Well, that was an interesting year :) Bring on 2011!!

Happy New Year Everyone :) Best wishes and dishes to all ! 

For me, like most people , 2010 was a bit rough. Times are tough , prices keep going up and salary's never keep up. So what did I do ??  LOL I quit my job !  I'd had enough of the office life , it was time to move on.  And that's just what I did, without a plan or a direction I found myself a little lost .   That was until I ran into a farmer friend who offered my some temporary work building a greenhouse.... I think I have found my calling .  I love working hard, getting dirty and most of all I LOVE food!!  Especially local organic & free range kinda food. So to be a part of that process is fascinating and exciting!! :)  Sadly tho, the growing season is over up here, at least until we get closer to March.  But Ill be back there finishing the greenhouses, and helping with the planting soon enough.  This month I have the privilege of taking care of the chickens, feeding , cleaning and egg collection duties.  So very cool.  I think the chickens are getting to know me finally , as no longer run away from me , and have even tried pecking at my shoe laces or gloves. 
Here I go babbling away again , when all I wanted to post today was a quick recap of the 6 most popular posts from last year ... two of which are related to working on the farm :) Which I am so happy about!! As that is the direction I wanted my Good Food Revolution to go in !! 

#1 http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.com/2010/11/very-vnteresting-day-for-garlic-lover.html

 #2 http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.com/2010/11/roasted-double-stuffed-pork-tenderloins.html

Click the link below to see the rest :)

Easy Chili Chicken Flat Bread - Creative Leftovers

Lost for a dinner idea?  Or just tired and not in the mood to prepare something large ? All you need some extra roasted or BBQ'd chicken ( a half a breast per person ,  or a leg or thigh each )  A few of your favourite veggies, some flat bread and cheese.  , and you can be eating great in 20 minutes :)  A little longer if you want to make your own flat bread first , but that's a post for another day ! 

Since this is about keeping it simple and easy , Ill keep the banter to a minimum and just show you how its done... 

Rough chop your favourites I chose Portobello & White Mushrooms, Red Bell Pepper, Onion, and Jalapeno Peppers ( These you might want to chop a little finer ) there is also a clove of garlic minced in there somewhere.   

I prefer to slice the chicken , but any method will work fine.  This was a honey/chili roasted breast.

Chicken Caserole .. Day 2 :) Creative Leftovers

Is anyone else like me?   Maybe one or two people eating, yet you cook for 6 , or even 10 at time... only to have to eat the same dish for 3 days in a row?   Until you so sick of it you don't make it for a year ? Well, I do this all the time ! I'm trying to stop, but for some reason .. when I grab a crock pot or a dutch oven ,  I just have to fill it up !!  LOL I am getting better , I'm down to cooking for 6 , instead of 10 like last year .  However this has taught me to be extremely creative with my leftovers turning them in to all sorts of interesting to eat treats. This week, it was Chicken Casserole. that started it off :)

This was a great dinner,  Chicken Casserole, loaded with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms,  peppers, carrots, broccoli and I used a 6 bean medley instead of potatoes for a change :)

For this dish you will need per person:

• Leftovers, about two cups, chopped in bite sizes - Warmed up
• One Medium/Large Yukon Gold Potato - Baked
• Butter, Sea Salt & Black Pepper, Chili Powder
• Mozzarella and aged Cheddar ( Or your favourite cheeses ) - Shredded
• Oven Safe Plate or Dish

Baked your potato for about an hour at 360F, I simply wash mine and prick the skin a few times with a fork and toss it in the oven. If you don't like a crispy skin , you can wrap the spud in tin foil .
 When done,  cut it half lengthwise ,  I like to slice down with a butter knife, but I don't actually remove any potato.  add butter, and salt and pepper at this point. 

Before adding you topping,  I liked to add a little extra flavour,  a few sprinkles of chili powder and a little bit of cheese go down first.

Now the fun part!  Take your preheated casserole , and pour it over the potato.  No need to be tidy about it , this is a knife and fork kind of meal :)

Add some more cheese, and your ready for the oven again .  I leave it at 360F and cook for another 15 minutes. If your in a hurry you can switch it to broil or grill, and get the job done in 5 or less minutes.

Chicken Casserole Jacket Potato Done!!  So good , so easy, and a great way to use up almost any leftovers.  Watch out the plate will be hot!  Grab a steak knife and a fork and dig in!

I hope you enjoyed my first in, what I hope to be, a series of Creative Leftovers :)

Im still learning how to write out the recipes, as I don't use one. Also this is my first post since joining the Foodie Blog Roll.  So if you have any questions or comments , please either post below or send me an email. I do appreciate and respond to all feed back.  

Happy Cooking

Rich

Roasted Chili Chicken & Local Veggie Stir-Fry

Ever take something out of the freezer, then realize you really didn't have a plan for it?? LOL happens to me all the time, or I ll have 3 plans for it and wont be able to decide what to do.  I'd taken a couple of free range chicken breasts out of my freezer, two days before and now needed to do something with them.  Even come dinner time I still couldn't decide , but figured Id better get something started .  So I decided to roast the breasts, and at least that way even if I didn't decide what to do I could always have a sandwich.



One of my favourite way to make chicken, roasting!  So easy and the taste is hard to beat .  These were simply rubbed with my chili powder, a little sun flower oil, S&P and a splash of L&P.  Into the oven for 45 minutes @ 360F.




A quick deglaze of the pan with a few glugs of a craft brewed ale:)  Makes for a great sauce, that can be saved for up to a day in the fridge. 




Here's the result, a little chili chicken ale sauce, good for all sorts of gravies or sauces.

 Click the link below to see the rest :)