♦ Visible

Dear Shaina,

What tiff? I thought we were having a little spirited discussion about your hatred of boys. I knew what you meant then and I absolutely understand what you hate and why you hate it. I would like to think that your father and I had a hand in raising you to hate being objectified and… to hate the objectification of others, as well. I do NOT think you should get over it!

But I would like to talk more about the visibility thing. The visibility thing is not about hating boys or posting Arielle’s picture instead of your own. It’s about the remnants of your shyness and your hesitancy to show the world, people, even boys… who you really are, what you think, how you feel…beyond the surface. Putting a picture of yourself on your blog (or not) is just a metaphor for how you are in the real world. You have to admit, you do play things pretty close to the vest. And that is not a bad thing. I’m just sayin…if you want boys to notice more than your physical attributes (which they will notice regardless), you may have to let them know a little more about the rest of you, at least in small doses. I feel privileged to be able to have an insider view of your life and I just want you to feel more comfortable showing your whole self off a little more!

Your friend Mark, the photojournalist from NYC, arrived just as we drove in from the beach. He is staying with us while working on a project to tell the Alabama immigrant story. I learned from him that you have been referring to us (your parents) in the presence of your peers, by our first names. When Mark asked us why you do that, we both responded with… “huh?” We didn’t have a clue that you call us ‘Esther’ and ‘Allen.’ Although this is not a huge deal for me, I will have you know that I would get severely reprimanded by Bubbe (she didn’t even know the meaning of reprimand) if I even called her “Mother.” She insisted on “Mom” or “Mommy” and of course later in life, everyone affectionately called her “Bubbe.” So, just don’t be thinking about calling me “Esther” to my face!

In the meantime, this week has been totally crazy! I think I may have too many things on my plate. Right now I am cooking Shabbat dinner for Goldie’s 90th and nothing seems to be coming together. I am cooking my traditional Chicken and carrots and potatoes recipe which usually turns out great…and I hope it does this time too.

Have fun in California and I cant wait to see you in a couple weeks for Thanksgiving. I need your cooking inspiration!

Love, Mom
Xooxoxoxoxoxoxox

One Pot Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

The following recipe is for 10 – 12 people, but can be doubled or tripled for large crowds. Just make sure to leave plenty of cooking time if you are making a large quantity.

1 onion sliced in thin wedges
3 – 4 carrots peeled and cut in 2 inch chunks
2 – 3 pounds of red or yukon gold potatoes
3 – 4 cloves of garlic chopped

Place all vegetables in the bottom of a large roaster. Add salt, pepper and dried parsley liberally and mix together. Cover the bottom of the roaster with the veggies.

3 – 4 Chicken Breasts on bone with skin on
6 Chicken legs with skin
6 Chicken thighs with skin

Clean chicken and remove any excess fat, but leave skin on. Salt and pepper the chicken liberally. Add chopped garlic, parsley and any other seasonings you like.
Layer chicken on top of vegetables in the roaster.

I sometimes use Kosher parve chicken flavored powdered soup mix to season both the chicken and potatoes. Leave off the salt if you use the powder mix.

Preheat oven to 350°
Roast in covered roaster. Check after about 45 minutes to see if juices from chicken have begun to fill bottom of pan. Cook covered until chicken is almost done and juices are visible. Uncover chicken and baste with juices periodically while continuing to roast chicken in the oven until it is golden brown and skin is crisped. A little paprika and parsley can be added if desired. This may take a couple hours depending on the quantity of chicken and potatoes you are cooking. Don’t be afraid of overcooking. It actually gets better the longer it cooks.

This dish can be cooked partially the day before and put in the oven for the final browning before serving. The excess fat in the meat juices can be removed after cooling leaving the remaining clear juices for basting in the final browning. Leave at least an hour to reheat and brown. More time will be needed if you are preparing a large quantity.

For vegetarian guests, roast seasoned potatoes (regular and sweet potatoes can be used) carrots and onions with a little olive oil in a separate roasting pan.