Tonight we had book club and this may have been our best one yet. We did not read a designated book and instead, we spent time together catching up. Our small group of five had enough exciting life happenings that no book was needed.

Our club has twenty members, but five was the perfect size for our first get together. One friend is traveling to Finland, Scotland, and the UK to travel the world on her bike. Another is about to have a baby (I’ve known her since high school). One sorority sister is joining the other on the UK portion of the international bike-a-thon. And last but not least, my amazing partner in crime, LP, is as fabulous as ever and helped me host.

I chose the following chicken and cobbler recipes since I had to travel for work today and I knew I needed to do as much as possible the night before.

The honey mustard marinade made the chicken tender and I put it in a Ziploc the night before. The cobbler was so easy; I baked it the night before and then re-heated it in the oven as soon as the chicken was done. I served the cobbler in ramekins and topped each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Roasted new potatoes, a baguette, and a side salad rounded out the meal.

HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN

Recipe via CHOW

• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
• 2 (3- to 3-1/2-pound) chickens, cut into 8 pieces

Preheat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place the mustard, honey, oil, salt, garlic, and parsley in a medium bowl and whisk until evenly mixed. Pour over the chicken and turn the pieces to evenly coat.

Place the chicken skin-side down in a large casserole or 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Bake, turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

INA’S PEACH AND RASPBERRY CRUMBLE

Recipe via Ina Garten 

10 to 12 large peaches
1 orange, zested
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups plus 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pint raspberries
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 10 by 15 inch oval baking dish.

Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then place them in a cold water bath.

Peel the peaches and slice them into thick wedges and place them into a large bowl. Add the orange zest, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the raspberries.

Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid, add 1 more tablespoon of flour. Pour the peaches into the baking dish and gently smooth the top.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, salt, oatmeal, and the cold, diced butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

Mix on low speed until the butter is pea-sized and the mixture is crumbly.

Sprinkle evenly on top of the peaches and raspberries. Bake for 1 hour, until the top is browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly.

Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator and reheat in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until warm. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Xx, Libby