Italian Nights Dinner Recipe

Well, that was supposed to go along with my dog, Spirit's photo running on the beach, but I will try again!

Here is the recipe for the dinner I cooked this evening:

Roast Organic Chicken
1 small organic/free-range roasting chicken
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lemon, cut into wedges
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 375F. Thoroughly wash and pat dry chicken. Rub olive oil all over chicken. Place lemon wedges and fresh rosemary in the cavity of the chicken. Rub sea salt and cracked black pepper over chicken. Place chicken in roasting pan and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat and bake until internal temperature is 165F. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Carve.

Italian Escarole and Cannelini Beans
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small head of escarole, washed and roughly chopped
1 8 oz. can cannelini beans, liquid reserved
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
Put olive oil in saute pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sweat for one minute. Add escarole and cook for several minutes until just wilted. Add cannelini beans and stir. Add lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Mixed Salad
2 cups chopped mixed lettuce
1/2 avocado, sliced
1 tomato, cut into wedges

Lemon Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
cracked black pepper
Pour ingredients into a non-reactive bowl and whisk until emulsified. Pour over composed salad and toss just before eating.