This way up ....

I'm a bad cook.  Sort of.  Actually I'm more of a reluctant cook.  I have to profess to not having a love of cooking.  I have a sister who loves food, loves to buy food and loves to cook.  I have a sister who likes shopping. Guess which sister I take after?


However, 7 years ago when stuck at home and pregnant and with time on my hands, I had to take to the kitchen.  It seemed only fair if the Grump Meister was out working during the day, he could at least come home to a hot meal at the end of the day.  And so began my cooking adventure .....


.....well actually as the Grump Meister would like to tell most people - it never actually took off.  I can put a hot meal on the table but I'm not saying all the ingredients compliment.  Classic example of last week's roast chicken dinner.  Roast chicken - fine.  Roast new potatoes - fine. Carrots and Broccoli - fine.  Nice chicken gravy made from the yummy bits at the bottom of the roasting tray - fine.  But I didn't stop there did I? Roasted red peppers and tomatoes done with balsamic?  Sounds fine when eaten with something else or stirred in to a pasta dish but it did not go with the traditional roast chicken dinner.  Sometimes I just don't know where to stop.  But like I said to the Grumps bemused face  "the veggies needed using up".  And I have to confess to only having roasted my first chicken about a year ago.  Yes it has taken me till the age of 40 to roast a chicken.  Even now, which way up the chicken goes in the oven perplexes me somewhat. I have been known to take a picture on my phone and send a picture of the roast chicken to the hubby with the message "is this the right way up?"  The first time I did this, it amused him so much, he showed the text and accompanying picture to his work colleagues. Thanks bud - your dinner is in the cat  


But I'm getting better - practice makes perfect - once a fortnight we do a roast chicken midweek as this makes for a fairly easy dinner.  The boys get some veggies and don't object too much and there are always leftovers for the next meal - we're having chicken curry tomorrow now that young Ben has switched on to curry.  It has been a long time coming but Grumps is mighty proud that Ben now eats curry.  It's like a badge of honour, a rite of passage, his boy eats curry!  Beer next!

One right way up chicken 

 Lazy roasties

Ta dah!!! And that's Ben's hand trying to sneak some chicken skin! 

Not before me - young man!  Age before beauty!

Anyway, that's what we had for dinner last night (minus roasted veggies in balsamic) and it doesn't look too bad even if I do say so myself and to solve the dilemma of which way up the chicken should be - I now have a picture of a roast chicken taped to the inside of my kitchen cupboard door showing me which way up the chicken goes!

No excuses anymore for upside down chicken a la Sue

But hey - I've got the hang of it now! Sort of. 

And just for anyone who's interested.  This is my way - everyone is different.

Chicken.

Stick a cut lemon up the chicken's bum.  I have attempted to stick one down it's neck before.  The lemon is to add extra flavour and moisture (Grump's words).  Olive oil on skin (I use a silicone pastry brush to brush it around - don't like getting my hands dirty).  Salt and black pepper.  Bob in oven.

Lazy roasties.

Par boil some new pots.  Bung in tray.  Olive oil over top. Shake about. Crushed sea salt. Bob's your uncle.

This Bob is a popular chap isn't he?