Veronica Julep

pink salt

Blood Orange and Rosemary Roasted Chicken Thighs

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When it is cold and getting nasty outside. There is not much better in the world then coming home to the smell of something wonderful roasting in the oven. Like  blood oranges and rosemary. They are so beautiful together. Oh, and that smell it just warms you up from deep inside your bones. It’s great for a wonderful pick me up on the coldest of winter days. This recipe is beautiful for company or a family weeknight evening because it is so quick and easy to make.There are only three ingredients blood oranges, chicken thighs and rosemary. Five if you include pink salt and olive oil.

Read on

 

The first ingredient is blood oranges. This citrus fruit is gorgeous in color and wonderfully delicious. Super vibrant and is available in New England from November to late February. They are excellent to cook with because of their sweet flavor and, in the winter, all that vitamin C helps keep you healthy in those dark months.

The second ingredient is rosemary. Rosemary is very hearty. It can grow almost anywhere. I’ve seen it live outside into the beginning of cold of winter. Some people prune it into topiary shapes even.  Rosemary is a great flavor to add to just about anything it’s very versatile. There is something so sweet and almost sharp about it that makes its’ yummy flavor shine through.

The next is boneless skinless chicken thighs. I must admit I’m not the biggest poultry fan but, there is something about chicken thighs that make them the exception. Their dark meat is just really juicy when you roast it. I tend to use chicken thighs for almost all of my chicken dishes. Aside from the deepness of flavor they are also less expensive then their more famous parts of the same bird being the breast.

The first step is to rinse the thighs in cold cold water. Then, pat dry. That will give us the best texture for the thighs.

Next preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit then pour a little over one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch glass pan and roll about to cover the entire bottom of the pan. This adds flavor and keeps the thighs from sticking to the pan.

Line up the nine boneless skinless chicken thighs like this in the pan. It is okay to crowd that are on the sides. They will roast just fine the oven is hot enough.

Next wash your blood oranges. Set aside. We will be leaving the peel on during roasting.

Next trim your rosemary. You will need three stalks between five and six inches long (or the equivalent). Rinse them and gently and ever so gently pat dry.

You’ll need about this much. Left hand for size.

Snip in half.

Arrange like so for even flavor dispersement while roasting. Also, you eat with your eyes first so let’s show them what you’ve got. It’s great when everyone arrives home to show them just how pretty dinner is even before it is in the oven.

Next roll the blood orange on the cutting board pressing down roughly but, not too hard. This will get the juices flowing. Slice the first blood orange in half.

So beautiful. I almost hear a… boom when I pop them open every time.

Then, slice like so.

Cut the two middle quarters in half from pole to pole.

Halve the outside quarters.

Arrange like this in the pan. This arrangement will help the juice distribute evenly.

Slice the second blood orange the same way. Except when you get to this step, this time cut in half pole to pole the middle quarters. Then, set the domed quarters aside.

Add the new halves like this.

Next squeeze the domed quarters over all the thighs in the pan. Roughly to get out all the delicious juice.

Drizzle with a light amount of extra virgin olive oil and a few big pinches of pink salt. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 23-28 minutes.

This is about 10 minutes in.

This is done. You will know it is ready when you slice it open and juices run clear.

Once out of oven tent with foil. This helps the juices redistribute themselves inside the meat and the blood oranges. Serve.

I usually serve this with roasted cubed potato (and rosemary) or with rice. This recipe is always a crowd pleaser. The colors are just stunning which makes it quite the feast for the eyes.

Recipe

1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (two times)

9 Rinsed and Dried Chicken Thighs

2 Blood Oranges (medium are fine but large are better)

3 long Sprigs of Rosemary

Pink Salt

Roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 23-28 minutes.

This recipe is simple to make and only uses three ingredients. When blood oranges are something that can’t be come by I substitute clementines but, any citrus would really work. As always, try it, create it but, make it your own.

Quick and Easy Rose Bath Bombs

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Bath bombs. Who doesn’t love them? With the winter almost here important to focus on taking good care yourself. Between all the sickness going around and the fact it’s just cold out so we spend a lot of time being uncomfortable. This is one of my tricks to help with the winter self-care.

Read on

 

This project is super fast and super easy. It’s a very quick 10 minute craft that really brings a lot of enjoyment. The best part about this recipe is it uses mostly regular household items. Quick and easy self-care right when you need it.

The bath bombs themselves take a short time to make but need to sit overnight to retain their shape. If you don’t have that amount of time or patience on your hands you can still make this. Just follow the recipe and put the mixture in a very large jar. Once sealed it won’t dry all the way and you’ll have awesome fizzy bath sprinkle salt. Just scoop out half a cup worth and enjoy. It feels just as good there’s just a bit less of a show.

There is a Danish term that roughly translates to coziness, togetherness and well-being in the darkness of times. The word is hygge.  It is pronounced HYUU-ga. As a culture the Danish really embrace the winter and everything that goes with it from sweaters to warm tea and cookies. Even playing in the snow, they embrace it all. This is my goal for this winter to really savor it. Taking a hot bath with these bath bomb I’m sure will make it even better.

First things first this is what you need for supplies. Also, if you so desire, you can add food coloring (just a couple drops) to make them whatever color you so desire. I chose to keep mine white. Don’t worry if you do add a few drops though, it won’t stain your body or your tub. The only way that would happen is if you use a lot of food coloring. I mean a lot a lot.

What can make these bath bombs even better is using a scent that is really you. I tend to like more classical things so I went with rose. If this is your first time making bath bombs I suggest you stick with rose, lavender or chamomile. Those are the three classic scents and after that you can just get fancy. Some people even add fresh herbs to theirs. Whatever you choose make it your own. When you make these the whole house smells wonderful.


These next items are the hardware you need to make bath bombs. Gloves are key. None of the chemicals will burn you (otherwise we wouldn’t be putting them in a in a bath bomb right?) but, if you get the essential oil on you in it’s highly concentrated form it’s kinda hard to get the scent off your hands. It’s also easier to do the clean up at the end if you just have the gloves to take off. You also need a tray (I use a cookie sheet and one piece of aluminum foil to cover it with. Not tightly, we will get that.


The only other items you will need are molds. It can be any fancy shape you want just make sure that it won’t be too hard to get the physical bath bomb out so it can dry. One very popular mold is the gumball machine prize plastic case. They are the perfect size and shape.


I am going to make one that way but, my standby for this is a mini muffin tin. It’s quick, easy to clean and I can do multiple moldings at a time.


The first step is to measure the dry ingredients. Keep in mind we are doing chemistry after all so they need to be as precise as possible. In glass bowl start with 1 cup of baking soda.

Next add 1/2 a cup of cornstarch. Cornstarch is superfine and super sticky. Make sure you take an extra second to scrape out as much as you can from your measuring vessel. Also, it will go everywhere and it’s not you it’s just it’s nature. This cannot be avoided that’s why am using the mat. Another tip is to measure it over the sink for easy clean up.

Next add 1/2 a cup of Epsom salt. Before you open the container though shake it because it does get very cakey.

Then add 1/2 a cup of citric acid. Citric acid can be a little interesting to look for in a store. It’s with the canning stuff generally. It’s usually used in pickle making.

Once all the dry ingredients are in the bowl use your hands to break up any big chunks then, whisk to get the finer ones. It’s very important that there are no chunks. Otherwise this recipe won’t come together.

It should look like this when it’s ready. So soft. So smooth.

Next the wet goods. In a mason jar start by adding 2 1/2 teaspoons of water. You really just need a container to mix the wet ingredients in. My container of choice for that is always a mason jar. It is a chilly dry day here so this amount worked well for my recipe today. Add a small bit more at the end if the bath bombs are not sticking together.

Then 2 teaspoons of the essential oil of your choice. The bottle I bought had a governor on it which made it take a while for enough to come out to fill up the measuring spoon. It’s easier if you remove it before you pour.

Lastly add 2 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil. Some people prefer coconut oil but, due to possible allergens of these gifts I’m making I prefer olive oil it’s more neutral.

Swish about in the bottom of the jar it should look like this when well mixed. This is the point to add the optional food coloring if you wish. Carefully pour the mason jar of liquid slowly, I mean super slowly, into the dry goods bowl stirring the whole time. I find to start mixing a whisk is best but once you get towards the bottom of the liquid in the container switch to a fork or your hands. They just work better. If it starts foaming as you pour that means you’ve poured too much at once. The easy fix to that is to just stir faster. Last add 1/8 teaspoon of pink salt then mix.

Once mixing all the ingredients are together the mixture will be sticky. Now it is time to mold. I first went with the gumball machine prize container. I filled both and packed them down as tight as possible this is key to having a strong bath bomb.

My favorite mold is a mini muffin tin. You can do a larger batch at a time that way. I also find the bath bombs come out more uniform because of the tough metal of the pan.

Let the gumball price mold sit for about 10 minutes then gently tap them both out.

Take your loosely lined with aluminum foil cookie sheet and place the bottom of the bath bomb on it. Flat side up.

Put about three dribbles the water on the tip of your finger then touch the flat top of the bottom piece of the bath bomb half. Then, place the top flat side down on top of that. Let sit overnight.

Place the muffin tin on the cookie sheet then cover with the aluminum foil from the pan, folding it up. Turn the pan so it’s upside down then tap out the bath bombs.

Easy peasy. Let sit overnight.

I always end up with a bit left over. I put it in a small jar and put a lid on it. This is the awesome fizzy bath sprinkle salt I mentioned earlier. It’s wonderful.

Recipe

1 Cup of Baking Soda

1/2 Cup of Corn Starch

1/2 Cup of Citric Acid

1/2 Cup of Epsom Salt

1/8 teaspoon of Pink Salt

2 1/2 teaspoons of Tap Water

2 teaspoons of Essential Oil (rose is my favorite)

2 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil

4 drops of Food Coloring (optional)

These bath bombs are quick and easy to make. They make great gifts for everyone. Also, try to hygge. I’ve heard that’s where it’s at. Treat yourself. As always make it but, make sure you make it your own. Enjoy.

Classic Homemade Scratch Apple Pie

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There’s something about the crisp autumn air and the smell of turning leaves that just makes me crave apple pie. When I was a little kid my mom, siblings and I would always go spend a day every autumn picking what seemed like hundreds of apples. Then we’d go home and help my mom make her delicious apple pie. Such great memories.

Read on

 

Now I am older and a mother and being October, it is that time of the season. Traditions are so important. They remind you of where you came from and who you are. I’ve also adjusted my mother’s recipe ever so slightly to add my touch to this family favorite. I made it mine enough that a few years ago I took the blue ribbon in the Maine Audubon Apple Festival Apple Pie Contest with this.

The key to this recipe are the freshest apples you can get. This is the beauty of autumn. They are everywhere. I’ll be using a little more than half a bag of orchard fresh apples. Macintosh are the best and I add two softball size honey crisps to add texture and sweeten the flavor of the pie.

I love baking and I love apple pie. However, I am not the biggest fan of actually peeling and dicing the apples. So this wonderful apple peeler-slicer-corer is really my lifesaver and more importantly a big timesaver.

It’s a beautiful machine and I would definitely suggest purchasing one. It makes life so much easier.

It has a suction cup with arm on the bottom but, I am kind of rough on mine. For me I just push down really hard with my other hand to hold it still.

If this lovely contraption gets too jostled when doing it’s thing the pieces move about when you’re cutting-peeling-coring then the slices aren’t really cut-peeled-cored the way they need to be. That being said, you definitely do not want perfect slices. It’s better to have different size pieces so they can cook at different subtly different rates which will give the pie better slight crunch and flavor.

Like these. No two are the same.

Cutting the pieces will take awhile. Add a little citrus juice per layer to keep from browning. Most people prefer lemon juice but I’ve found lime is best especially with the sweet being added next. Their flavors play off each other really well. It’s the details that make the difference.

I’ve filled my general go to mixing bowl for whatever I’m cooking with these beautiful apple pieces. It is on purpose the almost exact diameter of my pie plate. That detail makes it easier to see the amount prepared for the pie.

Preheat oven to 400. Now the dry ingredients. The co-champs in this recipe.

First add 2 tablespoons of flour to get the juices moving.

Next 1/2 cup of brown sugar.

Then, the 1/2 cup white granulated sugar. I always add the brown first. The white shifts around more easily so, mixing will be smoother at the end.

Next the 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Isn’t the container cute? I found this old Durkee’s ground cinnamon container at an antique store and I just love it. It is just like the one we had in the cupboard growing up. So cute. Especially that logo.

1 dash of nutmeg. No more, no less. Too much, too earthy. Not enough, bland pie. No one wants a bland pie.

Pink salt to round it out. 1 good pinch to be exact.

There you have it.

Now mix. I like to start with a fork to help guide the dry ingredients into the mix. Then, I use the best two tools I have. My hands. You’ll know it is mixed enough when their is an almost syrup at the bottom of the bowl.

 

Next the pie crust. I am using store bought for this pie. I have yet to make a crust that is better than the ones I can buy in a grocery store… yet.

Make sure you roll out the crust a little before lining the bottom of the pie. It’s been cold and rolled up. This will help it breathe a little better and crisp up more in the oven.

Add filling. Make sure you get every juicy drop.

Now take a moment to decorate the top of your crust. A real one. We eat with our eyes first. Also, this will give you a moment to give it your signature to really make it your own. Really yours. For me it’s usually the little pigs.

Top pie filling with about 2 tablespoons of butter. Just eye ball it. There is nothing wrong with a little too much.

Cut into little chunks and drop all over the filling. Then, top with top crust as centered as possible.

Secure the top with fork squishes.

Cut the excess crust off.

Then save the extra dough. It’s edible play dough for the little ones. We used to make pie crust cookies with the roller and cookie cutters. Just add cinnamon sugar and cook for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. So tasty. So fun.

Next we need to make a simple egg wash. I use 1 large egg and a big splash of milk.

Paint the top with the wash.

Use the egg wash like glue. Paint the back of what ever cut outs and place about the pie. Your style.

For extra shine sprinkle with white granulated sugar. It’s that really special touch that makes it well, extra special.

Right before it goes into the oven wrap the edges lightly with aluminum foil. I spoke more in depth about this technique in the first pie recipe i blogged. Here is the link for more details.

https://www.veronicajulep.com/late-summer-cherry-rhubarb-pie/

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake for 20-23 more minutes. You will know it is ready because it will be golden brown and bubbling like this.

Like this. I love pie. The deep brown of the crust. That lovely smell.

My first slice.

My second with vanilla ice cream. What would pie be without it’s best friend a la mode? Enjoy and always remember whatever you are doing make it your own.

Recipe
  • 1/2 orchard bag macintosh apples (sliced and diced about the same size but, not exact)
  • 2 Big honey crisps apples (sliced and diced about the same size but, not exact)
  • 1 couple of splashes of key lime juice
  • 1 oven preheated to 400 degrees
  • 1 tablespoon All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 white granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 dash of nutmeg
  • 1 pinch of pink salt
  • 2 heaping tablespoons of butter
  • 1 top pie crust
  • 1 bottom pie crust
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 splash of milk

Hot Caprese Pasta

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Pasta and fresh ripe local tomatoes. There’s just something so special about that combination that always makes my mouth water. I love when the tomatoes finally turn their perfect shade of ripe. There isn’t anything much better than plucking a warm one off the vine and just chomping into it. Yum.

Read on

 

The key to this recipe is the three fresh ingredients.

Fresh tomato (as mentioned above). With this recipe I prefer two different colors of either the grape or cherry variety.

Fresh basil with that subtle sweetness that takes any dish Italian or otherwise over the top and it makes it simply taste and feel fancier. Basil plants can easily be found at any farmer’s market, garden store or even the nearest grocery store. Fresh basil is everywhere and really inexpensive. I like having it around especially in the winter for it’s brightness in flavor and in color.

Fresh mozzarella. I never knew as a little kid in the suburbs in the 1980’s that there was something as magical as fresh mozzarella. I always thought mozzarella was only shredded (like the kind my mom bought when we would get to make our own pizzas on quiet movie nights in). That soft creamy texture is just divine. This dish just wouldn’t be the same without it.

The first thing I like to do when making this is mince the garlic. Finely dice, sprinkle with pink salt and smear the garlic onto the board with the face of your knife almost like frosting a cake but rougher. Do this a couple of times gathering back into a pile in between each pass. This way the garlic is super broken down so, even though it will be raw in this dish it won’t give heartburn.

Take salted minced garlic and place in the bottom of a large bowl. Lightly drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Next, start your water for pasta in a large pot making sure to add lots of salt. The pasta needs room to move. If not, the pasta will get gummy and won’t hold it’s shape up.  Linguine is my recommendation. It really is solid.

Next the tomatoes. These guys are little, slippery and oh so delicate.

The trick is to use a serrated sharp knife. The knife in the photo below is one of my favorites. I use it all the time. It is made by a company called Royalton. They have been around for a very long time. This knife came with DB when he moved in and was immediately recognized by me as one of the set of knives commonly referred to in my youth as sharp-knives-we-weren’t-allowed-to-touch from my Mother’s kitchen growing up. She used it for everything, her mother used one for everything and now I use it for almost everything. Different actual knife but, great quality. It was made from stainless steel in Japan, is always super sharp and super easy to clean. For me it’s a real go to.

Take the first tomato and slice in half top to bottom.

While still holding it firmly turn a quarter turn then slice it again top to bottom. The key here is to keep it together as much as possible until you are done slicing it. More juices will be retained and so will the shape. Yum. The tomatoes will really pop in your mouth.

Once all the tomatoes are quartered drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and a small drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Small is key. Add a pinch of pink salt. Then give a gentle stir and let sit. This way the flavors will mix and make this dish even brighter.

Next dice the fresh mozzarella into 1/2 inch cubes. Make sure you hold it firmly but, still gently so we can save as much liquid as possible. After that take scissors and shred up about half a small handful of basil (little strips, they really add the the presentation).

Pick your serving dish and drain the pasta. Supper is pretty much ready at this point so make sure everything is ready.

Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of the post colander bowl.

Add super hot right out of the boiling water pasta. Drizzle with olive oil.

Add half the cubed mozzarella.

Stir with tongs. This is key because we want things to melt not get squished.

Next add the rest of the mozzarella to the bowl for the big mix. I know it looks like there is not a lot here but, it’s a big, big bowl.

Add pasta. Tong stir.

Pour the beautiful tomato mixture over the pasta.

Add the shredded basil

Drizzle liberally with balsamic vinegar. Tong stir then eat.

This is one of those things I could eat all day everyday.

Recipe

1 or 2 pints of cherry or grape tomatoes two colors (preference is one giant one but, two small pints work just fine)

1 big clove of garlic

Pink Salt for sprinkling

1 box of pasta of your choice (preferably long and wide shaped)

1 large ball of fresh mozzarella in 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil (altogether for recipe)

very shy 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (altogether for recipe)

half a handful of fresh basil (scissor shredded)

Serve with a loaf of crusty bread for dipping. This recipe is easy peasy to make and the ingredients are inexpensive. A perfect weeknight supper. Enjoy.

Late Summer Cherry Rhubarb Pie

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The weekend is just around the corner and what better way to enjoy it than with a great pie filled with late summer delights. Two of things my family wait for all year is for cherry and rhubarb.  Both of these elusive delights are at the height of their season then.

Read on

 

Cherries start blossoming on the mid eastern coast of the US around the end of April (thus the cherry blossom festivals in the DC area at that time). They begin blooming more north by latitude weekly. Some of the sweetest I’ve ever eaten come from Michigan. The very sweetest (that I used for this recipe) come from Washington state. There is something about the soil near Hood River maybe it’s the mountain dew or maybe it’s the vegetation but, they are just super tangy sweet. Tang being key.

Rhubarb grows all over the world. In the US it grows wild in the summer in the most northern states. Suited to be cultivated between late July and early September. It is a beaut and quite the treat to behold.

The first step is to pit the cherries. I have heard *cue announcer voice* a million and one ways to pit cherries. Frankly, I’ve tried a lot of different ones. The one I’ve found that works best is the one I grew myself. Just my hands. Plain and simple.

I start by removing the stem then, grab the fruit by either side and just rip open. Seriously. -It’s best to do over a bowl as to collect the juice (very important). –

Next turn the cherry and split in the same fashion. The pit is tightly wrapped it needs to be wiggled out.

A little more digging to pop the pit then, boom it’s out. This is some time later but, so beautiful. Anything that is actually tasty is worth the effort. This is what the amount needed looks like. I’m using a biggish thanksgiving mash potato sized bowl worth. They equal about three and a half cups worth (recipe at the bottom of post). A bit more or less is fine, more is better but, it’s what makes most since for your size pie plate that really should decide it.

After the last cherry is pitted, wash your hands. Right the second you are finished. Cherries will stain your hands quite quickly and quite badly. Scrub as soon as possible to get ahead of the stain setting in. Pretty huh?

Next up is the rhubarb. Peel it. You really should. I know it is more work  but, I’ve found it makes the rhubarb both softer and sweeter. It makes all the difference. Once peeled cut into one inch cubes and add to cherry bowl.

Add the granulated sugar.

Then flour.

Next pink salt and powdered sugar.

Stir well but, gently. Almost more folding than stirring. The texture of the pie filling is best if the pieces are well coated on all sides and still firm.

Fill room temperature crust lined pie plate with filling and top with approximately 1/3 a stick of butter cut into cubes. The butter combines up with the flour to thicken up the filling. Well, and adds some extra unctuous.

Next the pie top. Make some holes in the top crust so the filling can steam out a bit. Use a knife or my favorite, little cookie cutters. Place top on top of pie. Be careful to center. It doesn’t need to be perfect but, very close to centered is very best. Then brush with a solution of 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon of milk (whole perferably) fork mixed together. This will help it brown nicely.

Connect the two crusts. This is important so it doesn’t bubble off. Here I am using just the tip edges of a fork to go around. Once the circle is complete use a knife to cut the extra off the edge of the pie plate.

The last step before we stage the pie in the oven is my Mother’s trick. She always sprinkled the top of sweet pies with a decent amount of granulated sugar. That way when it comes out it sparkles.

Place pie on cookie sheet. If not, it will bubble over which is tasty but, messy. Then wrap the sides of the crust with aluminum foil to keep the quick cooking edges from burning.

Bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove the foil. Return pie to oven for another 20 to 27 minutes until crust is golden brown. Voilà.

Let cool at least a little before slicing into and enjoy.

My favorite way to eat any pie is a la mode. Look at that filling. O la la. Enjoy.

3-4 cups of fresh cherries pitted

1 1/2 cups of diced and peeled rhubarb

1 cup of white granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons of flour

1 heaping tablespoon of powdered white sugar

1/2 tsp pink salt

Enjoy.

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