Roasted Chicken!

Welcome to the New Year and a new way of cooking.  I love to cook but it is so difficult and time consuming when I have to cook one meal for my son and another meal for my husband and daughter.  That is why I have modified our favorite recipes to include us all.  No more cooking two meals or making the meal a dull affair.  I hope that you will be able to utilize the recipes I have acquired to make delicious family meals that everyone will enjoy.  Ok, it is now time to unleash your Domestic Gluten Free Goddess (or God) within!  Let us get cooking!

I have a family of four with small children so one chicken (served with at least two sides) can last us for two meals.  For a larger family use two chickens if you want leftovers.

The Simple Two Meal Chicken

1 3lb whole chicken (make sure it is completely defrosted)
1-2 Tbl    Kosher Salt
1-2 Tbl   Black Pepper
1 Tbl of the following
    Rosemarry
    Thyme
    Garlic Powder
    Basil
1 small onion or half a leek
2 celery stalks
2 carrots

Chop onion, celery, and carrots into large chunks
Mix all spices, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Rinse the chicken off and pat dry, leave the gizzards in the cavity they give flavor, and rub the chicken with the mixture.  Get inside the chicken and under the skin with the spices.
Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the vegetables and place any extra around the chicken.  I put my chicken in a Corningware dish.
Place chicken in a 350 degree oven, uncovered for 1 1/4 hours.
If you have the time, for a truly tender chicken cover the chicken and bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours, increase the temperature to 350 for one hour, then increase the temperature to 400 and cook for an additional 15 - 30 minutes uncovered. 

Serve with rice or patatoes and steamed vegetables or salad.

Note: yes leave the skin on, you don't have to eat it after the chicken is cooked and it helps to keep the chicken moist and flavor full

Use the left over chicken to put in soup, make a stir fry, salad, or quesadillas for tomorrows dinner.