Some of the best and not-screw-up-able recipes I've ever made come from Samma at Spice and Sass. From casseroles to soups to main dishes, every single thing I've made of hers is spot on.

One that I've made time and time again has the best recipe name in this history of recipe names.

Chardonnay Beyoncé Love Chicken

Disclaimer: no Beyoncés are harmed in the making of this dish. But dammit if I don't shake my caboose to some "Get Me Bodied" while cooking it.

If you're ever in the mood for something decadent but easy - say, a Friday night after the longest 4-day work week in history - then CBLC is perfect for you. The ingredients are:

- chicken breasts (but I'm sure dark meat would be bombtastic as well)
- 6 - 8 slices prosciutto or thinly sliced Italian ham
- 4 - 6 slices Provolone cheese
- 1 can cream of chicken soup (I grab the lowest sodium version)
- at least 1/4 cup of The Blessed Chardo (or whatever white wine you enjoy/are drinking at that moment/have on hand)
- paprika, salt, and pepper

The assembly is extremely complex, so pay attention. Put your chicken into a baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Lay the prosciutto or ham on top of the chicken making sure that the whole breast is covered. Then lay provolone slices on top.

Yes, that is Samma's blog up on my iPad in the background. And I my glass of chardonnay. I needed both to make sure I execute these steps in the correct order. Are you still with me? It's very complicated but just re-read that last paragraph, or I can sum up: plop, season, layer, layer. You're almost done.

Whisk the wine and soup together and pour it over the chicken. Sprinkle with paprika - I like hot paprika for this recipe but sweet paprika would also work.

Then you bake it uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or so (a little longer if you use leg meat).

It is so easy to make and it is even easier to make it disappear from your plate and into your stomach. The creamy sauce and gooey cheese on top of salty prosciutto and tender chicken? This is Decadent Weekend Relaxation Food in under an hour.

Samma suggests serving it with broccoli and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I tossed the florets with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper, and roasted them in a separate dish next to the chicken for the last 10 - 15 minutes. This dish is consistently a hit at my table and I promise it will be one at yours, too!

Wine Wednesday: 2012 Francis Coppola Chardonnay Diamond Collection Gold Label

Growing up, my mom went all out for three holidays: Christmas, Thanksgiving, and The Academy Awards. I remember listening through my bedroom wall to her gabbing on the phone with her best friend late into the night as they squealed along with the sartorial parade and pompous acceptance speeches. This phone call expanded to actual celebrations as years passed - the main requirements were wine, chick food, and yoga pants (back when they were just called "sweats").

One of the best celebrations happened the night of the 75th Oscars. Mom rented out the Home Alone suite at the Plaza and invited all of the women in our extended family to celebrate. Ever adherent to a theme, she served foods by Oscar winners - Paul Newman salsa and Francis Ford Coppola wines.

My then 18-year-old taste buds weren't too discerning when it came to wine - yes, I was allowed a glass (and maybe snuck another) - but the general consensus placed that Coppola vintage somewhere between "okay" and "sucked". The wines have seemed to get better as time's gone on and I really enjoyed this 2012 chardonnay.

On the nose, this gave me green - a lot of grass and herbs came through strongly. It was extremely smooth once sipped and I tasted a lot of pineapple and pear. I picked this up for $12.99 at my regular wine store and would definitely grab it again!

Wine Wednesday: 2009 Alderbrook Chardonnay Russian River Valley

Today's Wine Wednesday post features 2009 Alderbrook Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley.

Look at that bright golden color! It's like Belle's ballgown. I really enjoyed this wine. A little more expensive than I'd buy for a weeknight ($20 range), but the flavors were so on point. A lot of bright fruit on the nose and then a really buttery caramel flavor once you sip. Mainly, it makes me want to hop on a plane back to California for an RRV wine tasting trip with my LA friend Laura!

Wine Wednesday: Macon Lugny Les Charmes Chardonnay

First and foremost, I want to wish a very happy anniversary to K & M! I can still recall the pure exhaustion felt after the intense dance party at your beautiful wedding. Since M works in the wine industry, I figured a Wine Wednesday was the perfect tribute!

I wandered out of the California section of my regular wine store across an ocean to France and tried out a chardonnay from Burgundy. It was extremely citrusy on the nose and had an exceptionally crisp taste. I liken it to biting into a sweet green Granny smith apple - almost tart it's so crisp, but with a soft, sweet feel.

Oh and it's easy access because of the twist cap. Bonus!

This isn't a chardonnay I typically go for, but I think it'll suit me this summer. It's so crisp that it will be really great out on the patio while we fire up the grill! At $12.99 a bottle, it's a great price point and a nice break from my standard super oaky, buttery California chards. Cheers!

Wine Wednesday: Bridlewood 2012 Chardonnay, Monterey County

Hello there! I am daydreaming about sipping on this delicious chardonnay by Bridlewood. It's exceptionally bright and fruity, almost tropical with mango and orange notes. As with all of chardonnays I love, there is a very smooth vanilla finish.

And yes, in case you're wondering, part of the reason I initially picked this up off the shelf is because it has a fancy monogram on the label.

Wishing you and yours a happy Winesday!

Wine Wednesday: 2011 Black Stallion Estate Winery Napa Valley Chardonnay

During our five days in Napa last fall, we constantly passed Black Stallion as we drove up and down the Silverado Trail. We tried to get a tasting appointment at Black Stallion but they were booked solid. Having had this chardonnay several times now at home, I know that it will be a priority stop for us on our next trip.

This is the kind of chardonnay I adore. I love the rich, golden color in the glass! It was smooth, had a lot of vanilla and stone fruits, with a really creamy finish. It paired beautifully with the pork dish I made that night, coming to the blog tomorrow!

Welcome To The Chardonnay Kitchen!

Hi there and welcome to The Chardonnay Kitchen!

I'm MHM and I love chardonnay.

I also love to cook! Most of my kitchen creations are pure experiments and I'll aim to recount them here to you in as entertaining a fashion as possible. I'd love for you to join the party as I snap a bunch of food photos with my iPhone and try not to slosh too much wine onto my stove.

Cheers!

Wine Wednesday: Clos Du Val 2011 Chardonnay Carneros Estate Napa Valley

Happy Winesday! This week's featured wine is another Napa chardonnay. As mentioned last week, we honeymooned there this past October and we visited Clos du Val on the last day of our trip. Most of our trip was weekdays and our trip to Clos du Val fell on a Saturday. The two words that somewhat soured the experience are Party and Bus. I know it would have been more enjoyable had we scheduled a tasting on a weekday, since it would have been less crowded. We may go back next time we're there.

Raging partiers aside, the wines are pretty legit. Personally, I liked all of their reds best when we were at the tasting, but this wine is offered in our local shop and it brings me back to happy memories of our trip (even if the actual CdV memory was a little rowdy).

I'm in the mood for this wine about 50% of the time. I typically go for chards that are oaky, creamy, and leaning toward stone fruit (apricot, peach, etc.). This bottle is really tropical - think mango, pineapple, really bright fruit flavors. I do enjoy it, but at $16+ a bottle, it's mainly a Weekend Wine and depends on the food we're cooking. I'll pair this with a meal that veers toward the spicy side to balance out the sunny fruit flavors.

Cheers!

Wine Wednesday: 2012 William Hill Estate Chardonnay North Coast

Welcome to the first Wine Wednesday on the blog! Today is one of my favorite chardonnays from William Hill.

Almost six months ago, J and I served William Hill wines at our wedding. We honeymooned in Napa and knew we had to take a trip to the winery itself. It was one of our favorites of the whole trip - the setting and view were breathtaking, they had one of the few chardonnay-focused tastings, and they had adirondack chairs. I decided long ago that my favorite kind of Outdoor Drinking is Adirondack Chair Outdoor Drinking so it of course added to the overall experience.

On to the wine - we can get some of their widely-distributed bottles at our local store. This clocks in at $14.99 where I buy it.

One of my favorite things about this chard is the oakiness. Many people dislike an oaky chardonnay but I love it and think it adds some heft. This one is very crisp on the nose, almost citrusy, but once you sip it, it's rich and buttery, almost creamy.

Cheers!