Roasty Toasty

I knew I'd be home this afternoon so I planned to roast a chicken. My son seems to have suddenly made the connection that food comes from animals. "Is that a real chicken? Why are we going to eat him? That isn't nice. Did he die? Did he die while I was still in your tummy? Mmmm...this is good."

Roast Chicken with Lemons and Fennel (from Everyday Food magazine)

1 chicken (3.5 to 4 lbs.) rinsed and patted dry (liver and giblets discarded)
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 lemons, halved or quartered
2-3 fennel bulbs (2.5 lbs total), cored, stalks discarded, and cut into 1-inch wedges
1 TBSP olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 475. Place chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Place a lemon half in the cavity. Using kitchen twine, tie legs together. Add fennel and remaining lemons to sheet and toss with oil.

2. Roast until juices run clear when chicken is pierced between breast and leg, or an instant read thermometer inserted in thickest part of the thigh reads 165, about 50-55 minutes, basting chicken with pan juices and tossing fennel halfway through.

3. Transfer chicken to a platter and cover loosely with foil; let rest 10 minutes. Carve chicken, serve with fennel and lemons.

I used a roaster chicken (almost 8 pounds) and it had one of those timers in it. It pops when it's done. The bigger chicken obviously took a little longer so my fennel was perhaps a bit overcooked. Not any less delicious. I also never tie the legs together. I'm sure that is a cook faux pas, but it seems like needless work to me. We had some salad along with this and cookies for dessert. A hit with all.