Orange Rosemary Chicken

Last year I went on holiday (there's something a little high brow about using that term instead of regular ol' "vacation") to Ft. Lauderdale. It was my first time to southern Florida and I LOVED it!! The beaches were perfect, the Everglades were fascinating, and the food was fantabulous! My goal while I was there was to eat seafood for every meal, excluding breakfast. It's the only vacation that I lost weight on!!

Anyhoo, I pick up cookbooks from every place I travel to and The Florida Cookbook was the best one I saw while there. This cookbook has recipes from all six regions of Florida and explains the history and facts of these regions. Did you know that Old Sour (lime juice and salt) is the most used seasoning in the Keys and that hushpuppies were "invented" in Tallahassee? Me neither, until I read this cookbook.

Rosemary is my favorite herb and I'm always drawn to recipes that include it. This is a great chicken recipe that combines citrus refreshment and this flavorful herb. The recipe wants you to marinade and grill the chicken, but due to lack of time for marinading, I baked the chicken with the marinade. Muy delicioso!

ORANGE ROSEMARY CHICKEN

• Juice of 1 medium orange (1/4 - 1/2 cup)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime (1-2 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp dried
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 2-3 whole chicken breasts, boned
• Salt to taste

Combine the citrus juices, oil, rosemary, and pepper. Beat together until blended. Cut the chicken breasts in halves and place in self-sealing bag. Add the marinade, mix well, seal the bag, and refrigerate at least 2 hours. **At this point, I put all of this in a baking dish and baked for 40 minutes at 350, or until the inside was no longer pink.

To cook, drain the chicken and place on the grill. Grill until browned for 20 minutes. When brown, the chicken should be golden brown on both sides and the juices should run clear when the meat is slit with a small knife. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve hot or cold.