Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Grilled Corn and White Cheddar, Basted with Apple Cherry Barbecue Sauce

I made a batch of barbecue sauce today, to use the sour cherries in my freezer. I added in a couple of apples that were in the fruit bowl and the last juice box of apple juice. Being my first batch of homemade barbecue sauce, I was very happy with the way it turned out...sweet, spicy, rich and dark from the molasses with a zing from the apple cider vinegar. I filled nine jars for the pantry, and had a small amount left.

Of course, I had to use some for our dinner tonight. I had chicken breasts, what is more perfect than fruity, spicy barbecue sauce and chicken? Taking the last few kernels of grilled corn from last night, and some grated white cheddar and stuffing the chicken, that's what!

Grilled, basted with the sauce and served with a salad, dinner was done!

In a small bowl, combine:

1/2 cup grilled corn kernels
1/2 cup grated white cheddar

Using a small sharp knife, carefully cut a pocket into each breast. Make the pocket as large as you can without cutting through the chicken on either side.

I used 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Using your fingers, push half of the corn and cheese into each pocket.

Use a couple of toothpicks to secure the opening and keep the filling inside.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook on a hot, oiled grill.

When the both sides have been grill marked, brush with barbecue sauce, and continue to turn and baste often, until the chicken is fully cooked.

I used 1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.







I served the chicken with a romaine, orange, dried cherry and pumpkin seed salad. The outside of the chicken was crispy, sweet and spicy from the barbecue sauce and the inside was moist, with the melted cheese and kernels of corn spilling out. Yum!

• We had grilled corn on the cob last night, and there were some kernels left on the one cob at the end of the meal. I cut the kernels off, and put them in the fridge. They were perfect for tonight's meal.
• If you have no grilled corn, use frozen corn.
• Other vegetables such as sundried tomatoes, fresh or roasted red peppers, cooked or caramelized onions, leeks or shallots can be used instead of corn.
• I used white cheddar because it melts nicely, and has a mild enough flavour that the barbecue sauce would not be competing with it. Use your favourite cheese...Swiss, cheddar, havarti, gouda to name a few good choices.
• When closing the opening with the toothpicks, try and push them all the way into the chicken. Any bit of toothpick left exposed will burn on the grill, and your filling could end up falling out.
• Use your favourite barbecue sauce for this recipe. I found the fruitiness of this one was perfect with chicken.

Paneer and Red Pepper Kebabs with Turmeric and Green Pea Rice

The plan for dinner was to make tandoori chicken thighs and rice, and then I saw the piece of paneer in the freezer. Jeet Gandhi's book "Indian Flavor" has a recipe for paneer and red peppers that are marinated in yoghurt and spices, and then grilled. I decided to try it.

What a wonderful recipe; the only change I made was to omit the fresh ginger as I had none. To be honest, it wasn't really missed as the marinade is so full of flavour. So the half orange pepper in the fridge and the piece of paneer in the freezer were used up!

There were a couple of tablespoons of lightly cooked diced onion in the fridge (a long story), so I used them in the rice, before adding turmeric, mostly for the bright yellow colour, but also for its distinct taste. Adding in some frozen peas brought even more colour to the plate.

The peppers retain some crunchiness, but have that roasted red pepper taste. The paneer stayed firm, retaining its shape, but the inside was soft and gooey. The spices added a kick of heat, which was offset by the rice and chutney I served with the meal.


To make the marinade for the kebabs, combine:


2 tablespoons plain Greek yoghurt
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

Cut the paneer into 1" - 1 1/2" cubes. you will need:

5 ounces paneer

Cut the peppers into similar sized pieces. I used:

1/2 orange pepper
1 red pepper

Add the paneer and peppers to the marinade and mix, making sure all surfaces are coated.

Set aside while you cook the rice.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a saucepan, and cook until soft and starting to brown slightly:

2 tablespoons minced onion

Stir in and cook for a minute:

1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Add:

1 cup basmati rice, washed
1 1/2 cups water

Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and cover.




Leave to cook until all of the water has been absorbed and the grains of rice are tender and fluffy.

Add:

3/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted

Cover and leave off the heat to allow the peas to steam. The rice will stay hot while you grill the kebabs.

Assemble the kebabs by alternating paneer and pepper on bamboo skewers. I used 4 pieces of paneer per skewer, but you can \use as many as you choose to.

Cook the kebabs on a hot, lightly oiled grill until the peppers are lightly charred, and the paneer is soft, turning often.






Serve the kebabs on a bed of the turmeric and green pea rice. I added some tandoori chicken thighs to the plate. Pass a fruit chutney at the table; the sweet, tangy slightly spicy flavour will complement all parts of the meal.

• As I have discovered, paneer freezes very well. Allow it to defrost before cutting it into chunks, or why not cut a fresh piece into chunks and freeze the extras, omitting one step the next time you make this.
• The yoghurt marinade coats the paneer and peppers and contributes to the flavour and texture during grilling.
• Add other vegetables to the skewers...onion, eggplant or zucchini.
• Turmeric is often used as a cheaper substitute for saffron when making things like rice, as the colour is similar. However, the flavour is very different, so keep that in mind. 
• If rice is kept tightly covered after it is cooked, it will stay hot for a while. This is a perfect time to add the green peas, as they will steam and heat through without overcooking.

Brie and Blueberry Tart with Pecan Crumble

As a follow up to the previous post for Maple and White Wine Butter Basted Chicken Breasts this post will explore the tart that I served with the chicken. The tart was made pretty much from leftovers, which is my kind of recipe! It always feels good to empty out little containers of bits and pieces, and come up with something yummy. In fact, my husband is still talking about how good the tart was.

I had a small piece of Roast Garlic Shortbread Quiche Crust in the freezer from another tart I had made in a smaller tart shell. This became the base for my tart.

A little bit of blueberry jam left from the Buttermilk Thumbprint Scones with Blueberry Jam as well as some caramelized onion from a pizza meal joined the fresh piece of Brie to top the crust.

The container of pecan crumble in the freezer, extra from a batch of Raspberry Rhubarb Muffins became a sweet, crunchy and crumbly topping for the whole tart.

All in all, I used up four ingredients that were either going to stay in the freezer, or end up in the garbage, and that in itself is a good feeling. The fact that they all worked so well together brings it to a whole new level. Never discount leftover bits and pieces!

Start off by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper, and heating the oven to 400F.

Roll the roasted garlic pastry out to a thickness of approximately 1/4". Cut an 8" circle and place onto the prepared baking sheet.

Cut the trimmings into strips about 1/2 " wide. Wet the edges of the circle and place the strips around the edge, pressing down with a fork to decorate and stick the border on.

Prick the bottom of the tart shell with a fork, and bake at 400F for 10 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 350F and bake for another 5 - 7 minutes, until the pastry is set and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Spread the bottom of the cooled crust with:

2 tablespoons blueberry jam (see the post

Buttermilk Thumbprint Scones with Blueberry Jam for the recipe)

Spread a layer of caramelized onion over the top of the jam. I used the equivalent of:

1 small onion, caramelized with olive oil

Place a layer of sliced brie over the onions.

Make the pecan crumble by combining the following until you have moist clumps:

1 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup roughly chopped pecans
3 ounces melted butter

This recipe will make too much, but freezes well. I was using the last of a batch that I had made for

Raspberry Rhubarb Muffins. The extra had been stored in my freezer.

Sprinkle the pecan crumble over the brie.

Bake at 350F until the brie has melted, the jam is bubbling and the crumble is crisp and golden, about 20 - 25 minutes.

Allow the tart to rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving. I served it with a mixed green salad and Maple and White Wine Butter Basted Chicken Breasts.

• Any pastry can be used for the crust, homemade or purchased. Try the nut crust from the post
  Fig, Brie and Prosciutto Crostata with a Pecan Crust. Purchased puff pastry can be used, as can a plain purchased pie crust.
  
  

  Purchased or homemade jam can be used, most fruits work well with brie, onions and pecan. Some suggestions include peach, apricot, berry or fig. Chutney can be used instead of jam. This will add tanginess and spiciness, as well as sweetness.

  Brie is a nice cheese to use for something like this, as it is creamy, melts while still maintaining its shape and has a mild flavour. Other cheeses such as Cambozola, goat cheese or bocconcini can also be used.

  If you have no crumble, and are short on time, sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the cheese and bake. 

  This tart can be served for lunch; it can also be served at room temperature so is great for a picnic or work lunch.

Maple and White Wine Butter Basted Chicken Breasts

This was a perfect Almost Wasted meal. I used the leftover maple butter from the Cheesy Cornbread Waffles, along with a partial glass of white wine to baste the chicken breasts while they cooked, resulting in tender, juicy and very flavourful meat.

I used a small piece of  Roast Garlic Shortbread Quiche Crust from the freezer, the extra blueberry jam from the Buttermilk Thumbprint Scones with Blueberry Jam , some pecan crumble from the freezer and added in a caramelized onion and brie to make a very tasty tart to accompany the chicken. I will share this in my next post.

In a small pot, melt:

2 tablespoons black pepper maple butter

Add:

1/2 cup white wine

Set aside.

Season with salt and ground black pepper:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Sear both sides of the chicken in a hot pan, using olive oil to prevent sticking.

Turn the heat down to medium, and add:

2 - 3 sprigs of fresh thyme

Baste the chicken with the maple butter and white wine.




Continue to cook, turning and basting often, until the  butter and wine are finished and the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the pan and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.


To serve, slice the chicken, and plate. I served it with a blueberry, brie and onion tart on a roasted garlic crust, and mixed green salad.

• I used leftover pepper- maple butter, but plain butter can be used with the white wine if that is all you have. Add in some maple syrup and ground black pepper when you melt the butter. Use 2 tablespoons of maple syrup for each tablespoon of butter.
• Next time you make a flavoured butter, make extra and freeze in tablespoon portions. These are perfect for a recipe like this. Defrost as many as you need, and having them pre-portioned helps a lot.
• The white wine I used was an unoaked chardonnay.
• The chicken can be grilled and basted during grilling instead of cooked in a pan.
• Try other herbs instead of thyme....rosemary, tarragon or sage.

Cheesy Cornbread Waffles

A new take on chicken and waffles, somewhat healthier than the traditional fried chicken and gravy version. Two things inspired the meal...the last of the buttermilk and some leftover grilled corn. Add in some grated smoked cheddar, some cornmeal and you have a cheesy cornbread waffle!

Deciding what to serve with the waffles was the next decision to make. I wanted to grill the chicken, so marinated it in maple syrup, garlic and grainy mustard. Gravy is not really something I would serve with grilled chicken, so I used the last two tablespoons of butter; whipping it with black pepper and some more maple syrup.

The meal was rounded out with a salad of roasted red and yellow peppers, arugula and basil from my herb garden, olive oil and balsamic vinegar,

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar

In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients:

1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup olive oil
2 egg yolks (reserve the whites)

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until combined.

Whip the reserved egg whites to firm peaks.

Scrape the whipped egg whites to the batter, and gently fold them in.

Fold in:

3/4 cup corn kernels
3/4 cup grated smoked cheddar

Cook the batter in a hot waffle iron.

Keep the waffles warm in a low oven, until you have cooked all the batter.






While the waffles are cooking, make the peppered maple butter.

Whisk together:

2 tablespoons soft butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper






Serve the hot waffles with a dollop of the whipped butter on top. As the heat from the waffles melts the butter, all of the peppery maple flavour soaks into the waffle. I served the waffles with grilled maple mustard chicken, and a roasted red pepper and arugula salad.

• This recipe made 5 waffles in our waffle iron; they are quite large and I have frozen the remaining ones to use another time. They reheat really well if you put them back into the hot waffle iron, or into a 300F oven.
• The waffles can be served with chili, pulled pork, as a breakfast sandwhich topped with avocado, bacon and poached egg.
• I grilled corn for dinner the night before, and cut the kernels off the uneaten cob for another use...this! If you don't have fresh corn on the cob, or grilled corn on the cob, use frozen corn.
• Mix up the cheese by trying pepper Jack, white cheddar, gouda or Swiss cheese.
• Add chopped fresh herbs such as chives, parsley or thyme to the batter.
• To spice the waffles up add minced fresh jalapeno, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce or chili flakes.
• The butter was the sauce. As it melted on top of the hot waffles it soaked into them, and each bite was full of maple syrup and black pepper. Drizzle maple syrup over the waffles if you prefer.
• Any extra butter can be frozen, or kept refrigerated for a few days.
• For the pepper salad I thinly sliced a red and yellow roasted pepper, and tossed them with baby arugula leaves, and chopped fresh basil. Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper were added to taste. There was about 1/4 cup of the salad left and I used it on sandwhiches for lunch. We enjoyed it and I might make more with this purpose in mind.
• The chicken thighs were marinated in maple syrup, grainy mustard, fresh garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. The marinade was used to baste them as they grilled, leaving them moist and juicy, sticky and sweet.

Buttermilk Thumbprint Scones with Blueberry Jam

Guests for breakfast, scones on the menu, but instead of using the blueberries and buttermilk in the fridge to make blueberry scones by adding the berries into the dough, I chose to make a quick jam with them. Inspired by thumbprint cookies, I baked the scones with the blueberry jam in the centre of the dough.

I used some of the open buttermilk to make the scones, and added the zest of half a lemon to the dough, using the juice in the jam.

Warm, fluffy scones with fresh blueberry jam...what a wonderful way to start the day!

To make the jam, place the following in a large, heavy bottomed pan:

2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla




Cook over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the berries start to burst. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until you have a thick jam like consistency.

Scrape the jam out of the pan and onto a plate to cool. It can be placed in the freezer to cool faster.







Turn the oven on to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside until needed.

To make the scones, measure the dry ingredients into a large bowl:

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Add:

1/2 cup soft butter

Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Add:

the zest of half a lemon

Add the wet ingredients:

3/4 cup buttermilk

Use a fork to stir the buttermilk into the dry ingredients.

When you have a soft dough, turn it out onto a floured counter and gently knead it a few times.

Press the dough into a square that is 1/2" thick.

Cut into 9 pieces.

Place the scones onto the prepared tray, and use your thumb to make an indent in the centre of each scone.

Fill the indent with the cooled blueberry jam, about a tablespoon per scone.

Bake until the scones have puffed up, are lightly golden on the bottom and around the edges, and the blueberry jam is bubbling, about 18 - 20 minutes.






Serve the scones warm, passing any extra jam at the table. You can also serve clotted or whipped cream with the scones.

• These scones can be made using your favourite scone recipe.
• Purchased jam can be used instead of making the blueberry jam.
• Other berries or fruit can be used to make the jam...blackberries, strawberries, peaches, apricots, plums.
• The jam needs to be cool before being put into the thumbprint. I placed mine in the freezer to cool quickly, while I made the dough. It can be made a day or two ahead if you wish.
• Another option is to use a round cookie cutter to cut the scones into circles.