Menu Monday

Last week's meals were so good...in fact the chicken cacciatore was soooooo good...and I just had to make it again tonight.

I decided against using the blog recipe I posted and went with one from America's Test Kitchen. And it was FANTABULOUS.

Here is the recipe:

4 lbs bone in, skin on chicken pieces, trimmed

2 T vegetable oil

1 onion, minced

6 oz portobello mushroom caps, quartered

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 t fresh minced thyme (or 1 t dried)

1 T flour

1 C dry red wine

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 C chicken broth

2 t fresh minced rosemary (or 1 t dried)

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. 

Heat 2 t of vegetable oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add 1/2 chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate (remove the browned skin is using chicken thighs). Pour off the chicken fat. Cook the remaining chicken in the same manner.

Pour off any chicken fat left in the pan. Add 2 t of oil, onion, mushrooms and 1/4 t of salt. Cook until the mushrooms are browned.

Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the wine, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in tomatoes and broth. Nestle the chicken into the pot.

Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender (about 30 minutes for chicken breasts and 1 hour for thighs or drumsticks).

Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover. Stir in rosemary to sauce. Bring to boil and cook until thickened, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken.

This was so easy and delicious. Everyone (except Josh - naturally) enjoyed this dish. The first time I cooked this, I used bone in, skin on chicken thighs and the second time I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I thought it was great both ways, but I think I preferred the boneless, skinless.

Also, I don't have a dutch oven -- it's on my list, so I just used a large skillet. It worked like a dream.

The beef stew was delicious and I am adding it to our list. The potato soup was okay, but not nearly as good or as easy as other recipes I have tried. Like this one: Potato Soup.

With the kids home so much last week I also made Thai Chicken Patties:

1 small onion, rough chopped
1 clove garlic
2 t ginger
1 jalapeno, seeded
4 bonelessm skinless chicken breasts
1/3 C cilantro
2 T fish sauce
2 egg whites
1/2 C bread crumbs

Combine onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add chicken, cilantro and fish sauce and pulse until well blended. Transfer to a bowl and stir in egg whites and bread crumbs.

Heat broiler to high with rack at highest position. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Shape patties, 1/2 inch thick. Place on baking sheets.

Broil until patties are lightly browned and flip and cook until browned on the other side.

Phew. Now for this week:

These recipes are from Pioneer Woman...and if you haven't read her yet...she does it all...cooking, photography, everything!

We are going to try:

Red Thai Duck Curry (although I am going use chicken)
Chicken Parmigiana
Beef with Snow Peas
Pioneer Woman's Favorite Hamburger
Pan Fried Pork Chops with Parker House Rolls

And sometime this week, I also want to try:

Perfect Pancakes
Bobby's Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Let me know if you are trying any of these.

Happy cooking!