Sunday Dinner

I really didn't want to get up this morning. I stayed in bed, reading until 8:00 PM! I heated a cup of coffee in the microwave and drank it cleaning up the bowls and cutting boards from yesterday's snacks.

I hand-washed the frying pan, the mini-muffin tins and my chef's knife. I cleaned the countertop, emptied the trash and washed the cat dishes, then refilled them when dry. I am basically putzing around, waiting for noon, so I can go outside and mulch the leaves. Why noon? I want the leaves to dry out as much as possible and I am hoping the temperature gets up to the predicted high (43 degrees F) and right now (at 11:00) its still only 38 degrees.

For lunch I ate more of the cheese and a lot more of the salami. Jake and Carla had left me the rest, so I enjoyed it!

So, at noon, I set out with the rake to the front yard. I dragged all the leaves out of the garden and away from the front of the garage door. Then, I moved to the side of the garage, Jake's patio and finally the patio and back gardens. Without the benefit of the morning sun, the leaves in the back were sill wet. But, I gassed up the mower and started cutting.

Everything was finished by 2:30 PM. I knocked the dust off my hat and coat, threw my clothes in the washer and finally shaved and took my shower. After I got cleaned up and changed, I washed the last load of laundry. I also had to rinse the dust off my Crocs.

I did a little of this and that until 4:00 PM when I started Sunday dinner. I have a four pound roasting chicken and the recipe I am using calls for a garlic head, halved, a lemon, likewise halved and parley, thyme and basil all stuffed in the cavity.

But, there's a problem: No basil! But, then I remembered my compound basil butter in the freezer. So, I thawed it out and then, using two fingers, separated the skin from the neck to the legs and stuffed in the basil butter.

I seasoned the cavity, but this won't all fit. I settled for half the garlic head, half the lemon and a handful of thyme, rosemary, parsley and sage. Rest went into roasting pan, along with 1 cup of chicken stock. I popped it in the oven and basted every 15 minutes.

The chicken was a golden brown with an165 degrees F. internal temp just after 5:30 PM. I made mashed potatoes using half russet (peeled) and half redskins (unpeeled). Ran the cooked potatoes through a food mill (not worth the trouble, in my opinion, but I wanted to try it) and then folded in warm whipping cream and melted butter. I added snipped chives. I had also peeled and sliced three parsnips and boiled them. I plated everything and had a great Sunday dinner.

After cleanup (except for the roasting pan which is still soaking in hot soapy water), I watched my usual Sunday night programs and went to bed at 11:00 PM.