Recipe(tried): Little Traverse Bay Chicken with Cherry Rice and Creamed Peach Sauce

Schuler's in Marshall, Michigan, adds dried cherries from the Great Lakes State's Traverse Bay area and a sweet, creamy peach sauce to give this main dish its unusual fruity flavor.

Little Traverse Bay Chicken
Makes 4 servings

1 (6 oz.) package long grain and wild rice mix (original recipe)
1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces
3/4 cup dried cherries
2 Tbsp. chopped shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. brandy
1 (8 oz.)can sliced peaches, undrained and finely choped
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
4 tsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup whipping cream
4 (8 oz.) skinned and boned chicken breast halves
Paprika or snipped fresh herb

1) For cherry rice: Prepare the rice mix according to package directions. Stir walnuts and 1/2 cup of the cherries into the cooked rice. Set aside.

2) For creamed peach sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine shallots, garlic, wine, brandy and peaches. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes

3) In a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour and salt. Add to peach mixture. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in cream and remaining cherries; heat through. Cover; keep warm.

4) Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place breast halves, boned side up, between two pieces of clear plastic wrap. Working from the center to the edges, pound the breasts lightly with the flat side fo a meat mallet to 1/8" thickness. Remove the plastic wrap; sprinkle chicken lightly with some salt.

5)Place about 1/2 cup of the rice mixture in the center of each chicken breast. Gather the corners of the chicken breasts to the center over rice mixture to for a ball shape. If necessary, secure with toothpicks. Place, seam side down, in a greased shallow baking pan.

6)Bake, uncovered, in a 400 deg. oven 20 min. or till chicken isn't pink.

7)Remove toothpicks from chicken. Spoon peach sauce onto 4 serving plates. Place a chicken breast atop. Serve with remaining rice. Sprinkle chicken with paprika or herb.

"This is really very special"