Baked Chicken with Savory

I had to look online to see what savory is served with, as it is not an herb I encounter normally.  Many recommend that thyme and rosemary can be used as substitutions for savory in recipes and that seems logical.  I used it in a pretty neutral use here and it came out well.  Notice that it is pictured with oven-roasted mini Yukon Gold potatoes and collard greens. (A note about the breading: I used my chopper to crush the crackers and chop the savory for this recipe.  It gives a nice uniform crumb. The chopper I like can be found here: KitchenAid KFC3100OB Chef Series 3- Cup Food Chopper, Onyx Black)

Serves 3-4

2.5-3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (3-4 breasts)
3 tablespoons fresh savory
1/2 sleeve saltines
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Nonstick cooking spray

1. Pulse savory and saltines in a food chopper or food processor until all is chopped.  Add salt and pepper.  Pulse in short bursts until finely chopped and mixed.  Pour into bowl or onto plate.
2. In small bowl, beat egg with garlic salt until combined.
3. Coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.  Dip chicken breasts in egg mixture, then cracker mixture and place on baking sheet.
4. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Mint Sweet Tea

My grandmother used to always add sugar to her iced tea and I never really liked it that way.  My other grandmother made unsweetened mint tea, which I really did love.  It wasn't until I was an adult that I thought to combine the two.  I have made many different kinds of sweet tea, but mint is by far my favorite.  It's so refreshing on a hot summer night. (A note on heatproof pitchers: I have a fiestaware pitcher that I love to use for this recipe.  It looks nice, fits well in the refrigerator, and keeps the tea really cold.  The one I have, in the cobalt that matches my dishes, can be found here Fiesta 67-1/4-Ounce Large Disk Pitcher, Cobalt)

Serves 10 (8 oz servings)

6 cups water
1/2 cup mint leaves, still on stems
2 large or 5 smaller black tea bags
1 cup sugar
2 cups water

1.Place tea bags and mint leaves in a heat-proof pitcher.
2. Heat the 6 cups water until nearly boiling.  Pour hot water over tea and mint.  Set aside and allow to brew for 10-15 minutes or until very dark.
3. Using a slotted spoon, remove tea bags and mint.  Stir sugar into tea--it should still be hot enough to dissolve sugar quickly--before adding the remaining 4 cups water.
4. Refrigerate sweet tea until ready to drink.  Serve over ice.

Linguini with Broccoli and Garlic

 It was really hot here Saturday and I ended up being out in the heat pretty much all day.  After getting back late, I was in the market for a dinner that was fast and didn't require the oven to be on.  Bingo.

Serves 4-6


16 oz box linguini
1 head broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried chopped basil
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste

1. Bring heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring 4-6 quarts of water to a boil.  Salt liberally.  Once water is at a full rolling boil, add pasta.  About 4 minutes before the pasta is done, add broccoli to boiling water.  Cook pasta and broccoli until done. Drain well and set aside.
2. In same saucepan, heat butter until melted.  Stir in minced garlic.  Cook and stir, over low heat, until fragrant and garlic is cooked.
3. In large serving bowl, toss drained pasta and broccoli with garlic and butter.  Add basil and Parmesan cheese.  Toss again until all is evenly distributed.

Week 4 Box

We are starting to get what our CSA refers to as "3D" vegetables.  Not leaves, seems to be the idea.  Either way, it is always nice to get something different.  Though, I can't lie, I do miss the spinach when it is gone.

• Broccoli
• Cabbage (green)
• Collard greens
• Garlic
• Savory

Penne with Creamy Tomato Sauce

I am one of those people that is very food-suggestible.  Most food commercials are probably made for people like me because the second I see something like macaroni and cheese, all I can think about for dinner options until I break down and make it is "man, macaroni and cheese sounds really good."  I happened to catch a show on the Cooking Channel last night that showed someone making penne in a tomato sauce.  Tonight, I made this for dinner.  It was everything I hoped it would be.

Serves: 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 spring onion, chopped (or about 2 tablespoons regular onion)
1 cup chopped spinach
3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 14oz cans petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon red wine
2 cups penne
4 oz cream cheese (I use the 1/3 less fat kind)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1. In heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion. Saute until tender, 1-2 minutes.  Stir in spinach and oregano until wilted.  Pour tomatoes over sauteed mixture and stir well.  Stir in bay leaf, sugar, and wine.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour or until tomatoes start to break down and any liquids are absorbed.
2. Once sauce has been simmering for 30 minutes, begin preparing pasta.  Prepare according to package directions and drain well.  Set aside.
3. Turn heat off below tomato sauce.  Stir cream cheese and Parmesan cheese into tomato sauce, mixing until smooth and melted.  Add penne to creamy tomato sauce and toss until evenly coated.

Tortellini with Sage and Brown Butter

During CSA season last year, I heard a lot about the virtues of the sage/brown butter sauce.  In the interest of full-disclosure, I'll mention that I did try to make it last year and ended up burning the sage.  Needless to say, brown butter cannot be used to brown bacon.  Try number two tasted a lot less like burned leaves.

Serves 2-4
Small bag dried cheese tortellini
1 cup snap peas, cut in half
1/8 cup finely chopped sage
2 garlic scapes, finely sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions.  In last 3 minutes of cooking, add snap peas and cook all until done.  Drain and set aside.
2. In heavy saucepan over low heat, melt butter.  Cook butter until it turns frothy and butter begins to brown, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic scapes and sage.  Cook and stir until garlic is cooked and sage is crispy.  Remove from heat.
3. Squeeze lemon half over pan to release 1-2 tablespoons of juice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Stir well.  Add cooked tortellini and snap peas to brown butter sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese for serving.

Week 3 Box

The amounts in this week's box were of a more-manageable size, which I appreciate. It has been extremely hot and humid here, so I would think the summer vegetables are growing early and the late-spring ones are probably dying early.  It also means that this week's box contained a lot of herbs.  Using those will be a special challenge.

• Spinach (smaller quantity)
• Snap peas
• Lettuce
• Collard greens
• Sage
• Dill
• Thyme
• Oregano