February

Margaret of the What Fresh Hell podcast recently mentioned that her sister has a saying to never make big decisions in February. It's dark and dreary and it's not a good time to decide, "I need to open a bar in Puerto Rico," or "I think I'm gonna cut bangs" (oops!).

I hadn't heard that advice before, but I think it's spot-on. February has an energy that emerges after we've had a month to detox from the holidays, but before it's realistic to start thinking about our gardens again. 

However, deciding on a whim to have this door painted Unmellow Yellow was a Good February Decision.

I've survived this past January only by cooking the same booooring foods every week for weeks on end. (I just can't care. I won't always feel this way about cooking, but I probably will always feel this way in January. The more I fight it, the harder my struggle with depression.)

Then one day late in February, I wake up and think, hey, maybe, just maybe, I should/can cook something different today. 

Which is what happened two days ago with a beautiful roasted chicken.

Actually, to tell the truth, it began earlier with a I-Want-To-Eat-Lemon-Loaf-But-I-Can't-Bring-Myself-To-Make-It kind of energy. My mom had brought me a bunch of Meyer lemons and they had just been waiting to be turned into cake. Fortunately for me, my friend Bethany offered to help me make it so I didn't have to deal. 

(If you're wondering, it's the Silver Palate recipe; this is the first time I--er, Bethany--made the actual icing for it and it's so good.)

Within days of having that cake made and getting to eat it, I made a whole (!) roasted (!) chicken (!) for my family! The recipe was from Bon Appetit and called for a whole lemon, whole head of garlic, and 1/4 cup of butter. 

I'll put the recipe below because I switched up a few things, and also for your/my convenience because the recipe doesn't seem printable, and also why must one scroll back and forth from the steps to the amounts of the ingredients?!?! Admittedly, the pictures/videos(?) are good and helpful, so I recommend you read that first, but I will use my blog as future reference when I'm actually cooking this. 

I had started to draft this post in my head and then realized that I did this same exact thing (i.e., getting just a teesny bit excited about cooking) last year, in February. (Incidentally, from The Silver Palate, again. Haha, 1979 likes to call me every year in February.) I guess it's a thing. A "I Still Somewhat Like To Cook" thing. 

Anyhoo, if you too are needing a distraction from wanting to move to the equator or chop off all your hair, try this No-Fail Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Garlic.

Whole Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Garlic
adapted from Bon Appetit

1 whole chicken
4 t salt
black pepper
1 whole lemon
1 head garlic

Way ahead of time:

Make lemon cake so you can have lemons that have already been zested and are ready for this dish.

Ahead of time:

While you hands are Pre-Chicken Clean, cut a (or the aforementioned) lemon in half and remove any visible seeds. 

Then take a head of garlic and slice it in half, cross-wise. (Would this be considered "hamburger" style?)

Take out the chicken from fridge a couple hours before you want to cook. Fill a bowl with 4 teaspoons salt and a bunch of black pepper. (I might try some seasoned salt and/or oregano and smoked paprika next time.) 

Put chicken on a plate for marinating and make a 3"-long incision between the leg and breast, about until you hit the joint, exposing the leg. 

Then generously salt and pepper everywhere: inside the cavity, in between the leg and breast where you just cut, the breast and backbone sides, and under the wing. (I measure out a bowl ahead of time because it helps me make sure I use plenty of salt without getting chicken-hands on my salt and pepper things.)

You could pat the chicken dry during or before this process like BA tells you, but I'll be telling you to pat it dry later because the salt draws out more water.

Let chicken sit on the counter to dry brine. This (i.e., the salt and the time coming up to room temperature) helps ensure moist white meat.

About an hour before you'd like to eat:

Pre-heat oven to 425. Microwave 1/4 cup butter until melted. Then, transfer chicken, breast-side-up, to a cast iron skillet. Dry the chicken with paper towels, especially the side facing up. This helps get you a crisp skin.

Tuck both halves of lemon and garlic face down on pan. Pour melted butter all over the chicken.

Put in oven to roast about 45 minutes. When it's cooked, take it out and let rest in the pan for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with all the yummy pan juices; allow diners to squeeze extra lemon and fight over the roasted garlic pieces. 

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Thank you, Elise and Maria!