Cooking For One

I love food. And I absolutely love cooking. There is just something so adventurous and rewarding about it that really thrills me to do! I often find I’m only cooking for myself, but I try not to let that limit me. One thing I’ve always wanted to do was roast a whole chicken, even if I may not be able to finish it off myself.

Now, I must tell you- my curiosity for cooking started at my mom’s house years ago. We lived in a house awkwardly built by the people we bought it from back in the ‘60s. (Seriously, awkward. I’m 5’1” and I could touch the ceiling upstairs!) The pink counters and (very small) avocado oven and range hood still stood, although it didn’t take long for the oven to stop working. And that’s where my creativity and endless internet searches began (before Pinterest!) for delicious foods that could be prepared on the stove, an indoor or outdoor grill, or in a roasting oven. There were plenty of successes and plenty of failures, but that’s where it all began.

Four months ago I moved into my awesome house (more on that later) with beautiful granite counters and stainless steel appliances and a WORKING OVEN! It opened me up to a whole new world of cooking!

So there I was. Standing over my beautiful counters feeling the warm sunshine beam down through the windows, and I was staring at this awkward, naked, vulnerable chicken. Am I the only one that thinks it looks like a fat, naked, headless opera singer?! I did a little shimmy when I thought of the scene in FRIENDS where Monica tries to get Chandler to forgive her by dancing with a raw turkey and over-sized glasses on her head. (In case you're not familiar with this episode, he does forgive her. And tells her he loves her. I guess there's something to dancing with a turkey on your head?!)

Anyway, have any of you watched the birth of a child? I mean truly stood there and watched the doctor catch that sweet precious baby, and then you look at it before it takes its first breath and it’s this slimy little thing that strongly resembles a frozen turkey. I know I’m not the only one that sees this. Watch a birth. You might be traumatized, but you’ll get what I’m saying.

So I have this fat, naked, headless opera singer newborn baby in front of me and I really start laughing to myself because I’m just not sure what to do with it! So I rinse it. And pat it dry. And when I looked inside the cavity, there they were- the tiny, creepy little kidneys. I’ve seen and touched plenty of organs, both human and pig, so why did these little things creep me out?! I have no idea. I grabbed my scalpel and did a little nephrectomy (nephrectomy: surgical removal of the kidney) and all was right in my raw chicken world.

With a little more prepping and doctoring nursing I had a slathered and stuffed chicken that turned into a beautiful art piece after a little sun (oven) tan. Paired with asparagus, smashed red potatoes, and a yeast roll, I had one heck of a dinner. Who says cooking for one has to be boring?!

*Disclaimer- I probably won't post many recipes because let's be honest- I'm just not good at following them and I do what I want. I'd probably be a horrible baker. Or I could be an awesome one! I'm just too afraid to try because I have no self control and would make everything I've pinned on Pinterest and I'd eat everything I made. And I'd get fat and clog my arteries. And that's just not the best prescription for a long healthy life!