Herbs Gone Wild - Rosemary

My tiny herb garden is still overflowing its brick banks, so please come and cut some fragrant bouquets if you find yourself in central Arkansas!  Honey Rosemary Chicken and Broccoli Brown Rice Pilaf is our favorite combination of recipes to use up rosemary.

Honey Rosemary Chicken

Serves 6

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup minced fresh rosemary

2 Tbsp. olive or canola oil

6 bone-in, skinless chicken breast halves (7 oz each)

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

In a bowl, combine the honey, vinegar, rosemary, and oil; mix well.  Pour half of the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken.  Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.  Drain and discard marinade from chicken.  Place chicken bone side down in a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes, or until juices run clear, basting occasionally with reserved marinade.

200 calories     6 g fat (1 g sat)     79 mg cholesterol     462 mg sodium     7 g carb     

trace fiber     29 g protein

Broccoli Brown Rice Pilaf

Serves 6 (2/3 cup)

1 cup uncooked brown rice

2 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary (I usually double this amount)

2 garlic cloves, minced (I usually double this one, too!)

2 cups chopped fresh broccoli (you guessed it, I also double the broccoli)

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup unsalted sunflower kernels

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

In a large nonstick skillet coated with non-stick cooking spray, sauté rice until lightly browned.  Add the broth, rosemary and garlic, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until rice is almost tender.  Stir in the broccoli, almonds, sunflower kernels, salt, and pepper.  Cover and cook 3-5 minutes longer or until rice is tender and broccoli is crisp tender.  Fluff with a fork.

202 calories     6 g fat (1 g sat)     0 cholesterol     414 mg sodium     31 g carbs     

2 g fiber     7 g protein