Roasted Chicken and Asparagus

The key to this chicken is low and slow! We have a great little local store that carries dozens of spices, spice blends and specialty items. One blend that I love is a simple Rotisserie Chicken Rub (I'm sure you can find a similar spice in most stores). I start by tying the legs together with oven bands (available at most cooking stores) or twine and lay on the rack in my roasting pan. Next I drizzle olive oil and rub it all over my whole chicken. I then sprinkle on - and inside the cavity - the rub all over the chicken until it is completely coated.

I cover the roasting pan with heavy duty foil and place in the oven. I bake it for 2.5 to 3 hours at 325 degrees. My mom couldn't believe it. She said that would nearly cook a whole turkey, but that's what I do. I do not uncover the chicken at all for at least 2.5 hours when I then check the internal temperature. The chicken is so tender and juicy that it will completely fall apart when you begin move it off your baking rack.
Another idea is to cook two chickens at the same time. My roasting pan is perfect size for two chickens, so many times I will cook two at the same time. It's a great meal for taking to someone who is sick or has had a baby and it's no more work than just cooking yourself dinner. Or occasionally I'll let the second cool completely, vacuum seal and pop in the freezer for a meal later on.

By the way - whole chicken just doesn't photograph well! I work for a magazine where we've tried many times with our food photographer to make it look good - and it just doesn't! Ha!


Microwaved Asparagus:
I'm the only one in my house who will eat asparagus, so I like to make it quick and easy.

I wash and cut the ends and lay in a 8x8 glass dish. I coat with olive oil and sprinkle on dried Italian seasoning. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the microwave. My microwave has a setting for fresh vegetables that I use to set my time. I check it and microwave a couple minutes more if needed. If you're microwave doesn't have that setting, the important thing is to cook on 50% power. That allows it to cook more evenly without drying out the asparagus. Once it's cooked to your liking, sprinkle on a little Kosher salt to taste. Do not salt it prior to microwaving! You never want to salt anything you are cooking in the microwave because salt is a dehydrator.

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