Oven-Roasted Chicken with Garlic Marjoram Butter

I have been watching (late at night) old episodes of Curtis Stone's "Take Home Chef," where Chef Curtis meets someone in a grocery store who is cooking for someone. He buys their groceries then goes home and cooks a delicious meal for them (really surprising their spouse/kids/dinner guests). It's a great little cooking show since he never knows what he's going to get himself into. The result is always an awesome meal. I tried this recipe for roast chicken- it was really easy to do and really flavorful. I served it with a salad and a new taste- steamed indigo blue potatoes.

Take Home Chef, Episode 3: Mary's Menu

INGREDIENTS

2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1/2 head garlic

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 bunch of fresh marjoram, leaves finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Two 4 1/2 to 5 pound whole organic frying chickens, giblet sacks from cavities removed and discarded

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C.  Place the carrots, celery, onion and ½ head of garlic into a large roasting pan (these vegetables will be the bed for the chickens to roast on and discarded after).
2. Mix the butter, marjoram, and crushed garlic cloves in a small bowl to blend. Rinse the chickens with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the chicken cavities with salt and pepper.
3. Using your thumb and index finger, separate the skin from the chicken breasts. Place the butter under the skin on the breast meat. Pat the top of the skin to spread the butter over the breast meat. Truss the chickens (tie the legs together with kitchen twine).  Place the chickens on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. Sprinkle the chickens and vegetables with salt and pepper and roast for 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours, basting occasionally. 
4. When the chickens are done, their skin will be crisp and golden and an instant-read meat thermometer will register 180°F/ 82°C when inserted into the thickest part of the thighs.  Remove the chickens from the roasting pan and place on your favorite platter.  Pour the pan drippings into a 2-cup measuring cup. Spoon off the fat that accumulates atop the pan juices.  Serve the chicken with the pan juices.