Country Baked French Chicken

My mom has been telling me my whole life that I need to develop more patience.  This isn't easy.  Especially when I am frustrated.  And few things are more frustrating than annoying internet pop-ups.  Especially the ones that actively prevent me from doing what I want to do when I want to do it.  I encountered one of these a few weeks ago.  As I was checking my bank balance.  Only it wasn't an add.  It was an invitation to enroll in online banking and be entered in a contest.  I was not in my most patient frame of mind and I'm already enrolled in online baking, so I attempted to close the pop-up.  But it wouldn't close.  I tried for almost 20 minutes.  With a few choice words.  I literally could not check my bank balance unless I enrolled in a banking feature in which I was already actively enrolled.  I mean really.  Whose dumb idea was this.

But I had no choice.  I was literally forced to re-enroll in online banking and, by default, enter this supposed contest.

Two weeks later I got an e-mail from the bank.  I won the blasted contest.  I  never win anything.  Anything.  And the one contest I win was the one I was forced to enter.  A $100 Meijer gift card.  Not bad, really.

Lessons learned: good things come to those who wait, patience is in fact a virtue, and always always listen to your mother.  :)

In the spirit of listening to my mother, I decided to make this delicious dish that she has been making for years.  So simple but so, so good.

Recipe:
4-6 chicken breasts, thawed, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb. new potatoes, quartered (my mom has recently started using sweet potatoes, which is a delicious modification, so I used half and half)
1 medium red and green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, combine all ingredients; mix well.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Makes 6 servings.

Verdict:
As good as it has always been.  Alex really loved it as well. He went back for seconds.  And thirds.  You should really think about adding sweet potatoes for the flavor and additional health benefits.  Also, when buying regular potatoes, it's important to buy them organic.  They are on the list of 'dirtiest' vegetables (i.e. pesticides galore).   Sweet potatoes on the other hand are on the 'Clean Fifteen' list.  In other words, fruits and vegetables with the lowest level of pesticides in non-organic form.  Potatoes are supposed to be inexpensive, but when you buy organic the costs add up, and it's nice to have a few fruits and vegetables to feel safer eating and saving money with the non-organic version.

Here's to a happy, healthy, and delicious 2012!