In a year of writing a cooking column, I’ve discovered
something. It’s hard to come up with menus that use the same method
of cooking for this long and not get kind of burned out on
grilling
– pardon the pun. So instead of focusing on one cooking method,
I’m mixing it up with a series of columns that looks at the seasons
and what they have to offer. So as we head into the colder months,
look for columns that mix up winter vegetables and fruits.
And look for ideas for baking and crock pot meals, the type of
warm meals that are perfect for cold or rainy days.
Fire up the oven when weather cools
In a year of writing a cooking column, I’ve discovered something. It’s hard to come up with menus that use the same method of cooking for this long and not get kind of burned out on grilling – pardon the pun. So instead of focusing on one cooking method, I’m mixing it up with a series of columns that looks at the seasons and what they have to offer.
So as we head into the colder months, look for columns that mix up winter vegetables and fruits. And look for ideas for baking and crock pot meals, the type of warm meals that are perfect for cold or rainy days.
For instance, the chilly weather over the weekend prompted us to turn the oven on again and cook one of our favorite menus that have been on hiatus during the summer months.
The oven took the chill off our downstairs as we baked one of our favorite go-to menus for busy weekdays or weekends. Chop up an onion, season a few chicken breasts, toss them in a baking dish with white wine and let the oven do the work. The recipe can be mixed up with different types of wine, though we prefer the sweetness in a Pinot Grigio.
Other hardy vegetables can be tossed in, too, including mushrooms, carrots and baby potatoes.
Since we had a little extra time to spend on cooking, we went with a recipe that takes a little more prep time with spinach and rice cakes. These are a great way to get children to eat their vegetables as the chicken-broth infused rice and the Parmesan cheese add plenty of flavor to the spinach.
Chicken in white wine sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 c. white wine (chicken broth can be substituted)
½ c. chicken broth
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 red onion, sliced
salt and pepper
Place the chicken in a baking dish. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Add 1 c. wine and red onion to the dish. Bake for 25 min. at 400 degrees, until chicken is no longer pink inside.
When the chicken has been removed from the oven, create a roux in a saucepan with equal parts butter and flour. Melt the butter and slowly add the flour, whisking the entire time. When the roux thickens, slowly add the wine from the baking dish. Continue whisking. Add the chicken broth, and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the chicken topped with the red onion and the sauce alongside rice and spinach cakes. Makes four servings.
Rice and spinach cakes
1 lb. fresh spinach
1 c. Arborio rice, cooked
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter, softened
3 eggs
4 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the rice according to directions on the package, or cook over medium heat in a sautee pan, slowly adding chicken broth until the rice is soft and all the liquid is absorbed.
Wash the onion and spinach. Remove stems from the spinach. Chop the onion. Sautee the onion and spinach over medium heat with the olive oil.
Grate the Parmesan cheese.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the spinach, rice and onion. Next add the softened butter, eggs, cheese, pepper and nutmeg. Mix well and press into a prepared nonstick mold or cake tin. Cakes can also be cooked in oven-safe cups or muffin tins for individual cakes.
Bake for 25 min. or until golden. When done, turn out onto a plate to serve. Makes four servings. May be served hot or cold.
