Quick Dinner

Hey all...no photos...sorry, boring post, feel free to skip.

After eating one stale cinnamon muffin and two cups of tea yesterday, when dinner time rolled around, I actually was feeling hungry for the first time in 3 or 4 days! Something needed to happen quick, but I wasn't prepared to do anything involving too much time or effort. What I threw together was great and I think will be a great basic recipe for something in the the future.

In a medium/large pot over medium-high heat, add 1-2 TB of olive oil. When hot, add chicken breasts that have been seasoned with salt & pepper. Leave for four minutes per side. Remove to a plate. Optional, add 1 TB of butter. If not, make sure there is a little oil in the pan and add 1 sliced shallot. Saute for a quick minute or two, until they become translucent and fragrant. Add just shy of a full cup of uncooked rice, we used jasmine. Toss to coat in the remaining oil or butter in the pan. Cook, stirring regularly for 1-2 minutes. The rice will start to toast. Add 1 teaspoon of a seasoning/spice blend of your choice. I happened to use this Ozark Seasoning from Penzey's. Stir to incorporate and allow the spices to bloom and release their flavors. Pour in 1/4 cup of dry white wine. Stir. As the wine cooks down, add 2 cups of water or broth. Stir well. Place the chicken back in the pot, nestled in among the uncooked rice. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat to low. Cover and let cook for 20 minutes. When it's done, the rice should be tender, slightly 'creamy,' almost risotto like.

One pot meal. Less than thirty minutes. Infinite possibilities. Add veggies you--we didn't have any in the house. Use the spices you like. A curry blend and swapping some coconut milk for 1/2 the water/broth would be awesome. Chili powder and a can of diced tomatoes and some frozen corn. Do try to keep the liquid (water/broth) content to 2 cups. Any more and your final dish might be too soupy.

For the first true meal since getting the flu, it was very satisfying, mildly seasoned, warm and SUPER easy.