Things keep progressing with the house. We have a few rooms now organized and completed. I will be moving my stuff soon. Hopefully by next weekend. It will be nice to finally live there. I like my old house, but the new one is set up much better.

This week I am deleting a bottle of sparkling wine. It’s been therapeutic widdling down my wine stash. I really don’t drink much any more and I don’t like drinking a bottle of wine alone. Sparkling wine is one of those drinks that should be consumed the day it’s opened. I found a recipe that will put the bottle to good use. Chicken with Fresh Peas and Sparkling Wine from Delish uses a whole chicken and wine. There are peas that add protein. However, I think we can add more veggies to round out the dish. I will also be removing the skin after cooking. Leave it on to impart the flavor, then remove to reduce the calories. Finally, I will be cutting up a whole chicken. It’s easier than you think and will save money.

Here are the original stats:

Here’s what I changed:

• I removed the added sodium to reduce the salt.
• I increased the servings from 6 to 11 to reduce the calories.
• I added carrot to increase the vitamin A.
• I added red bell pepper to increase the vitamin C.

Here are the final stats:

Here is the final recipe:

Chicken with Peas and Sparkling Wine

Serves 11

• 1 whole Chicken
• 1/2 tsp. Pepper
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 lb. New potatoes
• 1 cup chopped onion or leeks
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 red bell peppers, chopped
• 3 cups sparkling white wine
• 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. chopped dill

1. Brown the chicken: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a platter with several layers of paper toweling and set aside. Break down the chicken into two breast pieces and two legs. Season the chicken pieces with the pepper. Add the oil to a large, ovenproof skillet set over medium-high heat. Place the chicken pieces, skin-side down, in the skillet and cook until well browned and skin is crispy — about 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet to the prepared plate and discard fat, reserving 3 tablespoons.
2. Finish the casserole: In the same skillet, add the reserved oil and the potatoes; cook over high heat on one side until browned — about 10 minutes. Add the onions, bell pepper and carrot and cook for 2 minutes. Add the sparkling wine and let boil for 1 minute. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet; transfer to oven and roast for 40 minutes. Add the peas to the skillet and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Dot the chicken pieces with equal amounts of the butter and let it melt over the chicken. Sprinkle the dill over the casserole and serve immediately.