Roasted Chicken with Apples & Shallots

The Truth about Fairies

Fairies exist. I know this because I have four children who have lost SEVENTY teeth and we are still counting. I finally gave the Tooth Fairy the alarm code and admonished her to keep her shenanigans to a dull roar.

I am certain; however, magical, winged pixies exist because I have a personal Flower Fairy. She’s a seasonal fairy with an eye for beauty and a generous heart. Every so often the Flower Fairy gathers a simple bouquet of blossoms and blooms, arranges them artfully in a white iron pitcher, and flutters away leaving the surprise on the turquoise table.

The Flower Fairy is quiet fond of poinsettias, tulips, yellow daffodils, and sunflowers. She’s a very practical fairy—sometimes her floral arrangement are of the plastic variety to ensure the deer in the neighborhood don’t greedily deadhead the blooms.

Neighbors often remark on the cheery arrangements. Last Christmas, a neighbor I never met pulled her car over, rolled down her window, and inquired if I had purchased my poinsettias at our HEB grocery store. She couldn’t believe the poinsettias were fake and got out of her car to run her fingers over the soft, red petals. We chatted for 20 minutes at the turquoise table and I have a hunch she drove away and headed straight to the craft store in search of her own fake poinsettias.

I love my Flower Fairy whomever she may be.

Scandal in the Neighborhood

Sadly, in the realm of fairies there are also thieves. One balmy night in August—on the eve of my birthday, no less—someone snatched my white, iron pitcher right off the turquoise table. The burglar dumped the murky brown water and two sunflowers under the magnolia tree before making off with my make-shift vase. I should have reported the crime, but hate to bother our law enforcement officials with the pettiness of my Flower Fairy’s gift gone missing. Although it makes me sad someone would pull a silly prank like that. . . I would have given the thieves the old Ikea vase if they had promised to put it to good use.

The Taste of Fall

Summer kept rolling along and every day I thought: I really need to put a vase back on the turquoise table. But, life is busy and the kids started school and blah… blah… blah…

Well, today is the day. It’s the first day of fall—there’s even a chill in the central Texas air that comes when the humidity takes a much needed hike. Thinking about being outside at the turquoise table without sweltering makes me happy. So I gathered up a bunch of flowers I picked up at the grocery store this weekend, arranged them as best I could without the assistance of my Flower Fairy, and put them outside on the table where I’ve been chatting with neighbors all morning.

What do you think—will my Flower Fairy return? I sure hope so.

In the meantime, I’m sharing a delicious fall recipe from my dear friend Julie. I can’t wait to taste the first bites of fall with apples and sweet potatoes. Hope y’all enjoy, too.

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Roasted Chicken with Apples & Shallots

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

A yummy savory and sweet supper to welcome the first signs of Fall.

Author: Kristin Schell

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on
• 3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, toss apples, onions, and sweet potatoes with half of the olive oil. Transfer mixture to a large roasting pan.
3. Arrange the chicken, skin side up, in the pan on top of the apple mixture. Drizzle the chicken with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and sage.
4. Roast for 40 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked.
5. Spoon the apples, onions, and sweet potatoes onto each plate and top with a chicken breast.

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