Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks again to Rosemary Zwick of Cape Town, South Africa
for this one:

The woman applying for a job in a lemon grove seemed way too
qualified for the job. "Look Miss," said the foreman, "do you have
any experience in picking lemons?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, yes," she replied. "I've been divorced
three times."

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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I know I've said this before, but I'm always on the lookout for recipes
containing artichokes, one of my favorite things. This recipe is
another example.

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbs (15 ml) paprika
4 Tbs (60 ml) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) white wine
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk
1/2 cup (125 ml) chicken stock
1 15-oz (425 g) can artichoke hearts, drained
4-6 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
Toasted slivered almonds for garnish

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a
large skillet over moderate heat and brown the chicken on both
sides. Transfer the chicken breasts to as greased baking dish
big enough to hold them in a single layer. Saute the onion and
paprika in the butter remaining in the skillet until tender but not
brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the wine, chicken stock, and cream and bring to a boil,
stirring frequently. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Add the drained artichoke hearts to the baking dish and top with
the sauce. Bake covered in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 1
hour. Garnish with the bacon and toasted almonds. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Wed Oct 25 10:14:27 2006