Artichoke Dip

This is a recipe that came in the instruction booklet for the Hamilton Beach Party Crock I received last year. The beauty of it is that it doesn't take any space in the oven on a holiday! I served it for an appetizer with crackers and vegetables for dipping before Christmas dinner. It was a rousing success! I would think that any small slow cooker would work, although you might have to adjust the time.

2 cans (14-oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped (note, I could not find them in water, brine only, so I rinsed them before chopping)
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated and divided

1. In cast iron dish, mix artichoke, onion, mayonnaise, and 1/2 cup cheese.
2. Cover and cook on Medium heat for 2-3 hours.
3. One half hour prior to serving, reduce temperature to warm, top with additional 1/2 cup cheese, and cover. 8 Servings

Chicken-Artichoke Bake

I found this recipe in Gooseberry Patch's cookbook "What's for dinner?" They are adorable little cookbooks with a homey feel to the recipes. I used a can of mushrooms instead of fresh. The sauce was quite thick so it didn't really pour over the chicken, but the cheese and half-and-half and rosemary made for a delicious combination with the chicken! Overall, another good chicken recipe to add to the repertoire.


2 to 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
14 1/2 oz can chicken broth
14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1/4 c sliced mushrooms
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 c half-and-half
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 c all-purpose flour

Simmer chicken in broth until juices run clear. Place chicken in a 13x9 baking dish. Top with artichokes and mushrooms; set aside. Combine butter, salt, pepper, half-and-half, cheese, and rosemary in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Blend in flour; pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

Italian Chicken

I decided it was time to try another recipe from the 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know cookbook. I loved this one! Even though I cheated and used dried rosemary and parsley. And I realized about a half hour after eating that I'd forgotten to top them with the cheese! The chicken comes out nicely tender and still juicy thanks to the simmering in the wine. Now I'm not sure if I should make this one again, or try one of the other versions (see Kim's Bistro Chicken). Decisions decisions!

2 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness, seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, making sure to season both sides

2 ounces pancetta
4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup sliced onion
6 ounces marinated artichokes (drained and cut in half lengthwise)
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 garlic glove, minced
1 cup dry white wine (such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Coarsely chop pancetta, then cook in a 12-inch skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve. Leave the rendered fat in the skillet.
2. Evenly coat each breast with 2 tablespoons flour.
3. Add butter to the fat in the skillet, then cook the chicken over moderate heat until lightly golden, 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
4. In the skillet, add onion, artichokes, and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add white wine and bring to a boil.
5. Add the chicken to the skillet, then cover and simmer until it is cooked through, 10 minutes. Stir in the pancetta and parsley.
6 To serve, spoon the artichoke mixture over the chicken breasts and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Chicken with Artichoke Hearts

Another recipe from the pages of Everyday Food. As much as I hate it when people change recipes without trying them the original way first, I did make alterations. The chicken thighs weren't very appealing when I was shopping, so I went with breasts, and we spotted frozen roasted red pepper pieces when we were getting the frozen artichokes (and I'd forgotten they were supposed to be strips). So, mine doesn't quite look like the original. It was good, and I loved the way the feta melted in at the end, but I don't think this will turn into one of my "goto" type of recipes. Oh, I almost forgot, I took the advice of some of the comments and used chicken stock instead of water, as well as serving it on couscous, also made with stock to give it flavor.

Ingredients

Serves 4.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
• 1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and halved
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper; add to skillet, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to medium; add garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vinegar; cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon, until liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups water to skillet, and simmer over medium heat 10 minutes. Add bell pepper and artichoke hearts; simmer until chicken is tender and liquid has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in feta cheese, season with salt and pepper as desired, and serve.