Well...I did it...I totally DESTROYED dinner.  First time in a LOOOONG time...put the chicken thighs on the grill for only 10 minutes and went to flip them only to find out they were scorched beyond recognition!  My grill was even on LOW!  Rats...thank goodness for leftovers.  Now Justin won't have to starve tonight.  :(

Toad in the Hole

Brings back so many memories!  I think everyone's mom made this for them at some point in their lives...I know MY mom did!  I gobbled it right on up!  mmmmmm...

Progress in the garden May 25, 2012

Farmers' Market @ SRMC

We started a new Farmers' Market at work Wednesday, May 16, 2012.  How wonderful to just walk out the door of work and stop by to pick up some fresh local produce!  I got some shucked oysters, baby zucchini, beets, and strawberry plants.

Soutwestern Beef Stew

Brown 3-4 pounds beef chuck, trimmed and cut into cubes in 1/4 cup oil (I used canola) in batches.

Set aside.

Cook 2 onions, chopped for 5 minutes.  Add 2 cloves garlic, minced and cook 1 minute more.

Return meat to pot (along with juices, of course!).

Add 1 (28 oz) can roma tomatoes with juice,

12 oz beer (I was lucky enough to have some good Italian beer left at my house from my friend's visit),

2 (4oz) cans diced green chilies,

1 cup low sodium beef broth,

11/2 teaspoon cumin and 2 teaspoon oregano,

and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer (partially covered) for 2 1/2 hours.

Then give it to your 15 year old son with baby potatoes and enjoy!

The BEST Chicken Pot Pie you will ever eat!

The original recipe came from Bon Appetit October 2011

Chicken

The original recipe calls for a 3-lb chicken, however Wegman's has much bigger ones for only 88 cents/pound, so I go for that one...since it is so big, closer to 5-7-lb, I split it down the back bone so it will be able to be under the liquids and cook faster

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place 2 cups peeled, coarsely chopped carrots, 1 large onion, coarsely chopped, and 1 leek, coarsely chopped on a baking sheet with a rim.  I used the pan in the picture up above.  Roast the veggies for 30 minutes.  In the meantime, start working on the rest of the ingredients.

Place the split whole chicken (skin-on), breast-side down in a large pot.  I use an 8-qt dutch oven.  It's not necessary, but I brown it a little before adding the rest of the ingredients.  Dump the roasted veggies in the pot with the chicken.  Add 4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped (I use the whole thing, leaves and all), 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, 1 cup dry white wine, 1 tablespoon kosher salt (at first, I only used 1 teaspoon but ended up needing to add the rest and it made a huge difference), 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns along with 8 cups water.  Let the chicken cool, and when able to be handled, remove from the bones and chop or shred.

Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 45 minutes.  

Remove the chicken and strain the broth into another pot.  Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste (I love the stuff that comes in a tube that looks like toothpaste), simmer on medium heat until reduced to 5 cups, about 40 minutes.

You can do all of this a day ahead, and refrigerate until ready to do the rest.  I did that this time and it allowed me to skim the fat which is always nice.

Crust

Place 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes, and 1/4 cup vegetable shortening in a food processor and process until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized lumps.  With the machine running, add 1/2 cup ice cold water, and process until a dough forms.  The recipe calls for you to form the dough into a disk and refrigerate before rolling out, but here's what I do...I place some plastic wrap on a jelly roll pan, plop the dough down and cover it with a second piece of plastic wrap.  Then I press/roll it into the pan to cover the whole thing.  THEN I refrigerate it until ready to go.

Filling

Place 2 tablespoons dried shiitake mushrooms in 1 cup hot water.  Let it steep for 10 minutes, set aside.

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter and add 3/4 cup flour.  

Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, for 10 minutes until golden brown.

Whisk in 6 fresh sage leaves, 4 thyme sprigs, 2 sprigs rosemary and the reserved (warm) chicken broth.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shiitakes to the saucepan.  Pour in the soaking liquids, leaving the sediment behind.  Simmer for 20 minutes.

Strain into another pot, discarding the solids.

 Add to the chicken, 1 cup sliced carrots, 1 package (10oz) frozen peas, 1 cup peeled pearl onions, and a small package of mushrooms (cut in 1/2 if large).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spoon the filling into a 13x9" baking pan and place the pastry over top.  Brush the top with 1 beaten egg, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 45 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.  ENJOY!!  It's delicious!!