Right before it got to frigid to even think about going outside, The Russian and I went for a hike at Noanet peak in Dover. You can see all the way to Boston from the top of the peak, and the climb is beautiful.

It was nice to get out of the city, even for a few hours, and enjoy nature. I also got to flex my photography skills, as I studied photography in my youth.

Even puppy had a good time, maybe even too much of a good time once he found the mud.

When we got to the top of the peak, we had some steak sandwiches I made, and I’ll post the recipe tomorrow.

When we got home, however, I made some easy roasted chicken to end the day. The simple chicken with gravy, potatoes and green beans was the perfect end to a really relaxing day, and it’s easy enough to make any night.

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts [$4]

1 bag potatoes [$2]

green beans [$3]

chicken stock [$2]

chicken gravy mix [$1]

Any spices or garlic that you have on hand

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400.

Salt and pepper the chicken, then place in a roasting pan with chicken stock (about half a cup), white wine if you have any, a squeeze of lemon juice, rosemary and thyme sprigs (if you have any), garlic, and butter. Roast for about 40 minutes or until juicy and cooked through.

For the potatoes, chop and add olive oil, rosemary, garlic powder, and any other spices you would like like red pepper flake, etc. Roast for about 40 minutes as well.

To make flavorful gravy, follow the package instructions but I like to use the broth the chicken has cooked in after I take it out of the oven instead of water. Strain the broth to take out any solids before serving for a nice, smooth gravy. The roasted stock with the garlic and rosemary and thyme adds a great flavor that pairs perfectly with the chicken.

For the green beans, I just sauteed them in oil with sliced garlic, salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Make this easy dinner any weeknight and enjoy!

-L