Monday Night Recipe

Roast Lemon-Herb Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Green Beans
Roast Lemon-Herb Chicken
Ingredients
1 (6 lb.) whole chicken, rinsed inside and out with water and dried with paper towels
Olive Oil
1 large onion, half chopped, half cut into big chunks
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon, halved
1 Tbls. dried Rosemary
1 Tbls. dried Thyme
1 Tbls. dried Parsley
Approx. 8 strips of bacon
2-3 Tbls. flour
1 (14 1/2 oz) can chicken stock

1) Preheat the oven to 375. While it is heating up, drizzle some olive oil into the cavity of the chicken. Add the chopped half of the onion, all of the garlic, 1/2 Tbls of each of the dried herbs, the juice from the lemon, then stuff both halves of the lemon into the cavity as well. Carefully lift a hole in the skin from the top of the chicken and rub some olive oil over the breast of the chicken, then rub in the other 1/2 Tbls of each of the herbs in as well. Lay the bacon across the top of the chicken, making sure you cover the entire top of the chicken in bacon. Put the chicken in a roasting pan or just a large baking pan (I use a 9 x 13 baking dish) and scatter the other half of the onion around the chicken. This will flavor the drippings and make the gravy taste better.
2) Bake the chicken in the oven for about 2-2 1/2 hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the thigh reads 180 degrees, and the juices run clear when the thigh is cut into. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let the chicken rest about 10 minutes before you begin cutting into it so that the juices can redistribute.
3) While the chicken is resting, remove the onion from the pan and skim as much fat as possible off of the top of the pan drippings (the fat will be the clear, oily layer on top). Then sprinkle in the flour, one tablespoon at a time, until you have formed a kind of creamy paste. VERY SLOWLY stir in the chicken stock, a little at a time, stirring constantly so no lumps form. Transfer to a gravy boat or measuring cup with a spout for serving.
4) When carving the chicken, cut off both of the breasts and save for later meals. Save the bacon for Thursday's meal. Eat the drumsticks, wings, and thighs during this meal.

Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
4-6 medium potatoes, scrubbed and diced
2 Tbls. butter
1/2 cup milk

1) Add potatoes to a pan of cold water. Bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes until soft. Drain and return to pot.
2)Mash and add butter and milk, then mash some more until you've reached the desired consistency.

Sauteed Green Beans with Tomatoes
Ingredients
1 1/2-2 cups frozen green beans
2 Tbls. Olive Oil
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 Tbls. dried basil

1) Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and boil 2-4 minutes until al dente.
2) In a separate skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high and saute the shallot and garlic about 3 minutes, until tender. Add the tomatoes and their juice and cook another 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, basil, and green beans and simmer about 10 minutes.