Easy Tomato Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

1 1/2 - 2 lbs chicken (portions from a whole hen or boneless thighs)

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 yellow onion, sliced into wedges

2-3 medium heirloom tomatoes, diced or quartered

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Chopped fresh basil (optional)

Sea salt and pepper to taste

2-3 Tbs olive oil

Serve with cooked quinoa, pasta or brown rice

Method:

Place all ingredients in a baking dish and combine well. I like to use my hands to massage the tomato mixture into the chicken.  The acids from the tomatoes help to tenderize the meat, so if you want to cover and refrigerate the mixture for up to 24 hours, you can prepare this part ahead of time.  When you are ready to bake, place the chicken and tomato mixture in a preheated oven set at 375 degrees.  Bake uncovered for one hour, (or longer if you want the juices to reduce).  Serve with cooked quinoa, pasta or brown rice.

Golden Gazpacho

There's nothing better than a cold soup on a hot day.  This is a simple gazpacho recipe using several fresh summertime ingredients.  It's delicious and light, but could easily be spiced up or flavored with other ingredients. Serves 2.

Ingredients:

1 Yellow tomato, core removed, quartered (or use 1-2 cups of sungold cherry tomatoes)

1 Green tomato, core removed, quarterd

1 Small cucumber, or 1/2 large, seeded, peeled and cut into large chunks

3 Garlic cloves, peeled

1 Purple sweet pepper,

Juice from 1 lime

Salt and Pepper to taste

Garnish: Caramelized Cabbage and Onions (optional)

Method:

Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until  the gazpacho is soupy but with a slightly chunky texture.  Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Add a dollop of Caramelized Cabbage and Onions as a garnish.

Brunch with Beets and Pac Choi

If you don't have the luxury of a slow Saturday morning to craft a perfect brunch, you can make the beets, greens and salad ahead of time, keeping them refrigerated until ready to use.  Greens can be re-heated quickly in a skillet just before serving.  Eggs and toast are great for breakfast, but this also makes a fantastic meal any time of the day.

Ingredients:

1 Bunch of beets, plus beet greens

1 Head of pac choi

3 garlic cloves, minced

Olive or canola oil

2-3 Spring onions, chopped

1-2 Tbs sugar

White balsamic vinegar

Alchemy Spice Scenic City Sizzle (or your favorite grilling pepper blend)

Fresh local eggs

Sour dough bread, sliced and toasted

Sea salt to taste

Toasted Garlic Drizzling Oil

Method:

Wash and trim the beets.  You can cut them into wedges or chop them to your desired size/shape.  Place in a saucepan and cover with water.  Add a pinch of salt, 1 Tbs sugar, and 1 Tbs of white balsamic vinegar. Stir and let simmer on medium-high heat until the beets are fork tender (about 20 minutes or so depending on size).

Cut the leafy-green part of the pac choi away from the firm white part and set aside.  Chop the firm part of the pac choi and place in a bowl with the chopped spring onions, about 1-2 Tbs white balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt, 1-2 Tbs olive oil, and a dash of Scenic City Sizzle. Stir to combine, then set aside until ready to serve.  When the beets are tender, drain the cooking liquid and add the beets to the pac choi salad.

Wash the beet greens and the leafy green parts of the pac choi, spin dry in a salad spinner or pat dry. Heat a little olive or canola oil in a heavy skillet, then add the chopped greens, a little salt, and the minced garlic.  Saute until wilted and tender, then remove from the heat.

For each serving, toast a slice of the sour dough bread, and fry an egg sunny-side-up. (To make a perfect egg: In a non-stick skillet with a little oil, cook on low heat with a lid or plate covering the skillet.)  Remove from heat when the white is firm and assemble the servings  immediately.

To plate: Drizzle a little Toasted Garlic Drizzling Oil on each slice of toast, Place a serving of the sauteed greens, followed by the fried egg, and top with the beet and pac choi salad.  Season to taste.  Serve immediately.

Kale Chips 101

If you have not yet tried turning your leafy greens into a crunchy snack, then this is the post for you.  Yes, we grow and eat loads of kale because it's nutritious, but also because it's tasty.  And this is one of the easiest, most addictive ways to enjoy your leafy greens.  Curly kale has a great texture for baking into chips, but you can use any leafy greens. Seasoning options are virtually endless.  However it does not take much salt, (since the natural salts in the leaves become more concentrated when they are dehydrated), so use salt sparingly. Here's a basic recipe with a few seasoning suggestions:

Ingredients:

1-2 bunches of curly kale leaves

Olive oil

Kosher or sea salt

Alchemy Spice Fat Elvis Memphis Rub (or your favorite spice blend)

Method:

Remove the washed kale leaves from the stem and thick rib. Pat dry with paper towels.  Place on a baking sheet and spray or massage a little olive oil onto the leaves. Spread the leaves into a single layer, then season lightly with salt and a little Fat Elvis.  The kale leaves will shrink to about 1/2 their original size, so you may want to make several batches.

Place in the oven at 350 F  for 10-15 minutes, or use a lower temperature to preserve more nutrients (about 250 F) for 20-30 minutes.  Either way, it's important to check the kale every 5 minutes or so, turning the leaves to expose more of the moisture, and checking that they do not burn.  They can dehydrate quite quickly at times, so make sure you are watching them closely.  Once they are crispy, remove from the oven and let cool.  The most difficult part about this recipe is deciding whether or not to share the kale chips.

How to Freeze Greens

With a box as full of broad leafy greens as we had this week, it's worth posting a basic how-to on freezing.  If you have ever bought a bag of frozen spinach or kale from the grocery store, you will know that frozen is not quite as nice as fresh.  But for soups, smoothies, or quick meals, having a stash of frozen kale is a real time-saver.  If you are struggling to eat all of your greens before the next box arrives, try this quick method of blanching and freezing to preserve your extras:

Method:

Fill a large soup or stock pot 2/3 full of water, and boil.  You can add salt to the water, but it's not absolutely necessary. Wash greens and cut or peel away the woody stems.  With a wooden spoon, push the greens into the boiling water and boil them for about 30 seconds.  Remove from the boiling water and place them in a colander under cold running water, or in a bowl of ice water until the greens are cold to touch.

Squeeze the excess water from the greens and place them loosely in a freezer-proof bag or container.  Separating the leaves somewhat and packing them loosely will allow you to take frozen portions from the container more easily.

Blanching and freezing is great for many vegetables, but this method is great for kale, collards, chard, and greens from beets, kohlrabi, and turnips.