Lemon chicken and summer squash

Don't worry guys - I'm not going to talk about the weather in this post. But really, can you believe it's raining in SF right now? I SWEAR! I do have a slight confession though: these pictures from a meal I cooked with my mom at home are a couple of months old. And, seeing as my mom is all about the seasonal produce and the fresh organic whatever and the yadda yadda, we used an acorn squash.

Which I just realized last night is a winter squash. Quel horreur!

I promise, these recipes are still delicious enough to be in your repertoire year-round, even if you have to switch up some of the base ingredients depending on what veggies you can get in your little chefs hands.

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients: 5 chicken breasts, 5 drumsticks / Flour, salt, pepper / Thyme, herbs de Provence (you can usually get this mix at the grocery store), rosemary / 2 lemons / 2-3 large shallots, 8 garlic cloves / olive oil / half-cup Vermouth.

how_to_cook_chicken

Wash and pat dry the chicken, then roll in a mixture of flour, salt, pepper, thyme, and herbs de Provence so both sides are coated lightly.

Lightly drizzle olive oil on top (a cooking spray of olive oil works just fine here too) and put rosemary and lemon wedges on top.

Add sliced shallots and 8 peeled garlic cloves to the mix.

roast_chicken

Pour the 1/2 cup Vermouth over the top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes then open the oven door and, without burning any vital parts of your fingers, baste with the juices. This can be done with a large serving spoon if you don't have a baster (but you should get one, they're fun!)

Use tongs or a large spoon to turn the pieces over, then cook for another 30 minutes.

lemon_chicken roasted_chicken

This may look a bit of a mess since you've been basting and turning, but I promise it will be the most delicious mess you've ever eaten.

Well, one that involves chicken, at least.

Summer Acorn Squash

Ingredients: Squash of your choosing, half per person / butter / rosemary / salt, pepper

Cut each squash in half and leave in their skins, but dig out the insides and seeds.

Put a (generous) slice of butter and a sprig of rosemary in the middle of each. Add ground salt and pepper.

roasted_squash

Place in a pan suitable for cooking and add a full cup of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan with tin foil.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 400 degrees. When you remove the squash it should be soft enough to scoop out with a spoon, but not overdone.

acorn_squash

Now friends, go forth and roast things! I know this may not be tempting when it's 95 degrees out, but just pretend it's a barbeque or something. You can do it. You won't be sorry.