Coq au Vin (Rooster with Wine)

When I first started cooking, hubby HATED wine in anything.  Thankfully, he has been a better sport about it within the last two years, sometimes he still grumbles "this has wine in it".  Oh well--the kicker is, he eats all the food anyway!  He did confide to me that 95% of what I make is really good, 2.5% is okay, and 2.5% is terrible.  Those are some pretty good odds that what I make he will like!

{Cock au Vin on buttered noodles}

{Browning the bacon, onions and garlic}

{Getting everything together}

{Searing chicken}

{Nice sear!}

{Sauting mushrooms}

{Adding wine and spices}

{Add chicken back into the pot}

{Oops!  Forgot the bay leaf!}

{Buttered noodles}

{Letting the sauce reduce}

Coq au Vin (Rooster with Wine)
from 50 Shades of Chicken

Makes 4 servings

4 oz bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pint mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
4 chicken thighs
1 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup dry red wine
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 parsley stems (2 teaspoons dried)
Pasta, cooked and buttered

1. Brown bacon, onions and garlic in a Dutch oven until crispy; remove and set aside.
2. Add chicken, skin side down to get a good sear.  Brown chicken on both sides.
3. Add mushrooms and saute until browned.
4. Add the bacon, onions, garlic, and remaining ingredients, except cooked pasta, back to Dutch oven.
5. Simmer for 30 minutes covered.
6. Uncover and simmer for another 20 minutes; sauce should reduce by half or two-thirds (basically evaporating the water/liquid to thicken the sauce and concentrate flavors).
7. Serve sauce and chicken over pasta.

I love fall.  I'm transitioning into heavier foods like this dish!  My crock-pot is gearing up for all the soups and stews I'll be making!  Do you like heavy dishes year-round or just in cold months?

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Roasted Chicken with Chickpeas

I've been hearing good reviews regarding roasted chickpeas.  They are healthy for you (scores major points with me!) and can be roasted with sweet or savory ingredients.  The hubby needs gradual change so I made a recipe from 50 Shades of Chicken that incorporated roasted chickpeas, and he loved it! 

{Sorry for the blurriness--we were hungry!  The delicious smell was all over the house!}

{Mixing chickpeas, hot sauce, and onions}

{Place chickpeas in the bottom of a roasting pan}

{Spice rub for chicken}

{Spice rubbed chicken ready for the oven!}

Roasted Chicken with Chickpeas

Serves 4

1-15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
6 cloves garlic, chopped
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons hot sauce, divided
1 lemon, zested
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 heaping teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds), rinsed and dried

1. In a bowl, mix chickpeas, onions, garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce until chickpeas and onions are well-coated.  Place in the bottow of a roasting pan.
2. In another bowl, mix together remaining ingredients, except chicken.
3. Rub spice mixture all over chicken and place chicken on top of chickpeas.
4. Allow chicken to marinate overnight.
5. Place chicken on the countertop about 1 hour before cooking to allow chicken to warm up to room temperature.
6. Preheat oven to 375.
7. Roast chicken for 45-50 minutes or until chicken juices run clear or temperature reads 165 degrees.
8. Pull chicken out of the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

I've got a few savory/spicy and sweet roasted chickpea recipes to try out for snacks and such.  I'll probably even try it with his favorite chip flavor spice mixture; maybe he will be so addicted to the chickpeas, he will stop eating chips!  Wishful thinking, I know, but I can dream right?

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Sesame Radish and Cucumber Salad

The hubby loves radishes; me not so much.  I am trying though!  I found this radish recipe in my 50 Shades of Chicken cookbook, and I thought that I would give it a try.  This salad is DELICIOUS!!!  It's light and perfect for a summer BBQ.  The hubby said it was "okay" but then he ate most of it (he does that A LOT--says something is just "okay" and then eats most of it).  The great part of this salad is that all the ingredients can be cut ahead of time and then tossed together right before service.  Otherwise, the radishes might bleed some color (like below) but is still delicious!

{I let it sit overnight before snapping a picture--still yummy though!}

{Dressing}

  

{Make dressing and then add cucumbers and radishes right before service for better color}

Sesame Radish and Cucumber Salad

Makes 4 servings

3 tablespoons sesame seed oil

4 teaspoons lemon juice

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

8 oz radishes, thinly sliced

1. Mix oil, juice, onions, ginger and soy sauce together.
2. Add radishes and cucumbers.
3. Serve immediately.

I am not a big fan of summer...  The heat kills me!  The one redeeming quality of summer is that there are fresh fruits and vegetables!  I have a slew of salads lined up using an array of summer goodies!  I cannot wait to try them and share them (if they pass my inspections and tests)!!! 

What are some of your favorite fresh salads?

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Roasted Chicken Wrapped in Bacon

Because my husband has such a thing for bacon, I saw this recipe (originally called Chicken with a Lardon) in the book, 50 Shades of Chicken, courtesy of my best friend, I knew that I had to make it.  Period.  So here it is!

{Chicken wrapped in bacon}

{Making the spice rub}

{The spice rub will stain so rub it on the chicken in a sink!}

{3/4 of the way roasted and ready for the bacon wrapping!}

{Please be careful when placing the bacon on the chicken because the chicken will be HOT!!!}

Roasted Chicken Wrapped in Bacon

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 4-5 pound whole chicken, rinsed and dried off
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teapsoon black pepper
1 orange, zested and then cut into quarters
1 teaspoon olive oil
4-6 strips of bacon depending on the size of the bird

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Mix paprika, salt, pepper, and orange zest until combined.
3. Rub oil over the skin of the chicken.
4. Rub some of the paprika mixture into the cavity of the chicken; rub the remaining mixture over the rest of the chicken.
5. Place orange quarters into the cavity of the chicken.
6. Place chicken in a roasting pan and roast for 45 minutes.
7. Take chicken out of the oven and crisscross bacon over the breasts.
8. Place chicken with bacon back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the chicken is done and bacon crispy.
9. Let the chicken rest (sit at room temperature) for about 10 minutes before cutting into it.

I wasn't too sure about the orangey taste that was bound to happen with the zest and orange in the cavity, but the husband loved this recipe!  The spicy from the paprika with the sweetness of the orange was fantastic.

Have you ever been unsure of a food pairing before trying it?  What was it?

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Chicken Hash with Sweet Potatoes

Although I haven't read the 50 Shades of Grey series, my best friend got me the 50 Shades of Chicken: A Parody in a Cookbook by FL Fowler which made me blush (and giggle!).  If you have someone who has read the series and loves to cook, then this will make a perfect gift!  The recipes sound DELICIOUS!  (I am testing them!) 

{Fried egg on top!}

{Sweet potatoes--learn how to cut them here}

{Parboiling sweet potatoes}

{Drain and dry sweet potatoes}

{Frying sweet potatoes}

{Nice color!}

{Add peppers, onion, and garlic (I added mushrooms that needed using--delicious!)}

{Add chicken}

Chicken Hash with Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 peppers, diced
2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
Pinch of chili flakes
4 eggs, fried

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add sweet potatoes; cook until potatoes are halfway done (al dente).
2. Drain potatoes and let dry (might have to toss them every few minutes).
3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons butter in skillet and add potatoes; let cook on one side without stirring them.
4. Place sweet potatoes in a bowl.
5. Add remaining butter to pot and let melt; add peppers, onions, and garlic; cook until tender.
6. Add chicken and chili flakes and cook until heated through.
7. Add sweet potatoes and heat through.
8. Meanwhile, fry eggs in a pan.
9. Serve hash with eggs.

Olive oil can be substituted for the butter in this recipe just fine.  You can add other veggies too like 1 cup mushrooms, spinach, carrots, etc  (I would almost call this a clean-out-the-fridge hash LOL)

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Chicken Fricassee

After getting the book, 50 Shades of Chicken, for Christmas, I've been itching to try most of them in the span of about a month.  However, Ben doesn't care for that much chicken so I'm having to spread it out :o(  He loves the country ham his parents got from a family friend so when I saw this recipe in the book that combines ham and spicyness, I knew he would love it!  (even if it was chicken....)

{Chicken Fricassee}

{Mixing the marinade}

{Chicken swimming in the spicy marinade}

{I used 3 peppers because they were on the edge}

{Country ham from Ben's parents}

{Searing the chicken}

{Frying the ham}

{Adding sauce ingredients}

{Reducing sauce by 1/3}

{Added chicken and baked in the oven}

Chicken Fricassee

Serves 4

Ingredients

6 bone-in, with skin chicken thighs
1 cup dry white wine
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz country ham, chopped
1 medium red onion, cut into wedges
2 peppers, cut into strips (see this post to learn how to cut peppers)
1-6 oz can tomato sauce
1-15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth

1. Place raw chicken in a dish with a lid and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Mix together wine, garlic, chili powder, paprika, and pepper flakes until combined; pour over chicken and marinate overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 325.
4. Heat oil in a Dutch oven and sear chicken in the pan; when skin is crispy take out and lay back in the marinade.
5. Add ham pieces to the oil and fry until brown; add onions and peppers and cook until softened.
6. Add marinade, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth to pan and stir to combine.
7. Reduce sauce by 1/3.
8. Add chicken back to pan, cover with lid, and place in oven for 1 hour or until chicken is done.
9. Serve with rice.

This was DELICIOUS!  Of course he LOVED this recipe!  He even ate the leftovers which is a big deal because he usually doesn't eat leftovers.  If you don't like as much spice, please cut back on the spicy ingredients (chili powder, paprika, and pepper flakes) because this dish does have a strong bite!

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