Another Amazing Sunday Supper

Is there an abundance of chicken roasters right now? A few months back, I noticed that the Deli Rotisserie Chicken had doubled in price. But lately the market seems to be running specials on whole chickens. Which is good. Roast Chicken sure hits the comfort button this time of year.

Food is one of those wonderful connections to fond memories. When my father was a boy, most country folks raised chickens. You had the hens for eggs and when they stopped producing, that chicken was Sunday Supper. Growing up, we had chickens too, but just for the eggs. At lease I think it was just for the eggs. The only chickens I can recall being butchered was the summer we spend in the Philippines. That expression “running around like a chicken with your head chopped off” really does paint an accurate picture of panic mode.

Hubby and I travel too much to be raising chickens. I’ve thought about it – primarily for the eggs. But then you can’t just pick up and go when you have farm animals depending upon you. The garden suffers enough when we take short jaunts. The chickens would probably be dead.

Seems the older we get, the more we look back on life. This is especially true when you lose a sibling. My sister passed recently. It’s hard to lose a sibling, especially sister to sister or brother to brother. They are our first childhood friends. We share memories that span an entire lifetime. Loss is a time when families come together in different ways and support each other with unspoken strength. We hold one another a little more tightly.

I think that is why Sunday Suppers and Family time should never be taken for granted. The day will come when it’s an empty table. Hold one another while you can. Laugh together. Cry together. Fight together if from that you can grow closer and stronger. Family is everything.

Country Roast Chicken and Red Potato Supper
1/2 large Yellow Onion
2 Celery Ribs
16 small Red Potatoes
4 fresh Parsley Sprigs
3 lb Roasting Chicken
1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme
Salt to taste
Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning to taste
1/2 cup Chicken Stock, divided

Heat oven to 375-degrees. Grease a Dutch Oven, set aside.

Peel and cut onion into wedges, set aside. Clean, grim and cut celery into 2-inch pieces, set aside. Scrub potatoes, set aside. Snip parsley sprigs from the bunch, set aside.

Remove excess fat from the chicken. Sprinkle inside cavity with thyme, salt and Mrs. Dash. Sprinkle the onion wedges and celery pieces with Mrs. Dash, toss to coat. Stuff chicken cavity with about half of the onion and celery mixture. Stuff parsley sprigs into the tail cavity opening. Scatter remaining onions and celery into the prepared Dutch Oven. Add about a quarter cup chicken stock to prime the pan with liquid. Season outside of the chicken with more Mrs. Dash Seasoning. Place chicken on top of the vegetables.

Cover and roast for 30 minutes. Add potatoes and remaining stock to the pan. Sprinkle potatoes with a little salt. Roast, uncovered, for 25 minutes longer.

Increase oven temperature to 400-degrees. Continue to roast, uncovered, until potatoes are tender and a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 175-degrees, about 15 minutes longer. Remove chicken from the Dutch Oven, tent with foil and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Pan Dripping Roast Chicken Gravy
Pan Drippings
1 tablespoon Chicken Bouillon Granules
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Flour
1-1/2 cups Milk
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Strain pan drippings into a saucepot over medium-low heat. Add Chicken Bouillon Granules, whisk to dissolve. Add butter, whisk until melted. Stir in flour, let mixture thicken.

Add milk slowly to achieve desired consistency. Warm through, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve gravy with chicken and potatoes – great on both.

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I love you, Lord, my strength.