Summer, are you coming soon?
I think God really nailed the whole crop calendar...Hear me out. Take tomatoes for example. When I think of the Summer, I think of my Dad's tomato garden. I think of watching him year after year get home from work, go to his garden, and come back with 10 plus ripe, juicy tomatoes. Up until the age of 22, I would stare at him, dumfounded about how he could possibly eat a raw tomato. It wasn't until a couple of Summers ago that I finally got the craving for a raw fresh tomato. I've looked forward to tomato season ever since. Like I said, I think God strategically planned the tomato harvest.
Summer is in full out mode come end of June. Kids are now running through sprinklers instead of running across the street to catch the bus at some ungodly hour of morning. The sounds of snow plows are replaced with the aggravating, yet nostalgic tunes of an ice cream truck. In the Summer, I stop scoffing at mason jars being used by wannabe hipsters and start yearning to fill one up with a cold drink. Summer brings a whole new realm of daylight. A period of time in which you can actually do things after work. I just got really deep about Summer, but as I grow older, I'm really starting to develop feelings for it. The hardships of Summer occur come August. While August brings in the highest temperatures and humidity (at least in Connecticut) it also brings in a wave of back to school sentiments. Take the Sunday night blues feeling and encapsulate it into an entire month. You're feeling fancy free in July, but in August the nerves start kicking it. Even as adults, we can get the feeling that something good is coming to a close. But God says NO! I'll give you one more thing to look forward to. The simple, often unappreciated fruit called, the tomato. God says the fruits of Summer are near from ending my friends. There is the tomato.
Summer is in full out mode come end of June. Kids are now running through sprinklers instead of running across the street to catch the bus at some ungodly hour of morning. The sounds of snow plows are replaced with the aggravating, yet nostalgic tunes of an ice cream truck. In the Summer, I stop scoffing at mason jars being used by wannabe hipsters and start yearning to fill one up with a cold drink. Summer brings a whole new realm of daylight. A period of time in which you can actually do things after work. I just got really deep about Summer, but as I grow older, I'm really starting to develop feelings for it. The hardships of Summer occur come August. While August brings in the highest temperatures and humidity (at least in Connecticut) it also brings in a wave of back to school sentiments. Take the Sunday night blues feeling and encapsulate it into an entire month. You're feeling fancy free in July, but in August the nerves start kicking it. Even as adults, we can get the feeling that something good is coming to a close. But God says NO! I'll give you one more thing to look forward to. The simple, often unappreciated fruit called, the tomato. God says the fruits of Summer are near from ending my friends. There is the tomato.
Here we are in quarantine, and I'm dreaming about tomato plants. What has really brought my spirits down is the fact that I finally bought a basil plant, only to have it suddenly decide to be come cold at night, killing my little baby guy. Again, Summer are you almost here? I'm yearning for basil the way basil yearns for a tomato. Poor basil has to endure an entire June and July without its trusty counterpart, the tomato. Heck, mozzarella lives its whole life waiting for the two to three months where the trio can shine. I decided to play God, disregard seasonal trends and make my very own caprese chicken. Tomatoes aren't in season yet, basil has completely disappeared from the stores, but I made it work. In the words of Tim Gunn, sometimes, you just need to make it work.
Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
6 - 8 slices fresh mozzarella
2 medium sized tomatoes diced
1/2 cup prepared basil pesto
Balsamic glaze:
2 cups balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Slice the breast down the middle cutting them in half. Sprinkle both sides of the breast with salt and pepper. Heat butter in a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat. When butter has melted add in olive oil. Cook chicken until brown on both sides. About 3 - 5 minutes each side. Turn off the heat and spread pesto over each chicken breast. Top with a tomato and mozzarella slices. Place in the oven and cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. This will take about 15 - 18 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
To make the balsamic glaze, heat vinegar and sugar together in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. Stir so that sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil and then lower heat so that the vinegar is simmering. Stir every 2 - 3 minutes to prevent burning. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the sauce becomes thick and coats the back of the spoon.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
6 - 8 slices fresh mozzarella
2 medium sized tomatoes diced
1/2 cup prepared basil pesto
Balsamic glaze:
2 cups balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Slice the breast down the middle cutting them in half. Sprinkle both sides of the breast with salt and pepper. Heat butter in a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat. When butter has melted add in olive oil. Cook chicken until brown on both sides. About 3 - 5 minutes each side. Turn off the heat and spread pesto over each chicken breast. Top with a tomato and mozzarella slices. Place in the oven and cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. This will take about 15 - 18 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
To make the balsamic glaze, heat vinegar and sugar together in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. Stir so that sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil and then lower heat so that the vinegar is simmering. Stir every 2 - 3 minutes to prevent burning. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the sauce becomes thick and coats the back of the spoon.
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