Bundt Pan Chicken with Green Beans and Lemon Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

Springtime food in my mind should includes lots of tender green vegetables, fresh herbs, and lemon. This meal incorporates exactly those things. Bundt pan chicken with green beans and lemon rosemary mashed potatoes would make a wonderful start to your easter dinner menu! I came across this idea not out of creativity, but out of desperation. I don't own a roasting pan, and I don't like spending lots of money on kitchen items that I know will only be used for one thing. So, I researched some roasting pan - free ways to roast a whole chicken. I decided on the bundt pan method. You can throw whatever goodies you like in the bottom of the bundt pan, just be warned that whatever goodies you choose will be slow roasted in chicken fat (it tastes way better than it sounds, promise). I chose mushrooms this time around, but roasting the potatoes this way is also divine.

Since the oven was already going to be on, I decided to roast the veggies instead of steaming them. Pictured here are the veggies and the lemon/rosemary items for the potatoes.

While we waited for the chicken to roast... Hors d'oeuvres at the living room bar. A little vino, anyone?

Finished veggies.

Finished potatoes

And finally, finished chicken! Roasting it on the bundt pan ensures that the bird stays nice and moist throughout cooking.

 A completed plate. Now where are the cadburry eggs?

Bundt Pan Chicken Recipe

- 1 whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry

- 2 tbsp butter, softened

- Salt and pepper

- 1 tsp dried rosemary

- 1 tsp dried sage

- 1 package of sliced white button mushrooms

- 1 small onion, sliced into rings

Directions:

- Place mushrooms and onion in bottom of the bundt pan, season with salt and pepper to taste.

- Combine softened butter and dried herbs into a paste.

- Rub the butter mixture under the skin of the chicken and on the outside of the chicken.

- Place the drumstick side of the chicken on the middle of the bundt pan so that it rests securely.

- Sprinkle salt and pepper on the outside of the bird.

- Roast in a 350 degree oven for 1.5-2.5 hours depending on the size of the bird. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast will need to register at 165 degrees before the bird is taken out of the oven.

- Once the bird reaches 165 degrees, remove it from the oven and let it rest on a plate for 10 minutes before carving.

- Serve with mushroom "gravy".

Rosemary Mashed Potatoes Recipe

- 5 lb red skinned potatoes, washed well and cut into 1 inch cubes (leave the skin on!)

- 1/2 stick butter, softened

- Splash of milk

- 1 lemon, zested

- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped finely

- Salt and pepper

Directions:

- Place cubed potatoes in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil.

- Once the potatoes are tender, drain them and put them back in the pot they cooked in.

- Mash the potatoes with butter, milk, rosemary, and most of the lemon zest (save a little for garnish!)

- Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer potatoes to a serving dish and garnish with lemon zest and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Baked Potatoes with Cheesy Black Bean Sauce

We had some potatoes in the house that needed to be used last night, so I decided on baked potatoes for dinner. Now usually, a meal made of pure simple carbs would not be my first choice, but these baked potatoes were loaded with protein, fiber, and tons of vegetables - they're healthy baked potatoes! Now don't get me wrong, I love a baked potato smothered in butter, sour cream, cheese, and salt. But for a main dish, I thought I would spice it up a bit.

You know how baked potatoes that are cooked just right have that slightly chewy but soft texture in the middle? Mm. These ones turned out just like that, and boy were they good.

I didn't actually use "baking potatoes" (or russet potatoes as some would say...), I used a combination of red skinned and yukon golds. This was what I had on hand, and they worked just fine! They since were small, we each had two for dinner - the perfect amount.

I washed the potatoes really well (since I like to eat the entire potato, I like to make sure all the dirt and sand is removed), poked a few holes in them with a form, then rubbed them with a drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkled them with a pinch of salt. Roll each one up in a small piece of aluminum foil, and bake at 350 for an hour or until tender.

Next I worked on the cheesy black bean sauce. This is just a basic white sauce with a little cheddar and a can of drained and rinsed black beans added in.

 Start by melting butter, then whisk in flour and cook for one minute. 

 Whisk the milk into the butter and flour mixture and bring to a slow simmer so the sauce can thicken. Season with salt and pepper, and add cheddar cheese and black beans.

Next, I worked on getting some veggies ready to roast. Broccoli, mushrooms, and onions. Chili powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Toss until all spices and oil are evenly distributed and roast at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Once the potatoes are soft, the veggies are roasted, and the cheesy black bean sauce is prepared, pile it up! 

In addition to the roasted veggies and cheese sauce, we also put fresh spinach, salsa, avocado, and sour cream on our potatoes. The sky's the limit as far as toppings - grilled chicken would be great, black olives would be delicious, fresh cucumber would be refreshing. Customize and enjoy!

Cheesy Black Bean Sauce Recipe:

- 3 tbsp butter

- 2 tbsp flour

- 1 and 1/4 cups 2% milk

- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

- Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

- In a heavy frying pan or sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.

- When butter is melted, add flour and whisk until incorporated into the butter evenly. Cook for 1 minute.

- Slowly add the milk to the flour and butter mixture, whisking vigorously to ensure lumps do not form. 

- Bring mixture to a low simmer and cook until it coats the back of a spoon.

- Add cheese and beans to the flour and milk mixture.

- Season with salt and pepper.