Potatoes au Gratin aka Julia Child's Dauphinoise Potatoes and Red Chicken

Nothing cures chilly winter nights more than a beautiful, bubbling skillet of cheesy potatoes.  I attempted Julia Child's Dauphinoise Potatoes over our new years weekend and I am so glad I did.  I now have a new favorite side dish...I just need to learn to adjust it down for two people though, because I made enough for a potluck of 30 guests!

There's another winter storm brewing up and expected to hit us this weekend.  I am feeling a sense that I will be curled up in my blanket with Princess Brinkley watching another viewing of one of my favorites...Julie & Julia!   

These were so good and made great leftovers (since I had plenty to spare).  I served them the next week with my "Red Chicken".  I don't know why I call it Red Chicken, other than one of my daughters called it that when she was little, and still does to this day.  I'm quite certain that there is some professional, Epicurean fancy name for it, but in our simple home it will forever be... Red Chicken.

My sister-in-law taught me the chicken recipe many, many years ago.  It is such an easy main dish to put together and I love it every time.  Your house will smell amazing too as it is baking!

Here's the very simple low down on our "Red Chicken".

1 cut up whole fryer chicken
1 bottle Russian salad dressing
1 can jellied cranberry sauce (like used at Thanksgiving)
1 envelope dry Lipton onion soup mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray large 9x13 glass cooking dish with non-stick spray.

In a medium bowl, mix the salad dressing, cranberry sauce and onion soup mix. Whisk really well to incorporate all ingredients.  Set aside.

Place chicken pieces flat in cooking dish.  Pour sauce mixture all over chicken pieces.

Cover cooking dish with aluminum foil.  **Tip: Spray foil with non-stick spray on side that will be covering the chicken, so it doesn't stick to the sauce as it cooks.

Bake for one hour.

Yes, it's that easy!

Potatoes au Gratin (Dauphinoise)
Courtesy of recipetineats.com

1 1/2 cups heavy cream 
2 garlic cloves , minced
2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
2.5 lb starchy potatoes , Russet
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups gruyere (or mozzarella) cheese 
2 tsp thyme leaves , fresh (optional - but highly recommended)

1. Place butter, cream and garlic in a bowl. Mix until combined.
2. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8"/3 mm thick. (even better if you have a Mandoline slicer, just be very, very careful!)
4. Spread 1/3 of the potatoes in a baking dish, then pour over 1/3 of the cream, scatter with 1/3 of
the salt, pepper and thyme. Sprinkle with 3/4 cups cheese.
5. Repeat for the 2nd and third layer, but do not finish with cheese on the top layer (will add later).
6. Cover with lid or foil, and bake for 1 hr 15 min or until the potatoes in the middle are soft (use knife to test).
7. Remove foil, top with cheese. Bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until golden and bubbly. Stand 5
minutes before serving.

One Year Ago: Slow Cooker Pork Loin
Two Years Ago: No Post
Three Years Ago: No Post
Four Years Ago: Lemon Drop Martini
Five Years Ago: Marinara Meatball Sliders

Bourbon and Vanilla Creme Anglaise and Construction

Now that the new year has started and things have settled down...somewhat, I have taken on a new challenge called "Sur La Table Saturdays".  I will explain more on that subject later this month.

My husband, in the meantime (before golf season begins) has taken on Phase 1 of our downstairs build out.  Our ultimate vision for the finished product is - two guest bedrooms, one full bathroom, family room/media area, game area for our ping pong table and dart board, storage rooms, kitchenette, and dining/wine room cave.

So as to not go into any more debt, we are trying to do this on a cash basis.  As we save an amount of money, then we proceed with the next steps given the immediate budget.

Phase 1 is the large storage room with double doors and another room that will close off our mechanical equipment and serve as some overflow storage for our patio chairs and umbrella.  The door to this area will be disguised as an actual shelving unit and wine rack storage.

This particular framing weekend was rough on my husband.  He was at it morning until night measuring, cutting, hammering, and stapling.  While he was framing everything, I worked on our meal planning and shopped for groceries.  I wanted to try to make the Port and Vanilla Creme Anglaise inspired from Sur La Table, but change out the port with bourbon.

I stopped at the local liquor store to pick up the mini airplane size of Jack Daniels for dessert....I didn't need the gallon size, nor did I want to spend $39 for 1 Tablespoon of bourbon. (since $39 could buy a lot of plywood!)

As I was putting groceries away, I took an armload of items to our master bathroom.  I was getting everything in their place and hear from the kitchen, "Oh my gosh you really do love me!", says my husband.  Perplexed, I come around the corner and say, "What are you talking about?"

There he is holding a beer and my "empty" bottle of Jack Daniels in his hands.  I said, "What are you doing, that was for our dessert!"  He was crushed.  He thought I bought it for him, since he had been working so hard that weekend, to unwind with.  Needless to say, I couldn't hurt his feelings, so our Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise was booze free that night.

Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise
Adapted from Emeril's Delmonico Steakhouse

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 whole vanilla beans, halved and seeds scraped
6 egg yolks

Optional:  1 Tablespoon Port or Bourbon

Prepare an ice bath in a medium bowl and set aside.

Combine the heavy cream, half of the sugar, and the vanilla beans (and scraped seeds) in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

Whisk the egg yolks together with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small heatproof bowl and slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot cream mixture.  Reduce the heat to low and little by little, whisk the egg mixture into the hot cream mixture in the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.  (Take care not to overcook or the mixture will curdle.)  Strain the sauce immediately into a clean bowl set over the ice bath and stir until the sauce is cooled to room temperature.  Chill before serving.

*Optional * Right before serving, add a splash of Port or Bourbon and mix well.

Serve over warm lava chocolate cake with fresh berries.

One Year Ago: Slow Cooker Pork Loin
Two Years Ago: No Post
Three Years Ago: No Post 
Four Years Ago: Pasta Salad with Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes
Five Years Ago: Birthday Party - Chapter 1