Soooo this week is a tragic for me.
It’s the first week that I officially feel chilled to the bone.
Ok, ok so calling it a tragedy is probably a little dramatic, I know. I know. I just looove the heat, the sun, a beach, the pool, that whole scene… like no other. So when I’m faced with the fact that fall and soon winter are serious events, I get a little sad. I despise being cold.
When fall weather hits, and my hands and the tip of my nose never warm up all day, I first question if my heart’s actually still beating. Then I crave all kinds of warm tea or coffee, Butternut Squash Soup, warm pasta dishes like Bolognese, casseroles, and hot food on hot food on piping hot food. Cold brekkies of chia pudding and smoothies? A thing of the past, I’m afraid.
After pouting a bit, I get over it and embrace tall boots, parkas, sweaters, the holidays, blankets, fires, my birthday (fist bumps for Scorpios), and warm comfort food.
Food solves all problems, right? Riiiight. Enter this drumstick recipe. Homey food with homey flavors. Just line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (so clean up is easier). Set a wire rack (actually called a cooling rack like for cooling cookies) inside. Next, pat your chicken dry with paper towels. This helps achieve crispy skin! If you miss this step, you may have soft chicken skin. Drizzle the chicken with a little olive oil. Lastly, sprinkle it liberally and evenly with your favorite seasoning blend. I make a variation of Michelle Tam’s Magic Mushroom Powder (from Nom Nom Paleo). This powder is in her cookbook, but she has a recipe on her website to make it in larger quantities as holiday gifts. It’s dried porcini mushrooms ground to a powder in a coffee grinder or food processor with red pepper flakes, thyme, salt and pepper. Hers is more of a seasoned salt. I change the ratios a so that it’s more of a mushroom + herb + spice blend with a side of salt. That allows me to use it more liberally as a flavor enhancer, not just a salt.
Plus, did you know vitamin D is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies because it’s only found in a few foods? Salmon and tuna, fortified cow’s milk, and mushrooms are some of the only foods containing vitamin D. So unless you eat these daily, you could be deficient. Yes, our body makes vitamin D in sufficient quantities after about 15 minutes of sun exposure, but that doesn’t happen year round or every day! Clothes and sunscreen block this as well. So this mushroom powder seasoning blend is a great way to add some vitamin D containing foods to your diet.
My favorite way to enjoy this recipe is with simple sides like Buttered Green Beans & Carrots and mashed potatoes or a parsnip/ cauliflower puree.
- 1 pound chicken drumsticks (about 5 drumsticks)
- 2 teaspoons spice blend (I modified Nom Nom Paleo's Magic Mushroom Powder to my liking and prefer to use that. See below or feel free to use whatever blend you like.)
- Olive oil
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- (Blend porchini through rosemary in a coffee grinder or food processor. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper.)
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (so clean up is easier). Set a wire rack (actually called a cooling rack) inside.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. (This helps achieve crispy skin! If you miss this step, you may have soft chicken skin.)
- Drizzle the chicken with a little olive oil. Coat evenly with seasoning blend.
- Place chicken on wire rack and spread them out so they're not touching. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the juices run clear and the meat is fully cooked.
What recipe hits the spot when you’re chilled to the bone?
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