Sunday's Plate

Today we're going to bake a chicken. It's Sunday, and although I am posting this late, it's not to late for next week!

Baking a chicken is something we do at the Garden School regularly. It's one of those no mess, no fuss dinners that's really good. The only catch is that it takes a couple of hours. When you read most cookbooks, the directions are to bake a chicken for 35 minutes a pound, but that does not make for one delectable chicken. Most whole chickens are about 3 pounds, and that means 1.5 hours by the book. For a really good chicken you won't forget, try to bake a chicken at least two hours if not 2.5 hours. When the leg falls off the bird, it's done. Bake at 350 degrees in MID oven.

Here's what you do:

Step one: Buy the bird. It should be a 3-4 pound bird with white skin. It shouldn't smell at all.

Step two: Find the right baking dish. I like metal, but glass will do. Must remember never to add water to a hot glass dish. The bird should be able to fit all the way into the baking dish.

Step three: turn the oven on to 350 degrees.

Step four: Now open the bird in the sink because you will want to wash the juices down the sink; you won't want a puddle of bird juice on your counter.

Step five: Remove the innards packed with the bird. Make sure both cavities are empty before you wash. Then wash your chicken lightly and paper towel it dry - all in the sink.

Step six: With the semi dry paper towel, wrap your innards and your packing materials and discard. Wipe up any drips.

Step seven: Place the bird into the baking dish. Because it is small, you don't need to cover it.

Step eight: Spray your bird with cooking spray. The butter type tastes best. Then spice and salt. This way your spices will remain on your bird. I use Mrs. Dash at school, and the children love the outcome. Any spice will do that you like, but do spice and salt your bird. You don't need any extra butter. If you want to stuff your chicken, now is the time.

[ stuffing: for a chicken, take two pieces of whole wheat bread and grind them up in your food processor with half a stick celery and a quarter of a small onion. Add a some olive oil and process until it's crumbly. Stuff bird...]

If you made stuffing, wash your paring knife, and your processor and put your olive oil away.

Step nine: place your bird into the oven and let it roast for 2.5-3 hours. It's done. Now wasn't that easy?

To go with it for a no muss no fuss dinner: cut six potatoes in quarters and open package of baby carrots and add both to the roasting chicken an hour before you eat.

Dinner's served with no mess.