Seared Chicken Bake

This wasn't exactly a summer-style meal, but it became one because it turned out so well. First, I did turn the oven on because it was a seventy-something day! So perfectly beautiful!

And I wanted something different.... but not winter-friendly different because it's July.

You understand.

So I coated three cut-up boneless, skinless chicken breasts with Montreal Chicken seasoning and seared them over medium high heat in just a grazing of coconut oil in my 4.5 quart Dutch Oven pan....  (some folks just call it a pan or a pot, but isn't the name "Dutch Oven" just plain fun? And Beth found me this one for $1.50 at a garage sale: BONUS!

I seared them quite well because I went to water the donkeys and forgot I'd turned them on and almost burned them (and the house, of course) but heard the sizzles in the nick of time... and thereby saved dinner AND the house.

Phew. :)

Okay, then I added about two cups of chicken broth to the pan, and boy did it sizzle! Like a lot, my friends.... but that's good because all those little bits of stuck-on pieces come loose and flavor the broth.

I peeled and tossed in about six potatoes... covered and baked at 300 degrees for about ninety minutes.

I made a side of rice....

And did some seared summer squash to go alongside, our first squashes are ready!

And I almost burned these, too, so clearly it was a theme for the day.

But they are better if they caramelize somewhat, it sweetens them, and they were delicious.

And then the very next day I discovered milk in glass bottles in the town fifteen minutes away: SOLD!

And I made rice pudding because I had leftover rice, and why wouldn't you make rice pudding with leftover rice, I ask?

And the mums are doing well.... it is an act of love each day because watering them is a long process when you don't have a mum-watering system, but I figure it's exercise to keep me on a slim-down trend that reverses itself quite naturally every stinkin' January.... but for now, the mum-exercise-plan is working its magic. The mums are growing and starting to set buds, I will be able to sell them with our gorgeous pumpkins (some are softball sized now!) and I can fit into my pants again. A total win for the lady farmer/author.

Did you know that some folks PAY farmers to come work on their farms and get "fit"???

Oh mylanta, what a great idea! :)

So that's it from the farm, life is busy and we've had typical weekends of reunions, picnics, family parties, graduations, weddings and showers.... Up here, folks tend to pack a lot of stuff into the fourteen to sixteen "nice" weekends of the year. In a way it's silly.... in another way it's beautiful. All in how we view it, I guess!

Wishing you all the best of Thursdays whether you're at home, in NYC for RWA or hanging out on a beach, a dock, in an office, or a kayak or a doctor's office... no matter what you're doing, our joy and prayers are with  you!

Multi-published inspirational author Ruth Logan Herne has written over 50 books and there seems to be no end in sight because she loves making up stories! Find her on the web at ruthloganherne.com or email her at loganherne@gmail.com, friend her on facebook (she loves to chat with folks on facebook!) or follow her on Twitter where she is constantly amazed by the rude things some folks say... because their mamas would be sad to see it!