Sunday Family Dinners

Sunday Dinners - A Time For Family Gatherings

Bernie, my husband, takes over the blog today to share one of his recipes.

If you are living in a multi-generational household, you know that sometimes it can be a challenge to come up with recipes that satisfy all palates. On most evenings we include Debb's parents for dinner, and we know what they like, so it is fairly predictable. But on Sundays, almost anyone can show up, so we prepare meals that are flavorful, but can satisfy most tastes in food.  Here's one of our favorites that is relatively easy to fix, and can be expanded to accommodate more people. 

Sunday Roast Chicken

Roast chicken is always a hit with our family, and this recipe can easily be modified to your family's taste. If you know there are more people coming, just cook extra chickens. Sometimes we  stuff the chicken with onions and mushrooms, and surround it with root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and parsnips so everything cooks together. This adds another 15 or 20 minutes to the cooking time.  

This recipe uses a dry rub you can make with the spices listed, or substitute with a combination of your favorites. Prepare in advance by rubbing the chicken and refrigerating at least an hour before cooking.

Ingredients
One whole chicken (more as needed)
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons thyme
2 teaspoons sage
2 teaspoons rosemary
½ cup chicken stock
½ cup white wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Preheat oven or grill to 400°. If cooking inside, use Roast setting, if available. Remove anything inside the chicken cavity.  Pat the inside and out dry with a paper towel. 

Pour the olive oil into a small bowl and combine garlic and spices to make a paste. Carefully work your fingers under the skin of the chicken - separate the skin from the breast to develop a pocket. Rub about half the herb paste under the skin, equally on each side.  Try to get some into the space between the leg and the breast without breaking the skin.  Rub the remainder of paste on the inside and outside of the chicken.  Sprinkle with optional salt and pepper. (Note: this paste can be made from any combination of herbs or spices you like: Herbes de Provence for a traditional style or chili powder and cumin for a southwestern flavor.)

Place chicken - breast side up - in a roasting pan and add chicken stock and white wine.  Cover with foil and roast or bake at 400° for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and reduce to 350°.  Continue to cook, basting the chicken with the juices in the pan every 15 minutes or so.  If the stock runs dry, add more stock or wine.  As the skin gets crispy, gently poke a hole in the cavity between the leg and breast with the baster and periodically fill it with juice.   Average cooking time is about 20 minutes per pound.  Chicken is done when a cooking thermometer inserted into the thick part of the breast reads 165°.

Remove and let it sit, loosely covered with foil for 10 minutes before carving.

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