9/18/09 Back to the Beginning...the balsamic that started it all!

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What's for dinner tonight? Chicken Breasts with Creamy Balsamic Gravy and Chestnut Stovetop Stuffing.

YUMM-O...this was definitely one of the best recipes yet! I recreated the recipe that started it all tonight and, once again, it was a winner! The gravy is so delicious and the leeks are just "oniony" enough...I just made up a word! The chicken browned perfectly thanks to the tip I got from Julia Child...you must fully dry the chicken before you put it in the pan otherwise it won't brown. Also, never crowd the pan! :)

Once again, I couldn't find chestnuts anywhere! I checked 3 different grocery stores, but still no luck. So, I used toasted, chopped macadamia nuts again. I think it tasted great, but I would love to see how the stuffing tastes with the chestnuts too.

My roux didn't exactly "roux" enough either...still working on my gravy techniques. ;) I had to add a little more flour than the recipe called for, but the gravy came out great. I definitely need to get a plastic whisk so I can use it in my non-stick pans and skillets. I've heard that you shouldn't use the wire whisk on a non-stick surface because it scrapes off the non-stick finish and can be toxic if ingested. I think, if I had used a whisk on the gravy, it would've turned out better. I had to use a wooden spoon so I wouldn't scrape the pan. The gravy ends up too lumpy with a wooden spoon, but I bet it would be much creamier with a whisk. Live and learn! :)

Prav said that this meal needs to go on his "list"...meaning his list of favorite Rachael Ray meals. I completely agree. This dish looks like a mini-Thanksgiving meal, but costs a fraction of the money and takes a fraction of the time to prepare. Now, if only I could learn to use my knives. I'm still only chopping and cutting with a steak knife...LOL!