Improvising

I am enjoying our bright new kitchen - especially after being without one for most of last year.

You wouldn't know it to look at this blog, which I launched out of excitement at finally being able to cook again.

There are a number of excuses reasons for that neglect. For one thing, I lent my camera to my sister for her trip to Cuba (and have yet to get it back), so it is that much harder to put up a photo of the meals I prepare.

December was crazy busy and it was all I could do to keep up with the completion of the work on the house, let alone the holidays and entertaining (no time to document what we did).

Trying to create tasty meals while on a diet is a bitch. I simply don't enjoy "cooking light."

And while dealing with all of the above, I quickly found myself relying on the tried and true dishes I can throw together quickly (and have some chance of getting eaten by my picky family).

But this last week, I decided to really make the effort to try something new. And I've concluded that being unable to attach a photo is no excuse for neglecting to write about it.

So...

When our friends Tim and Debbie heard we'd acquired a new dog and suggested we get together, I suggested they come for dinner on Sunday. They're kind of picky themselves (about the only thing they eat is poultry) and I'm a nervous hostess, so this is one occasion where going with something tried and true made sense: Roast chicken.

My favorite roast chicken recipe comes from chef Jamie Oliver's cookbook of family meals, Jamie's Dinners. It's really easy to prepare, and once it's in the oven, you can hang out with your guests. But what really makes this meal stand out is the par-boiled potatoes you add to the pan about halfway through the roasting. Jamie instructs you to toss them in the fat that's cooked out of the bird.

This simple step makes the potatoes unbelievably flavorful! I've learned to limit the amount of potatoes I include in each pan so they end up with a crispy crust.

I rounded out this meal by roasting broccoli, cauliflower and a couple of sliced garlic cloves tossed in olive oil (and finished off with a little salt and pepper and a sprinkling of almond slices).

The starter was a salad of lettuce and homemade croutons with a choice of Caesar or Balsamic dressing (recipes taken from Wolfgang Puck Makes it Easy).

Dessert was where I got creative. When it's just the family dining together, I tend to omit dessert entirely. Dieting, remember? But when I went to the store for some last minute items Sunday afternoon, I remembered that most people expect it. But I had no idea what to do.

I ended up walking up and down the aisles at Gelson's, looking for some inspiration. I eventually found it in the fresh bakery section: luscious slices of chocolate pound cake. I picked up some strawberries (which I sliced and sprinkled with sugar) and heavy cream (which I whipped with a little vanilla extract and sugar) and used these to top the slices. It was simple - and good, and I predict it will be another of the dishes I will describe as tried and true. 

I only wish I had a photo.