Chicken Stew with Biscuits

The holidays seem to beg a bit of indulgence, and this dish fits the bill quite perfectly.  It's just a slightly less fussy version of chicken pot pie.  Aside from being snuggly and utterly delicious for both adults and small people, this meal can be conveniently made ahead and also easily feeds a crowd. 

As I've mentioned before, though Ina's very existence cooking borders perfection to me, I maintain that she is a bit heavy handed with onions.  I reduce the quantity by nearly half in this recipe and find nothing lacking.  Another note: it's a good idea to put a cookie sheet on the lower rack to catch over flow drippings from this baking dish.  I forgot to do that this time, and I've already schmutzed up my new oven as a result.  Otherwise, the recipe is straightforward and seriously yummy.   http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-stew-with-biscuits-recipe/index.html

For my less naughty friends, here's a healthy and very tasty idea: Skillet Gnocchi with Spinach and White Beans.  This is a satisfying meal that makes great leftovers.  I also love how the prep goes from start to finish in 30 minutes and only dirties one pan (hallelujah!). The stewed tomatoes weirded out my kids a little, so if you've got picky ones, you might want to dice them up a bit to camouflage them.  I substituted baby spinach for chard in the recipe and also was just a tad more generous with the Parm.  Hey, it's the holidays.