Every day is special. Every day is a gift to be savored. Count your blessings. Really, truly count your blessings.
I know, easier said than done. When life is going well, we don’t think about our blessings. It’s much easier to not think. When life isn’t so sweet, it’s hard to see that beacon of light as we sink deeper into the dark, cold waters of life’s struggles. Believe me, I get it.
Once upon a time, we had everything. Life was good. From a material perspective, we had it all. Then things happened, the details of which are not important. One moment we had everything, then next there was nothing. Home gone. Cars gone. Money in the bank gone. I remember asking Kiddo, who was all of 10 when this happened, if he thought life is better when things were easy or now that we struggled. He thought about it for a moment and then said something I will never forget. He said life is better when you struggle because when you struggle, you know you are still alive. Wow. Struggles are a part of the journey.
Faith is all that matters. Faith is the one thing life cannot take from you – unless you let it. Trust in the Lord.
Wow, that’s not where I saw today’s post going. But there are times when I just feel the need to share faith. To stand as a witness in the face of all the evil ugliness that seems to be spilling out everywhere. Faith will see us through.
Today is Sunday. We’ve talked many times about the joys of Sunday. Being surrounded by those we love. Soaking in all the beauty of the world around us. Breaking bread. The table is what brings us together. One of those blessings no doubt.
Rosemary Chicken in a Creamy Dijon Sauce
3 sprigs fresh Rosemary
4 Garlic Cloves
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Butter
4 large Chicken Breasts
1/2 cup Flour
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1/2 cup White Wine
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1 cup Heavy Cream
Fresh Parsley for garnish
Rosemary Sprigs for garnish
Remove needles from the rosemary sprigs, set aside. Peel and finely mince garlic, set aside.
Heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 4 thin-cut breasts. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.
Spread flour out in a pie tin. Dredge each breast in the flour to lightly coat, shaking off excess.
Lay breasts in the skillet and cook about 3 or 4 minutes per side until lightly browned and just cooked through. Remove from skillet, place on a rimmed serving platter and keep warm.
Scatter the rosemary needles into the now empty pan. Let the rosemary cook for about a minute. Add the wine, garlic, and Dijon mustard to the skillet. Gently whisk until smooth. Add the cream and let simmer for a few minutes over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly.
While sauce simmers, strip rosemary needles from remaining sprig and set aside. Finely snip parsley.
Pour sauce over the chicken. Just before serving, scatter rosemary and parsley over the chicken. Season with additional salt and fresh pepper as desired.
Roasted Rosemary Gold Potatoes
3 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
4 tablespoons Butter
3 large fresh Rosemary Sprigs
Olive Oil as needed
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Heat oven to 400-degrees. Line a rimmed roasting pan with foil. Set aside.
Clean potatoes, cut in half. Place in a bowl. Melt butter, drizzle over potatoes, toss to coat and set aside.
Strip rosemary from the sprigs, mince needles, scatter over potatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to mix.
Spread the rosemary potatoes out in a single layer, cut side down, on the prepared pan. Drizzle with the olive oil.
Place potatoes in the heated oven to roast for 30 minutes undisturbed. Carefully remove pan from the oven, shut the door to keep hot. Tilt the baking sheet to pour off any excess oil. Turn potatoes over; cut side up, return to oven and continue to roast another 10 to 15 minutes or until tender and beautifully browned. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and enjoy.
Steamed Carrots with Dill Browned Butter
2 lbs Carrots with tops
4 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon fresh Dill
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Trim all but about 1/4-inch of the tops from the carrots. Clean well to remove any dirt trapped in the tops. Peel, trim carrots to a uniform length that will lay flat in the steamer basket.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Place carrots in the steamer basket over the water. Cover and steam for about 20 minutes, until tender.
Note: Larger, thicker carrots will require more time. To help with this, place in a microwave safe dish with a little water. Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes to pre-cook before steaming.
Meanwhile, melt butter over low heat. Let butter simmer undisturbed until it is a beautiful golden-brown.
Snip dill, stir into the butter, set aside off heat.
When the carrots are cooked, transfer to a rimmed serving dish. Pour browned butter over the carrots. Season with salt and pepper, serve and enjoy.
Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 