Start with simple, but elegant dishes to win him over; like this easy fresh herbed roast chicken.
I was really surprised to hear how many women are intimidated by cooking,
as that is the fastest way to win the heart of many men.
If you hope to snag any of these for the holiday season ~ Taurus, Capricorn, Cancer, Scorpio, Gemini,Pisces, or Leo ~ please consider cooking for him!
All of these signs love to be nurtured, pampered, and fed delicious dishes.
Don’t be frightened by the prospect of tackling the turkey, start with a chicken; and I will show you how!
Ingredients to prepare beforehand –
one large onion, cut in half
one half lemon if a chicken, or use both halves if it is a larger bird.
3 cloves of garlic, skin peeled, and gently mashed with the flat of a knife blade as this doesn’t damage the garlic as much, and we want the antiseptic power of the garlic when fixing poultry or fowl
any fresh herbs that you enjoy, either purchased in the veggie department or from your own kitchen garden ~ I used two sprigs each of rosemary, sage, and basil, as well as about 8 little stems of thyme
two stalk ends of the celery heart for best taste
one long carrot, broken in half
1-2 tablespoons of sea salt, to your taste and size of bird, and dry spices of your choice (I sprinkled 2 shakes each of red pepper flakes, rubbed sage, basil, and about four shakes of Jamacian jerk rub)
2 pats to one stick of butter cut, depending on the size of the bird
Start with a thawed, whole chicken or other bird. This is a great time to pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Gently wash thoroughly in the sink, with cool water, being sure to rinse any internal areas. With a turkey, there will be a neck cavity, as well. I like to put the bird in a large stainless bowl and let the cool water run over it, and sprinkle about a TBL. of sea salt over it, as well. I will turn the bird around and around, blessing the meal with short prayers of intent for my man and family. The sea salt will begin to absorb any toxins or ‘germs’.
I dump all of this into the sink, and then place the bird back in the bowl in the sink. I rinse one more time, and then dump the water out. Now I use the lemon, squeezing it inside and out. This will disinfect, as well as add a lovely taste.
Personally, I love a dutch oven, as it seals in flavor, and doesn’t leave the residue of estrogens from plastic bags for baking. Place your bird in your cooking dish. I quickly take all of my fresh herbs and veggies, and stuff them inside the bird. I place the butter inside, as well. Then, I turn the bird upside down, as the breast will become submerged in its lovely juices, making for delicious, moist white meat. I will add about two cups of water to the dish for a small chicken like this, up to about four cups for a 16 – 18 pound bird. I will also add about four TBL of whatever white wine is handy, like a zinfandel or chardonnay, and about one TBL of sea salt sprinkled over the whole bird or into the water, as there isn’t any other salt added, except what is in the butter.
If you need to use a baking bag, consider dusting your bird with a little flour so the bag won’t stick to the skin and tear it or the bag later.
I will have my son come over and sprinkle about six drops of lavender oil in the sink that I just used. I get him to turn on the warm water, and I wash my hands, wrists and lower arms with warm water and soap, ending with sprinking a few drops of lavender in my hands to rinse around with while I use a sponge to clean up the sink and area where I was cleaning chicken. The sponge can be popped in the dish washer later so that it gets to a hot enough temperature to kill any ‘germs’, and the lavender not only smells great, but is a disinfectant, as well.
I pop the bird in the oven, setting the timer for forty minutes. When that goes off, I pull out the bird and lay it on the stove or other safe counter surface, and open the dutch oven. I have a small ladle that I use to catch drippings and drizzle two or three scoops over the bird, then scoot right back in the oven for another thirty minutes. At the end of this time, a chicken should be done. The breast meat will be firm, with clear, thin fluid. There should never be anything pink showing when cut on the white meat, and the dark will be firm, as well. For a turkey, you will need to set the timer for forty minute increments so that you can continue to baste with drippings. I cannot give enough emphasis to that last step. Combined with turning the bird upside down if it is over 8 pounds, this technique is a proven winner!
You can expect a turkey around 16 pounds to take every bit of 3 hours, so be sure to check every 40 minutes, to baste, and to cut into the meat at each check point. At two and a half hours, I also get someone to help me turn the bigger bird over so the breast has a chance to brown at the end. It may look a little funny and mashed, but, again, the moist white meat will have your man ready to swoon! …and, you want him fat and sassy so he will be ready to rub your feet and do the dishes after all of that hard work!
He will beg to do your dishes after this…