Roasted Chicken, Green Beans, and "Mock" Garlic Mashed Potatoes

We had some dear friends visit us over the weekend. I wanted to make them something homey and delicious for dinner, so I thought a roasted chicken would hit the spot. My mom passed on a new recipe that she found on the New York Times website. It was moist and really flavorful. I ended up not reading the recipe note though, so my "crispy drippings" were pretty much burned to oblivion. I'll definitely be making it again since it was really really really tasty, and I'm anxious to see how the crispy drippings are supposed to come out.

In an effort to keep things healthy, especially since I knew we'd be enjoying some of my Nutella ice cream for dessert and some beer after the kids went to sleep, I decided to serve some roasted green beans and "Mock" Garlic Mashed Potatoes on the side. It's really amazing how much you can make cauliflower taste like potatoes. And though the green beans didn't look terribly pretty when they came out of the oven, they tasted awesome.

Overall, I think it was a successful meal. And our visit was definitely a great one. It was really relaxing and a lot of fun at the same time. I'm looking forward to seeing them again soon.

Garlic and Thyme Roasted Chicken With Crispy Drippings Croutons
Courtesy of The New York Times

Country bread, ciabatta or other sturdy bread, preferably stale, sliced at least 1/2-inch thick
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
2 teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more as needed
1 4- to 5-pound chicken, patted dry
1 garlic head, sliced in half horizontally, through the cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 lemon
1/2 bunch thyme sprigs

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Arrange oven rack so that it is in center of oven. Lay bread slices in a thick, heavy-duty metal roasting pan in one layer. (Try not to use a thin or dark colored pan, which may cause bread to burn: see note.) Drizzle liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Rub 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper inside cavity of chicken. Stuff cavity with garlic, bay leaf, lemon and thyme. Rub outside of chicken with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle all over with remaining salt and pepper. Place it breast side up on bread.

Roast chicken until it is deeply browned and juices run clear when thigh is pricked with a knife, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve chicken with bread from pan.

Note: If you use a thin or dark roasting pan, you might consider lowering the oven temperature to 375ºF to prevent the bread from getting too dark. Check the pan periodically during cooking and lower the temperature as necessary (you can open the oven door for a minute to reduce heat quickly.) It may take longer for the chicken to cook through at a lower temperature.

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Roasted Green Beans

1 bag frozen green beans, defrosted
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easier clean-up.

Place defrosted beans in a bowl and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on cookie sheet in a single layer.

Roast beans for 35-45 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Serve immediately.

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"Mock" Garlic Mashed Potatoes
A variation on this recipe by George Stella

1 large head cauliflower
1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh or dry chives, for garnish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat.

Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well; do not let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels.

In a bowl with an immersion blender, or in a food processor, puree the hot cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper until almost smooth.

Garnish with chives, and serve hot with pats of butter.