The Countdown Begins

The relatives are coming on mid-Sunday afternoon. It has been a bit crazy. Friday, after rehab, I bought all the food at Trader Joe’s, Safeway and the organic market in town. I also bought two loaves of bread at Il Fornaio for the panzanella salad and the two small chickens and meat that I had pre-ordered from the butcher.

Since Friday, the chickens have been salted and pieces of my own garden grown rosemary have been tucked under the skin for flavor. This will allow the chickens to have an amazingly deep flavor. The salt will be wiped away and the chickens will be totally dried right before they are popped into the oven. They are cooked in hot skillets in a preheated 500-degree oven and turned every 15 minutes for 45 minutes. This allows the skin to be very crispy yet the chicken is very tender.

After that, I cleaned the house, which I have not done in years. I needed oxygen to do it all. So happy we have a housekeeper every two weeks because I don’t think I could keep it up on my own anymore.

Today is going to be even crazier. I need to cut and water the gardens, make the Ancho Macho Chili for Monday night, make little Stephen’s Kraft Mac and Cheese and finish my cooking day by baking a praline covered chocolate cake.

I will sleep like a baby tonight!