Chicken Stuffed with Sundried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

I created this for Christopher who adores sun dried tomatoes... and goat cheese!

4 breasts halved and pounded thin
1 container of crumbled goat cheese
1 jar of diced sun dried tomatoes
4 tbs olive oil
2 tbs oil from sun dried tomatoes
1/8 cup (or more) of Italian Seasonings
Salt, Pepper and Garlic powder to taste

Pour some of the Italian seasonings on to a cutting board. Place chicken on the seasonings so that one side is well coated. On the other side add some of the cheese and a few pieces of the sun dried tomatoes. Gently roll chicken so that the herbs are on the outside. Using a toothpick secure one side of the chicken to the other.

Place chicken into a large saute pan filled with the oils. When the oils have heated sufficiently add the chicken and sprinkle with some garlic powder and some sea salt. Cook till browned, a minute or two and repeat until all sides are browned.

Place the browned chicken into a large, flat baking dish. Repeat above steps until the chicken is all well packed together.

Preheat oven to 350 and when ready place chicken inside for 20 minutes.

This recipe goes well with Garlic Green beans, or a salad or asparagus or peas.

A Perfectly Roasted Chicken

I love nothing more than the smell of roasting chicken... (Ok, I love it the same as I like the smell of baking pies and cookies!) Roasting a chicken is really very easy, and requires only a few simple ingredients and some time.

I like to buy organic chickens. And if possible those with the little pop-up indicator thingies. I do use and rely on a good meat thermometer as well.

For your perfectly roasted chicken you will need:

1/4 Cup of Herbes de Provence, Italian Seasoning or Williams-Sonoma Turkey Seasoning
1 tbs of salt
2 lemons, thinly sliced

Preheat your oven to 375 (if using a conventional oven)
If using a convection oven your oven may convert the temperature automatically, otherwise you will need to see what the recommended temperature is for your convection oven.

Directions:

*Take your chicken and remove everything from the cavity.
*Rinse thoroughly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
*Using your hands gently, slowly separate the skin from the meat on the breast as well as the legs. Your bird will be much more flavorful if you season the meat underneath the skin.
*Take some of the herbs and rub them against the meat, under the skin. Be generous!
*Repeat on the drumstick and thigh.
*Take the lemon wedges and carefully place them between the skin and the meat, where you had placed your herbs. You should have roughly 1 sliced lemon left over

If your chicken seems to have fallen apart slightly from separating the skin from the meat, simply tie the legs together using kitchen string/rope.

*If you have a roasting pan, place the roasting rack inside the pan, and place the extra lemon wedges on top of the rack.

*Place the chicken, breast side up, on top of the lemon slices.

The leftover meat, bones and drippings will make The Best Chicken Broth Ever. Do NOT discard. (Recipe to follow)

We served the chicken with wide, buttered egg noodles and

Garlic Sesame Asparagus

1 to 2 bunches of asparagus, ends trimmed
Garlic powder
Sea salt
1 tbs sesame oil
1 tbs olive oil

*In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
*Immerse asparagus in water and cook until vibrant green, 3 to 5 minutes.
*You want the asparagus to still be crunchy. Remove asparagus from the water.
*Remove water from the pan and pat dry with paper towel.
*Pour in the oils, and bring to high heat.
*Add the asparagus -- it should sizzle as it hits the hot oil. Turn heat to low and sprinkle desired amount of garlic powder and salt.
*Turn heat off. The asparagus will continue to cook. Turn and toss to make sure that asparagus is well coated. Keep in pan until ready to serve, but not more than 5 minutes.