Bahamian Chicken Souse and Johnnycake

Warmer weather and busy days does not mean we can't have a comforting home cooked meal ready to go for dinner. This month I brought out the slow-cooker to take a little culinary trip to the Bahamas.

I was inspired by Ellie, the talented blogger behind The Hobo Kitchen. I feel very fortunate to have found her blog because despite being another SRC member, she is in a different posting group from me. When I heard her group needed help covering a blogger this month, I agreed to get to know Ellie better and dive into her recipes! ...I had no idea how big of a treat it would be. So this makes my second Secret Recipe Club post for June.

I have never been to the Bahamas.

It would definitely be a place I would like to visit someday, but farm life doesn't really lend itself to vacations. All of my previous globe-trotting has been around Asia. Someday I hope to expand my travels. Luckily, I can enjoy recipes like this one right at home.

Ellie was born in Nassau, Bahamas. So, I had to pick a recipe from her site that would be true to her roots. Once I spotted these recipes, I was hooked. My only change was to put the Chicken Souse into the slow-cooker - for time.
Of course there were several recipes that caught my eye on her site, a recent Pecan and Goat Cheese Encrusted Chicken looked amazing, And I just must have some of her Nutella Bread Pudding in my life... and soon!

The Chicken Souse sounded both simple and delicious with chicken, potatoes, habanero peppers, whole allspice and a whole lotta lime! The flavor combinations really interested me. Ellie suggested serving this alongside warm and buttered Johnnycake, so I made that as well.

This Johnny cake didn't use the usual cornmeal base I was used to. It is simple, hearty and a great side to complete the meal.

Ready to get cooking? Grab your slow-cooker... a few simple ingredients and let's get started.

The original recipe shared on Ellie's blog is not made in a slow-cooker. As a busy mom of 3, dinner time can get a little crazy, so out comes the slow-cooker... a.k.a "dinner time machine". I also cut the recipe down by half for my family of 5.

Bahamian Chicken Souse
recipe adapted from The Hobo Kitchen

You Will Need:

• 5 lbs. chicken, skinned, cleaned and cubed
• 1 1/2 medium sized onions
• 3 celery ribs, sliced
• 1/2 habanero pepper, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. whole allspice seeds
• 2 Tbsp. salt + more for potatoes
• juice of 3-4 limes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 c, water
• 2 lbs. potatoes, washed and cubed (about 4 medium russets)

Combine all the ingredients in the slow-cooker, except the potatoes. Set for 6 hours.

With an hour and a half remaining. Place the cubed potatoes in a small saucepan and fill with just enough water to cover them. Salt the water and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are softened, but still firm. Add the potatoes and potato water to the crock pot to simmer for the remaining hour.

Taste the broth before serving and add additional salt or lime juice as needed.

Bahamian Johnnycake
recipe adapted from The Hobo Kitchen

You Will Need:

• 1/2 c. butter, softened + more for greasing the pan
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 4 c. flour
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 c. milk

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a cast iron skillet with butter, set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the flour, water, salt and baking powder. Add milk slowly until the batter is sticky.

Pour into the skillet. Put a little flour on your hands and spread the batter out evenly. Bake for 1 hour, or until the edges begin to brown. The johnnycake doesn't rise much. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing, serve warm with butter.

Enjoy! 

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Chicken and Roasted Broccoli with Polenta - July Secret Recipe Club

Summer is in full swing and I have been struggling to enjoy all that the season offers while still getting dinner on the table at an early hour. My days seem to run away from me! Longer days haven't helped to keep us on schedule, it is hard to stop when the day keeps going strong. So right now I am trying to find simple, yet fresh meals for my family.

It is July and that means it is time for another Secret Recipe Club recipe reveal!

This month I had the pleasure of browsing through Elizabeth's blog, Food Ramblings. She started blogging to hold herself accountable to her healthy resolutions and to post recipes geared towards eating better and losing weight.What I enjoyed most was that her recipes still look delicious and family-friendly. I know my 2-year old whole-heartidly endorses the polenta in this dish.

There are several other recipes I would like to come back to, but this Chicken & Broccoli over Polenta was calling my name... and perfect for what I had on hand in my pantry.

Okay, I did make a few little changes to her original recipe. I used chicken tenders because that is what I had on hand. They also cook quickly... my other change was to roast the broccoli with a little olive oil. It is our newest favorite way to enjoy fresh from the field broccoli. Since we grow our own here on the farm we don't use frozen this time of year... but frozen is a great option if that is what you have available.

I think we should all cook with what we have available at the moment. That is what I love most about cooking. Recipes evolve, change and get better with time and experience.

This recipe uses some very simple techniques. First you brown the chicken, then finish it off in a little stock and thinly sliced onions.

Roasting brocolli is amazing! Just toss in olive oil, sprinkle with a touch of kosher salt then allow them to carmelize a little. We enjoy ours with a bit of crunch still left in the stalks.

And the polenta... oh, there is something so simple and delicious about a little cheesy polenta. Instant polenta is something I now keep stocked in the pantry. Easy and fast to make, my kids love it as much as we do.

Chicken and Roasted Broccoli with Polenta
recipe adapted from Food Ramblings

You will need:

• 2-3 c. broccoli, sliced uniformly
• olive oil
• 6 chicken tenders
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 c. chicken stock
• a pinch of red pepper flakes *optional
• 2 1/4 c. water
• 3/4 c. instant polenta
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
• kosher salt

Start by preheating the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the broccoli in olive oil and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Roast for about 6 minutes, turn over and roast for an additional 4-6 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Start a pot of water boiling for the polenta. Once it comes up to a boil, stir in the polenta and butter. Keep stirring for 5 minutes until the polenta thickens and is cooked through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Put 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Season the chicken tenders with salt and then brown on both sides. Cook for about 2 - 3 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the heat and set aside. Soften the onions in the same pan, then add the garlic, stock, red pepper flakes and chicken back to the pan. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve the polenta topped with the roasted broccoli, chicken and with a little onion and stock mixture spooned over the top.

Enjoy!

So what is your favorite simple weeknight dinner? If you are looking for more great recipe ideas, be sure to check out Elizabeth's blog for more healthy eating options and recipe makeovers.

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Italian Chicken Roll-Ups

This post for Italian Chicken Roll-Ups has been sponsored by Foster Farms®. All opinions and experiences are mine alone. #FosterFarmsFresh

Thin-Sliced Foster Farms® Simply Raised Chicken Breasts filled with a zesty filling of roasted red pepper, mozzarella cheese and baby spinach, coated in Panko bread crumbs and baked, then topped with fresh basil. It doesn't get much better than this!

Chicken is one of my favorite things to prepare for weeknight dinners. So versatile, I could make chicken every night of the week, never make the same dish and never get bored. One of our favorite ways to enjoy chicken is stuffed with a little cheese and other fillings. Lately I have been on an Italian flavor kick, so these Italian Chicken Roll-Ups were born.

Things have been very busy on the farm; spring means there is always something to plant. I look forward to eating the food my husband so carefully grows on the family farm. Since we watch most of our food from greenhouse to table, you could say that I am very picky about what we eat.

Of course, we don't raise animals here on the farm, aside from the constant supply of eggs from my hens. To complement our desire to eat fresh and local, I like to stock my freezer with Foster Farms® Simply Raised Chicken. Available in Oregon, California and Washington, these fresh chicken products don't contain hormones, steroids or any antibiotics, ever. They are just simply raised, West Coast Grown, like I would... if I had the time!

And all of Foster Farms fresh chicken products are American Humane Certified™.

We have actually been eating and buying Foster Farms chicken for years. I love that it has been family owned since 1939. As a farming family I can respect the reputation they have kept for years of offering fresh and natural products.

And if you are looking for organic fresh chicken options, now the West Coast's leading poultry producer will have products for everyone under the Foster Farms Brand. Foster Farms Organic line is in select grocery stores and Costco!

Of course, good Italian Chicken Roll-Ups begin with good, fresh ingredients. Besides selecting fresh chicken, you will want a good quality mozzarella, fresh spinach, fresh basil and fire roasted red peppers.

Even with the Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts I pounded them out a little thinner. I like this size because it is a simple, but ample portion.

Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper, and then layer the spinach, roasted red pepper and torn mozzarella in the center. Roll up the chicken and secure with a few toothpicks.

I made up a simple egg wash and prepared a dredging station with my egg and also a dish with Panko bread crumbs. I just love the simple crunch Panko adds to a dish like this.

After dipping in egg and then rolling in the breadcrumbs, I placed the chicken in a lightly sprayed casserole dish and baked for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. I love that this dish isn't fried, but still has a satisfying crunch to it.

Don't forget to check the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer. It should be over 165 degrees when done.

I served this chicken simply with fresh diced basil and a little steamed Broccolini. Not too heavy for a weeknight, but not lite on flavor by any means.

Of course, it all begins with a good foundation of fresh, simply raised chicken.

Italian Chicken Roll-Ups

You Will Need:

• 4 Foster Foster Farms® Simply Raised Thin-Sliced Chicken Breasts
• 1 c. baby spinach
• 1/3 c. roasted red pepper, cut into strips
• 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, torn to fit
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 c. Panko bread crumbs
• 2 tsp. Italian herb blend
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 c. basil chiffonade

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray.

Pound out the chicken breasts between kitchen wrap to 1/4" thickness. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Down the center of each breast add a thin layer of spinach, roasted red pepper and torn pieces of mozzarella cheese. Bring the edges of the chicken breast together and secure with toothpicks.

Set up a dredging station by whisking the eggs in one dish and pouring Panko bread crumbs mixed with Italian herb blend in the other. Roll the breasts in egg, letting the excess drip off, and then cover in a layer of Panko bread crumbs. 

Bake for about 25 minutes in the oven. Test with a meat thermometer to make sure the meat has reached over 165 degrees.

Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Learn more about Foster Farms products, enjoy recipes and see what sets their products apart, check out the Foster Farms website for more information.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Foster Farms®.

Smoked Paprika Chicken - June Secret Recipe Club #Recipe

Lately I have been needing simple, hearty meals for my family. Hay season has begun on the farm, which means long hours, little free time in the kitchen and a husband who drags himself home really hungry at the end of the day. One pot meals have become my friend and allow me to tackle everything else that needs my attention right now.

So when selecting a Secret Recipe Club recipe for my June assignment, I had some specific needs in mind.

This month I was assigned to Melissa's blog, A Fit and Spicy Life. After peeking around her recipe index I found the perfect fit, her Smoked Paprika Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes and Sweet Potatoes. It is made in one pot, I used my Le Creuset Dutch Oven, and it is both filling and delicious!

I hope you will take a moment to check out Melissa's blog for her Fitness tips as well as recipes.She is a fellow PiYo enthusiast who likes to mix things up with her workouts and a lot of food... and more importantly, wine. Yes, a girl with good priorities.

We just love sweet potatoes in this house, so I knew this would be a winner. I like to grab a bag of the small sweet potatoes to dice up and roast in the oven with a little olive oil and sea salt. I just loved the idea though of roasting them with all the chicken drippings.

Since I had a few baby potatoes and a little onion on hand, I dice those up and threw them in the pot, too.

Then came the chicken... liberally seasoned with salt and smoked paprika. I also used just a dash of the ancho chili pepper. My husband is not a fan of heat, so I used just a little for that added flavor. Don't be afraid to turn up the chili powder if that is what floats your boat.

I baked this mostly through, then added the sun-dried tomatoes. I didn't want them to be too dry or tough. They are almost like candy when they are warm and sweet like this.

Smoked Paprika Chicken
with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Sweet Potatoes
recipe adapted from http://www.afitandspicylife.com

You Will Need:
6 - 8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 pinch ancho chili powder
4 small sweet potatoes, sliced
6 new potatoes, diced
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and olive oil reserved
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray the bottom of the Dutch oven with non-stick spray, or rub with oil. Fill the bottom with an even layer of sweet potatoes, new potatoes and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle a little of the reserved oil from the tomatoes on top.

Rub each piece of chicken with a little more oil, on top and underneath the skin. Sprinkle each piece with smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, salt and pepper. Place the chicken on top of the potatoes and cover. Bake for 30 minutes, then add the sun-dried tomatoes to the top. Continue baking for another 15 - 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. (boneless chicken will take less time, 30 - 40 minutes total.)

Enjoy!

So what does your family enjoy eating this time of year?

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Italian Baked Chicken, with Artichoke Hearts, Tomatoes and Olives

My family is pretty easy to please. Pasta is always a hit and anything that I top with olives and artichoke hearts is sure to have them singing my praises. This past weekend I decided to throw caution to the wind and add all our favorites in one place. This Italian Baked Chicken with Artichoke Hearts, Tomatoes and Olives was born!

The best part, of course, is it wasn't difficult to make. I pan seared the chicken breast and then placed them on a bed of artichoke hearts, Roma tomatoes, capers and olives to bake through and then topped with just a little mozzarella cheese. Served over a little simple angel hair pasta with a side of foccacia, it was the perfect weekend treat.

I take our weekend dinners very seriously. It is nice having the two oldest home during the day and with the weather turning warmer they play outside, and they play hard.

Like, muddy pants and dirt-smeared faces hard.

Do you remember those afternoons as a child? I would get lost in the backyard and my own imagination. I created fairy cities out of twigs, rocks and blossoms. But I also remember working up quite the appetite.

My Mom would often have a roast or the BBQ would be going. It was half the draw of the weekend.

Of course, even on the weekend I still have work to get done, cleaning, etc. I don't have all day to cook and prepare an extensive meal. I might want a fast solution to my dinner dilemma, but I don't want to sacrifice flavor.

Rummaging through the fridge I had a lot of odds and ends. The pantry held a few more goodies like the two cans of artichoke hearts. So they all went into the big baking dish.

Tossed with just a little flour to help tighten up any extra juices (even seeded those romas were juicy!)
it made a great bed for my chicken.

I slightly pounded out 4 chicken breasts then dipped them in egg and then flour before pan searing them. Then I nestled each down into my vegetables, topped them with a little cheese and baked it all till the chicken was cooked through.

This was easily done under 30 minutes and was a big hit with my family. I will be making this again throughout the Summer.

Ready for the recipe?

Italian Baked Chicken with Artichoke Hearts, Tomatoes and Olives

You Will Need:

• 2 cans artichoke hearts, packed in water
• kalamata olives
• 5 Roma tomatoes, seeded and sliced
• 1 Tbs. minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp. capers
• 2 Tbsp. + 1/2 c. flour, divided
• olive oil
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 egg, scrambled
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the drained artichoke hearts, olives, sliced and seeded tomatoes, garlic and capers in a large mixing bowl. Toss with 2 Tbsp. flour and then transfer to a 9" x 13" baking dish. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Set up a dredging station for flour seasoned with salt and pepper and an egg wash. Add a little olive oil to a large skillet and heat to medium.  Pat your chicken breasts down with a paper towel so they are completely dry before you begin dredging. Then proceed to dip each breast in your egg wash and then lightly dredge in flour. Place the chicken, 2 breasts at a time, in your heated skilled. Brown both sides, then nestle the chicken into your vegetables. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Top the chicken with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Place the casserole into the oven and bake for 15 minutes before checking the chicken with a meat thermometer. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken breasts. The tomato and artichoke mixture should be baked through and bubbly.

Serve over your favorite pasts and enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu and Creamy Dill New Potatoes - February Secret Recipe Club #Recipe

After a month break from The Secret Recipe Club... (doesn't everyone need a little time to get their head on straight following the holidays?) it is back, and I have a fabulous Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe and Creamy Dill New Potatoes to share with you.

Like many people, my goal has been to eat more at home. But, cooking at home doesn't have to be boring. In fact, many delicious meals that cost so much when eating out are surprisingly easy and inexpensive to recreate at home.

No, really.

Chicken Cordon Bleu, and any stuffed chicken recipe for that matter, is easy, it just takes a few more minutes to construct and cook. This meal I made for a weekend dinner to break up the typical soup or casseroles we have been eating. It was so worth it.

For February's The Secret Recipe Club post, I was assigned to "Hun...What's For Dinner" from Cindy who is married to a chef, but has found her own passion for cooking. Another stay-at-home-mom, Cindy has a wide variety of recipes, meal planning and round ups. Looking around her site I found a lot of meal inspiration, but once I saw her recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu and Creamy Dill New Potatoes, I was sold.

I made this back towards the end of December and I have been dying to share it with all of you. Now, I am even ready to put it back on the menu. Looking through these photos has made me hungry all over again!

This was the kind of special dinner meal that leaves me not missing those nights eating out. I definitely didn't miss the restaurant bill.

Like I said, this recipe isn't difficult, it just has a few more steps than a basic chicken and sauce dish. Start by grabbing a little mallet and going to town on your chicken breasts. My kids tend to give me a wide berth when I am pulverizing meat...

Once the boneless, skinless chicken breasts are nice and thing, they can be filled and rolled. I went with a combo of thinly sliced Swiss Cheese and smoked ham, then topped with a slice of Provolone. Thats the way I roll...

Each filled breast was rolled and then pinned with toothpicks. Then came the dredging stations. You will need seasoned flour, egg wash and then seasoned bread crumbs.

One of my favorite parts of this recipe was that the chicken was baked. Each breaded piece of chicken is sprayed lightly with non-stick spray and then baked for about 30 minutes, or until they reach temperature.

Once the chicken is baking, it is time to get working on the cheese sauce to go over the top. It is just a simple roux with melted butter and cooked flour.

The milk and cheese mixture helps to bring it together. Season to taste and then set aside.

Of course, don't forget the creamy dill new potatoes for the side! This is so easy and with the oven busy this recipe just uses the microwave.

Yeah, I have a microwave, but it is definitely a second (or third) string player in my kitchen line-up.

Wash and place potatoes in a bowl. I ended up cutting mine in half. Add water, cover and cook till tender. Then the cream cheese, milk and dried dill is mixed together and microwaved till soft. Cooked potatoes are tossed in this sauce and you are good to go.

And it is so yummy!

Serve these up alongside that lovely baked Chicken Cordon Bleu and a little fresh salad. Dinner is done.

Chicken Cordon Bleu
adapted from Hun...What's For Dinner?

You Will Need:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 slices thin Swiss Cheese
• 4 slices Provolone Cheese
• 4 thin slices smoked ham
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 c. milk
• 1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese
• 4 slices Swiss Cheese, diced
• salt and pepper to taste
• parsley, chopped for garnish

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.  Pound out the chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness.

Season each breast with salt and pepper then place a slice of Swiss Cheese in the middle, then topped with ham and then a slice of Provolone cheese. Roll the chicken, secure with toothpicks and place on a plate, seam down. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.

Set up a dredging station with flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, then a station for a beaten egg and then the Italian seasoned bread crumbs. Place each breaded breast in a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Lightly spray each piece of chicken with non-stick spray.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

When the chicken is cooking, start on the cheese sauce. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Whisk in flour and let the mixture cook through for about a minute. Then whisk in the milk. Bring it back up to a simmer and then add in the cheeses. Season to taste.

Serve chicken with warmed sauce drizzled over the top. Garnish with parsley. 

Creamy Dill New Potatoes
adapted from Hun...What's For Dinner?

You Will Need:

• 1 1/2 lb. small new potatoes
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 c. Philadelphia Chive and Onion Cream Cheese Spread
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 tsp. dried dill

Wash, halve and place new potatoes in a microwave safe bowl or casserole dish. Cover and heat on high for 15 -17 minutes, or until tender. Drain and return the potatoes to the dish. 

Combine the remaining ingredients and heat for 1 minute or so, stirring till smooth and warmed through. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and toss to coat. Taste and season as necessary. Serve warm.

Enjoy! 

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