Artichoke heaven

I've been having a hard time lately, because last Wednesday was the one-year anniversary of the day we left for France. For the next six months, I'm going to constantly be thinking, "What was I doing last year this time?"

There are many, many answers to that questions (the most honest being "drinking ALL the wine"), but one thing we did around this time last year was eat a LOT of giant fresh spring artichokes from the Wednesday and Saturday outdoor market at Les Halles. Spring means strawberries, skinny asparagus, and artichokes - what's not to love about this season, no matter which continent you're on?

The word "artichoke" in this recipe caught my eye, making it an automatic contender for dinner. B was up for it, so we made it.

And it was good. As all of our favorite recipes are, it's customizable - you can add or subtract veggies or spices, depending on your preferences. I would have fewer onions and more artichokes, but B said he liked all the onions. We thought maybe we could add green beans next time. The spice is crucial - do not leave out the red pepper flakes. Without it, this would be a little bland - at least for us.

All in all, we loved this and will definitely keep it in the rotation.

xoxo,
E & B

P.S. - Isn't my new Eiffel Tower dish towel so cute?! And so perfect for our household?
P.P.S. - This morning we're off, off, and away to L.A. and Sonoma Valley - stay tuned for some wine-themed fun!

Spinach artichoke chicken

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Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4-6 chicken pieces (we used 3 breasts)
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes
Dried basil flakes
1 can quartered artichokes, rinsed and drained.
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced (we used 1/2 since we had one in the fridge)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, sliced into thin rounds
2 garlic cloves, minced and separated
1 bag baby spinach
1/2 cup vegetable broth (I also added a splash of white wine)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425
Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet.
Season chicken with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and basil.
Add chicken to skillet and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes each.
Remove chicken from skillet and put in a baking dish.
Add artichokes, carrots, onions, 1/2 chopped garlic, and red pepper flakes to skillet.
Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender.
Add rest of chopped garlic and spinach to skillet.
Cook for one minute, stirring occasionally.
Place veggies in baking dish with chicken.
Add chicken broth/wine mixture.
Place in the oven and bake for 18 minutes, or until chicken is done.
Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Nutrition:
This recipe makes 4 servings, each at roughly 239 calories. It makes a complete meal (veggies and meat together), so it's fairly healthy - you don't need anything else (except maybe a good glass of wine). Enjoy!