Garlic & Herb Chicken, White Wine Jasmine Rice, Sauteed Broccoli

This is what we had for dinner tonight - it was a big hit, and I always enjoy using wine in cooking.  This meal used wine twice - a white wine in the rice, and a red wine in the chicken dish.  First let's start with the Main Dish.  It's basically a chicken breast half, with a little "pocket" cut into it, filled with one of my favorite cheeses, Boursin (a soft, Gournay cheese) - see picture below.  Then the chicken is wrapped in prosciutto, and simmered in a red wine sauce.  It's creamy and full of flavor!  My regret is that the presentation is very lacking.  The photos I took of my chicken look terrible, so I apologize if it looks really gross.  It was really tasty, I promise!
~Leah

Garlic & Herb Chicken
(from Quick and Easy by Steven Knowlden)

4 boneless chicken breast halves, skin removed
1/2 cup full-fat soft cheese, flavored with herbs and garlic (Boursin) -- see picture here.  (I used the whole pkg.)

8 slices prosciutto
2/3 cup red wine
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 tblsp. brown sugar

1) Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal slit along the length of each chicken breast half to form a pocket.
2) Beat the cheese with a wooden spoon to soften it.  Spoon the cheese into the pocket in the chicken pieces.
3) Wrap 2 slices of proscuitto around each chicken breast and secure firmly in place with a piece of string.
4) Pour the wine and chicken stock into a large skillet and bring to a boil.  When the mixture is just starting to boil, add the sugar, and stir well to dissolve.
5) Add the chicken breasts to the mixture in the skillet.  (Cover and) leave to simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
6) Remove the chicken from the pan; set aside and keep warm.
7) Reheat the sauce and boil until reduced and thickened.  Remove the string from the chicken and cut into slices.  Pour the sauce over the chicken to serve.

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Gosh, I love Jasmine Rice so much!  Sometimes I prepare it very simply - boiled in water.  Often, I substitute Coconut Milk for a rich, creamy, unique taste.  This time, I used a mixture of half wine, half chicken broth, and tossed in a few chopped green onions.  Yumm-o!
~Leah

White Wine Jasmine Rice

1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup Jasmine rice
1-2 green onions, chopped

Bring the wine and chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Once the water is boiling, stir in the rice and green onions, then bring back to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover & simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork & serve.  To make the rice "stickier," use a little more liquid than the recipe calls for. 
Yields 2 cups cooked rice

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This is a picture of my three best buds in the kitchen.  

Every dinner & lunch meal at my house includes a side of vegetables, and 99% of the time, the vegetables are either sauteed or roasted.  In either case, I always use these three simple seasonings:

Freshly ground pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea salt

Sometimes I add a bit of onion powder, but this is it.  There is beauty in simplicity.   It seems almost silly to put my recipe for sauteed vegetables on here, because it is really simple, but if you've never tried this, I think it's high time.  Vegetables don't have to be a lot of work & time.  I usually whip up my side vegetables in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking - really.  That's for sauteeing anyway... Roasting takes a little more time, but it's just as easy.  I use this simple recipe with green beans, broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, asparagus, carrots, even potatoes occasionally.

Sauteed Vegetables

by Leah Sengler

You will need:
a frying pan

olive oil

freshly ground pepper

sea salt

vegetables of your choice (see  my list above) -- about 2 to 3 cups, chopped

a little water

Wash and trim the vegetables prior to cooking.  Heat the pan over a medium-high heat and drizzle a bit of olive oil on the bottom (1-2 tablespooons).  Add the vegetables all at once and begin to stir.  Sprinkle pepper & salt to your taste preference.  If they begin to sizzle violently and burn on the bottom of the pan, drizzle a little water into the pan (about 1/4 cup) and stir to integrate.  Keep a close eye on the vegetables and add water as needed until the veggies are soft and bright in color.  Cook to your preference - crispy or soft.  Remove from heat and serve hot.

~Leah