Say Goodbye to San Francisco, and Say Hello to Mama’s Chicken Pepperoni

Well a week has passed since the Foodbuzz Festival in San Francisco. I have enjoyed reading all the posts about the festival, everyone had such a wonderful time, and posted so many great images!! I know I’ve said it before, but I want to say it again……Thank You Foodbuzz!! What an incredible community you have given us, we are truly blessed to be part of this community and to have met so many wonderful people along the way.
Just to show you that Chef Dennis can let down his hair and have a good time, I am including a picture that was borrowed from my friend Gina at What’s For Dinner Across State Lines.

Thanks Gina, and yes that is Sara from Caffeina laughing in the background……sigh

So now the festival is just a memory and I have to get back to work, I feel as though I have been neglecting my friends lately and that is the last thing I ever want to do. Everyone has been so good to me, and I want you all to know how much I do appreciate all the wonderful comments, and shout outs.

I also want to let you all know that I will be doing a radio interview with Rebecca from Chow and Chatter on Tuesday at 4pm EST, It will be available to listen to after that as well, so if you have time and your so inclined please stop by and give it a listen, you follow this link !

Today I would like to share a recipe with you, that has always been a favorite of mine, I don’t make it often enough, but when I do the room gets really quiet while everyone eats. Sometimes I think every recipe I have has story behind it, this one certainly does, and I hope you don’t mind if I share this one.

It had been raining most of the day, I had planned on fixing the rest of the window’s before winter set in, it was work that needed to be done and I was happy to do it,  Mama Jeanette had been very good to me. I guess I was feeling kind of down and it showed, Mama Jeanette told me it was time to learn to cook something good. For her food not only fed the stomach, but fed the soul…..There would be many an uplifting moment in my life because of food and I will always have Mama Jeanette to thank for giving me that gift.
Mama turned to me and said “sonny boy, do you like pepperoni?” my answer was yes (although I had only had it on pizza), and a few minutes later I was sent down to the market with a shopping list. When I returned Mama Jeanette was patiently waiting, a pot of espresso on the stove and a notepad on the table. I would begin taking notes that day…..class was officially in session, and my culinary journey had truly begun. Part of my first official lesson would be to prepare a “mis en place”  or as Mama said “everything in its place sonny boy”, as I prepped the ingredients for tonights lesson, I listened to every word she said and wrote down the step by step instructions. It’s funny how hard things seemed that first day, I never thought I would make it……but Mama Jeanette knew I would, she told me “sonny boy, food will be your saving grace” it wasn’t till much later that she would elaborate on that statement………but that’s a story for another day.
I hope you enjoy this wonderful dish as much as I do, I promise not only will it fill your belly, but it will warm your soul. My friends I give you Chicken Pepperoni!

Chicken Pepperoni (serves 3-4)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into strips, or chicken tenders
1 small Bell Pepper seeded and sliced
8 oz mushrooms sliced
4 oz Artichoke hearts in brine, sliced plus juice from the can
2 oz Pepperoni Sliced, quartered if using deli slicing pepperoni
1 clove garlic sliced
1 cup Chicken Stock
1/4 cup Marinara Sauce
Splash of white wine
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1 tsp chopped Italian Parsley
1 pinch of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Seasoned Flour (salt and pepper)
Olive oil
1 lb Linguine or Spaghetti

Heat a large Saute pan, then add Olive oil and garlic slices.
Dredge chicken breast slices in seasoned flour and add to hot oil. Let chicken cook for 2 minutes until done on one side then turn over and add sliced peppers, and mushrooms.
Continue to saute for 4 or 5 minutes, mixing ingredients to insure that the peppers and mushrooms start to cook.
When Chicken, mushrooms and peppers are almost done, add the white wine to deglaze the pan and stop the cooking.
Now add the chicken stock, marinara, artichoke hearts(along with some of the juice), Romano cheese and red pepper flakes. mix well. Now add your pepperoni slices, and allow ingredients to sit off the heat, the flavors will begin to blend as you cook your pasta.
Cook your pasta per instructions on the box. Remember to make it al dente’.
Two minutes before your pasta is done, start to heat your Chicken Pepperoni on high heat.
Continue to heat on medium heat as you drain your pasta.
Serve the chicken pepperoni on a bed of linguine. If your sauce appears to thick or oily, add a little more water to it, this will help assimilate the oil, as well as thinning it out.
You will see more oil in this dish then you probably want, but this comes from the pepperoni, once the pepperoni is in the pan, you want to limit the time it cooks, the more it cooks the more the dish will look oily.
The pepperoni adds so much flavor, so you do need to let it spend some time in the pan combining with the other flavors.

When you make this for your family and friends have more grated Romano cheese available and some good crusty bread. I promise you everyone will love it!!