Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

I made roasted pumpkin seeds last Halloween and they didn't turn out that well.  When we were carving pumpkins this year, B asked that I try them again.  I found this recipe and read a few of the comments.  I ended up using the recipe loosely and throwing in various spices.  They turned out really good and were devoured at a get together we had last night (another "Hurricane Sandy" block fest).

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Seasoned All Salt
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Salt (just a little since there is already Seasoned Salt)
Fresh Cracked Pepper
2-1/2 cups pumpkin seeds (cleaned)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
In a small bowl, combine first 6 ingredients and mix well.
Pour mixture over pumpkin seeds and toss to coat.
Place pumpkin seeds on cookie sheet and roast in oven for 1 hour.  Stir about every 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

I've never made soup but since we were "hunkered down" for Hurricane Sandy, I thought it was a good time to try!  I google'd a recipe for butternut squash since I already had pieces cut up.  I found this recipe and after reading some of the comments, I incorporated the ideas to cut the amount of potatoes; carrots and celery.  I also added some spices (as recommended by others on the site).  M thought it needed a little more kick, so I added 1/4 of a jalapeno too!  It was really good and hit the spot on a day when you're stuck inside!  If you make it, play with the spices until you achieve a taste you like!  

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 medium potato, cubed

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded & cubed

1 (32 oz) container chicken stock

1/4 jalapeno, chopped

Cinnamon, to taste

Nutmeg, to taste

Cayenne, to taste

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Sour cream

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large pot and add onion; celery; potatoes & squash.  Add in dry spices (cinnamon; nutmeg; cayenne; salt & pepper).  Stir for about 5 minutes.  

Pour in enough chicken stock to cover the veggies.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 40 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

Strain veggies but be sure to keep the liquid.  (I put the strainer in a large bowl and poured the veggies into the strainer and let the bowl catch the liquid)

Put the veggies, a little at a time, into a blender and add a little liquid to the blender.  Work your way through all of the veggies.  When you have the last bit of veggies in the blender, put the jalapeno in too and blend.  

If the soup is too thick, add a little stock to get the right consistency.  

When you serve it, put a little dollop of sour cream in each bowl.  

Enjoy!

Baked Chicken & Spinach Flautas (Taquitos)

I was in a rut for what to serve for dinner and wanted something different for a chicken dish.  I found this recipe while just glancing through websites and thought it sounded good.  I used boneless skinless chicken breasts and just simmered them to cook them quickly.  Afterward, I seasoned the chicken with the dry spices and set it aside.  This came out really good and is a nice alternative to regular chicken breasts!

The original recipe calls for cilantro and since I've realized through other recipes that I really don't care for it, I omitted the cilantro.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing tortillas

1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion

1 tbsp finely diced jalapeño; leave seeds in if more heat is desired

2 tsp ground chili powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup water

2 1/2 cups shredded leftover or rotisserie chicken

1/2 cup chopped baby or flat leaf spinach

1 1/2 cups Pepper Jack cheese

1/3 cup sour cream

1 tbsp lime juice

12 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas. Larger tortillas can be used but for best results, cut in half and start rolling from cut-side

Salsa, sour cream and guacamole, if desired, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Lightly grease a rimmed sheet pan with olive oil and set aside.

Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onions, oil and jalapeno and cook, stirring often until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin and garlic powder and stir for 30 seconds. Add water and chicken and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, add spinach, toss gently and let sit briefly as spinach wilts. Stir in cheese, sour cream, cilantro and lime juice and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel or clean kitchen towel and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Working with one tortilla at a time, lay tortilla on a clean work surface and place 3-tablespoons of chicken mixture in bottom third of the tortilla; roll up tightly. Place seam-side down on prepared sheet pan and repeat with remaining tortillas, spacing evenly on the sheet pan. Lightly brush tops and sides of tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole, as a garnish, if desired.

 

Crispy Parmesan Rosemary Potatoes

I'm always looking for different ways to make potatoes.  I think it makes me feel like since I'm making them a different way, it's not so bad that I have them so much!  :-)  What can I say, I love potatoes! 
Anyway, I had a girlfriend over for dinner last night and made my chicken stuffed with spinach & cheese.  I wanted a potato that would go nicely with that.  I found this recipe and thought it sounded perfect.  The potatoes were amazing and had a great texture.  I'm guessing it's the cornmeal that gave it the texture (I've never used it before) but these are worth trying!  Hardest part is remembering to use a hot pad when removing the steaming hot skillet from the oven.  Thankfully, no burns last night! 

(Here are the potatoes after they came out of the oven)

 (Here's the full meal)

Ingredients:

2 lbs red potatoes

2 tbsp cornmeal

2 tbsp grated Parmesan

2 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp pepper

3/4 c olive oil

2 tbsp fresh minced rosemary leaves

8-10 garlic cloves, peeled

Directions:

Cut each pototo into quarters and put them in a pot of cold, salted water.  Bring the water to a boil and boil for 8-10 minutes.  Drain in a colander.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

In a small bowl, combine cornmeal, Parmesan, Salt & Pepper

Remove potatoes from colander and put in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with cornmeal mixture and toss to coat. 

In a large cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet, heat olive oil, garlic and rosemary.  Heat for 1 minute, stirring frequently until fragrant. 

Add seasoned potatoes to skillet and gently stir to coat.  Place skillet on bottom rack of oven for 15 minutes.  Carefully flip potatoes and put back in oven for another 10-15 minutes. 

Remove from pan and serve. 





Chicken Pot Pie

I am sharing this meal to show that not all of my creations turn out as planned!  I would categorize this one as a presentation FAIL but the taste was really good!  As some of you know, our Acme isn't the best (I've put that on here before - sigh!) and when I went looking for refrigerated pie crust, wouldn't you know that they were sold out - of EVERY kind.  UGH.  I posted on another site that I belong to for alternatives and someone gave me what looked like an "easy" pie crust recipe.  Note to self, pie crust from scratch should not be made on a week night when there's homework; bath; laundry; etc... to do as well!  The picture shows that this really didn't turn out as pretty as it should have but I would definitely try it again with the refrigerator pie crust that it calls for because the flavor was delish!  The original recipe came from here.
When I make this again, I'll put the "pretty" picture up!

Edited - to add a new picture of a "prettier" pot pie!  I made it again and it turned out really nice!  

Ingredients:
8 oz white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (5.2 oz) package Boursin cheese
1 c chicken broth
1/2 c heavy cream (I did 1/4 c heavy cream and 1/4 c skim milk)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1-1/2 c frozen carrots and broccoli (recipe called for peas but we don't like them)
Salt & Pepper
1 refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust

Directions:
Simmer chicken breast until done - about 15 minutes.  Cut into bite size pieces
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Saute mushrooms until the liquid is gone
Combine broth, cream, cornstarch, salt & pepper in a large sauce pan.  Break up the cheese and mix in.  Cook over medium high heat until the cheese has melted and the sauce thickens up a little bit - about 5-7 minutes
Stir in chicken, mushrooms, veggies and combine.
Transfer to a 9" pie pan.  Carefully lay pie crust over the top.  Tuck any dough that hangs over into the mixture.  Cut 3 1" slits in top of crust. 
Bake until filling is bubbling and crust is brown - about 25 minutes.

German Fried Potatoes & Onions

The neighbors hosted a "Blocktoberfest" (thanks Lex for the awesome name!) and everyone brought something.  I wasn't able to attend the original night but thankfully there was plenty of left over so they did it the next night too!  I found this recipe for German Fried Potatoes and they looked good but still easy to make.  I am not sure what makes them German but other people I have shared the recipe with have informed me that this type of potato dish can be found in many German restaurants.  They aren't the healthiest but they are pretty good!  I microwaved the whole potatoes for about 3 minutes each and used my mandolin to slice which helped to speed up the prep process.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
4 russet potatoes, sliced thin
2 medium onions, sliced
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat butter and olive oil until butter is melted.  Add potatoes

Cook potatoes, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.  The potatoes should be a crispy brown with some white spots (since the potatoes will overlap a little)

Once potatoes are done, remove and put on a plate with paper towels (to absorb some of the grease)

In the hot skillet, brown the onion for about 5 minutes

Add the potatoes back in, season with salt & pepper and stir to combine. 

Broccoli & Cheese Potato Skins

Another Friday night in Trolley = another fun night with the neighbors!  I made these potato skins this past Friday and I think they were really good!  They take a little bit of time between cooking the potatoes; scooping out most of the potatoes and re-stuffing but it's worth it!  I added some bacon to these and decided to saute the broccoli, garlic and red onion before stuffing the potatoes.  The end flavor was really tasty!

(Not a great picture but by the time I remembered to take 1 - they were already half gone!)

Ingredients:
6 whole Russet potatoes
4 tbsp butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 red onion, minced
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese
5-6 bacon slices
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.  Pierce potatoes a few times with a fork & cook in oven for about 1 hour.  Remove from oven and place on cutting board to cool for about 15 mintues
Meanwhile, cook bacon and place on paper towels to drain excess grease.
Leave about 2-3 tbsp bacon grease in pan and saute red onion.  Add in broccoli and garlic and saute for about 4 - 5 minutes
Once potatoes are cool, use a serrated knife and cut in half.  Scoop out about 80% of the potatoes - leaving a little in the potato skin
Melt butter then brush insides and outsides of potatoes.  Place potatoes on cookie tray and broil them for about 8-10 minutes until the insides of the potatoes get a little brown
Add some of the scooped out potato to the broccoli; onion mixture.  Chop bacon into smaller pieces and add into broccoli mixture.  Stir to combine everything.
Scoop broccoli mixture into potato skin.  Top with shredded cheese & bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Turkey, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna

I had this recipe tucked away for a while now.  I was looking for something to make during the day that would be an easy heat up when we wanted to eat so I decided to try it.  The recipe calls for the "no-boil" lasagna noodles and I was pretty skeptical.  It turned out surprisingly good!  It's even better reheated in the microwave (my 1st attempt to reheat, I used the oven but I prefer the microwave now!).  I think it'd be just as good with the regular "boil" noodles but the no-boil definitely save some time!  The spices that you add make the dish so try to get them all in there.

Ingredients:
1 lb extra lean ground turkey
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt & Pepper
2 tsp olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pkg crimini mushrooms (I used baby bella)
4 cups baby spinach
4 cups marinara sauce (32 oz jar)
4 oz turkey pepperoni, chopped
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
15 oz fat free Ricotta noodles (I ended up using part skim because that's what I had on hand)
1 cup shredded part skim Mozzarella
Fresh basil (I used dried)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray 9x13" pan with Pam
Mix ground turkey, fennel, garlic powder, salt & pepper together.  Add to a large skillet set to medium, high heat.  Occasionally stir turkey and cook until no longer pink.  Transfer to a bowl.
In same skillet, add olive oil and then onion.  Cook onion until it softens.  Add garlic for about a minute.  Add mushrooms and cook them for about 5 minutes.  Add spinach and cook until it's wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
Add skillet items to bowl with turkey and combine.
Spread 1 cup of sauce on bottom of baking pan.  Cover with 4 lasagna noodles, overlapping if necessary.  Layer half of the turkey filling on top of the noodles, then layer half of the Ricotta.  Top with 1 cup of sauce, half the pepperoni and sprinkle the red pepper flakes on top.  Add 4 more noodles, the remaining turkey filling, Ricotta and sauce.  Top with remaining noodles and sprinkle Mozzarella cheese and basil.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until cheese is slightly browned & bubbly.
Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Herb Balsamic Lamb Chops

I made the roasted butternut squash on Monday with the intention of serving it with dinner Tuesday.  I thought I was going to do a pork tenderloin but when I opened the freezer, I saw 4 lamb chops sitting right in front so I decided to use them.  I found this recipe and knew that I also had some fresh herbs to use so it seemed like a perfect fit!  The only thing that didn't work according to the original recipe was the cooking time.  I like my lamb pretty rare but after pulling the meat off and letting it rest, it was still too rare.  I ended up putting the chops back in the pan with the balsamic, covering it and simmering the lamb for about another 2-3 minutes per side.  They turned out delicious and were a perfect compliment to the roasted squash!

A picture of the lamb chops as I put them in the pan

The final meal

Ingredients:

4 lamb chops

1 tbsp mixed fresh herbs (I used thyme and rosemary)

Salt & Pepper

1-1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 tbsp butter (I used margarine)

Directions:Rub the chops on both sides with the herbs, salt & pepper.  Let sit for about 30 minutes

After 30 minutes, heat olive oil in pan and place chops in pan.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side.  Remove from heat, tent to keep warm.

Add the shallots to the pan and cook until they are soft.  Add in the balsamic vinegar & chicken broth & simmer to reduce.  Once the broth is reduced by about half, add the butter and stir. 

If your chops aren't done to the temperature you like, add them back to the pan, reduce heat, cover & simmer for about another 2-3 minutes per side. 

Once the chops are done to your liking, put them on a plate and spoon the sauce over top. 

Serve immediately.

Chicken with a Mango Salsa

I had 2 very ripe mango's that I needed to use up and wasn't sure what to do with them.  I have always wanted to try mango salsa and found this recipe.  It looked really good so I gave it a try!  The chicken was a huge success and will be made again.  I wish I could say the same for the salsa.  I have come to the realization that I really don't care for cilantro - in anything!  The taste of cilantro in this was over-powering (I didn't even use the full amount that the recipe called for) and ruined the salsa part for me.  When I got 1 or 2 bites of just the mango - I did like how that tasted with the chicken.  I would maybe try this again but with different spices / herbs.  Also, the recipe didn't say to saute the onion or garlic and next time I would definitely do that!  I subbed shallot for the green onion since I don't like green onion either.

Here's the chicken after marinating - ready for the oven

Here's the final dish

Ingredients:

Chicken:
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c freshly squeezed lime juice

Mango Salsa:
2 mangos; peeled, pitted & cut into 1/4" pieces
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1-2 jalepeno chiles, seeds removed, diced
3 green onions, finely sliced (I used shallot because I don't like green onions)
2/3 c lightly packed fresh cilantro leave, chopped

Directions:
Rinse chicken with cold water and pat dry.
In an oven proof baking dish, combine ingredients for chicken and turn chicken several times to coat. 
Cover baking dish and refrigerate for 2-4 hours
Combine salsa ingredients and refrigerate
Preheat oven to 375 degrees & transfer baking dish to oven.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.
To serve, spoon a generous amount of salsa over chicken thighs

I served it over brown rice. 

Roasted Butternut Squash

I've seen so many recipes lately that include butternut squash ('tis the season) that I really wanted to give it a try.  I knew it would have to be over a weekend since it usually takes too much time for a work night dinner. Thankfully, I had today (Columbus Day) off and B had a play date with a friend so I had some extra time to cook.  I made the butternut squash for tomorrow night's side dish and will just quickly re-heat it tomorrow.  The hardest part of this recipe is the peeling and cutting of the tough butternut squash!  After that was done, the rest is a breeze!  I found the recipe here and I have sampled 1 piece.  I'm looking forward to tomorrow night's dinner already!!

Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed & minced
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
Pam Spray, for cookie sheet

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Peel and chop squash into 2" pieces and place in bowl
Add other ingredients & toss
Spray cookie sheet with a little Pam and spread squash evenly on tray
Roast in oven for 35-45 minutes, until tender, turning 1x during cooking
Serve immediately

Soppressata & Cheese Pastry Bake

If you've read the blog, you know that my neighbors and I have "Friday Appetizers for Dinner" most Friday nights.  This past Friday was no exception, so we held it again!  I made a puff pastry dish that I found here.  While I think it was good, it could use a little more "kick" next time.  I'm thinking of adding a sauce that we found at a restaurant on the Sassafras River (Rockfish Johnnie's Spice Sauce) and I think that will do the trick!  I wish I had a good picture of the appetizer but that will have to be posted next time I make it!

The one thing I'll mention is to be sure you thaw the puff pastry sheets in advance of when you actually want to start cooking!  :-)  (I obviously failed to notice that part of the instructions the first time!)


Ingredients:

• 1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, such as Pepperidge Farm, defrosted
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 12 thin (not paper thin) slices soppressata salami (3 1/2 inches in diameter)
• 6 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay one sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and lightly roll into a 10-inch square. Place it on the sheet pan and brush the pastry with all the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the soppressata in overlapping layers on the mustard and sprinkle the grated cheese evenly on the soppressata, also avoiding the border. Brush the border with the egg wash.

Lightly roll the second piece of puff pastry into a 10-inch square. Lay the pastry directly on top of the first square, lining up the edges. Brush the top with the egg wash, cut three large slits for steam to escape, and chill for 15 minutes.

When the pastry is cold, trim the edges with a very sharp knife to make a clean edge. Bake the pastry in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once while baking, until puffed and brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes, cut in squares, and serve hot or warm

Chorizo & Veggies over Pasta in a Light Cream Sauce

We didn't know what we wanted last night for dinner but since it was so cold, we went with a hearty pasta dish.  I've made something similar before and used the same method for the sauce as the last time.  B didn't want the chorizo, so I made her dish with chicken tenders and the veggies (and a butter sauce).  It turned out pretty good and has many possibilities of what to throw in next time!

The veggies being sauteed 

The finished product

Ingredients:
1 package of chorizo
1/2 package sun-dried tomatoes
1 package baby bella mushrooms
1 medium size head of broccoli, florets removed
3/4 box of rigatoni pasta
1/2 c low fat milk
1/4 c low fat chicken stock
1/4 lemon (for the juice)
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Red Pepper flakes
Margarine
1-2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
In a saute pan, place chorizio in a little water (not enough to cover the sausage though).  Cover and simmer on medium to medium low for about 5-6 minutes.
Drain off water, add a little olive oil (maybe 1 tbsp) and brown the sausage.  I ended up pulling the sausage off of the heat, cutting them into bite size pieces and then saute that way until they were done - maybe another 6-8 minutes.  
In a separate pan, saute mushrooms, broccoli florets & sun-dried tomatoes in a pan with a little margarine.  Stir veggies occasionally until the veggies have softened up
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain when it's done.
In a small sauce pan, add milk, chicken stock and juice from 1/4 lemon.  Simmer over a medium to medium low heat and stir.  Add in Parmesan cheese and some red pepper flakes (to your liking) and continue to stir.
To thicken the sauce, slowly add flour until the sauce is a consistency you like.
Mix veggies; chorizo; pasta & sauce in a big pot (I used the same one that I cooked the pasta in).  Place in serving bowls and top with a little fresh grated Parmesan.  Serve immediately.
 

Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas in a Creamy Avocado Sauce

M bought a big bag of avocados at Costco and a few days later turns to me and asks what we can make with them.  :-)  I started googling recipes and sent him a few to choose from.  He ended up choosing this one and it was fantastic!  They were very filling and would be great to serve when you're having guests!  I wouldn't add the green onion next time but that's just a personal taste thing.

Before the oven

Bubbling and ready to eat

M being creative for a pic of his food

Ingredients:
1 c chicken broth
1 c salsa verde
1/2 c sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1 jalapeno, coursely chopped (seeds removed)
1 clove garlice, chopped
1 tsp cumin
salt & pepper, to taste
1 handful cilantro
1/2 lime juice
4 c cooked shredded chicken
2 avocados, diced
2 green onions (I would omit this next time but only because I don't like green onion)
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 c shredded monterey jack cheese
8 (7") tortillas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Puree the chicken broth; salsa verde; sour cream; avocados; jalapeno; garlic; cumin; salt; pepper; cilantro & lime juice in a blender or food processor

Mix half the sauce with the chicken; avocado; green onions & half the cheese

Coat the bottom of a large baking dish with some of the sauce; wrap the chicken and avocado mixture in tortillas and place them in the dish

Top the enchiladas with remaining sauce & cheese.  Bake until the cheese has melted and sides are bubbling - about 15-20 minutes.

Quick Chicken Divan

I was in the mood for a casserole type of dish for B and me last weekend.  I have done this meal before and it always comes out nicely.  It's pretty easy to throw together too.  I made a few changes to the original recipe that I found here:
 - all ingredients were low-fat
 - used fresh broccoli instead of frozen
 - used 1/4 cup low fat sour cream and 1/4 cup low fat mayo instead of all mayo
 - used shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses instead of just cheddar
 - mix all ingredients (except the cheese) in a big bowl then spread in the pan (original recipe calls for layering the ingredients)

Before the oven

All done & ready to eat

Ingredients:
1 medium - large head of broccoli, florets cut into bite sized pieces
2 cooked boneless skinless chicken halves, cut into bite sized pieces
1 (10.75 oz) can of low fat cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 oz) can of low fat cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c low fat mayo
1/4 c low fat sour cream
1 tsp lemon juice
1-1/2 cups cheddar cheese (I mixed in mozzerella cheese too)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix first 7 ingredients together in a bowl and mix well.  Pour into baking dish (coated with Pam).
Top with grated cheese & bake for 35-40 minute over buttered noodles

Braised Chicken in a Porcini Wine Sauce

I was looking for something a little different to serve (we have chicken - a lot!) and found this recipe.  We made it exactly how the recipe called for and it turned out delicious!  M compared it to a chicken marsala, which it did taste like, just made with chicken thighs instead.  It wasn't too labor intensive and could be done on a week night for dinner.

Starting to brown the chicken

All of the ingredients simmering together

Chicken back in with the rest of the ingredients

The final product

Ingredients:
3 (.5 oz) packages of dried porcini mushrooms
1-1/2 c boiling water
1 pkg (8 pieces, cut up) bone in chicken, skin on
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp flour, divided
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 c dry white wine
1/2 c chicken stock, hot
2 sprigs thyme
1 tbsp cold butter

Directions:

Re-hydrate the mushrooms by placing them in a bowl & adding 1-1/2 c boiling water; cover with plastic wrap and allow them to soften for about 15 minutes.  Once they are softened, strain the mushrooms out of the soaking liquid & reserve the liquid for later.  Set mushrooms aside.

Season chicken with salt, pepper & paprika.  Dust each side with a little flour. 

Heat 4 qt cast iron braiser, or large heavy bottom pan over medium high heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil.  Place chicken in, skin side down and allow to brown for about 4 minutes.  Turn chicken over and brown the other side for about 2 minutes.  Remove chicken from braiser and place on clean plate. 

Reduce heat to medium low and add shallots and garlic.  After about a minute, add in the mushrooms.  Use a wooden spoon to loosen any chicken pieces and stir around.  Add back in the chicken then pour in beef stock; reserved mushroom stock; wine and thyme. 

Cover and simmer on low for about 40 minutes. 

After 40 minutes, remove chicken and set aside.  Mix cold butter & 1 tbsp flour into pot and whisk together.  (We ended up needing more flour to thicken the sauce)

Serve with warm buttered noodles; topped with chicken and sauce.