For dinner with friends who were visiting from the city the other week, I decided to do something different than the vintage-y floral look that I usually go for, and set the table with a mix of black-and-white pieces with gold and wood accents. While this is definitely a different style for me - much more graphic and masculine - it still retains that sort of off-kilter, half-rustic half-elegant feel that I'm always going for.
Here's the inspiration:
Hm.
OK, so I think I might have done something wrong here.
It's pretty likely, actually, mostly because while this is a preparation (baked chicken over vegetables) that I do often, I've never ventured into yogurt-marinating territory before. It sounds great; I've just never thought to try it. And so when reader Mary suggested a twist on my Skillet Chicken And Potatoes incorporating a yogurt, lemon juice and garlic marinade, I thought: YES.
Alright, this combo - discovered at an ice cream truck in San Francisco with Morgan - is really good.
And when you serve it to guests they will give you strange looks - ice cream with salt, maybe, but ice cream with salt and olive oil? Weird - and then they will eat it all, because it is amazing.
One caveat: while I'm usually in favor of corner-cutting in terms of ingredient fanciness, this is not the place to break out the bargain-bin ice cream or Costco olive oil. Go for the good stuff (including excellent-quality, large-flake sea salt); it's worth it.
There are two especially great things about this recipe, which is based on one that I spotted in People awhile back (I tore the page out and carried it around in my purse for weeks because it looked so good that I didn't want to forget to make it):
1) It requires about ten minutes of hands-on work and exactly one pot's worth of cleanup, making it great for busy weeknights;
2) It costs about $12 (and easily feeds 4). And that's only if you go for the fancy, organic chicken.
