On Saturday night, Mom and Dad slipped away for the weekend to a cabin on Beaver Lake to celebrate their anniversary. Our brother-in-law Taylor and I milked Sunday morning before Eli and Emma joined us for the rest of our chores. The light was so soft and beautiful in the hayfield where we were moving the broilers to fresh grass. Only one more day before they go in to be processed. I immediately started thinking about lunch. Some might think it odd that I would think about lunch before breakfast. Ok, some might think it odd that I would think about lunch while moving chickens to fresh grass, but such is the mind of Madelaine. My mind jumped to how the light was probably falling on our herb bed at the house, and if I could get the cows moved to fresh grass quickly, I would have just enough time to get a chicken in the oven before Sunday morning Bible class. I also went blueberry picking on Friday with my friend Molly. While that may seem like a rabbit trail to this discussion, it very much played into the recipe I am about to share with you all. Morning light, pastured chickens, garden herbs, and fresh blueberries served as inspiration. I popped the chicken in the oven before church and pulled it out as soon as we made it home. Slow roasted macaroni and cheese was hot and ready to be served with it. I had considered taking Eli and Emma out to lunch, but after we stopped into Walmart after church and dealt with the chaos there, coming home to a hot meal in the comfort of our own home was a nice reprieve. What about you? Do you enjoy coming home to a meal ready in the oven? (Recipe Below) Blueberry Barbecue Chicken
Allow the chicken to thaw. If you are in a hurry, like I was, remove the freezer bag off of the chicken and place the chicken in a clean bowl in your sink. Run lukewarm water over the chicken, filling the interior cavity. Replenish the water as needed to keep the water around room temperature. I did this as I was getting ready for church, checking the chicken every five to ten minutes. Once thawed enough for you to fit your hand inside, remove the chicken from the water and allow the chicken to drip dry in your sink. Place the chicken on a cutting board. Wash your hands and pour a small handful of olive oil into the palm of your hand. Oil the interior and exterior of the chicken. Next, measure a palm of salt in your hand and rub it on the interior of the chicken. Do the same thing for the exterior, and transfer the chicken to your baking dish. We like to use our round stoneware baker from Pampered Chef. This is the closest one I could find in case you would like to purchase it, but any dish such as a dutch oven that lets you seal the chicken tight will work. Then, take the sprigs of sage, pull of the leaves, and stuff them inside of the chicken until they look like they are trying to escape. Finally, mix 1/4 c. of the blueberry jam and your favorite barbecue sauce together and baste onto the outside of the chicken. Arrange any remaining sprigs of sage around the outside of the chicken. Cover and bake. I baked ours at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 & 1/2 hours. Three hours would have been perfect (but Walmart). The chicken was still moist and tender, and Eli and Emma agreed it was a success. Let us know if you give it a try.
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Our Farm's Voice
Hello! I'm Madelaine Paige, and I'm so glad we've met. I love mornings, milk cows, and musings. Archives
July 2021
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