Harvest Chicken - An Apple a Day....

Apple overload....
I've even got apples hiding behind chairs!

Our yearly tradition is to go apple picking at Pieter's Appleyard on the long weekend in October (for Canadians, this is Thanksgiving weekend).
Its a little piece of heaven in my eyes and this time of year is my favorite to drive out there - the leaves changing, crisp breezes and apples begging to be picked!  How can you not enjoy this?

Here's a little something I don't tell many people - I secretly try to pick my apples as fast as I can so that I can get into the little barn to grab my quart of cider for the ride home!  I might just like it more than chocolate (ALMOST).

Here are a few snapshots from the day!

We go with our entire clan!  This year was little JJ's first time out (he's my nephew in the tree!!)

Obviously sweets and treats are in abundance the week after the pick but I thought it was high time the apple was used in a savory way.
This was new to us.
Mr. BM actually told me three times that dinner tonight was one of his newest favorites and Little Ugh inhaled it while it was still hot!
For chicken that has no skin (the only way Mr. BM really wants to eat chicken) it was juicy, flavorful and good for you too with all those apples!

Enjoy

I'm Listening To: Let's Dance - David Bowie  Compliments of Mike at The Culinary Lens :)


Apple and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

1 medium mitsu apple, cut into small chunks
1 medium onion
1/4 c. garlic goat cheese (thanks to our goat farmer friend!)
1 tsp. fennel seeds
3 chicken breasts
salt and pepper







In a skillet sweat out the onion and apple together until onion is translucent and apples are tender.

Add in the fennel seeds.
Cool in a bowl to room temperature and then mix in the goat cheese.

Butterfly your chicken and with a meat tenderizer (on its side) flatten the chicken to about a 1/4"
Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Spoon about 1 - 1/2 tbsp. of apple mixture in the middle.

Roll up the chicken, tucking the filling in tight.
Place in a lightly oiled baking dish and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes.

We served ours with roasted potatoes, carrots and fennel