Settling in

I am finding a groove here and have managed to gather around me a group of Foodie/Wino Girlfriends who I have come to adore.  The truly lovely thing is we are all a short distance away from  each other - bike ride/walking distance - and we all seem to enjoy the spirit of a spontaneous celebration.  In consideration of our busy lives and Spouse's wacky travel schedules, we actually put something on the calendar; and we made arrangements for child care!
The Gossetts were the hosts for a Julia - inpsired Pot Luck last Friday.  It was hilarious.  The Girls wore pearls and the Men brought wine.
We each contributed a dish that was either a Julia recipe or inspired by a Julia recipe.
We started with lovely Cheesie Things and Champagne - and opened up a bottle of our Portland Home Brew that we made with the Powells a few Summers back.  It was a surprisingly warm, inviting and cozy Red; an auspicious start to the evening.
Linda made a luscious creamy Potato Soup that we garnished with White Truffle Oil - superb.
I made a Chicken Fricasee with caramelized Fennel, Onions & Mushrooms with a dash of Pernod and finished with Cream. And a Green Bean Gratin that FAILED.
Sharon made individual Cheesy Potato Souffles - deelish.
Kat made Roasted Asparagus - yum.
Deb made a Fresh Berry Pavlova - heaven.
Unfortunately, this is the only pic with posting:

We drank a lot of wine.  It was rather scandalous.  And terribly fun.
As Julia says, "Above all, have a good time".


Here's the recipe for the chicken:
Chicken Fricassee with Pernod Cream Sauce
Serves 4

8 Chicken thighs - bone in, skin on, trimmed of excess fat
Olive Oil & Butter - it's French
1 onion - sliced thin-ish
1 fennel bulb - sliced in 1/4" wedges, core intact
8 oz cremini or baby bella mushrooms - halved
2 cloves of garlic smashed and chopped well.
couple sprigs of fresh thyme and a bay leaf
2 cups chicken stock
1 c heavy cream - it's French
2 T Pernod

Bring 2 T each olive oil & butter in a large (oven proof!) saute' pan to med-high heat. Lightly dredge thighs in seasoned flour. Carefully place skin side down in hot pan and cook for 5-7 minutes til a nice golden crust has formed on the skin; turn over for another 5-6 minutes.  Remove from pan, set aside.  
Add sliced onions and thyme to the pan with all it's juices and such and cook 'til onions soften and caramelize - adjust heat and add more oil/butter, if necessary - about 15 minutes.  Add Fennel and get a nice sear on the wedges. Season with S&P. Remove onion and fennel from pan, set aside.  
Add 1-2 T butter & O.O. to pan and toss in your mushrooms.  Cook until you get a nice sear on all the sides and juices have mostly evaporated. S&P. Add Garlic, toss around quickly for about 30 seconds.  Add onion/fennel mixture to pan along with bay leaf, chicken stock and Pernod.  Bring to a boil and reduce a bit.  Add cream, reduce a bit more, taste and adjust seasonings.  (You can add a bit more Pernod here if you wanna!)
Heat oven to 325.
Add chicken to stock mixture, skin side up and nestled in on top of vegies and liquid. Place in preheated oven for approx 1 hour.  
Garnish with fresh chopped Tarragon and Parsley and serve with smashed potatoes, egg noodles or soft polenta.

Bon Appetit!!

New Chapters...

Seriously? The last time I wrote anything was June? Yikes.

We have moved. We are back in the great State of Colorado - where our relationship began nearly 17 years ago. The only other adult relationship I've had longer than Michael is my contract with Wine of the Month Club. www.wineofthemonthclub.com They rock.

So does Michael.

We are in a rental house. Someone else's structure/kitchen/property/problem. It's weird. It's limbo. I'm cooking on an electric, glass cooktop. It sucks.

It's beautiful here. Just driving to Target is gorgeous. RIDICULOUSLY GORGEOUS. I've lived in Colorado before. It's the only place I've ever lived where no matter the weather, I look out the window and breathe deeply, "I live here!" After 15 soggy (but so green!) years in Portland, I'm now looking out the window in fascination with another sunny day. And I am bewildered by the odd grey morning/afternoon/2 hours.

But. I miss my friends: my community - my shops - my Girls - my person. It's profoundly hard some days. EVERYTHING is new; I feel like I'm constantly interviewing for a new job and it's exhausting. I just want to BE.

We are buying our own home. That will feel good. I think it will be profoundly important for the 3 of us to re-create "our space" for us to start the process to being settled - taking root. There will be 2 guest rooms...

I don't necessarily want to move back to Oregon; I love Colorado. The Rockies have always brought me to tears of joy. But I am just not interested in the part of this new chapter that re-defines every single one of my Portland relationships. This part is agony. I miss you all so very much. I miss singing with you, walking with you, whining/wining with you, cooking for/with you, adventuring with you, hugging you, honking at you, waving to you and worshipping with you.

I would like each one of you to consider moving here. I will cook for you.

xo