One Pot, Baby!

If I can throw a bunch a stuff in one pot and cook it, I'm a happy girl.

I bought a ton of garlic at the farmer's market last weekend and had to do something with it.  And this wasn't just any garlic, this was from a lady's farm in Gilroy (the garlic capital of the world).  I had two whole heads of it that I hadn't used yet.

It's been a very busy week and I had to figure out something to make that didn't take long and could handle two heads of garlic.  I went and stared into the freezer, waiting for something to jump out and say, "Cook me!  With garlic!"

It turned out to be boneless skinless chicken breasts that were calling out to me.  I threw them in the microwave to defrost, and then went searching the fridge and pantry to see what was going to accompany it, and how I was even going to prepare it.

I found potatoes -- that will go with it.  I had a little white wine left, so that had to be put in there, of course!  So this is what I came up with...

It was super easy and took me all of about 15 minutes to prepare before throwing it in the oven.  Weeknight, one-pot meal... yeah, BABY!

You can, of course, alter the amount of chicken and potatoes to the number of people you need to cook for.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 medium/large yukon gold potatoes, cut into chunks (you could use any potato)
2 heads of garlic, cloves removed and peeled
3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup white wine
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels.  Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.  Add a few drizzles of olive oil to hot dutch oven.  Sear chicken on both sides, about 3-4 minutes each.  Remove chicken from dutch oven.  Put a few more drizzles of olive oil in the dutch oven.  Add the potatoes and garlic and brown potatoes on all sides, about 4 minutes.

Remove potatoes and garlic from dutch oven.  Add wine and scrape up all the bits in the dutch oven.  Add the chicken broth, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, and a little salt and pepper.  Add chicken, potatoes and garlic back to dutch oven.  Stir to combine.  Put the lid on it and put in the oven for 30 minutes.

That's it!  Hope you enjoy.  

Until next time...

Lady by the Bay

Walking the Streets of San Francisco

 

  

 

 

Hunter's Minestrone

I have to say, I love me some Tyler Florence! When I found out, a couple of years ago, that his shop was only a hop skip and a jump from where I live, I immediately had to go visit! What an amazing shop. I swear it must have been my lucky day as I not only was able to spend an hour or so looking at awesome cooking items, but I also managed to walk away with two SIGNED cookbooks! Score!  

I have made so many of Tyler's recipes and have enjoyed them all. I thought I'd share this one with you, as it is one of my favorites. Please note that I am never able to follow a recipe exactly as it is written, so the version you are receiving includes my personal variations. Enjoy!

8 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound small rigatoni
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 fresh sage leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
3/4 pound loose hot Italian pork sausage (or turkey sausage for a healthier version)
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
1 sweet onion, roughly chopped
6 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 (14.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Juice of half a lemon
1/2 bunch fresh parsley leaves, finely minced
Coarsely ground black pepper
12 slices baguette
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Bring a pot of salted water to boil for the rigatoni.

Pour 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot. Add the sage, rosemary and thyme and warm the oil over medium heat to infuse it with the flavor of the herbs, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the herbs from the pot. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic to the pot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Remove vegetables from the pot and set aide. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage with the side of a big spoon until well browned.

Add the vegetables back to the pot, stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf, cannellini beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Cook the rigatoni in the boiling water for 6 minutes; it should be slightly underdone. Drain and stir into the simmering soup. Add the parsley, lemon juice, salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste. Discard the bay leaf .

To serve, preheat a broiler. Put the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil.  Sprinkle with the Parmigiano and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and float a couple of the baguette slices on top.

Until next time...

Lady by the Bay