Anything Martha can do, I can do differently

But I have to. I don't have a grill. So, today I made Grilled Tuscan Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon. Except instead of grilling it, I baked it.



To start with the marinade, I chop up fresh rosemary and steeped it in boiling water for about 5 minutes.



Then you pour the rosemary and water into a blender (which I don't have, but I have a cup attachment on my immersion blender, so same/same) with 1/4 cup olive oil, some salt and pepper and a couple (okay, three) cloves of garlic. Puree until smooth.



It smells amazing!



Now this recipe calls for a whole chicken cut into pieces. I am a skinless, boneless chicken breast kind of gal. So, I was not looking forward to trying to cut up a raw chicken, not ever having done it before. God only knows the salmonella mess that would create... I settled on getting some legs. And I worked out twice this weekend. I deserved chicken with skin! And there it was! A whole chicken, all cut up already. Right there in the Poultry section of the Publix. Who knew?? (I know, I am sure you all knew that, but it was new to me.)



So I pour the marinade over the chicken, turning it around to coat it. Then it sits for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, covered, and you turn it once to coat some more.



While it was sitting, I pounded a couple lemons on the counter to soften them up. I cut them in half and squeezed the juice into a bowl, to baste the chicken while it's cooking. I now have the cleanest, nicest smelling disposal in the building after grinding up all the squeezed out lemon rinds.

Into the oven went the chicken (425 for 45 minutes), and I moved to sides. Martha pairs this with grilled zucchini. I know it's summer, but I am getting a little zucchini'd out. I decided, with a great baked chicken, how could you not have mashed potatoes?? I love me some mashed potatoes. Now, my parents say that when I was little, I wouldn't eat a mashed potato to save my life. I can't imagine that, as now I will actually order something on a menu BECAUSE it's served with mashed potatoes. As long as they don't have horseradish or wasabi in them. That's just gross. For mine, I cut up some red-skinned potatoes (skin still on, thank you) and cut up a couple more garlic cloves and some rosemary leaves for flavor.



I also steamed up a bunch of asparagus, because you should always have a green vegetable.



Periodically, I pulled the chicken out to baste it with the lemon juice. It's cooking up nicely!



Potatoes are done! I heat up a mug of milk and butter to mix in with the potatoes while I mash them. This mug has a nice little poem about the name Michelle on it.



Add the heated liquid a bit at a time, so as not to make the potatoes too runny. I used my immersion blender a bit to break up the pieces, since I don't have a masher, and then stirred in some fresh grated Parmesan, salt and pepper.

And then the buzzer goes off! Is the chicken ready? It smells fantastic!



I use my handy meat thermometer, and the temp flies up to 170 degrees in the breast piece, which, according to my cookbook, is done! YAY!!! So here it is, all ready to eat. The flavors were really good, with a nice bite thrown in from the lemon. It will probably be even better grilled. Next time.



And here is the odd mix of songs that made up the Grilled, but really Baked, Tuscan Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon

All I Want is You U2 (I LOVE YOU BONO!!!)
Dancing With Myself Billy Idol (I only found out a few years ago what this song was really about.)
Blackbird Sarah McLaughlin (From the I am Sam soundtrack. Her voice is so lovely, it's quite a beautiful cover of the Beatles classic)
Wish You Were Kate Voegele (I'm still in love with who I wish you were, and I wish you were here.)
Special Garbage (There was nothing that I wouldn't do, to keep myself around and close to you.)
Oh What a Night Frankie Valli (The ultimate song of the Northbound Junction! This and Fat Bottomed Girls)
Wuthering Heights Kate Bush
Slow Pony Home The Weepies
The Politics of Dancing Re-Flex (Well you know you can't stop it when they start to play, you gotta get out the way!)
The Best Tina Turner (And she is!!)
Wendy Time The Cure (You look like you could do with a friend, she said.)
Salt & Cherries Wendy & Lisa
Intermittently Barenaked Ladies (Now I'm kissing you by proxy, hope you don't mind.)
(You're the) Devil in Disguise Elvis Presley
What's Going On Cyndi Lauper (War is not answer, for only love can conquer hate)
Heal the Pain Paul McCartney and George Michael (Who needs a lover that can't be a friend)
Roxie Renee Zellweger (From Chicago)
I'll Take you There General Public (I know a place.... ain't nobody cryin')
Places that are Gone Tommy Keene
Make a Circuit With Me Polecats (I'll be a diode, cathode, electrode,overload, generator, oscillator, make a circuit with me)
Promises in the Dark Pat Benatar
Eyes Without a Face Billy Idol
Harry Carey: Braves v. Yankees Will Farrell
Sometimes I Get Frightened Split Endz (Neil Finn's band before Crowded House)
Something The Beatles (Paul sang this song in concert while playing the ukulele, as a tribute to George.)
Save a Prayer Duran Duran (I LOVE YOU SIMON!!)
The Same Deep Water as You The Cure
1999 Prince and the Revolution (Life is just a party and parties weren't meant to last)
Love Untold Paul Westerberg (Does anyone recall the saddest love of all. The one that lets you fall with nothing to hold.)
A Man Alanis Morrissette
Miracle Olive
Look What You've Done JET (Take my photo off the wall if it just won't sing for you)
Thanks for the Memories Fall Out Boy (I want these words to make things right, but it's the wrongs that make the words come to life.)
Hold on my Heart Genesis (Please don't rush in this time, don't show her how you feel)
And I can't let it end on this sad song, so I click it one more time and get......
Jet Paul McCartney (I thought the major was a lady suffragette!!!)