Roasted chicken, potato salad, and carrot cake--a sunday dinner

I haven't roasted a chicken in over a year. I was nervous that I would somehow fuck it up, that it would be overcooked, undercooked, unseasoned, too salty... you get the picture. Luckily, I am a pro when it comes to roasting chickens (thanks to lessons from Dad) and it turned out to be delicious, tender, and perfectly seasoned.

This is my general procedure for roasting a chicken, augmented occasionally by different herbs depending on season and accompanying dishes.

I first wash the bird and remove the "extras" packed inside. Next, I rub the bird down with olive oil, squeeze the juice from 1/2 of a lemon inside the bird, and rub some sea salt and freshly ground pepper inside the body cavity. Then, I cut a couple of slices of lemon and stuff those inside the bird, followed by several chopped garlic cloves (the more the m

errier, in my opinion). Before placing the bird in the oven, I sprinkle a little salt and garlic powder on top, then cook to perfection. Voila!

As for potato salad, I had to again defer to Dad this time, emailing him for his famous potato salad recipe. This is truly kick ass potato salad, so feel special that I am sharing the recipe. Directly quoted from his email is the recipe/instructions for the potato salad:

"Cook about 5 whole, medium potatoes slowly, yukon golds are nice and nutty. Refrigerate them, cooling completely prior to cutting. I chop up celery and onion in about equal amounts, each about 1/4th the volume of the diced potatoes or to your liking. You can always add, but not subtract. Slice about 5 red radishes. And dice up several smal

l sweet pickles. I add some of rhe liquid from the jar, as well. Celery seed is nice to add, salt and pepper to taste. Boil 5 eggs and refrigerate at the same time as the potatoes. Cut them up and add toward the last. Now turn in some mayonnaise. add till it approaches creamy, don't overdo it. Again, you can always add more. Refrigerate overnight for the best flavor infiltration."

The potato salad was, of course, delicious. It was weird, making it. I have never actually done it, that was always Dad's thing. Since he is in Japan, I had to make my own. It was quite popular, and at the end of the night I think everyone had eaten two help

ings, at least.

To finish off our sunday dinner, I made a carrot cake! It was my first time, and I hadn't stopped to think how labor intensive it is to make carrot cake. It is no easy task to grate 3 cups of carrots, but I managed it without developing carpal tunnel or sustaining any grating-related injuries. Success! The cake was moist and delicious. Such a great summer cake! I loved the pecans in the cake as well.

delicious.