Friday, August 20, 2010

Roasted Tomatoes w/ Garlic and Oregano




  • 4 cups St. Nick tomatoes

  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced

  • 2 tbls. fresh oregano leaves

  • 3 tbls. balsamic vinegar

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • Salt, Pepper and garlic powder

    Preheat oven to 450F. Place the tomatoes and garlic in a baking dish large enough so they are not crowded. Drizzle oil over the tomatoes, then sprinkle with the salt, pepper and garlic powder and mix together using your hands to ensure all of the tomatoes are covered well in oil and seasonings. Add the oregano over the tomatoes and drizzle with the vinegar.

    *Note: the vinegar helps to cut through the natural sweetness of the tomatoes. If you are using a less sweet tomato, the vinegar is optional.

    Roast the tomatoes for 25-30 minutes. Once roasted, set aside to cool. Once cooled you can serve as a side dish, over pasta, or place in a blender and blend into a sauce to serve over pasta, meats, fish, etc. Choice is yours!

GoldenBrown's Chicken Coq au Vin


  • 1-2 bone-in chicken breasts with skin
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 12 oz. bottle of dark beer (stout)
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 tbls. butter
  • Chopped Italian parsley

    If most of you do not know...a coq au vin is basically chicken cooked in wine. However, I've seen many versions (seen not tasted) in which some call for beer. Since I had some stout in the fridge I decided to give it a try and the chicken turned out really tender and juicy.

    Pat the chicken dry using paper towel and season well with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Brown on each side for about 5-7 minutes in a deep pot with a little bit of olive oil and butter. Remove the chicken and set side to finish cooking it later. Add in the garlic and onions to the pot and cook until translucent. Add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and its juices back into the pot and cover. Allow to cook for another 25 minutes over low heat. You can even place in the oven on 350F for the same amount of time.

    When finished I server over brown rice and garnish with parsley!

    Consider these optional ingredients as well:

    Pearl onions
    Potatoes
    Mushrooms
    Carrots

    Regardless this is an excellent meal and healthy too! Enjoy!