Shop Cheap

We ordered up recipes for chicken, bananas and apples because they are such bargains this week. And chief recipe researcher in the Shop Cheap kitchen, Sheila Kern, came through. Enjoy!

Herbed Roasted Chicken

From www.southernfood.about.com

Ingredients

1 roasting chicken, about 4 to 5 pounds

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1 small onion, peeled and quartered

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme

2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley

4 tablespoons melted butter

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Rub inside of chicken with lemon juice; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the onion quarters, dried herbs, and parsley to chicken cavity. Place chicken in a shallow roasting pan and roast at 350° for about 20 minutes per pound. Baste with melted butter several times. Internal temperature should register about 165° on a meat thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh.

Banana Bread

From www.thepioneerwoman.com

Ingredients

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened

1 1/2 cups PLUS 2 tablespoons sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe (overripe is good, too) bananas

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour bundt pan.

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, beating for a few seconds after each addition. Add mashed bananas and beat.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Add dry ingredients and sour cream alternately to the mixing bowl. Beat well until all combined.

Pour into bundt pan and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Invert on a cooling rack and allow cake to cool slightly before slicing and serving with softened butter.

Apple-Berry Crisp

From www.bestapples.com

Serves 8

Ingredients

5 Golden Delicious or Rome Beauty apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, blueberries, cranberries or raspberries

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/3 cup unsifted all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup quick rolled oats

Directions

Heat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish. In large bowl, combine apples, berries, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; toss to blend. Place apple-berry mixture in prepared dish.

In medium-sized bowl, combine flour, salt, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. With pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly; stir in oats. Sprinkle mixture over apples and bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is crisp and golden.

Note:

If using cranberries here, add two tablespoons more brown sugar to apple-berry mixture, since cranberries are especially tart.