BAG O WINE RECIPES

Steps:

• Put dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour in hot water; set aside until mushrooms are rehydrated.
• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels, reserving bacon grease in the skillet.
• Coat chicken thighs with flour and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, cook chicken in the bacon grease over medium heat until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken thighs as they brown and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Drain dried mushrooms through cheesecloth, reserving liquid. Add drained mushrooms, carrots, fresh mushrooms, shallots, and garlic to skillet over medium-high heat; saute for 2 minutes. Pour 1 cup wine into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon until liquid is reduced, about 10 minutes.
• Return chicken to the skillet and mix in remaining wine, chicken broth, herbes de Provence, thyme, and bay leaves. Liquid should partially cover chicken; if more liquid is needed, add reserved water from mushrooms. Cover skillet and simmer over low heat until chicken is no longer pink in the center, at least 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Remove cover from skillet and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes more. Add more quick-mixing flour to sauce to thicken, if desired.
• Crumble bacon over chicken and vegetables and garnish with parsley.

Steps:

• Choose a saute pan large enough to hold all of the scallops in one layer without overcrowding the pan or without them touching each other. Cook in batches if necessary. Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter until nearly smoking. Add the scallops and do not move or shake pan, but allow the scallops to brown well on one side before tossing the pan to flip them or gently turning them with a spatula to cook the second side.
• Remove the scallops from the pan and place on a warm serving platter. Return the pan in which the scallops had been cooked to the fire, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sweet butter, and cook until the butter begins to turn a light brown color. When the butter has browned to a hazelnut color add the lemon juice and chopped parsley.
• Pour the classic lemon butter over the scallops, garnish with heart-shaped croutons and serve promptly.