Fried Cheese, Cacciatore & Garlic Rolls

I resent the idea that garlic isn't a date food.  If both people on a date eat the same food, whose to complain?  The same goes for a nice stinky cheese, all gooey and yum!  Chicken Cacciatore is best as a slow-cooked labor of love, with lots of garlic, tomatoes, and peppers.  Garlic rolls are a savory version of a cinnamon roll, and they take as long rising, but your house becomes perfumed with garlic instead of cinnamon and sugar.  Most importantly, they look pretty!  Our munchie, courtesy of the most lovely Cheese Cave, is an oven-baked soft cheese with a rind (like a big girl Brie), topped with honey and raw almonds.


Due to the long cooking of the chicken, I use my favorite dark meat ~ thighs, but you could use white meat if you are that stubborn about it, and don't mind chewing on chicken-flavored hay-textured meat pucks.  Who am I to judge?  The rolls take easily double the time of the chicken, so start those first.

Proofed yeast, flour (mostly white, but a little whole wheat), sugar, milk, melted butter, and salt

Dough raised for a couple of hours, patted into a giant rectangle, then brushed with garlic, butter, parsley, SnP

Sliced into 1 1/2in strips

Roll up the strips, place in a greased pan, covered, and raising for another 45 min.

SnP chicken parts, floured, then browned

Chicken removed, saute' bell peppers, garlic, and onion in hearty pieces - these have to hold up in a long cooking!

Mushrooms in for a couple more minutes.

Add in thyme, tumeric, and kosher salt.  And no I don't ever measure.

In goes the wine so it bubbles.

In go the tomatoes, whole, diced, or strips.  Whatever your poison.

Put the chicken back in, skin side up.  Bake, covered for 45 minutes @ 350, then uncovered for 15 minutes @ 375.

When the chicken comes out, bake the rolls @ 375 for 15-20 minutes until golden and yummy smelling.

Our snack: A mini soft cheese, baked in it's rind for 10 minutes @ 350, then topped with honey and raw almonds.  Use a knife to cut pieces, and spread it on crispy bread.