Slow-Cooked Tuscan Chicken

I absolutely love Williams-Sonoma. I read the catalog each month like it's a favorite magazine. The latest issue has some of their new sauces for the Fall so I grabbed this Tuscan Slow Cooking Sauce to try (recommended for beef, pork or chicken). The sauce is made with natural ingredients, including savory beef stock, Chianti wine, California sun-dried tomatoes and Italian herbs. The meat is simmered in the sauce for a few hours to achieve the rich, Tuscan flavor.

It really couldn't be easier. There is a recipe on the side of the jar for country-style short ribs, but I decided to try chicken instead. Since it didn't say how to prepare the chicken, I just cross-checked the instructions for Coq au Vin from the Williams-Sonoma Slow Cooking Cookbook (which I happened to have) figuring it had to be pretty similar, and made it up from there.

Buy about 4 lbs. of chicken thighs (they're the more juicy, but I suppose you can try making it leaner with white meat), brown them skin-side down with some butter in a fry pan for about 5-8 minutes (again, you could try olive oil or canola oil, I bet), then put them in a Crock-pot and pour the sauce right over the chicken (or the oven is also recommended). Cook on high for 4 1/2 hours or so and serve with egg noodles or polenta (I chose polenta.) I do suggest adding some salt either during the cooking process or when you serve. The meat will fall right off the bone (though, be sure to remind everyone to watch for the bones when you serve.) Feeds about 6 hungry people.

Recipes On Deck

I LOVE (let me repeat, LOVE) Fall cooking. The tough part is now living in Los Angeles (when Fall is pretty much still Summer) and still wanting to break out the comforting dishes from my Midwestern roots thinking of the leaves starting to turn back home, the air getting crisp, friends gathering around the TV to root for our favorite football team (Go MSU Spartans!) and apple and pumpkin picking commencing.

As I do each year, I now have a stack of all the September/October issues of my favorite cooking magazines and have lined up a long list of recipes that I'll be cooking for our friends soon regardless of the temperature outside. Let the flavors of roasted meat, cinnamon and cloves, squash and pumpkin pie fill the air!

Here are some recipes you may soon be seeing from me (upon confirmation in my own test kitchen):
1. Candy Apple Pork Tenderloin
2. Roast Stuffed Cornish Hens with Wild Rice Stuffing including Cranberries and Toasted Pecans
3. Coq Au Vin
4. Oven BBQ Spare Ribs
5. Lasagna Bolognese
6. Pasta with Sauteed Mushrooms, Pancetta and Sage
7. Creamed Spinach with Parmesan and and Prosciutto
8. Green Beans with Bacon and Onion
9. Roast Maple Carrots with Browned Butter
10. Cappuccino Semifreddo with Almond Biscotti

Plenty of other tried and true Fall recipes are also on the way. Stay tuned!

Pulled-Pork Tacos

The best time of the year has arrived...Football Season! Recently, I had a large group of friends over and served "pork 2 ways": pulled pork sandwiches in the Crock-Pot and pulled-pork tacos in the oven (this recipe). The tacos, in particular, were a huge success - so easy to do and perfect for football watching at home! Just be sure to plan ahead since the cooking time is about 4 hours.

Ingredients:
2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup apricot jam or preserves
2 jalapeños, sliced into rings and seeded (for those who like their food "wimpy", don't worry, it doesn't make the meat spicy)
1 red onion, roughly chopped
8 small flour or corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges

Preparation:
Heat oven to 300° F. Place 2 large sheets of aluminum foil on a work surface, one atop the other. Place the pork in the center of the foil and season on all sides with the salt, pepper, and cumin. Spoon the jam over the pork, turning to coat. Scatter the jalapeños and onion around the pork. Fold the double layer of foil around the pork and crimp the edges to seal tightly. Place in a baking dish. Roast until fork-tender, about 4 hours; let cool.

Unwrap the pork, reserving the juices and discarding the foil. Use a fork to shred the pork. Transfer to a bowl. Pour the cooking juices, onion, and jalapeños over the pork and toss. Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Tip: The best place to warm the tortillas is in the oven: it's quicker than a skillet and less drying than a microwave. As soon as you remove the pork, turn off the heat, wrap the tortillas in foil, and warm them for 10 to 20 minutes.

Strawberry Tiramisu

I usually don't post recipes that I haven't made or tasted, but I'm feeling pretty confident about this Strawberry Tiramisu number, so I'm going to put it out there for all of us to try before berry season passes us by!

Strawberry Tiramisu
Bon Appetit April 2006
Giada De Laurentiis

Prepare this a day ahead so all the elements can meld and the ladyfingers to soften fully.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups strawberry preserves
1/3 cup plus 4 tbsp. Cointreau or other orange liqueur
1/3 cup orange juice
1 lb. mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 1/3 cups chilled whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

52 (about) crisp ladyfingers (boudoirs or Savoiardi)
1 1/2 lbs. strawberries, divided

Directions:
1. Whisk preserves, 1/3 cup Cointreau, and orange juice in 2-cup measuring cup.
2. Place mascarpone cheese and 2 tbsp. Cointreau in large bowl; fold just to blend.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, vanilla, and remaining 2 tbsp. Cointreau in another large bowl to soft peaks.
4. Stir 1/4 of whipped cream mixture into mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whipped cream.
5. Hull and slice half of strawberries.
6. Spread 1/2 cup preserve mixture over bottom of 3-quart oblong serving dish or a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.
7. Arrange enough ladyfingers over strawberry mixture to cover bottom of dish. Spoon 3/4 cup preserve mixture over ladyfingers, then spread 2 1/2 cups mascarpone mixture over. Arrange 2 cups sliced strawberries over mascarpone mixture.
8. Repeat layering with remaining lady fingers, preserve mixture, and mascarpone mixture.
9. Cover with plastic and chill at least 8 hours or overnight.

To serve, slice remaining strawberries. Arrange over tiramisu and serve.