Chicken Stew with Biscuits

Chicken Stew with Biscuits
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

Ingredients
4 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (or 1 rotisserie chicken)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
1/2 cup flour + 1 tablespoon
1 cup half & half
3 medium-diced carrots
3 small ribs celery, cut crosswise 1/4-inch thick
1 package cremini mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh minced thyme
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

For the biscuits:

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into medium dice. You will have 4 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions, carrots & celery over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until softened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. While vegetables are sautéing, shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken; set aside. Add 1 tablespoon to Dutch oven and saute mushrooms 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of Sherry and deglaze pan. Transfer to bowl with chicken & vegetables. Heat butter over medium heat in again-empty skillet. When foaming subsides, add flour; cook about 1 minute. Whisk in chicken broth, milk, any accumulated chicken juices, and thyme. Bring to simmer, then continue to simmer until sauce fully thickens, about 1 minute. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper; stir in sherry. Add the chicken, carrots, celery, mushrooms, onions, thyme and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half-and-half and combine on low speed. Mix in the parsley. Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out circles with a 2 inch round cutter.

Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

Note: To make in advance, refrigerate the chicken stew and biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place the biscuits on top, and bake for another 30 minutes, until done. Serves 6 to 8.

White Pizza – Italian Sausage, Mushroom & Onion

Olive Oil, Minced Garlic, Mozzarella-Fontina Blend, Pecorino Romano Cheese, Cremini Mushrooms, Shitake Mushrooms, Italian Sausage, Red Onion.

Cooks Illustrated Thin Crust Pizza Dough
Makes two 13-inch pizzas

Ingredients

Dough
3 cups (16 1/2 ounces) bread flour , plus more for work surface
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/3 cups ice water (about 10 1/2 ounces) (see note)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil , plus more for work surface
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

FOR THE DOUGH: In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flour, sugar, and yeast until combined, about 2 seconds. With machine running, slowly add water through feed tube; process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough stand 10 minutes.

Add oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of work bowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on lightly oiled countertop until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into tight ball and place in large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.

Heat oven to 500 degrees and bake until crust is well browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pizza halfway through. Can be baked on parchment paper.

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Grilled Chicken Club Sandwiches

Boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 3/4 inches thick, grilled
Bacon
White cheddar cheese
Hellmann’s Light Mayo
Ciabatta rolls, lightly grilled

Pork Lo Mein

Ingredients

3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon five spice powder
1 pound pork tenderloin sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 bunches scallions, whites thinly sliced and greens cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 small head Napa or Chinese cabbage , halved, cored, and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch strips (about 4 cups)
8 ounces whole wheat angel hair pasta
1 cup reserved pasta water
1 tablespoon Sriracha

Instructions

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil over high heat.

2. Whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and five-spice powder together in medium bowl. Place 3 tablespoons soy sauce mixture in large zipper-lock bag; add pork and liquid smoke, if using. Press out as much air as possible and seal bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Whisk broth, Sriracha, 1 tablespoon sherry and cornstarch into remaining soy sauce mixture in medium bowl. In separate small bowl, mix garlic and ginger with 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil; set aside.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 12-inch cast-iron or nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork in single layer, breaking up clumps with wooden spoon. Cook, without stirring, 1 minute. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons wine to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is reduced and pork is well coated, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer pork to medium bowl and repeat with remaining pork, 1 teaspoon oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons wine. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.

4. Return skillet to high heat, add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, and heat until just smoking. Add scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to bowl with pork.

5. Add remaining teaspoon vegetable oil and cabbage to now-empty skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with pork & onions. Add garlic-ginger mixture and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth-soy mixture to skillet, simmer until thickened. Transfer cooked, drained pasta to sauce, toss until sauce coats noodles. Add cooked stir-fry mixture tossing until ingredients are well incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add some reserved pasta water to noodles if needed. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Recipe Adapted From Cook’s Illustrated

Grilled Bone-In Chicken Breasts

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (about 12 ounces each)
Seasoned Salt
Canola Oil

Turn all burners to high and heat with lid down until very hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush. Dip wad of paper towels in oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate.

Sprinkle chicken with seasoned salt. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). Place chicken, skin-side up, on cooler side of grill, with thicker side of breast facing hotter side, close lid. Cook chicken about 35 minutes. Move chicken to hotter part of grill skin side down and cook until skin is lightly browned and crisp, 10 to 14 minutes. Remove when instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 150 degrees.

Frittata Muffins with Broccoli & Gruyere Cheese

Ingredients
* Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
* 8 large eggs
* 1/2 cup 2% milk
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 large head broccoli & stems chopped
* 1 large shallot chopped finely
* 2 green onions chopped
* 3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere (Parmesan, Cheddar or Asiago can be substituted)
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray large muffin tins (6 cups) with nonstick spray. Sautee broccoli, shallot & green onion until softened, 5 minutes. Whisk the eggs, milk, pepper, and salt in a large bowl to blend well. Stir in cheese and parsley. Fill prepared muffin cups almost to the top with the egg mixture. Bake until the egg mixture puffs and is just set in the center, about 14 to 17 minutes. Place on rack and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the muffin cups from tin, place onto a platter. Serve immediately. Can be refrigerated or frozen. Reheat in microwave.