Hello and happy Sunday everyone.

Welcome back.

Y’all digging the March Madness?

I was gonna do this whole thing about the colleges in San Diego and how to tell them apart from a former SD residents point of view and it was going to tie into the March Madness and everything but then SDSU and UCSD fucked that whole thing up so nevermind.

Punchline was gonna be that UCSD is the college campus that you always accidentally get stuck driving through whenever you visit La Jolla and now that I think about it that’s not actually funny as much as true so..

Forgot where I was going with this bit.

Anyway.

I’m sure you’ll be watching the hoopsball and commenting here later and that’s totally cool and an annual tradition so I gets it.

Food first though goddammit!

Need a full belly if you plan on drinking and watching games all day.

Last week we featured one of the easiest recipes ever given out on this here Sunday Gravy thing and you know what?

It fucking RULED.

My brain started telling me that every single episode I feature here doesn’t have to be some 3 day prep, exotically spiced, 7 different kitchen toys needed to make kind of dish. We can make the easy shit too.

Why the fuck not?

Shit man, after eleven years I’ve earned some motherfucking leeway. 

What’s been the real icing on the cream filled Ding Dong though is some of these 3-4 ingredient meals have been dynamite. I didn’t need to break my ass for it and they were still goddamn delicious.

Yes! Let’s try a few more of these easy motherfuckers.

Three Ingredient Dish alert!

So let’s talk about the “Hamptons Divas” for a bit. We are featuring a dish from Ina Garten after all.

If you’ve watched the Food Network for any length of time, I’m sure you’ve seen The Barefoot Contessa. It’s a well produced, some might even say “soothing” cooking show where Ina gets to show off her bougie-ass digs, feed her friends and her husband Jeffrey and you have to accept that full on “I’m doing this in the Hamptons” vibe because people?

Girl can fucking COOK!

Hell, her recipe was the inspiration for episode 1 of this fucking year just a month or so ago when we did Lobster mac and cheese!

Martha Stewart too, I ain’t gonna lie. I use their recipes all the goddamn time.

My pastry dough recipe?

Martha Stewart. I’m not ashamed of that or nothing. If a person knows how to cook and gives out well constructed recipes that work?

Shit, they could be Charlie fucking Manson and I’d use their recipes.

Fortunately, neither Ina or Martha have been accused of mass murder… have they?

Yes, Martha did some “time” in a luxury correctional facility for insider training but did it permanently knock her off her motherfucking high horse?

It most certainly did NOT. Shit man, 2 years ago she was a goddamn Sports Illustrated swimsuit model.

I did not see that issue just for the record and that was very much on purpose.

In real life the two were, at one time, real close friends who lived pretty close to each other on their estates that had been bought and paid for by food and a whole lot of hard ass work.

I guess they’re a little chilly to each other now, fuck me if I keep up on that shit but Martha said Ina didn’t call her when she was in the pokey and Ina just said Martha hadn’t called her either.

Those two are both too fucking rich and famous to feel much angst over. Again they both earned it and they both have killer recipes. Approachable recipes just like the one we’re featuring here today.

Basil chicken with herbed goat cheese.

Go ahead and guess the fucking ingredients.

Yep. Chicken (skin on), basil and herbed goat cheese.

Well, there is a little olive oil and salt and pepper too but you get the gist.

As an added bonus, look what I made with the extra basil!

Pesto!

We’ve made pesto a shitload of times and the recipe is in that link if you feel compelled.

That pesto shit will be showing up here in a few weeks I can promise you that. I ain’t wasting a perfectly good batch of pesto without making something with it.

For some goddamn reason Ralphs only had an industrial vat of basil instead of a small bunch but that don’t confront me too damn much cuz we got the pesto out of the deal.

Since I absolutely got the menu inspiration from her, let’s go ahead and give the “Contessa” her propers.

Here’s the link, 

It’s earned. 

Preheat your oven to 375 and let’s get busy!

Since we’re making a chicken dish we will be needing…

Some goddamn motherfucking chicken.

Original recipe calls for boneless skin-on chicken breast, like you’ll be able to just fucking find that anywhere. In fact it was a fucking pain in the ass trying to find bone-in skin-on chicken breasts. I didn’t, which is why we’re going bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. That ain’t a fucking hardship either because thighs are just that much tastier than chicken breasts.

The store had this huge selection of boneless skinless breasts and not a bone-in much less skin-on breast to be found.

There’s some lazy-ass motherfuckers out there who are pretending they know how to cook that are making the stores do this shit to us. I get it. If shit doesn’t sell you don’t stock it but goddamn not even one package of skin-on breasts?

Shit.

Since this dish is so spectacularly fucking easy to make what say we step up our side dish game yet again.

You should recognize this one. 

That’s right! Fondant potatoes which we also made just last year. That photo is from that very menu.

Here, I’ll steal my own shit again to give you the ingredients.

Fondant potatoes!

“2-4 large floury potatoes, peeled. Russet potatoes are perfect for this

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – divided

3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes

6 thyme sprigs (sub 1/2 tsp dried thyme)

1 cup chicken stock / broth, low sodium (or vegetable)”

It starts by peeling a couple of tubers.

Then we’re going to cube up the three tablespoons of butter.

Next we shape and cut. Remember how we used a small gauge biscuit cutter to cut these? Same and same again today.

Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and set aside for now.

Let’s get back to work on our chicken dish.

Let’s discuss this next ingredient.

Give me your takes on goat cheese in the comments. You already know how I feel about it.

LOVE IT!

It definitely takes some experimentation and a whole lot of getting used to but just give it time.

I found a goat cheese that had blueberries mixed in and a little honey drizzle on top and that was special.

On it’s own a basic goat cheese can be a little too funky and sour at first but try a few types and you’ll find the sweet spot. Like today’s garlic, herb, goat cheese for example. This is a beauty.

When you use it like we will in today’s dish it’s spectacular. One nice thing about baking it like we are, the goat cheese doesn’t completely break down and it manages to maintain it’s structural integrity which I really like. Plus it’s not greasy when it’s cooked either. It is fucking famous in this dish today and you’re going to have to trust me on that shit.

If it helps, I WILL make this again. It’s delicious.

Take the chicken out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.

Then we are going to loosen the skin along the meaty side and add a basil leaf or two just under the skin.

A chunk or two of the goat cheese gets added next.

Pull the skin back over and make a tidy little chicken package.

I think you get the idea. Prepare all of the chicken pieces the same way.

Give a small pour of olive oil on to each piece and rub in some salt and pepper to taste. Be sure to coat all sides.

Then into the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes. The basil on top of the piece in the lower left was just a quick bit of experimentation. Never know what might work.

I did know that I was more comfortable using a disposable baking pan than my regular glass baking dish. 

Get those potatoes started. Break out the cast iron and in goes the olive oil. When the pan is ready to party add in the potatoes.

Five minutes then flip.

Add the butter and the thyme and the stock to the potatoes.

These will then go in the oven, same temp as the chicken, skillet and all for 30 minutes.

Adjust your timing so the potatoes are done right after the chicken has had its beauty rest.

Chicken should be about done.

Holy shit. I would eat the FUCK out of that

Wrap in foil and let rest while the potatoes finish cooking. The chicken should rest for 10 minutes at least.

Get the potatoes out of the oven.

Let’s fucking eat already.

Here’s a good look at the chicken.

Awesome.

Plate it up already.

Now we’re talking.

Spectacular. Every element boosts the other elements and the balance is perfect. This is goddamn delicious and you know what?

This eats like something that took hours to prepare. Hell yes, this is a great “Company’s coming” menu item.

Dazzle your friends and family and brag on about your cooking skills. Go ahead. Hell, I’m doing it right now!

A keeper and as easy as can be to make. Do this one folks!

To try and keep everyone upbeat and positive in this idiot current world we live in, here are today’s “fun” holidays courtesy of A Bit of Good News:

“March 23 is World Meteorological Day, National Puppy Day, National Tamale Day, Chip and Dip Day, Melba Toast Day, Ravenclaw Pride Day and Walk in the Sand Day.”

Tell me you don’t want a tamale now.

Now get out there and watch some Madness! I’ll forgive you if you order delivery. That’s cool.

Until next week, folks.