Busy

I've been busy and haven't really had the time to put up a new post....By the end of the weekend, there will be two more posts...maybe a third.

But in the meantime, I wanted to give you something new. Sexy Mia shared these recipes with me recently. I wanted pass them to you! If you try them out, let us know how they go.



Creamy Artichoke Soup

Trim leaves, stems, and fuzzy chokes from 6 artichokes (save leaves for other uses). Drop artichoke hearts into a bowl of ice water mixed with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Drain hearts and add to boiling water; cook until tender. Drain. In a pan over medium-high heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add 1 onion, chopped, and stir until golden. Stir in 2 tablespoons all purpose flour; cook, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 6 cups chicken broth and the artichoke hearts; stir until mixture boils and thickens, 15-20 minutes. Whirl mixture in a blender until smooth. Return to pan and heat through. Add 3 tablespoons whipping cream and salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped chervil.



Lemon Artichoke Chicken
Prep and Cook Time: about 1 hour

4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves (about 8 oz. each), rinsed, dried, and pounded to an even thickness of 1/4 to 1/2 inch
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 can (14 oz.) quartered artichoke hearts, drained
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. In a 10-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add chicken in batches and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and add artichoke hearts.

2. Add sherry, lemon peel, and lemon juice to remaining butter in frying pan; stir over medium heat until well blended and hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream and stir. Remove from heat and pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. Bake until sauce is bubbling and golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes.

Yield: Makes 4 servings