What's been cooking in your kitchen?

Last week I roasted a chicken.

The result: Utterly delicious. Subtly simple. Very versatile.

The reactions:

Griffin thinks it ranks right up there with his favorite meal; Gorton's Fish Sticks and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

I think...why the H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks haven't I done that before?!?! It was so delicious, easy and inexpensive. The trifecta of a working mom's dinner planning!

So here's how it goes.

Buy yourself a whole chicken. I know, it's a little scary, but you can handle it. I promise. It's funny though how easily we all become boneless, skinless, chicken breast snobs. Isn't it?

Here are the rest of the players in this story:

4 Tbsp of butter
1 lemon
1 bulb of garlic
salt and pepper
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Now, here's how it's done.

Pull out anything stuffed inside the chickens' cavity. You may want to set these items to the side in case you have the urge to throw together a gravy similar to the one you see your grandmother prepare at Thanksgiving, but I tossed mine. Please don't get mad at me for wasting perfectly good chicken parts. But, baby steps. I'm still working to overcome my skinless, boneless, snobbery. Remember?

Wash your chicken inside and out thoroughly and then pat dry. The dryer the better.

Generously season the chicken inside and out.

Slice up a couple tablespoons of butter and slide it under the skin of the chicken. Try to get it as evenly as possible around the chicken. This helps create a nice, brown crispy layer of fattening deliciousness out of the skin.

Slice up the remainder of the butter and shove inside the chickens cavity along with the lemon cut in half.
Then, lop off the top of that bulb of garlic and shove it inside their too.

Room for one more thing? Sure there is. It wouldn't be complete without the rosemary sprigs.

Now, truss the chicken with kitchen twine. What? What's that you say? If you're like me you may better understand the concept if we call it hog-tying. Only it's a chicken. Chicken-tying? Doesn't quite have the same ring, does it? Basically, you get the twine and tie the legs together so it roasts more evenly. But, more formal directions are here.

But, now that you have seen that beautiful process I'll share my little secret. No trussing for my bird. Just shoved its little legs right under its body and it stayed put pretty well. My bird was really small though, so this may be a bit more helpful with larger birds.

Put that bad boy in the oven at 350 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until juices run clear.

The things I loved about this, besides how simple and tasty it turned out, is that it can be so versatile. I mean swap up the seasonings, add some different herbs and you have a totally different chicken. My next experiment is to try and replicate the honey roasted jalapeno one that I have picked up at the grocery store before. I'll keep you posted on how that one turns out.