Portobello Chicken and Chives

Visiting the farmers’ markets is one of my favorite ways to get the very best local produce around, plus that opportunity to visit with the producer about their operation and family farm is a great learning experience.

I shopped at the Columbia Farmers’ Market last weekend and picked-up a few items to make a great meal the other night. This Portobello Chicken and Chives recipe is perfect for a Saturday night in with my husband. Fresh garlic, mushrooms and chives from my herb garden made this bursting with flavor.

This recipe comes from the Kansas City Farmers’ Market cookbook, “In-Season, Cooking Fresh from the Kansas City Farmers’ Market.” This is a great cookbook and makes a great addition to your cookbook collection.


Portobello Chicken and Chives
From the In-Season, Cooking Fresh From the Kansas City Farmers’ Market

4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. cracked pepper
6 oz. baby Portobello mushrooms
1 small bunch of chives
½ cup chicken stock
½ cup cream

Pound chicken breast to about ½ inch thick and marinate in the wine for at least 4 hours ( do it overnight).

In a large skillet heat olive oil. Mince garlic and add to the oil along with the salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from marinade. Saute chicken in the oil for about 5 minutes on each side.

Slice mushrooms thinly and add to the skillet. Cut chives thinly and add chives and stock to the skillet. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is done.

Add cream and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes to thicken the sauce.

Serves 4. Suggested wine: Pinot Noir

Seven Reasons to Eat Local Food

It’s mid-April and markets around Missouri are opening up shop for the beginning of farmers’ market season. Although some markets have been open since about the third week of March, many of the more than 135 Missouri markets are opening within the next two weeks.

Consumers can expect to find bedding plants, spinach, lettuce, eggs, cheeses and meat at the market, as it’s too early to find many of the traditional vegetables at the market. For a listing of when fruits and vegetables will be in-season in Missouri view this Harvest Calendar from MU Extension.

The Local Foods Movement is sweeping across the Midwest, with consumers searching out local foods within their home communities. And what’s the best place to find fresh, nutritious, seasonal food….your local farmers’ market that's where.

Inside Columbia had a recent story that really makes you think about where your food comes from. The article, Think Global, Eat Local: Exploring A Healthy New Approach To Eating, says the average distance food travels from a farm to your table is around 2,000 miles, ¾ about the distance from Columbia to Seattle. Can you imagine?

Seven Benefits Of Eating Local Food

1. Unbeatable taste: Why do tomatoes from a farmers’ market taste so much better than most store-bought tomatoes? According to www.foodroutes.org, fruits and vegetables shipped from distant states and countries may spend a week or even two in transit before arriving at the supermarket. In contrast, most farmers’ market tomatoes have been off the vine for less than 24 hours when set out for sale. Local produce also tastes better because most shipped varieties are grown for their ability to withstand industrial harvesting equipment, extended travel and a long shelf life.“Local produce is grown for taste and nutrition,” says Michael McGowan, a board member of Sustainable Farms & Communities, a not-for-profit closely tied to the Columbia Farmers Market.

2. Better health and nutrition: Buying locally allows consumers to make selections based on the farmer’s use of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and other additives. Currently, producers do not have to include this information on food labels. In addition, local foods — especially fruits and vegetables — have more nutritional value because they are allowed to ripen on the vine.

3. Greater variety: Local growers offer a tremendous selection. McGowan plans to grow 75 varieties of tomatoes for the Columbia Farmers Market this year, and he’s just one vendor.

4. Easier on the environment: Aside from the environmental concerns associated with industrial agriculture and confinement animal feeding operations, an industrial food supply requires transporting food items thousands of miles, which uses up fuel and creates pollution.“It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to ship food 2,000 miles when you can ship it 20 miles,” McGowan says.

5. Support for family farms: The 2002 Census of Agriculture showed a steep drop in the percentage of principal farm operators 35 years old or younger, from 15.9 percent in 1982 to 5.8 percent 20 years later. Eating local helps create the demand necessary to motivate a new generation to enter this risky business, Reuter says. He adds that the desire to keep family farms alive is about more than nostalgia; small farms create jobs that help diversify and thereby strengthen the local economy.

6. Improved security: According to a 2007 report by Hendrickson and University of Missouri rural sociology professor emeritus William Heffernan, 11 large firms control 83.5 percent of all U.S. beef slaughter, 66 percent of pork packing, 58.5 percent of broiler chicken production and 55 percent of turkey production. The same report shows four large firms control 55 percent of all U.S. flour milling and soybean crushing. If something bad happened at one of this big companies — anything from a safety recall to terrorism — the effect would be severe.

7. Stronger relationships: For many “localvores,” this benefit is the reason they feel passionate about local food systems. They love knowing the stories behind their food, they love connecting to a particular place, and they love interacting with other people who are passionate about food and culture.“Many people today have no meaningful understanding of where their food comes from, and thus no understanding of the ecological and social consequences of its production,” explains MU agricultural economics professor emeritus John Ikerd in his paper, Eating Local: A Matter of Integrity. “By eating local, people are able to reconnect with local farmers, and through local farmers, reconnect with the earth.…We cannot build a sustainable food system until people develop a deep understanding of their dependency upon each other and upon the earth. Thus, in my opinion, reconnecting is one of the most important reasons for eating local.”

Need to locate a Missouri farmers’ market near you? Check out the Missouri Farmers' Market Blog.

Parking Lot Cookies

My gal pal Danni passed along this recipe to me about a week and half ago. When I first read the ingredients I didn’t know how these cookies would turn out (with oatmeal and rice crispies). Plus, when I started to mix the cookies up how thick they became the more ingredients I added.

But, these are very tasty and easy to prepare….would be perfect for a football tailgate!

Thanks Danni for sharing.

Parking Lot Cookies
From the kitchen of Melody Lawson

1 cup shortening

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla (it's okay to spill a little bit)

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups oatmeal

2 cups rice crispies

1 cup pecans ( I toast the pecans before putting them in the cookie dough, brings out the taste)

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix both sugars well, removing all lumps. Add shortening, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and beaten eggs. Mix well. Mix in flour (it’s starting to get thick). Mix in pecans and chocolate chips (getting thicker). Mix in oatmeal (very thick). Mix in rice crispies (use your hands, it's too thick for a spoon). Roll up into teaspoon sized balls and smash with fork. Bake for 13 minutes or until light brown (don't overcook the cookies).

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

BBQ Shrimp

Saturday my friend Veronica and I drove up to St. Louis to the Soulard Farmers Market to do some and shopping. I had to hit the Soulard Spice Shop to stock-up on some much needed spices, coffee and pick up some seafood and some goat cheese. Veronica bought some goat meat (which she prepare that night), goat cheese, okra and a few other things.

Being at the market Saturday made me very excited because in about two months farmers’ markets will be in full throttle. Beautiful produce, great tastes and visits with the farmers….I can’t wait.

The trip made me think of a great recipe that I made last summer for a bbq we had at our house with our friends. I realized I hadn’t even posted about this recipe on the blog today and wanted to share it with you.

When we made this BBQ Shrimp recipe a lot of my friends told me they had never had BBQ shrimp on the grill…..What a SHAME! Shrimp on the grill is one of my favorite ways to prepare shrimp.

Mr. Story’s BBQ Shrimp
Recipe courtesy The March Family
Boy Meets Grill
Big Texas Family Grilling

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon hot sauce, or more if you like it spicier
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 pounds extra-jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), shell left on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 loaf French bread

Heat the grill to high.

Place a few large cazuelas or a large high-sided saute pan on the grates of the grill. Add the butter, pepper, salt, lime juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire and thyme and cook until the butter has melted and the mixture begins to simmer. While the butter mixture is melting, toss the shrimp with the oil and place on the grill in an even layer. Grill for 20 to 30 seconds per side then transfer to the butter mixture, stir to combine and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.

While shrimp is cooking, split bread in half, sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper, and place on grill, cut side down, for 1 to 2 minutes until toasted.

Serve shrimp with the grilled bread.

(PHOTO: This photo is from the Food Network.)

Stromboli Anyone?

Today is my co-worker Shelley's birthday and we started the day with breakfast food (almond coffee cake, breakfast casserole, milk, oj, a Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake....yes that's right cake for breakfast...so good). Now, we are moving on to lunch and afternoon snacks (stromboil, spinach dip, hot wings, chips, key lime pie, cake, cheesecake dip, fruit and cream and much more!)

My friend Veronica made the Stromboli and I love these yummy sandwiches. Here is the recipe she uses. And if you are interested in the background of the word Stromboli here is what Wikipedia says.

This rolled baked sandwich is perfect for feeding a crowd of hungry sports fans, or a hungry family for a casual supper. You can really use any combination of meats, cheeses and even veggies you choose, so take our suggestions with a grain of salt. One hint however, the more veggies you use, the more liquid they'll release, so too many veggies can make a somewhat soggy stromboli. Use as many different fillings as you like, but it's important to not layer them too thickly, as this will make it difficult to roll the stromboli.

Corn Beef & Cabbage for St. Patrick's Day

From the recipe archives.....Corn Beef and Cabbage is one of my all-time favorite meals. Corn beef is also one of the easiest meal to prepare and can be excellent leftovers that will last and last.

This is from the archives... Happy St. Patrick's Day and hope you get the chance to grab a green beer.

Corn Beef & Cabbage
By Lane

1 corned beef (I usually get a 3-4 pound one)
1 head of cabbage
2 T. butter
1 red onion, chopped, coarsely
1 parsnip, chopped
4-5 new potatoes, quartered
Seasoning packet with corned beef.
Plus add:
1 T. garlic powder
1 bay leaf

Place all veggies in large crock pot on low setting. Place corned beef on top and add all seasonings (including the packet that comes with the corned beef.) Cook on low for about 8 hours. I usually put the crock on around 7:30 and turn it off when I get home about 5:00 pm. The meat will be so tender it will fall apart.

I like to serve this with a simple salad and dinner rolls.

Need a New Chicken Recipe

I’m not a “big” chicken fan when it comes to cooking. Why? Simple: I was a beef cattle girl.

But, I will give credit when credit is due. Giada De Laurentiis’s Roman Style Chicken is incredible!

I made this last night and tried something new. I cooked a pot of angle hair pasta and then mixed the pasta and chicken dish together in a large baking dish to make it easier to serve. The pasta soaks up all the goodness from the wonderful sauce this recipe makes. I add a little more garlic and more canned diced tomatoes because I like the extra sauce for my pasta.

I don't have any fresh herbs from my garden right now - so I just used dried herbs this time, and it was still a wonderful dish. BUT- I can't wait until the farmers' markets open and my herb garden is full of my favorite smells and tastes.

Great recipe hot off the oven and even better the next day!

Roman Style Chicken
By Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

4 skinless chicken breast halves
2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

If serving immediately, add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the capers and the parsley and serve.