Special Garden Medley Recipes

CHICKEN GARDEN MEDLEY

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute chicken and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter for 10-12 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Add vegetables. Cook until crisp-tender; remove from skillet and set aside. , In the same skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour, salt and pepper; stir to form a smooth paste. Gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cream and heat through. Add chicken and vegetables; stir until well mixed. , Place pasta in a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Pour chicken mixture over top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 15 minutes; uncover and bake 5 minutes longer.

FALL GARDEN MEDLEY

Steps:

• Place the carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, onions and water in a greased 3-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until tender. , Stir vegetables and sprinkle with parsley if desired.

SUMMER GARDEN MEDLEY

Steps:

• Mix all prepared vegetables in a large serving bowl.
• In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar, oil and water together.
• Pour vinegar mixture over vegetables and combine thoroughly.
• Season with salt and pepper; cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
• Drain and serve.

BALSAMIC CHICKEN GARDEN MEDLEY

Steps:

• 1. Marinate chicken and vegetables separately: Place chicken pieces and vegetables in separate Ziploc bags (as many as it takes) and divide the marinade mixture evenly enough to ensure all will coat well. Marinate overnight or at the very least, several hours.
• 2. Combine marinara sauce ingredients and slow simmer while chicken and veggies are roasting. Add extra water if sauce becomes too thick. If you're a purist who likes a simmer longer than an hour, start earlier! :)
• 3. At 450 degrees, roast chicken and vegetables separately (if you're blessed with 2 ovens, great! I'm not!). I use a baking pan for the chicken and jelly roll pans for the vegetables. The secret to this being so good is to leave in the oven long enough for the chicken and vegetables to get blackened edges. While chicken and veggies are roasting, cook and drain pasta, then toss with olive oil in a skillet with the minced garlic. Saute for just a couple of minutes. Turn chicken and vegetables as the edges blacken. You may have to pour off some of the liquids from the veggies to hasten the roasting process. Remove chicken from oven as soon as the edges begin to blacken or it will dry out. The chicken will be finished in about 30-40 minutes; the veggies about 50-60 minutes.
• 4. Turn chicken and vegetables as the edges blacken. You may have to pour off some of the liquids from the veggies to hasten the roasting process. Remove chicken from oven as soon as the edges begin to blacken or it will dry out. The chicken will be finished in about 30-40 minutes; the veggies about 50-60 minutes.
• 5. To Serve: After roasting the chicken pieces, slice or tear into strips (I toss them with pan juices to keep moist). Layer as follows on platter or warmed individual plates: Freshly cooked pasta, lightly tossed with garlic and olive oil; marinara sauce; roasted vegetables; and chicken slices. Top with plenty of freshly grated parmesan, a quick twist of the pepper mill, and serve. This is so filling that your guests will barely be able to touch the salad and rolls. And dessert? Forget it!

ORZO GARDEN MEDLEY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of broth to a boil, cook orzo over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
• In a large skillet, add oil and all the veggies, garlic and spices, sauté for a couple of minutes, add 1/2 cup of broth and cook about 4 minutes.
• Drain orzo, place in a serving bowl and add in veggies and toss to combine.
• Sprinkle grated cheese on top, optional.
• Note: to make this a vegetarian dish, substitute the chicken broth for a veg broth.