Hall of Fame. No question about it. So simply yet so satisfying. I think it was the fresh garden tomatoes and fresh basil. And cheese. Cheese makes everything wonderful.
grilled caprese chicken (slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch slices (I used shredded mozzarella)
4-6 small chicken breasts
4 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
for serving: baguette
In a small bowl, combine the basil, vinegar, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir in the oil until it is thoroughly incorporated. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette to a bowl and toss in shredded mozzarella, coating the cheese. Set aside. Reserve the remaining vinaigrette for the cooked chicken.
Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken and tomatoes until the chicken is browned and cooked through and the tomatoes are lightly charred. Transfer the cooked chicken to a platter. Top with the tomato slices and cheese. Tent the chicken with foil. Let the chicken reset for 10 minutes.
Serve with a baguette. The leftover vinaigrette is great on top of the chicken or to dip the bread in.
My husband grew some beautiful tomatoes so I've been trying to incorporate a lot of fresh tomatoes into our meals. I adapted this recipe to do so and it's delicious! Even the kids didn't mind eating all these brilliant vegetables with their keilbasa sausage on the side, of course.
easy ratatouille (adapted from i heart nap time)
4 fresh tomatoes, diced into medium chunks
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 summer squash, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
dried thyme
parmesan cheese for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the tomatoes over the bottom of a 9x9 dish. Stir in the onions, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Layer the zucchini and yellow squash. Fill the red pepper in the gaps. Drizzle the olive oil on top. Sprinkle thyme and remaining salt and pepper over top.
Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Top with parmesan cheese if desired.
