Roast Chicken

And I've cooked something again. Feels good. Especially when it's something so easy. I came home from work after reading reading reading all day long, and it was nice to do something else. All I did was slather the chicken with butter (and my hands--don't worry, I washed) and then I sat outside on the deck and savored the outdoors. I realize summer is sort of winding down and I need to bask in it. The public pools are closing this weekend and school starts in a couple weeks. But the good thing about summer when you're not in school (and trust me, I need a good thing) is that it lasts as long as you want it to. So my summer goes from May through the end of September.

Roast Chicken: adapted from Amateur Gourmet
3 tablespoons butter, softened and cut into slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 stalks of fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried rosemary)
1 teaspoon dried sage
salt and pepper
4 chicken legs

Preheat oven to 400. In a small bowl, mash together butter, garlic, rosemary, sage, and salt and pepper. Place chicken legs in a cast iron skillet or roasting pan or whatever you've got. Rub butter all over the chicken, add extra salt and pepper if needed. Bake for 20 minutes in oven. After 20 minutes, turn the heat down to 350 and bake another 25 to 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through, golden brown and crispy on the outside.

Pan-fried Fingerling Potatoes: handful of fingerling potatoes, sliced thinly
salt
pepper
olive oil

In a medium skillet on medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Add sliced potatoes, salt and pepper according to taste. Saute until potatoes are tender and cooked through.