How To Make Friends and Influence Grad Students

So for the past month I've been cooking for me, just little ole me, and sometimes Meagan, and sometimes there is banana bread and/or cookies that I try to pawn off on workshop members. But no real big meal, what with the food pyramid and the dessert baking. So last night, there were invitations. There was chicken and smashed garlic potatoes. There was the amazingness of Paula Dean's French Coconut Pie (yeah, I know I posted that one before, but it's a reminder. So easy, so tasty!). Want to impress impoverished grad students? You too can be a culinary master. Just follow these easy steps for making a delicious dinner for five:

Terrifyingly Easy Crock-Pot Chicken

1 whole fryer (chicken), approx 3 pounds
1 head of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tbp paprika
1 tsp parsley
3 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Remove weird internal organs from chicken. Throw away ('cause they're gross). Put whole chicken into crock pot. Season. Turn on low for eight hours. Eat.

Garlic Smashed Potatoes

2 1/2 lbs potatoes (doesn't matter what kind), scrubbed and cubed (not peeled!)
1/2 head of garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 red onion, cubed
1/2 cup half & half
3 tbp butter
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until tender. In the meanwhile, put red onion, garlic, half & half, and butter into food processor. Blend until finely chopped. Transfer to mixing bowl. When potatoes are done, transfer them into the food processor (this'll probably have to be done in batches). Pulse until you've reached the consistancy you prefer, adding cooking liquid as necessary. Stir garlic-onion mixture with potato mixture. Stir in parlsey and salt and pepper. Serve.

Grilled Zucchini with Mint

3 large zucchini, sliced 1 inch thick
1/2 cup mint, finely chopped
1 tbp olive oil
8 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 tsp marjoram
salt and pepper to taste

Grill zucchini (sauteing over the stove or roasting is also probably fine) until browned on both sides. Toss with remaining ingredients. Serve warm.

Make said French Coconut Pie. Bask in the food love of friends!


In other news:

Scallops with Capers and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Fucking amazing. Go light on the sun-dried tomatoes though. They can be over oily.

Mushroom-Smothered Kale: Good, but not great. Need better mushrooms maybe? I just used portobello and buttons.