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Serves 2

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Prepare the chicken – Trim the chicken thigh of excess skin and cut 2 slices deep into the chicken cross ways against the bone. This helps the chicken cook quicker. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator for a little while to dry the outside longer.

Sear the chicken – Heat oil in a large cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down for 2 minutes, turn over brown another 2 minutes turn back into the skin and brown another 2 minutes then turn over and brown two more minutes. Remove to a large plate.

Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the wine, scrap the bottom of the pans to release the fond and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken skin-side up.

Braise in the oven uncovered until the chicken is cooked, about 30 minutes. The skin should be crispy. Remove the chicken and onions. Over medium-high heat, whisk the smooth Dijon mustard into the sauce, and simmer for about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and whisk in the cream.

Plate the onions, then place the chicken on top of the onions. Spoone the sauce into a separate small bowl. Serve the sauce with the chicken. Spoon the mustard sauce on the chicken as you eat.

As of 8/6/23

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2 lb. Chuck Roast
Olive oil
Herbs
Salt & Pepper (I use Himalayan salt)
2 cups dry white wine (after 2 hours on the smoker add the 2nd cup of white wine)
1 cup beef stock
Apple wood coals
Combine 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 cup water in a spray water bottle

In a pan on a rack dry the roast and add salt, pepper, olive oil and dried herbs. Place the roast on a rack and pour the wine into the bottom of the pan.

Place in a smoker and smoke 225° to 230° for 4 hours, checking the coals every 30 minutes to make sure the temp is sustained for 4 hours. Each time checking the meat spray with the apple cider mix. Cook low and slow.

Transfer the meat to a rack in a covered pan, add the beef stock and cook in the oven on 300° for 3 more hours. One hour before serving put the veggies in and cook with the cover on. Render the pan drippings and make 1 cup of gravy. Remove the meat and cover with aluminum foil and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

This meat was perfect with a smoke ring and outer bark.

As of 7/16/23

8 oz. container cool whip
12 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (room temp)
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup lime juice (freshly squeezed)
Zest of 1 lime (reserve some to place on top)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 10” prepared graham cracker crust

In a large bowl using a hand mixer and mix all the ingredients except the cool whip and small amount of reserved lime zest. After all is whipped smoothly add the cool whip, fold in and then use the hand mixer and make smooth. Add to the 10” pie crust. Sprinkle with reserved zest. Place covered in the ice box until cold (2 hours).

As of 6/19/23

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2 bone-in and skinned chicken thighs
2 – 4” lengths of your favorite sausage (Cut to 1 inch pieces), I use Andouille
6 small potatoes – cut in half – leave skin on
½ orange or red bell pepper – sliced on a mandolin
½ yellow bell pepper – sliced on a mandolin
½ green bell pepper – sliced on a mandolin
½ red onion – sliced on a mandolin
½ small yellow onion – sliced on a mandolin
1 large carrot
1 TBSP Olive oil
½ TBSP herbs de Provence (I grow my own herbs and blend 5 herbs for this dish Herbs de le Ron)
2 cloves garlic – cut into coins
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 ½ cups of chicken broth
Sea Salt
1 tsp peppercorn
(You can spice this up with red pepper flakes or Jalapeño pepper)

In a large pot add peppercorns and oil to the pot and brown the chicken. Add the chicken broth and carrots and boil for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and cool, remove the skin and cut the chicken into spoon size pieces. Strain the broth of fat and peppercorns.

In a clean large pot, add oil and sauté the onions and peppers. Add everything to the pot and cook for 20 minutes.

Serve

As of 5/6/23

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¼ Dried Porcini Mushrooms rehydrated in ½ cup water

2 Italian Sausage links cup into bitesize pieces
½ chopped yellow onion
¼ Napa cabbage cut in half longways and then ½” sideways
1 15oz. Cannellini Beans w/juice
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic
1 TBSP olive oil
½ cup chicken broth

Add the oil to a large pot (I use a cast iron Dutch oven)
Brown the sausage
Add the onion and sauté
Add all the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil and then simmer 30 minutes.

Serve

5/3/23