Creamy-'shrumy chicken

So, on Sunday Pam and I met for a coffee at Coffee Heaven by Ferenciek tere. We were very hungry, so we decided we'll cook something. Two heads are better than one, as they say.

My trusty laptop is always with me, and handy it was, cause we could check my secret ace website of cooking, Videojug. Loads and loads of recipes from great many cultures, complete with video guides, so even a complete moron could do them.

Knowing that we wouldn't be able to find any of the special herbs required for, say, an Indian dish, we settled for more classical ones. That's how we came across the one in the title. Simple, easy. Two adjectives we liked about this one. Plus it didn't seem half bad.

So, shopping list at the ready, we ventured in the Spar on the other side. We got almost all the necessities, except for the chicken, but luckily there was another shop not so far.

Armed with every ingredient we'd need, we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the dorm, where the kitchen awaited the magic we would perform. And that we did. I'm admittedly not the best cook (this was my second time, I believe. First was the quesadilla), and she wasn't neither - or so she told me - but we did okay. Even one dormdweller (whose name I forgot) applauded our joint efforts.

So, the recipe was the following - serves four not-so-hungry or two very hungry person:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp oil
• 200 g mushrooms, sliced - about 4 or 5 pieces
• 2 shallots, chopped - they could be called onion jr.
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper - pre-ground will do just fine
• 1 tsp mustard
• 200 ml cream - one box
• 2 drops of sherry - left out
• some sprigs of parsley to garnish
• half tsp sage (optional)
• 1 large saucepan
• 1 tray or plate
• 1 wooden spoon

You heat the oil with the butter, cook the chicken's both sides for 3 minutes appr., then set them aside. Without washing the pan, you sauté the mushrooms then add the diced shallots. Cook 'em until they are golden brown. Add the cream, mustard, thyme, sage etc. and stir until it gets a bit thick. Put the chicken back in the mixture - don't leave the juices out!, spin it round and round, and when it's covered evenly, place them on a plate and pour the reminder sauce on top. Garnish as you see fit. Bon appétit!

I think the results were stellar. I just might get used to this whole cooking business. About time, because hopefully I'll move out. On my own. In this big, dangerous city.

But the thing I've realized is: cooking is not a fun thing to do until you have someone to share the meal with. Cooking is socializing. Yay.