Goat cheese and spinach chicken with fig preserves

When I lived in Brooklyn Heights, Henry's End was one of my and B's favorite restaurants. B always ordered some sort of steak, and I would order their Goat Cheese & Fig Jam Chicken. One day, I decided that the recipe didn't seem so complex - so why spend $18.95 if I could make it at home, so I set out to replicate it. I usually just wing it, but here is an approximation of what I do:

Ingredients
1/3 cup goat cheese
10 oz frozen chopped spinach
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
3 chicken breasts
1 Jar Fig Preserves
milk


Directions
1) In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
2) Pound each chicken breast until thin.
3) Dip each chicken breast in water or milk and then bread crumbs.
4) Evenly divide the spinach and the goat cheese.
5) Place spinach and goat cheese onto each breast.
6) Roll, secure with tooth pick if necessary.
7) Bake at 375° for 35-38 minutes.
8) Serve with fig preserves either by spooning onto the top of each chicken breast, or by placing a large spoon full on plate next to chicken for dipping.

Blackbean and Corn Salad

My mom just came to visit and made a blackbean and corn salad that was super tasty and super easy. This is going to be one on our regular meal rotation.

Ingrediants

1 can blackbeans
1 1/2 cans sweet corn
1 cup grape tomatoes
8 leaves fresh basil
8 scallions
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp white balsalmic vinegar
Sea salt

Directions

1. Drain corn and blackbeans, pour into bowl
2. Chop Basil, add to bowl
3. Chop scallions, add to bowl
4. Add olive oil and white vinegar to bowl
5. Mix
6. Salt to taste
7. Cut grape tomatoes in half. Add to each individual bowl.
8. Enjoy!

Note: The corn and blackbeans stay good in the refrigerator for a few days, however the tomatoes get wonky after a day or so. Therefore, to make the salad last longer add the tomatoes only when ready to serve.

Carins gurkor (Carin's Cucumbers)

Ingrediants
2 kg gurkor ( Västerås ) - 4.4 lbs cucumbers
1 kg socker - 2.2 lbs sugar
0,5 dl salt - 1/5 cup salt
1,5 dl 24% ättika - 3/5 cup vinegar (24% vinegar - I'm not sure what this is)

Directions
1. Tvätta gurkorna noga, skiva dem och lägg i en stor skål. (Wash and slice cucumbers. Put them in a large bowl)

2. Strö över socker och salt. Häll i ättikan. (Sprinkle sugar and salt over cucumbers. Add the vinegar)

3. Rör i gurkorna när det börjar att bildas vätska. (Stir the cucumbers)

4. Låt stå ca 2 dygn, häll sedan upp i glasburkar, allt socker och salt ska då vara löst. (Let sit for 2 days. Pour into glass jars. The sugar and salt should be dissolved)

5. Tillsätt gult senapsfrö och ca 2-3 cm stora pepparrotsbitar ( 2 - 4 st i varje burk ) så håller gurkorna sig i ett år om de står svalt. (Add gold mustard seeds and 2-3 cm large horseradish pieces (2-3 pieces in ever jar). The cucumbers will last for 1 year if the kept cool.