Rosemary Chicken with Zucchini

Buy and freeze the ingredients for this in advance.

1 pound new potatoes
2 carrots
2 small zucchini
olive oil
whole-grain mustard
1 bunch rosemary
kosher salt and pepper
4 6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 1 quart plastic freezer bags

For the freezer
Quarter the potatoes, peel the carrots, cut the carrots and zucchini into 2 inch sticks. Mix them in a bowl with 2 tbls olive oil, 2 tbls mustard, 1 tbls rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Divide everything among 4 bags. Freeze until ready to cook.

For the oven
Heat the oven to 400 deg F. Remove the bags, and empty the contents into a baking dish. Roast for 25 min. Toss the vegetables, turn the chicken and continue roasting until the chicken is cooked through - 20 to 25 min more.

(Real Simple magazine May 2009 p. 313 - Recipe by Sara Queensberry)

Chicken with Tomatoes and Thyme

This recipe can be prepared, split into individual freezer bags, and frozen until cooking.

1 lemon
2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
8 sprigs thyme
4 small chicken thighs
4 small chicken drumsticks
Kosher salt and pepper
2 tbls olive oil

Slice the lemon into rounds. In a small bowl, combing the tomatoes and their liquid, lemon, thyme and capers. Season the chicken with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. (here you could divide among 4 bags and freeze up to 3 months).

Cook at 400 deg. Drizzle with oil first. Roast the chicken until golden brown 40-50 min depending on whether frozen or not.

Recipe found in Real Simple magazine. March 2008

Microwave Salmon with Hollandaise

Hollandaise Sauce (for Bearnaise sauce, add 3/4 tsp crushed tarragon)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup light cream

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 tbls fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp salt

dash of Cayenne pepper

Melt butter, in a glass measuring cup for 1 minute.  Stir in remaining ingredients and cook 1 min.  Stir once while cooking.  Stir briskly with wire whisk until light and fluffy.  Don't overcook or sauce will curdle.  

Salmon

2 tbls butter

2 salmon steaks

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

salt, pepper, parsley

Preheat cooking (browning) dish for 3 minutes.  Add 1 tbls butter.  Place the salmon in the dish and place remaining butter on top.  Sprinkle with lemon juice.  Cook for 3 min on first side, turn over and cook for 2 min on second side.  Serve with Hollandaise sauce, potatoes, and veggies.

Fettucini Tomato Rustica

1/2 (16 oz) package of Fettucini

1 cup olive oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

3 tbls basil pesto

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (8 0z) jar sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained and chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1) Bring large pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 8-10 min, then drain.

2) Heat 2 tbls of olive oil. Cook chicken over med heat. Set aside to cool. Then slice into pieces.

3) In a medium bowl, combine remaining oil, pesto, basil, garlic, tomatoes, and cheeses.

Mix until smooth.

4) In the large skillet, toss noodles, sauce and chicken. Cook on low heat 5 minutes until heated through.

Molten Chocolate Cake

4 Bakers squares Semi-sweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup butter

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

6 tsp flour

Ice cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter 4 custard cups.  

Place on a baking sheet. Microwave chocolate and 1/2 cup butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high one minute or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well-blended.

Whisk in eggs and egg yolks. Stir in the flour. Divide butter between cups.

Bake 13-14 min until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 min. Carefully run small knife around the edges to loosen cakes. Invert the cakes onto dessert dishes.

Serve with ice cream.

* Batter can be made a day ahead. Pour into cups and cover with plastic -then refrigerate.

Baked Shrimp with Spinach and Feta

1 1/2 pds spinach

1/2 cup chopped shallots

1 tbls olive oil 

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbls Kalamata olives, chopped

3/4 tsp dried oregano

1 cup crumbled feta

1 tbls lemon juice

2 pds large shrimp, shelled and deveined

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Light oil a 9x13 baking dish.  

In a large saucepan, cook spinach - with small amount of water and covered, over med high heat 1 min or until wilted.  Drain well.  Squeeze spinach to remove most of the water and chop course.  In a skillet, cook shallot in oil over med high heat until softened.  Add garlic and cook 2 min.  Removed skillet from heat and stir in spinach, olives, oregano, feta, and lemon juice.   Combine well.  Spread shrimp in prepared dish and cover with spinach mixture.  Bake shrimp in the oven 8-10 min or until just cooked through.

Blackhawk Chicken (Colorado Cache Cookbook)

4 chicken breakts

8 slices Gruyere chees

8 slices Prosciutto 

seasoned flour

2 eggs beaten

2 cups bread crumbs

1/2 cup butter

6 tbls Cognac

2 cups heavy cream

Wrap each slice of cheese with Prosciutto.  Pound out chicken breasts and wrap around the ham and cheese.  Dust with seasoned flour, then dip in beaten eggs and roll in bread crumbs.  Refrigerate for 1 hr.  Brown breasts on both sides in butter, then arrange in a heat proof dish and finish cooking in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until fork tender.  In the pan, pour the cognac.  Light on fire.  When the flame dies down, pour in heavy cream.  Simmer until thickened.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour sauce over chicken just before serving.

Artichoke Chicken with Capers

Chicken breasts - pound until flattened

Skim milk - 1/2 cup

Seasoned flour

2 Tbls. olive oil

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 or more Tbls capers

I can, quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1/2 cup vermouth

salt and pepper

Dredge breasts in skim milk and coat with flour. 

Heat 2 Tbls of olive oil in pan.  Add garlic and cook until tender.  Add chicken and saute in hot oil on one side until browned.   Turn chicken and saute for 2 minutes.

Add capers, artichoke hearts, 1/2 cup vermouth, salt and pepper to taste.

Cook ingredients and reduce vermouth by half.  Cover and cook until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.  

Favorite Salad dressing

2 small shallots

3 oz champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

1 tsp Dijon mustard

8 ox extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Blend (in a blender) shallots, vinegar, mustard.  Add oil, salt and pepper.  Blend again.

Lemon Basil Chicken with Basil Aioli

Chicken

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup chopped green onions

2 Tbls lemon juice

2 Tbls white vinegar

1/2 tsp. pepper

Chicken breasts

Aioli

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil

2 Tbls mayo

1 Tbls lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard

3/4 tsp garlic - pressed through garlic press

1/2 tsp olive oil

Chicken  - Combine ingredients in a bowl.  Add chicken to coat.  Broil chicken in oven (about 6-8 min on each side).  

 

Aioli - prepare while chicken cooks.  Combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to stir. Serve on top of chicken.  

Potato Leek Flatbread

I found this recipe in Real Simple magazine (another one). They have some good recipes. Check out their website. Anyway, I actually crave this little pizza. So, try it out.

1 1-pound package refrigerated pizza dough
Cornmeal for the pan
2 small leeks (white and light green parts), halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 medium Red Bliss potatoes, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Kosher salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Gruyère
1 5-ounce package mixed greens

Heat oven to 450° F. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal and place the dough on top. Combine the leeks, potatoes, thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil in a large bowl. Scatter the potato mixture over the dough and sprinkle with the Gruyère. Bake until the crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Serve with greens.

Zucchini and Mushroom Quiche

This recipe originally came from Pampered Chef. I modified it a little to make it easier for me (I never have bacon in the house. But you can make it with bacon too)

1 pre-made pie crust (or homemade, as you wish)
1/2 pound bacon (I just use bacon bits)
1/2 cup chopped onions (normally, i just use red onion)
3/4 package sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (again, use whatever you have, whatever you like)
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp salt and pepper each
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Place pie crust in a 9 inch pie plate. (cook bacon if you're using it, then crumble). Saute onions, mushrooms, and zucchini, and salt and pepper until tender. (add bacon here) Spread vegetable mixture over the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle cheese over the vegetables. Whisk eggs, milk, and seasonings together. Pour egg mixture over the cheese. Bake 35-40 min. or until eggs mixture is solid in the middle.

In this recipe, you may need to make adjustments to quantities based on preference and what will fit in the pie crust.

Zucchini or Banana Bread

my mom's recipe (i love you mom). so good. ask anyone who's ever had it.

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raw grated zucchini OR 2 cups mashed bananas

Beat eggs and sugar. Add oil and vanilla and mix. Add flour, soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Blend. Add zucchini or bananas and mix with a spoon.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

You can add chocolate chips to the banana bread - that's nice too : )

Shrimp, lemon, and spinach pasta salad

If you like shrimp and you like pasta salad, this is the one for you. It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's fairly easy. And you can always leave things out, make substitutions.

12 oz. whole grain rotini, rotelle or fusilli pasta.
3 lb. peeled deveined shrimp, tails removed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
About 3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red chile flakes ( I think you could use any spicy spice here, i don't know if i use these)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
1 can chickpeas/garbanzos (15 oz) drained and rinsed
1 1/4 cups plain Greek-style yogurt (or whole-milk plain yogurt)
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1. cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water, unti tender to the bite, 9-12 min or according to package instructions. drain and set aside.

2. meanwhile, toss shrimp with 2 tbsp. olive oil, onion, garlic, salt, chile flakes, cumin. Marinate at room temp for 10 min. Preheat a med frying pan over med heat, then add shrimp and marinade. cook, stirring often, until shrimp are pink and firm, 3-4 min

3. In a large bowl, toss together pasta, shrimp, spinach, chickpeas, yogurt, mint, lemon juice, remaining oil, and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt. Serve warm or at room temp.

5 Spice Salmon

You cook this salmon in parchment paper. Easy and fabulous! It's a lovely winter salmon dish. This is really good with snow peas.

1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp anise
1 tsp ground cinammon
salt
skinless salmon filets
1 leek halved lenthwise and thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine all spices except salt. Place salmon on parchment paper. Sprinkle evenly with salt and spices. Top with leeks. Fold paper, seal edges with narrow folds. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Steak with golden Zucchini

I just had this the other night and it is so easy - and delicious! I like the topping that you make for the zucchini on a baked potato too! I found the recipe in Real Simple magazine.

6 tsp olive oil
steak (what do i know about steak? so use what you like. but the recipe calles for strip steak- 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/2 pounds small zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tbls chopped fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, or basil for example)
2 tbls bread crumbs

Heat 3 tsp of the oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Season the steak with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cook to the desired doneness (try 4-5 minutes per side). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 min before slicing.

Return the pain to med heat and heat 2 tsp of the oil. Season the zucchini with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook, cut-side down, covered until browned and tender, about 6 min. Cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces and divide among individual plates. In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, garlic, herbs, bread crumbs and remaining oil. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the zucchini and serve with the steak.

(Tip: You can cook both the zucchini and the steak on the grill at the same time if you prefer)

Bread and Tomato soup

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 leek, white and light green part only, washed and finely chopped
3 cans diced Italian style tomatoes (I use Cantadina) - put in blender and puree
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup beef stock
stale French/Italian style baguette - if not stale, then toasted maybe
2 tsp chopped fresh basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until light golden, about 2 minutes. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until very soft but not browned (about 5 minutes). Add the tomatoes, chicken and beef stocks, and stir to mix well. Bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.

2. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the bread, pushing it into the soup with a wooden spoon until each piece is submerged. Add the basil and stir gently to combine. Cover the pot and set it aside for about 30 minutes - allowing the bread to soak in completely.

3. Uncover the pot and whisk the soup vigorously until the bread breaks down and the soup resembles porridge. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Gently reheat.

4. Serve. You can drizzle more oil over the soup in the bowls if you like.

Shirred Eggs

These eggs are freaking delicious. And so easy to make for guests for breakfast. I have no idea why they are called "Shirred". But I highly suggest trying this. I found the recipe in Real Simple magazine.

Butter a ramekin dish generously. Put 2 tbls of heavy cream in the dish. Then 2 eggs. Gently coax yolks to the middle with a spoon. Top with paprika, miced chives (or dried), salt, pepper and some shredded hard white cheese, like parmesan or gruyere. Bake at 375 about 15 min or until hard.