Quick Coq Au Vin with Apple and Brie Smashed Potatoes

Another guilty pleasure of mine is watching the Food Network. Not sure if it's like a modern mystery or a classic romance...but always engaging and inspiring...to me anyway. So after watching Guy whip up some sort of Halibut Vera Cruz, fried asparagus (that actually looked pretty damn good) followed up by some sort of Frangelico/vodka shot ...that he promises tastes like German Chocolate Cake, Rachel Ray 30 min meal for Mother's Day started. While we can all agree she can be just a bit too perky for Sunday morning, many of her meals are fantastic. Just quick, easy and normally a family pleaser.

Craig loves Coq Au Vin. Not sure if this was a family favorite or if Chef Al Burton made it so amazingly well at one of his legendary parties, but regardless, he seems to always mention it. I however, am not a huge fan of hours of cooking and using all parts of the chicken (Coq) - but give me the wine (au vin) and now we can start talking. So Rachel Ray shared a recipe that seems to be the perfect compromise - boneless chicken (yes, honey we can use boneless dark meat too), lots of wine (happy) and cooks in 30 min (extra happy). Additionally, she glammed up a family classic - Smashed potatoes with apple cream and brie - HOLY COW. If this doesn't say fall family classic with a bit of panache, I don't know what does. I couldn't find the recipe online...so this is from memory and experience.
From our table to yours, enjoy!

Quick Coq Au Vin
Ingredients:

• 3 large, boneless skinless chicken breasts (all my Orange County friends are happy)
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (if you like or just add extra breasts)
• 1/2 bottle dry, white wine (I know, seriously, buy two buck chuck)
• 3-4 pieces bacon, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, diced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• Flour (for chicken and a sprinkle to thicken the sauce)
• sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Olive Oil, salt and pepper (of course)

Directions:

• Marinate chicken in large bowl with wine (yes, all of it)
• In large sauce pan, cook chopped bacon until crispy
• Remove bacon with slotted spoon and reserve
• In same sauce pan, cook chicken until cooked through. Use tongs to remove chicken from the wine marinade, but SAVE THE WINE - you will use this for the sauce.
• When chicken is cooked (probably 3-4 min/side) remove chicken from pan
• Add a little olive oil to pan and add onions, garlic, celery, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and carrots - cook for 2 min
• Add the wine from the chicken marinade, sprinkle with 1 t flour, stir, cover and cook for 5 min
• Return chicken to pan cook for 5 min
• Remove thyme stem and bay leaves
• Spoon into potatoe reservoir (see below for more detail)

Smashed Potatoes with Apple and Brie
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pound Yukon potatoes
• 4 oz brie
• 1 granny smith apple, pealed and quartered
• 1 1/2 C cream (I used fat free half and half and it was great)

Directions:

• Clean and quarter potatoes
• Place in boiling water for 20 min (add a t salt when water boils)
• Bring cream or ff half and half to low boil and add quartered apple (cook for 10 min)
• Pour cream/apple mixture into food processor, blend into smooth mixture
• Drain potatoes and return potatoes to hot pan
• Pour blended apple mixture over potatoes
• Add brie (break into small portions to help it melt faster)
• Using a smasher, smash all ingredients (if it seems too thick, feel free to add milk)
• Salt and pepper to your liking

To plate this version of coq au vin and potatoes....

Using over sized bowls or plates with a lip, spoon smashed potatoes in the center of the dish. Make the potatoes into a reservoir. Spoon coq au vin (chicken, sauce and veggies) into the potato bowl. Sprinkle with crisp bacon and top with a sprig of thyme. Special and fantastic to the eye and belly.

Zucchini, Potato and Parmesan Soup

As I said, I am lucky to live in a neighborhood with many fantastic gardeners. And even luckier that they share. But I must say, I feel a little pressure to produce something deserving of all their labor. So there I sat, looking at a 6 pound zucchini and a dozen small, tasty yellow onions. Hmmmm.

I love the 'Back to the Table' cookbook by Art Smith. It's full of great recipes, wonderful images and tips of what it means to share a home cooked meal. While flipping through the Family Meal: Soups chapter, a 'perfect, hearty summer soup' caught my eye. So I washed off all the garden soil, began chopping and sauteing and a new dish is added to my bag of tricks.

From our table to yours - enjoy

Zucchini, Potato and Parmesan Soup (serves 8-10)

Ingredients:

• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 medium zucchini, scrubbed but unpeeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (4 cups)
• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (1 cup)
• 3 cups veggie or chicken broth
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 C evaporated skimmed milk
• 3 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus additonal for serving
• Salt and Pepper
• Chopped fresh thyme, for garnish

Directions:

• Heat oil in large pot over medium heat
• Add the onion and garlic, cover
• Cook stiring often until the onions are translucent (about 5 min)
• Stir n the zucchini and potato
• Add enough broth to barley cover the vegetables
• Add the thyme and bring to a boil over high heat
• Reduce heat to low, simmer, partially covered until the potato is tender (about 15 min)
• Stir in evaporated mile and cheese.
• Heat until very hot, but DO NOT boil, or the soup will curdle. Season to taste with sale an pepper
• Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle with thyme and Parmesan.

Warms your belly!

Potato Wedges

Love the fries, but hate the fat? Here is a good compromise. This is a great side dish for burgers, hot dogs and even that grilled rib eye. Should you have leftovers, they are the start for some great hash browns. Dice the remaining potatoes, add chopped onions and peppers and you have breakfast!

Ingredients: (serves four)

• 2 Russet potatoes, cleaned and sliced into wedges
• 3 T olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• Old Bay Seasoning
• Coarse pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place all ingredients into a Ziploc bag to coat potatoes well.
• Pour onto a cookie sheet.
• Bake for 40 min or until potatoes are soft and brown.