Roasted Chicken

Last week I read that every good cook should know how to make a roasted chicken and I was clueless. Fortunately roasters were on sale at Publix so I figured I would give it a shot and hope for the best. It was a-maz-ing! Everyone knows I adore food, but I am also quite critical of the food I make. This however was nothing short of impressive.

My initial thoughts on preparation was that I wanted to gag because let's face it, the inside of a chicken is not an appealing place. After the preliminary cleaning was done and I had my mom, Christine and Beau hysterically laughing at me, I moved on to the ingredients I was comfortable with. I coated the skin with garlic and butter and stuffed it with smashed extra garlic and half a lemon. I put it on a roasting rack and baked it on 450 for about an hour (basting it 3 times). I took the drippings and cooked them until a rich golden color, then whisked in 1 tbsp of flour, more whisking, then whisked in 4 tbsp melted butter (yes, I know, unhealthy) and ultimately a little cornstarch because I grew impatient waiting for the gravy to thicken.

I was pretty impressed with the outcome. Beau was delighted (such a manly word) when combining the gravy and french bread as he was convinced it tasted just like the french dip from the PB Grill (so good).

I have decided that I probably should have gone to culinary school because even on the roughest day, I am literally thrilled when cooking something and it turns out well. I have always had a special place in my heart for restaurants, but in the midst of an economy that isn't exactly thriving, it is nice to know that I can create comparable meals at a fraction of the cost. Now I just need a deep fryer.....