Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Happy Mardi Gras! After trolling Pinterest for recipes, I landed on a chicken and sausage étouffée on Food Network. I had made something similar in the past, but lost the recipe. This one wasn't it, I don't think, but it was good! However, the andouille sausage can be hard to find, and pricy. So while eating dinner, it occurred to me that I could replace the regular paprika with smoked paprika and get the smoky taste the sausage provides without actually using it. So here is my rethought version...I haven't tried it yet, but the only real difference is the one mentioned above. And I cut the size of the recipe down, since I was only feeding two of us.

Smoky Chicken Étouffée

2 T olive oil

4 chicken thighs

Salt and pepper to taste

6 T flour

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 bottle of brown ale (drink the other half!)

2 c chicken broth/stock

1 bay leaf

1 T smoked paprika

1 1/2 c instant brown rice

Preheat oven to 350*.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and add skin side down to pot. Brown both sides of chicken, and remove to a plate. 

Add flour to drippings in pot and mix well. If necessary, add a little more oil to make all the flour wet, but still crumbly. Cook over low heat until the color of peanut butter. Add chopped onion, and cook until softened. Add beer and stir up brown bits from bottom of pot. Add broth, bay leaf, and paprika and mix well. Return chicken to pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven and cook until chicken is tender, about an hour.

Remove pot from oven. Place chicken on cutting board. Bring sauce to a simmer and add rice and 3/4 cup boiling water. Cover and simmer 5-7 minutes, then turn off heat and let sit another 5 minutes. Check to see if rice is done. If not, add more boiling water if necessary and simmer another couple minutes, until rice is done to your liking. 

In the meantime, remove chicken from bones and chop into bite size pieces (watch for cartilage from the bones!). When rice is almost done, stir chicken in. Serve in bowls. 

Chicken with Brie and baby spinach salad

I found this recipe on Food Network after seeing it on Robin Miller's show a long time ago. I don't often follow the recipe exactly anymore, and just dump things in the pan. I usually forget the shallots, as it is a last minute decision to make it (like today as there was a brie sampling at the grocery store which reminded me if the recipe, but I forgot to get a shallot). But it is good anyway.

Here is my adaptation of the recipe for one:

1 chicken breast, cut horizontally into two cutlets (it will cook faster that way)
Salt, pepper, and garlic herb Mrs. Dash
1/4 lb double cream brie (approx), sliced
A bowl of baby spinach from the salad bar
1/2 c bacon crumbles from the salad bar
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

Heat a couple tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash. Cook on medium heat until done. Remove and set aside.

In same skillet, add 1/4 cup vinegar and bacon crumbles. Reduce vinegar slightly, then add enough olive oil to make a salad dressing (about equal parts). Place reserved chicken on top of bacon, and top with cheese. Cover skillet and let cheese melt on low heat.

Place spinach in a shallow bowl or plate. Place chicken on top. Add a couple tablespoons vinegar to skillet and swirl to combine. Pour over chicken and spinach and serve.

The cheese and the vinegar compliment each other nicely. Try it!

Original recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/grilled-chicken-with-brie-and-baby-spinach-salad-recipe.html

Farfalle Autunno

I was reading a Yahoo article about fall pasta recipes, and one of them (from myrecipes.com) caught my eye, partly do to the paradoxical name, Fall Pasta Primavera (primavera mean spring for those who don't know). So I modified the recipe a tad, and renamed it farfalle autunno (thank you Google translate). Here is my version (I didn't use an onion, but think it would only be better with one added, so it is in the recipe). 

Farfalle Autunno

2 T olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 parsnip, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 small turnip, chopped

1 small yellow beet, chopped

1 sweet potato, chopped

1 clove garlic

1 t dry thyme

Salt and pepper

1 can veg broth

8 oz farfalle

Parmesan cheese, to taste

mushrooms sautéed in butter

Chop all veggies into bite size pieces. Heat oil in large Dutch oven. Add all root veggies and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown. Add thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Add broth, scraping brown bits off bottom of pot. Simmer until veggies are tender and broth reduced. 

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil. Add a handful of salt. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving some pasta water, and add to the veggies. Stir well, adding pasta water if it is dry. Stir in Parmesan cheese and mushrooms. Serve. 

Frogmore Potato Salad

I mentioned last time that I was thinking of making a shrimp boil potato salad. I found the original recipe online, then found it a couple other places as "original." I'm only going to link to the original that was posted first by a known magazine. 

I modified the original recipe. It called for halved potatoes and jumbo shrimp. Since I was making it for a large group, I made some needed changes. And I changed the name. 

Frogmore Potato Salad

5lb red potatoes, cut into chunks

1lb petite yellow and white corn

1 pkg little smokies, cut in quarters
1.5lb salad shrimp
6T creole mustard
1c lemon juice
2/3c olive oil
3t old bay, plus more for water

Put potatoes in large pot of water with old bay to taste (approx 2T). Bring to a boil and simmer just til tender. 

Meanwhile, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, mustard and old bay in large bowl. Add drained potatoes and stir to cover all potatoes in dressing. 

Add frozen corn to hot potatoes and mix. Add sausages and shrimp and combine well. Sprinkle with Old Bay and serve warm or cold.

I served it cold and it was tasty enough. I didn't get the rave reviews I have gotten for other meals I've provided for my small group. I don't know if warm might have been better. I'm not sure if I will make it again. For the trouble and expense, I'll just make a shrimp boil for my girl and I, and find a different salad to share. 

Here is the link to the original recipe: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/shrimp-boil-potato-salad-50400000122199/

Low country boil

A friend posted pics on Facebook of a giant low country boil she did for friends in Reno. I had seen it mentioned recently, and thought I should make one. Her pics were the motivation I needed!

My girl and I had decided to spend the day at home for Independence Day. So this regional American dish was our dinner. 

I read a couple recipes, and this is what I ended up with, for two people:

8 small red potatoes

2 smoked sausages, cut into 1" pieces

2 ears corn, broken in half

3/4 lb 16/20 shrimp, raw and in the shell

Water and Old Bay seasoning

Fill a large pot with water and add Old Bay to taste. One recipe I read said 2t per quart of water. I just eyeballed it. Bring water to a boil. When boiling, add potatoes and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 15 minutes. Add sausage and corn, and cook another 5 minutes. Add shrimp and remove from heat. Let sit until shrimp are done. Drain and eat!

We served it with butter and extra Old Bay. You could also serve with a crusty bread.

I was also looking for main dish salad recipes today for a potluck at church. I found a low country boil salad recipe that I think will do. I'll try to remember to post it later this weekend, once I make it. 

Long time no see

It has been quite a while since I was here. My recent excuse is my mom passes away, but that doesn't excuse an absence since August. I'll try to do better :)

Bluebells in the Mourning review

I recently read "Bluebells in the Mourning" by KaraLynn Mackrory. It is a Pride and Prejudice take off. It starts when Mr. Darcy is going to propose to Elizabeth at Hunsford. However, she had just received horrible news from home, so the proposal wasn't offered. And that is where the story diverges from the original. Along the way, their relationship deepens, bad guys are discovered, other relationships are explored, and several happily ever afters occur.

One of the parts I particularly liked was the exploration of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's relationship, and why it was the way it was. And also the understanding of each other that occurs.

This was a very nice book. I would definitely recommend it to others. 5/5 stars.







Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.