Baked Chicken

Tonight we were going to grill.  Well, constant rain 

changed our plan!  

With all the fresh tomatoes and peppers from 

the garden, I decided

to make a chicken bake with them.  

It was really good and very

"comforting" on this cold rainy evening.

Submitted by Lisa
Source: Lisa

6 Chicken Breasts with skin and bone
3 tomatoes (or canned chopped tomatoes)
1 pepper
1 onion
5 cloves garlic
2 tsp thyme
salt/pepper to taste


* In a large baking pan, place the chicken breasts, and top with chopped, seeded tomatoes, chopped peppers, and rough chopped onion and garlic.
* Drizzle a little olive oil over the chicken breasts
* salt and pepper the whole pan
* Sprinkle the Thyme onto the chicken breasts

*cover with foil and place in a 425 degree oven for about 1hr and 15 min.  Take the foil off, remove the vegie mixture with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl, set aside.
* Remove the liquid and place in small pot, turned onto medium.
*Return the chicken to the oven with no foil and let it brown up.

*If desired, take an immersion blender and lightly blend the vegies. (my kids won't eat them in chunks)

* With the juices, make a gravy.  (take about 1 cup cold water and 2 heaping teaspoons of flour,  whisk that together, then whisk into the juices.  Cook and stir until thickened, remove from heat)

*When the chicken is browned, spread the vegie mixture onto a platter and place the chicken on top.

Serve with either mashed or baked potatoes.

Homemade Spaghetti sauce

Submitted by Lisa

( I used this on top of a spaghetti squash!  It was delicious )

My sauce:

about 10 tomatoes seeded and peeled.
1 green pepper diced
4 leeks sliced and washed (you can use onion, maybe 1 large one)
5 garlic cloves
2 tbsp beef bullion paste
1 tbsp chicken bullion paste
salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp parsley

Directions:

• Cook the tomatoes in a pot until they fall apart.  
• Mean while, slice and wash the leeks and saute in a pan with olive oil until soft.  Add to the tomatoes.
• Saute the finely chopped pepper in the olive oil.  When softened, add the chopped garlic and saute for a minute or so until fragrant.  Add both to the tomatoes.
• Continue cooking the tomatoes down, on low to medium.  I used a potato masher to smash them up more once they were really soft.
• Cook it for about 45 minutes or so, stirring often, to reduce the liquid and intensify the flavors.  
• Depending on the acidity of your tomatoes, you may need to adjust the lemon juice.  Add the spices and, cook for another 10 minutes and enjoy!