I’m often asked to share quick and easy recipes, because who has the time to spend in the kitchen anymore?  Everyone moves at such a fast pace nowadays but there’s still the pressure and expectation to provide your family with a home cooked meal at the end of a long day.  It was hard enough for me to have dinner on the table by 6pm when I was a homemaker with only one child under the age of 5.  Add a full time job, community volunteer commitments, homework help, and American Idol to the schedule and it becomes nearly impossible.  Most weeknights I find myself up until 11:30pm just to be able to grab some “me” and “us” time without obligation.  Then I wake up the next morning exhausted only to be facing another long day with more of the same.  I’m sure this sounds familiar to you.

Six months ago, I created a personal mission statement as part of a self-discovery group that I was facilitating for college students.  I had asked each of the participants to create one for themselves so I thought that it was only fair to create one myself.  Part of mine reads, “to strive toward simplicity”.  Simplicity:  the state, quality, or an instance of being simple, freedom from complexity.  Simple should be easy, right?  Raise your hand if you are someone who overcommits yourself!  Why do we do this?  We trim the fat and then just pile it back on.  Our “to do” lists just keep getting longer and longer.

What would you do if you didn’t have so many commitments?  I’ve reflected on this recently just as I ask my clients to do so often.  This is what I’ve come up with…I would brew a big pot of my favorite coffee, take my laptop to a big comfy chair near a window and write.  When I got tired of writing, I’d bake.  There are a few more things on this list but these two are at the top.  Since I’ve written my personal mission statement, I have actually added to my plate instead of moving things off to simplify.  This is one shift that’s been difficult for me to make.  For some reason I’m programmed to say, “Yes, I can” instead of “No, I can’t” as if I have something to prove.  It feels so much better to think I can do it all and I tend to keep going until things begin to fall off unintentionally and I realize that I’m doing nothing well.  If I keep trying, I’ll get there one day.

Dilled Chicken Fricassée

While you still have too much on your plate, this recipe can help you out.  It’s a delicious one pot meal made with chicken, new potatoes, dill, and asparagus bringing so much flavor and depth to a week night family dinner.  Ready in under an hour (there really are no 30 minute meals, Rachael Ray), Dilled Chicken Fricassée comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Woman’s Day Cookbook, and page 55 has proof that this is one of my most frequented recipes.  Fricassée is a catch-all term used to describe a stewed dish typically made with poultry, but other types of white meat can be substituted. It is cut into pieces and then stewed in gravy, which is then thickened with butter and cream or milk. It often includes vegetables as well. Greek fricassée is often made with pork and usually contains either wild green herbs and the gravy is thickened with beaten eggs just before serving.  The recipe calls for bone-in chicken breasts but I use boneless breasts which cuts the cooking time a little.  The combination of fresh dill, lemon and asparagus is really what makes this dish so tasty.  My daughter, Julia, and I both love asparagus so I usually add two bunches instead of just one.  We pay for it later but I hear this is common and normal based on research. 

Dilled Chicken Fricassée

Give this one a try if you’re looking for a new chicken idea or just want to fool your family into thinking you left work early just to give them a home cooked meal.  You’ll only have one pan to wash which means more time for the things you love…like American Idol. Go Paul McDonald!

Dilled Chicken Fricassée
Ingredients:
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 bone-in chicken breasts halves (about 2 lbs), skin removed **
2 c. chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
8 small new potatoes (scrubbed)
12 ounces fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Instructions:
1.) In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, salt, and paprika.  Coat the chicken with the flour, shaking off the escess.  Reserve the flour mixture.
2.) In a large, deep nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, meaty side down, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until well browned.  Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
3.) Pour the broth into the flour mixture remaining in the bowl and whisk until smooth.
4.) Drain the fat from the skillet and wipe it clean with paper towels.  Add the chicken broth mixture and 2 tablespoons of the dill.  Stir to mix.  Add the chicken, meaty side up, and the potatoes.  Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 
5.) Lay the asparagus over the top.  Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until the chicken and vegetables are tender.
6.) Remove the pan from the heat.  Stir in the lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons of dill.
Per serving:  327 cal, 39g pro, 26g car, 7g fat, 86mg chol, 1,156mg sod