Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!

Good Tuesday Evening to you gals. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and would like to see some Posts of what you gals cooked this year. As for this sister, I didn't cook a thing! Surprised? I am! We ended up at the Cousins which was only half the family because everyone was sick - sorry for them, more food for us. By Saturday, I was feeling a little guilt (about not cooking) so made Grown-Up Mac and Cheese with Goat Cheese and Roast Chicken, Sunday was Beef Fajita Night, Last night was a big ol salad, but tonight was the Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner.

Chardonnay Braised Chicken Thighs with Parsnips

Thanks again to Food and Wine

The Parsnips cooking in the Wine Smelled Awesome

1. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2. 2 tablespoons olive oil
3. 8 med chicken thighs I used 6
4. Salt & Pepper
5. 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6. 4 small shallots, peeled and quartered
7. 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 3-by- 1/2-inch batons
8. 1 rosemary sprig 
9. 1 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine
10. 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth I used Chicken Stock
11. 
    

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large, deep ovenproof skillet, melt the butter in the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust with the flour, tapping off the excess. Add the chicken to the skillet skin side down and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned, 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the shallots, parsnips and rosemary to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Nestle the chicken skin side up in the skillet, tucking it between the parsnips. Transfer the skillet to the middle rack of the oven and braise the chicken uncovered for about 25 minutes, until cooked through.
3. Turn the broiler on. Broil the chicken for 3 minutes, until the skin is crisp. Return the skillet to high heat and boil until the sauce is thickened, 3 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprig. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to bowls garnish with Rosemary or Parsley.

Friday Night "Pie"

My Friday Night routine is and has been for a long time as follows...arrive home from a long week around 6, put on PJ's, pour a glass of wine, order a pizza "pie", another glass of wine, watch Dateline and 20/20 simultaneously then bed. Whew getting "older ladyish" just reading this, but I broke this pattern on Friday and made dinner (after a glass of wine mind you). 

Tomato Blue Cheese Pie

1 9in pre-made pie crust

1 tbsp Olive oil

S& P

8 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 1 cup)

4 oz blue cheese, crumbled (about a cup)

1 large egg

3 med vine-ripe tomatoes sliced thinly

Preheat the oven to 400. Unroll your pie crust and press into a 9 in tart pan, Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with S7P and bake 10 Min. In a med bowl, stir together the ricotta, blue-cheese and egg until combined. Remove the tart shell from the oven and prick again with form. Spoon the cheese mixture into the tart shell and top with tomato slices, season with pepper and bake for 25 min. Remove and let cool slightly.

I served with a nice chopped romaine salad with crasinins, sugared pecans, a lil more blue cheese, and white wine vinaigrette.