getting stuffed

Woah, what a busy week!  But that doesn’t mean I didn’t cook—I did! I just didn’t have the time to stop and take pictures of everything and then write about it. Sorry, I’ll be better about it next week.  So to make up for it, I’ll share one of the best things I made stuffed chicken breast with sausage and mushroom, thyme gravy, mashed potatoes, and roasted carrots.

Does the stuffing look familiar? It’s left over from the stuffed mushrooms, and the base of the gravy is the compound butter I used for Marc’s birthday dinner.  I love inventing meals based on stuff I had left over, I didn’t have to run out to the store, and it was so easy to make—really!

I like to start with the starch first because, it takes the longest to cook.  I prefer to keep the skins on because that’s where all the nutrients are.  Once, I did peel the potatoes, and Marc felt that they weren’t as good.

These are the ingredients I grabbed for the photo shoot, the stars of the meal:

• about a cup of sausage mushroom stuffing
  
• 1/8 of a cup of compound butter
  
• a few small potatoes
  
• boneless skinless chicken breasts
  
• a handful of parsley
  
• baby carrots
  

   

  The basics that did not make the picture:
  

  • salt
    
  • pepper
    
  • flour
    
  • chicken stock
    
  • dash of Worcestershire
    
  • pat of unsalted butter
    
  • splash of milk
    
  • drizzle of olive oil
    

To start cooking’:  Cut the potatoes into large chunks, and put them into a pot of cold water (always start with cold water so the potatoes will cook evenly), and a large pinch of salt.  Bring the pot to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, until it’s fork tender.

As that’s cooking, take your carrots and cut them lengthwise into 2in. pieces. Finely chop your parsley (set aside some for garnish). Place your carrots on a baking sheet, and lightly coat with olive oil, sprinkle with parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Put them in a 400^O oven
for 15-20min.

For the chicken breast, carefully cut a pocket into it with a paring knife.  Then, take your stuffing and do just that—stuff the chicken breast with it!  (For the stuffing recipe: http://atebyate.wordpress.com/2010/01/24/stalling-with-snacks/ )  Next, salt and pepper a few tablespoons of flour, and lightly coat the chicken.  This will give the chicken a nice crust that will go well with the gravy.  (If you’re watching your calories, you can just season each side with salt and pepper) In a pan, add a little pat of butter and a drizzle of olive oil. (The olive oil prevents the butter from burning.) Once the butter has melted and the oil is hot place the chicken in the pan, and cook for about 3 minutes on each side.  Take the chicken out of the pan, and onto a baking sheet.  Finish cooking the chicken in a 350 ^O oven, for another 10min.  While that’s finishing, I get the compound butter, (http://atebyate.wordpress.com/2010/01/20/happy-birthday-marc/) and equal parts of flour and cook it in a pan for about a minute.  Then, I whisk in about ½ – 2 cups of chicken stock and season to taste.  If the gravy doesn’t have the depth of flavor that I want I add a dash of Worcestershire, which I did to with this gravy. 

Take the potatoes and drain well, and smash them with a splash of milk, 2tbs. of butter, and salt and pepper. 

At this point everything should be done. Plate your potatoes, then your chicken, next the carrots.  Pour your delicious gravy over your stuffed chicken and potatoes sprinkle with parsley and EAT!!!

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