11/28/07

So only about 5 weeks left of 2007. I haven't thought about goals for 2008, I like to save that for the week after Christmas. Because Thanksgiving was early this year, I keep thinking that it is already the first week of December...I am almost done w/my Christmas shopping. I am really not looking forward to the wrapping--I don't like to wrap.

Tom really wanted to have Chicken Cacciatore so this is the recipe I used.

Chicken Cacciatore
Copyright, 2005, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved
Show:
Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger
Episode:
The Big Freeze

4 skinless chicken breast halves on the bone, about 2 pounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper ( I used Seasoned Salt)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion,
thinly sliced 1 red bell pepper,
thinly sliced 1/2 pound white mushrooms,
thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, (I used Garlic Garlic)
minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, chopped and juice reserved
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a saute pan over moderately-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken.
Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the onion and pepper, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and juice, oregano, red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and simmer the mixture covered for 10 minutes.
Return the chicken breasts to the pan and simmer, covered, until the chicken is just done, about 20 minutes longer.

Then I made these and put them in the freezer:


Butter and Jam Thumbprints
From Food Network Kitchens


1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
2/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped from pod, or 1/8 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup raspberry, cherry or strawberry jam ( I used Rhubarb Strawberry Fruit Spread)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.

In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar with a hand-held mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated.

Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls with a cookie or ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a thumbprint into the center of each ball, about 1/2-inch deep. Fill each indentation with about 3/4 teaspoon jam.

Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes. (For even color, rotate the pans from top to bottom about halfway through baking.) Cool cookies on the baking sheets. Serve.
Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.