New School Year, Day 3

School seems to be getting off to a great start for the kids! My son is very excited to be in a school where he changes classes and get a locker with a combinationlock on it. He seems to have no trouble getting into it, so I konw that boosts his feeling of getting older. He likes all his teachers, finds their rules and rewards systems fair, and even says the food isn't too bad. Wow, he has grown up! His teachers give tickets as rewards, then the children can redeem the tickets for various treats or privileges. One privilege for which my son is aiming is getting a Dr. Pepper to drink in class. (Dr. Pepper is probably the most popular soft drink in North Texas, seeing as it was invented very near where we live. You are more likely to see a Dr. Pepper vending machine than a Coke or Pepsi one.)

My daughter's schedule had to change a bit as she was in the wrong choir class (regular Choir rather than Honors). Basically the difference is the commitment to practices before and after school on the part of the student... and parents. And the songs vary. She went early this morning for her second try-out to make the volleyball team. I really hope she makes it; she seem to really like volleyball and the physical activity is so good for her.

Speaking of physical activity, I feel like I have the stamina of a kitten! I'm able to swim 12 laps, but just barely. My legs are aching and I can barely climb the steps to get out of the pool. I was up to 24 when school let out in June! It's amazing how quickly your body gets lazy. But it's a good feeling, nonetheless. I still chuckle thinking about doing 3½ laps when I first started swimming after surgery, and liked to have passed out from lack of oxygen. My entire body was screaming "NOOOOOOOOO!" The lap lanes at my pool are still jammed up. I guess everyone thinks they are Michael Phelps these days. I'm looking into joining the Natatorium owned by the School District here; the price is about the same, and they have 35 or so lanes. There is no work-out gear and no outdoor pool, but I don't use the work-out equipment anyway, and the kids were reticent to utilize the outdoor pool this summer. So maybe it's time for a change.

I found whole chickens for 88 cents a pound. (note to self: you have turned into one of those women who fret over meat prices) So I got 2 of them and will roast them tonight. I'll pick the meat off of one to use in recipes or for sandwiches or chicken salad, and we'll eat the other one for supper. One of the best, basic roasted chicken recipes is below. I usually do not keep fennel, so I just skip it. I do shove either fresh thyme or rosemary into the cavity, since I have both growing fresh right now. I also like to toss some quartered new potatoes into the roasting pan the last 40 min or so of cooking. Another great thing to toss under the chicken are large croutons, made from stale sourdough or French bread. Mama-mia, those things suck up all that flavor and get roasted to a beautiful golden brown. I'm not sure which I like better, the chicken or the croutons w/ chicken juices cooked into them!

Perfect Roast Chicken
1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges (optional)Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken so they don't burn. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1½ hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

--Ina Garten