Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs and Old Lady Legs

They say that it is very important for a parent to bond with their children, I think that goes without saying and quite obvious, of course all parents and children should have bonding moments.  However, I didn't think that one of my bonding times would be having to wear the same type of knee brace that my daughter has also started in, due to too many floor dives in volleyball and developing tendinitis.

My new daily "accessory".

So there you have it, I now officially have "Old Ladyitis".

Last weekend as I had my knee propped up and icing it while I watched Pioneer Woman, she made these really great chicken legs and since I am a "spicy" kind of lady, I thought it was very timely and very appropriate. So in celebration of great (and not so great) legs, here it is....

Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs

Courtesy of Pioneer Woman

24 whole Chicken Legs

2 sticks Butter

1 Tablespoon Hot Salt (or You Favorite Seasonings)

1/2 cup Lemon Juice (or To Taste)

Melt 2 sticks of butter in a saucepan.  Pour 1/2 cup of lemon juice (fresh or bottled).  Now add your seasonings.  In this case, I used 1 tablespoon of Lawry's Season Salt and a few dashes of cayenne pepper.  Stir it together until combined.

Rinse and pat chicken legs dry.  With metal tongs, transfer them one by one into the butter mixture and place on a baking sheet.  Once all of the chicken legs are coated and on the baking rack, take a pastry brush and give them one last coating of the butter mixture.  Sprinkle them with some more of your seasonings.

Place them into a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes.  If they need a bit more color, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes and watch them closely.  Remove them when they are nice and golden brown.

I served our new legs with a salad version from the South Beach Diet.

Baby Greens with Tiny Tomatoes, Fresh Herbs, and Toasted Pistachios
Adapted from The South Beach Diet "Taste of Summer" Cookbook

1/2 cup shelled pistachios
6 ounces mixed baby greens
1-1/2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
1/4 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry, white wine or champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Toast pistachio nuts either in a saute pan on the cooktop or in a 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes, until golden brown.  Transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop.

In a large bowl, combine greens, tomatoes, cucumber, and basil.  Add oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper; toss to coat.  Divide among salad plates and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.