Grecian_Style Chicken

This recipe inspires me to get my garden going (or growing).

Grecian-Style Chicken

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/2 medium green pepper, sliced
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
Several asparagus spears, cut to 2-in lengths
2 carrots, cut to 2-in lengths, then sliced thinly, briefly steamed
1/2 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp salt
dash ground black pepper
2 medium tomatoes, cut in wedges
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
3 cups hot cooked rice
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (2 oz)

Place bread crumbs in a shallow bowl and coat chicken. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat; add chicken and cook for 10-12 minutes or until tender and no longer pink, turning once. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.
In same skillet, heat remaining oil; add vegetables, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook 3 minutes. Add tomato, water, and lemon or lime juice. Cover and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat.
To serve, divide rice among four dinner plates. Spoon vegetable mixture over; place chicken on top of vegetables. Sprinkle feta cheese over chicken.
Makes 4 servings.

Squash...it's what's for dinner.

Taking a picture one handed with a sad baby in the other arm resulted in this. Not the best looking thing, but I promise it really tasted good. Even my fairly picky 6 1/2 year old said so. We were a bit overzealous in our gardening this year, so we have scads of squash sitting on the front porch waiting to be turned into something delicious. This one is a keeper.

Acorn Squash stuffed with Apples

2 small acorn squash, cut in half and seeds removed

1 large Granny Smith apple, finely chopped

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 t. orange zest

1/2 t. each cinnamon and nutmeg

1/2 cup butter, melted and divided

1/4 cup brown sugar

Place the four halves cut side up into a microwaveable dish (I used a pyrex pie pan). Put a tablespoon or two of water in the bottom and cover with saran wrap. Poke a hole to vent it and cook for 10 minutes on high. Meanwhile, chop up the apple, stir in the raisins, spices, orange zest and half the butter. Mix the remaining butter with the brown sugar. Carefully remove the squash from the microwave when done and drain off the excess water. Brush the inside surfaces with the butter and sugar mixture and pour the remainder equally between the four cups so that it pools in the bottom. Divide the apple/raisin mixture equally between the four. Sprinkle a little bit more brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon on top of each and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until the apples are soft.