The Gift

January 3rd and still being successful!

With schedules not coinciding as usual (compounded by illnesses going around), we didn't get to see some friends until New Year's Eve when they brought us the most wonderful gifts ... a bottle of garlic/portabella infused olive oil and a bottle of balsamic pear vinegar.  Now often I will be very excited to be on the receiving end of such things, but I don't always have a clue of what I should do with them.

Tonight I found out!

One recipe came from yesterday's Food & Wine section of the Seattle Times.  One came from watching an old episode of 5 Ingredient Fix and one was something I actually threw together (to use up produce on hand before tonight's box arrives on my doorstep!)  Each would have been perfectly serviceable on its own but with "the gift" was kicked up many, many notches!

Recipe #1:  Pecan-Stuffed Chicken Breasts  (courtesy of the Seattle Times)  This was incredibly easy and best of all, requires only 5 ingredients - all of which I happened to have on hand.  Actually come to think of it, I usually have all of these ingredients on hand pretty much all of the time.  I really LOVE recipes that do not require me to drop everything and run to the store.  This recipe got extra points because it calls for Boursin cheese - those little round 3-packs that Costco puts on sale frequently at the holidays.  I don't know why I buy them...it always seems like something to put out when entertaining, which we do fairly often (entertain that is...not so much with putting out the cheese.  Turns out none of us or our family/friends are big on the goat cheese on crackers type appetizer.)  Finally something I could do with one (Gerry will be so happy - not only is dinner ready but I used something he typically throws in the trash come February.)  Rather than just plain ol' olive oil this time I used "the gift" - AMAZING!

Recipe #2:  Minted Squash Orzo (courtesy of FoodNetwork.com)  This recipe is a bit tricky to find on their website.  I searched for Claire Robinson (I don't think she has a current show on their network - 5 Ingredient Fix is an oldie but goodie) and then searched her recipes for "Orzo" to find this one.  I used up a bit of whole wheat orzo, a half a zucchini (rather than the yellow squash) and a small amount of feta I found in the fridge (didn't have any mint leaves on hand - not a big lover of mint leaves in my food - so I guess mine is just a 4 Ingredient Fix).  I used some of "the gift" olive oil here.  YUM!

Recipe #3:  No Name or "Not-Really-A-Recipe-Just-Something-I-Threw-in-the-Pan-tonight-rather-than-the-food-waste-bin-tomorrow"  Because of the holiday my Full Circle Farm produce delivery will come tomorrow morning so tonight it was time to use it or lose it from the vegetable bin.  I found two bunches of chard (one Swiss, one Rainbow) so I heated up some more of "the gift" and threw that in.  I also had some "wrinkled" cherry tomatoes and put those in as well with a small amount of water and put a lid on it.  Once everything else was done and the tomatoes had "popped" I dished everyone up and told them to try a drizzle of the other "gift" (the balsamic pear vinegar).  Oh my!  Now around here we love chard (or basically any dark leafy green - they seem pretty interchangeable / indistinguishable to me).  I know some people find them bitter but I've never thought so.  We love it "plain" (okay start with some bacon, then sauteed the chard in the drippings, add a little liquid and allow to braise, then add back the bacon at the end - hey, that's a type of plain) but adding the tomatoes and their sweetness took the dish in an entirely different direction (and I didn't even miss the bacon!) and then the drizzle of vinegar put it way over the top!

~successfully yours, tw

[PS - Yesterday's success involved reaquainting myself with the Wii.  Wii was a bit snarky "Oh TW - nice of you to show up after missing 37 days" however Wii was pleased as punch - and probably a bit surprised - to see me again today, so clearly all is forgiven.]