on the spot recipe

It's summertime.  That means light & cool food for dinner in our world.  

Let me just toot my own horn for a minute here.  I probably make the BEST oven roasted chicken.  I am particular about my chicken...I can't stand for it to be overcooked and dry.  

I don't know how I managed to do it, but I have a touch for it.  It doesn't matter what you dress it up (or down) with...it's all about the process.  I heat the oven to 375, brown off in a pan, and finish in the oven for 22 minutes, no matter the size.  For larger chicken breasts I'll increase by a few minutes, up to 27 minutes.  The key is letting it rest when I take it out.  I always cook in my pyrex but it would be about the same if you were to use le creuset etc...the time would definitely be different for a metal pan, as metal heats up faster than glass/ceramic/the like... It's important to remember that just because you remove food from the heat source doesn't mean it stops cooking!!  Just like a steak.

SO - that's my chicken.  Totally got distracted! So my real reason for this post:

Steve requested fried chicken.  I said not no but hell no, I have to be on a beach this weekend and  fried chicken is NOT going to do me any favors!  (again, so distracted)

 So I compromised and we had oven fried chicken and he was happy.   To go with it (still haven't gotten to my point):  Carrot & roasted corn slaw. 

Now here's the thing, I'm not really a recipe girl.  I see ideas and I just roll with it.  Sometimes it doesn't work out, but usually my creativity works for me (and for Steven!)  There are very few things over the last 6 years that I've made that he just did not like. 

So I took a package of shredded matchstick carrots, to make my life easy - if you want to do your own by hand, by ALL menas... OK. let me stop myself here.  I'll be nice and put these ingredients in an organized list for you.  You're welcome :-)

Veggies:

1 package matchstick carrots.

1/2 yellow bell pepper - finely diced

1/2 red bell pepper - finely diced

1/2 orange bell pepper - finely diced

4 ears corn - cut off the cobb, roasted

1 mango - finely diced

1/2 of a REALLY small red onion.  Maybe 1/4 cup total of finely diced onion.

Dressing:

1/8 cup greek yogurt

1/8 cup light mayo

juice & zest of 1 lemon

juice & zest of 1 lime 

(or you could 2 lemons or 2 limes...or orange...whatever flies your skirt up)

tsp vinegar 

(i used a pear infused white balsamic because i had it, but i also considered apple cider or rice wine vinegar...it's your choice!)

tbsp agave  

(or you could use honey...if you use honey I'd use less and then adjust to taste)

1/4 tsp celery seed 

 (optional)

kosher salt & pepper 

>> Speaking of adjusting to taste, here's the problem with me writing a recipe:  I NEVER MEASURE.  Ever.  Half the things I bake never turn out right because...well...there are bakers and cooks, most people are one or the other - primarily - and I am primarily a cook.  I just like being able to adjust and fudge things.  In turn, I've written this with efforts to go on the skimpy side so if you want to add more you can.  I'd recommend using even less than what I have here, you can allllwwwwaaayyyysss add more.  <-- ALWAYS. you got that?  Oh, unless you forget to add the butter in your pastry dough at the right time.  I've done that.  In that case, you cannot add more.   :-)  <<

Back to this delish coleslaw alternative.

Roast your corn in the oven - you can add a little olive oil if it's a really dry day and you're scared it will burn, but really you should be fine.  I did it at 400 for about 7-10 minutes.  Remember that adding a liquid/oil/butter will make it a little softer - so if you roast for too long it could get mushy.

Let the corn cool a bit and mix with all the veggies.  Mix the wet ingredients for the dressing and taste BEFORE you add to the veggies.  I would have loved to add fresh cilantro & about 1/4 tsp of cumin & a pinch of cayenne to the dressing but Steve doesn't like cilantro - he thinks it tastes like soapy bleach water....so I left it alone and it was still excellent!

So that's it!  A little bit of a tang, not too bad for you - makes a TON of food - we saved - just like coleslaw it gets better with time.  Also just like coleslaw it draws out some of the liquid so use that dressing sparingly.  I had some of the leftover on my chicken and it was yummy :-)

 This pretty picture is a pretty good idea of what it will look like, especially if you add cilantro (or parsley...my plant hasn't grown enough and I have learned my lesson about hacking away at herbs before they're ready for pruning!! ;-)

Mine was actually prettier...but I can't prove that to you because, alas, I didn't take pictures.  As usual. 

Man, I have really got to learn how to streamline this recipe posting process.  There are just so many little tidbits of info along the way that are worth sharing!  And while I'm in my foodie mindset...does anyone have cooking channel?  There's a show called French at home or something I think? With Laura Calder?  Love.   

That's all for me!  Headed home to Pensacola this weekend for the Blues - CAN'T WAIT!   I will probably be doing this again:

And listening to my summer anthem:

I don't know why it's all awkward pictures...so if you don't like 'em, just listen to the song dang it!

XO