Easy Coq au Vin

This is a French dish, and I will pronounce it hear for you: "coke o van" (however, you want to anticipate the n in van, like the n is in your throat, but don't pronounce the n.) Coq au vin began as a dish when the country folk of France had their rooster, and when he could no longer crow, this was the end of his life, but a good one, because he was bathed in wine and good vegetables! Here we are 2009, and most of us don't live in the country and/or have a rooster crowing us awake at 4:30 in the morning. So, I have simplified it, and instead of using our new Le Creuset dutch oven, I used our new 6 quart crock pot, that is oval in shape, rather than a narrow cylinder pot. Le Creuset says this can be done in a few hours, crock pot says 8, I say 6 hours, first two on high, last 4 on low...you decide what is best for your schedule.

Ingredients:

8-10 baby new potatoes (yellow in color, not red)

3-5 slices of bacon, chopped (or chopped prosciutto is fine as well)

2-3 boneless chicken breast fillets

2 large carrots, sliced in medallions

1 bushel green onions, chopped

1 carton baby bella mushrooms (found near the salad bags in your grocery store)

1 small bag of frozen pearl onions, found in grocer's freezer department (or you could chop a medium white onion)

1 1/2 cup Burgundy wine (I couldn't find this so I used Mouton Cadet Bordeaux-it has to be red!)

1 cup chicken broth (Kitchen Classics is best)

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp sage

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

*note: season to taste, you might want to add more spices as you cook

Directions: The cooking can be done many ways, I used 4 recipes to create this one, and it worked fine for me! In a skillet on medium-high heat, brown bacon with green onions. You want the onions to sweat, so if med-high heat is too much, and you find your onions are burning, not browning because of bacon, lower it immediately! Once bacon is well cooked and onions are translucent and soft, discard into a bowl lined with paper towel, however KEEPING the bacon grease in the pan-this is what you brown the chicken with. Season the breast filets with the spices, mix the spices in a bowl if you wish, and sprinkle/rub over both sides of the breast. Add in the breast filets to the still hot skillet, maybe a splash of olive oil if needed, however, you don't want to cook them thoroughly, just make them goldeny brown on outside, they are absorbing the bacon drippings and onion flavoring at this point-a few flips per minute might do the trick. You might want to bring the heat a tad up doing this, make the pan sizzle a bit to really make the chicken have a crust and look a beautiful golden color.

Turn your crock pot on, add in carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, pearl onions, add in the chicken, top everything with the bacon and green onion mixture, and add in the chicken broth, stir it all up. Set your crock pot to high for 2 hours. Stir occasionally to make sure all ingredients are coated with the broth, like once per 1/2 hour. After 2 hours, add in the wine, mix all ingredients again, and now you will put your crock pot on low for 4 hours, again stirring every 1/2 hour. Mixing the wine now and the bacon scented broth, this is when you are where you want to be, it smells divine! Do not worry if your mushrooms look black, by the way, they are not burnt, this is how they look when cooked and absorbed with wine.

About 2 hours before the last hour, taste the broth. Should be really savory. This is when, per your palette, you decide if needs more salt, pepper, a dash of this and that. If taste is a bit bitter, add in a table spoon of dijon mustard, and a splash more of the wine in the last hour-this is what I did, as I always have dijon on hand (psst, I suggest you do the same).

In the end you should have a really hearty stew type of dish. Chicken will be so tender you can shred it with forks, and maybe do this the last 1/2 hour to let the juices mingle with the chicken that has been soaking for about 5 1/2 hours, it will be totally tender and juicy!

Serve up in a bowl, if you wish to have more of a stew, and have some bread on the side to help soak up the juices-we had a whole grain sliced artisan loaf from our grocer's baker, which we will use for sandwiches this week. Baby ciabatta rolls work fine as well if you have them available in singles, or a pack for the whole family.

This is simple. Other recipes call to flambé the chicken in cognac before adding to crock pot: I will not temp this until I have a stainless steel kitchen! It is a beautiful dish, although a crock pot, and should be watched every 1/2 hour, it is simple. I would not leave this to cook and leave your house for 8 hours, like other crock pot recipes suggest, but is very manageable and is very cheap, in my opinion. You can research and find recipes if you're serving to 6 or more guests, but this for even 2 people, made enough for us both to have left dinner tomorrow.

I hope you enjoy this. Bon appetit!!

Berry-licious Angel Food Cake

This is a semi-homemade treat! Nothing really home-made about it, but if you're going to a party and are asked to bring a dessert, this is an easy dessert that will appease most palettes. Let's begin!

1 Store bought angel food cake-from your local grocer (if you've got the time and the perfection to create your own fluffy, finely molded angel food cake, go for it!)

1 pkg. frozen berry mix-thawed (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries)

1 tub of frozen whipped topping-thawed

Sugar to taste

I told you this was easy, but wait! Let's start with the angel food cake (afc)! Lay afc on its side, and 1/3 from the top, cut top off, reserve. Stand cake upright now, you are looking at a cake with top cut off, and exposed hollowed out center, like a doughnut. Pretend like you're going to make another doughnut-but not quite! Take a sharp knife, find the most center aspect of what is before you, and slide knife into that first point of cake, leaving about an in from the bottom, continue to travel the knife around, so it almost looks like you are going to have two separate circles, but they are still attached as you are not cutting through to the bottom, are you with me???

Once you have completed your circle, your cake is all still in tact; with your hands GENTLY separate cake from the center slit (point is you are going to add filling here, so make room for the berries, cake is pliable, and will allow you to make a trough). You will use your hands and spoons here to help make the trough hold the berries and not break the cake! (I should do a demo, if this seems a bit daunting, cause once you see this, you can do this in your sleep!)

With the berries and sugar, place them into a sauce pan, on low-medium heat, let the juices of the berries come out, stirring the while, and let them mingle, you want a runny berry mixture, if needed add a bit of water, and add that sugar to bring sweetness out, but not too much. If you want it super sweet, add as much as you want. You are creating a sort of berry sauce here, but its not a puree.

Remove berry mixture off heat, let cool a few minutes, then begin spooning into the trough you've created, using your fingers to hold open the trough, and with your other hand gently spooning mixture in throughout whole cake. Once you've got your berry filled AFC, put the top that you cut off back on. And now, as if to decorate a cake, bring out your whipped topping and begin to decorate your cake with a spatula! Once entire cake is covered, put it in fridge to solidify and form.

Then serve! Its refreshing and light! Has won over my guests on a memorial day bar-b-que! One day I will make my AFC from scratch, as well the whipped topping, but this costs you about $5-6, and your guests will enjoy it!!

Bon appetit!

Easy Hollandaise Sauce

As I build my culinary skills, Hollandaise requires as such, so for the time being, this recipe is that of Knorr, but I add some twists to make it not taste like it came from a pouch. I am an eggs benedict fiend, and want to create my own dish, and this sauce is on par to many restaurants. Someday my sauce will be perfected, and Knorr will become a thing of my past!

1 pkg. Knorr Hollandaise Sauce

1/4 cup. butter

1 cup milk (I use skim)

1-2 tsp. yellow mustard

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

dash of dried dill

dash of cayenne pepper

splash of Tabasco sauce

Follow directions on Knorr package. Once finished, should be nice and creamy with some weight, add in mustard, lemon juice, dill and if desired the stuff that gives it some kick! One thing to note with the mustard, start out with 1 tsp, if you feel it needs more add it. You don't want sauce to taste like mustard, though, it gives the sauce depth and adds a bit to the texture, making it velvety, and will leave your guests wondering what your secret ingredient is, plus it makes the color richer, as in egg yolk richer-that is why its my little tip! In my opinion, in the real Hollandaise sauce there is egg yolk, and using the package eliminates that aspect. If you're making eggs benny, you've got the yolk there already, so less cholesterol worries, but who's counting anyway??

Spoon over poached eggs, asparagus, whatever! I'm horrible with poached eggs, by the way, I never get them right, am tempted to purchase egg poacher type pan from William Sonoma. Time being I do over easy eggs, atop whole wheat English Muffin, a slice of cheese, if any lying around (adds cheesyness to the whole dish) and canadian bacon! Totally sinful, I know, but on occasion, its marvelous, and cheaper than any brunchy place! I'd love to host a brunch, and of course offer mimosas to my guests, but that is another blog on cocktails served!

Bon appetit!

Sauce Béchamel

Super easy! Anyone can do this, and come out smelling like...err...a chef! This is a great base, to make into any sort of white sauce you desire. Here's what it is and how to do it:

Ingredients:

1 Cup milk (I use skim/fat free to cut corners)

2 Tbsp cold butter (I don't want to cut corners here, shouldn't use margarine for this!)

2 Tbsp flour (measured and placed in container)

S&P to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, heat butter on medium heat. I like to put my whisk on top of the pat of butter, and swirl the pat around pan until melted. Once butter is melted, gently whisk in flour. As I mentioned in the ingredients, when flour is already measured and placed in a container, i.e. small bowl, cup, etc, you'll need your one hand to pour the flour into the pan, and your other to whisk, you don't want to take your attention away from pan as you don't want anything to burn! This is called making the "roux". You'll see a smooth creamy consistency of the flour and butter. At this point remove pan from heat, and again, pour in milk with one hand and continue to whisk with other hand. Once all is well incorporated return to heat, and slowly let it come to a simmer, all the while continuing to whisk, as you don't want the milk to scald. Once simmering, nearly boiling, remove from heat, and stir, sauce should thicken now.

And there you have it, your sauce béchamel!

Here is where you begin to have fun!

So, that sauce has three ingredients, butter, flour and milk, can be pretty boring. To make your sauce cheesey and garlicy, add in desired amount of garlic (3-4 cloves) and 1/4 cup packed shredded cheese (parmesan works great, acts as an alfredo). Don't forget to salt and pepper, this shouldn't be bland.

Where else could you go with this? You could add in some salsa and pepper jack cheese for a Mexican queso dip, add in spinach to that for an "espinaca con queso" dip.

Have some left over pesto that you thought about tossing? Add it in for a creamy pesto sauce to pour over grilled chicken and penne!

Anything is possible. The white sauce is your starter, and you can really get creative. Have fun with it!

Bon appetit!

Chicken Ravioli à la tapenade

I concocted this very simple and thoughtless dish tonight after viewing what remained in my fridge and freezer. This is a good way to clear out things in the fridge.

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms

1/4 cup tapenade (store bought)

1 cup frozen chicken ravioli

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp grated parmesan

1 tsp red pepper flakes

S&P to taste

1. In small sauce pan, heat water to a boil. Once boiling add in frozen ravioli.

2. In medium skillet, add in olive and heat on medium heat. Once pan thoroughly heated, add in onions and garlic, saute down till translucent. Then add mushrooms, saute for 5 mins, mushrooms should be soft and decreased in size a bit. Stir in tapenade, salt and pepper to taste. Tapenade brings a salty punch, be weary if you wish to add more salt.

3. Once ravioli finished, using slotted spoon, pull ravioli out and add to skillet, tossing onion, mushroom, tapenade mixture with raviolis. Sprinkle in parmesan and red pepper flakes, et voila! Simple and delicious! I had some of the mixture left over, so now I have one tupperware with leftover, rather than 4 different containers, to reheat for lunch tomorrow.

Note: Any variation of pasta you have will work fine, the chicken ravioli is just what I had in the freezer, and needed to be used up before freezer burn hit it. Also, mushroom mixture would go great over fish, adding capers and lemon zest!

Bon appetit!

Linguine with Red Clam Sauce

Grocery List:

Ingredients:

1 28 oz. can tomato sauce

1 15 oz. can crushed tomato

1 14.5 oz can diced tomato

1 8 oz. jar clam juice

2 6.5 oz can minced/diced clams

1 pkg whole grain/wheat pasta

1 small onion, chopped

2 cup sliced mushrooms (baby bellas are my fave)

1 cup. red wine

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1 tbsp. capers

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. italian seasonings

1 tsp. ground pepper

1 tsp. sea salt

lemon zest to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot for the pasta on medium-high heat. I sprinkle a bit of salt, and splash a bit of olive oil into the water, flavoring the water, and the oil will also add a desired texture to pasta.

2. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat, add in olive oil. Once oil heated, toss in onions and garlic, sauteing evenly, not to burn the garlic (lower heat if needed). Once onions translucent, add in mushrooms, continue stirring watching out that garlic does not brown. Once mushrooms tender and well incorporated with onions and garlic, add tomato paste to evenly distribute throughout the pan.

3. Add wine to the skillet, bring to simmer. Continue to add in clams and juice, blending all ingredients together, letting juice and wine mingle, and clams to bask in the onion, garlic and mushroom mixture.

4. Stir in the diced tomatoes, blending with all ingredients. Let cook down for a few minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Next, add in the spices and the capers. Now we're in the flavor zone! At this point turn heat to medium low, and let sauce simmer, stirring occasionally. I let this "steep" for 45 mins to an hour, you might not want to wait that long, as it will be done sooner, but I like to really let the flavors mingle. Taste to see if flavored to your liking and add more if needed. Flavor will not be "clammy", but when you find the clam, you'll taste it and the wonderful sauce accompanying , its quite savory!

5. Keep an eye on the water for the pasta, if boiling go ahead and add it in. If pasta is done before the sauce is ready, shock the pasta by immersing drained pasta into iced water! This will stop the cooking, and maintain the first al dente texture. Trust me, the pasta finished early, my husband helped by offering this advise, and it worked! I feared the pasta would be mush, and he assured me this tip would be effective, and it was!

Once pasta and sauce are done, plate it up and enjoy! Sprinkle lemon zest on top of serving, and some shredded parmesan. Serve along side a simple salad with dijon vinaigrette dressing, recipe at beginning of blog.

Bon appetit!