Recipe(tried): Busy Day Monday Supper...

Hi Everyone!

What do you make when you have nothing planned and look in the pantry and fridge to see what kind of staples you have? Thankfully I had 4 chicken breasts defrosting...

Mom and I worked awfully hard today cleaning and gardening since early this morning so we want a special treat tonight...

This dinner was built around the chicken, and stuff I found in the pantry. Thus the name Chicken a la Lunes (Monday). We will have that along with Wild Rice, Baby Carrots w/Brown Sugar and Mustard, Fresh Spinach Salad with Pears, Feta and Walnut Vinaigrette and to enjoy this evening later with a cup of coffee, Chocolate Glazed Pound Cake with Sugar Dusted Almonds.

Happy Cooking! Gina

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CHICKEN A LA LUNES
serves 4

4 chicken breasts, skinless & boneless
3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbsp. flour
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 small jar marinated artichokes, drained
1 cup Spanish sherry
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (Superior Touch)
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. ground white pepper
1 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
1/4 tsp. minced tarragon leaves
Hot cooked wild rice (for serving)

Set oven at 350 degrees F.

In a skillet, brown chicken in oil and butter til golden. Set chicken in 9x13 casserole dish.

Saute onion, mushrooms in same skillet til golden; add garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Stir in flour, add broth, stirring. Add (undiluted) soup, sherry, simmer til thickened about 10 minutes.

Stir in half and half and all spices. Pour over chicken.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Add artichokes cut up and bake for another 15 minutes.

Serve with wild rice.

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BABY CARROTS WITH BROWN SUGAR AND MUSTARD
Source: Cold-Weather Cooking by Sarah Leah Chase, pg. 81
Makes 6 servings

1 lb. baby carrots
3 Tbsp. butter
2 1/2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. grainy Dijon mustard

Steam carrots til crisp tender, 8 minutes.

Melt the butter in a skillet, stir in the sugar and mustard to make a smooth sauce. Add the cooked carrots and toss to coat Cook one minute more and serve at once.

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FRESH SPINACH, PEAR AND FETA WITH WALNUT VINAIGRETTE SALAD
Makes 4 servings

FOR THE SALAD:
1/2 bag fresh spinach leaves
1 can pear slices, drained (reserve 1/4 cup juice for the dressing)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
FOR THE DRESSING:
6 Tbsp. walnut oil
2 Tbsp. tarragon wine vinegar
1/4 cup pear juice
1/2 tbsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Wash and dry spinach leaves, put into glass bowl; toss in pears, cranberries, nuts. Sprinkle lime juice to coat. Set aside.

To make the dressing, whisk oil, vinegar, pear juice and spices to blend.

Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat. When ready to serve individually, scatter feta over salad.

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CHOCOLATE GLAZED POUND CAKE WITH SUGAR DUSTED ALMONDS

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
1 cup Crisco vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. almond extract
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)
1 cup sliced almonds (for garnish)
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar (for garnish)

Cream butter, Crisco and sugar til creamy. Add eggs one at a time.

Sift all dry ingredients together and add alternately to the sugar mixture with the milk. Add in the extract. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake 325 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Drizzle Chocolate Glaze over cooled cake. Sprinkle almonds over top and dust with the confectioner's sugar.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup corn syrup
2 Tbsp. water

Melt chocolate, stir in syrup and water and stir til nice and smooth.