Stuffed Chicken

I cannot believe I haven’t posted about this recipe before. That’s just nuts!!! I’ve made it thrice now. My apprehension has a good foothold: Every time I make this recipe, I’m worried it won’t turn out well or I’ll mess something up. Also, there’s a lot of hands on time. And I get really excited when I make it.

This recipe is incredibly versatile, which means I narrowed down the options to share with you. To just one! Aren’t you proud?? It goes like this:

Single Serving Stuffed Chicken
Inspired by Cooking Light, June 2010

1 T olive oil
1 chicken breast
4 kalamata olives, roughly diced
1/4 c spinach, chopped
1 T feta
1/2 oz mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-high. Combine filling: olives, spinach, and cheeses.

Slice a one-inch slit into the side of the breast, move the knife around so you don’t puncture any other side but so that you give yourself room for the fillings. Fill. Place onto heated pan. Saute for 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and put into the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until a slice into the thickest part reveals a thoroughly cooked chicken with no pink or translucency. Let stand for 3 minutes.

Enjoy. The melted cheese! The melded flavors. Oh. Man. I’m so happy for you that you might get to eat this. And, for that matter, I’m really happy for me, too.

Ehh. I couldn’t do it! Most of you probably want more than one serving, more than one option. Right? Here’s another, closer to the original and four servings.

Stuffed Chicken with Hummus, Feta, Tomato, and Olives
Inspired by Cooking Light, June 2010

4 chicken breasts (about 2 lbs., maybe a bit less)
1/4 c hummus
1/4 c feta
3 T diced tomato
2 T chopped kalamata olives
1 T olive oil

Follow same instructions. Enjoy.

Picture of the Week

Oh, look!! A picture for this week::

Sometimes food can sound like it has a negative self-image: steamed, poached, beaten, whipped, creamed, pulsed. But most of the time the words are actually delicious in a food context. I present: Steamed and poached. Both make for an excellent dinner. I loved this meal. I cooked it for just me, which is a miracle in and of itself. You see, usually when it’s just me for dinner, dinner looks like “Hm, cereal. No, tortilla chips. And hummus. Or just chocolate chips. No. Cereal. Okay. Now tortilla chips. And a carrot.” So snacky. This was a meal. And one I could be proud of.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Feta

I meant to make muffins. I’d never tried savory muffins, so I thought, “Oh, boy, adventure.” Also, I’m not sure that I’ve ever had butternut squash, and I most certainly have never personally cooked with it. Sadly (deliciously), these butternut squashes did not make it to muffin form.

You see, the first step of this muffin-making process was to roast the chopped butternut squash. (For those astute readers, yes, I had to chop the butternut squash then season them first. Before roasting them. But first step in the general sense…. Does that count?)

Okay. So several steps into process, the original recipe requires you to roast butternut squash. When I took them out of the oven, they sizzled and smelled. Oh, how they smelled! So wonderful. So butternut squashy. I cut out the muffin part, served it as a side dish, and I am VERY happy to bring you the results.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Feta
Inspired by 101 Cookbooks

2 medium sized butternut squash, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
Pepper and salt, to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 c feta
2 t ground mustard
1 1/2 t parsley

Preheat oven to 405 degrees F. Chop butternut squash into cubes, place onto cookie sheet. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over squash cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

After 15- 20 minutes of roasting, remove from oven and place onto serving dish. Think to yourself, “Hm, I probably should’ve cut those smaller.”

Top with feta, parsley, and ground mustard.

Enjoy!!! Then, think to yourself, “Hm… I should’ve saved some for others to try instead of eating it all myself.”

Update:: I’ve got it. The perfect solution. You can just tell your loved ones that you wanted to practice this recipe before you forced them to try it. Then, you make a fresh batch just for them and try not to eat all of that. Eh?!! Eh?