Monday, February 4, 2008

Chicken and Apples in Cider and Cream

S0...here's what you'll need for this wicked-good dish.
4 whole chicken breasts, skinned and boneless
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into rings
2 cups apple cider, I used apple juice because that's what I had in the house
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


I really like my OXO peeler and corer, although I have about a 50% success rate with the corer, as you can see from the photo above.

Dredge the chicken breasts in flour that you have seasoned with salt and pepper.


Once again I am using my favorite brand-o-pans...Belgique, I'm crazy for this skillet with loop handles. Soooo, saute the chicken in 2 tablespoons of butter until lightly browned and just cooked through; about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove from pan and keep warm under foil.
Add 2 more tablespoons butter to skillet. Saute apple rings until browned; about 3-5 minutes. Remove the apples from the pan and set aside with the chicken.

In the same pan, over medium to high heat, add cider, and boil down to half its original amount, loosening any browned bits with a whisk, you know how I love my whisk. This takes a little while so I decided to make good use of the time and carry some things out to the party barn.
While I was out there I thought maybe there was time for a quick game of ping pong...oh wait...nobody to play with.


So? Next best thing, head on over to the party part of the party barn and do what the sign says. Act a little silly.


I flipped on the disco ball, hit the tunes and burned a few calories...remembering how much I like this dish containing my nemesis...heavy cream....ohhhh....naughty....but gooood.

If you do this disco ball thing, don't take too long...you don't want the cider to turn to syrup.
Allrighty, back to work.
Now that the cider is reduced whisk in the mustard, then add the cream. Boil down the cream until thickened, this usually takes at least fifteen minutes - I like to get it reduced enough so that it coats the back of a spoon. Be sure to stir often because it could scorch at this stage. Once the sauce is the desired consistency add the apples to the pan and coat them with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, pour the apple and cream sauce mixture over chicken.




Yum, great cold weather food. I make this often for my skinny girlfriends when they come to stay, I like to try to fatten them up.































Sideways?

I'm working on a cooking post and things are getting a little sticky on the techie front. I thought I would post my friend here who encourages me by my workbench in the barn...and whaaaa???
She loaded sideways...my patience is being sorely tested. Not giving up. Not. Not. Not.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Farmers Trash

Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Wire

The Husband and I have a deal, before he throws something away or takes it to recycling....he checks with me. I call these things "junk with potential". Years ago I asked him to save any old fencing wire because I thought wire spheres would be cool as garden art....TA DAAA.

We were gone most of the day today to Papa Jacks birthday party, it involved four hours of driving but Papa Jack is one incredible guy and we would pretty much do anything for him. We got home just as the sun was setting and I was able to take a little walk around the farm. I snapped this photo out by the party barn, the light was so goregous...I love the color of the moss on the concrete wall.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Nameless


Whiteout...
The strip below the
cow has our name
on it.
The snow monster
knows I crave
anonymity.
Good job
snow monster!

Then vs Now

When I was in my teens I fully intended to eventually live in a house with a turret. Now that I'm all grown up I'm still intrigued by them but have let go of the turret fantasies. This breakfast nook in a turret looks charming...but I don't think it looks like the kind of cozy that I crave on a gloomy day like today. Charming? Yes. Cozy? Not so much. This photo is from a little home tour I went on with a realtor friend of mine.
What do you think?

Friday, February 1, 2008

Bedazzled


Raindrops on a maple,
natures bedazzler.
Feb first, we're a month into the new year. My word for the year is FOCUS. This morning I noticed these raindrops sparkling on the tree outside my front door. I stopped, focused, paid attention....even took a picture. I have a huge list of chores today but these raindrops glittering in the sun make me really happy, I'm just gonna look at them for a bit.

Boxing the Hedges

I'll admit it, I can't keep up. I'm becoming the crazy old lady with the overgrown hedges. In my twenties I would have grabbed the hedge trimmer and knocked this monster back in a couple of hours, ShellyScissorhands...that was me. These days I look at this, heave a heavy sigh..and go find something else to do. I recently mentioned to a friend that I really needed to attack this mess with my Black and Decker, the response was not at all what I expected. She said to leave it the way it was because it covered up the ugly building...to trim or not to trim...that is the question...what do you think?
p.s. moving to a condo is probably not an option.