The Cookbook

[George K]

Tonight's dinner:

Chicken Lombardy

Ingredients:

▢ 2 large chicken breasts (cut in half lengthwise)
▢ Salt & pepper (to taste)
▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ Flour (for dredging)
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 3 tablespoons butter (divided)
▢ 7 ounces cremini mushrooms (sliced)
▢ 1/2 cup marsala
▢ 1/4 cup chicken broth
▢ 1 cup shredded mozzarella
▢ 2 scallions (chopped)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the chicken in half lengthwise to make 4 thinner cutlets. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt & pepper and the garlic powder. Coat each piece in flour.
Add the oil and 1 tbsp of the butter to an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes/side or until golden. Transfer chicken to a plate.
Add the remaining butter to the pan. Let it melt, then add the mushrooms. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have nicely browned (about 5-6 minutes).
Add the marsala and chicken broth to the skillet and let it bubble for about a minute.
Add the chicken back to the pan and let it cook for about a minute while spooning some of the sauce and mushrooms over top.
Remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle the mozzarella over top (I concentrate it on the chicken), and then sprinkle the scallions on.
Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 7 minutes. You can broil it at the end for a few minutes if you want the cheese to brown. Serve immediately.

[Catseye3]

Boy, that looks good . . . so, Lombardy Chicken, you say? You gonna throw the leftovers across Lake Michigan?

You could outdo Tom Brady and General Washington in one swell foop!

[George K]

@catseye3

I didn't have any chicken broth, so I used "better than bouillon." Good stuff, but salty.

If you substitute, go easy on the salt.

Mrs. George is not a fan of "cheese on meat," so I doubt it'll be made in Chez George in the future. I've wanted to try it, so there.

[Catseye3]

DIY Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt

1 lb of any fresh fruit that is amenable to stewing. (I used plums, you could use berries, rhubarb or apples.)

4 T Honey (I stopped at 3, and it was just right.)

Scant 1/4 tsp Salt

2 T Cornstarch

2 T Water

Rough chop the fruit and put it in a medium saucepan with the honey. Warm it to a simmer. Dissolve the cornstarch into the water, then add it to the compote. Stir until thickened. Cool and refrigerate.

How much compote you add to plain Greek yogurt is up to you. I did half a cup of yogurt and a full third cup of the compote, and it was perfect, but YMMV.

The recipe calls for sweetening the yogurt (this recipe was originally intended for kids) but I forgot to do that, and it was fine.

You could also substitute vanilla ice cream for the yogurt, or stir a bit of liqueur into the compote and build a fancy parfait for dessert.

[Mik]

Love yogurt, especially that way. First time I ever had yogurt was at the Swiss pavilion in Montreal at Expo 67.

Tonight we are having carbonara with prosciutto. Easy peasy, but I use twice the prosciutto.

https://parmacrown.com/recipe/prosciutto-pasta-carbonara/

[Catseye3]

Kentucky Benedictine Dip (or Spread)

"This Benedictine spread with cucumber can be used as a dip or a sandwich and canape topping. It was created by Jennie Carter Benedict, a cookbook author, caterer, and restaurateur. She operated a Louisville restaurant and tea room, Benedict's, in the early 20th century."

Ingredients
1 large cucumber
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons grated sweet or yellow onion
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Dash green food coloring, optional

Peel the cucumber; cut it in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.

Grate the cucumber coarsely or chop it.

Put the grated cucumber in a blender container or the bowl of a food processor with the cream cheese, grated onion, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise.

Pulse or blend the mixture until smooth.

[George K]

Tonight's Dinner:

Rosemary Baked Chicken with Potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon McCormick Paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick Rosemary Leaves
1 teaspoon McCormick Sea Salt Grinder
1/2 teaspoon McCormick Coarse Ground Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon McCormick Garlic Powder
6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 2 pounds)
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, halved

Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix oil, paprika, rosemary, sea salt, pepper and garlic powder in large bowl. Add chicken and potatoes; toss to coat well. Arrange chicken and potatoes in single layer on foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan sprayed with no stick cooking spray. (For easier clean-up, try lining pan with foil.)

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender, turning potatoes occasionally.

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Cooking now - review to follow. I didn't have any thighs, or red spuds, so I used boneless, skinless breasts and baby whites.

Meh...

Chicken was dry, though flavorful.

Spuds were OK.

On a scale of 1-5 this is a solid 3.

[George K]

Spuds

Recommended by Gryphon

Easy Breakfast (or anytime) Potatoes

I found this recipe online. Easy to make and are awesome. I make a large batch at once, put them in the fridge, and eat with any meal. Very flavorful and step #5 sends it over the top. I also use much more pepper because you can never use too much pepper.

Ingredients
2 pounds russet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil. Foil is the correct choice.
2. Peel potatoes (or not if you like skins) and dice into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. Place potatoes into a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss. Sprinkle with seasonings and toss again to coat.
4. Spread potatoes in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes.
5. Give the potatoes a quick stir, turn on the broiler and broil the potatoes for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
6. Sprinkle with fresh minced parsley and serve immediately.

Made them tonight. I didn't have any russets on hand, so I used baby reds.

I used the chopper I mentioned earlier. I used 8 small baby red potatoes (with skin on) and added ½ yellow onion (diced) rather than the onion powder.

Mrs. George approves.

If I were to do ti again I'd slice the potatoes into ½" slabs and then dice. I'd cook the potatoes longer before broiling, and then broil longer than the recipe suggests.

Nevertheless, this is another go-to recipe for a side dish:

[George K]

Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon (Julia Child Recipe)

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces (170g) bacon, roughly chopped
3 pounds (1 1/2 kg) beef brisket, trimmed of fat (chuck steak or stewing beef) cut into 2-inch chunks
1 large carrot sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 large white onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
1 pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons flour
12 small pearl onions (optional)
3 cups red wine like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or a Chianti -- for a milder sauce, use only 2 cups of wine
2-3 cups beef stock (if using 2 cups of wine, use 3 cups beef stock)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 beef bullion cube, crushed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (divided)
2 bay leaves
1 pound fresh small white or brown mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons butter

Set Instant Pot or Cooker to SEAR function (or use a pan on the stove over medium heat of you wish). Sauté the bacon in 1 tablespoon of oil until crisp and browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches until browned on all sides in the oil/bacon fat.

Return bacon to the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook on SEAR for a further 4-5 minutes to brown.

Add in the onions, pearl onions, carrots, wine, 2 cups of stock, tomato paste, 4 cloves minced garlic, bullion and herbs. Stir well, cover and lock the lid into place. Press Keep Warm/Cancel to stop the Sauté function, then set to MANUAL mode. Choose HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes cook time.

After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 8-10 minutes. Open the valve and allow and remaining steam to escape (for Instant Pot, turn the valve from sealing to venting to release the pressure).

While steam is releasing, prepare your buttered mushrooms (OPTIONAL -- or add them straight in without cooking in butter if desired): Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add in the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while shaking the pan occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside.

Change the Instant Pot or cooker setting back to the SEAR setting (or SAUTE) stir well and allow the sauce to thicken uncovered, for a further 5-10 minutes.

Add the buttered mushrooms, garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.

[George K]

This actually came out pretty good, but I have some criticisms.

First of all, I wanted some potatoes, so I threw in some quartered baby reds. They came out mushy.

And speaking of mushy, the whole thing was kind of mushy. Mrs. George approved of the taste, but not the texture.

Next time I'm feeling industrious, I'll make it the tradition way that takes 3 hours (or more) and throw the spuds in for the last hour or so.

[Mik]

Instant Pot is fast, but lacks finesse. Everything can get mushy fast. That particular dish is worth taking the traditional time to develop the flavors, especially the wine flavors.

[George K]

Tonight's Dinner:

https://www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/julia-child-coq-au-vin-recipe/

Coq au vin:

Ingredients:

4 slices thick cut bacon
3 lbs chicken breasts and legs, skin on (two breasts and two drumsticks)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced
2 cups red wine
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
10 oz sliced mushrooms
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt (or, to taste)

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Fry the bacon over medium heat in a dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot. After it’s fried, remove the bacon and place on paper towels to drain. Once cool, chop bacon and set aside. Keep the bacon grease in the pot.

Turn heat to high and place chicken, skin-side down in the pot. Sear chicken until golden brown on both sides, about eight minutes. Then, add the onions, garlic, bay leaves and rosemary. Continue sautéing until the onions begin to soften, about six minutes.

Add the chicken broth and red wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, carefully remove the chicken from the pot and place in an oven-safe dish. Keep chicken warm in the oven while you work on the sauce.

Stir the flour and butter (butter should melt instantly in the pot) into the red wine sauce. Bring back up to a boil and stir constantly----sauce should be begin to thicken. Add mushrooms, chopped bacon, salt and pepper and continue cooking for 10-12 minutes. Keep in mind that the sauce will also thicken up a bit when it cools.

Place chicken back in sauce and serve with roasted potatoes, noodles or a big green salad

Da Chicken...

.

Da Sauce...

I haven't made Coq au vin in years. Certainly not since we moved into the condo in 2009.

We haven't had it yet, but I sampled the sauce - WONDERFUL!

[George K]

[Mik]

Looks great. I'm having cereal ad blackberries.

[Catseye3]

I'm having where in the hell did I leave my Kindle!!! Where! Where! Where!!!

[George K]

@mik said in The Cookbook:

Looks great.

Next time, and there will be a next time...

1. No reason for bone-in chicken. However, the skin adds flavor.

2. More salt in the sauce.

Mrs. George approves, because it's brown.

[Mik]

It's a rainy fall Sunday, so a nice time for a 4 hour braise.

https://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/osso-bucco-braised-beef-shanks-recipe/

[Mik]

Twas delicious. I only cooked it a little less than four hours but the sauce was sooo silky and delicious. Changes I made were:

Twice the wine
Mushroom stock instead of beef
Half again the garlic. I used whole cloves since it was a long braise
A good amount of umami powder.

The beef shanks were from Wild Fork. I would say it was a richer dish than veal Osso Buco.

[George K]

I made chili today (I make a huge batch, and freeze it in lunch-sized portions).

I thought I had posted this earlier, but apparently I hadn't.

Instant Pot Chili - lb's version (yes, lb)

1 1/2 Pounds Ground Beef
6 Strips of Bacon (good quality), chopped
1 Can (15 ounces) Kidney Beans, drained
1 Can (15 ounces) Pinto beans, drained
1 Can (15 ounces) Black beans, drained
1 Can (15 ounces) Fire Roasted diced tomatoes with juice
1 Can (6 ounce) Tomato paste
1 large Red onion, chopped
1 Red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Jalapeño, seeded and minced *optional
2 Cups Beef stock
1 Tablespoon Dried oregano
2 Teaspoons ground cumin
2 Teaspoons Kosher salt
1 Teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon Minced garlic

Turn your instant pot to sauté and add the bacon.

Cook until crisp, stirring often to cook evenly.

Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.

Add the onions and peppers and cook until tender.

Add the meat and cook until browned.

Drain off any excess grease, we just tilt the pot and use a large spoon.

Add all of the remaining ingredients and 3/4 of the bacon and stir to combine.

Turn the instant pot to chili (if you don't have a "chili" settng, use the "manual" setting) and cook for 18-20 minutes*. Allow pressure to release for 10-15 minutes or quick release with the vent.

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I had bought a jalapeño last week, but by today, it had gone bad - moldy, etc. I was crushed. So, I substituted some red pepper flakes - a LOT, probably about 3 tablespoons.

Other things

• double the oregano
• throw in about 2 tablespoons of clinatro
• if it's soupy, thicken up with some cornstarch/water

Also, rather than 1 ½ lb of ground beef, I used 2 lb, and when browning, I tried to keep it in larger "chunks".

I got 9 lunch - sized containers out of this, and it came out pretty darn good.

[George K]

Instant Pot Brussel Sprouts - lb's version

2 lb brussel sprouts
¼ lb bacon
large Vidalia onion - diced
salt
pepper
liquid smoke
honey
20 oz chicken broth

Saute 1/4 lb bacon with a large diced Vidalia onion.

Add in the Brussel Sprouts, salt, pepper, one tsp liquid smoke, two tblsp honey, and around 20 oz chicken broth.

Set instant pot for three minutes then instant release.
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Made it today. Pretty good, but...

Cook bacon first to get it crisp, then add onion.

Don't over cook the brussel sprouts. I let it go for about 5 minutes, and didn't release pressure for another 5. They came out soft.

You cannot taste the honey or liquid smoke at all.