Good Things by David

Life seems so much better with farm fresh eggs, don't you think?  The day I arrived back from my trip to California, I had a text message from my friend and neighbor, Luke, saying that he had a little surprise for me.  The airplane was literally taxiing down the runway when I got his message.  I told him to stop by the house later that afternoon after I had settled back home and unpacked.   When he arrived I noticed that he had a small bounty of vegetables from his garden in one hand, and an egg carton in the other.  He said that they were small gifts from his home that he hoped I would enjoy.  I was really touched at such a thoughtful gift.   I knew that Luke was a kindred spirit the moment I opened the egg carton. The multi-colored, farm fresh eggs from his chickens were absolutely beautiful and simply perfect.  I began asking him about his animal husbandry, and came to find out that his flock of chickens were just getting start...

As much as I would like to have chickens of my own, I have yet to explore such an undertaking.  In the meantime I can decorate sugar cookies in the shape of these barnyard animals with one cookie cutter, a good sugar cookie recipe and a handful of colors of royal icing. Do you remember those cookies I made from 'The Little Red Hen'   a while back which were a big hit with some local kids?  These caught the attention of someone I know who wanted a set of chicken cookies in more traditional colors.    A mix of brown and white chickens were enhanced with nothing more than red combs and yellow beaks.  Aren't they cute? Using the same cookie cutter (above) I used for the Little Red Hen Cookies, I cut out and altered the original shape to make it more suitable for this particular request.  The arrows in this photo show you how I adjusted the cut outs.  Some back feathers, the extended legs and the wattle were cut out after the...

Fridays can only mean one thing at my house.  It's roast chicken night!  Roast chicken is something I really love to eat and it's something I really love to make, because it is comfort food at its best.  The aroma that wafts from the oven as the plump, juicy bird roasts is unlike any other.  This recipe is one that I turn to every single week because my family loves it.  The bird always comes out juicy and succulent, never dry or tough.  One thing I strongly recommend is that you buy a free-range, organic chicken from a reputable butcher or supermarket.  I'm lucky to have several sources, including my local Whole Foods.  However, any good chicken that's humanely raised will undoubtedly make a delicious main course. The great thing about this recipe is that it can be customized to your family's liking.  Add some spices to give it some zip, tuck in some herbs underneath the skin or change the citrus to a lime or orange if you wish....