LOOOOOOVE Is In The Air

So far I don’t know how we have done it. Even though there is an hour and a half between us and we both have very busy schedules, “Charleston” and I have managed to see each other EVERY weekend since September 19th. It takes some gas money and a little extra time commitment but I count my blessings that he lives in Greensboro and not somewhere like Tijuana. Whew, that wouldn’t be fun, but even then…he still would be worth it.

Tomorrow I am headed to Greensboro to spend the night with “Charleston” and then we are off to Raleigh to help Jackie and Michael celebrate their engagement on Saturday! Therefore on Fridays, I usually get to Greensboro around 4 if I get off work in time and I LOVE to already be at “Charleston’s” house before he gets off work and I LOOOOOVE to have dinner already in progress for him and his roomies. If you haven’t noticed I would LOVE to be a chef; a chef that cooks others recipes!

So long story long, this is what I am making tomorrow night!!! I hope “Charleston” will LOVE it!

Coq au Vin

Ingredients
1 whole Fryer Chicken
4 slices Bacon, Cut Into Small Pieces
½ whole Medium Onion, Diced
½ cups Carrots, Washed, Peeled, And Roughly Chopped
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 pound White Mushrooms, Sliced
2 cups Burgundy Wine
2 Tablespoons Butter
Parsley, Fresh, Minced
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions
Sauté bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium low heat until fat is rendered. Remove bacon from the skillet and set aside. Increase heat to medium.

Salt fat site of chicken pieces, then place chicken, fat side down, in skillet and cook in bacon grease until both sides are nice and golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside in a 2-quart baking dish, skin side up.

Sauté onions, carrots and garlic in bacon grease until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove from grease with slotted spoon and set aside.

In a separate skillet, sauté mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until golden, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Layer half of the bacon pieces, carrot/onion mixture, and mushrooms in pan with chicken.

Drain grease from the large skillet, then place over medium heat. Pour in 2 cups Burgundy wine, using a wire whisk to scrape loose all the burned/brown bits. Lightly salt liquid and allow to cook for 3 minutes. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

Sprinkling minced parsley over the top. Spoon juice from baking dish over the top of everything.

Crash Hot Potatoes

Ingredients
12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt To Taste
Black Pepper To Taste
Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste

Preparation Instructions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.