Roasted Chicken and Chocolate Cake

I made a killer dinner. Clearly. The baby's mom aka my sister-in-law requested roasted chicken last night (for today). I had never roasted a chicken. I don't even like to work with raw meat. But I get super-charged by any food request because it essentially keeps me "employed" in this salary-less job. Plus One and I went to the Giant to get a chicken - not bad, around $5 on sale for a 4.5 lber.

I can't link to recipes because today's recipe was brought to you by creativity. Love. And garlic.

I got a late start because the bi-weekly Amish housekeeper finishes in the kitchen and does not remove the cleaning bottles and rags until exactly 4 pm.

I took the hunk of a bird out of the fridge, thankfully the inner-nastiness is contained in a plastic bag, that went in the trash, and I snipped off the tail with kitchen scissors. I then stuffed the bird with 8 cloves of smushed (but not crushed) garlic and a chopped up pair. On the outside I rained a generous amount of sea salt, ground pepper, and a sprinkling of thyme. I threw some haphazardly cut carrots and onions around the bird in the roaster pan as I was feeling a little rushed for time. It went into a 350 oven, but I can't tell you for how long, because I just kept checking it every 20 minutes until it reached the right temp inside.

On the side - I quartered lengthwise less than a bag of red new potatoes and made a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, 7 minced garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and some other things I can't remember. They went in the oven "a little later" than the chicken. Oh, before, I took a whole head of garlic, peeled only one outer layer from it, sliced the top off and put it in the pan with some olive oil...

Many many many minutes later we had a delicious chicken with roasted potatoes, steamed vegetables, and bread like Little Star Pizza makes - where you spread your own garlic cloves on the bread. Yum.

The cooking took 3 hours from start to finish.

No, these recipes were not from your wonderful suggestions. But dessert was!

A dear friend sent me a recipe for 5 Minute Chocolate Cake in a Mug.
It was good. You know its from a microwave but if I was craving chocolate, I would choose this (made from good ingredients) over a packaged cake (with preservatives). I recommend whipped cream on top!

5 Minute Chocolate Cake in a Mug
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (Microwave Safe)

• Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
• Pour in the milk and oil and mix well...
• Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
• Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
• The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
• Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
• EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).