"Excuse me, Mr. Chicken, but is that a beer can sticking out of your ass?"

May I first say "THANK YOU" to everyone for your support and encouragement! It means the world to me!

For those of you needing a little pick me up on this Monday afternoon, here's a little story of my first attempt to cook chicken for my first husband...
It all began at the ripe old age of seventeen. I had just married Marty and was pregnant with my son, Tony. I was determined that I would be different than all those "other" knocked up teenage wives, and for the most part I didn't do too shabby! My weak point came in the kitchen when I attempted to cook my very first "marital meal". Marty and I were dirt poor and couldn't afford many spices or food for that matter. What we did have plenty of frozen chicken, given to us from sympathetic family members.
There I was standing in my kitchen looking over the sparse cabinets...a jar of jelly, peanut butter, a can of tuna, and a five pound bag of white rice. For all of you who watch "Food Challenge" on Food Network, the items in my cabinet was not going to win me any awards for an excellent meal! I looked in the refrigerator...butter, milk, mustard, and pickles. The half dimmed light bulb went off in my head, and I thought.."I'll make baked chicken with mustard sauce!" So with the spices of only salt and pepper, I seasoned my chicken and then coated the bird with melted butter and mustard mix. The look on Marty's face when I served him his plate of chicken smothered in what looked like yellow baby poop was priceless! I called the dish "Chicken A La Mustard!" To my surprise, it wasn't too horrible, so every other night until all the chicken was gone, I made my famous "Chicken A La Mustard". Marty finally came to me on bended knee and begged for me to stop making the chicken. The sad tremble in his voice as he said "Baby, please..I'm tired of the bird." I heard the cry of desperation, and I decided to retire the Chicken A La Mustard once and for all.
Now, 18 years later, I have a new, more sophisticated, spin on chicken..." Beer Ass Chicken" :)
Believe it or not, if you follow this recipe you'll have everyone saying "Baby, how about some more of that Beer Ass Chicken, please?" So here's the recipe. I hope you've enjoyed my little story and this recipe!

1 Whole Fryer Chicken (about 4lbs+)
1 can of your favorite beer (Amber ales are good)
1 lemon, sliced in four halves
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon salt, pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1 teaspoon dry poultry seasoning
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Place oven rack on next to lowest level. Preheat your oven to 375.

Wash and pat dry chicken (be sure to absorb all the water from the chicken). If you buy a chicken that has the innards, remove when washing and discard. Combine all your dry seasonings and set aside. Pour melted butter over chicken, with your hands coat all sides, making sure to get between the legs and thighs. Hint: gently lift the breast skin and rub butter under the skin. Be careful not to tear the skin!
Once you coat your chicken with butter, add your dry seasonings. Again, you need to use your hands for this! Rub seasonings over entire bird. After you season the outside of the bird, stuff the cavity with lemon, whole garlic, and rosemary sprig. Pop the top on that can of beer, take a sip. Yum! Place open can right side up in a glass baking dish deep enough to accommodate the chicken standing up. A 9x11 baking dish would work just fine. Carefully place the chicken on can of beer. The chicken should be stable on the can of beer. Adjust (push the chicken down onto the can). Cover chicken with aluminum foil and place in preheated oven. Cook for one hour, basting the chicken along the way. Remove foil, baste and brown chicken for another 30 minutes. Skin should be medium to dark golden brown. Carefully remove pan from oven. Baste chicken and let rest for 10 minutes. Lift chicken from the can of beer. Discard beer can, lemon and rosemary sprig. Slice chicken in baking dish with all the drippings. Serve with your favorite side dish, such as lemon roasted red skin potatoes! :P

Until next time..enjoying your Beer Ass Chicken dinner!!