Recipes- June 2014

Thai Red Curry

Serves: 4Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

1 TBSP vegetable or olive oil1 TBSP red curry paste1 can coconut milk (about 14 oz)

½ cup chicken broth

1 TBSP brown sugar1 TBSP fish sauce1 lb chicken, beef, pork, or tofu (cut into bite sized pieces)3 cups assorted cut-up vegetables (bell peppers, onions, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, etc)Cooked rice or quinoa

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add curry paste; stir fry 1 to 1 ½ minutes or until fragrant. Add coconut milk and chicken stock; bring to simmer on medium-high heat. Stir in brown sugar and fish sauce until well blended.

Stir in meat and vegetables; simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender-crisp. Remove from heat.

Serve over cooked rice or quinoa.

Tips:

Make sure you have your rice ready once the curry is done. Leftovers are delicious, so even if you are making it just for one- you can enjoy the leftovers later!Coconut milk, curry paste, and fish sauce can typically be found in the international section of a regular grocery store.

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa

Serves: 2Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa 2 cups water

¾ lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

1 cup broccoli florets

¾ cup shredded carrots

¾ cup shredded cabbage

1 TBSP olive or vegetable oilAbout 1 cup buffalo sauceOptional: blue cheese and green onions for garnish

Directions:

In a medium pot, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn heat to low. Cook until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat a medium size skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the broccoli for about 5 minutes. You want it to just start to soften, but still be crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the chicken to the same pan and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Add ¼ cup of the buffalo sauce and cook until the chicken absorbs the sauce.

When the quinoa is ready, add the chicken, broccoli, carrots, cabbage and as much of the buffalo sauce as desired. Toss. Garnish with blue cheese and green onions (if using).

Tips:

If you have a very fine mesh strainer, rinse the raw quinoa before cooking it. This is supposed to remove any bitter outside left over from when it grew. I think you will be fine skipping this if you don’t have a strainer.

This is also delicious with tofu substituted for the chicken. If you do this, just sauté up the tofu on medium-high heat until it has browned. I think you can also leave out the cabbage if that is a weird ingredient you don’t often buy.

Stir Fry

Serves: however many you want! Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Chicken, pork, beef, or tofuAssorted vegetables (bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, carrots, onions, etc)Olive oilStir fry sauceCooked rice, quinoa, or noodles

Directions:

Cut up your veggies and meat. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the meat in the skillet about 5-6 minutes or until it is all the way cooked through. Remove and set aside. Add more oil to the skillet and sauté the veggies until they are tender crisp. Just before you are done, add the meat back to the skillet and add the stir fry sauce. Cook for about one minute, and then serve over rice, quinoa, or noodles.

Tips:

This meal is really easy to make whatever size you want. If just for yourself, just use one chicken breast and a cup or two of cut up veggies.

Make sure you wait to add the stir fry sauce until right at the end to prevent the sugar in the sauce from over-cooking. It’s fun to try different bottles of sauce already premade for you! You can find all different flavors at the grocery store- sweet and sour, Szechwan, teriyaki, Kung Pao, etc.

White Chicken Chili

Serves: 2Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1 TBSP olive or vegetable oil1 large chicken breast1 package of McCormick White Chicken Chili Seasoning Mix1 cup water1 can white beans, undrained (pinto beans or great northern beans- 15-16 ounces)Optional toppings: shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, or sour cream

Directions:

Heat oil in medium sized pan on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink.

Stir in seasoning mix, water, and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with desired toppings.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Serves: 4Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked linguine1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)Garlic powder and salt 1 TBSP olive oil2 medium peppers, thinly sliced (green, red, or yellow- I usually pick 2 different colors)8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

½ red onion, sliced

3 cloves of garlic1 cup chicken broth1/3 cup milk1 TBSP flour3 TBSP cream cheese

Directions:

Cut up all your veggies and meat. Cook your linguine according to package instructions to be ready once everything else is ready.

In a small blender (or by hand, if you don’t have one), make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside.

Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray or oil and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes, or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with remaining chicken. Set aside.

Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4

minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with ¼ tsp salt, garlic powder, and pepper to taste.

Reduce heat to medium-low: add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.

Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat.

Tips:

You can make this meal a little smaller by just using one chicken breast, 1 bell pepper, and maybe 4 oz

mushrooms. If you do that, also use ½ c chicken broth and about half the slurry ingredients.

The easiest way to do fresh garlic is to buy a jar of it. If is usually located in the produce section. Once

you open it, you want to refrigerate it. It will keep for many months in the fridge. ½ tsp of that equals one garlic clove. I use this all the time when cooking!

Whenever you boil pasta noodles, to keep noodles from sticking together, dump a little olive oil in the boiling water with the noodles!

Tomato and Sausage Risotto

Serves: 4

Time: 55 min

Ingredients:

1 can diced tomatoes in juice (28 oz)1 TBSP olive oil

¾ lb sweet or hot Italian sausage

1 small onion, finely chopped1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

Optional topping: parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (with their juice) and 3 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.

While you’re doing this, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add sausage and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until sausage is opaque and onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.

Add about 2 cups hot tomato mixture to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, about 25 minutes total (you may not have to use all the liquid). Remove pan from heat. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Tips:

Whenever you cook with wine, you can buy the cheapest stuff you can find or cooking wine that lasts a month or two. Taste doesn’t matter because the alcohol gets cooked off anyway. Unless you’re going to enjoy the rest of the bottle- then buy a delicious one You can also add some fresh, raw spinach along with the parmesan cheese to get your veggies in.

Hearty, Delicious Pasta Sauce

Serves: 6 Time: 25 min

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground beef

½ cup diced onion

2 little cans of tomato paste (6 oz each)1 large can of petite diced tomatoes (28 oz)2 cups of water (maybe a little less)1 TBSP sugar1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 bay leaf (take it out after simmering)

1 ½ tsp oregano

¼ tsp garlic powder

Directions:

Brown ground beef and onions. Drain fat. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Serve over any type of pasta noodles.

Tips:

You can make a half recipe if you want less. But it also freezes really well. I typically make a full recipe, then freeze whatever sauce is leftover in dinner sized portions. Then one night when you don’t feel like cooking, you can just boil up fresh noodles thaw the sauce and voilà- dinner!

If you want to be healthier- you can substitute ground turkey for ground beef. It’s delicious.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves: 8

Time: 1 hour, 45 min

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts2 TBSP olive oil1 ½ tsp cumin1 tsp chili powder½ tsp garlic powder½ tsp salt1 cup diced onion¼ cup diced green bell pepper¼ cup diced red bell pepper3 cloves garlic, minced1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies (10 oz)4 cups chicken broth3 TBSP tomato paste4 cups hot water2 cans black beans, drained (15 oz each)3 TBSP cornmeal or masa5 corn tortillas, cut into uniform strips around 2 to 3 inchesFor garnish: sour cream, diced avocado, diced red onion, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Mix cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 TBSP olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix. Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 TBSP olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, green pepper, red pepper, and minced garlic. Stir to begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Rotel tomatoes and chiles, chicken broth, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. (make sure you do this- don’t put the cornmeal directly in the soup or else it will clump up). Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasoning, adding more if needed- add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top with the garnishes. These really make the soup. My favorites are avocado, cilantro, shredded cheese, diced onion, and sour cream. Yum!

Tips:

This recipe is pretty involved, but if you follow the steps, you’ll be fine. It takes some time- but it’s the most delicious and flavorful soup I’ve ever made. It’s really fun to make it for a group of people if you’re entertaining!

This recipe is from a blog www.thepioneerwoman.com. I like to have the website up while cooking. She has awesome step-by-step instructions with pictures.

You can skimp a little bit on the simmering time if you’re in a hurry. I often do.

Panera Black Bean Soup

Serves: 2-3 Time: 45 min

Ingredients:

1 medium onion2 cloves garlic2 celery stalks

¼ red bell pepper

1 TBSP olive oil

1 ½ cups chicken broth

2 cans black beans (15 oz each)

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp salt

Lemon juice (about ½ lemon or 1 ½ TBSP)

Optional garnishes: sour creem, green onions

Directions:

Chop the onions, celery, and bell pepper and mince garlic. Add the oil to a large pot over medium high heat. Add the vegetables and sauté until the onions are translucent.

Add the chicken broth and raise the heat to high. Add the black beans along with the salt and ground cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a slow rolling boil and let cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Using a potato masher, work the beans until you’ve reached the desired consistency. I like there to be a good number of whole beans still in the soup, which is how Panera does it. Add the lemon juice and let simmer for 5 minutes. Serve in individual bowls with garnishes (if using).

Tortellini Soup

Serves: 5-6Time: 45 min

Ingredients:

1 carrot1 celery stalk1 green zucchini (about 8 inches)2 small yellow zucchini¼ red, yellow, or green pepper1 can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion (if you can’t find this use diced tomatoes w/basil, garlic

and oregano and maybe dice a couple slices of fresh onion)1 TBSP parsley flakes½ tsp basil1 large or 2 small chicken bouillon cubes1 TBSP olive oilSalt and pepper to taste8 cups water1 bag cheese tortellini

Directions:

Dice all your veggies. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, pepper and onion (if using). Sauté for a few minutes. Then add zucchini and sauté a few minutes more. Once vegetables have started to soften, add the rest of the ingredients except for the tortellini. Bring the pot to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the tortellini, bring the soup back to a boil and let the tortellini cook for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with shredded cheese if you like.

Tips:

This soup is delicious left over! If you want the soup to be heartier, you can add cooked, shredded chicken. The original recipe has that, but I think it is plenty filling without it, so I typically make it vegetarian just to save money.

Lentil “Meat” Tacos

Serves: 4 Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil2/3 cup finely chopped onion1 garlic clove, minced2/3 cup dried lentils, rinsed1 TBSP taco seasoning, or to taste1 and 2/3 cups chicken broth2/3 cup salsaTaco shells (hard or soft)Topping Ideas: shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream

Directions:

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Mix lentils and taco seasoning into onion mixture; cook and stir for 1 minute.

Cover lentils with chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Uncover and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash lentils slightly; stir in salsa.

Scoop into shells and serve with toppings!

Tips:

Don’t be scared of this recipe! You can barely tell it’s not meat. We use this recipe all the time because lentils are cheaper than meat. With toppings and everything, it’s delicious. And lentils are really healthy for you.

Zucchini Bread

2 cups sugar3 cups flour3 eggs2 cups grated zucchini1 tsp salt1 cup vegetable or canola oil1 tsp baking soda3 tsp vanilla3 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp baking powder

Directions:Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased loaf pans. Bake 1 hour at 350° or until done. You’ll know it’s done when you stick a fork in it and it comes out clean. Makes 2 loaves.

Tip:You can make a half recipe if you only want one loaf. Or make a full recipe and freeze the extra loaf.

Banana Bread

3 or 4 over-ripe bananas, smashed1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to ¾ cup)1 egg, beaten1 tsp vanilla1 tsp baking sodaPinch of salt

1 ½ cups flour

Directions:

Mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake 1 hour at 350° or until done.

Tip:Anytime you don’t eat your bananas before they go bad, instead of throwing them out, just put the browned bananas in the freezer. You can save them in the freezer until you want to use them.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients: 2 medium russet potatoes3 garlic clovesSalt1/3 cup milk2 TBSP butter

Directions:Peel potatoes and quarter lengthwise; cut crosswise ½ inch thick. In a medium sized pan, combine

potatoes and garlic cloves; cover with water by 1 inch. Add a ¾ tsp salt.Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 25 to 30 minutes.Drain; return garlic and potatoes to pan. Stir over medium-high heat until dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.In a small saucepan, bring milk to a boil; pour over potatoes. Add butter and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mash until smooth and creamy. Serves 2.

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes

Ingredients:Little red potatoesOlive oilItalian seasoningSalt

Directions:Cut up potatoes into pieces. Brush them with olive oil and sprinkle Italian seasoning and salt on them. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until fork-tender.

Spicy Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms

Serves: 8Time: 35 min

Ingredients:

24 oz white mushrooms1 TBSP olive oil1 TBSP butter1 whole medium onion, diced½ cup breadcrumbsSalt and pepper to taste8 oz cream cheese, softened1/3 cup sour cream½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese½ cup grated Monterey jack cheese1 package (small) chopped spinach, thawed8 dashes hot sauce (we like Cholula)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Wash and dry mushrooms. Pull the stems off the mushrooms, then chop the stems finely. Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and chopped stems and sauté for several minutes, or until soft and starting to turn golden. Add bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Stir and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.Squeeze excess liquid out of thawed spinach. Set aside.In a large bowl, add softened cream cheese, sour cream, grated cheeses, and the cooled mushroom/onion/breadcrumb mixture. Fold together to combine. Add spinach, a dash of salt and pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Fold together until combined.Using a spoon, mound the mixture into the stemmed mushroom caps. Use the spoon to round the mixture on top. Place on a baking sheet or in a baking dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked and the filling is hot. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Tips:

This makes a lot of mushrooms- 30-40, so if you’re making it for a smaller group, cut the recipe in half. Also, it could be made without the spinach and hot sauce if you want it to be milder, but those make it delicious. I sometimes use fresh spinach if that’s all I have on hand (and simply cook it in boiling water for a minute or two before squeezing the liquid out and adding to mushrooms.

Bruschetta

Makes: 24 piecesTime: 20 min

Ingredients:

2 cups diced tomatoes (squeeze out seeds before dicing) 1/3 cup diced red onion½ TBSP balsamic vinegar1 tsp olive oil¼ tsp saltdash of pepper¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves1 french baguetteAdditional olive oil1 large garlic cloveOptional: fresh mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine tomatoes, onions, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and 1 tsp olive oil in a bowl and mix to combine. Add basil and gently toss to distribute. Give it a taste and add additional salt and pepper if necessary. Cover and chill.

Slice baguette into half inch slices and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle or brush some olive oil on top. Place in oven for 8-10 minutes until just lightly toasted. Remove pan from oven. Slice garlic clove in half and rub cut side down on each piece of bread. Top with about a tablespoon on the tomato mixture.

If desired, place on slice of mozzarella cheese on the bread before topping with tomato mixture.

Prosciutto Wrapped Cantaloupe

Ingredients:

CantaloupeProsciuttoSmoked Gouda cheeseTooth picks

Directions:

Cut up the cantaloupe and cheese into bite sized pieces. Stack a piece of one on top of the other and wrap in the prosciutto and secure with a toothpick.

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Caprice Bites

Ingredients:

Fresh mozzarella cheeseCherry tomatoesFresh basilBalsamicTooth picks

Directions:Cut the fresh mozzarella into bite sized pieces. Stack the mozzarella, basil leaf, and tomato on top of each other and secure with a toothpick. Drizzle with balsamic.

Chicken Pad Thai

Serves: 2Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

4 ounces Thai Kitchen Stir-Fry Rice Noodles (or other brand)2 TBSP oil1 egg, lightly beaten4 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips6 TBSP Thai Kitchen Original Pad Thai Sauce2 green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup bean sprouts

¼ cup coarsely chopped unsalted peanutsOptional toppings: fresh cilantro sprigs and lime wedges

Directions:

Bring 4 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add rice noodles; let stand 8 to 10 minutes or until noodles are soft but firm. Rinse under cold water; drain well. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in large skillet or work on medium-high heat. Add egg; scramble until set. Remove from skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add chicken; stir fry until cooked through. Add rice noodles, Pad Thai sauce, and green onions; stir fry 3 to 4 minutes or until noodles are tender.

Stir in bean sprouts and scrambled egg. Place noodle mixture on serving platter. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serve with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges (if using).

Tips:

You can use shrimp, cut up veggies, or tofu as a substitute for the chicken.

Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Rice Bowls

Serves: 6Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

Cooking spray1 TBSP olive oil2 cloves garlic, minced1 tsp cumin1 TBSP chili powderSalt and pepper, to taste2 medium sweet potatoes, diced1 medium red onion, diced1 large red bell pepper, diced1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped fine (optional- depending on whether you want spice!)3 cups cooked brown rice2 cans black beans, drained and rinsedLime wedgesOther toppings: avocado, chopped cilantro, sour cream, cheese, etc

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400⁰. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper until combined. Add sweet potatoes, onions, red peppers, and jalapeño and toss to coat. Spread out the veggies on the prepared baking sheet in one layer. Roast in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender and beginning to brown and caramelize.

To assemble bowls, spoon rice into bowl and top with black beans, then top with roasted veggies. Spritz bowl with lime juice and then top with desired toppings.

Tips:

Instead of fresh limes, I often just keep a little bottle of lime juice in the fridge. It’s easier and does the job. If you’re entertaining though, little lime wedges and avocado slices are cute on the side of the bowl.

Crispy Quinoa Bake

Serves: 8Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, uncooked1 TBSP plus 2 tsp olive oil, divided2 cups chicken broth1 cup onion, diced (about 1 medium)½ green pepper, chopped2 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 cup zucchini, cubed (about 2 small)15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained4 oz. can diced green chiles28 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained1 cup frozen corn½ tsp ground cumin1 tsp oregano1 tsp chili powder½ lime, juiced2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375⁰. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly with cool water. Drain. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, for about one minute. The quinoa should begin to dry out and pop a bit. Add the chicken stock. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 TBSP olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and zucchini and cook 3 more minutes.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork and place it in a large bowl. Add the onion mixture, beans, green chiles, tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano, chili powder, lime juice, and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly and transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake 30 minutes, top with cheese, and bake 10 minutes more or until melted and just beginning to brown.

Chili Roasted Salmon with Cilantro Cream

Serves: 4 Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray4 TBSP fresh lime juice4 garlic cloves, smashed2 tsp chili powder2 tsp ground cumin3 tsp olive oil4 5-ounce skinless salmon fillets1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced1 poblano pepper, thinly sliced1/2 small red onion, thinly slicedSaltFreshly ground black pepper1/3 cup light sour cream2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425⁰. Mist 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray. In a small baking dish, mix together 2 tablespoons lime juice with garlic, chili powder, cumin, and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add salmon and turn to coat; let sit.

In a medium bowl, toss corn, bell pepper, poblano pepper, and onion with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Transfer corn mixture to one of the baking sheets; spread into a single layer.

Remove salmon from marinade and arrange on second baking sheet. Drizzle corn mixture with remaining salmon marinade. Season salmon and corn with salt and black pepper to taste and roast 8 to 10 minutes, until fish is just cooked through and vegetables are tender.

Mix together sour cream, cilantro, and remaining lime juice. Season with salt to taste. Spoon corn onto plates and add salmon. Drizzle cream over fish.

Lemon-Thyme Chicken with Sautéed Vegetables

Serves: 4Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

4 TBSP lemon juice1 TBSP n chopped garlic, divided1 TBSP chopped fresh thyme, dividedSaltFreshly ground black pepper1 pound chicken breast tenders, lightly pounded4 tsp canola oil1 medium shallot, sliced1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed11/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved2 medium zucchini1/3 cup crumbled feta

Directions:

In a ziplock bag, combine 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons garlic, and 2 teaspoons thyme; season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add chicken tenders, seal the bag, and gently turn to coat. Set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot, remaining garlic, edamame, and tomatoes; sauté 4 minutes.

Use a vegetable peeler to slice zucchini into long ribbons. Add zucchini and remaining lemon juice and thyme to vegetables in skillet; sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, stir in feta, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Add remaining oil to skillet. Remove chicken from marinade and sauté 2 to 3 minutes a side or until cooked through. Serve with vegetables.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Serves: 10

Time: 1 hour, 30 min

Ingredients:

Topping...

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

½ cup unsalted butter

1 can (20 oz) of pineapple slices

Cake...

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

6 TBSP cake flour

6 TBSP ground almonds (from about 2 oz of whole almonds)

¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 ¾ cups sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

4 large eggs

¾ tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup sour cream

Directions:

Start by making the caramel topping. Take brown sugar and butter and combine and melt in a saucepan on medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbly. This should take several minutes. (after sugar melts, don’t stir). Pour mixture into a 10 inch diameter stick-free cake pan with 2 inch high sides. Arrange pineapple slices in a single layer on top of the caramel mixture.

Preheat oven to 325⁰. Whisk the fours, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the sugar and butter together until lights. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with sour cream in 2 additions each, beating well after each addition. Pour cake batter over caramel and pineapple in pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto a platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

3 Different Ways to Bake Chicken

BBQ Chicken

Need: chicken breast, onion, BBQ sauce, water

Directions: Slice a raw onion into rings. Put the chicken in an oven-safe dish. Top with onion rings. Put about ¼ inch of water in the bottom of the dish. Bake the chicken breast for 20 minutes at 375°. Pull the dish out of the oven and pour BBQ sauce on top of the chicken. Put it back in the oven and bake it for another 20 minutes or until all the way cooked through.

Cranberry Chicken

Need:chicken breast, whole cranberries in sauce (15 oz cans), dry onion soup mix, French dressing (the orange kind)

Directions:Put the chicken in an oven safe dish. Mix together 1 cup French dressing and about ½ packet onion soup mix. (Honestly, I eyeball this…try those measurements first and adjust as needed once you make it the first time) Pour on top of chicken. Top that with the cranberries (probably about 1-2 cans if just making it for the two of you- you want the chicken to be covered in the cranberries and sauce). Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until all the way cooked through. I like to serve it over rice.

Ranch Chicken

Need: chicken breast, ranch dressing, pepper, parmesan cheese

Directions:Put the chicken in an oven safe dish or baking sheet (I think a dish is better b/c then the juices stay in the dish). Pour ranch dressing on the chicken. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pepper. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until all the way cooked through.

Potato Soup

Serves: 4Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced potatoes1 sliced carrot

½ cup diced celery

1 medium onion, chopped1 cup milk1 TBSP butter or margarineSalt and Pepper to tasteOptional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, bacon, snipped parsley, green onions.

Directions:

Put potatoes, carrot, onion and celery in kettle with 1 to ½ cups water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are done. Mash vegetables. Add milk, butter, and seasonings. Add cheddar cheese, bacon, parsley, or green onions just before serving.

Tips:

Depending on how thick you like the soup, you may need to use a little more or less water and milk. Just make sure you have enough water so that your veggies don’t’ burn while simmering.

Recommended Recipe Resources…

William Sonoma Soup of the Day: 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year (Book)

www.thepioneerwoman.com

www.theliveinkitchen.com

www.backtoherroots.com

www.tastykitchen.com

www.ourbestbites.com

www.smittenkitchen.com

www.allrecipes.com

www.marthastewart.com

www.eatingwell.com

**Call Britt to see what new recipes she’s tried recently

Happy Cooking!

Beer-Battered Fish Tacos with Tomato & Avocado Salsa

Serves: 2Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

Salsa…1 large tomato, diced1/4 cup diced red onion1/2 jalapeno, minced2-3 TBSP lime juice1/4 tsp salt1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper1/2 avocado, diced1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantropinch of cayenne (if desired)

Fish Tacos…3 TBSP all-purpose flour1/8 tsp ground cumin1/8 tsp salt1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste1/3 cup beer8 oz tilapia fillet, cut crosswise into 1-inch wide strips (usually use a little more fish)2 tsp canola oiltortillas

Directions:

To prepare salsa, combine tomato, onion, jalapeno, lime juice to taste, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in avocado and cilantro. Add cayenne (if using).

To prepare tacos, combine flour, cumin, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Whisk in beer to create a batter.

Coat tilapia pieces in the batter. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish to the pan and pour in the leftover batter. Cook until crispy and golden, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Serve fish in the tortillas with the salsa, sour cream and hot sauce (if desired).