Dijon Mustard Chicken Fricassee

Before I get started, its worth nothing that Brett gave this a 5 - he NEVER gives out fives! I was so excited when he gave his "official rating." We're nerds, huh?

Today I found myself getting a little bit too excited to come home and cook dinner - but I honestly think I'm over the month-long break where I was just too busy/concerned with other things. You always go back to the things that mean the most, right? Cooking has been a hobby of mine for nearly 4 years now...and though our upcoming wedding is at the forefront of my mind, cooking is not something that will so easily fall by the wayside.

I stumbled across this recipe in one of my Cooking Light magazines a few months back...on the page, it not only looked delicious, but featured one key ingredient that I have been wanting to use - Dijon mustard. I'm not a huge mustard fan but in the right dish, the flavor can be delicious. So today after work, I bought a bottle of good Chardonnay and put this dish together. The result? Incredible. I made it with mashed potatoes (WITH skin) and my hunch was correct - the gravy that goes over the chicken tastes just as good over the potatoes.

Have fun! Thanks for sticking around :)

Dijon Mustard Chicken Fricassee
1/4 C. Dijon mustard
1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley (I used dried herbs)
1 TBS chopped fresh thyme
4-5 chicken breasts
salt, pepper olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 C dry white wine
1 C chicken broth

1. Combine mustard, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. In a ziploc plastic bag, toss chicken in this marinade. Refrigerate overnight or for 24 hours.

2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and don't touch them (!) so they brown nicely. Cook 5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken breasts from the pan and set aside.

3. Add chopped onion to pan (still over medium-high heat - add more oil if needed.) Cook several minutes, until tender and translucent. Add garlic. Cook one minute, then add chicken broth and wine. Return chicken to pan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.

4. Bring remaining sauce to boil for 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken before serving.

And for a better picture/original recipe, see link

Next week's menu...

....Dijon-marinated chicken from Cooking Light.
Tuna and shells from Rachael Ray.
And turkey meat tacos from, well, me!

Pina Coladas!!!

The week of March 17, 2007, Brett and I embarked on our first big, alone trip. We took a lovely vaca to the Bahamas on the Royal Caribbean cruiseline. To this day, I call it "the best week of my life." Tango lessons, endless beaches, steak with scallops, aqua water, and all-you-can-drink Pina Coladas...that is just the beginning of it. The best part of it all, of course, is that Brett and I were there together. We left Miami on the last day, talking about the next time we would see the beach together....

....and I have this little inkling that it will be next summer!!! On, oh, maybe a honeymoon??!! Probably not the Bahamas but somewhere tropical, you bet.

In honor of the past and the future... here is a yet-to-be-tried Pina Colada recipe. But, it's very fitting that I went searching for this recipe today. This Saturday is Brett's big graduation party, and you better believe I am whipping some of these up and garnishing with sweet pineapple!


Celebratory Pina Colada's!!!

1 C coconut milk or cream of coconut
1 C pineapple juice
1/2 C rum
4 TBS white sugar
2 C ice

Blend all in a blender. Pour into glass. Garnish as desired.

...A Post this Week, I PROMISE!!!

I am determined to not let my new-found wedding planning interrupt my other passions...now that things have cooled off a *tiny* bit (who am I kidding?) I promise to post a blog entry this week. Hang in there with me!!!