Garlic Balsamic Marinated Chicken Breasts

This chicken dish is super easy and flavourful. Serve it with lots of crusty bread and your choice of side dishes. Also delicious cold in salads and wraps.

500 gr chicken breasts
1/2 bottle of Beary Berry Honey Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette
optional: add 2 tsp minced thyme or rosemary

  1. Place the chicken and the Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette in a large resealable bag.  Squeeze out as much of the air as you can, seal and then massage the meat. Place in the fridge and marinate at least 3 to 4 hours or until you are ready to cook them. Massage the meat and turn over at least once while it marinates.
  2. Oven Cooking: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking pan with tin foil and place the marinated chicken on it. (Discard the used marinade.) Place in the hot oven and roast about 30 minutes or until they are cooked through (depends how thick they are).
  3. Grill Cooking: Preheat the grill until very hot. Place the meat on the grill, reduce flame to medium and cook until good grill marks are formed and the chicken easily lifts from the grate. Turn the meat over often continue to grill until meat is thoroughly cooked, no longer pink inside and juices run clear. 
  4. Serve the meat with the remaining Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette as a dipping sauce.

Tips:

Recipe created by Amanda Thiessen.

Honey-Dijon Port Reduction

This is a rich, complex reduction that pairs well with roast pork, game or chicken. It’s delicious with pan-seared salmon and other strong tasting fish. You can make the reduction ahead and keep in the freezer for a quick week night meal. Serves 4 to 6.

2 tsp oil
1 large shallot, minced
1 tsp rosemary, fresh, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp Port (or Cognac or brandy)
1/3 cup apple juice (preferably organic pressed for deeper flavour)
3 to 4 tbsp Dijon mustard (or half Dijon and half coarse mustard)
2 to 3 tbsp Beary Berry Honey

  1. Heat a small pan over medium heat. When hot, add the oil to swirl and coat the pan.
  2. Add the shallot, garlic and rosemary, stirring cooking to soften and cook the vegetables.
  3. When lightly browned, deglaze the pan with the Port (or you can omit and go straight to the apple juice if you like). Be careful! The alcohol may burst into flames – this is normal but keep long sleeves, hair, apron strings and of course body parts clear. In a moment or so, the alcohol will burn off and flame will extinguish.
  4. When the alcohol has almost cooked off, add the apple juice and let it bubble until reduced by half.
  5. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a gentle bubble – if it seems over reduced or too thick, add a bit more apple juice or water to get the consistency you like. Adjust the flavour – adding a bit more mustard or honey as you like.
  6. Remove from the heat and serve over roast pork, chicken, seafood or game. If making ahead, let cool completely then freeze. Makes about 3/4 cup of sauce.

Tips, Suggestions & Information

  • Use cold sauce as a vinaigrette – thin with a bit of water and apple cider vinegar (to your taste). Serve on salad or steamed/roasted asparagus.
  • If roasting meat, scrape the drippings into the sauce for a fuller-body richness (not essential, but delicious!).
  • If pan-searing the meat, when it’s done, remove the meat to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Make the reduction in the meat pan and when ready, place the meat back in the pan, turn to coat and then plate, drizzling with remaining sauce.

Recipe and image copyright ElaineWilson.com, used with permission.

 

Ruth’s Lemon Honey and Thyme Marinade

500 gr chicken breasts
1/4 cup Beary Berry Honey Lemon Honey 
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp minced thyme, lemon thyme or basil (use half the amount of dried herbs)

  1. In a small pan or pot over medium heat, melt the honey, then whisk in the olive oil and herbs.
  2. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the marinade cool completely. Reserve 2 tbsp of the marinade in a small bowl for basting later.
  3. Place the chicken and the remaining marinade in a large resealable bag.  Squeeze out as much of the air as you can, seal and then massage the meat. Place in the fridge and marinate at least 3 to 4 hours or until you are ready to cook them. Massage the meat and turn over at least once while it marinates.
  4. Oven Cooking: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking pan with tin foil and place the marinated chicken on it. (Discard the used marinade.) Place in the hot oven and roast about 30 minutes or until they are cooked through (depends how thick they are).
  5. Grill Cooking: Preheat the grill until very hot. Place the meat on the grill, reduce flame to medium and cook until good grill marks are formed and the chicken easily lifts from the grate. Turn the meat over often and brush with the reserved fresh marinade. Turn at least one more time, brushing again with reserved marinade, and continue to grill until meat is thoroughly cooked, no longer pink inside and juices run clear. 
  6. Serve with your choice of veggies or side dish.

Tips:

Recipe created by Ruth Baerg, adapted by Amanda Thiessen.

Beet Green and Bacon Salad with Berry Vinaigrette

Don’t throw away those gorgeous beet greens! Use them in stirfry, soups, and side dishes. With tons of nutrition and flavour, and paired with berries, bacon and sheep cheese, they make an amazing salad.

3 to 4 cups beet greens, stem removed (or spinach, arugula, romaine or other lettuce)
a handful of crumbled or diced goat/sheep cheese, preferably from a local farm
a handful of toasted nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, etc.)
a handful of cooked, crumbled bacon, preferably from a local farm
a handful of berries of your choice

  1. Toss the greens with half of the vinaigrette (recipe below) and divide between two salad plates.
  2. Sprinkle with some of the cheese, then nuts, then bacon, then berries – add a bit more of everything until you think your salad looks scrumptious.
  3. Drizzle with more salad dressing if you choose.

Quick  Berry Vinaigrette

1 tbsp Beary Berry HoneyBlack Raspberry, Red Raspberry or Pomegranate
1 tbsp raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 tbsp mashed berries (fresh or frozen)
water to thin just to your taste

Whisk everything together in a small bowl and adjust for sweetness or acid. Season with salt and/or pepper if you like.  Drizzled over greens with some toasted nuts, goat cheese, and sliced fresh fruit or dried fruit.

(OR)  Use Beary Beary Honey Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Recipe copyright ElaineWilson.com, used with permission.


Resources

Beary Berry Honey products available at farmers markets, their farm store near Tofield, in SaveOn Stores, and in many local shops. Visit BearyBerryHoney.com or call 780-662-3577.

The Cheesiry cheese products available at farmers markets, their farm store near Kitscoty, and in many local shops. Visit TheCheesiry.com for more information.

Irvings Farms pork and bacon products available at farmers market, their farm store near Round Hill, and in many local shops. Visit IrvingsFarmFresh.com for more information.


Check out EatEastOfEdmonton.com for a listing of the many farms east of Edmonton that you can visit and where they grow our vegetables, grains and the meat we enjoy. You can also get recommended routes for self-guided tours of the region, including the many farms open to visitors.

Visit GoEastRTO.com for suggested day trips of activities, festivals, and sightseeing in the region east of Edmonton.

Quickled Beets (Quick Pickled Beets)

Quickled Beets | Quick Pickled Beets (hot process)
We don’t all have the space or time to pickle quarts of vegetables to put by for winter. This is a quick and easy way to make small batch pickles overnight that keep for ages in the fridge.  (Recipe and photo courtesy Elaine Wilson, FoodYouCanCook.com)

3 tbsp pickling vinegar
3 tbsp water
3 tbsp Beary Berry Honey, liquid or creamed
1 medium beet, peeled

  1. Halve the beet and lay one half flat side down. Cut it in half again shortways, and thinly slice so that you produce thin half moons. Repeat with the remaining beet half.
  2. Press the sliced pieces into a 250-ml (1-cup), heat-proof jar. The beets will lose some of their water in the process, so press in as many as you can.
  3. In a heat proof pan over medium heat, stir together the water, vinegar and honey until the honey dissolves and the liquid comes to a bubble. Remove from the heat.
  4. Pour the hot liquid over the beets – you might have a bit leftover. Wipe the rim if sticky, then screw on the lid.
  5. Let sit at room temperature one day, or refrigerate several days. Will last for weeks in the refrigerator.

You can use this method for any vegetable that you want sweet pickled, such as cucumber slices, pearl onions, carrots, etc.


Quickled Beets | Quick Pickled Beets (cold process)

As above, but don’t heat the pickling liquid. Pour the cold liquid over the vegetables then place the jar in the fridge where they will keep for ages. They taste good the next day, but even better the longer they sit. Bonus: you can use any jar that seals well, so great for repurposing. (Recipe courtesy Elaine Wilson, FoodYouCanCook.com)

Tips/Variations:

  • Try flavoured Beary Berry honeys: Ginger, Tangerine or Chai would be delicious
  • Add 5 or 6 slices of ginger.
  • Add pickling spice and/or dill.
  • Use orange juice instead of water.
  • Add 1 or more sliced chili peppers.
  • The hot process quickles faster but will cause colours for most vegetables to fade somewhat. The cold process takes longer but will make crunchier, brighter vegetables.

Recipes copyright ElaineWilson.com, used with permission.


 

Resources

Beary Berry Honey products available at farmers markets, their farm store near Tofield, in SaveOn Stores, and in many local shops. Visit BearyBerryHoney.com or call 780-662-3577.

Check out EatEastOfEdmonton.com for a listing of the many farms east of Edmonton that you can visit and where they grow our vegetables, grains and the meat we enjoy. You can also get recommended routes for self-guided tours of the region, including the many farms open to visitors.

Visit GoEastRTO.com for suggested day trips of activities, festivals, and sightseeing in the region east of Edmonton.