Monday Martha Moment : Halfway There!

Oven Roast Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Apple Pie

This week marks the official halfway point of my Michelle & Martha journey, 10 recipes down, 10 to go! I can’t believe how quickly it’s gone by.

For the halfway mark, I tackled a full meal: roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and apple pie.

I started with the pie dough, which to my surprise was is its own recipe separate from the actual pie. However, it was simple to make and probably my favorite part of the whole dessert. While the dough chilled in the fridge, I moved on to the mashed potatoes and prepped the chicken. The potatoes took their time to boil, but once I mixed in milk, butter, salt, and pepper, they came together perfectly smooth, flavorful, and easily my favorite part of the meal.

For the chicken, I pulled out my big roasting pan, the one that usually only makes an appearance on Thanksgiving. Preparing the chicken it was just a few quick steps, and then it was all about waiting while it roasted. Once it was done, I followed Martha’s suggestion and made gravy from the pan drippings. It was rich, full of flavor, and tied everything together beautifully.

The chicken itself was really good, but honestly, it reminded me of a store bought rotisserie chicken from Costco. Tasty and comforting, but also something I could grab for a fraction of the time and cost. Still, there was something special about making a traditional, home cooked meal from scratch. I would make this again but only for special occasions.

The apple pie was, without a doubt, the biggest project. I don’t own an apple peeler, so I hand-peeled twelve apples with a potato peeler. Between peeling, coring, and slicing, it took me about an hour. Once the apples were ready and the crust had chilled, the assembly was straightforward. The real standout, though, was the crust. Buttery, flaky, and absolutely delicious. The filling was just okay, next time I’d love to try a different recipe for the filling while keeping this same crust.

All in all, it was a busy, challenging day to get three recipes going at once, but I managed thanks to my husband holding the baby and Paw Patrol keeping our four year old entertained. And just like that, I’ve reached the halfway point! I can’t believe it’s already September and fall is just around the corner, my favorite time of year. Perfect season for cozy meals and more Martha recipes.

Here’s an update on where I’m at and what’s left on the list:

Completed Recipes

✅Basic Pancakes

✅Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

✅One-Pan Pasta

✅Vanilla Pound Cake

✅Breaded Chicken Breast

✅Perfect Roast Chicken

✅Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

✅Perfect Mashed Potatoes

✅Apple Pie

✅Simple Vinaigrette

Pending Recipes

Macaroni and Cheese

Pierogis

Homemade Pasta

Tortilla Soup

Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage

Classic Cream Puffs

The Best Banana Bread

French Martini

Classic Cheesecake

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Stay tuned for next week’s update, and the rest of September as I wrap up this series!