Chicken with Salad Lemon Herb Dressing Buy or bake 3 small chickens. Chickens can be baked a day ahead. If you are baking them yourself sprinkle with salt and pepper, stuff chicken with one sliced lemon and fresh thyme. Bake at 450 F for 1 to 1. 4 bags fresh arugula Fresh Lemon Herb Salad Dressing (see below) Cut the chickens up in eight pieces. Cut the breast into two pieces. Spread lettuce over a big platter, dress with Lemon Herb Salad Dressing. Place chicken pieces on top of lettuce and it s ready to serve. More chicken, more lettuce for more people. Lemon Herb Salad Dressing 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 4 Tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp red wine vinegar 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil 11/2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil, chives, and/or tarragon 1/8 tsp salt or to taste In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all the ingredients. Cover and shake vigorously. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper.
Southwestern Chicken and Rice Bowl 3 tsp kosher salt, divided 2 tsp ground cumin, divided 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander, divided 1 tsp black pepper, divided 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 8 (5 to 6 oz) chicken cutlets 6 tsp olive oil 5 (8.8 oz) package microwaveable long-grain white rice 6 Tbsp olive oil, divided 2 medium poblano chile, seeds removed, chopped 2 small jalapeno chile, seeds removed, finely chopped 3/4 cup finely chopped red onion 2 cup fresh or frozen, thawed corn kernels 3 garlic cloves, minced 4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 2 tsp lime zest plus 1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice Garnishes: tortilla strips, lime wedges, salsa, cilantro Stir together 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Rub each chicken cutlet with 1/2 tsp olive oil. Rub each cutlet evenly with salt mixture. Chill 1 to 24 hours. Cook rice according to package directions. Cook chicken cutlets in 1 Tbsp hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high until done and golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter, and cover with aluminum foil. Cook the chicken in batches (unless you have a BIG skillet). Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to skillet. Cook chiles and onions until tender, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle mixture with remaining 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp coriander, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add half corn kernels and garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, and stir in rice; cook, stirring until thoroughly heated, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice. Divide into bowls. Serve with cooked chicken.
Crock Pot Mojo Pork with Cuban-Style Black Beans dairy free gluten free serves 6 ( double to serve 12) 3 4 lb boneless pork butt, trimmed of excess fat then cut into big hunks 3/4 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 cup lime juice 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 onion, cut into big chunks 1 jalapeno, sliced in half 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 2 bay leaves For Cuban-Style Black Beans: 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/2 onion, chopped 1/2 green pepper, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced salt and pepper 1/2 tsp dried oregano 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed 1/4 cup chicken broth 1 tsp red wine vinegar Add all ingredients except those for Cuban-Style Black Beans to a large crock pot then stir to combine. Cook on low for 8 10 hours or until pork shreds easily with a fork. For the Cuban-Style Black Beans: heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until vegetables are tender, 5 7 minutes. Add garlic then saute for one more minute. Add dried oregano, black beans, chicken broth, and vinegar then simmer until most of the broth has been absorbed and beans are tender. Taste then add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve pork and beans over cooked rice with corn tortillas, or on top of nachos.
Quiche One pie serves 4 to 6 people 4 eggs 1 cup half-and-half 1/2 cup real mayonnaise 2 Tbsp flour 1/3 cup minced onions salt and garlic powder 8 ozs shredded Swiss or sharp cheddar cheese 1 package frozen chopped spinach 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Hand whip eggs, half-and-half, mayonnaise, and flour in a medium mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into an unbaked 9-inch, deep pie crust. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the top is golden brown.
Spaghetti Pie 12 oz spaghetti, cooked, ½ cup cooking water reserved 1 small yellow onion, chopped finely 1 lb ground turkey or sirloin beef 1 cup tomato paste, divided 3 large eggs 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella 2 Tbsp olive oil Salt to taste Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large skillet, sauté the onions until soft. Add ground turkey or beef, and 3/4 cup of the tomato paste. Add half the reserved pasta water and stir well. Season with salt, to taste. Consistency should be like a thick Bolognese sauce. Add more cooking water as needed. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked spaghetti, eggs, parmesan cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of the tomato paste. Grease a 9 or 10-inch pie pan with olive oil. Spread half the meat mixture over the bottom of the pan. Add the spaghetti mixture and press it down to level it. Top with the remaining meat mixture, then scatter the remaining mozzarella on top. Bake the pie in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit about 10 minutes. Use a sharp knife or pizza slicer to cut into wedges like a pie. Serve with a green salad.
Tuscan Bean Soup Makes 8 10 servings 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, diced 2 medium carrots, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 medium zucchini, diced 1 yellow summer squash, diced 4 cloves garlic, pressed 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 1/4 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp dried rosemary 1 quart vegetable (or chicken) broth 2 (14 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1 (14 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juices 3 cups chopped kale, ribs removed 2 tsp salt 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 Tbsp white sugar 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar INSTRUCTIONS Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a 6 quart or larger Dutch oven over mediumhigh heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, and squash. Saute for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and rosemary. Cook 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, beans, and tomatoes. Bring the contents to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and add the chopped kale. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender (or regular blender) to partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks of beans vegetables for texture. Add the salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve topped with Parmesan or Dubliner cheese and a side of crusty bread.
Chicken Salad for a Crowd Serves 12 1 cup chopped walnuts 6 cups chopped cooked chicken (can use 2 chickens from the deli) 2 cup seedless red grapes, halved 2 large Gala apple, diced 1 cup golden raisins 2 cup diced celery 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup honey mustard Salt and pepper to taste Optional: add 2 Tbsp curry (or to taste) to mayonnaise. Combine all ingredients, mix and serve.
Salad Niçoise serves 6 (double to serve 12) For the French vinaigrette (makes about 1 1/2 cups): 1 cup canola oil 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup cider vinegar 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 large garlic clove, smashed 1/4 tsp mustard powder 1/4 tsp lemon-pepper spice mix Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper For the salad: 1 lb fingerling potatoes 8 oz green beans or haricot verts 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided (melted or at room temperature) 4 (4.5 oz) cans tuna in olive oil, drained 4 large hard-boiled eggs, sliced 2 medium ripe tomatoes, quartered Niçoise olives (optional) 3 cups salad greens For the dressing, combine the oil, vinegars, Dijon, and garlic in a blender or small food processor and blend until the dressing is thick and creamy (emulsified). Whisk in mustard powder, lemon-pepper seasoning, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust vinegar, lemonpepper seasoning, and salt to taste. This dressing will make more than you need for one salad; the remaining vinaigrette can be refrigerated for a few weeks. For the salad, place potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with a few inches of water. Add a generous amount of salt and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender and can easily be pierced with knife, about 10 minutes. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Return the water to a boil and add the green beans. Cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove beans with a slotted spoon (or drain through a colander) and set aside. continued on next page
Salad Niçoise continued Slice the fingerling potatoes crosswise into thin discs, toss with 2 Tbsp of butter, and season with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, toss the green beans with remaining Tbsp of butter and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, stir a few Tbsp vinaigrette into the tuna. Taste and add more until desired flavor is reached. Season with salt and pepper. Spread lettuce onto a serving platter. Arrange potatoes, green beans, eggs, tomatoes, tuna, and olives over lettuce. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.
Bar B Que in the Crock Pot 2 cups chopped celery 1 onion, chopped salt and ground black pepper, to taste 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp chili powder 1/2 cup water 1 cup ketchup 1 cup barbeque sauce 1 (6 lb) pork shoulder roast Stir celery, onion, barbeque sauce, ketchup, water, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper together in a slow cooker. Place roast into the mixture. Cook on Low for 7 hours (or High for 5 hours). Shred the meat with two forks and stir into the liquid; cook for 1 hour more.
Slow Cooker Herb Chicken and Vegetables 2 carrot, peeled, sliced into 1/4" rounds 2 parsnip, peeled, sliced into 1/4" rounds 2 pound small red potatoes, about 6 baby potatoes, quartered and cut into small wedges 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 yellow onion, quartered and cut into small wedges 6 bone-in, split chicken breast, skinless 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp black pepper Kosher or sea salt to taste 3 Tbsp fresh parsley or 2 tsps dried parsley 2 Tbsp fresh sage or 1 tsp dried rubbed sage) 2 Tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes onion and garlic to a medium mixing bowl. In a small bowl, combine oil, paprika, herbs, salt and pepper. Add of the half oil and herb mixture to vegetables, toss to coat and add to slow cooker. Rinse and pat chicken dry, add to the mixing bowl and pour remaining oil and herb mixture over chicken, being sure to thoroughly coat. In a large skillet, turn to medium-high heat, add chicken and lightly brown on both sides. Place chicken over vegetables, cover and cook on low 5 to 6 hours or until juices run clear when pierced with a fork, or chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 F degrees and vegetables are tender.
Spinach-and-Herb Pastatta Vegetarian 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed 1 (16 oz) package mezze penne pasta 2 1/2 Tbsp butter 3 large shallots, sliced 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups half-and-half 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1 cup (4 oz) freshly shredded Asiago cheese, divided 10 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped 1 Tbsp finely chopped chives 2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp freshly ground pepper Garnishes: fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, shaved Parmesan cheese INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 325 F. Drain spinach well, pressing between paper towels. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add shallots, and sauté 5 minutes or until golden brown. Whisk in flour until smooth; cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in half-and-half; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Whisk in ricotta and 1/2 cup Asiago cheese until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk eggs in a bowl until frothy. Fold in shallot mixture, spinach, parsley, and next 3 ingredients. Stir in cooked pasta. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Asiago cheese on inside rim of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Pour pasta mixture into pan. Bake at 325 F for 55 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Asiago cheese.