Mini Cuban-Inspired Cottage Pies for Thanksgiving

When I was road-tripping in Maine about 4 years ago, I stumbled upon a delicious pizzeria that had a shepherd’s pie pizza. It may sound strange but it was actually super delicious with the ground beef, potatoes, and corn toppings. I’ve actually never had a proper cottage (made with beef) or shepherd’s (made with lamb) pie before but ever since then, I’ve wanted to make mini versions of it because mini versions of everything are always so cute.

With the onset of the pandemic and being in lockdown, I finally felt motivated to make my first cottage pie. But when I started researching recipes, the ingredients and spices didn’t sound that exciting to me. Then I remembered the amazing papas rellenas (fried stuffed potatoes) I’ve had at Porto’s Bakery and thought maybe I can somehow combine the two, especially since I didn’t have a real point of reference for the cottage pies.

I made these mini cottage pies for the first time in June using phyllo dough to hold the filling. I thought they were pretty good but could use a few tweaks. I attempted the recipe again with my tweaks for Thanksgiving but I actually think that my first batch was better. So here is the recipe from my first attempt. You can tweak it to your preference. I thought the batch I made for Thanksgiving was too salty and spicy (I had added 1/2 tsp more than what is noted below). I think next time, I want to try adding 1/2 cup of sweet corn kernals. Someday, I will try making a full version of this without the phyllo dough because that was the most tedious part. Let me know what you think!

Mini Cuban-Inspired Cottage Pies (makes about 20)

Ingredients

 Filling

·         1 lb ground beef

·         1 sweet yellow onion, diced

·         1  carrot, diced

·         1 red bell pepper, diced

·         ½ cup of frozen peas

·         1 jalapeno, diced

·         1 cup of tomato sauce

·         4 cloves of garlic, diced

·         ½ cup of wine

·         ½ cup of coconut milk

·         1 tsp salt

·         1 tsp black pepper

·         2 tsp cumin

·         1 tsp oregano

·         ½ tsp chili powder

·         1 tbsp olive oil

·         chives, diced (optional for garnish)

 Mashed Potatoes

·         2 yukon potatoes

·         ½ cup of coconut milk

·         1 tbsp butter

·         1 tsp salt

 Cup

·         Phyllo dough sheets

o   cut roughly into 4x4 inch squares

o   layer about 6 squares together (does not need to be exactly on top of each other, you can fan it out)

o   brush with olive oil between each square sheet

Directions:

Over medium high heat, add olive oil and sauté onions until golden brown.  Add garlic, jalapeno, carrots, and peppers and cook for a couple minutes.

Lower heat to medium.  Add beef and all of the dry seasoning for the filling.  Break up the meat with your spatula.  Add ½ cup of wine and let reduce for about 10 minutes.

Lower heat.  Throw in frozen peas. Add tomato sauce and cook for 20 minutes.  Add ½ cup of coconut milk and cook for another 20 minutes and let sit.

Meanwhile, peel and cut potatoes into chunks and boil for about 20-25 minutes in salted water.  Mix ingredients for the mashed potatoes and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put together phyllo dough squares.

Brush muffin tin lightly with olive oil.  Push in phyllo dough squares.  Add beef filling and top with mashed potatoes.

Cook mini cottage pies for 10 minutes and then broil for 5 minutes.

Garnish with chopped chives and serve.

Happy November!

Ok, so if you’ve read my previous blog post, you know that I’m experiencing a transition in my life and that I’m trying to embrace all of the feelings that come with it—both the good and the bad. How is it going? Well, I’m on my third glass of wine tonight. This is the first week I’ve fully had time to sit in my feelings and you know what? I don’t really like it! LOL.

The first week after my year long contract with a client ended in October, I went on a road trip. The second week was a very stressful week with the election (very happy with the results even though it took 5 emotional days to find out!) plus I was called back to work for a couple days with my previous client This week, I haven’t had any distraction. No paid work and no road trips. Just me, myself, and I. I’ve been very productive personally though. I’ve done some purging by cleaning and organizing my apartment, running errands, and making calls to customer service to fix things. Errands, tasks, and cleaning take up so much time. I don’t know how people get any of these things done with a full-time job. If I didn’t have free time this week, these items would still be on my to-do list.

It’s very lonely not having to interact with people through work, even if it is via zoom nowadays with the pandemic. The pandemic has really exacerbated the situation because of social distancing and not being able to travel freely during my time off as I would normally. I don’t know how I did this last year. Last year, I devoted most of the year, after quiting my job, to working on my cookbook. I was very determined and spent the first 6 months of last year cooking everyday with very little social interaction and very minimal consulting work. And all of that was self-imposed. Now, it has only been a week and I’m already uncomfortable. How did I survive last year?

I’m trying to surrender to the discomfort while still moving forward. I finished two new books this month—The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck and Psychopath Free (recommended by my therapist). I enjoyed The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck. It preaches embracing your problems because they provide opportunities to improve. It also discusses toxic positivity, which is something I can definitely relate to. I feel like the toxic positivity thought process is popular right now (and also super annoying), especially in Los Angeles. Having feelings and discussing and working through your problems are human and all parts of the healing process. But people sometimes get uncomfortable hearing about your problems and want to solve it or spin it into a positive immediately. Before sweeping everything under the rug through phrases like, “sending you love and light,” “good vibes only,” “try to be positive,” or “let’s try to reframe that,” take a minute to acknowledge the shitty problem and the negative (real and human) feelings that accompany it. Those “negative” feelings are helpful in catapulting you into changing a shitty situation into a better situation. If everything was happy all the time, then we would never change. All emotions need to be felt and explored in order for you to learn more about yourself, heal, and move forward.

Anyway, that’s my two cents for now. Thought it would be helpful to publicly journal [blog] while I’m in my state of discomfort.

Road Trip!

Endings always make me feel sad and nostalgic for what was or used to be. Even if ending something felt right and is the best thing to do. Yes, beginnings can be exciting too but beginnings are unknown and uncertain and always give me a little bit of anxiety.

That is how the end of the year always feels for me. And that feeling usually starts around fall, as we approach my birthday in November which is the end of MY year, and continues into the holidays, and then into New Years—the end of everyone’s year.

In addition to these calendar endings, I am experiencing other endings in my life as well. My year long project with a client has come to an end. Two of my good friends decided to move out of Los Angeles with their families to more affordable cities so that they can save money while working from home during the pandemic. I closed the door on a new and meaningful relationship that started during the pandemic (imagine that!) and initially had so much potential. My therapist is no longer able to accept my health insurance after this month (don’t even get me started on how difficult it is to even find a NEW therapist who accepts your insurance and is accepting new patients).

All of these endings are just too much for my little heart to handle! It’s a lot of change and transition. It hurts. And it’s uncomfortable. And I’m just tired. Tired of it all.

With these endings, I decided to embark on a solo road trip to clear my head. Traveling is usually my go-to for recharging my soul. I do it every November so that I don’t get sad on my birthday. But this year is different. We are in a pandemic and traveling via plane and/or abroad is highly discouraged. My next best option is a road trip. I like road trips but they are definitely more enjoyable with someone. As much traveling as I have done solo, I would much prefer to share all of these experiences. But also, I don’t want to let not having a partner discourage me from exploring the world.

I decided to go to The Grand Canyon. It has been on my list for a long time and I had been waiting to go with someone but I didn’t want to wait anymore. It’s a long drive from Los Angeles, so I broke up the trip by stopping in Vegas on the way there and back. I also stopped at The Valley of Fire, an hour east of Vegas. Both Vegas and Valley of Fire were a lot of fun. It’s easy to distract yourself with a nice bath, cocktails, and room service. I also really enjoyed exploring The Valley of Fire. As a state park, it was much more manageable and not as overwhelming as a national park.

Afterwards, I headed down to The Grand Canyon and I was amazed by the spectacular view. The Grand Canyon is massive but it left me feeling really small and a little sad and alone. There wasn’t as much distraction as there was in Vegas, as the food and accommodations there were pretty basic. My hotel room was freezing. The restaurant nearby where I had to pick up food wasn’t very good and they messed up my order twice so I never got what I ordered and paid for.

I found myself wanting to leave immediately. I felt anxious to get back to Vegas and to return home. I felt uncomfortable. Uncomfortable with all of the changes in my life. Uncomfortable with this fucking year of 2020. Running off to Vegas and Arizona did not solve my problems. Not that I thought it would. But I thought it would maybe do something to ease my mind and heart. And I’m not sure that it did. I was anxious the entire time and did not sleep well at all. But I did check two new places off my list and that’s pretty incredible. I did a long road trip by myself through three states and that’s pretty impressive.

Then I remembered that it is in your discomfort and pain that you grow and find a deeper connection to who you are and your purpose. This is something I must have loosely heard or read from Oprah or another motivational speaker in some format. While driving back to my hotel room from The Grand Canyon on my last night after watching the sunset, I thought, maybe I just need to sit in this discomfort and surrender to the pain and see what happens versus trying to control it, manage it, change it, or distract myself from it. Just let the pain sit there and pass through. I can handle it, right? I’ve been through these things before. But it never gets any easier.

Maybe that was the sole purpose of this road trip for me. Not to ease my mind and heart, but to learn how to surrender to the discomfort and pain. Observe my feelings and thoughts. Find inspiration for change. Learn and grow from these uncomfortable feelings. This doesn’t mean wallow in my sadness and stop doing things to feed my heart and soul (well, maybe just for a day or two or even a week). It just means stop placing all my focus on the pain and confusion by trying to find immediate solutions in order to rush through it or resist or avoid feeling it. And just maybe then, the pain will pass through quicker and answers will organically appear to me sooner. This is all just part of the process. You can’t have the good without the bad. The depth and understanding without the hardship. So here it goes, again.

Inspirational Foreplay

For the last month and a half, I have been feeling a little uninspired to test out new recipes. I ordered a lot of take-out and have only made simple dishes just so that I could quickly put something healthy in my belly. I wasn’t really excited about food. I know when I’ve hit a cooking rut because I stop staying up late in bed researching recipes, making lists of dishes I want to try, and drooling over food pics on Instagram.

One night I was bored and finally decided to reorganize my pot and pan cupboard. This sparked my desire to replace some of my dinky cookware. I finally purchased a Le Creuset Cerise Braiser that I had been eyeing for over 4 months. Next, I invested in a nicer wooden cutting board from Amazon and a Lodge cast iron skillet.

Then I started organizing my dishware and glassware cupboards and ended up getting rid of most of my plastic plates and cups. If you’re wondering why I have plastic plates and cups, it’s because they are pool-safe and my apartment building has a rooftop pool. Also, I’m super clumsy and I break everything. My old neighbor used to say that when something breaks, it takes the place of something bad that was about to happen and I would like to believe that. I have 1 drinking glass and 2 plates left from a set a 4. My cupboards were a mess and mismatched. During the process of organizing my kitchen, I somehow found myself at World Market 4 times last week. I got some new bowls, plates, a cooking utensil holder, a salt cellar, and measuring tools. I trekked out to the valley to Home Goods and got an 8-quart stock pot, which is essential for me because my favorite thing to make is soup and I fill my smaller pots to the rim when I cook. I also ordered a smaller 2-quart pot and some new kitchen towels from Bed and Bath.

And then it happened. I finally felt inspired! Sometimes retail therapy really does work (not a replacement for real mental therapy though). I call this process Inspirational Foreplay. Not the retail therapy specifically but doing anything that helps get you excited to do the thing that you really need to do. In my case, it was reorganizing my kitchen and buying new supplies that got me in the mood to cook again. Sometimes you just need to work up the energy for the task at hand, in the same way you need to stretch or warm up before a tough work-out session or whet your appetite before a big meal. That is Inspirational Foreplay! In the last week alone, I’ve made Coconut Turmeric Chicken Soup, Pan-Seared Seabass, Braised Red Wine Short Ribs Over Potato Mash with Roasted Carrots and Brussel Sprouts, Linguini-Fini with Lump Crab and Chili, and Red Wine Garlic Butter Mushrooms. I’ll be posting recipes soon.

This process of Inspirational Foreplay for my cooking reminds me of when I was 24 years old and I was breaking up with my college boyfriend of 6 years, whom I had lived with for 3 of those years. I remember telling my therapist that I felt like I was stuck in a rut and I needed to change some things in my life. One of those changes was getting out of the relationship and the other was switching careers from wealth management to fashion. I confessed to my therapist that I was scared I wouldn’t follow through with the break-up even though I strongly believed it needed to happen. It’s hard to break someone’s heart even when you know it’s the right thing to do. It’s also scary to venture back out there on your own after your life was so heavily intertwined with someone else’s. Living together made things even more complicated. I mean, what do you do? Crash at your friend’s place immediately until you find a new place? Put a deposit on the first apartment you find? Divvy up all your furniture? My therapist suggested that in order to prepare me for the break-up and assure myself that I will move forward with my decision, I should start doing things that would be required for the transition. For example, I needed to buy a new laptop and a new camera because I shared them with my boyfriend at the time and didn’t have my own. I needed to buy new bed sheets because I didn’t want to keep the old sheets I used with him. I followed her advice and eventually moved out of the apartment that I shared with him, a month and a half after our official break-up. It was amicable. I didn’t rush out. I took the time that I needed to honor the relationship, adjust to our new reality, find a new home, and say goodbye to our life together.

Anyway, being inspired to move forward with a break-up and being inspired to cook are two completely different scenarios but inspiration is inspiration. Sometimes we need a little inspiration to motivate ourselves to do the not-so-fun stuff as well as the fun, creative stuff. Do things that will help you commit to your decision or goal and will propel you forward. Inspiration can come from the simplest action, gesture, or experience—a day at the beach, a hike in nature, playing music from your high school days, speaking with an old friend, meeting a new friend, a random conversation with someone, a kind encounter with a stranger, listening to a podcast, organizing your kitchen, or buying something new that will fit into your vision like the first piece of a puzzle. Be open to everything and mix things up. Hopefully, engaging in a little bit of Inspirational Foreplay will help get you aroused also :)

The End of Summer 2020

We are in the middle of a heatwave in Los Angeles right now. It’s the end of August and also the end of the summer of 2020. What a year it has been! We are still in the midst of an on-going pandemic, which I don’t think anyone expected to last this long. The pandemic has forever changed our lives in so many ways.

Like many of you, I resisted the reality of the pandemic when Covid first took over the world. I thought it would be temporary. I was caught up in the initial shock and hysteria. I was annoyed by the inconvenience of long lines at the grocery stores, sold out supplies, business closures, and the lockdown. I was sad for the people who got sick, the kids who couldn’t go to school, and the people who lost their jobs. I was worried about the future of our economy. But other than that, I really wasn’t ready to look beyond the surface. And yet, it still felt like the world was ending because globally, we have never experienced anything like this before in our modern world that is dependent upon instant gratification, technology, endless options, and distractions.

I didn’t know what to do with myself. Up until the pandemic hit, I was working so much—balancing three clients, working day and night and weekends, in addition to managing my social media and blog, testing out recipes, and creating content. On top of all of that, I was in a relationship that drained whatever energy I had left. I was burnt out. I lost sight of the things that brought me happiness. I stopped making time for me.

But then at the start of the pandemic, my relationship ended and my work focus shifted to one client. I still continued blogging and creating content but I had more time on my hands with the lockdown and social distancing. I distracted myself with practicing ukelele, Marie-Condo-ing my closet, trying new recipes, reading, baking nutella swirl banana bread, joining Instagram Live Yoga Sculpt classes, and going on long walks. For awhile, these distractions worked. Then after a couple of months of lockdown and limited exposure to the outside world, I was spending a lot of time in my own thoughts and starting to feel very alone and isolated. I felt disconnected from my friends and family. Old traumas were triggered and I became depressed. My world seemed foggy. I lost touch with myself and I didn’t know what to do to pull myself out of the darkness.

It was a rough journey at the beginning. I was forced to grow in ways I didn’t expect. I always think I’m done growing, that I know myself, that I’ve learned everything that I’ve needed to learn, and that I’ve resolved all my past issues. The truth is, that job is never done. We are constantly faced with challenges and lessons throughout our lives and the year of 2020 is no different. As Oprah says, life is a master class and we are the students. We are tested over and over again, in different ways. And there is not one same solution.

I had to relearn how to create happiness and joy for myself in new, small and simple ways. I had to stop worrying and planning for a future that is now even more uncertain than ever. Healing really forces you to focus on the present moment and take life day by day. It does not happen overnight and does not result from making one change. Healing is a combination of many things, that together, propel you forward. I joined a support group. I started reaching out to more people, to create a community for myself with social distant walks or picnics. I set boundaries with work and committed to taking summer Fridays off to do something for myself that brings me joy, whether it meant creating new content by testing out new recipes or taking myself out for a solo lunch date or spending the day at the beach. Somehow, over the course of July, I felt so much better.

I’m an introvert at heart and I’m always searching for a connection with everyone I meet. However, I don’t always find it with people and it’s even harder to find it during a pandemic. Plus, I live in Los Angeles. I don’t think it’s crazy for me to say that it’s really hard to find a connection with people here. But this summer has taught me to reconnect with myself. And as a result, I’m learning how to reconnect with the world again. Not every connection has to be a soulful, deep connection. I think I always have that expectation of people, which would leave me feeling disappointed in the past. Now, I’m accepting the fact that some connections are small connections, but even small connections matter, especially during a global crisis.

I’m such a nerd at heart. Even my approach to mental health is nerdy. I takes notes of things that come up during the week as I engage with the world, interact with people, listen to podcasts, and participate in support group. Then I discuss these topics during my therapy sessions. I’m doing my homework. I’m working on me. It’s not always easy to do but it definitely pays off. I was so upset and depressed during the first four months of the pandemic. But these last two months of summer, I have felt so much stronger emotionally. I’ve learned so much about myself and I’m proud of my growth.

Surprisingly, I’ve had a good summer. I’ve gone to the beach more this summer than I have ever before. I’ve seen schools of dolphins almost every time I’ve visited the beach. I’ve had lovely picnics and hangouts in the park. I’ve reconnected with nature. I’ve befriended my neighbors. I made a new romantic connection. I’ve had the best birria tacos from a food truck in Echo Park. I’ve partnered with some new brands to create some fun collaborations. I’ve spent more time enjoying sunsets on my rooftop.

Now it’s the end of August and the end of summer and I can honestly say that I feel happy right now. Happy! Imagine that! Happy during a pandemic and global crisis! I’m going to try to hold onto this feeling for as long as I can because nothing in life is constant. The pandemic has really forced me to enjoy the moment, slow down, and be more present. As hard as it has been, I am so grateful for all my lessons this year.

Tortilla Espanola

In Boston where I’m from, I had access to a lot of European food, particularly French, Spanish, and Italian seafood. In Los Angeles, I hardly go out for European food. Here, I often have tacos, sushi, Thai, and Middle Eastern food. Recently, I was thinking about a Spanish restaurant called Tapeo’s in Boston that I used to frequent. I loved ordering their tortilla espanola, patatas bravas, and gambas ajillo. These tapas dishes are simple and yet so delicious. Tapas are so versatile. They are great for a light meal, snack, or appetizer. It has been years since I’ve made a Tortilla Espanola or Spanish Omelette, but I gave it another try and I still love it just as much as I did in my college years!

Tortilla Espanola (makes about 6-8 slices)

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp salt in eggs

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

• 1 small sweet onion diced

• 2 small Yukon potatoes thinly sliced

• 4 pearl tomatoes or 2 vine tomatoes thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Over medium high heat, sauté onions with 1 tbsp of olive oil and set aside. Then add another 1 tbsp of olive oil and sauté potatoes. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook until soft about 8-10 min.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs w 1/2 tsp salt. Line a 9.5 inch pie pan w olive oil. Spread a layer of potato slices in the pan. Sprinkle some diced onions. Pour in some of the whisked eggs. Then add another layer of potato slices and onions and pour in the rest of the egg mix. Add tomato slices on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 40-45 min. You can eat this warm or cold. and have it for breakfast, serve as a side for lunch or dinner, or have as a snack. I like to have mine with mixed greens.

Can We Talk About Mental Health?

Mental health is so important. Especially now, when the world seems to be falling apart and the near future looks bleak and uncertain.  No one is exempt from the many effects of Covid. Life feels so confusing. Any struggles that existed for you pre-pandemic are probably amplified right now, forcing you to confront your deepest fears and inner demons. We all have them. It’s not easy.

I am grateful that I found a new therapist just before the pandemic started, who I continue to see via Zoom. This year has been tough and it has triggered a lot of trauma, which paired w the pandemic, has made me feel even more isolated and alone. After sitting with that pain for a little bit (not wallowing but exploring those feelings, triggers, and root causes), I knew I needed to do something about it. Therapy helps, but I needed something more.

So I joined a support group. I would have never thought to do this had the pandemic not happened. It’s so easy to dismiss your feelings and distract yourself with the chaos of life when the world is running as normal. And not so easy to do, when you’re mostly confined to the four walls of your home. A lot of us avoid painful emotions or trauma because it’s uncomfortable. And we don’t like to be uncomfortable. But outside the boundaries of our comfort zone is where we grow.

I had only told one other person about joining a support group. Today, I decided to share this because I believe it’s important to talk about. It’s part of human nature to crave connection and community, and to desire to be seen and understood. Sometimes, that’s not always available with the network you have. Not everyone has the capacity to be there for you in the ways that you may need. But don’t let that discourage you from finding other resources. I’m happy I did. It has only been a few weeks, but I’m so grateful that I found a support group that I can identify with. We aren’t meant to live in this world alone. We don’t have to do everything on our own.

Like many of you, I’m healing old broken wounds. I’m falling apart so that I can rebuild myself, better than before. I’m learning how to take care of ALL of me. It’s part of growth and healing. It’s part of this journey we are all on together.

It is important to remember that social media is an edited, filtered, curated, and often staged highlight reel of life. It’s not reality. Anyone can smile quickly for a photo. Remember to take care of your mind, body, and spirit.

Easy Pantry Recipes with Rubbermaid Brilliance

This blog post is sponsored by Rubbermaid, but all opinions are my own

I love enjoying a home-cooked meal wherever I go but I don't always have a lot of time.  I like to meal prep so that I can have delicious homemade meals to pack up to bring to work for lunch, take on a picnic in the park, or to eat later in the week. I'm also a huge fan of freezing my food for those nights when I don't want to cook at all. That’s why I’m excited to partner with Rubbermaid to feature their Brilliance food storage line, which has made meal prepping so much easier. I love that it’s crystal clear, stain resistant, air-tight, and 100% leak-proof.  Because it's leak-proof, I don't have to worry about spillage whenever I pack up food to-go.  Everything stays fresher so that I can enjoy my meals longer. The set comes with a variety of sizes including small containers which are perfect for sides or sauces. The clean, modular design makes them easy to stack, so fridge and pantry organization feels effortless.

Want to try Brilliance for your meal prep? I have 5 sets to give away, so be sure to head to my latest Instagram post and comment using  #PrepBrilliantly for a chance to win a Rubbermaid Brilliance set for yourself!

Meal prepping doesn't have to be a lot of work. I often prefer my homemade dishes to eating out. Plus, it's healthier and budget friendly. You can create a variety of delicious meals with just a few basic ingredients. Here are 4 simple recipes that are made with up to 6 of the same main pantry staple ingredients:

Recipes:

·       Braised White Wine Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes (see recipe below)

·       Linguine in a Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce (click on link)

·       Spicy Shrimp Linguine  (click on link)

·       Tomato Confit (click on link)

All of these recipes include a combination of the below pantry staples and also your basic herbs and spices.  I always have these ingredients at home and find that they have become the base for many of my recipes.  Depending on the recipe, you may need to get chicken, shrimp, or fresh cherry tomatoes.  If you have a different combination of pantry staples, get creative.  Substitute your items with mine, skip what you don't have, or create new recipes of your own.  If you happen to have some fresh herbs or cheese, add them to your dish to give it an elevated finish.  It's so fun to experiment!

Pantry Staples:

1.       Garlic

2.       Onions

3.       Canned Diced Tomatoes

4.       Linguine

5.       Lemon

6.       White Wine

You can find all of my recipes by clicking the links above.  The Braised White Wine Chicken dish, however, is new and I'm excited to share it with you below.

Braised White Wine Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes (serves 4)

Ingredients:

·       4 cloves of garlic, diced

·       ½ sweet yellow onion, diced

·       1 can of diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)

·       1.5 lbs. of bone-in chicken thighs, with skin (about 4 thighs)

·       1/2 cup of white wine  

·       2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

·       ½ tsp salt

·       ½ tsp pepper

·       ½ tsp sugar

·       1 tsp thyme

·       1 tsp basil

Directions:

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a 3.5 qt braising pan over medium to high heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.  Pan-sear each side of the chicken thighs until golden brown.  Start with the bottom side first for roughly 5 minutes and then flip over to the top skin side for about 4-5 minutes.  Remove and set aside. 

Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan.  Saute onions until golden brown.  Add garlic and lightly toast.  Pour in ½ cup of white wine and let it simmer for a few minutes.  Pour in canned tomatoes.  Throw in ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp sugar, 1 tsp thyme, and 1 tsp basil.  Stir and let sauce cook for another few minutes.  Return the chicken to the pan and partially cover.  Braise chicken on low heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked.  Flip chicken over half way through. 

Serve braised chicken over linguine, rice, mashed potatoes, or eat it on its own—whatever you fancy or have in your pantry!  If you have fresh basil, sprinkle some over your final dish.

And to store leftovers, use Rubbermaid Brilliance to keep this meal fresh!

Hope you like my 4 easy recipes!  Happy Eating !