CHICKEN ON A CAN

Season with roasted garlic, or garlic salt, Tangerines, and Rosemary. Then grab a can of Lila Rose, mimosa, beer, or any other wine or beer in a can - open the can and stick the chicken on it. You can also use a vertical roaster to assist. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes at 375 - this was a 3 pounder / more time needed the bigger the bird. I recommend using a thermometer to get it to the check the temperature. I get my organic chickens from Belcampo. When it comes to serving, I love using these dinner plates - enjoy! 

National Margarita Day

If you're like me, you probably don't need an excuse to lift a celebratory sneeky. Still, even this classic margarita gets its own holiday. So Happy National Margarita Day! I'm serving up these refreshing Clementine Margaritas on this beautiful California day. Cheers!

Clementine Margarita

2 oz. Tequila 2 oz. Clementine juice (You can also use orange or grapefruit. Whatever is in season) 1 Freshly squeezed lime 1/2 oz. Cointreau

Shake, shake, shake. Pour over ice. Adorn with a clementine slice and sprig of rosemary.

Lulu's Apple Tart

For one 8 inch crust: 1 cup all purpose flour 1 stick butter 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 1 tsp chopped rosemary

Filling: 5 medium apples, peeled and chopped ¼ cup fresh lemon juice ½ cup apricot jam 4 tablespoons of butter (1/2 stick) 1/8 cup rum 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

To make the crust, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, butter, sugar and rosemary. Pulse 8 times until combined then run processor for 30 seconds, until a ball of dough forms. Press dough into the sides of an 8-inch tart pan. Prick bottom of the crust with a fork and bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Put all of the filling ingredients in a pan and cook on medium heat until the apples start to resemble applesauce. About 15 minutes. Put filling into your baked tart crust and bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. It is great served with vanilla bean ice cream or cinnamon whipped cream.

Tip 1: you can slice up an extra apple to put on the top of the tart after cooking for 20 minutes. Pull it out of the oven and arrange on top. Put it back in the oven for the remaining 20 minutes. It just makes it look pretty.

Tip 2: When my husband and I were shooting this picture he wanted me to put a little glaze on top to make it look “prettier”. I took out the apricot jam from the fridge and put a spoonful in a small skillet with a spoonful of water and stirred on low until it was mixed together. I strained it through a tea strainer and then brushed it on top of the tart. It really will make your tart look beautiful.

Tip 3: Another way to keep apples from turning brown besides lemon juice is to mix them with 7up, drain and your good to go. The 7 up trick I learned from my chef friend Lisa Masuda.

Tip 4: Red and green apples sliced up look great in a bowl on a cheese board. Use tips above when you do this.

Lulu's ROSEMARY POPCORN

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 12 cups hot plain popcorn. Salt and pepper to taste. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add rosemary. Drizzle butter mixture over hot popcorn in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat.

Tips:

This is a great snack and its super easy to make. You can add whatever you have on hand from old bay seasoning to truffle oil. I personally love adding 2 tablespoons of truffle oil to this recipe but the options are endless, you be the chef! It also acts as a quick and delicious snack for when company stops by. Keep a box of microwaveable popcorn on hand, its a great pantry staple. You can display it on the counter in vases, wax paper bags, or even just a simple bowl!