Recipe #333: Chicken Succotash

I have a new favorite cook book, The New Soup Bible by Anne Sheasby.  Here's a recipe from that book.  Fantastic, full of flavor.  I made minor changes like using frozen corn instead of cobs.

Ingredients:

3c chicken stock (I may have added more, but I don't remember)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4c butter
2 onions, chopped
4oz chopped bacon (I probably used more.... I mean, it's bacon, right?)
1/4c flour
4 cobs corn (or frozen equivalent)
1 1/4c milk
14oz can lima (butter) beans, drained
3 tbsp shopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring the chicken stock to boil in a large pan.  Add the chicken and bring back to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook 12-15 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.  Reserve the stock.

Melt the butter in a pan.  Add the onions and cook 4-5 minutes until softened but not brown.

Add the bacon and cook for 5-6 minutes, until beginning to brown.  Sprinkle in the flour and cook for one minute, stirring continuously.

Gradually stir in the hot stock and bring to a boil, stirring until thickened.  Remove from heat.

Add the corn and half the milk.  Cook for 12-15 minutes until corn is tender.

Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and stir into the soup.  Stir in the beans and remaining milk.  Cook for another five minutes.  Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Recipe #330: Chicken Barley Soup

A great alternative to chicken noodle soup.  I added more broth and then more again to the leftovers since the barley absorbs a lot.  The leftovers are even better than when it's first made.  Once again, allrecipes.com, ladies and gentlemen!

Ingredients

• 8 cups water (I used half water, half chicken broth)
• 2 pounds chicken thighs, or more to taste (I used thighs and breasts)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery (try to include celery leaves)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup pearl barley
• 3 bay leaves 

• 1 cube chicken bouillon, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Combine water, chicken thighs, and bay leaves in a large stock pot; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, place a cover on the pot, and cook at a simmer until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.
2. Remove chicken to a cutting board to cool. Remove and discard bones, skin, and fat from chicken. Cut remaining meat into bite-sized pieces.
3. Cool broth until the fat congeals on the surface. Skim and discard fat.
4. Return soup to heat; add carrots, celery, onion, pearl barley, bay leaves, chicken bouillon, poultry seasoning, sage, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, place cover on the pot, and simmer until the barley is cooked and the vegetables are tender, 60 to 90 minutes. Stir lemon juice into the soup just before serving.

Recipe #329: Crock Pot Chicken Chili

Why did I wait so long to make white chili!?  This was delicious and definitely a healthy alternative.  This one is from allrecipes.com.  Pictured with cheese, crackers, and sour cream in it.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) jar green salsa (salsa verde)
• 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
• 2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, drained
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 (14 ounce) can corn, drained

1 onion, chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Directions

1. Mix green salsa, diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, white beans, chicken broth, corn, onion, oregano, cumin, salt, and black pepper together in a slow cooker. Lay chicken breasts atop the mixture.
2. Cook on Low until the chicken shreds easily with 2 forks, 6 to 8 hours.
3. Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred completely; return to chili in slow cooker and stir.

Recipe #328: Quick Chicken Noodle Pho

Excellent and healthy recipe from Cape Fear Nutrition!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 32oz chicken stock (I believe I added a little more)
• 4 boneless, skinless  chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 8 ounces dried rice noodles
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups mung bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup  Thai basil
• 1 lime cut into wedges
• 2  red serrano chiles (I used jalapeno since I couldn't find serranos)
• Hot Sauce , Sriracha, or hoisin sauce (optional)

Instructions

 1.  Combine stock  and fresh ginger in a  stockpot over moderate heat.  Add chicken thighs, sugar and fish sauce. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat  and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 30 minutes.

2. While stock is simmering, prepare noodles according to package direction. Drain and keep warm.

3. When chicken is cooked, remove from pot and cut into bite sized pieces. Strain stock.

4. Divide warm noodles between four bowls. Add chicken. Ladle the broth over noodles and chicken. Serve  with  scallions, bean sprouts, lime wedges, thai basil and  serrano chiles. Add hot sauce, sriracha or hoisin sauce as desired.

Recipe #321: Southwest Chicken Taquitos

After a summer of just wanting to eat burgers and steak off my grill, I'm finally back into cooking mode in my kitchen as the weather cools off.  This recipe is SO delicious and very easy to assemble.  I found this on http://www.gogogogourmet.com/ and the only changes I made was to the dipping sauce.  I doubled it and added sour cream when it was too spicy for our tastes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 rotisserie chicken breast, shredded
• 1 cup chopped onion (1/2 large onion)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1 14 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
• Fajita size tortillas
• ¼ c ranch
• ½ avocado
• 1 T chipotle adobo

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, saute the chopped onion in 1 T olive oil until softened. Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly
3. In a separate bowl, add the sauteed onions and garlic, shredded chicken, corn, beans, green onion, cumin and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon approximately ¼ cup filling onto a tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down in a baking dish or rimmed cookie sheet. Repeat, arranging the assembled taquitos in a single layer. Spray the tops with nonstick spray.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are crispy and browning.
6. In a small bowl, mash the avocado until smooth. Whisk in the ranch and adobo sauce and serve alongside for dipping.

Recipe #319: Baked Paprika Chicken Thighs, Brussels Sprouts, and Potatoes

Yes, yes, I know.  I haven't posted since May.  That's a good sign though- I've been crazy busy this summer!  Yes, I have made a few new recipes, and it's time to go back through my Facebook pictures to see some of the shots I took of them so I can blog them properly.  Tonight I found a recipe on Eating Well that I adapted for what I had in the kitchen, and it's AMAZING, so I am kicking my blog back into gear with that one!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (or quartered if large)
• 1 pound redskin potatoes, quartered (or sixthed if large- is sixthed a word!?)
• 1/2 white onion, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, sliced, or lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, sweet or hot
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 large or 8 small bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds), skin removed

PREPARATION

1. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 450°F.
2. Combine Brussels sprouts, onion, potatoes and lemon with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet.
3. Mash garlic and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt with the side of a chef’s knife to form a paste. Combine the garlic paste with paprika, thyme and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over chicken. Nestle the chicken into the vegetables.
4. Roast on the lower rack until the vegetables are tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken without touching bone registers 165°F, 25-30 minutes.

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Recipe #315: Chicken Mole

Chocolate? Cinnamon?  Cloves?  Raisins?  With chicken and tomatoes and onions?  YES.  Trust me.  It's WONDERFUL!  Allrecipes.com again for this winner.  I didn't have sesame seeds, unfortunately.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 (3 pound) chicken, cut into pieces 1 bay leaf 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/4 cup raisins 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

1.

Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken pieces in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in the bay leaf, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, cloves, and cinnamon until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.

2.

Stir in the tomatoes, brown sugar, and chicken broth, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, stir in the chocolate chips until melted, then return the chicken pieces to the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is tender and no longer pink at the bone, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the raisins, and cook 3 minutes longer. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.

Recipe #314: Braised Chicken and Brussels Sprouts

This is definitely going into my regular rotation.  It's is a Martha Stewart recipe that I modified based on what I already had in the kitchen, and I love how it turned out- I would keep my version of the recipe for next time.  Feeds two and is an easy but delicious one-pot meal.  I made this in my French pot, my favorite cooking tool in the kitchen!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces  (I used four bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced  (I used a bunch of minced garlic)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard  (I used whole grain mustard that I bought in Paris!)
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In batches, cook chicken until browned, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, then add brussels sprouts and shallots to pan. Saute until golden brown, 3 minutes. Stir in mustard and cook 1 minute. Add vinegar and broth, return chicken to pan, and bring to a rapid simmer.
2. Transfer pan to oven and braise until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Add cream to pan and swirl to combine; season with salt and pepper.  (I removed the chicken before adding the cream, and then spooned it over top once plated.)

Recipe #308: Baked Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks

I LOVE this recipe.  Just a little kick to it, nothing too spicy, super easy to make and cheap.  I made a dipping sauce on the side by melting blue cheese with a little bit of milk and adding flour to thicken it up a smidge.

Ingredients

Chicken:
8 drumsticks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Spicy Sauce:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup hot sauce
1 tablespoon BBQ sauce

Directions

For the chicken: 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Rinse and pat dry the drumsticks. Mix the oil, chili powder, garlic powder, and some salt and pepper in a medium bowl or resealable plastic bag. Toss the drumsticks in the seasoned oil to coat well. Bake the drumsticks on a wire rack placed on a baking sheet (so air circulates around chicken) until very tender and the skin is crisp, 50 minutes.

For the spicy sauce: 

Mix together the butter, hot sauce and BBQ sauce in a large bowl.
Toss the drumsticks in the spicy sauce until well coated. Place the drumsticks back on the rack and continue baking an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Recipe #303: Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Here was an easy Christmas Eve dinner.  The fresh avocado was so good with it.  I skipped the cilantro because I'm not a huge fan of it.

Ingredients

• 5 small corn tortillas, cut into strips
• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 8 ounces Greek cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup enchilada sauce
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14 ounce) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweet corn kernels, drained and rinsed
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with chilies (such as Rotel brand)
• Sliced avocado and cilantro leaves for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a 3-quart or larger Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the tortilla strips and fry until crispy, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the pot and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the chicken pieces and diced onion; cook 7-10 minutes until chicken is browned and cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, puree the cream cheese, enchilada sauce, cumin, and cayenne pepper in a small food processor (or beat using a hand mixer).
4. Add the broth to the chicken pot, followed by the cream cheese mixture. Stir in the beans, corn, and diced tomatoes. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, until warmed through.
5. Serve topped with tortilla strips, cilantro, and avocado.

Recipe #290: Braised Chicken with Kale

Finally, a new recipe made recently (tonight!)  I went to the store with no clue what I'd like to make, and I just bought a few things that grabbed my attention- whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick) and kale.  I went online to find a recipe and this one was PERFECT!  I had everything on hand, plus my new purchases, and it turned out delicious.  The chicken is very moist and the kale still maintains a good texture despite all of the cooking.  This is from Cooking Light's website.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided  (next time, I'm using all butter- I set off my smoke alarm!)
• 4 chicken leg quarters, skinned  (I didn't notice the skinned part and left that on)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 (16-ounce) package cut prewashed kale (I used two whole heads of kale)
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained (I used unflavored)
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth (I used mostly Chardonnay)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. 2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons canola oil. Sprinkle the chicken with black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place flour in a dish, and dredge chicken. Place 2 leg quarters in pan, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining 2 leg quarters. Remove from pan.
3. 3. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add garlic; cook for 20 seconds. Add half of kale; cook for 2 minutes. Add remaining half of kale; cook 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and broth; bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan. Cover and bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; stir in vinegar. Serve chicken over kale mixture.

Recipe #278: Buffalo Chicken Dip

This awesome appetizer seems to be a staple at parties lately, and I decided it was time to make it myself.  This is my adaptation.

INGREDIENTS:

1 rotisserie chicken, hand shredded (this could be done ahead of time)
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 8oz block of cream cheese
3/4c bleu cheese dressing
3/4c ranch dressing
1/3c hot sauce (I used buffalo wing sauce)
Shredded cheese
Oil

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat oil in a skillet and cook celery until soft.  Add cheese and dressings and cook until smooth.  Add in chicken and hot sauce and mix well.  Pour into a greased 8x8 dish and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Recipe #275: Chicken Chimichangas with Sour Cream Sauce

I had a little trouble with this one, between wrapping these things and frying them in oil, but they still turned out delicious.  Next time I'll try my own wrapping technique or bigger tortillas, and I think I'd bake them instead of frying them.  Besides being a healthier option, they won't burn as quickly.  The one minute fry time is WAY longer than necessary.  Still delicious despite not being quite how I wanted them, and I definitely ate way too much!  The green chilies are great in this dish.  Thank you again, allrecipes.com....

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken filling: 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 3 cups water 1 tablespoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chilies, divided 1/2 cup diced onion 3 large cloves garlic, minced Sour cream sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup water 1 cube chicken bouillon 1/2 cup sour cream salt and pepper to taste oil for frying 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese                                     DIRECTIONS:

Place the chicken breasts into a large saucepan. Pour in the water, and season with chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, stir in 4 ounces of green chiles, onion, and garlic; continue simmering until the liquid has reduced to 1 cup. Reserve remaining 3 ounces of chopped green chilies. Remove the chicken, shred with two forks, and return to the onion mixture. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the water and bouillon cube until the water has thickened and the bouillon cube has dissolved, about 4 minutes. Whisk in reserved 3 ounces of green chilies and the sour cream; season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place a tortilla onto your work surface, then spoon about 1/3 cup of the chicken filling halfway between the bottom edge and the center of the tortilla. Flatten the filling into rectangle shape with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle about 1 ounce of the Monterey Jack cheese over the filling. Fold the bottom of the tortilla snugly over the filling, then fold in the left and right edges. Roll the chimichanga up to the top edge, forming a tight cylinder; secure the ends with wooden toothpicks. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Cook the chimichangas, 2 at a time, in the hot oil until they are crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and remove toothpicks. Top with sour cream sauce to serve.

Recipe #273: Singapore Mai Fun

It's been awhile since I've posted, but work travel makes meal planning difficult!  In between work trips, I'm able to squeeze in this new recipe from food.com, which I adapted a little.  Next time, I think I would use all shrimp and no chicken simply because the shrimp created a nice difference in texture where the chicken sort of blended in, and I would also use two eggs.

Ingredients:

1 (6 ounce) package skinny rice noodles (py mai fun)  (I used an 8oz package)
1/2 cup reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
cooking spray
1 tablespoon peanut oil, divided
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut in strips
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger  (The store didn't have fresh, so I used 1 tsp ground)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 -5 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced (I used 8 more oz of shrimp, you could also use cubed tofu)  (I used almost a full pound)
1 tablespoon curry powder
8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup sliced green onion (1-inch slices)
1/2 lb snow peas, sliced thinly
1/2 lb mung bean sprouts

Directions:

Cook rice noodles according to package directions, leaving out any fat or salt that may be called for.

Combine broth, soy sauce, sugar and salt, and stir together till sugar dissolves.

Heat large nonstick skillet over med-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray.

Add 1 tsp oil.

Add egg; stir-fry 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled, stirring constantly.

Remove from pan, and set aside.

Wipe down pan with cloth or paper towel.

Heat remaining oil (about 2 tsp) in pan over med-high heat.

Brown chicken thoroughly.

Add bell pepper, ginger, red pepper, and garlic; stir-fry 15 seconds.

Add snow peas, bean sprouts, curry, and shrimp; stir fry two or three minutes, until shrimp is nearly done.

Stir in egg, noodles and broth mixture; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

Sprinkle with green onions.

Recipe #272: Chicken Makhani

This goes with #271, perfectly!  This is from food.com, with my changes in red.  Crazy delicious!!!  I bet the house will still smell this good tomorrow morning... hearty, a little spicy, fun to make.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste (I couldn't find this, so I used 1/2tbs powdered ginger and 1/2tbs garlic powder)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.

Saute shallot and onion until soft and translucent.

Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, cumin and bay leaf.

Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in half-and-half and yogurt.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Season with salt, pepper and cayenne.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.

Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Reduce heat and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne.

Stir in about 1/3 of the sauce and simmer until liquid has reduced and chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Pour the rest of the sauce into the chicken. (Instead, I put the chicken mixture back into the first pot- there was much more room.)

Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce.

Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Recipe #269: Fondue De Poulet À La Crème (Child)

Ok, I admit it, this is NOT the prettiest picture.  The chicken looks pink, but it's not really.  I was too excited to eat it to get the photo right.  This recipe is from page 262 of volume I... I bought some onions and a chicken and decided that was plenty enough to see what Julia could inspire, and I chose this recipe.  Make it with rice for a side- the sauce with the rice and chicken is the perfect combination of textures and flavors.  Thick and creamy, and the curry and onion flavors are perfect!!

Here's my picture (and yes, the sauce was still a little bit lumpy, but I didn't want to dilute it with more cream, which was an option):

I was going to find a picture on Google that looks better than mine, and I found out that actually, it's not photogenic regardless of who makes it!  So  you just have to trust me that this is FANTASTIC!

Recipe #261: Poulet Poêlé à L'Estragon (Chicken with Tarragon) with Farce Duxelles (Mushroom Stuffing) (Child)

I think I'm going to have to establish a new standard with this blog.

I have to say, first of all, that I am hoping to not scare anyone away with these latest recipes.  They're more advanced, if you want to talk about advanced as meaning using TONS of dishes and also spending 3-4 hours making one recipe.  Advanced does not mean difficult.  It might mean a special pot or a random ingredient you might not be used to, but it does not mean hard, by any means.

To me, "hard" in terms of cooking is ALWAYS baking.  Anything involving flour, expecting things to rise and be baked consistently throughout and get people with a sweet tooth all excited just by the sight of them.... yeah that's not me.  Also, I refuse to make pancakes.  I've cried one too many times over pancakes.

But my blog is meant to be "easy"..... so I will make sure I keep posting relatively simple recipes made with basic ingredients.  However, I can't ignore the good results from my forays into the art of French cooking...... I will still post those.

I think, though, that pages of instructions (which are delightfully easy to follow, if you see her cook books) from Mastering the Art of French Cooking are not really what I feel like re-typing.  I thought about copy/paste from internet sites using the recipes, but they are just adaptations of other people's attempts at Julia's instructions.  Not good enough for me.

I follow them as closely as possible.  My other recipes are all about adaptation and tweaking.  These, not so much, to the point where I won't even make something if I have to change more than one or two things.

So here's my new standard.  Julia recipes will not have instructions posted.  Instead, I will reference where I found them from her book and post pictures of my results.

Poulet Poêlé à L'Estragon (Chicken with Tarragon) - page 249 of volume I.... with Farce Duxelles (Mushroom Stuffing) - page 251.

Mushroom stuffing, pre-stuff.

Chicken, post-roast.  I didn't truss the wings.

Post-roast, removal of the stuffing.

Straining of the sauces from the casserole for gravy.

First time using a gravy boat in.....forever....

So moist, tender, rich, and worth a 9:15pm plating time!