Comfort food for fall

I recently tried a new recipe I found in the October 2011 issue of EveryDay with Rachael Ray. A delicious aroma wafted through our house all afternoon as the mixture of chicken and herbs simmered away in the slow cooker, tempting my nose and promising a delicious meal to come. That evening, my husband must have told me at least three times while he ate that it was "delicious." Creating in the kitchen brings me joy. Bringing joy to my husband after a long day at work? That's even better. I hope you and your family enjoy a bit of comfort, cooked up in a crockpot, with a dash of love stirred in.

Tarragon Chicken (crockpot)

½ cup plus 2 Tb. Chicken broth

4 Tb. Spicy brown mustard (I used Gulden’s) or Dijon mustard

Up to 4 lb. chicken pieces (I used 2 boneless, skinless breasts,  as well as 4 bone-in, skinless thighs)

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tsp. dried tarragon (or 2 Tb. chopped fresh tarragon)

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 Tb. cornstarch

1 lemon, finely zested and juiced

1 Tb. chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

¼ tsp. dried tarragon (or 1 Tb. chopped fresh tarragon)

1 package cooked, buttered noodles (pappardelle is my favorite)

1.       Pour the broth into a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; rub the chicken with the seasoned mustard. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and top with the garlic and 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (or 2 Tb. fresh). Cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh away from the bone registers 165 degrees or above, about 5 hours.

2.       Transfer the chicken to a serving plate and cover to keep warm. Strain the pan juices into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over high heat. In a small bowl, combine the cream and cornstarch. Whisk the mixture into the saucepan and cook until the sauce is thickened; stir in the lemon juice. Pour half of the sauce over the chicken pieces, reserving the other half to serve in a gravy boat to serve with the cooked noodles.

3.       In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, parsley, and ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon (or 1 Tb. fresh). Sprinkle half of the lemon-herb mixture over the chicken, stir the remaining into the reserved sauce.

4.       ENJOY!

I don't proclaim to be a deep or profound thinker...I'm a wife and stay-at-home Mom. But I am a daughter of the King and a follower of Jesus. Maybe that's why, every once in a while, I see a glimpse of what my Jesus sees in this beautiful world. Some may call me odd for sharing my "glimpses," but I call myself blessed.
A couple of nights ago, our daughter, Nessa, asked a question about the stars in the night sky. I explained to her that the stars we see are actually the light from uncountable suns so far away that we'll never see them in our lifetime. Yet God gave us the joy of looking into a nighttime sky and marveling at his wondrous, creative hand. As often happens with children, a different conversation stemmed from the original conversation. My husband, Cameron, explained how everything we see is actually light. The endless variations of color that we see on a daily basis are reflections of light coming from those objects which we then perceive as color. So today, as I walked through the produce department at the local grocery, I was struck by the sheer multitude of colors God chose to paint his beautiful, life-giving fruits and vegetables. How beautiful! And how beautiful to think that every day we see light, created by the Light, for us to enjoy his creation in which we have the privelege of living. How even more beautiful!

Each and every day I search for a little taste of God's beauty to enjoy and appreciate. Whether it's the trees whispering praises to their Creator or our children collapsing on the floor in a fit of giggles, I am amazed by the little gifts of joy that Jesus places in my life every day. Whether I'm cooking, playing the piano, quilting, crafting, or simply doing the dishes, I am continually blessed with reminders of His ever-present spirit, giving my life joy in the beauty.