons
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Season the chicken with salt and lemon pepper.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chicken skin-side down and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side.  Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

Add the onions to the skillet and cook until caramelized, about 10 minutes.

Add the lemon zest, garlic, and rosemary and cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Add the lemon juice and chicken broth to deglaze the pan and bring to a simmer.

Use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer the onions to a 9- by 13-inch ovenproof baking dish.  Place the browned chicken on top, skin-side up.  Pour the liquid over the chicken.

 Bake for about 45 minutes total, basting every 15 minutes, or until tender.

Serve the sauce as a gravy over rice or potatoes.  Imagine you're in the Mediterranean when the flavors make your belly dance.

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New Orleans--A Feast for the Senses

On our way back from Destin, we had to stop in New Orleans.  My husband and I were engaged at Brennan's Restaurant 25 years ago in August, and both of my children were born in New Orleans, so it holds a special place in my heart.

We were only there for 24 hours this time, but here's a sampling of our day:

Downtown New Orleans Skyline from the East

Lunch:  Mother's and the "Ferdi Special" Po-boy.
We also sampled crawfish etouffee', jambalaya, and bread pudding.  O.M.G.

Mississippi River Moonwalk (between Riverwalk and French Quarter)

"Old Man River" -- The Sculpture We Love to Hate

Watching the Beignet Assembly Line at Cafe' du Monde

Snack:  Creamy Pralines

A Little Street Theatre

Dinner: Catfish Pecan Meuniere at New Orleans Food & Spirits in Bucktown

Sunday Breakfast: Handmade beignets and cafe' au lait at
Morning Call in Fat City (Metairie)

Wow, what a feast for the senses!

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Beach-Bound

I won't be posting for the next 10 days, because we're going to our favorite beaches in the whole world in

Destin, Florida

Destin is in Florida's Panhandle, on the Emerald Coast, aptly named for the stunningly beautiful blue-green water.

"At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour

but mood to moment.  We live by the currents,

plan by the tides, and follow the sun."
- Anonymous

There will be a lot of castle-building

Deep sea fishing

And soaking up the gorgeous sun, sand, and surf.

"Sea" ya soon!

Everything Gold is New Again

Believe it or not, I'm putting the finishing touches on our main bath face lift.  This project has dragged on for WAY too long.  We have replaced all the gold faucets and fixtures.  These main components have been done for a few weeks, but lately I've been working on the tchotchkes fun part!

I had this old gold frame that was kinda dated but had pretty carvings and details.

I decided to go all Miss Mustard Seed  and do some dry brushing over it.  I even busted out some buffing wax that I've probably had for 7 or 8 years.

Alas, I have none of the coveted but expensive chalk paint MMS uses, so I had to use leftover primer to cover the gold.  Then I bought two shades of grey craft paint: Folk Art Steel Gray (right) and Anita's 11043 Grey (left).  Total cost = $2.50.

I dry brushed the lighter grey on first, then followed up with a mixture of the two greys together.  I just hit the highlights on the carvings.  (Is it bothering you that I spell grey with an "e"?   Because it's bothering spell-check.)

After about 10 minutes, I rubbed on some neutral wax with a lint-free cloth to bring out a nice patina.

Still Glaze-y After All of These Years

After it dried, I buffed it to a subtle sheen.  I decided not to distress the finish because I like it as is.  Here's the finished product with an art print that I have had forever and still love.  I am a bunny fan.  See them?

I figure I did a decent job because my husband commented on how great it looked.  When does that ever happen?!

It's ready to hang in my "new" bathroom!  Photos coming soon!  Really!

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