Orange-Blossom Strawberries

I had always heard that strawberries and balsamic vinegar were great, and maybe had even tried it once, but couldn't really remember. So I tried it again the other day, with some orange blossom water also. Verdict: amazing. These were not the world's sweetest strawberries, and with the vinegar they transformed into something that could be either a dessert with some sort of cake or equally well a side salad: sweet, tart, brightly-flavored.

Orange Blossom Strawberries

1 cup sliced strawberries
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 to 1 tsp orange blossom water, depending on how well you like it
1/2 tsp brown sugar if your berries are very tart

Mix ingredients in a bowl; let sit five minutes or so. Eat.

Serves 1.

Festival Chicken

A certain friend turned roommate of mine commented tonight that this chicken dish tasted like a "festival in [her] mouth." It uses things I usually have lying around--lemon, mustard, parsley, thyme--to great effect. The lemon slices keep the chicken moist and flavorful. You could serve it on its own, or with the gremolata-like parsley garnish, which adds a delicously fresh taste. Very easy, and very healthy!

Festival Chicken with Green Garnish

For the Chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tbsp coarse Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
6 thin lemon slices
1 thinly sliced green onion
generous grind of black pepper
olive oil for greasing the pan

For the garnish:
3/4 cup chopped parsley
1 thinly sliced green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp coarsely grated lemon zest

Chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil. Lay two lemon slices in the baking dish; lay one piece of chicken over each lemon slice; sprinkle with pepper. Mix together the mustard, thyme, and vinegar; spread half over each piece of chicken. Top each piece of chicken with two lemon slices; sprinkle with green onion. Bake about 40 minutes or until done. Top with a generous amount of parsley garnish. (Serve with lemon slices intact, but do not eat them.)

Garnish: Mix together chopped parsley, sliced green onion, minced garlic, and grated lemon zest.

Serves 2.