Happy Winter Solstice!

This is the day I wait for with great anticipation every time we turn our clocks back an hour. This is the day when the days start getting longer! When we start getting more life giving sunlight and less of the dark winter nights.

Now, I know, it starts creeping back to us, that elusive sunlight, in just minutes per day. I'm still jubilant though. I'm a sunshine person. Days and days of cloudy weather can send me into a funk. The first time, after we set our clocks back in the Fall, that the sun disappears at 4:30 in the afternoon, I'm near tears.

Winter has officially arrived with this date, and for that, I am grateful. I do love the change of seasons and we've had one hummer of a snowstorm here, so there is no doubt that we will have a White Christmas. We'll have a few months of white here in lovely Minnesota! I'll be tired of the snow in a few months and desperate for Spring and green and garden planning. But, for now, I'll enjoy what we have.

And in those few extra minutes of daylight, I plan to turn my face up to the sun and smile.

Having done just that this evening, I'm glad I had this simple roast chicken in the oven. I hope you enjoy. Chicken is very Weight Watchers friendly and this one is extremely friendly to those of us that are so busy this time of year.

Lemon Pepper Slow Roasted Chicken
This chicken roasts in your oven at a low temperature for 5 hours. Be sure to plan for the long roasting time.

1 large roasting hen
1 lemon, quartered
Lemon-pepper spice blend
One medium-sized onion, peeled and quartered

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Wash hen inside and out. Place in a large pan that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Squeeze lemon quarters over bird. Stuff bird's cavity with onions and squeezed lemon quarters. Sprinkle bird liberally with lemon-pepper. Roast for 5 hours, basting with pan juices if you have time, don't bother if you're too busy. Let bird set for 10 minutes before carving.