Quick Coq au Vin

So, over the weekend we had Region Drill Finals.  The girls have been through so much this year: girls on and off the team, girls hurt, practicing hurt and seemed like constantly re-spacing their dances for the unforeseen injury.  Needless to say it was a tough year.  I have played many sports in my life but I have NEVER seen a tougher, more dedicated group of athletes than these girls.
For breakfast on the day of the event, we made Waffle Love waffles, fruit salad and stuff for them to kick their day off well.  The outcome of Region competition was not what we wanted or expected but these amazing athletes performed their dances impeccably and should be proud of what they have done this year!  Bravo Chars!

On Sunday, after all of us slept in, and after Big Papi's wings for football I decided to try a recipe I have been wanting to try for a while...

QUICK COQ AU VIN

The Coq au Vin can be made in advance, covered and simmered over low heat on the stove or in a 275°F oven until ready to serve.  If slow cooked, you will need to add more chicken broth or wine to keep the sauce from getting too thick.  Chicken thighs are also recommended to avoid dry chicken if cooking all day.
Yields: 4-6
Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS
4 thick cut slices bacon, chopped
4 Tbsp.  olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2 Stalks Celery, chopped in ½” pieces
2 medium size carrots, chopped in ½” pieces
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 ½ lbs. boneless chicken tenders or small chicken breasts chunks (may sub thighs if desired)
2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
2 cups red wine, plus more if needed
2 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
4 whole sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

 DIRECTIONS

Heat a large skillet or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat and cook bacon until crispy.
Add another drizzle of oil if needed and then add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook the veggies, stirring often until soft and lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and then remove the veggies from the pan and set aside.
Add a drizzle of oil to the pan if needed.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the hot pan and sear on both sides until browned.  About 4-8 minutes per side, depending on how thick your chicken is. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add veggie mixture back into the pan, and toss in the sliced mushrooms and cook another minute or two.
Slowly pour in the red wine and chicken broth.  Add the bay leaf and thyme and season with salt + pepper.  Gently stir everything to combine then add chicken and then bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by about 1/3.
To serve, remove the bay leaf and thyme from the Coq au Vin.  Serve with mashed potatoes, chicken on the side of the mashed potatoes and then ladle the sauce & veggies over the chicken.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley or finely chopped chives.

Seemed to be a hit, it was a snowy day so the 'comfort food' factor was pretty high!

Cast Iron Care...

THE TRUTH ABOUT CAST IRON

Adapted from an article on Epicurious

Cast iron cookware holds a special place in our culinary hearts because it's economical, durable, versatile, holds heat well, and cooks food evenly. Properly seasoned and maintained, cast iron can last for generations and sustain a longer-lasting easy-release surface than contemporary non-stick pans. But in order to do all this, cast iron has to be well taken care of. And that's no small task, because no other piece of cookware incites greater debate and panic over its care and maintenance.

1. Wash with soap only once.

When you purchase a piece of new or used cast iron cookware it's okay to use mild soapy water for the first washing. But that's it! Avoid harsh soap and scouring pads thereafter because they can remove the seasoning you'll be trying so hard to achieve. And don't even think about running your pan through a dishwasher.

2. Season your pan.

We're not talking about salt and pepper here. "Seasoning" on a pan is fat or oil baked into the iron, which helps create a natural non-stick coating. The more you use your pan, the more seasoned it will become.
To season a cast iron pan, preheat the oven to 300°F. Place a layer of foil on the bottom rack of your oven and the pan on the top rack. Heat the pan for 10 minutes and remove. Using a cloth or paper towel, coat the pan with about 1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening, lard, or bacon grease. (Don't use vegetable oil—it creates a coating that feels sticky.) Place the pan back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove and pour out any excess fat or oil. Turn the pan upside down and return it to the top rack of the oven (position it over the foil to catch any drips). Bake for 1 hour, turn off the oven, and let the pan cool in the oven. Repeat this process often to maintain and intensify your pan's seasoning. Some new pans are labeled "pre-seasoned" but we recommend seasoning them at home anyway to create a stronger seasoning bond.

3. Get cooking!

Cast iron cookware is great for everything from pan-searing pork chops to baking cornbread. With new pieces, we recommend starting off with foods with a high fat content (like bacon) to help with the seasoning process and solidify the non-stick surface. Note: never store food in cast iron. Acids in food can break down the seasoned surface.

4. Keep it clean.

We don't recommend letting your cast iron soak. Wash your (preferably still warm) pan with hot water and use a sponge or stiff non-metal brush to remove cooking residue. To slough off tough bits of stuck-on food, pour a cup of coarse kosher salt into a still-warm skillet. Squeeze a folded kitchen towel with tongs and scrub the pan with the salt. Toss the salt and rinse the pan with hot water.

5. Dry it completely, every time.

Moisture is the enemy. Not properly drying your cast iron can cause it to rust. So after rinsing, dry it well and place it on the stove-top over low heat. Allow to dry for a few minutes, then use a cloth or paper towel to rub it with a little shortening, lard, bacon grease, or vegetable oil. Heat for 5 to 10 minutes more, remove from heat, and allow to cool. Wipe with another cloth or paper towel to remove excess grease.

6. Store it carefully.

Keep your cast iron cookware in a dry place with the lids off to avoid rusting. If rust appears, scour your pan with steel wool to remove it and re-season the pan.

Great Side - Tortellini

Last night we had a family dinner for Austin, before he leaves for the Army.  Lauren was in charge of the menu and she chose grilled, marinated chicken breasts, Roasted Garlic Alfredo Tortellini, sautéed asparagus, and her French toast a la mode for dessert...it was amazing!
Most of the stuff was basic (except Lauren's French Toast, which she did), but the Tortellini is a 'keeper'!

ROASTED GARLIC ALFREDO TORTELLINI

Serves 4+

INGREDIENTS

2 heads of roasted garlic (see below, it's simple!)
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 cup Heavy Cream, divided
¼ cup, heaping Sour Cream
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese + another ¼-1/2 cup
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 20oz. container of tortellini (refrigerated or frozen - cook according to directions beforehand)
3 Tbsp. of butter
Parsley to garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Roasted Garlic: Just slice off the top ends of the entire garlic head, leaving the root bottom alone.  Place them in a tin foil ‘boat’ then pour about 1 teaspoon of oil over each head. Fold the ends of the tinfoil up over the garlic, making an aluminum foil pouch of sorts. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour exactly.  Let cool until cool enough to handle, or refrigerate if you plan on using it later.
1. In a food processor or blender, combine the 2 heads of roasted garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons Olive Oil, & ¼ cup of the heavy cream.  Blend until the garlic is pulverized.  Into the garlic mixture, pour in the remaining ¾ cup heavy cream, heaping ¼ cup sour cream, & ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Blend the mixture for 30-60 seconds until everything is combined. The mixture will be thick & slightly lumpy, which is perfectly normal! Set the sauce aside.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet.  Add your tortellini & toss the pasta around in the melted butter to coat.  Pour the sauce on top of the pasta, & stir gently to combine.  Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring gently occasionally.  The sauce will thicken.
3. Sprinkle on ¼ cup to ½ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese (depending on your taste), stir to combine and remove from the heat.  Pour the tortellini into a serving vessel, & garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Weeknight Meal - Chicken, Garlic, Lemon and Artichoke Hearts

This fall, Smiths had a great deal on chicken thighs and drumsticks ($.69/lb.) so of course I had to buy quite a few of these 4lb.+, family-sized offerings.  Who doesn't like marinated, grilled dark meat chicken, right?  Well, apparently we didn't eat as many as I thought, so we have quite a lot of frozen chicken in the freezer that needs to be eaten.  Thank God for Google and recipes on the internet.  I found a version of the following, and as usual had to adjust it to our taste...

Braised Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Lemon and Artichoke Hearts

INGREDIENTS

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds discarded
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (thyme, oregano), plus more for garnish
1 tsp. ground Coriander
1 small jar artichoke hearts, chopped in large pieces
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup chicken stock

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove the chicken from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking to remove the chill. Preheat the oven to 350°. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. In a large ovenproof pan or Dutch oven large enough to hold all the thighs in a single layer, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic cloves to the pan and flip the thighs over. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and has gotten a little brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken and garlic from the pan and set aside.
3. While the pan is still hot, add the onions, lemon slices, coriander and herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have wilted and the brown bits on the bottom of the pan have loosened, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Nestle the thighs skin-side up in the onion mixture and add the garlic and the artichoke hearts. Pour the lemon juice and chicken stock around the chicken (so you don’t disturb the crispy skin) and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for ~40 minutes. Scatter fresh herbs over the top and serve with your choice of rice and a green salad.