November Pop Culture Round-up!

(now featuring -- part of October!)

I haven't done a full round-up for awhile, so November will have a little pumpkin spice mixed in.

TV

The Darkest Timeline (Community, NBC)

WHY DON'T YOU WATCH THIS SHOW? America! What is wrong with you? A couple of days after my last pop culture round-up, Community once again proved that it is both one of the cleverest, and one of the most emotionally-rich shows on television. In the episode "Remedial Chaos Theory", the show explored multiple possible timelines all hinging on the roll of a die. And it did it in 22 minutes. I know some people consider that such episodes of Community are gimmicky, but Community always has their "gimmick" episodes mean something in the emotional lives of their characters. And that is why our darkest timeline seems to be the one we're now trapped in, as NBC announced they will temporarily pull Community from their line-up.

Just don't call it Doctor Who with dinos. (Primeval, BBCA)

I discovered this show because there was an ad for it on BBCA and I saw that it stars Alexander Siddig, who was one of my teen crushes back when he was called Siddig el Fadil and was on Deep Space Nine. So I watched an episode, but then realized there was a lot of backstory. I paused watching new eps, which premiered this month, and caught up with the past few years. There's a lot about the premise that feels like a kids' show (it's about creatures that come through tears in space time and the team that hunts them down. So really it's more like Torchwood with dinos). But the characters sucked me in right away; it's one of the only shows on TV where I feel like all of the female characters in the core group are people I'd want to hang out with. Unfortunately, that's pretty rare anywhere on TV these days, and especially in the world of sci-fi. Plus, there was a plotline about Spring-Heeled Jack. Love.

Must-See TV (The Middle, Suburgatory, Modern Family, Happy Endings, ABC)

Remember must-see TV? It started the same year that I started college. And for several glorious years, NBC was the home of a hilarious block of sit-coms that really said something about America, man. (I mean, it still is, but nobody's watching, ahem -- see above). With its Wednesday night programming, ABC has "revived the family sit-com". And what do these shows say about America? There are gay people here. But ... apparently only one black person, so we haven't come that far yet.

Movies

Movies kinda sucked last month. I heard this movie came out about glittering vampires ...

Actually, there are several small movies that came out last month (Melancholia, The Descendents) that I'm really excited about, but I haven't seen them yet.

Books

30 Days. 50,000 words. (nanowrimo.org)

You know how suddenly, everyone was doing marathons? Like, all of a sudden everyone you knew was doing Team in Training, and they were traveling to San Diego and Nashville to run? Marathoning is an interesting phenomenon, because it's really hard, but most people can do it if they practice and stick to it. But there are some of us (shall we call us... nerds?) who believe that running might be good for you but just don't see the damn point. And for us, there is National Novel Writing Month. Marathoning for nerds. Because it turns out that anyone can write a novel if they stick to it. During NaNoWriMo, people all over the world write 50,000 words in 30 days. And that is cool.

Music

From Ceremonials, by Florence + the Machine

From Camp, by Childish Gambino (Warning: Explicit)

Recipe - White Bean and Tomato Stew with Sausage

I've been making variations of this stew for years. It's a winter staple for me.

Usually, I've used Italian sausage in this stew. However, I recently found a chicken andouille that took this to the HNL (that's a 'Hole. Notha. Level.) It's made by Applegate Organics. Since I realized that even most poultry sausages have pork casings, it's been harder to find a great sausage for my stew. But this sausage is insanely good. It's also quite spicy, so if you don't like spice, you may want to try the Applegate Farms Chicken and Apple Sausage. I found both at Whole Foods.

Don't let the word "sausage" deter those of you who are making sustainable eating choices to reduce your meat consumption. If you're strictly veg, this delicious stew can be made with veggie sausage. Field Roast Italian Sausage is a winner, and the flavors go well with this stew.

A couple of other notes on ingredients:

- Greens: I think chard is the ideal green for this stew. It just adds such a richness. But if it's not available, spinach can work in a pinch.

- Beans: I always use great Northern beans for this stew. There are other white beans (navy, cannellini) but the great Northern are just the right size and consistency. However, if you can't find them, another white bean is a good choice.

- Spices: I never keep track of the spices I use. Basically, I look in the cupboard, and then throw stuff into the pot until it tastes the way I want. Salt and pepper are a good place to start. Don't be frightened to experiment a bit, particularly with amounts. I've listed approximate amounts and spices below, but don't be afraid to do more or less. In particular, I like my food spicy. If you don't, definitely ease up on the chili (and don't choose the andouille sausage!)

Final note: I'm organizing the ingredients "mis-en-place" style. I've found that this recipe is easiest when you create a bowl for all the ingredients that go into the pot together. So I'm going to list them as "Bowl 1" "Bowl 2" etc. Clever, eh?

White Bean and Tomato Stew with Sausage

Ingredients:

1 package (4-5 links) Italian or Andouille chicken, turkey, or vegetarian sausage

In Bowl 1, put:

1 onion, chopped

3-4 cloves minced garlic

1 red, orange, or green pepper, chopped

In Bowl 2, put:

4-5 chopped mushrooms

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 zuchini, chopped

Any other veggies (carrots, celery, etc.) that you liked

In Bowl 3, put:

approx. 2 cups chopped chard, spinach, or other greens

chopped basil (optional)

Additional Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 can of great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes (I recommend the Muir Glen Fire-Roasted Organic Diced Tomatoes)

Approx. 2 cups vegetable broth

A lemon

Spices:

Salt (1/2 - 1 tsp or 3-4 turns of grinder)

Pepper (1 tsp or 5-6 turns of grinder)

Oregano (1-2 tsp or 3-4 shakes)

Chili powder (1 tsp or 2 shakes)

Red chili flakes (only if using Italian sausage or if you like your food very spicy)

Remember - rather than measuring all your spices, I recommend using your taste buds to determine how much you want! But don't forget, you can't take spice out once it's in the pot!

Instructions:

Step 1: put a little olive oil in the bottom of a large stewpot and heat over medium-high heat. Add the sausages. Cook, turning occasionally, until the outsides are browned.

Step 2: using a spatula, scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, because those will be delicious. Add the contents of Bowl 1, and cook until the onions start to turn translucent.

Step 3: Add the contents of Bowl 2 to the pot with the tomatoes. Mix everything up. If the juice from the tomatoes doesn't cover the veggies, add broth just to cover. At this point, the sausage should be cool enough to handle, so cut it on the diagonal into pieces of about a half-inch. Simmer while you're cutting the sausage.

Step 4: Add and the beans, sausage, and the rest of the broth. Add the spices, tasting as you go. Don't burn your tongue! (Note - don't put in too much spice at this point, because the heat from the sausages won't yet have been infused into the broth.) Bring the stew up to a boil again, reduce heat and simmer for about 25 min.

Step 5: Stir in the contents of Bowl 3. Add a squeeze of lemon juice from a half of a lemon. Stir and taste. Does it need more chili? More salt? Add spices to taste. Simmer for about 10-15 more minutes.

Step 6: Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes or so.

I always like to serve this with a baguette or some Sister Schubert yeast rolls. It tastes even better as leftovers, when the flavors have had time to meld together.

Merry Monday: My Favorite Holiday Music

I REALLY like the holidays. One of the things I like most is the opportunity to listen to holiday music on constant repeat. So I wanted to share some of my favorites with you. Warning: my tastes are a little eclectic. I have so many songs in the "Christmas Bummers" category that it might take two posts.

For the next several Mondays, I'm going to be sharing my holiday listening playlist. Many of the songs aren't traditional Christmas songs, but to me, they exemplify the spirit of the season. We'll start with something pretty traditional, however:

Today's Theme: Classic Carol Remix

There's something about those old carols - the melodies are sweet, the lyrics full of archaic language. I love those songs, but I often like the modern versions more than the old standards. Let's face it: I'm a modern gal.

"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan

Seriously? Who doesn't love this one?

O Come O Come, Emmanuel - by Rebecca St. James

When I was a little kiddo, I listened to the Joan Baez album "Noel" from September until the New Year. It was pretty much my favorite record. O Come O Come, was the song that transfixed me more than any other.

O Come O Come, Emmanuel is a carol that's right on the edge of being one of the majors. It's no Silent Night or Away in a Manger. But everyone's heard it. It's probably the most overtly Biblical of any of the carols, but it has a modern edge all the same.

Rebecca St. James capitalized on those features in her version for her Christmas album. Sorry the video is a bit lame - it's all I could find. You should check out the original.

Holly, Ivy and Rose - by Tori Amos

The Holly and the Ivy is an awesome carol. It's definitely under the radar, but I like its medieval sounding tune and woodsy imagery. Unfortunately, most recorded versions seem to be on the Christmas albums released by random civic choirs in mid-sized cities.

On her album, "Midwinter Graces", Tori Amos took the bones of several traditional carols and built new songs upon them. Holly, Ivy and Rose is the sweet song that sprung from The Holly and the Ivy. It features vocals by Tori's daughter, which add to the sweetness. (I realized I used "sweet" twice to describe this one, but I mean sweet in a good way. Not in a gross, saccharine way).

Product-Free Party Hair

New Year's 2010: I made a resolution to transition to sustainable beauty products. Since then, I've given up almost all hair products (except hair color: I don't think it's right to try to color your hair without cancer-causing chemicals, and ever since someone called me a "redhead" I've been committed to the fun of coloring my hair).

During the holiday party season, doing cute hair without product can be challenging. I absolutely love parties - especially Christmas parties! - and dressing up is one of my favorite parts. I have very fine hair. Until recently, I thought that Aquanet was the only possible way for me to have cute, upswept hair.

But now ... I have devised a party hairstyle that keeps my fine hair in place, gets lots of compliments, and takes less than five minutes to accomplish. Basically, it's the holy grail of hairstyles.

Want to learn how to do the messy updo that has transformed my party life?

Step 1:

Take a handful of hair from right behind your ear.

(Optional) Step 2:

French braid the hair from behind the ear. I do a little French braid pulling my hair from the neck line. Don't work too hard. Just stop braiding whenever you feel like it. Put a clip on the end of the French braid to hold it in place.

Step 3:

Pull back the hair from behind the other ear. Braid it if you're going to.

Step 4:

So, now you should have two hanks of hair or two braids. Gather the ends together and put a ponytail holder around them. See how messy it is in the picture? Don't worry about it. This is a messy updo - so relax.

Step 5:

So here's the tricky part. Have you ever seen those ads for the Topsy Tail? It's a device that turns your ponytail inside out. That's basically what you're going to do here. Take the ends of the ponytail that you just created, lift it, and flip it through the gap you created when you brought the two braids/ponytails together.

Step 6:

So here's the part that might seem tricky, but isn't. You just take the ends of your hair and roll it up like a burrito. Tuck any stray ends into your Topsy Tail. Again, it SHOULD be messy.

Step 7:

Your hair is now in kind of a jelly roll. Take a bobby pin and stick it in one end. Do the same on the other end. Then take a couple of bobby pins and stick them into the top of the roll. I usually use 4-5 bobby pins. They hold your hair very firmly, so don't go overboard.

And that's it: product-free party hair!

You can see up above how my hair looked from the front when I was at a wedding this summer. I always get asked how I do this style, and now you know the secret.

Thankful - 2011

"The best way to thank God is to love one another." - 'Abdu'l-Baha

I stole this quote from my friend Annie's facebook page. (Annie is also the wonderful writer behind Motherhood and More; you should check it out).

As I was chopping sweet potatoes this morning, I was composing a whole essay on this theme, but I think I'll just stick with this: whether you are thankful to God, the universe, or physics, I hope you have the chance to act on it today by loving those near and far and loving the earth. Yes, grace may be undeserved, but we don't have to act like we don't deserve it. We can show our thanks by giving the world our best selves.

Blessings to you and yours. I'm thankful to all of you who spend a little of your time here on this blog.

End of An Era

Do you remember the first CD you bought? Of course you do.

For me, it was Arrested Development's 3 Years, 5 Months, and 2 Days in the Life of. I got it at Osco Drugs. Don't remember it? It was the album upon which you could find the lovely "Tennessee" which has the chorus, "Take me to another place, take me to another land ..." Thus began my journey as a white girl who says things like "upon which" and "thus" and loves hip-hop.

But the CD era is coming to an end. At least, I think it is. Sure, CDs, like LPs, will probably have some place in our hearts for years to come.

But they don't need to take up a whole bookshelf in my house anymore.

Recently, I realized that my house is full and I need more space. I choose to live small, which means consumerism is not my friend. But I have a weakness for books, music and movies. Now, I can get those things on electronic devices. It's time to consolidate.

I decided to sift through all of my CDs and DVDs and put them into those binder-type cases, giving those I no longer wanted to Goodwill. I put them all over the floor, turned on the TV, and started opening those dastardly jewel cases.

Jewel cases. Remember when those 90's rockers protested the use of jewel cases for their CDs? And everyone was like: don't you have more important things to worry about? Like the fact that you're still wearing the flannel shirt you put on a week ago? Well, that protest, and the paper packaging it engendered, seem to have gone the way of Captain Planet, because CDs are still sold in jewel cases.

Which is a TERRIBLE idea it turns out. Jewel cases contain PVC, which is not recyclable in most places, including Houston where I live.

After I'd already thrown them out I found out that you can send them away to be recycled. However, this seems like an option more suited to large companies getting rid of a lot tech trash (and who have disposable cash - it costs for the service and the shipping). I'm not sure if the energy and packaging used in shipping would make it worth it - these equations are always hard to fathom.

DVD cases, on the other hand, are usually a Code 5 plastic, which we can recycle here. They were easy to disassemble - the inserts went into the paper recycling and the boxes went into the regular recycling.

So, my re-organization project was a half-green success. And I was able to free up a whole shelf's worth of space for my cookbooks, which were previously jammed into a much smaller shelf.

And it was a trip down memory lane. I saved the Arrested Development CD. Paula Cole ("Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?"), however, went into the Goodwill box. Apparently, my hip-hop loving side has remained strong while my inner angsty girl who wore a periodic table T-shirt tucked into my jeans has really shrunk.

Do you remember your first CD? How many jewel cases do you have?

For old time's sake:

Interweb Round-up: Menagerie Edition!

RHINOS!

This photo* is of a black rhino in South Africa being airlifted to a poacher-free life. There are only 5,000 black rhinos left in Africa, and poachers kill them because their horns are ground into a powder and sold as possessing healing powers.

Apparently, this is the safest and easiest way for rhinos to travel! It's estimated that up to 400 rhinos will be killed this year, but the South African government has managed to fly 120 to safety. Slow but steady progress is being made.

OWLS!

I love owls, as you might know.

That's why I love the FREE MAKE MY OWN OWL CALENDAR!!! It's over at My Owl Barn, a blog that I love because it is all about owls.

The calendar is customizable, downloadable, and filled with beautiful artwork of -- yes, owls.

I've already printed mine, and I'm hoping to put it together over the Thanksgiving holiday. When I do, I'll of course post some pics of how I decided to make it. Just click the picture to get your own!

CATS!

This is my cat, Wily, and this is what he looks like when I'm packing my suitcase.

He doesn't like me to leave, so I'm happy to be staying home for a few weeks. I'm also happy because it will allow me to complete some home organizing, which I will tell you about soon.

As I've organized, I've learned some things about what you can recycle and what you can't.

TURKEYS!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner for us Americans (holla! to my Canadians and friends around the globe!). It's a little weird that we celebrate our gratefulness with a whole bunch of consuming. And of course there's that really weird "holiday" called Black Friday (which you can protest by taking part in Buy Nothing Day).

But if you want a little greener Thanksgiving, here are a couple of articles on cutting down the excess:
NPR reminds us that we should eschew the paper plates, among other tips. Eco-fabulous has some ideas on greening your meal, as well as some ideas for gifts for your eco-fantastic host or hostess.

*Photo courtesy of Zoe.

Sustainable Seafood: Buyer Beware!

Yesterday I was at the store and I saw this sign.

I thought it was a little funny, because I'd been standing there on my phone, checking Seafood Watch to see if I should buy any of the fish in the bin.

No. No I should not. Not a single package in the bin was recommended as a "Best Choice" or "Good Alternative" by Seafood Watch. It was all listed as "Avoid."

Now I realize that the sign doesn't say, "Hey! In this bin here! Seafood that won't make you wake up in the middle of the night wracked with guilt!" It says that somewhere in the store is some sustainable seafood. Maybe not even in this store. Just in the chain of stores.

However, I think many people would assume, since the sign was next to a big freezer full of fish, that it was indicating THOSE fish. And most people probably don't know that you can't just look at the name of the fish on a package to see if it's sustainable. You also have to check where it was farmed. There are several kinds of fish that are sustainable if farmed in the US, not as sustainable if farmed in Asia.

And while we're talking fish, let's talk about "wild-caught." Wild-caught implies a happy little fish frolicking in a stream until your Uncle Ben, wearing hip waders, catches it with the fly he tied while sitting on the porch after church. However, wild-caught also does not mean sustainable. You've just gotta know for sure.

So what can you do? Well, the Seafood Watch app is now available for the iPhone and Android, or you can simply visit the website and download a printable pocket guide. And don't forget to read those labels carefully before you buy.

Or better yet, just get Uncle Ben to bring over some of the fish he caught ... after you check to make sure that it wasn't living in contaminated waters... .

"I like your shoes, miss..."

Right now, these are on my feet.

Yes, TOMS red, rope-sole slip-ons.

You know a shoe is popular when there's a backlash that says they're ugly (Crocs, I'm sorry, but you actually are ugly.)

My mom once mentioned a cool company where the founder was inspired by the children of the developing world, many of whom don't have shoes (wearing shoes is actually an important way to protect against disease), to start a company that would sell shoes and give shoes to children who need them.

I forgot about it until a friend of mine rhapsodized about her incredibly comfortable shoes - they were TOMS. So the next time I saw some TOMS, I tried them on.

I was hooked.

TOMS has a 1-to-1 giving policy. Every time someone buys shoes, they give a pair to a child. That seems so much more open-hearted than giving pennies or having a yearly charity drive. This quote about the importance of shoes really touched my heart, because the child I sponsor*, Barley, lives in Zambia:

“Shoes simply mean everything to a Zambian child. I am called a doctor today because of the shoes my father bought, which motivated me to keep going to school and to work hard. Shoes were and are still a luxury in this country…” – Dr. Fwasa Singogo, Zambia

Plus, OMFG (to quote the CW advertising department) they are seriously the most comfortable shoes on earth. I wish I could wear them all the time.

And they are NOT ugly. At least, seven-year-olds don't think so. Whenever I walk into a classroom - part of my job - and I'm wearing my TOMS, the kids say, "I like your shoes, miss!"

I can't even imagine the excitement that would ensue if I came in wearing these:

If you're stumped on Christmas ideas for someone, I highly recommend a pair of TOMS. One gift, happy feet around the world. What could be better?

*Another great gift: Sponsor a child through World Vision. They rate 4 stars on Charity Navigator, and are currently working intensely to relieve suffering in the Horn of Africa.

The Most Creative Reuse for Butter Tubs

This is one of my favorite songs, and this video is truly beautiful and amazing.

As the Shakers once sang, "'tis a gift to be simple."

Homemade, Made Better

With a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce!

This is my nephew.

If you don't spend a lot of time around kids, you might not know that Halloween is VERY IMPORTANT and has to be done just right. When I was a kid, my mom made or cobbled together almost all of our costumes. Most costumes these days come from the store.

So my nephew was not too excited that, when my sister and I couldn't find him a Mariners shirt to wear (because the second baseball is over all the stores must switch to FOOTBALL ONLY, apparently) we would make him a shirt.

But he had to be Ichiro and no other sports figure for the big night, or he WAS NOT going to trick or treat. And so we just made the shirt and hoped for the best (it was an iron-on that we made in the printer). Pretty good, huh? And much more meaningful, at least to my sister and I, than it would have been if we bought it. All of the other bits of the costume are my nephew's baseball gear from summer ball - yay for reusing and not filling a landfill with another nylon costume made in China!

Since that homemade experiment had a happy ending, I decided to try another one. I had this idea that I would make enchilada sauce. But I had no recipe and I've never made sauce before except for the famous Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter from Smitten Kitchen.

And you know what? It was awesome, and I don't really ever want the storebought kind again, especially because, as always true with homemade, I get more control over whether the ingredients are good for me and the planet.

So here it is:

Tomato Curry Enchilada Sauce

(this is a little bit of an Indian-Mexican fusion)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil

One medium onion, diced

Ginger, about an inch long, minced

One large (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes

Curry powder

Garlic powder or minced garlic

Pepper

Ancho chili powder (or regular)

Cumin

One regular-sized (14 oz) can of light coconut milk

Note: You will also need a blender or something similar

Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a sauce pot. (Hey, I just got why it's called a sauce pot! You make sauce in it!). Add onion and ginger. When the onion starts to get translucent, add 1 tsp. of curry powder and garlic or garlic powder according to your taste.

Step 2: Put the canned tomatoes in the blender. Add the onion mixture. Puree away!

Step 3: Here's the part that's sort of up to your taste. Add about 1 tsp. of curry, chili, pepper and cumin, and 1/3 c. of the coconut milk. Stir, and then taste - don't burn your tongue! Want it spicier? Add more chili. More "Mexican-style" - add more cumin. Want it creamier? Add more coconut milk. Keep adding until it tastes just right to you. (I added about half the can of coconut milk, 2 tsp. more of curry and about 2 tsp. more of chili, plus a bit of cayenne).

Step 4: Bring to a boil and then cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 min.

Step 5: Remove from heat and let stand at least 15 minutes to thicken.

You can use the sauce on your favorite enchiladas!

These are butternut squash ans spinach filled, with some cilantro and some chopped cashews on top.

This is what a tomato should look like

Heirloom tomato

Kid Activists = The Next Generation Goes Green

I love this video!

As I've written about before, my love of the Vampire Diaries led me to discover the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, which enlists kids in environmental activism. I love that Ian uses his heartthrob status for good, and I love these kids who are speaking out against the Keystone XL Pipeline. (Click here to read in-depth about this project, which is meant to bring oil from Canadian tar sands to the Gulf)

A lot of people (read: politicians) in Houston - where I live - are pro-pipeline, since it is proposed that it run all the way to our fair city, which will theoretically result in jobs at some point in the future. However, tar sands oil weighs heavily on the environment. Some folks argue that the pipeline will reduce our dependence on foreign oil... because what? Canada's a state or something? Really, I think we're just saying that it reduces dependence on oil from Muslim countries. Would you like a little racism with your environmental destruction?

If thinking about the pipeline makes you feel gross inside, then watch these kids:

(and yes, a teen wrote the song in the background)

Check out the National Resource Defense Council for more information on how you can add your voice to those speaking up against the pipeline.

Seen in Seattle

Why can't this be seen everywhere?

A Chicken in Every Pot

With the economy the way it is, maybe one of the Republican candidates could stand out from the crowd by reviving that old 1920's campaign slogan "A Chicken in Every Pot."

Actually, cooking a whole chicken is an economical and less-wasteful way to feed a family (or yourself, if you want to cook once and eat for days). However, that might not seem self-evident. My sister asked me the other day: Why would you cook a chicken when you can buy a rotisserie chicken for $4.99?

4.99 is the reason why you should cook your own chicken. We're used to super-cheap food. Factory farmers and food processors take advantage of that, mass producing animals and cooking food with ingredients you can't name.



But cook a chicken yourself - you can select a bird that was farmed in a sustainable way and use ingredients that you recognize.

So here's how to roast a chicken:
Ingredients:
One whole chicken
Butter
A lemon
2-3 cloves of garlic
3-4 sprigs of rosemary and sage
Salt
Pepper
You'll also need:
A roasting pan
Kitchen twine
A meat thermometer

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Unwrap the chicken and reach your hand in the cavity (what some might call "the butt".) Take out anything that's in there (the neck, the giblets). Rinse the chicken under cold water inside and out. Pat dry.

Step 2: Chop up some of the rosemary and sage and mix with a couple of tablespoons of butter. Then cut the lemon into quarters. Stick it into the cavity (otherwise known as "the butt."). Put the garlic and herb sprigs into the cavity.

Step 3: Using your hands, rub (or massage) the butter all over the chicken's skin.

Step 4: Truss the chicken. There's probably a fancy way to do this, but I just take a piece of twine and tie the wings close to the body, then tie the drumsticks together.

Step 5: Put the chicken in the roasting pan. Stick it in the oven. Stick your meat thermometer into the deepest part of the chicken.

Step 6: Cook until the internal thermometer reads at least 165 degrees. Take it out of the oven and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

And that's it! It looks fancy when you serve it on a platter, and you can use the leftovers for all sorts of cooking adventures.