#35 - Make a meal once a month

That's right folks I can cook. And I can do it surprisingly well. So says both my mother-in-law and my father-in-law! Which is impressive. I didn't take any pictures of me cooking this time, but I really meant to. Either way, I did it.

So, for January, I made my (dad's) awesome Beer Chicken. It is always a crowd pleaser, and really easy to make. As for sides, I made green beans and baked potatoes. YUM! Although, I'm more partial to mashed potatoes I didn't start dinner when I should have so baked potatoes was going to have to do. I was disappointed, but no one else seemed to care.

So, I guess I should tell you how I made this chicken. Its not hard, but we have a little apparatus that is quite helpful in the whole process. Its nothing fancy, its just a little metal thing that's round on the bottom and has a place for a beer can which you then put the chicken on. I'll have to take a picture of it, but I don't have one as I type this and I'm not at home so you're out of luck for now. Sorry.

Ok, so the recipe for Beer Chicken is as follows - (and I do not claim to be an expert at writing recipes to just bear with me....)

1 whole chicken
cover it with butter
cover with garlic powder
cover with onion powder
about 1/4 an onion
1 can of beer (only need about 1/2 the beer though)
garlic powder and onion powder in the beer can

I use garlic and onion powder for seasoning (obviously...) but you can use whatever you want. And you don't have to "cover" it with a thick coat, just enough to make the skin cirspy and to let the flavor sink in. I put garlic and onion powder in the beer so when the beer steams the flavors penetrate (but don't worry the chicken doesn't taste like beer....which is odd don't you think?)

After I get it all seasoned up and ready to go I put the chicken on the beer can (this is why the apparatus thing is helpful because it helps to keep it standing). Once the chicken is all in place I put an onion in the top. Sometimes I only need 1/4 and others it'll take 1/2 it all depends on how big the chicken is.

Again, you don't have to use the onion if you don't want. My dad uses bacon (now, he used to use onion). Its all just about flavoring and making it juicy. I think the onion is good because I also use it to make my gravy (or I should say to make my father in laws gravy which is delish!)

Preheat oven to 350 and cook it for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours depending on the size of the chicken. ENJOY!

This is really one of my favorites - to eat and make. And I was telling my brother about it and he is already planning on having this as his first meal out of prison! Seriously, its freaking awesome. And it makes a really juicy chicken.

Anyway, that's all I have for now.