[Sca-cooks] A little tidbit for those NOT planning Lenten dinner...

[marilyn traber 011221]

> I hate both of you...you know that, right?  Phillip is out of town 
> until this evening, and I'm busy trying to get two courseware books 
> written...with a deadline for a first draft of both books this 
> coming Tuesday.  So I've been working straight through until 8 or 
> 8:30 at night, taking only enough time off to grab something really 
> quick for dinner.  Last night it was hotdogs stuffed with cheese.  
> Sigh.  Well, maybe tomorrow we'll eat a little better.  he did make 
> a wonderful dish of Moussaka before he left...yum.
> 
> Kiri

Well, Kiri, while these hedonists are bragging about their gourmet treats, 
I'll share with you a recipe I found and reworked this week, once for what I 
had in the pantry and freezer, and once for my friend Master Hroar, who 
according to his Drs isn't allowed to eat anything, seems like. It's fairly 
quick, very easy to cook, and right tasty. First, the version for normal 
people- it's fairly Atkin's friendly.

Chicken in Creamy Apple Sauce 

1 1/2  lbs meaty chicken pieces, with or without skin and bones
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2  tablespoon butter  
1 1/2  cups apple sauce  
1 1/2  teaspoons lemon juice (I used lime) 
1/2  teaspoon crushed rosemary  
1/8  teaspoon thyme  
1/8  teaspoon ground nutmeg  
3/4  cup light cream  
1  tablespoon chopped parsley  

6 servings 
  
35 minutes 10 mins prep 

Pat chicken dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
Heat butter in large skillet on medium-high heat; add chicken. Cook about 4-5 
minutes per side or until browned. 
Add apple sauce, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, and nutmeg (I used Mrs Dash, 
some ginger, and the nutmeg here- pantry availability again. Really does need 
a bit of sweet spice, though.). Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken 
is cooked to your preference. Remove chicken to a serving platter and keep 
warm. Add the cream to skillet. Cook and stir until reduced by about half and 
thickened. Stir in parsley. 
Pour sauce over the chicken and serve.

In my case, I made up some rice (Easy, no hassle way is to throw real rice, 
water, and butter into the pan, put it on the back burner on low or the step 
just above that, depending on how your stove works, and forget about it until 
the chicken is done), and green beans.

The modification I worked out for Hroar ia as follows:

Chicken in Creamy Apple Sauce 

1 1/2  lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
Mrs Dash (any but garlic) to taste
1-2  tablespoon olive oil  
1 1/2  cups apple sauce, unseeetened  
1 1/2  teaspoons lemon juice (I used lime) 
1/2  teaspoon crushed rosemary  
1/8  teaspoon thyme  
1/8  teaspoon ground nutmeg  
3/4  cup skim milk
1-2 T corn starch (depends how much you want it to thicken)
1  tablespoon chopped parsley  

Same instructions as above, except you take the corn starch, and mix it in 
the (shudder) skim milk, then add that to the pan, and in his case, he'll be 
serving it with couscous because rice sends his sugar into outer space. It's 
still pretty good, just not as rich as the original recipe, and you need to 
add slightly more spices, because for most people it tastes a bit flat 
without salt.

Phlip