Coffee Rubbed Pork Chops with Apricot Sauce

One of my favorite steak dishes is the coffee rubbed fillet at Capital Grille, and I'm not even a coffee drinker. But there is something about the smokey earth sweetness that pairs so nicely with the meaty texture, similar, I guess, to barbecue sauce. Well, I did not have any steak on hand, but I did have boneless pork chops in the freezer, so I set out to see if the pairing would work as well. After reviewing a few coffee rubs in cookbooks and online, I settled on adapting the recipe from this site. Plus, I liked the suggestion of the apricot topping. (And let me say that pork is the only meat entree that I will pair with fruit. Otherwise, I save it for dessert - see Medallions of Pork with Pear Sauce.)

The dish was a breeze to make. I marinated the pork for a few hours in the refrigerator and let it come close to room temperature before grilling. Slice up some apricots and soften them in a saucepan and voila! Coffee rubbed pork chops with apricot sauce. The tangy sweetness of the fruit was a nice contrast to the smokey spice of the rub (thanks to some chili powder).

Coffee Rubbed Pork Chops with Apricot Sauce

Serves 4

(printable recipe)

4 boneless pork chops

1 1/2 TBS French roast coffee (ground)

3/4 TBS smokey paprika

1/4 TBS chili powder

3/4 TBS coursely ground black pepper

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3 apricots, pitted and sliced

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

1/2 TBS sugar

dash of salt

Combine coffee, paprika, chili powder, black pepper and salt. Rub over pork, cover and refrigerate for 1-4 hours. Let pork come to room temperature before grilling 4-5 minutes on each side.

For the sauce, combine the apricots, lemon juice, sugar and salt in a small sauce pan. Heat on low for 4-5 minutes until apricots just begin to break down.

Top grilled pork with apricots.

Enjoy!

Thank You, Rick Bayless

Recently, I've found a nice little food community on Twitter. Local DC bloggers, fellow foodies and even a few celebrity chefs to share recipes (140 characters or less!), restaurant recommendations, food tips, ideas and twitpics of our latest creations. A few days ago, Rick Bayless (of Frontera Grill fame in Chicago and recent winner of the third episode of Top Chef Masters) posted a picture of his ever growing mint garden. I, having an abundance of mint growing from my indoor Aerogarden, tweeted Rick asking if he had any interesting or innovative ways to use the herb. To my complete surprise (and humble elation), he replied:

@jenwexler Mint faves right now: agua fresca (mint, cucumber, lime, pineapple), fresh fava or pea soup with mint and grilled green onion.

After I caught my breath, I resolved to make Rick's suggestions this weekend (and hopefully tweet some pictures back to him!). Both recipes were new to me, so I set out to do a little internet research - getting general proportions of fruit to water for agua fresca (a light fruit drink available in stands throughout Mexico) and the best way to combine peas, mint and onion in soup form. The improvised results were outstanding and have been officially added to my repertoire. Thank you, Rick Bayless.

Agua Fresca with Mint, Cucumber, Lime and Pineapple

(makes 2 1/2 quarts)

1/2 medium size cucumber (peeled and seeded)

1/4 pineapple (8-10 medium cubes)

1/4 lime (juiced)

handful of mint leaves

Combine cucumber, pineapple, lime juice, and mint leaves in blender. Strain liquid through fine mesh sieve into a pitcher. Fill remainder of pitcher with water. Serve over ice.

Chilled Pea Soup with Mint

(serves 3-4)

2 cups of English peas, shelled

1 leek, white and green parts, sliced thin

1 large clove garlic, sliced thin

1 garlic scape, sliced thin

2 cups chicken stock, divided

1/4 cup olive oil

sea salt, to taste

ground black pepper, to taste

truffle oil, for garnish

Heat olive oil in heavy stock pot. When warmed, add leeks and garlic scapes, sauteing until soft (10-15 minutes), avoid browning. When leeks are softened, add peas and garlic, being careful not to burn garlic. Saute for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth and cook peas for 5-8 minutes until just tender. Transfer soup to food processor, add mint, and puree to desired consistency, adding remaining chicken broth as needed. Transfer pureed soup to a clean bowl and set over an ice bath, to preserve the soup's bright green color. Serve chilled sprinkled with sea salt, black pepper, and a swirl of truffle oil. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Enjoy!

Linked to from:

From the Market Part 3 - Spanish Tortilla with Chorizo and Garlic Scapes

I am so glad that I was convinced to make this dish twice in one week, because the pictures from this round turned out much better than the first photo shoot. 

Whenever we receive an issue of Cook's Illustrated in the mail, it is usually a fight to the finish as to who can get his or her hands on it first. We like to pick out recipes trying to show each other up with complicated techniques or meals that take the better part of the day to make. And this month, when I saw a recipe for Spanish Tortilla, I knew it would be the one that I try.

Turns out, its really not difficult and takes less than an hour to make. The result, though, is impressive and quite tasty too. The best part about a Spanish tortilla is that it is excellent in its original form (potato, onion and egg) but can also serve as a blank canvas for experimentation - in this case, adding garlic scapes and buffalo chorizo spiced with chipotle. 

Spanish Tortilla with Chorizo and Garlic Scapes

(adapted from Cook's Illustrated, May/June 2009 issue)

6 TBS + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pounds potatoes (Yukon Gold)

1 small onion, halved and sliced thin

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

8 large eggs

2 links of chorizo (casing removed) or 8 oz of cured chorizo, cut into small cubes

1 garlic scape sliced into thin rounds (or two scallions sliced the same way)

Toss 4 TBS of oil, potatoes, onion, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper in a large bowl making sure that potatoes are coated and separated. Heat 1 TBS oil in 10" non-stick skillet on medium high. Add chorizo and saute until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low, add potato mixture to skillet and set bowl aside without washing. Cover and cook, stirring every 5 minutes for 20-30 minutes, until potatoes offer no resistance when poked with a paring knife.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt in reserved bowl. Fold in garlic scapes. Return skillet to medium-high heat, add remaining TBS of oil and heat until oil just starts to smoke. Add egg and potato mixture, stirring and folding constantly for 15 seconds. Smooth top of mixture with rubber spatula. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook, gently shaking pan every 30 seconds for two minutes until top of tortilla begins to set and bottom is golden brown.

Using rubber spatula, loosen tortilla from pan, shaking back and forth until tortilla slides freely in pan. Slide tortilla onto a large plate. Invert another plate on top of tortilla, flip, and slide tortilla back into pan, cooked side up. Tuck edges of tortilla back into pan with spatula, cover and cook, gently shaking pan every 30 seconds for two minutes until second side is golden brown. Slide tortilla onto serving plate and allow to cool at least 15 minutes. Cut into slices or cubes to serve.

I personally prefer my tortillas room temperature and they are even great cold the next day.

Enjoy!

Pasta with Tomatoes and Spinach, Basil and Walnut Pesto

It's been a common theme around my house lately: grab whatever ingredients are laying around and make something for dinner. Tonight's ingredients - pasta and spinach. I considered pasta with olive oil, wilted spinach and garlic, but thought that may be too much of the same taste. I was hoping I could find some chickpeas in the cabinet and use them somehow in a sauce, but no such luck. Along they way, I discovered the very end of a bag of chopped walnuts and aha! The idea for spinach, basil and walnut pesto was born. 

For those who have been following along, you know that I have an Aerogarden. A very fruitful one. So, I welcome the opportunity to use up some of the fresh herbs it grows. Adding spinach to a traditional pesto recipe yields a lighter taste and substituting walnuts for pine nuts gives the sauce an earthy flavor. I threw in some tomatoes for varied texture at the end.

Spinach, Basil and Walnut Pesto

spinach leaves

basil

chopped walnuts

garlic

olive oil

parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Pulse all ingredients (in your preferred quantities) in a mini-prep food processor to your desired consistency.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Steak Sandwich

My husband and I recently issued a challenge - to ourselves: to eat all of the food in our freezer before buying more. We ate through chicken (thin, thick, and thighs), steak, tilapia, salmon, pork (marinated and not), a roast, and even a few Healthy Choice frozen meals. We got down to our last bag - steak tips - and a few hot dog buns. And to celebrate, by virtually not cooking at all, we threw the steak into the slow cooker with some onions, red wine and seasonings, set it on low and 8 hours later we had tender, shredable meat - just right for steak sandwiches. We simmered the sauce down on the stove top, drizzled it over the meat and onions, put the filling into toasted hog dog buns and voila - a steak sandwich and an empty freezer!

Risotto with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Risotto. The Italian version of Mac and Cheese (maybe?). A creamy and filling comfort food. A one dish meal, and a good way to use up extra vegetables in your fridge. For the most part, you can follow the directions on the risotto box and mix in your vegetables at the end. To make it even better, though, add some white wine to the stock and parmesan cheese at the end.

This one comes from an Alton Brown recipe that I found on FoodNetwork.com. I used cremini mushrooms instead of wild. The result is simply delicious.

Risotto with Asparagus and Mushrooms

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 5 ounces wild mushrooms, cooked and coarsely chopped, approximately 3/4 cup
• 7 ounces asparagus, cooked and cut into 1-inch pieces, approximately 1 1/2 cups
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan, approximately 1/2 cup
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In an electric kettle or medium saucepan with a lid, combine chicken broth and white wine and heat just to simmering. Keep warm.

In a large 3 to 4-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sweat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the grains are translucent around the edges. Be careful not to allow the grains or the onions to brown.

Reduce the heat to low. Add enough of the wine and chicken stock just to cover the top of the rice. Stir or move the pan often, until the liquid is completely absorbed into rice. Once absorbed, add another amount of liquid just to cover the rice and continue stirring or moving as before. There should be just enough liquid left to repeat 1 more time. It should take approximately 35 to 40 minutes for all of the liquid to be absorbed. After the last addition of liquid has been mostly absorbed, add the mushrooms and asparagus and stir until risotto is creamy and asparagus is heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan, lemon zest, and nutmeg. Taste and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

Vaca Frita

I must say that the Cubans don't have the most appetizing names for their country's most famous dishes. Vaca frita (fried cow) is a close relative to ropa vieja (old clothes). Whatever you want to call it, though, the dish boils down to the basic element of shredded beef. Where ropa vieja gets stewed in tomato sauce, vaca frita is marinated and seared until crispy.

I tried this recipe last night and it was a breeze to make, although a bit time consuming if you plan to start cooking in the evening. You need to allocate enough time for the beef to marinate and it took me quite some time to shred the beef (but that could be because I bought brisket instead of flank steak. I think it's higher fat content made the task more difficult). The result, I believe, was no less delicious. The tangy lime and garlic marinated beef paired nicely with side of black beans and rice.

Vaca Frita

(from Food & Wine, May 2009)

1 1/2 lbs flank steak, cut into four pieces

1 green bell pepper, cored and quartered

2 large onions - 1 halved and 1 thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

2 garlic cloves, smashed

salt

1/4 cup plus 2 TBS freshly squeezed lime juice

3 TBS olive oil

freshly ground pepper

In a large saucepan, combine the flank steak with the bell pepper, halved onion and bay leaf. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. Remove flank steak and let cool. Strained broth can be reserved for another use. Shred the meat and transfer to a bowl.

Using the side of a large knife, mash the garlic to a paste with 1/2 tsp of salt. Stir the paste into the meat, along with the lime juice, olive oil, and sliced onion. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

Heat a large griddle until very hot. Working in batches, spread the shredded beef on the griddle in a thin layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat, turning once or twice, until sizzling and crispy in spots, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Enjoy!

(photo published on Tastespotting, 6/29/09)

Leek and Chickpea Soup

This recipe comes to me somewhat third-hand. For my birthday, Eric gave me The Foster Harris House cookbook, from the B&B where we stayed to celebrate our first anniversary. (Buy it here.) This recipe comes from that book, but it came to that chef - John MacPherson - via renowned chef Jamie Oliver's friend Bender who found the recipe in an old cookbook somewhere. Did you follow that? So, nods all around. Thank you Bender, thank you Jamie for having a friend Bender, and thank you John.

This soup makes a great one course meal. Hearty enough to stand on its own and complex enough in taste and texture to stay exciting.

Leek and Chickpea Soup

5 large leeks

2 TBS butter

2 TBS olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 small peeled potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

12 oz of canned chickpeas

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra to garnish

salt and pepper to taste

Prepare leeks by cutting off and discarding tough green tops of leeks. Slick white parts of leeks lengthwise and rinse well. Roughly chop.

Melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat in a heavy pot and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then add the leeks. Cook the leeks for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the potato and chickpeas and cook for 1-2 minutes longer. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add more broth to thin the soup if desired or use a regular or emulsion blender to puree soup to desired consistency. Add half of the cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and top with the remaining Parmesan.

Serves 6.

Enjoy!

Party Food: Turkey Sliders and Homemade French Fries

This post comes from my friend, John, another old friend from high school (Props to Motown. So many recipes on this site have come from my childhood friends!). I think this post brings up a good point. That not all meals have to come from written recipes. John tells me that the idea for this meal just "formulated on the Metro on the way to the grocery store last night." Fortunately, I was able to have him jot down the basics so I could share it with all of you. I share the recipe in John's words - because for party food, who needs a formal recipe? Just have fun with it!

Homemade French Fries

Idaho potatoes (1 potato equals 1 serving)
vegetable oil for frying
cayenne pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
salt, to taste
cajun seasoning, to taste

Take a bunch of Idaho potatoes. Chop them into fry-like shapes (I can’t remember what you actually call that shape – finger shaped?) with skins on. Fry them in a skillet filled with vegetable oil until all sides are golden-brown (don’t forget to turn them!). Once cooked, drop them in a bowl of paper towels to drain the oil, then top with cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and cajun seasoning to taste.


Mini Turkey Burgers/ Sliders

1 lb ground turkey
egg
salt/ pepper to taste
Bone Suckin' barbecue sauce
1/4 - 1/3 cup bread crumbs

Take your ground turkey, add an egg, salt/pepper, some Bone Suckin’ barbecue sauce for flavor, and probably like ¼-1/3 cup of bread crumbs, hand blend, then stick in the fridge for a half hour-ish. Throw them on the grill, flip them only once. Top with Irish cheddar and bacon. For the buns, use one of those 25-30 minute Pillsbury Italian bread loafs, cut it into a sufficient number of pieces. Throw on some tomatoes, lettuce, and onion, and enjoy! (Makes 8 mini burgers)

Stovetop Roasted Chicken

Here is another one of Eric's favorites from Cook's Illustrated. An alternative to oven-roasted chicken, stovetop roasted chicken lets you cook chicken parts, rather than the whole bird. The Cook's Illustrated technique gets the skin crispy while allowing the meat to remain juicy and reduces the cooking time dramatically. Paired with a lemon herb sauce, this meal is simply delicious.

Check out the November/December 2008 issue for the science behind the two phase cooking method.

Stovetop Roasted Chicken

For the chicken:

3 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts, trimmed of excess fat

salt and pepper

1 TBS vegetable oil

1-1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth

For the lemon-herb sauce:

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 TBS)

1 tsp all-purpose flour

1 TBS fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 TBS fresh parsley, minced

1 1/2 TBS fresh chives, minced

1 TBS cold unsalted butter

salt and pepper

1. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken pieces skin side down and cook without moving until golden brown, 5-8 mins.

2. Using tongs, flip chicken pieces skin side up. Reduce heat to medium-low, add 3/4 cup broth to skillet, cover, and cook until instant read thermometer registers 155 degrees for chicken breast and 170 degrees for legs and thighs, 10-16 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate, skin-side up.

3. Pour off liquid from skillet into 2-cup measuring cup and reserve. Using tongs, wipe skillet with paper towels. Add remaining tsp vegetable oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Return chicken pieces skin side down and cook without moving until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and it reaches 160 degrees for breasts and 175 degrees for legs and thighs, 4-7 mins. Transfer to a serving platter and tent loosely with foil. Skim fat from reserved cooking liquid and add enough broth to measure 3/4 cup.

4. Heat oil in now empty skillet over low heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly for 30 secs. Increase heat to medium-high, add reserved cooking liquid, and bring to a simmer, scraping skillet bottom with a wooden spoon to loosened brown bits. Simmer rapidly until reduced to 1/2 cup, 2-3 mins. Stir in any accumulated juices from resting chicken, return to a simmer and cook 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat, whisk in lemon juice, parsley, chives, and butter, season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce around chicken and serve.

Enjoy!

Ricotta, Spinach and Prosciutto Ravioli

As part two (part one?) of our Valentine's Day dinner, I decided to make these raviolis from an Everyday Italian episode by Giada de Laurentis. I saw the episode years ago and jotted down the ingredients and cooking instructions the best I could. When I happened on the recipe this weekend, I could barely distinguish my chicken scratch. Thank goodness for the Internet, which houses answers to all my questions. I found the recipe posted, and adapted, on another food blog site, Cookbook Catchall. 

For the recipe and adaptation, click here.

For the sauce, I kept the butter and substituted dried sage for the oregano. It was delicious!

Enjoy!

Foil-Baked Salmon with Corn and Lime

This was one of the first recipes I made when I moved to Washington, DC and started living on my own. At the time, I was cooking for one, and this was the perfect home cooked meal. I made this the other night, after deciding that I needed another preparation for salmon, and doubled the recipe. With very little work, you wind up with a beautiful and very tasty dinner.

Foil-Baked Salmon with Corn and Lime
(from Williams-Sonoma Cooking for Yourself)

This recipe serves one, but is easily doubled.


3/4 cup corn kernels
1/4 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into small, neat dice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced, or more to taste
salt and ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 lime wedge, plus 3 thin lime slices
1 skinless salmon fillet (1/2 lb)

• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F.
• Put the corn kernels in a bowl. Add the bell pepper, cilantro, chile, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
• Put a 12 x 18-inch sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a work surface. Top with the corn mixture and dot with 1 teaspoon of the butter. Squeeze lime wedge over the salmon fillet, then season with salt and pepper. Place the salmon on top of the corn mixture. Top with lime slices and dot with the remaining 1 teaspoon butter.
• Bring the long edges of the foil together and fold over to form a tight seal. Fold and seal the ends as well. Bake until the salmon is opaque throughout and just flakes with a fork, 15-20 minutes. The timing will depend on the thickness of the fillet.
• Transfer the packet to a heatproof work surface. Open the foil carefully at the ends first, allowing hot steam to escape, then unwrap the top. Transfer to a warmed dinner plate.
  

Enjoy!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone and welcome to 2009! I hope you had a nice celebration last night. If your day is anything like mine, today is a lazy day of relaxing and eating lots of leftovers. We pulled out a few old time favorites and tried a few new dishes and as always, had way too much food. But, I did remember to take pictures of everything, so I am happy to share with you our New Year's Eve feast - complete with links to each recipe. Of course, the dishes can be made for any occasion and I know that I'll certainly be pulling these out again.

Enjoy!

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil

Grown Up Ham and Cheese Finger Sandwiches

Grilled Beef Tenderloin on Focaccia Toasts

French Onion Soup

Pear and Walnut Salad

Beef Bourguignon

Potatoes au Gratin

Banana's Foster

(recipe provided and cooked by Betsy and flambeed by Mike!)

Medallions of Pork with Pear Sauce

I pulled another one out of the vault last night. In fact, I had only made the recipe once before, and it had to be about 7 years ago. Normally, pork medallions are something that I don't just have on hand, but recently getting tired of the same rotation of chicken, salmon, and steak, we had to branch out.

I had forgotten how good this recipe is. Adding a simple pan sauce of caramelized pear and ginger to the pork transforms a meat that I typically find just so-so, into quite a fancy entree.

Medallions of Pork with Pear Sauce

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops
• Dried rubbed sage
• All purpose flour
• 2 pears, peeled, cored, thinly sliced (about 1 pound)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Season pork with dried sage, salt and pepper. Coat pork with flour; shake off excess. Add pork to skillet and sauté until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to platter.

Drain fat from skillet. Add pears and sauté over medium heat 2 minutes. Stir in wine, sugar and ginger, scraping up any browned bits. Increase heat to high and boil until pears are tender and syrup is thick, about 5 minutes. Return pork and any accumulated juices to skillet. Simmer just until cooked through, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange pork on plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.

Note: last night I substituted powdered ginger for the crystallized and it worked just as well.

Enjoy!

Provencal Chicken Stew

As is my routine, I woke up this morning and checked the weather forecast. It's gonna be a cold one! Highs not even getting out of the 30s this weekend. Immediately, I thought it is time to bring out the slow cooker. Here is one of our favorites - and very easy to make (what isn't with the slow cooker?). It is a simple recipe, combining basic ingredients, and we find it is good over rice, to absorb the sauce. The taste combinations of the chicken, kalamata olives, tomatoes and basil is delicious and will make you yearn for the fresh air and rugged landscape of Provence.

Provencal Chicken Stew

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 chicken, cut into serving pieces and skinned
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade, for garnish
• 1 cup black Nyons or kalamata olives, for garnish

Combine the 3/4 cup flour and the salt in a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken to the bag, several pieces at a time, and shake to coat completely.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned on both sides. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain, then arrange in the slow cooker.

Set the sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the onion and the 2 tablespoons flour. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes, until some of the tomato liquid evaporates.

Pour the onion mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 8 hours, until the chicken is tender. At 3 to 4 hours, the chicken will still be firm and hold its shape. At 6 to 8 hours, the meat will be falling off the bone.

Divide the chicken among dinner plates and garnish with the parsley, basil, and olives. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Risotto

This one comes from an old childhood friend, Megan, who has made a name for herself in the food and wine industry. It has been great to reconnect with her and even better knowing that in our grown up state, we share a love for cooking. I can trust that this dish is delicious and I can't wait to make it myself!

Pumpkin Risotto

4 thick cut slices of pancetta
pancetta and olive oil drippings
1 Vidalia onion (medium dice)
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
parmigiano rind
1 can of pumpkin
whole nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup parmigiano
extra parmigiano for shavings
8 whole sage leaves

• heat chicken stock and water (6 quarts total) with parmigiano rind until boiling, then drop down to a low boil.

• dice pancetta and render it until crispy. transfer to a paper towel and warm drippings over med heat with some olive oil (if necessary to coat the bottom of the pan) in a high-sided saute pan or dutch oven.

• add onion, season, and cook until translucent.

• add rice and stir to coat each grain with oil. cook until slightly toasted.

• start adding ladle-fulls of stock, stirring, and cooking down. season as you go along. about halfway through process, add pumpkin and nutmeg.

• you should use most of the stock and the entire process should take about 22 minutes once you've started cooking. keep tasting and reserve a good cup of the stock to stir in at the very end (risotto should be loose, not sticky and stodgy).

• fry whole sages leaves in olive oil, remove with tongs to a paper towel and salt them. save the sage-infused oil to pour over the risotto at the end.

• when rice is creamy and still al dente, but not crunchy, remove from heat and stir in butter and parmigiano and last cup of stock. transfer to serving bowl and top with pancetta, sage leaves, shavings of parmigiano, and sage oil.

Enjoy!