Post and images by guest blogger, Rebecca White, of A Pleasant Little Kitchen. 

Visit her full blog or find out more about her here. 

Spring is here and Easter is upon us. If an Easter ham is not in your rotation of holiday dining consider another route: roasted chicken.

The beauty of this protein as the main dish is that it's easy to prepare and if done properly can be a work of art.

I like to pick up my chicken from the butcher at Market Street. There’s always a conversation to be had and it’s one I look forward to. When I shop, I like to engage those who work with the food I’m about serve my family.

After our conversation dies down, I select the chicken and the butcher pulls it out of the glass case, wraps it in brown paper and hands it to me with a smile.

The customer service is genuine at Market Street and it makes the grocery shopping experience a happy one--which factors into making the entire cooking experience pleasant.

This menu is inspired by the Easters I grew up with: fried chicken, cucumbers in vinegar, a quick salad with homemade ranch, buttered rolls and family time.

For our family, time with each other was the most important element of our Easter celebration.

There was no set start time, family rolled in as church was let out. No one could change clothes until all pictures were taken in our Easter finest. The goal was to be together and celebrate love.

The air was crisp and always a bit windy on those Sundays. There was nothing like an Easter afternoon spent at my grandparents’ house.  Looking back, I realize how magical it was.

The boundaries of holiday tradition are less rigid in the spring than in the winter---embrace this. An Easter meal should be laid back, one that can be prepared easily and without fuss. This menu is exactly that.

I know that my shopping experience at Market Street will be exactly what I expect. Fresh organic vegetables, organic chicken, local dinner rolls, assortment of quality chocolate and customer service like none other---all of which will make Sunday’s preparation full of quality time with the ones I love.

A Pleasant Little Easter Menu

Iced Tea with Lemons

Cucumbers and Onions in Vinegar

Browned Butter Asparagus

Grits

RoRo Dinn-A-Rolls (available in the freezer section)

Garlic Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken

Fresh Berries and Chocolate

Recipes: 

Cucumbers and Onions in Vinegar

Author note: This recipe is near to my heart. It takes me back to my grandparents table where a bowl of vinegar with cucumbers and onions were a common occurrence.

Ingredients: 

1 hot house cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

6-8 radishes, ends trimmed and thinly sliced

½ of 1 onion, thinly sliced

1 cup white vinegar (I use a blend of white wine and distilled white)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions: 

1) Combine all ingredients into a bowl and let soak one hour before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Browned Butter Asparagus

Author note: This recipe takes about 10 minutes to cook. It’s perfect for a weeknight side dish. I typically chop my vegetables while the butter is browning. This recipe is easily halved for a smaller serving size. Feel free to reduce the amount or omit the red pepper flakes if a spicy flavor is not desired.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 12 ounce bundles of asparagus (ends trimmed), chopped into 1 inch pieces

2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

zest of 2 lemons

Directions:

1) In a medium-sized skillet, brown the butter (melt butter on medium heat, and continue to cook until it’s golden brown), about 4 to 5 minutes.

2) Add the shallots, asparagus, salt and red pepper. Stir well to combine. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the asparagus is cooked to the desired consistency. Stir once or twice.

3) Add the red wine vinegar and reduce for 30 seconds.

4) Remove from the heat, add lemon zest and stir to incorporate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Grits 

Author note: The method of preparation of grits comes from Sean Brock’s cookbook Heritage.  The measurements of salt, lemon juice and butter have been adjusted to my own preference. There is no cheese in these grits, however, white cheddar or gruyere would be an excellent addition.

Ingredients:

2 cups grits

8 cups water

2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

1) Place the grits and water in a large pan. Cover and let sit overnight, or at least up to 6 hours.

2) Skim the surface and remove the hulls and chaff that have floated to the top. Be sure to not disturb the water too much.

3) Pour the grits and its water into a large pan, enough to allow the grits to double in size. Place the pan on the stovetop. Bring to a rapid boil, and stir constantly. Once it boils and water has turned opaque. Cover and remove from the heat. Let rest for 10 minutes.

4) Place the grits back on the stovetop and cook over low heat, stirring frequently. Cook for about an hour, or until the grits are tender.

5) Add salt, lemon juice and butter, stir well.

6) Serve warm

Garlic Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken 

Author note: There are several ways to roast a chicken and many opinions on what is the correct way. This recipe is basic in all ways. There are no tricks or special flavors. I roast a chicken every week using these ingredients because they are reliable and already in my pantry. Please note that extra-virgin olive oil is used to coat the chicken. I choose to use this oil because of my child who has a cow’s milk intolerance. Feel free to use 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter (brought to room temperature) in place of the oil. It will add a tastier and more browned crust. The amount of salt used also varies. Adjust the salt according to how large of a bird you are using. Also, purchase the chicken from the butcher and ask the butcher to remove the insides of the chicken (normally in a little bag) and truss (tie) the legs. This will save you time during the cooking process.

Ingredients:

1 3- to 5-pound whole chicken (pasture-roaming chicken preferred)

2 tablespoons kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper (to your taste)

3-4 rosemary sprigs

2 garlic cloves, halved

3 lemons, halved

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

kitchen thermometer

Directions:

1) Thirty minutes to 1 hour before roasting, remove the chicken from the fridge and begin to bring it to room temperature. Placing a cold chicken into a hot oven will increase the cooking time as well as affect the quality of the end product.

2) Meanwhile, set the oven to 425 degrees.

3) In a small bowl, combine the salt and pepper. Mix well.

4) Remove the insides of the chicken, pat the chicken dry and truss the legs. Place in a cast-iron skillet, Dutch oven or small roasting pan.

5) Pour about 1/2 the salt and pepper combination inside the chicken cavity. Then place the rosemary, 2 garlic halves and 2 lemon halves inside the chicken. Don’t worry if all the pieces do not fit inside the chicken. Each chicken is different as are the garlic cloves and lemons. At least get the rosemary, 1 garlic half and 1 lemon half inside the bird.

6) Scatter the remaining garlic and lemon around the chicken.

7) Pour the oil over the chicken and massage it into the skin. Evenly sprinkle the salt and pepper mixture over the chicken. There may be some left over and that is OK. Again, each chicken is sized differently and may not require as much salt and pepper.

8) Cook the chicken for 55-60 minutes. Place the kitchen thermometer between the chicken leg and breast. If the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees, the chicken is done. If not, place the chicken back in the oven and cook for an additional 5 to 15 minutes depending on its temperature.

9) When the chicken is done, remove from the oven, cover the chicken tightly with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.

10) Break the chicken down and then serve with the pan juices. If you plan on using for later, break the chicken down (removing the bones), place in a glass container and cover with the pan juices. The chicken will keep for about 5 days.

Fresh Berries and Chocolate

Author note: This is one of my favorite ways to end a meal. It requires very little prep time and guests love it. I tend to use a range of dark to semi-sweet chocolate bars. Use seasonal fruit: during the spring and summer I go with berries, during the fall and winter I use apples and oranges.

Ingredients:

assortment of fresh berries, washed

assortment of chocolate bars, broken into medium sized pieces

Directions: 

1) Place the fresh fruit and chocolate onto a platter. For an extra special treat, melt the chocolate and drizzle over the fresh fruit!