Behind the scenes

When I came up with the ingredients for Platinum Challenge I kept thinking Chicken Piccata, but only because the first time I made it, I made it with capers. But that left my leeks, rosemary, and cream...which obviously are the perfect ingredients for a potato leek soup. Except I made soup for the last two rounds of Platinum Chef Challenge - I was kinda getting boring and repetitive.

But you know what I've never made for a Platinum Chef Challenge? Breakfast. So I decided that I'd make a chicken dish with lemons and capers, and a breakfast dish with leeks, cream and rosemary. (This was especially helpful because I had a ton of stuff to throw into the egg dish to help clean out the pantry)

So lets start at the beginning. Breakfast!!!!

Clean out the pantry strata

1 Tbsp butter
1 medium leek, cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered
2 tsp fresh rosemary
4 eggs
2 egg whites
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
1/2 stale french baguette, sliced into 1/2 in. slices
1/4 cup parmesean, grated
1/8 cup feta
1/4 cup montery jack cheese, grated

1) Preheat oven to 350. Heat butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until tender.
2) Add rosemary, tomatoes, and artichokes. Cook 2-3 minutes.
3) Combine eggs, egg whites, cream, salt and pepper with whisk in medium bowl.
4) Grease 8x8 baking dish. Line dish with stale bread.
5) Top with leek mixture.

6) Pour egg mixture over veggies and bread.
7) Top with cheese.

8) Bake for 30 minutes, or until egg sets and cheese browns.

Followed by dinner!

Chicken with lemon caper butter sauce

2 breasts of chickens
salt and pepper
1 shallot, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 stick butter
1/8 cup parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp drained capers
1 Tbsp lemon zest

1) Heat oven to 400. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper and bake 25 - 30 minutes, or until done.
2) In saucepan simmer shallot, wine, and vinegar until it reduces slightly.
3) Stir in 1/8 cup water. Add butter, whisking over high heat until it melts.
4) Stir in parsley, capers, lemon zest.

5) Serve sauce over baked chicken.