There aren’t too many things more beautiful than the pristine white of freshly fallen snow. Or the squeals of delight from kids (and adults!) sledding wherever they can find even the smallest of hills.
But we had our fun, and the edges of the snow piles turned gray and dirty, we went through frozen roads and dripping the faucets to make sure we didn’t have frozen pipes, and finally the kids went back to school. Back to normal (until the next snow, because I keep having to remind myself, it’s still just January), and I don’t think I’m the only one saying thank goodness!
So now, as I sit to plan our next meals, I think I’ll turn to thoughts of warmer places and past trips for inspiration to help combat those January blahs.
One of my favorite parts of traveling is eating amazing food (duh!), and I often find myself jotting down notes from dinner so I can try to recreate dishes at home. There’s nothing more fun than picking apart a good meal to figure out how it was made and passing the plate around saying “oh my gosh, you have to try this” or asking “do you taste rosemary here?” (Wow, the things I categorize as fun and exciting…)
This past summer, I was lucky enough to take a couple of wonderful trips, both of which have inspired some good eats back at home.
I went on a 250 mile bike ride through Germany with my dad, seeing the country side and staying in Gasthauses along the way. Each morning we would be greeted by the most spectacular breakfasts with platters of sliced meats and cheeses, fresh rolls of every kind, fruits and vegetables, hard cooked eggs in their own little cups, and more jams than you thought possible. And most importantly, my own little pot of coffee at my place setting, just for me. When we came home I immediately started making my own pared down version of these breakfasts.
We also had the opportunity to take the Kiddo to see Paris and Rome. In Paris we enjoyed crepes, baguette sandwiches of every kind, and the most amazing Chicken Paillard I’ve ever had. In Rome it was pasta, and focaccia, and every gelato shop in walking distance (and there are a bunch!).
This week’s newsletter recipes are inspired by that trip to Rome.
When you get off the beaten path, even by a block or two, you find the restaurants the locals go to - not the tourist traps. One evening, we sat down at a little place off an alley you might not even think to give a second glance to. After much deliberation (the whole table has to order something different so everyone can try), I ordered the Chicken Cacciatore. What came out was not what I expected; it was so much better.
I’ve always thought chicken cacciatore was chicken braised in a tomato sauce, with onions and maybe peppers, and that’s how I always made mine here at home. But the plate set in front of me had several different cuts of chicken in a light sauce with crispy roasted potatoes on the side. The waiter said it was the house specialty and this is how it’s done in Rome. As soon as I took that first bite, I knew I had to figure out how to make it. The chicken was fork tender and had this vibrant vinegary punch that I couldn’t get enough of. And so, I came home and got to work.
Several tries later, my version of a White Chicken Cacciatore was created. The chicken thighs are cooked in a bright, herby sauce, thickened ever so slightly at the end - perfect for a piece of crusty bread to get every last drop. (I toned down the vinegar just a smidge, but you can always add a splash at the end if you want more.)
The Fennel and Orange Salad is inspired by a dish I had at a Roman cafe down yet another obscure alleyway. We had walked 10 miles by lunch that day - going to the Colosseum twice (mix up in our timed entry, long story, longer walk), and we were all hot and grumpy.
I picked a salad off the menu, honestly because it was the only thing that sounded good in the literal heat of the moment. It was everything I could have asked for - the fennel was cold and crunchy and the oranges were sweet and juicy. Topped with a scattering of briny olives and toasted nuts with a light oil and vinegar dressing.
Now, I make this salad all the time, and it always gets rave reviews. It’s a great accompaniment to balance any rich foods, but I also love it as a light lunch with grilled chicken. This is the season for fennel and citrus, and this is the time I need a pick me up from the snow and ice and winter-time blues.
(Here is a good video tutorial on how to slice fennel if you’ve never done it before.)
MONDAY - White Chicken Cacciatore with Fennel and Orange Salad
Can’t wait to dive in and re-live the memories of a great meal in Rome. I’ll pop the chicken in the marinade earlier in the afternoon, and probably go ahead and make the salad ahead. Then I’ll just have to cook the chicken and roast some potatoes as a side dish. Recipes below!
TUESDAY - Ground Beef Enchiladas and Rice
This family favorite makes another appearance! If you’re new to the newsletter, I posted the recipe back here.
WEDNESDAY - Potato Soup
Creamy, cozy, hearty…full of bacon. All the things potato soup should be. Plus you can’t beat leftovers for lunch. Homemade sourdough bread for dipping.
THURSDAY - Breakfast for dinner
A couple of years ago, the Kiddo got a kids cookbook for Christmas, and for a while we did a great job of having him pick something out of it and help me make dinner once a week. We got out of the habit, but last week he picked it back up and flipped through and asked for blueberry pancakes. So we’ll get him back in the kitchen and together we’ll make pancakes and omelets for breakfast for dinner!
FRIDAY - Friday night pick-up!
SATURDAY - Dinner at Yaya’s (the in-laws!)
Chicken Stroganoff is on the menu - a creamy sauce with diced grilled chicken (that Yaya always has a stock of in her freezer!) served over egg noodles. Comfort food!
SUNDAY - Chili and Grilled Cheese
Dad skipped town and went to Florida to escape the cold, so we’re on our own for Sunday dinner. We didn’t end up making chili a couple of weeks ago, so we’ll work it in here!
LUNCHES for this week - Leftovers, Salads, Soup
I know we will have plenty of food around the house this week, so I’ll just eat leftovers for my lunches. I have lentil soup in the freezer and fresh lettuce for salads if I need something lighter.
EXTRAS for this week
I have a couple of recipes I need to nail down and photograph before I can get them to you, so I’ll be working on that!
White Chicken Cacciatore
Makes about 4-6 servings.
Marinade:
· ½ cup Olive Oil
· ¼ cup White Wine Vinegar
· 1 clove Garlic, minced
· 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Rosemary (will need another tablespoon later)
· ½ teaspoon kosher Salt (Morton or other store brand)
· ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Cacciatore:
· 2 ½ - 3 pounds boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs
· 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
· 1 medium Onion, diced
· 1 teaspoon kosher Salt (Morton or other store brand)
· ¼ teaspoon ground black Pepper
· 3-4 cloves Garlic, minced
· 1 cup White Wine
· 1 cup Chicken Broth
· 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh Rosemary
· 2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
· 2 tablespoons softened Butter
· 2 tablespoons Flour
Whisk together all ingredients for the marinade. Place the chicken thighs in a zip top bag or shallow baking dish and coat in the marinade. Marinate for about 2 hours, turning thighs or flipping bag halfway through.
In a large, heavy bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid (such as a dutch oven), heat olive oil over medium high. Remove thighs from marinade and carefully place in pan to brown. Keep them in one layer, do two batches if necessary. Brown on both sides for 4-5 minutes, remove from pot.
In same pot, add diced onion with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until mostly cooked through. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
Stir in white wine and cook for one minute while stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in broth, vinegar, and rosemary.
Nestle chicken back into pot (along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate), and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20-30 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, smash together the softened butter and the flour to form a paste. Set aside.
When the chicken is done, carefully remove the thighs from the pot. Stir butter/flour mixture into sauce to thicken it. Stir constantly until the butter is fully melted, the flour incorporated, and the sauce thickened slightly. Taste sauce to adjust seasonings, if needed.
Serve chicken with the sauce on top. I like side dishes such as rice, mashed or roasted potatoes, or polenta.
NOTES: You can substitute an equal amount of chicken broth plus another tablespoon of vinegar for the white wine if needed.
Fennel and Orange Salad
Makes about 4 servings.
· 1 bulb fresh Fennel, core removed and thinly sliced. Save fronds for topping.
· 1 Navel Orange, peeled and segmented
· 2-3 tablespoons chopped toasted Pecans or Walnuts
· 2 tablespoons Kalamata Olives, pitted and halved lengthwise
· Several “shaves” of fresh Parmesan Cheese
Dressing
· 1 tablespoon finely diced Shallot
· 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
· 1 tablespoon Honey
· 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar (I use a white balsamic to keep the color light)
· 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· ¼ teaspoon Salt
· 1/8 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
Whisk all ingredients for dressing and set aside.
Arrange fennel slices on a large plate or platter. Top with orange segments. Sprinkle nuts and olives over the top.
Drizzle or spoon on the dressing. Sometimes I don’t use quite all of it; it depends on how big my fennel and orange are.
Using a vegetable peeler, shave fresh parmesan over the top (as much as your heart desires!). Finely mince some of the fennel fronds and scatter over the top as well.
NOTES – This salad can be made several hours in advance and refrigerated. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.