Fifteenth Post ~ Fresh, simple fare: Green beans with sauteed chicken and mushrooms

Summer has come to Buffalo. Today's highs were in the upper 80s, and boy, did it feel every bit of 90. When it's this hot out, I crave simple foods. Perhaps it's because I know my body just doesn't have the energy to sluggishly pilfer its way through heavily sauced and flavored foods for the needed nutrients. Perhaps it is because I just can't string together too many ingredients at once when my brain feels steamed. In any case, I crave simplicity.

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Tonight's dinner fit the bill. I quite literally pulled from the refrigerator foods that sounded good to me, and then combined them. In the end, I thought it created a sort of Provincal meal. Here's what I grabbed:

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~ Chilled white wine

~ Chicken tenderloins that should be used up

~ Mushrooms (pre-washed and sliced - as I said: simple)

~ Green beans

~ Onion

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For the seasoning:

~ Chilled white wine (noticing a pattern?)

~ Olive oil

~ Chives

~ Basil

~ Salt/pepper

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Cut the chicken up into fork-managable pieces. Place in stick-free pan with chopped onion. Pour on some olive oil, ample white wine, and season with salt and pepper. Toss in some mushrooms and start it sizzling.

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Now that your brain has tackled that, snip up some chives and basil into the mixture. Stir around a bit. It should cook in next to no time.

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:: PAUSE ::

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I'm all for using the proper cooking methods and tools. But some nights (like tonight) call for laziness.

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:: UNPAUSE ::

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Scootch your cooked chicken, onions, mushrooms and herbs over to one end of your pan. Place some frozen green beans in the other end. Tilt the pan so the hot sauce infiltrates the mini bean-fortress you've built. Stir them around a bit 'til they look done. The end result is that the beans will be cooked al dente and sweetened by the flavors of the wine, herbs, and earthiness of the mushrooms.

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Tilt the whole thing onto a plate and enjoy with a glass of chilled white wine. I served this with a French table wine called Vieux Papes. It paired wonderfully, tasting a little grassy (in a refreshing way) and citrussy, making it a perfect companion to this summer meal.

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Bon apetit!

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Yours in the love of food, wine, and occasional laziness,

AL

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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.