This will mind and Andy’s seventh Valentine’s Day together. I’ll never forget the first. He made a home-cooked meal for me…it was awful. Poor guy must have forgotten the spices to his shrimp pasta recipe because it was pretty bland. But, he quickly made up for it. He took me to his apartment complex and we pulled up to an outdoor fire-place. Taped to the fire-place was a note that said “Reserved” and it was signed by management. He let me know that he was “management”. He was afraid someone would steal his idea. Smart guy! He then pulled up the trunk of his beat up 4Runner and pulled out a blanket, chocolates and a bottle of champagne (one of his older friends must have bought his for him) it was perfect.
Since that first Valentine’s Day we have attempted to eat out once or twice, never again. I hate the crowds and the normally over-cooked food. Why not cook up a fabulous meal at home? And this one is sure to have your sweet heart licking their plate. I thought this would be perfect for the Novice Gardener’s Fiesta Friday.
Apple Stuffed Chicken with Brie Sauce and Roasted Asparagus
Serves 4
Prep: 15
Total: 35
Apple Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients:
3 Sweet Red Apples, Cored, Peeled and Chopped
2 Tablespoons Butter, Divided
1/2 Cup Apple Cider
1 Teaspoon of Brown Sugar
4 Chicken Breasts, With a Pocket Cut
Brie Sauce:
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Teaspoons Onion, Chopped
1 Cup Cream
1/2 Tablespoon of Butter
3-4 Ounces of Brie
Salt and Pepper, To Taste
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 400 (this is for your asparagus)
In a Cast Iron Skillet, Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and add 1/2 cup of Apple Cider and cook for a minute over medium heat. Add your chopped apples and cook for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the brown sugar and cook for about 2 more minutes. Remove apples with a slotted spoon, keep the drippings in the pan, set apples aside.
Meanwhile, begin your brie sauce in a separate small pot. Add wine, garlic and onions to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, reducing wine. Turn your burner to low, add cream or half and half and simmer for 10 minutes. While Sauce is simmering, begin your chicken.
Stuff chicken with apples and secure with toothpicks, season with salt and pepper. Add stuffed chicken to cast iron skillet and begin cooking over medium heat, add a little olive oil to the pan if you need to. Cook for several minutes on each side.
While Chicken is cooking, add brie to the simmering sauce and stir until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Also begin your asparagus, recipe below.
When Chicken is done, remove from the skillet, remove toothpicks and top with brie sauce. Chicken will be a little crunchy from the brown sugar, yum!
Roasted Asparagus
While chicken is cooking, spray baking ban with olive oil. Add Asparagus to pan and spray with olive oil. Top with cracked sea salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes until crunchy.
Sabbath Sunday is a new weekly series on NewsAnchorToHomaker. I had a vision of what future Sundays would look like, church, kids playing outside, while my husband and I cooked up a big meal. Then I figured, why wait?
