There is nothing better on a chilly evening, than coming home and stepping through the door to the smell of roasting chicken.

Mum announced herself one time, back in my university days, in just this way. I came home after a long day of classes, and was greeted with the wonderful, warm, homey  smell of dinner cooking – one of the best surprises ever!

CITRUS HERB ROASTED CHICKEN

1 (3 to 4 pound) whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry

1 lemon, cut into wedges

1 orange, cut into wedges

5 cloves garlic, peeled, divided use

3 sprigs of rosemary

olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat oven to 375F.

Gently loosen skin on chicken. Stuff chicken cavity with lemon and orange wedges, 2 to 3 cloves of garlic and 1 sprig of rosemary.

Finely mince remaining garlic and rosemary and combine mixture with enough olive oil to make a paste. Rub paste under skin of chicken and all over outside of chicken. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen twine. Place chicken in a shallow roasting pan and roast until internal temperature reaches 170F in the thickest part of the thigh, about 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, January 2007

www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/