Another Episode of "What I've Been Up To"

Originally, I was not going to blog this recipe, but it turned out so well, I felt the need to share.  The chicken part of the meal is a Rachael Ray recipe, and    IT    IS   GOOD!  It is easy and very tasty.  I added a garlic, cheesy herb potato mash (there's a whole short story behind this one) and garlic cheesy bread to the meal.  The chicken can either be bone-in or boneless skinless chicken thighs, marinated in garlic, extra virgin olive, and fresh, chopped rosemary, with a pinch of salt and pepper.  I love fried sage, so I added fresh, chopped sage to that marinade. 

Major tip, unless you purchase large deli sliced prosciutto, you may need to purchase two packages of store-sold prosciutto, as they are smaller than deli or butcher slices.  I learned that last night.  So to marinate, in a large bowl or large plastic zip-lock bag, add about a third of a cup of extra virgin olive oil, two cloves garlic, coarsely chopped, fresh rosemary, chopped, and I added fresh sage leaves, chopped.  I love the woodsy combination of rosemary and sage.  The aroma is amazing.  After about fifteen minutes of marinating, lay a slice or two of prosciutto on a cutting board, place the chicken thigh over the prosciutto (I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs), place a sprig of fresh rosemary in the center (and I also added a large fresh sage leaf to that) and wrap the thigh with the prosciutto.  Repeat until you have rolled each thigh.  

 

In the meantime, heat about two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to a large fry skillet.  Rachael Ray, however, grilled her chicken thighs, so they can be grilled indoors or outdoors, whatever your preference is.  Place the prosciutto wrapped chicken seam-side down.  As it cooks, the prosciutto seam will close and shrink, securing the thigh, which is especially  important if you are using boneless-skinless chicken thighs.  Cook, without moving the thighs, about six-to-eight minutes over medium heat.  Turn, and repeat.  I browned the sides, as well.  That's just me.  

I like using boneless-skinless chicken thighs because the meat is softer and juicier than breast meat, but you could use chicken tenders or thinly sliced chicken breasts, too, if you like.  

For my potatoes, I wedge-cut and boiled two pounds of red and white potatoes in salted water with three crushed garlic cloves.  My goal was the boil until they were just fork tender, and then I was going to saute' them until crispy, but, I boiled them too much, so my friend, Anne, decided to turn them in to a mash.  As it turns out, Anne's idea proved to be a great one.  I drained the potatoes in a colander and let them rest for a bit.  I added butter, evoo, fresh, finely chopped garlic, rosemary and sage to the pot over medium heat.  I added about two-thirds of a large yellow onion to the mix, added a little salt, and sauteed the onions in the mix until about translucent.  The aroma was so wonderful, I got a little dizzy.  I then returned the potatoes to the pot.  Afterwards, I added Italian cream cheese to the mix (cream cheese with Italian seasonings in it) along with a three-cheese Italian blend (Asiago, Mozzarella, and Parmesan), about half a cup of each, and stirred.  Again, the potaotes were too overcooked to crisp up, so the added cream cheese and Italian blend was perfect for a mash.  Anne started mashing and the room brightened up.  

I had purchased a garlic loaf, and spread Tuscan butter over it, sprinkled fresh rosemary and sage over it, in keeping with the theme, added paprika and the Italian Cheese, and baked it in the oven until the cheeses had thoroughly melted.  I sliced the bread and served.  Great meal. 

Thank You for the inspiration, Rachael Ray! 

 

Enjoy, everyone!  

Thanks for viewing!