I'm sure each and every one of my Delicious! readers will relate to the line: "Man plans...and G-d laughs.' If you had told me a couple of weeks ago that the dull ache I chose to ignore in my leg would lead to agonizing pain that temporarily resulted in virtual paralysis, I'd have instructed you to stay out of the sun and drink lots of water to avoid further delusions.
You'll know though from my daughter's urgent message postponing classes that this is exactly what happened and I've learned the hard way that you can never take your good health for granted.
I'd like to say a group thank you to the many, many readers who wrote to wish me well and offer me enough names and contact numbers for back specialists to open my own private clinic. I managed to read each and every one of your letters - and have saved recommended names for future reference - but replying to every letter individually would probably put me back in bed!
Some good certainly came of my ill health as it meant I got to see my wonderful mother who dropped everything to get on the first plane to come and take up the reins at home. I was also very well nursed by my boyfriend Darren and his parents Irene and Barry who made aliyah from Manchester just days before my attack not knowing that their first job would be running their own hospital ward.
I declined Irene's offer of chicken soup - I have to admit that Jewish penicillin has never appealed - but she managed to tempt me with her fabulous roast chicken which was roasted to perfection and fragranced with fresh rosemary from the garden. This reminded me that I'd never shared my favorite roast chicken recipe with you and so now seemed an appropriate time to do so.
CHICKEN (NOT SOUP) FOR THE SOUL
1 large chicken
1 1/2 tablespoons canola/sunflower oil
1 1/2 tablespoons butter-flavored margarine
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme, basil and oregano
1 tablespoon Soya sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sprig fresh rosemary
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
HERBED RICE STUFFING
1 cup cooked rice
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Pinch salt
1/3 cup chopped toasted pecan nuts, walnuts or brazil nuts
2 tablespoons reserved herbed oil mixture (see instructions)
1: Heat the oil and margarine till just melted then add garlic, grated onion, dried herbs and Soya sauce and mix well.
2:Wash and dry your chicken and combine stuffing ingredients - including 2 tablespoons of herbed oil mixture - then stuff cavity of chicken well.
3: Season chicken with salt and pepper and brush over remaining herbed oil mixture to lightly coat the whole chicken.
4: Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, add rosemary and stock/water to the pan and roast at 160 for 2 hours till golden adding more water/stock to the pan when necessary.
5: Make a gravy from the juices and serve with roast potatoes and vegetables.
COOK'S NOTES: Choose a large chicken to accommodate the herbed rice stuffing which is absolutely delicious!
You'll know though from my daughter's urgent message postponing classes that this is exactly what happened and I've learned the hard way that you can never take your good health for granted.
I'd like to say a group thank you to the many, many readers who wrote to wish me well and offer me enough names and contact numbers for back specialists to open my own private clinic. I managed to read each and every one of your letters - and have saved recommended names for future reference - but replying to every letter individually would probably put me back in bed!
Some good certainly came of my ill health as it meant I got to see my wonderful mother who dropped everything to get on the first plane to come and take up the reins at home. I was also very well nursed by my boyfriend Darren and his parents Irene and Barry who made aliyah from Manchester just days before my attack not knowing that their first job would be running their own hospital ward.
I declined Irene's offer of chicken soup - I have to admit that Jewish penicillin has never appealed - but she managed to tempt me with her fabulous roast chicken which was roasted to perfection and fragranced with fresh rosemary from the garden. This reminded me that I'd never shared my favorite roast chicken recipe with you and so now seemed an appropriate time to do so.
CHICKEN (NOT SOUP) FOR THE SOUL
1 large chicken
1 1/2 tablespoons canola/sunflower oil
1 1/2 tablespoons butter-flavored margarine
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme, basil and oregano
1 tablespoon Soya sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sprig fresh rosemary
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
HERBED RICE STUFFING
1 cup cooked rice
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Pinch salt
1/3 cup chopped toasted pecan nuts, walnuts or brazil nuts
2 tablespoons reserved herbed oil mixture (see instructions)
1: Heat the oil and margarine till just melted then add garlic, grated onion, dried herbs and Soya sauce and mix well.
2:Wash and dry your chicken and combine stuffing ingredients - including 2 tablespoons of herbed oil mixture - then stuff cavity of chicken well.
3: Season chicken with salt and pepper and brush over remaining herbed oil mixture to lightly coat the whole chicken.
4: Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, add rosemary and stock/water to the pan and roast at 160 for 2 hours till golden adding more water/stock to the pan when necessary.
5: Make a gravy from the juices and serve with roast potatoes and vegetables.
COOK'S NOTES: Choose a large chicken to accommodate the herbed rice stuffing which is absolutely delicious!