Yay!  In fact, double Yay!

So what should I do today to celebrate hearing the chirping birds?

Iced Coffee

Yep.  Haven’t had one of these in QUITE SOME TIME.  Conveniently for me, the hubby had, as per usual, brewed a pot of coffee before heading off to work so much earlier than the rest of us have to get up.

The easiest way I’ve found to make iced coffee (without a special appliance) is to let a glass of regularly brewed coffee cool down.  If I’m in a hurry, I throw it in the freezer for a bit.  If not, I let it sit on the counter while I get a couple of things done.  I like sweet iced coffee, so I also put a couple of teaspoons of sugar in glass before pouring the coffee — that way it dissolves and spends some time sweetening.  Once the coffee is at room temperature, or pretty close to it, I add ice, give it a stir, and it’s ready to go.  I do a glass half-filled with coffee, and half-filled with ice.

Lounge in the Sun

Yes, indeed.  I’ve been reading that sun exposure is now thought to be good for you, as it increases your body’s vitamin D levels.  So the sun can now join dark chocolate and red wine on my list of Things I Have Good Excuses to Indulge In. All I know is that I feel good in the sun, and look better with a tan.  So I’m planning to indulge.  I have a lounge chair, some cooking magazines, and an ipod ready to go.

A Perfect Roasted Chicken and Fresh Greens Salad

I really love roast chicken.  I’m going to get a BIG chicken — maybe 6 pounds.  That way, there’ll be plenty for dinner and some left over for chicken salad for my guys.

I recently learned a little trick.  A chicken roasts more evenly inside and out if you let the chicken sit out at room temperature for about half an hour before roasting it.  So that’s what I’ll do.

If you want to roast your own chicken to perfection ala Carolyn, here is what you’ll need:

Your Big Chicken

8 Garlic Cloves, sliced lengthwise in half

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil and 4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

1 Lemon — cut in half and squeeze the juice of one half into the melted oil and butter

Fresh Sage (or not if you don’t have fresh)

Salt and Pepper

To Prepare:  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Rinse and dry your big chicken.

Slide six of the garlic halves under the chicken skin on the breast side,  spreading them out between the breast, leg and thigh.  Throw the rest of the garlic into the chicken cavity.  Slide three fresh sage leaves under the chicken skin in the same manner as the garlic, and stuff a few more leaves into the chicken cavity.  Add the lemon halves to the chicken cavity, and then sprinkle salt and pepper into the chicken cavity.

Next, rub the entire outside of the chicken with the oil/butter/lemon mixture.  You’ll probably have at least a couple of teaspoons left.

Place your big chicken on a wire rack inside a roasting pan and slide it into your oven.  Roast for about an hour and a half.  I like to spread the leftover oil/butter/lemon mixture on the chicken when it has about 20 minutes left to go.  When the chicken should be done, pierce the area between the breast and the leg with a knife, and the juices will run clear if your chicken is done.  If you’re like my husband, and insist on using a meat thermometer, your chicken breast temperature should read 180 degrees and the thigh temperature should read 190 degrees when done.

Fresh Greens Salad

So easy.  I’m going to throw together what I have on hand.  What I have is:

Fennel — I’ll slice about a cup really thin.

Arugula

Fresh Basil — I’ll tear a generous handful into bite-sized pieces

Red and Green Artisan Lettuce — purchased in a plastic carton at my neighborhood grocery store and otherwise known as Gem, Oak and Tango Lettuce.  None of which I’ve ever heard of, but they taste really good.

Fresh Chives, chopped

Toss all of the above together in a big salad bowl.  Mix a simple vinaigrette.  My favorite is:

2 Parts Olive Oil

1 Part White Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

Ground Black Pepper

Mix your vinaigrette and toss the salad with it right before serving.

Moonbuzz Chardonnay

Our family has a tradition of sitting out on the front porch in the evenings when the weather gets warm.  We’ll visit, chat, argue about stupid and fun stuff, invite the neighbors over.   The boys might shoot hoops.  I’m hoping that this evening will be the first of the season that’s warm enough to sit outdoors.  And I plan to have a glass of Moonbuzz Chardonnay 2008 to toast our first of the season front porch chill-out.  It’s a nice wine.  And popular.  I hope my neighborhood wine shop hasn’t run out!

So far, I’ve only got the iced coffee under my belt.  I’ve got four indulgences to go.  So I’m off to shop before noon, which is my appointed sun-bathing time.  I’ll check in with you later, loyal readers, and let you know how the day went.

All snow, all the time.

We just had all the roads, driveways and pathways cleared after the holiday (as yet unmelted) snow, when we got 5 more inches dumped on us throughout the afternoon and evening yesterday.

The kids had been back in school a mere 2 days, and now school is cancelled for today.  We got the news yesterday evening, and, of course, Anthony immediately had plans with his crew for a celebratory overnighter.  Of course, I delegated the drive through the snow to deliver him to his friend’s house to none other than the hubby.

Sebastian, Snacky and I stayed in (not like we had a choice) and watched the KU men barely beat a tough Cornell team last night (thank you, Sherron Collins, for a seriously POY, game-saving performance !), and marvelled that the Fieldhouse was packed even in the midst of our mini-blizzard.  In attendance at the game was none other than daughter Quent, who’s been pushing the mini-van around town like a tank.  Because a little (or a lot) of snow isn’t going to stop her from doing exactly what she wants to do.

Just like her mama!  Remember my resolve in digging out the day after Christmas, to get to the gym?  Ditto today, folks.  After all, the snow has stopped and the sun is out — warming us up to a balmy 7 degrees.  I see no reason to sit around.  And the hubby just so happens to be working at home, so guess who’s going to help?  I’m sure you’re guessing correctly.

In fact, he’s out there shovelling as I write.  Guess I better go help?

To Be Continued. . .