#1,580 Josh and Emily Are Home.

After a loooooong month of working in Ohio and living in a hotel room (complete with a shared killer stomach virus and a bed bug scare), Josh and Emily finally made it back home to Laurel today. It was so good having everyone back, as it always is. The weather was summery and I couldn’t think of anything but roasted chicken, toasted croissants, a crisp, cold salad, and tart fruit for dessert. I combined a recipe by the Pioneer Woman with mammaw’s rosemary chicken, and y’all.

I made Emily’s garlic lemon vinaigrette dressing and I can’t get enough of it. CAN’T.

To make the chicken, it’s really easy. Rinse the chicken and all that gross stuff. Pat it dry, salt and pepper it as much as you like. Then whip together a room temperature stick of butter, FRESHLY minced garlic, freshly ground rosemary, and grate a lemon peel to make zest. Stuff this herby butter under the chicken skin and rub it all over the outside. Cut that lemon in half and squeeze all the juice all over the chicken. Quarter a couple onions and stuff them into the cavity of the chicken along with the lemon halves. Bake at 400 in a convection oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes uncovered (425 non convection). Spoon that delicious buttery sauce all over the chicken after you bring it out of the oven. Let it cool a little before you carve it.

I sort of mixed Emily’s dressing recipe with the Tabella dressing recipe, so it’s really strong—but that’s my favorite kind of dressing. It’s made from a lemon-infused olive oil her mama makes, so I don’t know where to tell you to get that. But you just dump 1/2 cup of terragon vinegar, 1/3 cup of lemon infused olive oil, 1/3 cup of pure olive oil, 3-4 cloves of freshly minced garlic, a dash of lemon juice, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, a heaping teaspoon of kosher salt, a heaping teaspoon of black pepper, and a heaping tablespoon of parmesan cheese all into the blender. Served over hearts of romaine with garlic butter croutons and freshly grated Cabot’s tomato basil cheddar…. It’s the best salad you can make at home I think.

P.S.
Baker.