Week of 4/1/02

---

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
Just like Mom used to make!

Chicken:
1 (3-4 lb.) whole chicken, rinse and pat dry
3 Tbls. olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbls. coarsely ground pepper
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 lemon, quartered

Potatoes:
8 medium new potatoes, halved
3 Tbls. olive oil or butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Rub chicken and cavities with 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Tuck chicken wings under; tie legs together with string, if desired. Pour remaining 1 tablespoon oil into a large cast-iron skillet; place chicken, breast side up, in skillet.

Place 1 rosemary sprig and 2 lemon quarters into neck cavity of chicken; repeat in lower cavity. Place remaining rosemary sprig underneath skin. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and cook 1 hour.

Put potatoes in a medium bowl, drizzle oil or butter over and toss; salt and pepper.
Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes.

---

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
This simple side-dish is made from ingredients everyone has on hand. The flavors are sweet, sour, salty, smoky and rich--all while being hearty and elegant.

40 asparagus spears, trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbls. butter
2 Tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on baking sheet, coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until tender.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat, cook for 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Watch carefully as butter will burn easily. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and vinegar. Drizzle over asparagus, tossing well to coat. Serve immediately. Makes 6-8 servings.

---

Sauteed Pineapple with Pecan Rum Sauce
Outstanding flavors, simple to make...

1/4 cup instant flour (Wondra brand)
8 rings peeled, cored pineapple slices with juice
reserved (may use a 20-oz. can pineapple in unsweetened juice, juice
reserved.
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans or other toasted nuts
2 Tbls. unsalted butter
1 Tbls. vegetable oil
1/4 cup heavy cream
Vanilla ice cream for serving

Measure the flour into a pie plate. In a Pyrex measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup of the pineapple juice with the rum, sugar and nuts; set aside.

Pat the pineapple dry. One at a time, lightly dredge the pineapple rings in the flour and put them on a wire rack. Heat the butter and oil over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet. When the butter begins to darken slightly, increase the heat to medium high and add the pineapple rings to the skillet. Saute until golden brown on one side, 2-3 minutes; turn the pineapple over and saute until golden brown on the other side, 2-3 minutes longer.

Transfer the pineapple to four dessert plates. Carefully add the rum mixture to the empty skillet; simmer and reduce until syrupy, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Spoon a portion of the sauce over each plate and serve immediately with the ice cream. Tip: You can saute the pineapple without the Wondra flour, though it won¹t brown as evenly or have a crisp crust. Serves 4.