Ringing in a new year...

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy New Year!

Kir Royale
Printable Recipe

Creme de Cassis (Blackcurrant-flavored Liqueur)
Chilled Champagne or Sparkling Wine

Pour 1-2 tablespoons Creme de Cassis into a flute glass, add more if you like a sweeter cocktail. Gently pour champagne on top. You can also add the Cassis after the Champagne.

Another nice cocktail is Champagne with Chambord Liqueur. Garnish with raspberries!

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On the side...

On vacation from work all week, having a great time doing nothing. Or at least doing nothing much. Lunch and shopping is something, but today was nothing and I loved it. A perfectly quiet house, everyone was out and about doing errands. Just me and the three dogs! Big difference between relaxing and lazy! Not relaxing. Just lazy. Sometimes you just need a day like that! Did nothing. Until dinner.

My friend, Cindy, made a Sweet Onion Pudding this past week to great reviews and the picture she took of it has had me wanting to try it ever since she posted it. Was not sure how Miss Picky would like it, but everyone else here is sure to love!

So I tried it. I used two big sweet onions, sliced on a mandoline, and a little less butter. No heavy cream. Forgot to put it on the list. I used 2% milk because I couldn't send poor hubs out yet again! He's a sweetheart and doesn't mind errands, even though he knows ten minutes after he gets home, I'll have forgotten something. He's a good sport and he'll go. They already know him at the supermarket and bet that he'll be back! He usually is :)

We loved it. Miss Picky, of course didn't. But to her credit she tried a small piece. Barely. It was a nice side to brisket, instead of the potatoes we usually have with it!

Sweet Onion Pudding
Source: CindyMac (Adapted from November 2000 Southern Living)
Printable Recipe

1 cup whipping cream
3-4 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
little freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup butter
3 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced

STIR together first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually stir into egg mixture. Set aside.

MELT butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion, and cook, stirring often, 30 to 40 minutes or until onion is caramel colored. Remove onion from heat.

STIR onion into egg mixture; spoon into a lightly greased pie plate or 8-x8-inch baking dish.

BAKE at 350° for 30 minutes or until set.

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Mushrooms! It's worth repeating ...

Nothing more delicious than taking fresh garlic bread, and using it to sop up all the juices from the dish of Stuffed Mushrooms. So I made it again! The store had the huge stuffing mushrooms, we could have made a meal on just the mushrooms alone, but why stop there? So we went with the theme, we had some Chicken Parmigiana along with it. Spaghetti Marinara and some string beans with garlic and oil! and a huge salad!

Garlic Bread is really easy. Just get a fresh baguette or an Italian bread, slice it lengthwise. In a food processor throw in about 5 or 6 cloves of garlic or more if you want it really garlicky. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste, and then about a 1/2 cup or so extra virgin olive oil. Whiz it until it emulsifies, and then using a pastry brush, slather the garlic mix on both halves if the bread. Close the bread, and seal it in aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes. Then open it up, sprinkle with a bit of grated Parmesan if you like, and broil the open halves until the top is golden brown or the smoke alarm goes off. Whatever comes first!

                               Serve with Stuffed Mushrooms to sop up the sauce.

I cheat sometimes with the Stuffed Mushrooms, I whizz the mushroom stems, a shallot and some salt and pepper in the food processor until it's really finely chopped, and then saute the finely chopped bit in a pan with some olive oil for a few minutes. I whiz up fresh bread crumbs from a baguette in the processor and saute that with the stem mixture for a few minutes more. Then stuff the mushroom caps with that mixture, and sprinkle a little olive oil in the baking dish. Mixed with the juices from the mushrooms while it bakes, makes a great sauce! The fresh crumbs make a lighter stuffing than the dried. and I don't pack it in, I just use about a teaspoon of stuffing in each large mushroom!

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Roasted Chestnuts!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose...

So there is no open fire here, just an oven and a roasting pan. Jack Frost, well he was here last week. This week it's more like Missy Melted, as there is hardly a trace of the Blizzard that Jack Frost sent last week to the Long Island area! Jack is no longer nipping at my nose, I think it's actually sunny and pretty warm for a late December day.

This is what the weather is like today...

The exact same spot last week, same time of day!

                                                    

 What a difference a week makes!

 Here's what's left...

                                                              

That's all! and a puddle at the end of the driveway!

Joining Mary at the Little Red House for Mosaic Monday! Stop by her blog and check out all the Mosaics that have participated!

Roasted Chestnuts
Printable Recipe

Choose chestnuts that are smooth, shiny and heavy. Soft ones are rotten. Always score your chestnuts before cooking. Roasting time can vary depending on the chestnuts. Chestnuts are harder to peel once they have cooled completely. Boiling the chestnuts before roasting, softens the shells, and the chestnuts roast in only 12-18 minutes. If you're boiling them first, make the x's in your chestnuts before you boil them.

Be really careful when you score them!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Use a sharp paring knife or a serrated knife to cut an X into one side of each chestnut, be really careful doing this. They can be slippery. Boil the chestnuts in water for about 10 -15 minutes (optional, but I always do it this way to soften them, you can omit this part and just roast them after scoring them but they don't get as soft!)

Arrange chestnuts on a baking sheet or in a shallow pan, with the cut sides up. Roast in oven for 15 to 25 minutes, or until chestnuts are tender and easy to peel. Peel the nuts when they are cool enough to handle, and eat.

I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays! Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! 

 

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Easy as Pie!

Pizza Pie! Homemade pizza. Somewhat anyway. We picked up two fresh pizza dough balls from the pizza place here. Intended to get to it on Saturday afternoon for lunch, but that didn't work out. I was very busy doing nothing. Waiting and watching for snow. It finally came, lots of it. So we made it for Sunday night. and just to keep with the sort of homemade, but maybe not completely, I made a pot of Rotini pasta. and threw in an envelope of Knorr's Pesto Sauce. Miss Picky likes that a lot. A salad and that was dinner after a very long morning of digging out of the blizzard that swept through Long Island, among other places. I had a lot for good intentions for dinner, but this was really easy and really good. Use whatever toppings you like!


                             Ricotta, Parmesan, Onion and Mushroom Pizza

Grape Tomato, Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheese Pizza

If you don't want to get the dough from the pizza place, I have a great recipe that's pretty easy and comes out great! Click HERE for the recipe!

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Blizzard Sunday for Mosaic Monday!

Here on Long Island, Sunday morning, we woke up to a Winter Wonderland! Joining Mary from the Little Red House for another fun Mosaic Monday! Check out the Little Red House for more mosaics!

These pictures were taken during the evening and what we woke up to on Long Island! A forecast of two inches on Long Island causes panic and the grocery stores to be empty of all essentials. Imagine a blizzard?

We all have our own essentials during a snow emergency. Mine just happens to be Hot Chocolate and cookies! To each his own. My friend was in a store before a hurricane one time and stocking up, her cart was filled with wine, cheese and crackers and someone said, "hey lady, aren't you getting emergency supplies?" and she said "these are my emergency supplies!"

My husband and my son have a long morning of clearing us out. I would help, of course, but someone has to make breakfast! Waiting for them will be a big plate of scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon and hot chocolate!

                                                 Lots of fun in a foot or two of snow...

                                      Not so much fun in a foot or two of snow...

                                       

                                                 and he's had enough for one day...

and in the end, a steaming cup of hot chocolate for those who brave the snow and clear a path...

Hot Chocolate
Source: Martha Stewart Living
Printable Recipe

4 cups milk (1 quart)
10 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, cut into small pieces
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Chocolate shavings (optional)

Optional: You can also add a cinnamon stick, 6 sprigs fresh mint, or 2 split vanilla bean. Or use a candy cane in the cup as a stirrer!
   
Heat the milk to scalding in a medium saucepan. Add cinnamon, mint, or vanilla, if using. Let steep 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; strain, and return to saucepan. Reheat milk; using a whisk, stir in chocolate until melted and milk is frothy. Serve immediately with a dollop of whipped cream garnished with chocolate shavings.

Steamy Hot Chocolate
Source: Every Food (Martha Stewart)
Printable Recipe

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 quart (4 cups) milk
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Place cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Stir in milk, a bit at a time until cocoa mixes in with the milk and isn't clumping; add remainder. Stir. Add chocolate chips; melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and salt. Ladle into mugs with whipped cream, if desired.

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Flashback Friday: Pumpkin Pancakes

 Joining Suzy at Kitchen Bouquet for another Flashback Friday! Suzy is on vacation from blogging for a bit until after the holidays but check out her blog and her flashback links!

I had found a really delicious recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes last year on the blog, DISHING UP! and I remember they were so good, I have to make these again! Perfect for a Sunday morning breakfast.

We haven't had big breakfasts in a while, not since most of our regular Sunday breakfasters graduated high school and went away to college. Son's friends. Big breakfasts have dwindled, except when they're all home for break! They're starting to arrive home in dribs and drabs for the holidays and I'm sure I'll be suckered into making a few Sunday breakfasts in the next few weeks! One time I got a note scotch taped to the alarm clock, said, me and the guys would greatly appreciate if you could make them all breakfast! Next morning six HUGE appetites were at the table waiting for breakfast! Still have that note!

These Pumpkin Pancakes were a hit. I topped them with Banana's sauteed in Maple Syrup!

Pumpkin Pancakes
Source: DISHING UP blog
Printable Recipe

2 cups flour
6 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon each ground ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon (I used more cinnamon)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk (shake well in the container, then measure)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients together in another bowl. Add the wet to the dry and stir until mixed. Let stand about 10 minutes. Stir again, and using a 1/4 cup measure, drop into buttered pan over medium heat. Cook until edges dry out and bubbles start to form. Flip and cook until bottom is browned and pancakes are cooked through. Serve right away with butter and maple syrup, or keep in a warm oven if making a big batch.

Heat up some Maple Syrup, I like Grade B, and throw in some slice banana's, and a little bit of dark rum, add some pecans of you like. Saute it all together and serve with the Pumpkin Pancakes.

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Nine 30-minute Chicken Dinners

I was never much of a cook way back when, not that I couldn't, I just didn't. So why I sent away for Glamour magazine's cookbook, Glamour's Gourmet on the Run, all those years ago is a big mystery to me. I still have it. My first cookbook and I still occasionally try one of the Nine 30-minute Chicken Dinners from there. The book is from the late 1980's, way before Rachael Ray made 30-minute Dinners popular!

Tonight I was going to make our old favorite, Chicken Piccata. We have that a lot. It's really easy and Miss Picky loves it. Except now I follow Tyler Florence's recipe and add chicken broth to the Piccata. Instead of the same old, we tried the Sesame Chicken. I used Black Sesame seeds because that's all I had. I thought it looked nice with those, instead of white! and I didn't coat it, I sprinkled! Looks a little like black bugs, but it tasted great! I used more stock and more flavor makers, to make it more saucy!

Nine 30-minute Chicken Dinners
Source: Glamour Magazine, Gourmet on the Run
Printable Recipe

2 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless and pound to 1/4-inch thick (I use Perdue thin sliced chicken cutlets-skinless boneless)
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter (I use all olive oil instead of the butter.)
2 tablespoons flour (way, way more than 2 tablespoons flour

Flavor Makers and Garnish

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before cooking, pound each cutlet between sheets of waxed paper until 1/4-inch thick. Don’t need to bother with this if you are using Perdue thin sliced cutlets or similar type of cutlets. Add just a cup or so of flour into a large Ziploc bag. Throw a bunch of chicken cutlets in, zip it and shake the bag until the cutlets are coated. Then fry the cutlets in a skillet in a couple tablespoons of olive oil and butter or all olive oil. Sauté the chicken until browned on both sides, then add the “flavor makers” to the pan. etc, follow the technique instructions. I double the sauces!

THE TECHNIQUE:
Dredge one whole chicken breast, skinned, boned, split in half and pounded, in 2 tablespoons flour. In medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter or margarine until hot and foamy. Add chicken and saute until golden brown on both sides. Add the flavor makers. Cover and simmer until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken to plate and keep warm. Over medium-high heat, boil sauce in skillet rapidly until slightly thickened. Add finishing touches and heat through. Spoon sauce over chicken and add garnishes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To make California Chicken
Flavor Makers - 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 3/4 cup dry white wine
Finishing Touch - 1/2 avocado, sliced
Garnish - chopped parsley

To make Chicken Milanese - * Instead of flour, dredge in seasoned breadcrumbs
Flavor Makers - 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 1/4 cup white wine
Finishing Touch - 2 tablespoons chopped Parsley
Garnish - additional Parsley

To make Chicken Piccata (I omit the garlic; add a little chicken broth, too!)
Flavor Makers - 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 cup white wine; 2 tablespoons lemon juice;
Finishing Touch - 2 tablespoons chopped Parsley
Garnish - Lemon slices

To make Yucatan Chicken
Flavor Makers - 1/2 cup lemon juice; 3 tablespoons raisins; 2 tablespoons canned chopped hot chilies
Finishing Touch - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Garnish - toasted pine nuts

To make Sante Fe Chicken
Flavor Makers - 1/2 cup red wine; 1/4 cup tomato puree; 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Garnish - Lime wedges and sour cream

To make Provencal Chicken
Flavor Makers - 1/3 cup chopped onion; 1 teaspoon dried basil, 3/4 cup white wine
Finishing Touch - 1/2 cup chopped, canned tomatoes; 1/4 cup black olives, chopped
Garnish - Chopped parsley or fresh basil

To make Sesame Chicken 
Mix 1 egg with 2 tablespoons milk. After dredging in flour, dip chicken into egg mixture, then coat with 3 tablespoons sesame seeds.
Flavor Makers - 3/4 cup chicken broth; 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce; 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil; 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Garnish - chopped parsley or cilantro

To make Chicken with Peppers
Flavor Makers - 1/4 cup diced, cooked ham; 1/4 cup chopped onion; 1/2 cup white wine; 1/4 red pepper, cut into slivers; 1/4 green pepper, cut into slivers; 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Garnish - chopped parsley

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Marsha's Chocolate Anything Event!

Ok, so when I need a chocolate fix, I revert back to my favorite childhood snack. An ice cold glass of milk with some cookies. Fixes everything! So I'm joining Marsha from Marsha's Kitchen with her celebration of National Chocolate Covered Anything Day. Because I sometimes skim when I read, I saw it as Anything Chocolate Day and I've had a long couple weeks and I could use anything chocolate :) Let alone covered in chocolate! So I cheated. A little. It's chocolate. I'll be back on the weekend to actually make something covered in chocolate, but I wouldn't want to miss Marsha's party! She throws a good one, go look.  Marsha's post and all the others who are joining the party. Sign up at Marsha's and bring some chocolate!

So for me and chocolate milk, it has to be Fox's U-bet! Hershey's in a pinch. Never Ovaltine. U-Bet makes the best Egg Cream, too! but that would need a pretzel rod so I went with milk and my second favorite cookie, Little Schoolboys from LU. Petit Ecolier.

 

 

 

                        found on the internet... SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT CHOCOLATE MAKES ONE WEAK!

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Latkes 101!

Dug out the apple peeler yesterday to make homemade applesauce. It also makes easy work of peeling potatoes, with just a twist of the wing-nut! Eight potatoes peeled in seconds! ok, maybe minutes.

Grating or shredding the potatoes along with the onions, keeps them from turning that reddish brown color. Although it makes no difference in the taste at all. I mix everything together and let it drain in a strainer in the sink. I'm all for the easy way out.

Grab a small handful and shape into patties, don't crowd the pan, and fry them until golden brown.

Carefully turn them over with a fork and fry until golden brown on the underside.

Drain them on a plate lined with paper towels!

Sneak one just to taste. If you find you need more salt, not too late, just sprinkle some kosher salt on the hot latkes while they are on the paper towels. Sneak two, just to be sure.

Serve with applesauce. Latkes and applesauce goes perfectly with a brisket. Some folks like their latkes with sour cream. We are not those folks, and there has been discussion at the table when we have guests who are those folks. They can have all the sour cream they want. Leaves more applesauce for us! Those same folks are apt to argue about Matzoh balls. Sinkers or floaters. I make fall-aparters:) Not a big deal, I can order those in. No problem, but I have yet to find a good potato latke from a restaurant or a supermarket, at least not like my grandma used to make!  I like homemade. So I was forced to learn. Not bad, if I say so myself.  Even the tough critics at home, Miss Picky and her big brother, can't get enough latkes!

 

Have to say, some holiday foods are not the prettiest, but it sure does taste good! There were two briskets in the same pan, one fell apart, one sliced nice. So leftover became "pulled" brisket on rolls!

Potato Latkes
Printable Recipe

8 potatoes (I use Russets or Yukon Golds)
2 onions
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup matzoh meal (flour or bread crumbs can be substituted)
1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
vegetable oil

Peel potatoes and coarsely grate by hand, along with the onion.  You can also use a food processor (I used the medium shredding disc for a Cuisinart Food Processor for both the potatoes and the onions.)   Then put the shredded potatoes and onions into a fine strainer over a bowl and press out whatever excess liquid you can.  Pour the potatoes and onions into a bowl with the beaten eggs, salt and pepper. Mix it all together and then add a handful or two of matzoh meal. Mix to combine. Then put it all back into the strainer and let it drain as you make the latkes.

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil to medium-high heat, about 350°F. Form the mixture into pancakes about the size of your palm or you can spoon 2 tablespoons potato mixture per latke into skillet, spreading and flattening into rounds with a fork. Don't crowd the pan. Cook until the bottoms are browned, about 5 minutes. Turn latkes over and cook about 5 minutes more, until the undersides are golden brown. You can tell it's browning from the edges, don't burn them. Add more oil to skillet as needed.  Too high a heat is not good, the oil should not be smoking.

Place finished latkes on paper towels to drain. Keep latkes warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in 250°F oven.  Eat hot with applesauce. Or sour cream.  They freeze well, to reheat, do not thaw, place frozen latkes on a rack in a sheet pan and bake at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes.

Click here for the applesauce recipe.

Click here for the Brisket recipe.

Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas!  Enjoy the holidays and wishing everyone a very Happy New Year, it'll be here before you know it!

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Mosaic Monday! Happy Hanukkah with latkes and applesauce!

Joining Mary at the Little Red House for another fun Mosaic Monday! Stop by to see all the Mosaics this week!  I made the Canvas Panel Mosaic at Big Huge Labs using the Framer, then clicking on Canvas Panels!

Eight of those apples became applesauce for latkes!  I used Fuji, Granny Smith and Braeburn. When my kids were small I found a fun apple peeler that worked out really well, not just for apples, but for potatoes, too.

Be really careful and not so dumb as to keep your ingredient bowl right next to the apple peeler when you try to get the core off the silly gadget! I figured that out after the first apple! Nothing like honey and apple juice all over the place. Well, at least I didn't burn anything. but then I'm not up to latkes yet!

Ten Minute Applesauce
Source: Alton Brown, Food Network
Printable Recipe

3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and quartered (I also use Granny Smith and Braeburn)
3 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 cup unfiltered apple juice (filtered clear juice works, too)
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy (I used Calvados)
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used more)

In a microwave-safe container with a lid, combine apples with all other ingredients. Close lid, leaving one corner of lid open to allow steam to escape. Microwave on high for 10 minutes.

Using a hand blender, blend to whatever consistency you like. Serve hot immediately or chill for later use. You can also use a potato masher.

Stop back tomorrow, later on these potatoes and onions ...

will become potato latkes! Happy Hanukkah!

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Flashback Friday: Stuffed Mushrooms

Joining Suzy from Kitchen Bouquet for another Flashback Friday! Click here to see more Flashbacks with Suzy!

Flashing back to Stuffed Mushrooms. Been using this basic recipe for years. It's very easy and so good! Not just for company, I make them all the time.

Basic Stuffed Mushrooms
Printable Recipe

1 lb (about 20) white mushrooms, stemmed (save stems for stuffing)
1/2 small onion or 2 shallots, finely chopped by hand or food processor
2 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375°. Remove stems from mushrooms and chop by hand or in a food processor.

Sauté the onions in olive oil and butter, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Sauté until the onions are golden brown. Add the chopped mushroom stems, sauté for a few minutes more. Add the bread crumbs and sauté until the bread crumbs absorb some of the moisture. Mix in a little Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stuff the filling into the mushroom caps. Sprinkle with a bit of Parmigiano. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top. Put the mushrooms on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Garnish with a bit of fresh chopped Italian Parsley.

Variations: You can also add a little frozen chopped spinach to the mixture, make sure to squeeze all the excess moisture from it! Also good with a little cheddar instead of Parm. Fontina, Brie, cream cheese. Anything goes! Use whatever herbs you like, oregano, thyme or parsley. If you want a little "sauce" to dip bread in, add a little bit of butter to the baking dish. It mixes with the mushroom juice, dip a piece of crusty bread to soak up the juices. Best part :)

and don't forget next week Marsha from Marsha's Kitchen is having a Chocolate Covered Event! Click HERE for more information and join in on the fun. Anything chocolate goes! Well, maybe not chocolate and mushrooms. I don't think so anyway :)

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Mosaic Monday! Chicken Scarpariello (Chicken in the Shoemaker Style!

Joining Mary at the Little Red House for another fun Mosaic Monday! Stop by to see all the Mosaics this week! I like the look of the canvas panels! So I made another one at Big Huge Labs using the Framer, then clicking on Canvas Panels!

Lots of different ways to make Chicken Scarpariello, as many ways to spell Scarpariello, it seems! There is a bit of history on the dish at the website, Almost Italian, if you're at all interested.

If it's on the menu, I'm ordering it, it's one of my favorite dishes. Scarpariello. Chicken in the Shoemaker Style. What does that mean?  The Shoemaker must have a lot of styles because it's never exactly the same wherever I go. Some restaurants use potatoes, some not, some sausage, some not. Always cut up pieces of chicken. Been to one place that also throws in some filet mignon and cooks the whole thing tableside. That was an OMG dish!

I found this recipe a long time ago and it had everything in it that I love. Country Style. Some places manage to keep the chicken really crispy, I haven't managed that all too often, most likely I'm in too big a rush and feeding too many at one time and I end up crowding the pan! It's best when you cut the pieces very small. Add as many cherry peppers as you like, you can leave them out but they add some really good flavor to the dish!

Not a pretty dish, so obviously it's not like a fashionable shoe shoe-maker chicken, more like a comfort shoe shoe-maker chicken dish! I took the skin off and crisped the chicken in the pan, so it would be a little less fat, maybe that make's it an athletic shoe-maker chicken?

Chicken Scarpariello (Country Style)
Source: adapted from a recipe at McCalls magazine, January 1990
Printable Recipe

sliced hot cherry peppers from a jar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red or yellow bell pepper (julienne)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 1/2 lb chicken, cut in very small serving pieces
1 lb Italian sausage links (sweet or hot or both), cut in 1-inch pieces
1 onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
juice of a fresh lemon (you can also use red wine vinegar)
fresh lemon zest
2 potatoes (small dice) steamed for about ten minutes in microwave first!
3/4 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

In a skillet, heat oil. Add chicken and sausage in batches; brown on all sides, removing pieces to a plate as they brown. Discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pan. To hot drippings in pan add mushrooms, peppers, onion, potatoes and remaining garlic; saute until tender. Return chicken and sausage to skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, the rosemary, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, the broth and wine. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.

Remove from skillet; arrange on warm serving platter and spoon sauce on top.

Serve with a crusty bread to sop up the sauce!

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