A simple homecooked meal

Jamie Oliver is right - this was simple! (In fact, it's his recipe for the chicken.) A half chicken, rubbed with olive oil, salt and a spice mix. The potatoes were tossed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. I arranged the potatoes in a roaster pan, and the chicken on a rack on top of that. Preheat the oven to 475, and then turn it down to 400 as soon as you put your pan in. It needs to roast in there for over an hour and a half. The chicken is done when a thermometer in the thigh registers at 170 F. It will continue to cook after you pull it out, and will reach 180.

The green beans were sauteed in a little canola oil, and then tossed with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Total hands-on prep time? About 15 minutes. Not bad!