Chicken Club Sandwiches with Peach-Tomato Chutney

I hope you all had a fabulous Labor Day weekend! Ours was busy, but also incredibly fun and relaxing. I can't say that I'm ready to head back to the grind today, but I guess I don't really have much of a choice in the matter. Darn you, real life!

Anyway, before we all ease ourselves and our kitchens into autumn (pumpkin pumpkin football pumpkin maple apple pumpkin pumpkin), I thought I'd share a few last summer-ish recipes with you this week. After all, peaches are still at their juiciest and most delicious, and zucchini is still just as abundant as ever. 

So today I'm sharing a fantastic sandwich recipe with you...which, I know. Another sandwich? Yes. Another sandwich. (Why are you so good, sandwiches?! Why can't I stop eating you?!) Trust me, this is one you won't want to miss. Sauteed chicken is paired with bacon, fresh mozzarella, and crisp greens, and topped with a savory-sweet peach-tomato chutney. This sandwich is an explosion of flavors that all combine in a perfect balance: sweet, sour, salty, smoky. 

Joe gave me the side-eye when I told him that I was pairing peaches with cherry tomatoes for dinner, but in the end, he was crazy about the chutney. It's a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy and is the perfect topping for these decadent sandwiches. They're just as delicious as they are gorgeous, and I think you'll love them.

Chicken Club Sandwiches with Peach-Tomato Chutney
heavily adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

For the peach-tomato chutney:

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup water, divided, plus more as needed
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 medium peaches, pitted, peeled, and diced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For the sandwiches:

8 strips bacon
4 boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets
Salt and pepper to taste
4 thick slices fresh mozzarella cheese
Butter-grilled buns
Mixed greens for serving
Mayonnaise for serving

1. To make the chutney, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently just until softened (you don't want any color on the onions). Add the tomatoes and 2/3 cup of water. Raise heat to medium-high and cook for 5 to 7 more minutes, until tomatoes burst. If the mixture gets too dry, add more water by tablespoonfuls as needed. Using a tomato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, gently smash the tomatoes, releasing their juice. Add the peaches, remaining 1/3 cup water, vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring just to boiling to dissolve sugar, then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally.

2. While the chutney is simmering, prepare the sandwiches. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat to desired crispness; remove to paper towels to drain. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste and saute in the bacon drippings until cooked through. Top each piece of chicken with a thick slice of mozzarella; cover the pan to let the cheese melt. 

3. To assemble the sandwiches, place chicken and cheese on the bottom of a butter-grilled bun. Top each sandwich with two slices of bacon, a pile of greens, and a generous helping of chutney. Spread the roll tops with a bit of mayonnaise (it's optional; I just like the creaminess it adds) and close the sandwiches. Serve immediately. (The remaining chutney can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It was delicious on my turkey-and-Swiss sandwich the next day.)

Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Peach Coleslaw

If I had to pick my favorite summer fruit, it would definitely be peaches. I love everything about them: the fuzzy skin, the tender, sweet flesh, the way the juice runs down your whole arm when you bite into a really good one. And as much as I enjoy them on their own, I've been trying to find ways to work them into our dinners so I have even more excuses to eat them. One simply cannot eat too many peaches during the summer months, is my motto.

Ever since I tried a friend's roasted strawberry BBQ sauce at our recent cooking club cook-out, I've been intrigued by the idea of using fruit in BBQ sauce. I know people have been doing it for a long time, but I'd never tried it, and I couldn't get the idea of peach BBQ sauce out of my head. A quick Pinterest search revealed that there are many recipes out there for peach BBQ sauce, but I really hit it out of the park with the recipe I chose. The flavor balance of this BBQ sauce is so perfect; it's both savory and sweet, tangy, smoky, and spicy, and its deliciousness almost defies description. 

I mixed the sauce with pulled chicken (cooked in the crock pot with chicken broth, salt and pepper, then shredded once cooked), and I topped the sandwiches with peach coleslaw. The peach coleslaw really amped up the flavor of the peaches and provided a nice textural contrast to the sandwiches. And let me say, with this recipe, I think I've perfected my homemade coleslaw dressing. This version is tangy and sweet and the perfect consistency, and I'll be using it whenever I make coleslaw going forward.

You guys are going to love these sandwiches. You're also going to love those crispy golden discs in the background of the picture, which I'll share with you on Friday.

Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Peach Coleslaw
BBQ sauce adapted from Liv Life

For the sandwiches:

3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
Sandwich buns

For the BBQ sauce:

4 strips bacon, diced
1 tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo, with sauce
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 peaches, halved, pitted, and diced
3/4 cup bottled white grape peach juice (the original recipe calls for orange juice, but Joe isn't a big fan; this juice was a great substitute)
1 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

For the coleslaw:

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon buttermilk
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons white sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups coleslaw mix
1 peach, sliced

1. To make the BBQ sauce, sauté chopped bacon and chipotle pepper in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Add chopped onion and garlic cloves; sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce; stir 1 minute. Add peaches and stir to combine. Add white grape peach juice, ketchup, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon thickly, stirring sauce often, about 30 minutes.

2. To make the coleslaw, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar and sugar in the bottom of a large bowl. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the coleslaw mix and the peaches and gently stir to combine. Refrigerate until serving.

3. Add the shredded chicken to the thickened BBQ sauce and stir to combine. Pile the chicken on sandwich buns and top with the peach coleslaw.  

Peach Blondies

Now that summer is starting to wind down (finally! already!), I'm taking advantage of all of the fresh summer produce while it's still available. Peaches are definitely my favorite of the fruits in that category, and I'm a little sad that I didn't get to bake with them more this year. I need a board on Pinterest specifically for all of the peachy baked goods I've pinned lately!

I did make these peach blondies earlier this summer, and they were a huge hit with everyone who tried them. The peaches keep the blondies so moist, and the brown sugar and cinnamon give them such a rich, warm flavor. To guild the lily, I whipped up a quick cream cheese glaze for the blondies using some peach nectar I drained from a little plastic cup of the boys' peaches. Although the glaze is definitely optional, I highly recommend it. I thought it complemented the blondies perfectly. Although if you don't feel like making the glaze, I big scoop of vanilla ice cream would be perfect with these...just sayin'.

Peach Blondies

adapted from From Apples to Zucchini

For the blondies:

2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 medium peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced

For the glaze:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon peach nectar

1. Combine brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla and mix until well-blended. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and add to wet ingredients. Fold in peaches. Spread evenly in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

2. To make the glaze, mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and peach nectar until fully combined. If the mixture is too thick, add more peach nectar. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar until it reaches the desired consistency. Spread glaze over blondies.

Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes with Peach Butter

Here’s a simple truth about me: You can put the word “butter” in combination with most other foods in the title of a recipe, and I’m going to want it. Honey butter. Basil butter. Butter baked chicken. Cranberry butter. And, in this case, peach butter. PEACH BUTTER. Yes, please!

As soon as I saw this recipe, I was in love with the idea of making a compound butter with peaches for pancakes, but I didn’t feel like making the sweet potato pancakes that Rebecca made. So I made cinnamon buttermilk ones instead. The combination was wonderful, and it was made even better by a generous helping of warm maple syrup. As long as your butter is softened, this meal is ready in no time, and it’s such a delicious breakfast or dinner treat. I used canned peaches because I hadn’t been to the farmers’ market and the peaches at the supermarket weren’t looking so great, and the canned ones worked just fine.

Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes with Peach Butter
pancakes adapted from Allrecipes; peach butter adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

For the pancakes:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup vegetable oil

For the peach butter:

1/4 cup canned peaches, diced
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Combine all pancake ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth.

2. Pour batter onto the griddle using a 1/4 measuring cup. Flip pancakes when edges appear to harden. Cook pancakes on other side for same amount of time until golden brown.

3. In a small bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Whisk in peaches and serve on top of pancakes.

Saturdays with Rachael Ray: Peach Pecan Chicken Sandwiches with Jalapeño Mayonnaise

 

I will admit that I am a person given to hyperbole; however, I assure you that this is not one of those times. What I’m about to tell you is completely and totally true. Honestly, hands-down, without question: This is the best chicken sandwich I have ever made at home. And it’s my new favorite chicken sandwich EVER.

There is something about this combination of flavors that is just so incredibly good. This sandwich hits every single flavor note: the savory, crunchy, nutty chicken, the sweet, soft peach, the spicy jalapeño, and the cool, creamy, tangy mayonnaise. It's such a perfect balance of flavors and textures. We ate these sandwiches a week ago, and Joe is still talking about how delicious they were. That's the sign of a truly delicious meal in our house -- he can be hard to impress at times. :)

Try these sandwiches, and don't forget to check out Taste and Tell's Saturdays with Rachael Ray!

Peach Pecan Chicken Sandwiches with Jalapeño Mayonnaise

adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray

4 chicken breast cutlets 

1 cup buttermilk 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

Splash of red wine vinegar  

1/2 cup pecans, finely ground 

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 

1/2 cup canola oil 

4 rolls, split and toasted

1 peach, thinly sliced

1. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and buttermilk. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, jalapeño, and vinegar.

2. In a shallow bowl, combine the pecans and panko bread crumbs. Working with one piece at a time, remove the chicken cutlets from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, and coat with the pecan mixture.

3. In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the cutlets and cook, turning once, until golden-brown, about 2 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Slice chicken, if desired.

4. Spread the jalapeño mayonnaise on the cut sides of each toasted roll. Top with the chicken and peach slices.

Brown Sugar Peach Sorbet

With only three ingredients and less than five minutes of hand-on time, this sorbet is a dessert I can really get behind. The fact that it's easy and delicious only makes me enjoy it more. And I love how customizable it is -- you can use any fruit you want, brown or white sugar, and a variety things for the creamy element (sour cream, creme fraiche, yogurt, etc.). The method is full-proof.

I've made this brown sugar/sour cream/peach version twice now: the first time with frozen peaches I bought at the store, and the second with fresh peaches that I froze myself. We definitely enjoyed the version with fresh peaches more. It was much more naturally sweet. When I used the frozen peaches, I had to add more brown sugar to make it sweet enough for my and my family's tastes. Next time I make this version (which I will, in addition to experimenting with other versions), I think I'll try adding a pinch of cinnamon too. And topping it with sugared pecans. The more I think about it, the more I want to go out and buy some more peaches to make another batch.

This, right here, is the perfect summer dessert.

Brown Sugar Peach Sorbet

adapted from Food Lush; sorbet recipe originally from Mark Bittman

1 pound frozen sliced and peeled peaches
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup brown sugar

1. Mix together the sour cream and brown sugar. Put the frozen fruit and sour cream/brown sugar mixture in a food processor or blender container along with a couple of tablespoons of water. Process until just pureed and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. If the fruit does not break down completely, add a little more water through the feed tube, a tablespoon or two at a time, being careful not to over-process or the sorbet will liquefy.

2. Serve immediately or freeze it for later; if serving later, allow 10 to 15 minutes for sorbet to soften at room temperature.

Pepper Jack, Chicken and Peach Quesadillas with Honey-Lime Sour Cream

I’ve come to the conclusion that people in my state (myself included) are never happy when it comes to the weather. First we were dealing with 40 degree temperatures in May, and we complained that it was too cold. Then we had solid weeks of rain, and we complained that it was too wet. And now? Well, now we’re dealing with temperatures in the mid-90s and really high levels of humidity. So now we want it to cool down a little bit – and to rain, if for no other reason than to wash away some of the humidity. Straighten up, Ohio weather!

Yesterday the temperature topped out at about 97 degrees, and the last thing I wanted to do was turn on the oven to make dinner. Thankfully, I had these quesadillas on the menu. They came together very quickly and didn’t heat up the kitchen too much, and they were absolutely delicious. The combination of pepper-jack cheese and peaches is so perfect, and the sour cream sauce is so refreshing and yummy. My boys each ate an entire quesadilla. I served this with our favorite cilantro lime rice, although Mexican sour cream rice would also be a delicious side.

I used white peaches because they looked the best at the store, but in a few months, you can bet I’ll be making these quesadillas again with peaches straight from the orchard. These quesadillas are already so good, I can only imagine how delicious they’ll be with even fresher peaches. I’ll be sure to report back. :)

Pepper Jack, Chicken and Peach Quesadillas with Honey-Lime Sour Cream
slightly adapted from On My Menu

1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 cup sour cream
4 8-inch flour tortillas
3/4 cup pepper-jack cheese
1 cup chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1 cup thinly sliced peeled firm ripe peaches
Cooking spray

1. Combine honey and lime juice in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir sour cream into honey mixture; cover and chill until ready to serve.

2. Place tortillas flat on a work surface. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese over half of each tortilla; top each tortilla with 1/4 cup chicken and 1/4 cup peaches. Fold tortillas in half.

3. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in the pan. Cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until tortillas are crisp and lightly browned. Remove quesadillas from pan; set aside, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with the remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into wedges. Serve with sauce.

Fruit Smoothies

I’ve made many a fruit smoothie in my day, but they’ve always been a bit of a guessing game for me. I’ll throw in a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and then taste, and adjust as necessary to improve the flavor or texture. The end result was always delicious, but it took a little work to get the quantities right.

Enter this tutorial from Our Best Bites. As soon as I saw it, I couldn’t wait to give it a shot with Andrew’s favorite combination (peaches, blueberries, and, in the summertime, black raspberries). Following this method resulted in a perfect smoothie, the first time, with no adjustments needed. I’ve always used frozen fruit for mine, and I think that’s a great tip: It eliminates the need for ice. Just be sure the fruit is slightly thawed so chunks of it don’t get stuck in your blender blades (don’t ask me how I know this). Another of my favorite things to do is add a handful of baby spinach leaves to the smoothies. You can’t taste it at all, and it’s a great way to get some extra vitamins into your kids.

Today I’m sharing our family’s favorite, but the flavor combinations really are endless. Be sure to check out the Our Best Bites Fruit Smoothie Tutorial for some delicious variations!

Blueberry Peach Fruit Smoothies

1 cup orange peach mango juice
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 1/2 cups frozen peaches, slightly thawed
3/4 cup frozen blueberries, slightly thawed
Handful of baby spinach leaves

Add all ingredients to a blender and pulse to combine to desired consistency.

Andrew obviously loves these...

...and even Will was desperate for a taste.

I had to tell him he wasn’t quite old enough yet, and he wasn’t happy with me.

Peach French Toast Bake

Today’s recipe would be the perfect thing to serve your mom for breakfast or brunch on Mother’s Day this weekend. I know I would certainly love to have this served to me, preferably while still in bed after an entire blissful night of uninterrupted sleep...Oh wait. I’m dreaming again. Uninterrupted sleep is not something that’s happening around these parts yet, unfortunately.

I saw this recipe a while ago on Lisa’s blog, and I couldn't get it out of my head until I tried it. I actually served this for dinner on one of our vegetarian nights, and it was just like having dessert for supper. (Probably because I topped it with whipped cream.) Andrew loved it so much that he ate four slices of toast, which is even more than I ate. I think it would be really delicious with apples, too.

We all really liked this, and you should totally make it for your mom this weekend, because I know she’d like it too. Thanks for the great recipe, Lisa!

Peach French Toast Bake
source: Recipe Hunter Lisa

1 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons water
1 large can sliced peaches (or about 4 fresh peaches)
1 loaf fresh French bread, sliced 1-inch thick
5 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
Cinnamon and sugar

1. In a saucepan, melt brown sugar and butter. When butter melts, add the water; return to burner and stir constantly until mixture foams, then pour into 9 x 13 baking dish. Let cool 10 minutes, then line dish with sliced peaches, then layer of French bread, and then remaining peaches.

2. In blender, blend eggs, milk and vanilla. Pour carefully over peaches and bread, making sure all pieces are covered. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

3. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour (until golden). Use pan syrup to top, then top with whip cream if desired.

Peach-Glazed Pork Chops with Grilled Peaches

One of the ingredients I've been really into lately is peaches. I just can't get enough of them in any way, shape or form (see: this pie). So when I saw this recipe in one of my Cooking Light cookbooks, I knew I wanted to try it.

I made some changes to the recipe to fit my time-frame and lifestyle, so if you want the original recipe just click the link below. The original calls for fresh peaches to be stewed in white wine for 30 minutes, then pureed and used as a marinade for the pork for at least 30 additional minutes before grilling -- but I just don't have that kind of time on a weeknight. Besides, I don't really want my toddler eating something that's been cooked in white wine, even if the alcohol has cooked out. I'm just not that progressive. So I used a plastic jar of peaches and skipped the first step all together, and marinated the pork in the mixture for about 20 minutes. And I was still very pleased with the end result. The peach marinade made the pork sweet and incredibly juicy, and the grilled peach slices on top really bumped up the fruity flavor. These grilled pork chops were delicious and summery, and this is something I would definitely make again.

Peach-Glazed Pork Chops with Grilled Peaches
source: adapted from The Best of Cooking Light; original recipe can be viewed here

1 plastic jar yellow cling peaches
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 center-cut pork chops, trimmed
1 peach, pitted and quartered
Cooking spray

1. Combine peaches, salt and black pepper, vinegar, maple syrup, chili powder, paprika, and red pepper in a food processor or blender; pulse to combine. Place half of peach mixture in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; reserve other half for basting. Add chops to bag; seal bag and refrigerate at least 20 minutes (up to 4 hours).

2. Preheat grill.

3. Remove pork from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle pork with salt and black pepper. Place pork and peach quarters on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 10 minutes or until the pork is done and the peaches are tender, turning once. Baste pork and peach slices with the reserved peach mixture every 2 minutes during the first 6 minutes of cooking.

Sour Cream Peach Pecan Pie

Out of all the cooking magazines I subscribe to (and oh, there are many), the one I've been getting the longest is Taste of Home. I have about a million Taste of Home cookbooks, too. But lately I've been thinking that it may be time to let my subscription lapse. The recipes have begun to lose their appeal for me. That is -- until I received the current issue in the mail. As soon as I saw this pie, I knew I had to make it. As soon as I possibly could. And man, am I ever glad I did!

This pie is a-mazing. It takes advantage of juicy ripe summer peaches (using fresh peaches is a must!) and combines them with a creamy, tangy, custardy filling and a sweet, buttery, crispy topping. What more could you possibly ask for in a summer dessert? Not a thing!

If you get a chance this summer, you should definitely try this pie. I really don't think you'll be disappointed!

Sour Cream Peach Pecan Pie
source: Taste of Home Magazine, August/September 2009

For the pie:

Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)
4 cups sliced peeled peaches
2 tablespoons peach preserves (ommited, and really not necessary in the first place. Ripe peaches have plenty of juice and the pie has enough sugar in it.)
1 cup sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter

1. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry; trim and flute edges.

2. Combine peaches and preserves (if using). Transfer to pastry. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar, sour cream, egg yolks, flour and vanilla. Pour over peaches.

3. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the flour, sugars, pecans and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly; sprinkle over pie. Cover edges of crust with foil to prevent overbrowning.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and topping is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Store in the refrigerator.