My background, and reason for being a Just BARE™ Chicken enthusiast, follows a path I didn’t even know I was on for a long time. I grew up on the West Coast in a family obsessed with food and cooking. I learned to make bread with my mother—an amazing sourdough baker and keeper of the ancient family sourdough starter—and an early specialty were my Babas au Rhum cakes I baked for my French class dinners. I always expected to eat whatever was fresh and seasonal. We ate Dungeness crab, fresh artichokes, rich avocadoes, grapefruit from the trees in our yard, scads of corn from local truck farms, and grilled farm-raised meats year ‘round.

I cooked to help pay for college, catering small parties for my parent’s friends and working in the garde manger, or cold kitchen, of a local country club. I found myself deep into a chemistry major in school, despairing that I was no longer keen about working in a lab for the rest of my life, yet not sure what I really wanted to do. Then my wily mother set me on the course that I’m on today. I happily took a 180˚ turn into the School of Agriculture with renewed energy and an emphasis on nutrition and consumer service in food. The combo of that degree, plus taking time off from my first job to wing my way to Paris for my culinary diploma, are the underpinnings of my continuing love of good cooking and real food.

I actually consider myself an accomplished home cook rather than a chef, since I couldn’t run a restaurant to save my life. I think I have a better understanding of what home cooks want to learn about making simple, great tasting meals for their families. Products like Just BARE™ are like a gift because I have complete confidence in its wholesomeness, and I might have a slim chance of pleasing everybody at my own dinner table—a family of three hungry boys. And finding supper ideas on some nights feels like a real chore, despite the hundreds of cooking magazines stacked up in my office. Luckily, with more farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs and community gardens in bloom, it’s easier and easier to eat fresh, bountiful whole foods that are safe and grown closer to home.

My cooking philosophy is pretty low-tech—I love finding new recipes and flavor combinations, but I also believe in improvisation. I jot notes in my cookbooks, tweak recipes to meet what I have in my fridge, or challenge myself to make dinner from only what I have on hand. Tonight I need to pull an extra package of Just BARE™ chicken thighs out to thaw! So I’m looking forward to sharing my own cooking and gardening odysseys with you.

I love to cook, grow and share good food. For me, cooking is a practice, an attitude, a loyalty and a passion. I believe that when you cook with fresh seasonal ingredients, and you add basic cooking techniques, you, your friends and your family will gather around the table, share conversation and good health. I volunteer and share these lessons with kindergarten to fifth-grade students at my neighborhood school. Students plant seeds, cultivate garden beds and grow vegetables, herbs and fruits that become their classroom snack, or lunch.

My food styling and recipe development career give me the opportunities to volunteer in my community. When I style food, I simply follow the recipes, add my passion and cook. I believe that cooking, even for styling, requires fresh ingredients, a good pan, a medium-high flame and turning just once to allow the natural sugars in food to caramelize. I think that the prettiest plate is one of the simplest plates with few ingredients, but always some fresh herbs and often a squeeze of lemon.

When I developed these concepts for Just BARE, I used basic ingredients but added seasonal changes. I share some basic techniques so cooking will be fun and you will feel happy and accomplished. This spring the recipes call for young, tender vegetables, lots of greens, a lighter broth. I invite you to be outside and observe sprouts while eating crisp peas. Before creating the recipes, I thought about each ingredient and how these ingredients would compliment the fresh, natural flavor of chicken. Just BARE Chicken recipes were created, sampled and shared with children, neighbors and families. Enjoy!

By Sally James

One of my greatest passions in the kitchen is to cook with wine. Wine is not only an essential ingredient for the classic slow-braised dishes like coq au vin, but it’s useful for everything from making reductions to adding a splash to risotto and lending a finishing touch to a grill, sauté or stir-fry.
-
Adding wine to a dish adds a dimension rather than a flavor – it enriches the dish, brings its ingredients to life and helps to unite flavors. And for those concerned with their alcohol intake, be assured that the vast majority of the alcohol will be cooked off in the vapor. (So don’t stand over the pot and inhale deeply!)
-
Here are some ideas for chicken, and don’t forget to check out my dish with a berry and red wine sauce! Yes, it is OK to cook white meat with red wine – I learned that from the French.

• Grill a chicken breast fillet in a pan. When it’s just about cooked, add a splash of lively white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino or Viognier, a dash of lemon, some fresh herbs and peas, then cover and steam for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through.

• Make a rich chicken risotto – add a cup of white or sparkling wine as the first liquid to the sautéed rice, before the chicken stock. About 10 minutes into the cooking, add some finely sliced chicken, basil, sliced zucchini and another splash of wine and continue to cook as usual. When all liquid is absorbed, add a few spoons of goat cheese, some lemon zest and stir thoroughly.
• Marinate chicken thighs in red wine, a touch of balsamic vinegar and thyme. Saute some leek and garlic in a pan, then add drained thighs and brown the meat on all sides. Add carrots and cook for another minute, then add the leftover marinade.Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until cooked, adding more wine or stock if becomes dry. Remove chicken and keep warm, then reduce the liquid to a sauce! Serve over a creamy bed of mashed potatoes.

Do you have any favorite chicken dishes with wine? I’d love to read them!

And as the weekend nears, let’s add a little splash of wine to your week. Here is a recipe that is sure to add a fresh zest to your meal.

Pepper- and Fennel-Crusted Chicken Thighs with Raspberry-Red Wine Sauce

Yield: Makes 8 chicken thighs
Serves: 4

Don’t assume that because chicken is a white meat it should only be paired with white wine. The meaty yet lean texture of Just BARE chicken thighs are flavorful enough to pair with red wine, especially when you add the colorful lift of the raspberry sauce and spice of the crust. It’s delicious served on a bed of creamy mashed sweet or regular potatoes.

INGREDIENTS

for the chicken
1 package (20 ounces) Just BARE™ Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons white pepper
olive oil, for cooking

for the sauce
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
½ cup red wine, such as Pinot Noir, Shiraz
3-4 tablespoons brown sugar, to taste
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

• To make the sauce, place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Keep warm.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• To prepare the chicken, scatter the fennel and pepper on a large plate and press the chicken into mixture to coat all sides.
• Heat oil in an ovenproof pan on medium high and sear the fillets for 2-3 minutes to brown all sides.
• Transfer to oven and cook for 8-10 minutes or until juices run clear when pierced with a sharp knife.
• Allow to rest 5 minutes, then slice thickly.
• Serve the chicken with the sauce spooned over and enjoy with some crusty bread, a salad or preferred vegetables and a glass of the wine from the sauce.

Recipe Developer: Sally James

By Sally James

There is a lot of confusion and disagreement around the whole issue of sustainability. There are the extremists who will not buy anything that is grown or raised outside a 100-mile radius from their homes, and then there are the rest of us who are just trying to purchase and prepare food with our bodies and our environment in mind.

I’m not one to advocate extreme “locality,” but I support local farmers and manufacturers and encourage others to do the same. For example, if tomatoes and strawberries are grown and sold locally in small farm stores and markets, I’d buy these rather than going to the grocery store and buying ones grown in Mexico. Or better still, for flavor and value, I plant my own! And don’t forget to compost your veggie waste – it makes great soil for future crops.

Do any of you remember the days when there were butchers, bakers, fresh grocery stores and fish stores? There’s nothing like buying bread and pastries directly from the bakery rather than a factory a day’s drive away! Look for chicken that is cage-free and is raised on local farms, such as Just BARE Chicken, as well as grass-fed meat and seafood that is sustainably caught or farmed in clean waters.

But the most important advice I can give anyone who is trying to care for their family’s health and the environment is to eat simply and freshly – don’t rely on processed foods for speed. Cooking from scratch doesn’t mean hard work. It can just be a quick stir-fry tossed with some presoaked rice noodles that takes about 15 minutes to pull together. Or grill a piece of chicken, meat or fish on the barbecue or grill and enjoy with some salad and crusty bread. Eat like the Italians – boil some pasta and toss with fresh herbs, fruity olive oil, peas and prawns or cooked chicken left over from the weekend roast! All of these dishes are yummy and a good step toward a better world!

I’d love to hear your ideas on how you are finding ways to eat sustainably!

And as we think about Earth Day tomorrow, here is a recipe that is fresh and easy for spring.

Lemon and Wine-Braised Chicken Breast Tenders with Summer Vegetable Orzo

Yield: Makes 8 chicken breast tenders, 4 cups orzo
Serves: 4

The wonderful fresh, clean flavor of Just BARE Chicken Breast Tenders is best prepared with simple and fresh ingredients that not too complicated. Wine and lemon enhance its flavor and the herbs add a delightful lift. Feel free to add your favorite seasonal vegetables to the pasta if preferred.

INGREDIENTS

for the chicken
1 package (14 ounces) Just BARE™ Chicken Breast Tenders
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
juice and grated zest of ½ lemon
¼ cup each torn fresh basil, mint and Italian parsley
pepper, to taste

for the orzo
8 ounces dry orzo pasta
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/3 cup halved cherry tomatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

• Slice the chicken breasts into 3 pieces, diagonally.
• Heat oil in a large non-stick pan on medium heat.
• Add chicken and sauté for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
• Add wine and lemon juice, reduce heat and cover pan.
• Simmer for further 5-8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• Keep warm, then just before serving, add the lemon zest and herbs and remove from heat. Season to taste.
• While the chicken is cooking, cook the orzo in boiling salted water until just cooked, al dente.
• Add the peas and corn and cook for 2 minutes further, then drain well.
• Toss with a tablespoon of the olive oil and the tomatoes.
• Spoon the orzo onto plates, top with the chicken and spoon the pan juices over the dish.

Recipe Developer: Sally James

I’m afraid I don’t follow the biography of a typical chef who was raised helping her mother or father cook marvelous meals. My mum’s forte wasn’t cooking – it was gardening! My sister and I were allowed into the kitchen only to wash up and set the table, or occasionally make the Saturday lunchtime salad sandwiches. So I really don’t know where my passion for cooking originated. Perhaps a sign of my rebellious spirit wanting to do anything I wasn’t allowed, or perhaps it was from the hours I spent hiding in the garden sneaking peas from the pod, nibbling fresh beans and strawberries and learning how food should taste.

My grandmother raised hens. We’d go down and take them their morning “porridge” and return with warm eggs for our breakfast. Occasionally, Granny would sacrifice one to make us a proud roast chicken and I’ll never forget the flavor – it really tasted wonderful! (What a joy when I first tried Just BARE chicken and felt like I’d been transported back in time)

At 16, I broke another sacred rule and left home to study cooking, sending my family into a tailspin. (I think now they may be proud, but it took a long time to convince them.) A love of sports kept my cooking style in the healthy vein, but I never sacrificed the “pleasure factor.” From working with Australia’s Olympic athletes at the Institute of Sport, to lecturing at colleges on sports nutrition and healthy eating, to working for the National Heart Foundation, I found my career chasing any opportunity to convince the public that healthy eating can actually be enjoyable!

My style of cooking today reflects that evolution – playfulness and rule-breaking in the kitchen, but with a fresh, vibrant and simple hand I am not blessed with a huge attention span, so my recipes are usually full of tricks to get the most flavor and best appearance out of food in as little time as possible and with the least effort and cleaning. I look forward to sharing these ideas with you.

I encourage people to trust their instincts, to not be bound by recipes and have fun experimenting – smell, feel, play and dance in the kitchen! And to take time to go shopping and actually enjoy it! The food will taste so much better. After all, it takes less time to cook a pot of pasta, toss with some fruity extra virgin olive oil, torn pieces of fresh basil and halved cherry tomatoes, then top with some cooked chicken, than it does to defrost and microwave, or order pizza delivered! Sit back, breathe out, pour a glass of wine and enjoy real food. You’ll appreciate the food’s flavor and freshness – and how good you’ll feel afterward.

Read more about Sally’s work on her Web site.