Spicy Chicken Whatchacallit

I made this today after staring at a can of beans all week. It's the first time I've tried a roux.

Ingredients
Blonde roux
1/2 yellow onion chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can butter beans
1 small can tomato sauce
1 cup wine
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
Spices

Tools
Fry pan or skillet
Heavy bottom pot (chili pot)or dutch oven
Spatula
Pancake flipper
Paring knife
Bowls
Spoon
Cutting board

Make a blonde roux out of flour and butter. I took the easy way and melted 2/3 cup butter in a fry pan and added 1/2 cup flour, slowly. Stir it all the time with a spatula and it slowly turns this awesome honey brown colour. I slipped the roux out of the fry pan and into its own bowl.
Rinse the fry pan.

Chop the onion and saute over high heat in the chili pot, taking care the onion doesn't burn. Add the tomatoes, drain one can of beans and add them. Add the other can of beans along with its water. Add the wine. Turn down the heat.
Slice your chicken meat, season with garlic, black pepper and onion salt. Saute the chicken in the fry pan until the it's golden brown, add it to the chili pot. Stir in the roux. How much depends on how thick you like your stew. Add your spices to your prefered spice level. I used Zataran's Cajun spice mix, maybe 4 tsp. I just shake and taste. You could use chili powder or curry powder. Even just some more black pepper.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for at least 3 hours.

Serve with tortilla chips and mexican cheese blend or oyster crackers and blue cheese. Maybe just with a dollop of good sour cream?

Robert Vela 's box rose goes good with this. Hey, be nice, I had a coupon.

Braised Lamb Shanks in Wine Sauce

Sara really likes lamb, especially when braised on cooked in the crockpot. I picked up some lamb shanks from the commissary when they were on sale and have kept them in the deep freezer until now. I adapted this recipe from one I googled.

Braised Lamb Shanks
4 lamb shanks
8 cloves garlic, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 can beef stock
1 cup red wine
season salt
pepper
olive oil

Cut slits into the lamb shanks and insert garlic slices into the slits. Salt and pepper the shanks to taste and brown them in a frying pan with the olive oil. Transfer the shanks to your crockpot. Pour a little beef stock into the pan and loosen up the crunchy brown stuff, pour that into the crockpot. Surround the shanks with chopped onion and mushroom slices. Pour the remaining beef stock into the crockpot. Pour the wine over the shanks and into the pot. Use a wine you would drink, not cooking wine (cooking wine is the devil). Cook on low for about 7 hours or until the meat is fork tender.

You can serve this over noodles with a salad or with steak fries and sauteed zuccinni. Cucumber and tomato salad is also a nice accompanyment.

Cucumber and tomato salad
1 peeled and sliced cucumber
1 cup sliced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup (or so) Rice vinegar
2 tbs Equal
garlic salt to taste
Mix everything up in a bowl, chill in fridge for at least 45 minutes.

Even Rowen like this!

I served Dornfelder red wine with the meal. (Not for Rowen, she's 3 1/2) I really like Dornfelder, it's a sweet. low tannin red.