Roasted Chicken

I supposed I've earned my reputation for not being a good cook. After Beloved Husband retired, we switched jobs -- he took over the kitchen and I stayed in the work force in a job I thoroughly enjoyed. After I retired, why mess up a good thing? Besides, he does those fabulous sheet cakes that everyone at church loves! This coming Saturday he's making several for a reception.

But I really can cook, and I do enjoy trying new recipes. Tonight I tried some new ones: roasted chicken, roasted potates, Waldorf Salad and Apple Cake (thanks, Preacher's wife!!)

This is the first time I've ever roasted a chicken. It wasn't one of my Mom's or his Mom's favorites, so it never was tried. I decided this particular meal would be all new recipes. The chicken was the easiest.

We had a five pound roasting hen. No string or pins, so I used slits in the sides to slip the legs into to hold them. I used salt in the interior with about ten whole garlic cloves and two sprigs of fresh rosemary from the garden.

Using a glass pan, I put the chicken on onion slices, about an inch thick, then put the pan into a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees. I cooked it for two hours, basting every 20 minutes -- the first time with butter on a brush, then when there was plenty of liquid, I used a baster. Keep it moist!

After two hours I turned the heat down to 350 and placed a pan in the oven with potato slices that I had marinating in a bit of liquid butter and seasoned salt. At the end of another hour, the bird was dark, dark brown and the potatoes done all the way through.

After a few moments of resting, it was easy to remove the legs, wings, cut the thighs and slice the breasts -- but the meat literally fell off the bones. Succulent!

Quite a success and I'll be ready to try it again around Christmas. Since Thanksgiving will be our big reunion holiday this year, there will most likely just be four of us at Christmas. I've got just the menu!!