Garlic is all the rage these days now that we have become more aware of all of the health benefits it offers. It has anti-clotting potential so it can help ward off a stroke or heart attack. It is terrific for for your cholesterol. It has been used successfully in weight loss studies with rats. It protects against a wide variety of cancers, and on and on.

Did you know that almost all regions of the world use garlic in their cooking? Not so much in England, Scandinavia and Japan, but its use is even increasing in those areas due to the health benefits. Raw garlic, of course, has a strong harsh flavor, but cooking garlic long and slow gives it a mild - even sweet flavor. Many of my favorite Baked Chicken Recipes call for garlic, but my very favorite is Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic. It is such a simple recipe and the house smells wonderful while it is cooking! One reason this recipe is so easy, that you just leave the garlic cloves whole and you don't even have to peel them!!! The garlic cloves will be soft and sweet when the dish is done. At the end of the roasting time, I like to puree the cloves of garlic with the pan drippings and pour them over the wonderful brown bird!

Baked Chicken Recipes: Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Juice of 1 lemon
l roasting chicken - 3 pounds or so
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
40 cloves of garlic, about 3 bulbs
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
l cup rich chicken stock

1. Pour the lemon juice all over the chicken. Rub the salt and pepper all over the bird and let him sit for half an hour.
2. While preheating your oven to 375 degrees, remove the papery husk from the bulbs of garlic, but don't peel the cloves.
3. In a Dutch oven, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium heat and brown the chicken, breast side down, for 5 or 6 minutes.
4. Add all the garlic and the stock to the pan and stir to coat.
5. Put the lid on and roast in the oven for 70 minutes.
6. Remove chicken to a platter. Puree the garlic with some of the pan juices and pour this over the deep brown beauty!

I hope you will enjoy making one of my very favorite Baked Chicken Recipes! Bon Appetit!