It’s election season, hurricane season, park season, budget season, kitchen disaster season and overall busy season. This is not an excuse for neglecting my personal life or my hobby; more of an wake-up call to myself for loosing focus of the working goal for work-life balance. Cause, hey, its Fall Season too! One of my favorite seasons. And the season that made me fall in love with my state.

So, I’m back in the kitchen (despite ongoing work on my floors from a flood in September) and enjoying cooking seasonal meals as the weather changes. Monday night I prepared a warm, hearty and savory sheet pan supper with just a few ingredients – whole chicken legs, potatoes and olives. Roasted together for less than an hour, with only 20 bucks of ingredients and pantry staples. Easy, delicious and perfect for crisp weather. Save this recipe for any busy season.

Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Olives, adapted from Bon Appetit

• 1 teaspoon fennel pollen 
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1½ pound fingerling potatoes, halved
• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 chicken legs (thigh and drumstick; about 3 lb.)
• ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves with tender stems
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest