Chicken Parmesan Bruschetta and the Garden

Remember way back to early summer and the story of our garden? When those green dreams were dug into warm soil to be carefully tended on and lovingly nurtured?

Only to come out the next day and find that rabbits do indeed like Everything but especially the broccoli.

Ah, yes, that garden.

Our garden, my friends, has been the subject of sore and delight depending on the point of view taken. To me, a still novice gardener, it is somewhat sore because of the plague of the rabbits. Before I installed chicken wire around the whole thing, it was literally an open salad bar for those critters. I know the word got out- free greens in the Ward's backyard. After chicken wire installation, they stayed away but my poor plants looked weak and wearied. I brought in friend after friend to advise and console me. They all assured me something would grow. 

Now that we're nearing the end of the growing season or at least the end of the growing season of vegetables I know how to grow, I can report something edible has been exhumed from the now bunny barricaded patch. 

We've had approximately 12 strawberries, 10 consumable radishes, 1 pot's worth of mashable potatoes, a small saucepan of green beans, 4 cucumbers, 16 jalapeno peppers, 11 very small onions, 2 green peppers, 20 various tomatoes, and an ice cream bucketfull of grape tomatoes. We are still waiting on the carrots and kale. I'm afraid the broccoli, the one lone surviving broccoli, is not going to make it. 

My friend, Deanna, says its all about experimenting and learning as you go. I've got a lot of going still to learn.

All that being said, we actually have had enough tomatoes to eat and give away without being obnoxious. My grape tomatoes are actually sweeter than my sister's and that's pretty much all the gardening success I need right there.

Today's What 2 Eat recipe is a culmination of staring at tomatoes piled on my counter, knowing we needed a break from pico de gallo and tomato caprese and were going to have BLT's on the weekend. Ok, I don't need a break from any of those things. It's the rest of the family. I drew inspiration from two recipes stuffed in my recipe collection and came up with this.

Chicken Parmesan Bruschetta

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• Pepper
• 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 

• In a shallow dish, beat eggs together. In another shallow dish, combine Parmesan cheese and pepper (to taste). Dip chicken breasts in eggs then in cheese mixture, turning to coat. Place in casserole dish along with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, uncovered. Turn over, add more butter if necessary and bake another 15 minutes until cooked through.
• Combine chopped tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. 
• Serve chicken with tomato mixture on top. 

 

 My kids aren't fans of stuff on top of their meat and chopped tomatoes. I served it all separate and they had to eat a small spoonful of the tomatoes, which they did (and didn't die, amazingly). 

What's on your plate this week and did it come from your garden? 

Is a favorite summer memory from your garden? Tell me here.