1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
10 threads saffron
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken stock

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil, onion, garlic and saffron, sautéing until tender.
2. Stir in the white rice, then pour in the chicken stock.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover, cooking until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Fluff rice with a fork and serve.

Makes 4 servings

2 chicken quarters, skin on
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lift the skin away from the meat and fill with cilantro, parsley and scallions.
3. Rub the chicken quarters with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer chicken quarters to a baking sheet and bake until skin is crispy and meat is cooked through to the center, about 20-25 minutes.

Makes 2 servings

One thing we were amazed by when we first visited here, and again now that we're actually living here, is the price of produce. Things that would cost a fortune back in Grande Prairie, or were completely inaccessible, are affordable here. For example, I picked up some saffron today. I got a gram for .50, whereas a few threads would be about back home. Of course, I haven't a clue what to do with it, but I decided to make Saffron Rice. It wasn't until after the rice was cooked that I realized that the saffron actually had to come in contact with the heat in order to release its yellowness and flavor. So, those few patches of yellow pictured is what the rice should look like. The rice was good, but I remember saffron having a distinctive taste and I didn't really get any of that. Thankfully I still have a lot of it left and can try it out again in the future.

I've really come to rely on the internet for inspiration and am unsure of what to do without it. It's much harder to come up with unique recipes that might actually be edible without some sort of reference. It's also more difficult to make things without being able to verify whether I've made them or not. I can't wait until the computer gets here and the internet is up and running. I made Green Chicken, which is sort of like the Thai Basil Chicken with Noodles I made earlier in the year, but I couldn't put my finger on it at the time. It's fully apparent that I've come full circle on cilantro, since I'll add it to pretty much anything now. This was good, but nothing special really. Since I was starving, chicken and rice really hit the spot and was a nice, cheap meal while we're still trying to stock the fridge and cupboards.