Work has been unkind of late. There have been standing deadlines for just about every week for the past month. There doesn't seem to be any light in sight until well into February. Because of this, I've been neglecting working out, putting in any time on my scrab client, blogging and generally keeping the computer off during the evenings...essentially avoiding anything that remotely seems like work. I've been going into work for a few hours on weekends these past few weeks so even those don't seem like time off.

So, what does this mean for This Olde Blog? Don't hold your breath for anything of substance from me anytime soon.

Yesterday, I roasted the chicken I brined over the weekend. I made a bed of green peppers, carrots, onions and celery that was moistened with chicken broth. Then I rubbed in a mixture of chopped garlic, chopped shallots, ground rosemary, black pepper & sweet Hungarian Paprika under and over the skin, stuffing the extras in the body cavity. The chicken then rested on top the bed of the aromatics in a 400 degree oven for several hours. The end result was simply marvelous: soft and so full of flavor. I'm sure I would've eaten at least half of the 6 lb. bird if I didn't exercise restraint.

The big upside of cooking the chicken (asides from the several lbs of chicken meat I get to use in myriad "leftovers" dishes) is that I have a wonderfully flavored chicken carcass + drippings to use in making some excellent stock. I'm planning on using the stock for a nice chicken soup...perfect food for the winter months.

Evidently the First Evil has its own site at LiveJournal.

The new year, cooking-wise, started up on a bit of a down note: I accidently burned the sugar in my carmelized up-side down pear tart and tried out a lackluster Middle Eastern style chicken kabob recipe. Then, because of evil deadlines (which also stole any chance of having time off between XMas & New Year's Day), I haven't really cooked anything significant since then.

I guess all that cooking energy must have been building up, slowly reaching critical mass...which happened to be tonight. So far I've started brining a chicken, cut & marinaded beef short ribs Korean style and am in the middle of making fresh bread the "punch with your hands, old skool" method.

Somebody stop me before I cook my pantry bare!

Happy New Years! May this year be as or more successful than the last for everyone!