Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Bake
This recipe comes from “The Farmer’s Daughter” cookbook by Dawn Stoltzfus copyright 2012, used by permission of Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group (http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com).
1 (14.5 oz.) can tomatoes, diced
1⁄3 c. onion, minced
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1⁄2 c. half-and-half
1⁄4 c. chicken broth
1 T. dried basil (or 2 T. fresh)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. sugar
1 T. fresh oregano (or 11⁄2 t. dried)
1⁄2 t. salt
1⁄2 t. fresh cracked pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
11⁄2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1⁄4 c. fresh parsley (or 2 T. dried)
1⁄4 c. fresh basil (or 2 T. dried)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix together tomatoes, onion, tomato paste, half-and-half, broth, basil, garlic, sugar, oregano, salt, and pepper. Place chicken breasts in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour sauce over top. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, parsley, and basil. Bake an additional 7-10 minutes. Do not overbake. Serves 6.
“And Another Thing…And Another Thing…You can also add 2 cups of fresh spinach to the sauce.” – Dawn Stoltzfus
Cucumber Pesto Slaw
I discovered this concoction this summer after my mother-in-law served a similar delicious, fresh summer salad that also had diced heirloom tomatoes, shredded carrots, and a homemade mayo-based dressing that did not include pesto. If you have a few cucumbers left and are burnt out on all the ways to eat them fresh, try this!
3-6 cucumbers, shredded and drained*
About equal parts or 2:1 mayo and fresh basil pesto
Shred cucumbers using a food processor – as many as needed for a meal (or more, because this next step was an impressive discovery – well-drained shredded cucumbers keep very well in the refrigerator!) *Lay shreds out on a low-lint cloth: linen, muslin, tea towel, or paper towel and pat dry. Do not skip that step or the salad will be too watery! Store extra shreds in a plastic resealable bag lined with a paper towel for future use. Make pesto dressing by mixing mayonnaise and fresh basil pesto to desired taste and mix in cucumbers. Delicious and refreshing!
The following is purely for intrigue and curiosity’s sake. From Mennonite Community Cookbook by Mary Emma Showalter copyright 1957, used with permission of Herald Press.
Food for a Barn Raising
This bit of information was found in a quaint, old handwritten recipe book from Great-grandmother’s day. It is included here mainly for the purpose of giving us a peep into the past. As many of us know, a “barn raising” was quite an event during those early years. When a new barn was built, all the friends and neighbors came on the specified day to help put up the framework of the barn. This policy is still carried out in some communities where neighbors are neighborly. Homemakers of our day will no doubt be astounded at all the food consumed in one day. What is more difficult to believe is that it was all made in Great-grandmother’s kitchen.
Here is the list as I found it:
– 115 lemon pies
– 500 fat cakes (doughnuts)
– 15 large cakes
– 2 gallons applesauce
– 3 gallons rice pudding
– 3 gallons cornstarch pudding
– 16 chickens
– 3 hams
– 50 pounds roast beef
– 300 light rolls
– 16 loaves bread
– Red beet pickle and pickled eggs
– Cucumber pickle
– 6 pounds dried prunes, stewed
– 1 large crock stewed raisins
– 5-gallon stone jar white potatoes and the same amount of sweet potatoes
Enough food for 175 men.
