Yes, I can’t believe I am almost done with 11 weeks of intense schooling.  Next week is finals but not like the finals everyone may think of.  No, my finals are open book, take home and cooking food I love.  I tell you, this is my kind of school!

Now don’t go thinking all is easy though.  I have had one of my finals for a week and only gotten 3 pages done out of the 10.  Finding the answers is like trying to find needles in two or three haystacks.  But listen to me complain… I CAN USE THE BOOK!  Just because the book is as interesting as reading worm trails on a piece of bark is besides the point.  I just can’t stay awake long enough to actually find the answers.

But really now – school is a blast.  I love almost everything about it and it seems to only get better.  Next term I will have “Intro to Baking” and I have to eat what I make.  The only complaint I have about that is, I don’t have enough time to work off the calories I ingest!  What a problem to have.  I guess next time anyone sees me I may be a few more pounds heavier.  Don’t say anything!

So this weeks recipe will be Coq Au Vin. (Koke-Oh-Vaughn or Van, just not Vin)

This was so good in class today I am making it for dinner tonight.  It is easy, peasy and tastes amazing.  But if I don’t get in the kitchen to make it we won’t be eating it until tomorrow.

Ingredients
      1 chicken cut up ( or 4 chicken breasts)
      couple tablespoons of clarified butter (or regular butter)
      2 ounces Bacon chopped (2 strips)
      4 ounces sweet onion diced (half an onion)
      4 ounces mushrooms quartered
      1 clove garlic chopped
      1 ounce tomato paste (about 1.5 tablespoons)
      1 ounce flour (about 1/4 cup)
      4 ounces red wine
      2 cups chicken stock
      1 sprig of thyme
      salt and pepper to taste

Cut up bacon, onions, mushrooms and garlic, set aside.

Preheat sauce pot with butter and sear the chicken breasts until golden brown, set aside.  

Add the bacon, onion, mushrooms and garlic, saut’e the vegetables, add tomato paste and mix with vegetables, add flour and stir.

Deglaze (add to pan) with wine and stock, stir virgorously to dissolve the flour, and bring to a simmer.

Add the seared chicken breasts and thyme; cover and braise(cook) in the oven at 375 until the chicken is fork tender.

Adjust seasonings and thickness if necessary.

Serves 4

Now, if you have any questions, let me know!

Let’s Get Cookin!