This one is T & T. My notes are at the bottom. Balsamic Chicken on Spinach Salad with Warm Shallot Dressing Based on recipe by Rachel Ray 4 3-oz. chicken breast cutlets, pounded thin 3 T balsamic vinegar, divided 1/2 c tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided Grill seasoning blend, or coarse salt and pepper 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped 1 large shallot, minced 1-1/2 T Dijon mustard Spinach Salad: 4 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces 1/2 pound fresh spinach leaves, trimmed and cleaned 1/2 c mushrooms, thinly sliced 1/2 c radishes, thinly sliced 4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle Preparation Coat chicken with balsamic, 1-1/2 T olive oil, seasoning and rosemary and set aside. In a skillet, add chopped bacon, brown over medium-high heat. With a slotted spoon, transfer cooked bacon bits to paper towels to drain. Coarsely chop spinach leaves and place in a salad bowl. Top with radishes and scallions. Season salad with salt and pepper. Wipe out the bacon pan and return to stove, turning heat back to medium-low. Add one tablespoon olive oil and lightly sauté mushrooms. Remove and add to spinach in bowl. Sauté shallots for three minutes. Remove from heat. In a bowl, combine mustard and balsamic vinegar. Slowly stream in 4T olive oil while whisking the dressing to emulsify it. Add warm shallots and toss with spinach salad to coat evenly. Add cooked bacon and toss again. Pre-heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken breasts, four minutes on each side, in a single layer. Slice breasts on an angle on your cutting board once they are all out of the pan. Pile spinach salad on to dinner plates. Top each salad with sliced chicken breast. This is my version of RachelâÂÂs recipe. It is really good! I used BS chicken breast, pounded thin and I lightly sautéed the mushrooms. Next time I will top with toasted almonds or pine nuts. Linda

Lots of great ideas since I use a lot of Balsamic, white and traditional. I use it most with salads. Last weekend I made Bourbon Baked Beans; I always use BV in the beans. I quadrupled the recipe for the covered dish function thinking I would have left overs for Sunday dinner. There was not ONE bean left; I guess that's a good thing.

The least expensive aged Balsamic that I currently have is RomanticA Gran Riserva, and I paid about $30, but the price has been reduced. I thought it was a bargain at $30, and I did taste it before buying it. It's very thick and sweet, and I generally serve it drizzled over apple or pear slices, but also sometimes with strawberries. I also have a bottle of Fondo di Trebbiano that I paid $60 for recently and had bought before for $48. The price on this one keeps going up, it seems, but it is only slightly better than RomanticA, IMO, but it is definitely thicker and somewhat sweeter. When I run out, I will probably just replace it with RomanticA, but it depends on what there is available the Surfas Restaurant Supply, where I can taste before I buy. Cavalli looks excellent as well. For the sauce you are making, I would not use a bottle that is cheaper than $15 - the cheaper ones have a harsher, less mellow flavor, and that comes through even in a berry sauce. I only use the cheaper ones in certain salad dressings where I want a sharp flavor. I like keeping a range on hand for different uses. I consider them a good investment. Lars

Linnea, I make a "giambotta" with cut up chicken and Italian sausage. Just place all in a roasting pan with some onions and peppers, sun dried tomatoes and quartered potatoes. Sprinkle some Italian herbs and garlic cloves over the whole mess. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about a half hour. Remove foil and douse with balsamic and some red wine. Bake another 45 minutes, add some more balsamic and serve. The sauce is great to smash the potatoes in and flavors the chicken. Don't use a pricey balsamic, use a lower cost one as it will have a stronger vinegar bite but still give you some sweetness as it concentrates in the pan.