Rosemary Roast Chicken

One of Scott's favorite meals is Roast Chicken.  It was his Mom's Sunday Dinner.  By the time I had met Scott, Pat was fixing fried chicken for Sunday.  The whole family would wax poetic about Grandma Pearl's roast chicken.  (Grandma Pearl had passed before I met Scott.)  Anyway, it was about six or seven years ago that I learned how to roast chicken.  It is easier than frying chicken!

Scott was working for a company that oversaw the care of an autistic, developmentally delayed young man.  He was on the graveyard shift.  He did the house cleaning and took on the cooking.  He made meals and froze them for later use.  That way, the day workers didn't have to cook with the unpredictable behavior interrupting.

He had me search for recipes that were easy, nutritious, filling, and his ward could eat with a spoon.  Along the way I found a recipe for Rosemary Roast Beef.  Now, I have been growing rosemary next to the back door, to hide the ugly side of the porch, for 14 years.  But I hadn't used it in cooking.  So, I tried the recipe with a roast pork.  Ymmmmmm.  Scott was not impressed.  Next was chicken, "Okay," he said.  "Just not too often."

We always try to compromise or find a solution.  Example, we both put down the toilet lid.  It keeps dogs and kids out of the toilet, while making sure the seat is down.  Our compromise on the use of rosemary is everyother chicken is plain.  Oh, and I limit the amount to 1 TBSP, not the 1/2 cup I like to use!

Rosemary Roast Chicken
Preheat oven to 400F

1 roasting/frying hen or capon
4 unpeeled potatoes, washed and quartered
4 unpeeled carrots, washed and cut into1 inch segments
4 large florets of cauliflower or
12 brussels sprouts
1 large shallot, chopped fine
1 TBSP finely chopped rosemary
olive oil

Put vegetables in a roasting pan and toss with 1 TBSP olive oil.  Spread out in an even layer

Now prepare the chicken.  Remove from packaging, and rinse under cold running water inside and out.  Pick off any pin feathers.  Bend the wings back, tucking them behind the back. 
Place the chicken on the vegetables and drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle the rosemary evenly over the chicken and the vegetables. 
Bake 90 min  check for doneness  
Serves 4

Now enjoy.  We like to eat a green salad and rolls with dinner.