Monday, February 1, 2010

A Bargain Treasure

Years ago, on a bargain table we found this Mediterranean cookbook, which turned out to be a true treasure. Over the years, I have read it many times (yes, I'm one of those people who reads cookbooks for fun) because just the pictures alone are wonderful. On top of that, many of the recipes are incredible, especially if you love the Mediterranean cuisine like I do!
My absolute favorite recipe from the book though is the Olive Oil Roasted Chicken. Here it is prepared with Mediterranean vegetables, but I have since made every variation of it I can think of. If you click on the picture below, you can actually take a look at the recipe. I do use less olive oil than called for - it's very oily if prepared according to the recipe.
This last Christmas, a good family friend gave us this beautiful pasta bowl ...
... and this platter to go with it. To me, the platter screamed "roast chicken" and so I prepared the above recipe with winter vegetables (carrots, parsnips, turnips, a rutabaga, sweet onion, and I think even some celery root). Daniel made a gravy from the pan juices and all was served with mashed potatoes.
Heavenly and comforting! And perfect for cold weather!
Do you have favorite recipes you have varied over time? That are so good that you make again and again?

Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments on my latest blog posts! I can't wait to visit you all and find out what you've been up to. In the meantime, I wish you a wonderful start to the new week!!

26 comments:

  1. reminds me of the fun animated movie Ratatouille :)))
    i wish you too a wonderful start to the new week!

    xxoo

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  2. Oh I got hungry now ;) Hugs, Annika

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  3. Sounds delicious! My standard recipe with the most variations is lasagna - but I think I already told you that. This weekend, I made it with salmon and spinach...

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  4. Oh yum!
    I read cookbooks like novels, too.
    Lately we've been having a sort of mini Thanksgiving dinner every Thursday (that's when I pick up an organic chicken from the butcher.) Staples are roast chicken, cranberry sauce, carrot sufflè and servietten knödel. Sometimes I add freshly baked dinner rolls and krautsalat.
    Happy Pink February Silke!
    xoxo

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  5. Please come cook for me!!!! :D I have lots of cookbooks I read, and never cook from! LOL!!! I just love to look and read some of them....the photos, the flavors, the beautiful pics.....
    And congrats on the She Who Blogs!!!

    XXOO!!!
    Anne

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  6. Your chicken with winter veges looks wonderful. We don't have a favorite recipe but we have favorite menu items such as spaghetti, and we have it once a week. Happy Feb. 1st

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  7. You & Daniel are such good cooks. I also enjoying meals with you -- good food, good company!

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  8. Me too..yay..I love cook book photos..they are fabulous and inspiring!Lovely post!I love avocados in anything!

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  9. I left a comment, but Blogger ate it! So I'll try again.
    :0)
    The chicken and veggies look delicious! I love to read cookbooks, too!

    During the colder months, I like to make soups out of whatever we have on hand. And nothing is better than mashed potatoes and home-made gravy. And casseroles with earthy veggies, or lentils and brown rice. Yum!

    Ich wünsche Euch eine schöne Woche! Guten Appetit!
    Hugs and love,
    xo
    Angela

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  10. Dear Silke, lovely post & great pictures...you set me thinking! I also 'fall back' on roast chicken frequently, there's nothing like it for deliciousness & comfort. I squeeze lemons over ours, and use olive oil too & I squash down on the breast bone to flatten it out a little, makes it extra crispy! I make endless variations on our favourite pasta sauce too....I can't bear creamy things with pasta, so always onions, garlic, tomatoes...sometimes capers, chili, black olives & anchovies, sometimes seafood, sometimes adding sundried tomatoes too, lots of fresh chopped herbs, preserved artichoke hearts...always delicious! Thanks for the yummy post & good wishes. Hope your February is amazing too xox Rachel

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  11. The meal looks so delicious I think I can smell it from here.:) My wife loves to read Bon Appetit magazine and has done so for years. I do not believe we have ever used one of the recipes though. I always tease her about it and show her the all the meals I want her to make....of course we never have any of the ingredients, but it is fun to look.

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  12. looks so yum-eeeee!!

    how fun that you and Daniel cook together. I married an Italian who is an amazing cook...always makes more than enough!!! ; )

    happy monday!

    btw...golf with my honey was so much fun!! we both laughed and just really enjoyed the time together. He's an excellent coach!!

    xxoo
    k
    www.heartwingsisters.blogspot.com

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  13. I also love to read cookbooks and have several favorites. Your bargain book looks like a treasure, what a lucky find! And your chicken looks divine. I do the same, but sometimes just omit the chicken and we'll have roasted vegetables and salad. I love that.

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  14. Girl, you are making me hungry!
    Yes, I love cookbooks too... I love the ones with the recipe on one side and the photo of the food on the other...I am very visual.
    Thank you for the recipe... I might find a used book at amazon ;)

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  15. bon appetit.
    Have a great week
    Janine

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  16. Hallo Silke,

    das sieht soooo lecker aus. Ich liebe Coq au vin...Kennst du das? Leider kann ich nicht so gut kochen, dafür lebe ich mit einem begnadten Koch, der mich immer mit leckeren Dingen verwöhnt:-)Liebe Grüße und eine gute Woche, Inge

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  17. Thanks Silke!! Now I'm starving after having read your post!! Yum!!

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  18. Darling Silkie There you go posting food again and I aM STARVING !! Lot of stuff has been going on heer at the home front. So I have been WAY sidetracked... sooo sorry. Lorrie just left after 10 days with my Mom, Mom had her kidney out all is well wheeee!!!. I love the little crocheted circles they are perfect and a perfect size too . How much for each one ?and can I get a variety of colors... anything you would like to do? hugs J

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  19. Count me in. I am also a person who loves cook books. I 'read' them by looking at the colourful pictures of food that I dream of cooking one day...

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  20. I'm very hungry now Silke.:) I have large cookbooks from France, Spain, Mexico and they are all just wonderful. I love cookbooks, I collect them I did a post once on some of my cookbooks. Thanks for making me hungry. Take care, have a great week. Going to study now. Bye.

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  21. silke, i love to read cookbooks too. sometimes i pull out two or three and sit on the couch (hee hee) and just read and savor.

    this chicken looks great. anything with roasted vegetables has to be great.

    i think someone in blogland should do a cookbook of bloggie recipes. my contribution would probably be grandnama's simple balsamic salad dressing (the secret ingredient is the salt)

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  22. This is absolute torture. This was not a good idea to read just before going to bed. I hope I have a delicious dream! HAHAHAHAHA! Goodnight Precious!

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  23. I love the cover of the cookbook. I also love your pasta bowl and platter. I want one!

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  24. i love that i got to the bottom of the post, and there was the beautiful finished product! love love it.
    : )

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  25. Am I too late for dinner???? I love that pasta bowl. The line of chefs is such a cute one, especially on the red. ♥ Deb

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  26. I'm going off to have some vegetables for lunch now. Thanks for the suggestion...

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