Valentine's Day cooking

Everyone's favorite Hallmark holiday is around the corner, and a lot of people will be going out for a meal with their special someone. While you can't go wrong with the Valentine's Day menus restaurants trot out this time of year, I would recommend people attempt to make something at home. I can understand why one would balk at doing this, as no one wants to run the risk of ruining a romantic dinner by making a mistake in the kitchen. But with a little planning, that doesn't have to be the case. A good Valentine's dinner doesn't have to be complicated.  In fact, the less complicated the meal is, the more time you'll have for the "dessert" part of the evening. The first time I cooked for my wife, I decided to make a roast chicken. My wife, being the sweetheart that she is, loved the meal, and she really appreciated the effort I put into it. Little things like using the good plates, candles, and a tablecloth, helped. When it comes to cooking, you can't go wrong when you cook with love.

Roasted Lemon Chicken

thyme (fresh if possible)
oregano (fresh if possible)
rosemary (fresh if possible)
chopped garlic
white wine
1 lemon
chopped onion
olive oil
1 chicken (about 2 kg in size)

1. Cut the tips of the wings off the chicken. Separate the skin from the meat by gently working from the front and back of the breasts with your fingers. Separate the skin as far as your fingers can reach. 
2. Rub inside and outside the skin with pinches of the spices, some salt and pepper, garlic, olive oil, and the juice from the lemon.
3. Place the chicken breast-down in a roasting pan and sprinkle with some more spices, olive oil, lemon juice, and onions. Roast at 375 degrees F.
4. After 20 minutes, flip the chicken over, baste, and roast for an hour.
5. To make a gravy, bring 3/4 of a cup of white wine to boil in a pan and add the drippings from the roasting pan. Add 3 tablesppons of flour (or cornstrach) and whisk until smooth over a medium heat.

This meal is best served with a salad and mashed potatoes. Happy Valentine's Day.