Sunday Dinner With Fragrant Rosemary

The expected snowstorm did not happen. I felt a bit disappointed, mostly because so much salt thrown on the streets went to waste but I did not stay at home or cancel any appointments. It is the end of February and you can smell the spring in the air. It is a tease almost because you know it is not here yet and it will be at least two months before you dare to leave the house without a light jacket. I am impatient for the fresh greens, herbs from the garden and sun kissed strawberries and tomatoes that did not travel miles to get to our tables. I can't wait for light dinners, summer barbecues, walking in the sun and playing in the water. Juicy watermelons and ice cream eaten without the winter feeling of guilt. We are so much more active in the summer after all. But we are not here yet, so today with a windy cool day outside I decided to make a hearty dinner but with a fresh fragrance of rosemary.





I like to experiment and try new recipes a lot, but recently I have been cooking with simple ingredients and it seems the less the better it is.




Today it is chicken breasts stuffed with mushrooms, butter and cream cheese. I usually cut the chicken breasts into two, since they are pretty thick, tenderize them (it was not that easy to find a tenderizer) and leave them for a couple of hours or even better overnight in the fridge with slices of raw onions on them to soften the meat. My dad taught me that trick.

Then I put whatever ingredients I have on hand in the middle of the breast,( today it is some mushrooms that I fried with salt, pepper and some butter, a piece of butter, little bit of cream cheese, and some chopped garlic) season with salt and pepper and a bit of thyme, roll up and dip into breadcrumbs. Salt and pepper on top and add a bit of chopped rosemary as well.

Heat some oil in a deep pan and fry until no longer pink inside.

Roasted potatoes are always a hit. I always cook the potatoes until they are almost cooked through but still hard and not falling apart. If that happens you are better off to make hash browns, with onion in a frying pan. Delicious as well.

Cut the potatoes into bigger chunks, leaving the skin on and throw onto a large oven safe pan. Salt, pepper, few springs of rosemary thrown on top will flavour the whole batch. And do not forget the garlic. I do not bother to peel it. It will slide right out when roasted.

A perfect green salad, but not the lettuce cucumber, tomato kind. Go with some peppery arugula, juicy orange or grapefruit and a mustardy dressing.

Mhmmmm.....

ENJOY!