Monday, March 5, 2012

Liz's Birthday

Today is my youngest daughter Elizabeth's 30th birthday.  I have decided I am much too young to have both daughters in their 30's so they must have switched babies in the hospital (sounds good to me at least)

We invited Liz and her boyfriend over for dinner last night and they accepted.  All I had to do was figure out what to cook.  Now, I don't know how many of you are like this but I didn't really decide what to make until about noon yesterday when Michael and I were headed to the flea market to have a date day.  There were plenty of thoughts flying through my head and goodness knows someday perhaps I will be more organized but this happens to me any time I have to plan to cook something.  I have fantastic thoughts when nothing is on the horizon but the minute I actually have to plan it...bam...all the ideas are gone!

So I decided on the old stand by...the meal Liz loves and used to ask for all the time Chicken in Wine Sauce.
This recipe came to me from my mother, its not written down anywhere and I have no idea where she got it from so....

Anyway I served it with some brown jasmine rice (which thank goodness does taste better than plain brown rice) and peas (yes frozen).  I had boiled some shrimp for an appetizer, made a cocktail sauce out of ketchup and horseradish and finally bought a pre-made cake from Harris Teeter for dessert.  Kindly Liz left the rest of the cake for me (its a little tiny cake but very yummy)

I am in the same dilemma for Saturday night.  Michael and I are bringing the snack for after church and even though I have tons of fantastic ideas I still don't know what I will make and bring.  The last time we went I made a few loaves of molasses bread, sliced them and spread cream cheese and strawberry jam on them along with some egg salad sandwiches.  I tend to get carried away and need to keep it fairly easy on myself.  Detail will follow sometime this week when I make the final decision (which must be before grocery shopping on Friday).

So the recipe for the absolutely delicious (Michael told me so it must be true) Chicken in Wine Sauce


Chicken in Wine Sauce

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (if very large cut them in half)
Olive oil
2 sticks of butter
1 ½ cups flour
Salt and Pepper
1 cup white wine (I used a Pinot Grigio)
1 bunch green onions

Clarify the butter (basically just melt it in a sauce pan and skim off the white stuff that come to the surface). In a large saute pan put in enough oil to cover the bottom and heat on medium, at the same time place the flour in a flat bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour than put into the pan. Do not over crowd the pan...no need to. Cook about 10 minutes on the first side than flip them over, cook an additional 5 minutes than remove to a plate. Repeat with the rest of the chicken adding more oil if needed. Remove all the chicken from the pan reserving pan drippings and anything else that might be in there.

Turn off the heat and de-glaze the pan (add the wine and remove the bits from the bottom of the pan). Turn the heat to medium and allow to cook for just a minute, add the clarified butter, chicken and green onions. Turn to a simmer and allow to cook for about 20 minutes. I usually add more wine but that's up to you.

Now dinner was ready much earlier than we were so I just turned this to a very low simmer to keep it warm.  Of course I didn't take any pictures and I am thinking the one lonely piece in the storage container in the fridge wouldn't make a good picture...or would it?




No comments:

Post a Comment