Sorry It's been so long!!

Hey all... if I still have any followers, that is. I have been a complete slacker and I have only higher education to blame for that. When I am not doing schoolwork or managing my home life, I am usually on my butt watching The Real Housewives of Wherever the Hell They Are Filming Now, so my blog has taken a backseat. I am going to start posting again regularly, I promise, and I have some great recipes saved up.

I do have something yummy to share tonight. This would be a perfect Sunday dinner (or Tuesday dinner, as it was for us tonight). It was so flavorful and really easy, plus you have to love the easy, one pan cleanup!

Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Chicken With Carrots and Potatoes
(serves about 4 with some leftover chicken)

1 roasting chicken, around 4 lbs
2 full heads of garlic
2 tbs butter, softened
1 tbs dried rosemary (or 2 sprigs of fresh), chopped
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
1 tbs Olive Oil
1/2 tsp of paprika
Salt
Pepper

Preheat Oven to 400.

Remove the insides from the chicken. Rinse well and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large roasting pan.

Separate one of the heads of garlic into two pieces. Take one half and peel and mince or press all the cloves into a small bowl. Add the butter, rosemary, and about 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper and mix to combine and spread the butter mixture all over the chicken. Now take the remaining whole head of garlic, cut off about 1/4 of the top. Stuff both parts into the cavity of the chicken.

Peel and crush the remainder of the first head of garlic. You can keep the cloves whole, just whack them with your knife to remove the papery peel and open them up a bit. Place the carrots and potatoes in a large mixing bowl along with the garlic, paprika, and 1 tbs of olive oil. Add another 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Place the carrots and potatoes on one end of the chicken in the roasting pan. Add 1 cup of water to the opposite side of the chicken (you don't want to wash away the oil).

Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Baste the chicken and turn heat down to 375. Baste every 20 minutes for about and hour and a half. Chicken will be done when the juices run clear and a thermometer reads 180 in the thigh.

And if you so desire...

Low(er) Fat Gravy

3 tbs of drippings from the chicken pan
2 tbs flour
1 and 1/3 cup fat free or low fat milk
salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan over medium/high heat, add drippings and flour and whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk and allow to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.