Freezing Weather and Pan Chicken

It’s very cold in Austin right now. It’s freezing, in fact. It’s funny because I love Austin’s weather and I feel like every time I really talk it up to someone, it either freezes, floods, or gets unbearably hot. Actually, on our wedding invites, I put the words “sunny, beautiful Austin” in the invite language, and it poured the whole weekend. (Remember that ACL where everyone got covered in manure-mud? That was my wedding weekend.) Perhaps I should stop talking about how great it is.

Any hoot, there’s been a general laziness around our house since we’ve gone into hibernation mode. I’ve been out an about running errands, but really I just want to crawl into a big bubble bath. Even the dogs have decided to sleep this one out. Despite the foul weather, I managed to make it to the grocery store today, as well as the Thursday Dollar Sale at Saver’s. I found out there’s usually a line of women waiting to rush the place at 9am Thursday mornings. It is my goal to be one of them next Thursday. I’ll let you know how that goes. (Hint: “Local woman crushed to death after seeking $1 Moth-brand sweaters”)

Dinner was good. I made leftover-leftover veggies and pan chicken. I did the lemony-roasted Brussels sprouts, and “re-imagined” some potatoes we’d cooked while my mom was here. (Just add sour cream and more cheese to anything and it’ll be delicious!)

You really can’t go wrong with pan chicken. Every time I make it, B asks what it is, and tells me it’s good. I don’t have the heart to tell him I cook it at least once a week. Hey, if he doesn’t notice the monotony, who am I to show it to him?

Pan Chicken

2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Chicken breasts
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 2 TBSP butter
• 1/2 C flour
• 1/2 C white wine
• 1 TBSP dijon mustard
• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Coat the chicken in olive oil, then dip each side into a mixture of flour, salt and pepper.
2. Heat 1 TBSP butter in a frying pan. When hot, put the floured chicken into the pan, cook through.
3. When the chicken is fully cooked, remove to another dish and keep warm. Melt the other 1 TBSP butter in the pan and whisk in about 1-2 TSP of the flour mixture. Scrape to create a roux.
4. Once the flour and butter are combined, pour in the white wine and dijon mustard and whisk over medium-high heat until thick.
5. Pour over chicken. Serve.

Now, off to a bubble bath…