Coq au Vin

I saw Julie and Julia several months ago when it was still in the theater. What a great movie! And unlike the general consensus, I thought Amy Adams was adorable as Julie Powell and I found her character more relatable than Julia Child.

Anyway, apparently the movie had more influence on me than I realized. I'm having friends over tomorrow and my menu has a definite French theme! The main course is coq au vin and it smells soo good in my house right now. Maybe I'll try taking some pictures to post tomorrow. We'll see.

This is adapted from several different recipes.

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups Merlot

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup (approx 4) sliced carrots

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 strips precooked bacon, cut into 1-inch slices

2 tbs Zesty Herb Marinade mix by McCormick (in the little envelopes)

1 bay leaf

Mix all ingredients together in a crockpot. Stir to combine. Cook on low 6 hours. Serve over egg noodles. (Don't forget to remove the bay leaf first)!