Al Roker and Courtney Roker Laga brought a recipe…for chaos!
ANYTIME CHICKEN THIGHS:
PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 2 teaspoons canola
Confession: I eat these chicken thighs once a week, but I almost didn’t include this recipe in the book because it’s just so simple. But last night as I was digging into the satisfying piece of chicken, juicy, flavorful, and with the crispiest skin, I thought, I am so content right now, and I knew I had to include it. The chicken practically prepares itself. All it needs is salt and pepper, a hot pan, and a good sear. The leftover fat in the pan makes its own gravy. If you want to be really kind to yourself, toss some baby spinach in that liquid gold while it’s still in the pan. You’ll be glad you did.
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Toss the chicken with the salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning in a large bowl until evenly coated.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, skin side down, and cook undisturbed for about 10 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. Flip the chicken, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook for about 8 minutes, until browned on the other side and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Serve right away.
CLASSIC WEDGE SALAD
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 5 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
- 1 cup crumbled Stilton cheese, plus more for topping
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
SALAD
- 4 slices uncured bacon
- 1 medium head iceberg lettuce, cored and cut into quarters
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
- Freshly ground black pepper
What would your last meal be? I’m always a little puzzled when people need to pause when this question comes up. Really? You don’t know? I’d go with the traditional steak house dinner, and the wedge salad would be the opening number for that spectacular meal. (Additional acts would include a 3-inch-thick T-bone, creamed spinach, and steak fries, with an apple crumble for the finale.) Leave it to a steakhouse to invent a great salad. Iceberg lettuce is crisp and fairly sturdy, which means it can hold up hearty ingredients like bacon, blue cheese dressing, and fresh tomatoes.
This salad is on the old-school side, but it has stuck around for good reason. There’s no need to wait for your last meal to enjoy it.
FOR THE DRESSING: Combine the crumbled cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, garlic powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well, using the back of a spoon to press the cheese into the mixture. (This dressing yields about 2 cups; leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.)
FOR THE SALAD: Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning halfway through, for about 5 minutes, until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then chop.
Place each quartered iceberg wedge on a serving plate.
Generously top each wedge with some of the blue cheese dressing, cherry tomatoes, chopped bacon, and chives. Season with pepper, top with more crumbled cheese, and serve.
BASIL-WATERMELON LEMONADE
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES. PLUS 30 MINUTES TO CHILL • COOK TIME: 5 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup Simple Syrup (page 207)
- ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves, plus small sprigs for serving
- 3 cups cold water
- 1 pound seedless watermelon, cubed (about 3 cups)
- ½ cup lemon juice
- Ice cubes
This is your all-American summer beverage, but with a couple of exciting additions. And before you get second thoughts about digging out your blender from the back of the cabinet, know this: it is worth it! A few blitzes with that blender and you won’t just have a delicious beverage; you’ll have a cooling solution that will fix you right up on the hottest and most humid days of summer.
Combine the simple syrup and basil in a small saucepan and heat to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let the basil leaves sit in the syrup for about 5 minutes. Fish out and discard the leaves and let the syrup cool for 5 minutes.
Transfer the cooled syrup to a blender, add the cold water, watermelon, and lemon juice, and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. Pour into tall glasses over ice, garnish with basil sprigs, and serve.
SIMPLE SYRUP
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is syrupy, about 10 minutes. Cool and transfer to a container with a lid.
The syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
