Coq Au Vin

Use bone in, skin on chicken thighs instead of an old rooster! Serve over egg noodles, pasta or nothing at all!

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 8 ounces bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 10 large button mushrooms, quartered
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups red wine
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup chicken broth

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Season chicken thighs all over with salt and black pepper.
3. Place bacon in a large, oven-proof skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel lined plate, leaving drippings in the skillet.
4. Increase heat to high and place chicken, skin-side down, into skillet. Cook in hot skillet until browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate; drain and discard all but 1 tablespoon drippings from the skillet.
5. Lower heat to medium-high; saute mushrooms, onion, and shallots with a pinch of salt in the hot skillet until golden and caramelized, 7 to 12 minutes.
6. Stir flour and butter into vegetable mixture until completely incorporated, about 1 minute.
7. Pour red wine into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir bacon and thyme into red wine mixture; simmer until wine is about 1/3 reduced, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour chicken broth into wine mixture and set chicken thighs into skillet; bring wine and stock to a simmer.
8. Cook chicken in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Spoon pan juices over the chicken and continue cooking until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken to a platter.
9. Place skillet over high heat and reduce pan juices, skimming fat off the top as necessary, until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; remove and discard thyme. Pour sauce over chicken.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Perfect for Sunday dinner! Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice. Or on a piece of french bread

Ingredients

• 6 strips bacon cut in 1/2" pieces
• 3 lbs beef rump or chuck cut in 1 1/2" cubes
• 1 large carrot peeled and cubed
• 1 medium onion cubed
• 3 T flour
• 10 oz can condensed beef broth
• 1 T tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 t whole thyme
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 1/2 lb white pearl onions peeled (boil for 1 minute then cut each end and squeeze to peel)
• 1 lb mushrooms, sliced
• 2 T butter
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 1/8 t black pepper
• 1/2 cup red wine

 

Preparation

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove and drain. Add beef cubes and brown well. Placed browned beef cubes in Crock-Pot. Brown carrot and onion. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Stir in flour. Add broth, mix well, and add to Crock-Pot. Add cooked bacon, thyme, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, and pearl onions. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter and add to crock pot with wine about an hour before serving. To thicken gravy: Turn Crock-Pot to high. Cream 1/4 cup flour and 2 tablespoons butter. Roll into pea size balls and drop into Crock-Pot. Bring to boil and let thicken.

Best Mexican Rice

Dry, fluffy, delicious Mexican rice

Ingredients 

Servings 8-10

• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 medium white onion
• 3 medium jalapenos
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• ¹⁄₃ cup canola oil
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons salt
• ¹⁄₂ cup fresh cilantro, minced (optional)
• 1 lime for garnish

Directions

1. Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350.
2. Process tomato and onion in processor or blender until pureed and thoroughly smooth. Transfer mixture to measuring cup and reserve exactly 2 cups. Discard excess.
3. Remove ribs and seeds from 2 jalapenos and discard. Mince flesh and set aside. Mince remaining jalapeno. Set aside.
4. Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear- about 1 1/2 minutes.Shake rice vigorously to remove excess water.This step removes the starch from the rice so it will not stick. IF YOU OMIT THIS STEP YOUR RICE WILL NOT BE DRY AND FLUFFY.
5. Heat oil in heavy bottomed ovensafe 12 inch straight sided sautee pan or Dutch oven with tight fitting lid over low-medium heat about 2 minutes. (The recipe is very specific about this but I used a 10 inch dutch oven and it worked out fine.) Drop a few rice grains in and if they sizzle then it is ready. Add rice and fry stirring until rice is light golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Be careful that the oil doesn't get too hot too fast or the oil will splatter.
6. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and 2 minced jalapenos and cook , stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes.
7. Stir in broth, pureed mixture,tomato paste, and salt. Increase heat to medium high, and bring to a boil.
8. Cover pan and transfer pan to oven to bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30-35 minutes.Stir well after 15 minutes.
9. Stir in cilantro, minced jalapeno to taste, and pass lime wedges separately.