Monday, December 14, 2015

NO Bowling, Dentist,

I had a really enjoyable afternoon at the bowling alley. I sat and watched everyone bowling and I couldn't. I was tempted to try a couple of times but everyone squashed that idea. Rotten lot. Actually a good friend, Elizabeth Seckman, told me to change my orthotics for newer ones and to exercise my shin by sitting with my leg up and bending back the toes in order to flex the muscle. Seems to have worked, my shin is a lot better this evening (Monday). Thanks Liz. Apparently, because her sons are very much into football, this is a condition they are very familiar with. How the heck I got it though I don't know. I sure don't go pounding round a football field or anywhere else for that matter. I can't honestly see me running anywhere any more. It might be something to do with the exercise class as we do a lot of marching on the spot although that is not quite what I do as I find my legs tire easily. I guess if it happens again when I go back to classes I will be able to pin down the culprit.

Tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. I have a dental appointment to check out my tooth. I figure as they mended/rebuilt it and it fell out, I shouldn't have to pay for it a second time, but somehow I don't think they will see it that way. I don't like dentistry at the best of times - are there any best times? Also we both need our ears lowered (hair cut) so hopefully we can get to the hair salon later in the day. I think I could braid mine.

This recipe appeals to me. I would probably make it with chicken breasts which would need less cooking. I don't typically keep legs or thighs but I always have chicken breast in the freezer. Of course the dark meat has much more flavour and is moister too.

Roasted Chicken Provençal

Sam Sifton - New York Times

4 servings

This is a recipe I picked up from Steven Stolman, a clothing and interior designer whose “Confessions of a Serial Entertainer” is a useful guide to the business and culture of dinner parties and general hospitality. It is a perfect dinner-party meal: chicken thighs or legs dusted in flour and roasted with shallots, lemons and garlic in a
bath of vermouth and under a shower of herbes de Provence. They go crisp in the heat above the fat, while the shallots and garlic melt into sweetness below. You could serve with rice, but I prefer a green salad and a lot of baguette to mop up the sauce.


4 chicken legs or 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ to ¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 lemon, quartered
8 to 10 cloves garlic, peeled
4 to 6 medium-size shallots, peeled and halved
⅓ cup dry vermouth
4 sprigs of thyme, for serving


Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow pan, and lightly dredge the chicken in it, shaking the pieces to remove excess flour.

Swirl the oil in a large roasting pan, and place the floured chicken in it. Season the chicken with the herbes de Provence. Arrange the lemons, garlic cloves and shallots around the chicken, and then add the vermouth to the pan.

Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, then baste it with the pan juices. Continue roasting for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is very crisp and the meat cooked through.

Serve in the pan or on a warmed platter, garnished with the thyme.

Have a great day
 

28 comments:

  1. Hi Jo. I'm sorry your shin is giving you constant trouble (I read your previous post, too). Hopefully it will improve and you get back to bowling. It's hard having to have a tooth done twice. I don't think you should have to pay twice either.

    Thanks for the Provencal recipe.Looks delish!

    Denise :-)

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    1. It's a pain Denise, literally. Actually it is slightly better. I am off to the dentist in about an hour. Wish me luck.

      Does look good doesn't it?

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  2. Hi Jo - good luck with the shin .. it sounds as though Elizabeth's ideas are working - that's good advice. Sad about just watching - sometimes life is frustrating. Today - hope that dentistry goes ok, and I had my ears lowered yesterday! I enjoy chicken dishes and roasted chicken provencal looks good ..cheers Hilary

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    1. Thanks Hilary, it's improving. Off to the dentist in a little while, grrrr. Do try the chicken.

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  3. I'll have to try that stretching exercise! I get the shin splints when I walk. In fact I have so much pain when I take walks that I could cry but I keep pushing through it till my legs and feet go so numb I can't feel them. An orthopedic doc was supposed to call me to make an appt after I had xrays done but they never did and I'm so sick of making calls and trying to deal w/ it so I just live with it. Good luck with your tooth repair!

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    1. And icing is recommended too JoJo. I don't know that pushing through it is a good idea, you are supposed to elevate them and rest. Call the doc JoJo. Silly not to go if you can. Don't live with it.

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  4. I remember the pain from the shin splints I had years ago. Got it from running in the neighborhood on asphalt. What kind of flooring do they have at exercise class? Good luck with the exercises. Hope you feel better.

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    1. Not funny is it Denise? I guess all the floors here are concrete with linoleum in the exercise room, carpets in the apartments. It is getting better but wondering how long it's going to take.

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  5. Bummer about the bowling but VERY cool that her trick is helping. This past weekend we picked up our special order of 72 organic chicken legs. So yummy.

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    1. It is cool Ivy, you're right. 72 chicken legs, that's a lot of chicken.

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  6. Hope you'll be back bowling soon Jo - I know how frustrating it is to sit out when you really want to be playing. Never would have thought of putting a lemon in this type of dish but I have all the ingredients so will give it a whirl next week.

    I've got another session at the dentist tomorrow (2nd this week) but that's it till end January when the jawbone repair work starts (6 months on soft diet so lots of smoothies I think)!

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    1. Me too Sue. The Portuguese put lemon in their stews and I love the taste, never quite manage to get it though.

      Poor you. I sympathise.

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  7. Chicken recipe sounds good.
    Glad you have a plan for making your leg better. And hey, I can hurt myself sleeping.

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    1. You can? I don't remember ever doing so. Liz's advice certainly helps though Alex.

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  8. The dentist should most definitely fix your tooth for free (depending on how long ago it was done the first time). I take a couple of pain killers before I go to the dentist now and it helps to dull the nerves in my teeth. I can't even stand the cold water they spray all over my teeth!

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    1. I agree, but I bet it won't happen Pinky. It was done this year but not sure exactly when without looking it up. Good idea about the pain killers, never thought of doing that.

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  9. Good luck at the dentist and with the shins! Thanks for the tip on the exercise to fight it!

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    1. Thanks Yolanda. I had to put off the dentist for a while. I think the exercise is doing me good though.

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  10. Must be frustrating about the bowling but I'm glad the shin's improving.
    I agree with Pinky Pointer about taking painkillers before going to the dentist. I always do that now. Makes it much less stressful.

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    1. It was, but hopefully on Thursday Helen. Must be an Australian thing then if you both do it.

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    2. More just that we both thought it was a good idea, I suspect. I started doing it because I have very sensitive teeth like Pinky Pointer.

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    3. Me too Helen. So I will copy the idea.

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  11. I'm glad it helped! And you might not pound around a football field, but you're plenty active.

    That chicken looks delicious. I'm now hungry, but it's too close to bedtime.

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    1. It sure did Liz. Thanks a bunch.

      Can't see you making that chicken at bedtime somehow.

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  12. See! Look what I missed-I am so sorry to hear about your shin! In time you will be able to get back to bowling. I am not one for dentists. When I was a kid, I went to the dentist who was my Godfather. I told him I could feel the pain still and he told me to "Shut-Up!" I could feel what he did! I didn't go back until I was 29! Not good! I was so phobic that he had to give me a vallium! That whole summer I was in the dentist chair and my mom had to be with me. I had 4 root canals and many fillings. I have, since then, been very good and no more vallium, but I still have to be told to breathe.

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    1. I had a similar experience Birgit. My dentist was more interested in my developing figure (I was about 15) than dentistry and he did 6 fillings at once, probably without novacaine. (sp) It took me forever to go back to a dentist and I still am reluctant to go.

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  13. Blogger won't allow me to reply so, I'll write here. We've eaten 18 already. Probably another dozen over the weekend. They are only available special order, since it is off season. BBQ season. I'll order more than 72 next time.

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    1. You do eat a lot of chicken Ivy. We don't eat much chicken at all, not sure why.

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