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Roasting a whole chicken

I started this weekly habit at 18 and I still stand by it cough cough achoo years later. In my 20s I taught all my single male friends my recipe and they all got very popular and so did I by proxy. It is so simple, so economical, so versatile, plus it makes the house smell amazing. Link to the first recipe I used- my heavily edited and often shared notes app version below since it’s been so lucky. Un-fuckupable Roast Chicken Recipe *One small chicken (Preferably between 2.75 and 3.5 lbs) *Fresh herbs (any or all: thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, a head of garlic cut in half. Lemons are also great if you have them. You can also skip this and be totally fine) *Fresh Ground pepper *Salt *Paprika Preheat Oven to 475 1. Wash the chicken and remove and discard the chunk of fat from the inside. Pat dry very well! (This is important, any moisture will mean the chicken steams and the skin will get floppy) 2. if using fresh herbs slide a finger under the breast skin on each side, making two small pockets. Insert fresh herbs into each pocket. Throw a half a lemon in the cavity or just in the pan if you feel like it (it will caramelize in the juices and be tasty on bread later) 3. for dry rub - In a small bowl, measure about 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper per lb of chicken, add a few generous pinches of paprika. Mix together and season the bird all over, making sure to sprinkle some in the cavity. Twist and tuck wings behind shoulders. 4. Preheat a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Dry the chicken again and set down the hot pan, breast side up. It should sizzle. 5. Place in the center of the oven. It should start to brown within 20 min, if not slowly raise the temp (as high as 500). After around 30min, turn the bird over. Cook for around 15min before turning it over again to re-crisp the breast skin for 5-10min. Total oven time should be between 45-1hr. 6. Let it rest a bit before carving, serve with a nice salad and a crisp soft perfect baguette to dip in the pan juices which are honestly the best part

Turning cardboard boxes into play food

This has become my favorite granny hobby to do while we watch a show after bedtime. I save our cardboard boxes and slice them into fun shapes to paint for my daughter to play with. It's so soothing as an activity for me, and she is delighted by them and plays with them for ages serving weird little meals to her stuffed animals. They hold up better than I imagined but when they disintegrate I just get to make more and thats a treat for me since I am addicted to making them. Added bonus is I don't mind when there is a mess of them on the floor because they look like a fun tableaux.

Better Get To Livin' by Dolly Parton as daily prayer

WWDD is the eternal question and this song is where she answers it with very little sugar coating. It always makes me laugh and turns my mood around, I've been using it to bust out of my afternoon work slump for a week now and it has yet to loose its charm.

Custom Brass Wedding Ring Set

I am as type b as it gets, I have ADHD and no interest in owning very expensive things I live in fear of losing or breaking. I would rather spend money on adventures and snacks and books. I happily wore my husband's claddagh as an engagement ring for over a year before "upgrading" to this brass and gem set that we designed with a local artist for about $100. It turns my finger green sometimes but it is so beautiful and durable - it brings me so much joy (and so little anxiety) which is all that matters in the end.

Roasting a whole chicken

I started this weekly habit at 18 and I still stand by it cough cough achoo years later. In my 20s I taught all my single male friends my recipe and they all got very popular and so did I by proxy. It is so simple, so economical, so versatile, plus it makes the house smell amazing. Link to the first recipe I used- my heavily edited and often shared notes app version below since it’s been so lucky. Un-fuckupable Roast Chicken Recipe *One small chicken (Preferably between 2.75 and 3.5 lbs) *Fresh herbs (any or all: thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, a head of garlic cut in half. Lemons are also great if you have them. You can also skip this and be totally fine) *Fresh Ground pepper *Salt *Paprika Preheat Oven to 475 1. Wash the chicken and remove and discard the chunk of fat from the inside. Pat dry very well! (This is important, any moisture will mean the chicken steams and the skin will get floppy) 2. if using fresh herbs slide a finger under the breast skin on each side, making two small pockets. Insert fresh herbs into each pocket. Throw a half a lemon in the cavity or just in the pan if you feel like it (it will caramelize in the juices and be tasty on bread later) 3. for dry rub - In a small bowl, measure about 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper per lb of chicken, add a few generous pinches of paprika. Mix together and season the bird all over, making sure to sprinkle some in the cavity. Twist and tuck wings behind shoulders. 4. Preheat a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Dry the chicken again and set down the hot pan, breast side up. It should sizzle. 5. Place in the center of the oven. It should start to brown within 20 min, if not slowly raise the temp (as high as 500). After around 30min, turn the bird over. Cook for around 15min before turning it over again to re-crisp the breast skin for 5-10min. Total oven time should be between 45-1hr. 6. Let it rest a bit before carving, serve with a nice salad and a crisp soft perfect baguette to dip in the pan juices which are honestly the best part

Turning cardboard boxes into play food

This has become my favorite granny hobby to do while we watch a show after bedtime. I save our cardboard boxes and slice them into fun shapes to paint for my daughter to play with. It's so soothing as an activity for me, and she is delighted by them and plays with them for ages serving weird little meals to her stuffed animals. They hold up better than I imagined but when they disintegrate I just get to make more and thats a treat for me since I am addicted to making them. Added bonus is I don't mind when there is a mess of them on the floor because they look like a fun tableaux.

Better Get To Livin' by Dolly Parton as daily prayer

WWDD is the eternal question and this song is where she answers it with very little sugar coating. It always makes me laugh and turns my mood around, I've been using it to bust out of my afternoon work slump for a week now and it has yet to loose its charm.

Custom Brass Wedding Ring Set

I am as type b as it gets, I have ADHD and no interest in owning very expensive things I live in fear of losing or breaking. I would rather spend money on adventures and snacks and books. I happily wore my husband's claddagh as an engagement ring for over a year before "upgrading" to this brass and gem set that we designed with a local artist for about $100. It turns my finger green sometimes but it is so beautiful and durable - it brings me so much joy (and so little anxiety) which is all that matters in the end.