Produce with Amy

* This was created in June – I am playing recipe catch up.

After a painfully long winter, it is a relief that summer is finally here. I rejoiced in watching the snow finally melt and the landscape green up. Our family is looking forward to an epic trip to Alaska. We will be hauling our 5th wheel to our property in Tonsina and we will be celebrating our friends’ wedding in Chicken (unfortunately, our trip to Alaska was cancelled due to health reasons). We have a couple fundraisers planned for our nonprofit, UPK9, and I have Wednesdays as a vendor at the Skandia Farmers Market to look forward to. Of course, we have a bunch of DIY projects in the works on our farm. Though, more than anything I look forward to growing our own food. My garden gloves are ready!

I feel a little bit like a fraud, naming this recipe “Tuscan”. I have never been to Tuscany, though, that would be an adventure that I would be up for. However, there are two reasons that I am calling it “Birthday Chicken”. The first is because I made this dish in celebration of our daughter Avalon’s boyfriend Carter’s birthday. The second is because June is my birthday month. While this recipe is a tad indulgent (thanks to the heavy cream) it is a perfect celebration meal. Our family was wild about it and I cannot wait to make it again.

The past few months I have been trying to branch out and experiment with new recipes. It is easy to get stuck in the same meal rotation. We always make time to eat a family meal on Sundays, so it’s a great time for me to try new dishes. The sauce for this meal comes together so quickly and it would be great with different proteins. I think it would be delicious with shrimp, steak, and a wide variety of vegetables.

TUSCAN BIRTHDAY CHICKEN

*8 ounce block of feta cheese
*2 cups of heavy cream (you could use ½ and ½ if you want to reduce the fat)
*Red bell pepper chopped in large chunks
*½ cup of chopped onion
*½ cup of chopped mushrooms
*½ cup of kalamata olives
*½ cup of mozzarella cheese
*½ a cup of parmesan cheese
*1 cup of spinach
*¼ cup of sun dried tomatoes
*2 Tablespoons of minced garlic
*Chicken breasts (I used five)
*2 Tablespoons of butter
*Italian Seasoning
*Salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 350. Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray, or coat in olive oil. In the middle of the baking dish place the block of feta, onion, mushrooms, garlic, and one cup of cream.. Bake for 20 minutes.

While your ingredients are in the oven, sear the chicken breasts in a pan with butter on the stove. Season the chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook 4-5 minutes per side.

Take your baking dish out of the oven and stir. The feta should be soft enough to incorporate well. Add the other cup of cream, mozzarella, kalamata olives, spinach, and sun dried tomatoes. Stir and add the chicken breasts and cover with the cheese sauce. Add parmesan cheese to the top. Bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the chicken is done through. 

I served this dish with a side of penne pasta and a simple marinara sauce. It was the perfect tangy accompaniment to the rich, cream sauce. While I have never been to Tuscany, in my head, this dish would be the perfect Tuscan meal. I am looking forward to recreating it with various vegetables from our garden. I imagine it would taste lovely with the addition of kale, squash, and green beans.

I hope you enjoy it as much as our family did. Make sure you check out the tab at the top of the page for more wholesome, homemade recipes. Make sure you take advantage of the fresh produce that is in season and try something new. Have a wonderful June and soak up summer. Maybe I will see you at the farmers market!