Take this lying down

I am making a standing rib roast today and I have never made one before. I am following Paula Deen's recipe, pretty much exactly here, so you can use your google-fu to get it. Let me just take this opportunity though to talk about Paula Deen's "house blend" (which miraculously does not contain butter!) House blend is her go-to seasoning and it is becoming one of mine too. It is simply 1 C of salt, mixed with 1/4 C of pepper and 1/4 C of garlic powder. I have seasoned everything from artichokes to zucchini with this stuff and I mix it up and put it in a little shaker that I keep by the stove. Terrific, easy flavor.

I am also making Yorkshire Puddings, which are not "puddings" in the American sense, but are in fact a quick light pastry, steam-risen (no leaveners) similar to a popover. My friends from Scotland showed me how to make these once when they came to visit.

This is a proportional recipe, so no exact measurements. Take 4 large eggs and place them into a liquid measuring cup. Take an equal measure of milk, and an equal measure of flour. Mix the eggs with the milk and let them sit with a pinch of salt in them for about 10 minutes. Then sift in the flour and beat until completely lump free. You can break up any lumps with a sieve if needed. Then let the batter sit for at least half an hour but you can let it sit for several hours if necessary. Take a 12 cup muffin tin and melt a small amount (pea sized) of oil, beef drippings, or bacon fat in the bottom of each muffin well by placing the tin in an oven set at 450 degrees F. When the fat is smoking remove the pan and place equal amounts of batter in each cup. Place back in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

I plan on making mashed potatoes, and then making some roasted brussels sprouts and carrots. I will place the baby cut carrots and the already pre-steamed brussels on a baking pan, mist with olive oil, season with house blend and roast them after the meat has come out of the oven. This gives the meat a chance to "rest" and let the juices go back into meat. I had leftover brussels from yesterday so I am using them up today. I might also add some chunks of onion to the pan as well.

I like making a big meal on the weekends, something with more sides than I do, or a more complicated recipe. I really do enjoy cooking but my weekdays are too busy for any serious experimentation. Also, I make a BIG meal on Sunday, for instance, I will more likely have leftover for lunch or dinner the following day, which means less prep time on a busy weekday night.

One of my go-to Sunday dinners has always been roast chicken for that reason, roast a chicken with veggies on day one, use the leftover chicken meat the next day in a casserole or in another dish (Stir fry, chicken quesadillas, etc.)