Easy Summer Recipes - Budget Meal Planning For July

By Fiona Lesley

We all need easy summer recipes, ideally ones that don't require us to spend ages in the kitchen. My favorite easy summer recipes are those that provide leftover meals. Here is a "taster" from July Budget Meal Planning:

This rotisserie chicken rub recipe is ideal on an oven baked whole chicken, a rotisserie chicken or it can be used to produce the easiest of spicy grilled chicken recipes - it is versatile.

You can either thread the chickens onto a rotisserie iron or oven roast them according to the instructions below.

The recipe below is for two chickens. Use one for this meal and the second bird will make a chicken leftover meal by way of a Sesame Chicken recipe, Chicken Curry, Chicken Salad Sandwich or Caesar Salad.

• Easy
• Preparation time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 1¼ - 1½ hours
• Serves: 4 - 6 at 2 separate meals

Ingredients:

• 2 x whole chickens (giblets removed) each weighing about 4lbs / 1.8kg

Rub Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon garlic flakes
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
2. Wash and pat dry the chickens. Sit them both in the same baking tray, breast side up.
3. Mix together the rub ingredients. Massage the rub into the skins of the chickens, ensuring that you rub the underneath of the chicken and in between the joints.
4. You can either thread the chickens onto a rotisserie iron and cook according to the instructions of your oven or you can oven roast them. In this case, roast the chickens for about 1¼ hours, basting every 15 minutes. Slit the joint between the thigh and the breast. If the liquid runs out clear, then the chicken is cooked. If there is any evidence of blood or pinkish liquid, cook a little longer.
5. Once the chickens have cooked, remove them from the pan and allow to "rest" for about 10 minutes. You can cover them with foil or a cloth. This allows the meat to reabsorb the juices instead of their running out as soon as you carve.

July Meal Planning is currently available. The meal plan includes summer dessert recipes, summer picnic recipes and healthy breakfast recipes. Save time, money and your sanity!

About the Author

Fiona Lesley has had over 20 years of experience cooking delicious meals for family and friends alike. A teacher by profession, she brings together her years of time and money-saving tips at www.easy-meal-planning.com