Tonight's post is dedicated to the idea of quick, simple family-friendly fare that is in season and affordable. Busy with 2 young children, I am always looking for recipes that are not time-intensive but still delicious and healthy, and accessible to my toddlers' tastebuds. Weeknights are always hectic but with the upcoming holidays, the weekends have been equally crazy! My to-do list this weekend included: grocery shopping (4 different stores!), bank, public library, toy store, pharmacy, workout, wrap gifts, address cards, laundry, Jeff's company holiday party, friends over for dinner, holiday light sightseeing, playdate, and lunch with a girlfriend. Our dinner tonight fits the bill - easy and delicious with most of the ingredients coming straight from our CSA produce box. Just throw into the oven and take care of other items on your to-do list!
Simple Roasted Chicken with Carrots and New Potatoes
Sauteed Cabbage*
Winter Green Salad*
Simple Roasted Chicken with Carrots and New Potatoes
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lb. roaster chicken, cleaned and patted dry
1 lb. carrots*, tops trimmed and cut into large chunks
1 lb. new potatoes*, cut into halves
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary*
2 stems of fresh thyme*
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350.
Place the carrots and new potatoes in the bottom of a roasting pan or casserole dish. Season with 2 Tbs. olive oil and salt and pepper. Strip one rosemary sprig of its leaves and sprinkle over the vegetables; do the same with one stem of thyme. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, breast side down. Drizzle 1 Tbs. olive oil over the chicken and season liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the leaves of the other rosemary and thyme stems over the chicken. Place in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Then, crank the heat up to 375 for another 20 minutes. Then, crank the heat up again to 425 for another 20 minutes. Remove from oven. You will be tempted to eat this straight away (the aroma is SO delicious and the skin looks so crispy and perfect) but DON'T!!! You want the bird to rest at least 10-15 minutes so that the juices redistribute. I promise you will be rewarded for your patience. Each slice of the chicken will be so juicy and delicious... you won't know what hit you! And even better, the carrots and potatoes will be bathed in a scrumptious bath of chicken juice and schmaltz.
We rounded out our meal with sauteed cabbage (just cooked with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper) and a winter salad of greens, avocado, and sliced apple. Eli and Vivian ate their dinners and asked for seconds... hurrah! The chicken was so delish that Eli ate several slices. Altogether, the four of us ate 1 1/2 chicken breasts and 1 leg. I removed the remaining breast from the bird and sliced it up for a leftovers lunch for Jeff and me, along with the remaining carrots and potatoes. I wrapped the rest of the bird up in foil and it may make an appearance in quesadillas later this week. The carcass will be used to make chicken broth, a much needed ingredient in this season of soups and stews.
*These ingredients/dishes were from our CSA produce box or garden.
