Le Creuset Mini Cocotte Set, Chicken Basil Pesto Recipe, Wilson Dog Quotation

Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Cocotte Set of 4

Do you know how often I enter a giveaway?

Almost never.

So I could hardly believe it when Jean of Delightful Repast contacted me to let me know that I was the winner of her Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Cocotte Giveaway a couple weeks ago.  I chose red because it was the perfect red, but I'll have to admit that it was tough making a decision because all of the colors available were also beautiful. And a good thing I hadn't chosen blue, for I know someone who might be plotting to relieve me of ownership.

Anyway, thank you so much, Jean!

Be sure to visit DelightfulRepast.com. Jean has gorgeous food photos and fabulous recipes!

Since these came in the mail just a few days ago, I've not yet used them, but I'll get on that project right away. In the meantime, I thought I'd post a recipe I threw together the other night. Here's the story. Buckle your seatbelts.

Since it was Bible study afternoon and I wanted to get dinner started early, I had put 3 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) into the CrockPot along with about 1/4 c. white wine and 1 container of basil pesto (I had made and frozen pesto last fall since I had had an abundance of basil in the garden - but Classico pesto is good too and could be used in this recipe.) I turned the CrockPot on to Low.

Three hours later, still before Bible study time, I peeked through the glass lid and discovered that they were bubbling around the edges. What? Already? On Low?? I checked with a thermometer and found that not only was the chicken done (165 degrees), but was already 201 degrees. Oh great! This was going to be horrid and tough. Well, too late now. I put the chicken on a plate and let it cool down a bit before covering and putting in the refrigerator - before leaving for study.

Time passed.

Chicken With Basil Pesto...
I realize that it looks a bit scary.

When I got home, I put a little olive oil in a skillet and stirfried some sweet peppers and onions until nearly tender. After cutting that CrockPot chicken into chunks, I sliced up some Kalamata olives. The chicken and olives got folded into the pepper/onion mixture. I didn't want to cook the chicken all over again, but just toss it along with the hot veggies to bring it to temperature. If there's anything I can't stand, it's warmed up chicken. Yech! But this was not cooked a second time, so it didn't have that scalding-the-chicken-to-get-the-pin-feathers-off smell/taste. (And no, I've never done that, but I remember my mom doing it a time or two. That kind of thing stays with you.)

This was served on a small bed of Tinkyada gluten-free fettuccine with a side of black beans.  It turned out to be a delicious dinner, along with a good rescue of that poor CrockPot chicken.

Have you noticed that the new CrockPots run much hotter than the old ones? There's really no way that my new CrockPot could be called a 'slow cooker.' It's annoying. I suppose the temperature settings were changed because of those thousands of deaths from undercooked CrockPot meat.

Remember that? 

Oh, you don't?

Grrr.

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Love the quotation below this page from an old desk calendar:

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Although I usually forget to do it, there is a chance that this post will be linked to one or more of these great linky parties: Inspiration Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday and Treasure Box Tuesday and Rubbish Tuesday and Tuesday with a Twist and  Knick of Time Tuesday (vintage)  and   Tweak it Tuesday and Adorned From Above  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and Good Fences on Thursdays and  Time Travel Thursday and Freedom Fridays and Junkin' Joe and Vintage Inspiration Friday and A Favorite Thing Saturday