Every year I look forward to the opening of area “you-pick” blueberry spots. While these favorite berries are yummy when purchased at grocery stores, farmers markets, and produce stands, there is no flavor like the one that bursts in your mouth when popping in a just-picked ripe blueberry.
Many picked berries are placed in bags and frozen, but annually I also reserve a cup for making a favorite dish: Blueberry Chicken. An elderly couple I once had the privilege of residing near invited me over to treat me to this unusual but delectable dish. Savory and sweet flavors combine to create a distinct culinary entrée that also includes summer in-season tomatoes.
BLUEBERRY CHICKEN
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbs. butter
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 2 shallots, or one medium onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup fresh tomatoes – or, ½ cup of sundried tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ cup half and half, whipping cream, or almond milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat butter and oil together in a frying pan. Place into it the chicken breasts and salt and pepper them. Cook in skillet until brown on both sides. Remove from frying pan. Leave butter and oil in pan. Add shallots, or onions, cooking until lightly brown. Add tomatoes and cook until slightly soft. Add vinegar and stir. Add broth, and stir. Add blueberries and cook until slightly soft. Add cream. Place chicken back into the pan, flipping over a few times so the sauce penetrates the chicken. Cover for 5 minutes on low. Serve the chicken in a bowl (on a bed of rice as a suggestion) and pour the sauce over it. Soak it up with some crusty bread. Yum!
Key lime pie is a summertime favorite
I serve this often and it became a signature dessert when entertaining out-of-town guests. Given our recent heatwave, a cool, creamy no-bake dessert is the perfect ending to a meal. Key limes are small, round, and yellow – not green. The key lime tree grows in South Florida, but fortunately you can find the bottled juice in one of our local grocery stores. Key lime juice is tart with a bit of sweetness. This no-bake pie has only four ingredients, takes only minutes to prepare, and can be made hours ahead of when you plan to serve it.
NO-BAKE KEY LIME PIE
Ingredients:
- inch prepared graham cracker crust
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup bottled key lime juice
- 8 oz. container prepared
Directions:
With an electric mixer, beat the lime juice and sweetened condensed milk together until well combined. Gently fold the whipped topping into the key lime mixture. Blend completely. Fill the prepared pie crust, smoothing the top. Cover the pie and chill at least four hours before serving.
This recipe was submitted by the Peelings are frequent vendors at the Franklin Farmers Market, with Tom offering up his homegrown produce and Becky selling fresh-baked goodies and homemade jams and jellies.