ROASTED POTATOES WITH LEMON, ROSEMARY AND GARLIC

HOMESTEADING…

I’ve been dreaming lately, maybe fantasizing is a better description, about living on a farm. I keep envisioning a huge garden, kids running around outside, lots of chickens, a few goats, and (Kyle thinks I’m insane) a pig, a donkey, and a sheep (all of the “micro” variety). If you’ve never searched the Web for images of “baby doll sheep”, it’s a good use of your time. If you’re really looking to procrastinate search for “micro piglets” and “miniature donkey” as well. I just got enthusiastic and searched for other miniature farm breeds and discovered miniature cattle!!! I am getting a bit off track…

Beyond the animals, I am picturing simplicity in the form of sheets drying on a clothesline, sitting on the porch shelling peas, reading books, scraped knees, maybe even a little art studio. When things in life get stressful, this is where my mind wanders. In fact I sort of meditate myself to sleep at night by picturing a quiet, white, bedroom; sheets slightly crisp from drying on the line, and smelling wonderfully fresh. I used to visualize Parisian cafés and an apartment in the City of Lights, but now I can’t see anything other than a little farm life. Not that I’d turn down a Parisian apartment, or a house in the French countryside for that matter.

My Nana had a farm where we used to go spend a few weeks every year. For a time in the summer all the grandkids descend on Nana’s farm and we would spend part of our summer vacation catching Garter Snakes (admittedly, I never participated in this particular activity. I stick with things that have between 2 and 4 legs. Three legged dogs are just fine.), admiring and feeding her horses and her donkey, helping her with chores, making apple sauce, driving her crazy, and climbing rafters in the barn and jumping into the owl-pellet filled hay piles (we didn’t tell her about this until we were much older).

PINThis photo is of me from July, 1990 on Nana’s farm. There’s a pretty large part of me that wants to rediscover that flower crown-making, rainbow sandal-wearing self…

While relocating to a farm life isn’t in our immediate future, I hope that someday we can make it a reality. In the meantime, I’m doing things around our home to help create the kind of environment I’m dreaming about. Since I’ve been hit with the homesteading bug, I’ve been focusing my energy on creating things from scratch. As I mentioned last week I made my own deodorant, and elderberry syrup. This week I made my own laundry detergent, cloth diaper detergent, dishwasher soap, and reusable baby wipes. When we run out of our current lotions and certain beauty products I have half a mind to try making those too. I’ve also been making things like mayonnaise when we can get farm fresh eggs, and I have plans to try my hand at making my own ketchup, mustard, crème frîache, ricotta, and yogurt. I already make Lulu’s baby food, most of the stock we use, and almost all of the meals in our house are created from scratch. As I figure things out and learn what works best I will share all of these directions and recipes!

We’re getting geared up to plant the garden this weekend, and I ordered a clothesline and pins this week. We’ve been spending as much time as possible outside; which becomes more and more enjoyable as we continue working on our backyard. So while farm dreams have to wait, homesteading has begun in full force. As a work-from-home, full-time, very-much-on-a-budget mom who has a high need to constantly create and cook, these activities satisfy me in every way. In addition to getting more hands on with the little things, I’ve also been “unplugging” more, reading more, laying in the grass with the kids and looking at the clouds more. Well, let’s be honest. Gigi and lay on the grass and look at the clouds; Lulu eats the grass.

PINWhile relocating to a farm life isn’t in our immediate future, I hope that someday we can make it a reality. In the meantime, I’m doing things around our home to help create the kind of environment I’m dreaming about. Since I’ve been hit with the homesteading bug, I’ve been focusing my energy on creating things from scratch. As I mentioned last week I made my own deodorant, and elderberry syrup. This week I made my own laundry detergent, cloth diaper detergent, dishwasher soap, and reusable baby wipes! When we run out of our current lotions and certain beauty products I have half a mind to try making those too. I’ve also been making things like mayonnaise when we can get farm fresh eggs and I have plans to try my hand at making my own ketchup, mustard, creme friache, ricotta, and yogurt. I already make Lulu’s baby food, most of the stock we use, and almost all of the meals in our house are created from scratch. As I figure things out and learn what works best I will share all of these directions and recipes!

We’re getting geared up to plant the garden this weekend, and I ordered a clothesline and pins this week. We’ve been spending as much time as possible outside; which becomes more and more enjoyable as we continue working on our backyard. So while farm dreams have to wait, homesteading has begun in full force. As a work-from-home, full-time, very-much-on-a-budget mom who has a high need to constantly create and cook, these activities satisfy me in every way.

Now, as promised, here is my Roasted Potato recipe. I always cook it alongside my Roasted Chicken, the recipe for which I shared last week. You can certainly make these potatoes on their own but part of the key to their delicious flavor comes from the drippings of the Roasted Chicken and the garlic that roasts with the chicken. (I’ll add some adapting notes in case you plan to just make the potatoes on their own).

PINROASTED POTATOES 
WITH LEMON, ROSEMARY AND GARLIC

ROASTED POTATOES (cooked along with a Roasted Chicken):
Ingredients.
4 lb new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1” pieces
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large sprig rosemary
1/2 lemon, sliced into 1/4” rounds

Directions.
Fill a large pot with cold water, add the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil and par-boil the potatoes for 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Hold a lid tightly on the pot and shake the potatoes about until the get very slightly bashed up around the corners and edges.

Preheat the oven to 450˚F.

Transfer the potatoes to a large roasting pan, add the lemon slices, and the sprig of rosemary. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle 3/4 olive oil over the potatoes, and toss everything together.

Cover the potatoes tightly with aluminum foil, and roast in the oven with the chicken, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, toss the potatoes about, and roast for an addition 30 minutes. At this point you will be basting your chicken, using the baster or a large spoon, transfer about a half cup of the chicken drippings to the potatoes and toss around. Put the chicken and potatoes back in the oven for another 30 minutes.

At this point (after half hour roasting covered, and an hour roasting uncovered) the chicken will most likely be done roasting. Add about a quarter cup of the drippings to the potatoes, along with the roasted garlic cloves, toss and put the potatoes back in the oven for about 10 minutes; until the stock is absorbed and the potatoes are nice and browned and crisp. (If the chicken isn’t done put it back in the oven along with the potatoes until it’s done).

Discard the rosemary sprig and the lemon rinds. Enjoy with your chicken!

ROASTED POTATOES (cooked alone):
Ingredients.
4 lb new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1” pieces
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 sprig rosemary
1/2 lemon, sliced into 1/4” rounds
1 head of garlic, cloves separated, peels on
1/2 cup chicken stock

Directions.
Fill a large pot with cold water, add the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil and par-boil the potatoes for 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Hold a lid tightly on the pot and shake the potatoes about until the get very slightly bashed up around the corners and edges. 

Preheat the oven to 425˚F.

Transfer the potatoes to a large roasting pan, add the lemon slices, and the sprig of rosemary. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle 3/4 olive oil over the potatoes, and toss everything together.

Cover the potatoes tightly with aluminum foil, and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, toss the potatoes about, and roast for an addition 30 minutes. Add half a cup of the chicken stock and the garlic cloves to the potatoes and toss around. Put the potatoes back in the oven for another 30 minutes. 

Add a quarter cup of chicken stock to the potatoes, toss and put the potatoes back in the oven for about 10 minutes; until the stock is absorbed and the potatoes are nice and browned and crisp.

Discard the rosemary sprig and the lemon rinds. Gently peel the garlic cloves and add the roasted garlic back to the potatoes. Toss everything together. Enjoy!

PIN

PRINTABLE RECIPE.
ROASTED POTATOES WITH LEMON, ROSEMARY AND GARLIC