I was hankering for comfort food the other day and decided to try my hand at chicken and dumplings. Having never made this dish before, I chose a recipe by Lisa Schroeder, owner of Mother’s Bistro. Mother’s Bistro is famous around Portland for it’s classic comfort food and let me tell you, this recipe did not disappoint: plump, parsley-spiked dumplings cooked to fluffy perfection in a creamy chicken gravy. Yum!

Although there’s a few steps involved in making the dish, it’s well worth the effort. For the gravy, use a good quality chicken broth or make your own. Need to save time? Use a rotisserie chicken if you like.  My sister-in-law who has southern roots ate a bowlful and gave it her approval.  Enjoy!

Chicken and Dumplings
-recipe from Mother’s Best: Comfort Food That Takes You Home Again by Lisa Schroeder, Danielle Centoni

This dish is one of the most popular at Mother’s Bistro, probably because so many people grew up eating their mother’s or grandmother’s version. Traditionally, this dish is like a thick, creamy chicken soup with a layer of doughy dumplings that steam right on top while the soup simmers. Some make the dumplings “slippery,” with just flour and water for a more dense, chewy texture. But ours are layered with butter and leavened with baking powder, making them more like biscuits. Back in the day, a lot of moms turned to biscuit mix to try and save time, so not many people remember dumplings as tender and delicious as these. Making the biscuits from scratch takes just a few more minutes than using a mix and the results are far superior. Makes 8 servings.

Chicken gravy:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
7 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
2 teaspoons salt
½ freshly ground black pepper
2 cups diced carrots (about 2 large)
2 cups diced celery (about 5 stalks)

Dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 scant teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2/3 cup whole milk

To serve:
5 cups cooked chicken (approximately 1 3-lb. chicken; remove the skin, and pick the meat off the bones, keeping the meat in large chunks)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, for garnish

Directions:
In a heavy-bottomed large (8- to 10-quart) saucepan or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add flour and mix well with a wooden spoon to make a roux. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles fine, wet sand, about 3 minutes.

Whisk the broth into the roux a little at a time, allowing the roux to absorb the liquid before adding more. (This will help avoid lumps.) Add the salt, pepper, carrots and celery. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, then lower the heat and gently simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally and skim any scum that rises to the surface and stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.

While the gravy simmers, make the dumplings: whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and parsley together in a large bowl and cut in the butter using a pastry blender, two knives or a whisk until it’s in small pieces. (Alternatively, you can use a food processor: Place the flour, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Add the parsley and pulse once or twice to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is in small pieces.)

Add the milk and pulse or stir to moisten the flour. (Do not overmix or you will develop the gluten in the flour and the dumplings will be chewy.) Gather the dough into a ball.

Using a large spoon or your hands, scoop out ¼ cup chunks of dough, lightly roll between your palms to round them out, then drop into the simmering gravy (it’s ok if they sink down), spacing them apart. Cover the pot and simmer until the dumplings are done (a knife inserted in the center of a dumpling should come out clean), about 20 minutes. (Avoid lifting the lid while the dumplings are cooking because it slows down the cooking process, and “if you’re lookin’ you’re not cookin’!”)

Gently stir the cooked chicken into the pot with the dumplings, return the liquid to a simmer, and cook 5 more minutes to heat the chicken through. Using a serving spoon or tongs, divide the chicken and dumplings among the soup bowls. Ladle the gravy over the dumplings and chicken, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Tags: chicken and dumplings, Comfort Food, Lisa Schroeder, Mother's Bistro

Beef stew is classic comfort food. It’s a simple dish yet satisfying to the core. This recipe for Balsamic Beef Stew filled the house with a wonderful aroma while it slowly simmered on the stove, and was the perfect meal for a cold Fall day. Husband was almost giddy when he found out what we were having for dinner.

I added 4 oz. of quartered mushrooms along with the potatoes and carrots. Also, I let the stew simmer for a total of about 3 hours to ensure that the meat was fork-tender. The small amount of balsamic vinegar gives the stew a slight tang…boy, was it good! Serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!

Balsamic Beef Stew
-Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Simple Suppers, by Melanie Barnard (Oxmoor House, 2007).

From the muscular shoulder section, beef chuck is a tougher cut of meat that is ideal for stewing. It becomes delectably tender with long, slow cooking.

3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
2 lb. boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 Tbs. canola oil
1 large red onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 cup full-bodied red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 lb. red or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

In a resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, the 1/2 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add the beef, seal the bag and shake to coat the beef with the seasoned flour.

In a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, remove the beef from the bag, shake off the excess flour and add the meat to the pot in a single layer. Cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate.

Add the onion to the drippings in the pan and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bay leaves, wine and broth.

Return the meat and any juices from the plate to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and braise until the meat is nearly fork-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots, re-cover and continue to braise until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more.

Season the stew with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Stir in the vinegar, divide among individual shallow bowls and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Tags: balsamic beef stew, balsamic vinegar, beef stew, boneless beef chuck, Comfort Food, slow cooking, soup, stew

 
In honor of the first day of Autumn, here’s a good comfort food recipe for Braised Chicken with Mushrooms. This simple yet flavorful dish will definitely be making it onto my dinner table throughout the comfort food months! The medly of mushrooms and a little Madeira (or dry sherry) make a delicious, earthy sauce for the chicken. Mmmm, comfort food!

For the chicken, I used four skin-on, bone-in half breasts since the recipe didn’t specify boneless breasts. I was unable to find Madeira, a fortified Portuegese wine, so I substituted dry sherry. I didn’t think 1/4 cup would be enough but once the mushrooms release all their moisture, you have plenty of liquid for braising the chicken. I finished the dish with chopped parsley instead of tarragon (chopped fresh thyme or rosemary would also be a good substitution). I served the dish with baked potatoes (next time I’ll make mashed) and steamed veggies. Crusty bread is a must, too. Enjoy!

Braised Chicken with Mushrooms
-recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast: Simple Suppers (Food Made Fast) by Melanie Barnard

To complete the menu, serve with egg noodles or mashed potatoes and a green salad. This dish can be prepared up to 1 day ahead to allow time for the flavors to blend. Reheat, covered, on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed throughout.

4 chicken breast halves, 1 1/2 lb. total
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 lb. wild and/or cultivated mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup Madeira or dry sherry
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon

Brown the chicken:
Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter. Add the chicken and cook, turning once or twice, until golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Cook the vegetables:
Melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter in the pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until barely softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté until their juices are released, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Madeira and Worcestershire sauce.

Braise the chicken:
Return the chicken and any juices from the plate to the pan and spoon the mushrooms over the chicken. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and braise the chicken until opaque throughout, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the chicken among dinner plates, spoon the mushrooms over the chicken and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Tags: Autumn dinner, braised chicken, Chicken, Comfort Food, dry sherry, Madeira, mushrooms, wild mushrooms

This recipe for Mother’s Crunchy French Toast is, without a doubt, the best French toast I’ve ever made. Period. I’ve also ordered it at the source, Mother’s Bistro in downtown Portland, and this recipe produces a restaurant-worthy breakfast dish! It’s easy, extremely delicious and would make a great start to the day for mom (or anyone else for that matter!). Because of how rich this dish is, it’s definitely a special occasion meal and not something you would make every morning.

I used a loaf of brioche that I got at Trader Joe’s (I couldn’t find challah) and cut it into thick slices. Both challah and brioche are eggy breads that are perfect for this recipe. If you can’t find challah or brioche, Hawaiian bread would be a good substitute. I tried a few slices of regular sliced white bread and it didn’t work nearly as well as the thick-sliced brioche (the texture and flavor were lacking). Whatever bread you choose, use thick slices.

After a quick dip in the rich, vanilla-scented custard and crushed corn flakes, the pieces of bread are ready to brown in butter in the skillet. What you end up with is French toast that is crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and lightly spiced with cinnamon. OH MY GOODNESS…IT’S AMAZING! We were licking our plates.

I ended up with leftover custard so I made extra pieces of French toast. Serve the french toast with real maple syrup and fresh berries. Enjoy!

Mother’s Crunchy French Toast
-recipe from Mother’s Best: Comfort Food That Takes You Home Again by Lisa Schroeder, Danielle Centoni 

If I had to pick our one signature breakfast dish, this would be it. French toast goes by the name pain perdu in France, which translates as “lost bread.” It’s a recipe created to save stale bread from being “lost” to the garbage by soaking it in eggs and milk to get it moist and tender again and then frying it up. Although you can certainly use whatever stale bread slices you have lingering in the fridge (except something strong-flavored like rye), fresh challah provides a wonderful richness. A roll in cornflakes adds a wonderful, addictive crunch. Serves 4.
 
4 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
Pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 cups cornflakes
1 loaf egg (challah) bread, sliced into six 1-inch-thick slices
9 Tbs. (1 stick plus 1 Tbs.) unsalted butter (divided), preferably clarified
Confectioners’ sugar, for serving (optional)
Softened butter, for serving
Maple syrup, for serving

If your pan isn’t big enough to cook all the French toast at the same time, heat the oven to 200°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, half-and-half, cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla.

Place the cornflakes in another large bowl and crush with your hands until the pieces are small (but not like breadcrumbs) and somewhat uniform in size. Place a rimmed baking sheet nearby to hold the prepared bread.

Dip a slice of bread into the cream mixture, immersing both sides (saturate it, but do not let it fall apart).

Dip the slice into the cornflakes on both sides, pressing to adhere the flakes; set aside on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining slices.

Place a griddle or wide (preferably 14-inch) sauté pan over medium heat for several minutes. If using an electric griddle, set the heat to 350°F.

Sprinkle the griddle with a few drops of water; they should bounce around before evaporating. If they sizzle away quickly, the heat is too high. If they just sit there and slowly steam, the heat is too low. When the griddle is properly heated, add 1 Tbs. clarified butter for each piece of French toast and tilt to coat the pan.

Add the prepared bread in an even layer. Cook until golden on one side, about 4 minutes. Lift each piece with a spatula and put 1/2 Tbs. butter in its spot. Flip the toast onto the butter to cook the other side, about 4 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining slices of bread. Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven until all the French toast is cooked.

Cut each piece of bread in half diagonally to make triangles. Arrange 3 triangles like shingles on serving plates, sprinkle with confectioners’  sugar, if desired, and serve with softened butter and maple syrup.

Note: Challah (pronounced HALL-uh) is a slightly sweet, eggy Jewish bread that’s becoming increasingly common at gourmet grocery stores and bakeries. Many bakeries often carry it on Fridays, for the Jewish Sabbath. If you can’t find it, substitute any soft, sweet bread, such as brioche, Hawaiian bread, or thick slices of Texas toast.

Clarified butter is important for this recipe because it allows you to cook the French toast at a high enough heat to get a proper sizzle going, ensuring that the toasts stay crunchy. If the butter isn’t clarified, the milk solids will melt and impart moisture, which can impede crunchiness. And when the solids inevitably burn, they’ll give a burnt flavor to the food.

I’m linked to:
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tasty Tuesdays at 33 Shades of Green

Tags: Breakfast, breakfast for mom, brioche, brunch, challah, Comfort Food, cornflakes, Lisa Schroeder, Mother's Best Cookbook by Lisa Schroeder, Mother's Bistro and Bar, Mother's Crunchy French Toast, Mother's Day breakfast, Mother's Restaurant

Beef stew of any kind is always a winner in my house! So with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I thought I’d give Guinness Beef Stew a try. Even if you’re not a fan of the famous dark Irish beer, you’ll still love this stew! The Guinness Draught beer makes the stew rich and chocolatey without giving it an overly beer-y(is that a word?) taste. It’s really delicious! The recipe calls for 2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate to round out the flavor…it sounds a little weird but you can’t even tell it’s there.

Instead of using the slow cooker, I cooked the stew in the oven. First, I browned the beef in two batches in my dutch oven, set the browned beef aside in a separate bowl, then browned the onions in the dutch oven. I then added the broth, Guinness and the rest of the ingredients to the dutch oven, covered it with the lid, and baked the stew in a preheated 350° oven for 3 hours. When the stew was finished cooking, I removed it from the oven and placed it on a burner set at medium-high heat. I then added the flour/beer mixture and stirred it into the simmering stew, letting it continue to simmer for about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

Guinness Beef Stew
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine

Test Kitchen Discoveries
-When we enhanced the beer’s complex coffee/chocolate flavors by adding bittersweet chocolate to the slow cooker, our testers raved about the beefy, stout flavor.
-We added the Guinness in two stages to get the best of its flavor—at the beginning for a base flavor and at the end for a fresh kick.
-SHOP CAREFULLY: When cooking, choose the mellower Guinness Draught rather than Guinness Extra Stout. Straight from the bottle, both beers have their merits. But after nine hours in the slow cooker, Guinness Draught was the clear winner. Tasters noticed the “clean, toasted taste” of the stew made with Guinness Draught, while the stew made with Guinness Extra Stout, although still acceptable, was noted for having a slightly “tannic, bitter” aftertaste.
-Make sure to buy large chunks of stew meat. Trim meat of excess fat, as necessary, and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Be gentle when stirring in the flour in step 3—the fork-tender beef will fall apart if stirred too aggressively.

Serves 6 to 8.

4 pounds boneless beef chuck stew meat  
2 tablespoons vegetable oil  
2 onions, chopped 
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth  
1 1/2 cups Guinness Draught  (not Guinness Extra Stout)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar  
1 teaspoon dried thyme  
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate , chopped 
2 bay leaves  
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 
1 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, scrubbed 
1/4 cup all-purpose flour  
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves  

1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of beef until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker insert and repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.

2. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onions, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to skillet and cook until onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add broth, 1 1/4 cups stout, sugar, thyme, chocolate, and bay leaves and bring to boil, using wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits. Transfer to slow cooker insert.

3. Add carrots, parsnips, and potatoes to slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 9 to 10 hours (or cook on high for 6 to 7 hours). Set slow cooker to high. Whisk flour and remaining 1/4 cup beer until smooth, then stir mixture into slow cooker. Cook, covered, until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper, and discard bay leaf. Serve.

Make Ahead: You can prepare the recipe through step 2 the night before the ingredients go into the slow cooker. Refrigerate the browned beef and the onion mixture in separate containers. In the morning, transfer the beef and the onion mixture to the slow cooker and proceed with step 3.

I’m linked to:
Tasty Tuesday
Delicious Dishes
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
This Week’s Cravings
Foodie Friday
Favorite Things Friday
Friday Favorites
I’m Lovin’ It
Feature Yourself Friday
Friday Potluck

Tags: beef stew, boneless beef chuck stew meat, Comfort Food, Guinness beef stew, Guinness Draught, Irish beef stew, St. Patrick's Day dinner

Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite comfort foods, and it’s hard to improve on this classic dish. I made a new recipe the other night that just might be my new standard mashed potato recipe: Turnip and Potato Mash. Now before you turn up your nose (okay, bad joke), hear me out on this one. These mashed potatoes have personality! The mashed turnip is a great secret ingredient in this dish that adds another layer of flavor and a little oomph.

In case you’ve never bought them, turnips are round and white-purplish in color, and are a good source of Vitamin C and fiber. Choose small to medium turnips for the mildest flavor.

For the smoothest possible mash, use a potato ricer. Serve the Turnip and Potato Mash with anything you’d normally serve mashed potatoes with (chicken, turkey, beef, pork). Enjoy!

Turnip and Potato Mash
-recipe from Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine (Dec. 2010)

Serve this peppery replacement for mashed potatoes alongside seared steak. Serves 4 to 6.

1 pound turnips (about 2 medium), peeled and diced large
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and diced large
1 dried bay leaf
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

In a medium saucepan, bring turnips, potatoes, and bay leaf to a boil in salted water over high; cook until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, 20 minutes. Drain, discard bay leaf, and return vegetables to pan. Add sour cream and butter, and mash until mostly smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tags: Comfort Food, mashed potatoes, mashed turnips, Turnip and Potato Mash, turnips

This recipe for Pan-Roasted Chicken with Spinach and Smashed Potatoes is definitely comfort food. Plus, it’s a simple enough meal to pull together on a weeknight…you’ve got to love that! Husband was delighted when he walked in the door from work and was greeted with the wonderful fragrance of roast chicken.

I pretty much followed the recipe except for a few subtle changes. I chose to use a whole onion (quartered and some layers separated) instead of the shallots. Also, I used a different pan for the spinach so I could use the pan drippings from the chicken to make a simple gravy. I didn’t feel like messing with garlic so I didn’t add any to the spinach. If the lemony spinach sits too long then it starts to turn a funky greyish color so definitely wait until ready to serve before adding the lemon. For the smashed potatoes, I omitted the lemon zest and substituted good ol’ butter for the oil.  The taters were delicious and using potato cooking water in place of milk or cream is a genius way to get a healthier version of mashed potatoes. This was a great meal that I know I’ll be making again and again!

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Spinach and Smashed Potatoes
-recipe from Martha Steward Everyday Food Magazine
 
Serves 4.

1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 large shallots, quartered
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound spinach, trimmed and washed
Fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium saucepan, bring potatoes to a boil in salted water and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and thyme. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over medium-high. Cook chicken, skin side down, until golden and crisp, 5 minutes. Flip, then add shallots; cook until chicken is browned, 5 minutes. Flip shallots, then transfer skillet to oven. Roast until chicken is cooked through, 15 minutes.

Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water from potatoes. Drain potatoes and return to pan. Add 2 teaspoons of the oil, the lemon zest, and reserved cooking water; season with salt and pepper and roughly mash.

Transfer chicken and shallots to a platter and heat skillet over medium. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil and the garlic cloves, and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Gradually add spinach, and toss until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve chicken with shallots, potatoes, and spinach.

I’m linked to:
Show Off Your Stuff
Strut Your Stuff Thursday
Recipe Swap Thursday
Foodie Friday
Friday Favorites
Favorite Things Friday
Friendly Friday Follow
Hop Along Friday
Family Food Friday
Family Recipe Exchange

Tags: Chicken, Comfort Food, smashed potatoes, spinach

A good roast chicken is one of the ultimate comfort foods. This recipe, an updated version of a classic, uses balsamic vinegar which adds flavor and creates a great pan sauce that gets drizzled over the carved chicken. It’s hard to believe that something this good is so easy to make.

The recipe says it serves 6 but I guess that depends on serving size. When I make roast chicken for 6 adults, I roast 2 birds (it’s just as easy to double the recipe). My philosophy: I’d rather have too much than not enough. Whip up a few side dishes and you’ve got a wonderful dinner that’s easy enough for weeknight cooking yet delicious enough for company. Heck, you could even make this for Thanksgiving if you didn’t feel like messing with a turkey.

Roast Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar and Sage
(Pollo Arrosto al Balsamico)
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

Serves 4-6.

For cooking purposes, the less expensive commercially made balsamic vinegars will suffice. They add a pleasant sweet-tart lift to sauces and soups and form a lovely brown glaze on grilled meats and poultry.

1 chicken, about 5 lb.
12 fresh sage leaves
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat an oven to 350ºF.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Tuck the wings behind the back. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin on the breast and legs, being careful not to tear the skin. Insert a few of the sage leaves and some of the garlic under the skin, distributing them evenly. Pat the skin firmly back in place. Tuck the remaining sage leaves and garlic into the cavity.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Rub some of the mixture over the chicken and pour the remainder inside the cavity. Cross the drumsticks and, using kitchen string, tie the legs together. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.

Roast the chicken, basting occasionally with the pan drippings, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone, registers 170ºF and the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced, about 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer the chicken to a carving board and cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Pour the pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan. Skim off the fat. Reheat to serving temperature, if necessary.

Carve the chicken and arrange on a warmed platter. Pour the pan juices over the chicken and serve immediately.

Tags: balsamic vinegar, Comfort Food, roast chicken, sage

I wish meatloaf had a better name. I don’t know what that would be since it is a loaf of meat, but there’s got to be something else we can call it. Any ideas??? I’ll be pondering a new name for this tasty dish but for now we’re stuck with the name meat loaf.

The other day I had a few pounds of ground beef that I wanted to use so I did a quick recipe search and came up with this recipe for Individual Meat Loaves. The individual loaves were delicious, juicy, and easy to make. I can’t wait to make them for my dad, a meat loaf connoisseur. He’s going to love them. For a classic comfort food dinner, serve with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies.

Individual Meat Loaves
-Ina Garten recipe from foodnetwork.com

Serves: 6 servings

1 tablespoon good olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onions
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)
2 extra-large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don’t mash or the meatloaf will be dense. Divide the mixture into 6 (10 to 11-ounce) portions and shape each portion into a small loaf on a sheet pan. Spread about a tablespoon of ketchup on the top of each portion. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees F and the meat loaves are cooked through. Serve hot.

Tags: Beef, Comfort Food, meat loaf, meatloaf

My father-in-law (a meat & potatoes guy) came over for dinner the other night and I wanted to make him a nice meal–something meaty yet something he wouldn’t make for himself. I decided to make meatballs and spaghetti. This meal was truly a sight to behold: giant meatballs perfectly positioned on top of a plate of tomatoey spaghetti and garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Oh my…it was so good! 

I substituted Italian sausage for the ground veal and ground pork. The recipe calls for kosher salt, a coarser textured salt than table salt. Generally, you should use less table salt if you’re substituting it for kosher salt because a teaspoon of table salt holds more salt than a teaspoon of kosher salt. Since I didn’t have kosher salt on hand, I used 1 1/4 teaspoons of table salt in the meatballs and 1 teaspoon of it in the sauce. Next time I’d probably just use 1 teaspoon of table salt in the meatballs because there’s salt in the Italian sausage and salt in the Parmesan cheese. I divided the meat mixture into 16 large meatballs. It helps to have the meatballs rolled and set aside before you start frying them. Otherwise your first batch might get too brown if you’re busy rolling meatballs and not paying attention to the ones browning. I used my big Oster Electric Skillet to brown the meatballs and it worked perfectly because of it’s size and it’s adjustable temperature control.

For the sauce, I used a 35-oz can of San Marzano tomatoes, a variety of plum tomatoes that are stronger and sweeter in flavor and less acidic than roma tomatoes. The brand I used was Cento, but any good-quality canned plum tomatoes will do. Since I was using a 35-oz can of tomatoes (instead of the 28-oz size), I also added a bit more parsley and garlic. I only cooked a pound of pasta and there was a perfect amount of sauce for it. If you like lots of sauce and are cooking 1.5 pounds pasta then I recommend doubling the sauce recipe (you may have a little extra sauce but that’s ok). This was a great dinner that everyone enjoyed (my 5-year-old on up to Grandpa). I’m sure my Italian friend Mikki and her family would be proud of me!

Real Meatballs and Spaghetti
- recipe from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten

Makes 6 servings.

For the meatballs:
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:
1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don’t crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan

Tags: Beef, Comfort Food, Italian, italian sausage, meatballs, Pasta, spaghetti