DARK DAYS CHALLENGE - WEEK 3

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Week 3 is all about chicken!

I made a raid at the farmers market last Saturday. Our local farmer's market doesn't allow anyone to sell at the market unless they live within 50 miles of Rochester, so we know it's fresh!  A growers market with almost everything you could imagine, even this time of year. I'm proud to be a part of this amazing market in the summer. I bought all this for only 100 bucks!

2 Bison steaks
2 lbs ground Bison
1 Bison summer sausage
2 lbs chicken thighs
1 lb bacon slices
1 lb cottage bacon
6 lb ham
1 lb Elk breakfast sausage
2 lb carrots
6 beets
1 lb green beans
1 large kabotcha squash
3 large leeks
4 yellow onions
2 red onions
3 lbs sweet potatoes
1 lb honey

Now you tell me, I really don't think I could've got all that at the local grocery store for that price, definitely not organic and definitely not local.  So why don't more people realize this is what's available and it's good for you?????  Again, I'm on a mission to help people eat better, buy local and understand that it doesn't take forever to cook a healthy meal.

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CREAMY GARLIC SAUCE

I was thinking of using a pasta sauce (I made this summer from my tomatoes)
 in the container above but changed my mind
and decided to make a garlic sauce instead

2 lb chicken thighs
2 tbs olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup shredded (goats milk) mozzarella

for sauce:
1 cup (goats) milk
2 tbs flour
2 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste

place chicken thighs in a pan and sprinkle garlic and olive oil over them.

Roast in a 350 degree oven for one hour or until no longer pink and nicely browned. Remove from oven.

Time to make the creamy Garlic Sauce!

Like I did before, in small saucepan, over medium-high heat melt the 2 Tbs butter, stir in flour, cook for about a minute, then pour in milk.  Stir until thick and bubbly.  (This is actually called a bechamel sauce or basic white sauce). I added the garlic and some Italian seasoning* I had laying around.

Pour sauce over chicken and top with cheese.  Put it back in the oven and cook until lightly browned on top.

I took a pound of green beans and put them into the asparagus steamer.  They were so long, they barely fit!

I also made a side of local wild rice, by boiling it in water for 30 minutes.

Then that's that!  A perfect dinner for a perfect night and all is well with the world! (cuz no one got hurt in the process, no chemicals were used and no body drove more then 50 miles to get it to me!)