Prepare for Compliments and Praise

you will be way ahead of your kitchen game if you add this one to your make often list. Do not be surprised if you are elevated to Top Chef in your household. Do not be surprised if family members, boyfriends, or guests beg you to make it again and again. It is just-that-good!


Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sage Sauce
Adapted from Simply Recipes and Ina Gartin

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped shallots
8-10 ounces mushrooms, cremini or shitake, thickly sliced (I used large,white buttons, quartered lengthwise)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (light cream may curdle, so use
heavy cream)
3 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, (I prefer bone- in, with skin) See note below
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
Note:The original recipe calls for you to use boneless skinless breasts, prepared by pounding into cutlets, seasoned with salt and pepper and sauteed. I prefer to use bone-in breasts and the roast in the oven method taken from Ina Gartin. It is easier and so much more flavorful. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. I sometimes complete this part of the recipe up to one day ahead, wrap the breasts in foil and refrigerate. This method is so good for flavorful, moist roasted chicken that I use it for numerous recipes. You can save time and money by roasting more breasts than you need and freezing some for later use.

Mushroom Sage Sauce:

1 Melt butter in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add shallots
and sauté for one minute. Add mushrooms and parsley and sauté for
5-10 more minutes, until the mushrooms have browned. If you are
using unsalted butter, sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Add vermouth and
deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits that may be sticking to the
bottom of the pan. Stir in the cream. Bring to a simmer and cook the
sauce down until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 10 minutes).
2 While the sauce is reducing, and, if the chicken breasts are large, cut them in half to make equal servings. If you have roasted them and they are chilled, add to the sauce early enough to just warm them
3 Stir sage into sauce, adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Plate and spoon sauce over chicken to serve.
Serve alone (for low carb version) or with rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta (use gluten-free for gluten-free version). Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Serves 4.


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Let's Celebrate Grilling Season

We are fortunate in Central Florida grilling season is year round, but a lot of the world is just now going through seasonal rotation, welcoming warm weather and breaking out the grill. Marinating meat before grilling, in this case chicken, gives it such a boost in flavor. The recipe I am sharing is one of my very favorites for two reasons: you can't beat the flavor and I have the marinade ingredients in my kitchen most of the time, i.e. no shopping. I go back to it every year for chicken. I love its lemony goodness. Think about this, you can choose your presentation style and cuts, it works with a whole chicken cut up, bone in or boneless chicken breasts, thighs, chunks, cubes. You can grill the parts whole or make shisch kabobs. Today, since I am only cooking for two, I opted for boneless thighs, made two ways, flat grilled and on wooden skewers, laced with fruit and tomatoes.

Lemon Chicken Marinade

1 cup salad oil
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons crushed basil
2 teaspoons thyme

Mix marinade in a large zip-lock bag and add chicken pieces. Marinate 4 hours or longer. Grill.
Note: for the kabobs, soak the wooden skewers in water prior to lacing chicken chunks with your choice of fruits or veggies. In the photo: fresh plums, quartered, canned pineapple chunks, fresh tomato quarters. Also very good, try fresh or canned boiled new potatoes, bell pepper slices, fresh mushrooms, red or white onion quarters, fresh peaches.

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Restorative powers of juicy chicken

IT IS TIME!

Used as a mood elevator, used as a flu or cold fighter, used as a quick prep, low and slow nose teaser. If you are hanging around home for a couple of hours, this is the recipe for you. It comes to the table so juicy and moist and healthy. I feel better already! You gotta try this:


French Chicken in a Pot
America’s Test Kitchen-Best Recipes 2009

1 (4 1/2 pound ) roasting chicken, giblets discarded
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic
1 celery rib, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 medium fresh rosemary sprig
1/2- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven 250 degrees, with the rack to the lowest position
Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a dutch oven until shimmering. Place chicken breast side down. Scatter onion, garlic, celery, bay leaf and rosemary around the chicken. Brown lightly, about 5 minutes, flip chicken onto its’ back and continue to brown about 5-6 minutes longer. Off heat, cover the pot with a large sheet of aluminum foil, then place a tight fitting lid over the foil. Transfer the pot to the lower rack in the oven and bake until instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the breast and 175 degrees inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. Cook time is between 80 and 110 minutes. After removing chicken from pot, tent it for 20 minutes with foil and let rest. Strain the accumulated juices, separating the fat. Place juices in a saucepan, heat over medium heat, add lemon juice to the sauce and serve with the carved chicken. Read more!