"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine."

Anthony J. D'Angelo

Oven Chicken Cacciatore

Oven-Roasted Chicken Cacciatora

Serves 6 and doubles easily. If doubling, bake in two pans.
10 minutes prep time; 45 minutes oven time
This can be made 2 days ahead and reheats well.

This Tuscan one-pan meal neatly sidesteps the traditional time-consuming stovetop browning with its usual mess. For big, unstoppable flavors roast the chicken pieces in a cloak of garlic and herbs along with tomato, peppers, and meaty black olives. These aromatics become the sauce.

Cook to Cook: Feel free to pile up the herbs and vegetables and chop them together. This cuts the prep time by half. Cacciatore, or "hunter's salami," are the size of sausages, taste winey and meaty, and originated in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Some domestic brands to check out (for this and other salami) are Fra' Mani, Biellese, Salumi, Molinari, and Oldani.
Ingredients
2-1/2 to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (8 thighs)
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives
4 thin slices cacciatore or Genoa or hard salami, cut into 1-inch squares (I use andouille sausge and I have used spicy italian sausage - whatever I had on hand). I especially like the andouille
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large fresh tomato, or 3 drained canned ones, coarse chopped
1 medium to large red onion, coarse chopped
Leaves from two 4-inch sprigs fresh rosemary
10 fresh sage leaves, torn
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1. Turn the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the chicken on a large, shallow roasting pan (a half-sheet pan is ideal), and scatter all the ingredients except the lemon juice over the chicken.
2. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Baste with the pan juices, turn the chicken pieces over, and continue roasting for another 10 to 15 minutes, basting and turning occasionally. When the chicken reaches 170 degrees F on an instant-reading thermometer, it is done. If you'd like, brown the chicken under the broiler.
3. Turn the contents of the pan into a big bowl. Adjust the seasonings, and squeeze the lemon juice over it. Serve hot.

From the Splendid Table weekly recipe email

Homemade Oreos

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Vanilla-Cream Filling (Homemade Oreos)

Chocolate Wafers:
1 ¼ cups (175g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (45g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (300g) sugar
½ cup + 2 tablespoons (141g/1 ¼ sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

Vanilla-Cream Filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
2 cups (280g) sifted confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 190ºC/375ºF.

In a or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.

Take rounded teaspoons (I used a small round scoop) of batter and place on baking sheet. Slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes (I baked mine for 10),

To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.

To assemble the cookies, drop a teaspoon size of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream and press.

Recipe inspired by:
http://technicolorkitcheninenglish.blogspot.com/2007/12/chocolate-sandwich-cookies-with-vanilla.htm

Lunch with a Friend at Zinc Bistro