Spring Chicken

The sound of melting snow and visions of green sprouting from the yard seems to motivate me. The time to venture out of the house, say hello to the “hibernationally” forgotten neighbors (yes, I made up a word), sweep winter away from patio, clean the grill and set up the furniture for what becomes my family's second kitchen. I start anticipating the upcoming farmers markets and look forward to all that spring gives us here in Minnesota all of which is shared with family & friends. See you at the Winery!
- Richard


Now that spring is officially here, let’s start it off with a easy recipe to get the grill going for the season. This recipe has a few parts, though it really comes together and gives a great “spring’ flavor.

Grilled Rosemary & Lemon Chicken w/ Quinoa Salad

Food Note: As of late, Quinoa and other specialty grains seem to be all the rage. Quinoa has found its way into my kitchen (both home and professional) due to its wide variety of uses. Unlike rice and wheat, quinoa packs a balanced set of essential amino acids to form a perfect protein. And it's gluten free, which helps in menu planning for a large group of people.

Rosemary Chicken
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic
1 lemon, zested
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste

   In a food processor, blend together butter, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pour about a 1/3 of blended mixture into a small bowl or plastic ziplock bag for marinade. Set the remaining mixture aside.
   Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place chicken breasts in the marinade for 3-4 hours.
   Preheat grill to high.
   Grill chicken breasts 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken breasts from grill and top with small scoops of the remaining topping mixture to melt over the chicken.

Quinoa Salad
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cucumber, diced
3 scallions
1/2 cup diced roasted red pepper (available in any grocery store)
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons slivered almonds

For serving:
9 cups spring mix greens
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette

Directions
Combine quinoa and stock in small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover. Cook 10-15 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Let cool completely.
In mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa w/ remaining ingredients.

Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 T honey
1 T chopped basil
2 cup olive oil

In mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey and basil. While still whisking slowly, add olive oil until complete emulsified.