Chicken Cacciatore Stoup - Rachel Ray did it again with her ability to throw together an amazing meal, in limited time and still satisfy every one of my taste buds - minus the sweet one - that's for the Breyer's ice cream. :-) Barton and I were looking for a chicken dish this week that offered healthy, spicy, and colorful attributes and we found just that with this recipe. The slight seasoning of the chicken and the red pepper flakes added at the beginning of the recipe was prominent in the finishing tastes. I highly recommend serving this dish with a crusty French baguette. We did not have one so we had a piece of wheat bread with a light spread of butter, still delicious. This recipe offers a great variety of vegetables and leaves you feeling satisfied and content on the healthy choice made. Enjoy

Ingredients:

3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 tsp grill seasoning, (I just used salt and fresh ground pepper)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 large white potatoes, peeled and diced (I substituted the small white potatoes and used about 7, due to the lack of availability at the grocery store)
8 cremini (baby portobello) mushrooms, de-stemed and chopped
4 celery ribs from the heart, chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup dry Italian red wine (I used a shiraz from California)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 C low-sodium chicken broth
3 TBSP fresh rosemary

Directions:

Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil then add the chicken. Season the chicken with the grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Cook until evenly and lightly browned all over, 5-7 minutes. Be sure to stir.

While the chicken cooks, chop up the vegetables.

Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and put on plate. Reserve for later. Add the remaining extra-virgin olive oil to the pan. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and potatoes. Cook for a couple of minutes. 7-10 if you prefer your potatoes to be softer. Then add the mushrooms, celery, and onions. Cook for another 6 minutes. Make sure you stir every minute or so. Then add the bell peppers and garlic. Cook for another 3 minutes. Add the chicken back to the skillet and toss with vegetables. Add the red wine. Stir. Add the tomatoes and broth to the skillet and stir to combine. Stir in the rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Turn of the soup and divide into bowls. Top with fresh basil (I used basil flakes) and cheese. Recommended: parmigiano-reggiano. Serve with a few slices of a French baguette.

Please try this dish, it IS great and you might even thank me for it.

This recipe was found in Rachel Ray's 365: No Repeats.

Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Cranberry and Orange Glaze.


Ingredients:


2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each (I used pork loin due to unavailability)
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon leaf thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
dash ground cloves
salt and pepper
12 to 16 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (substituted whole cranberries canned, due to unavailability)
1 can (12 ounces) mandarin orange slices in syrup or lite syrup
1/2 cup sugar
juice and zest from 1 orange


Directions:


Heat oven to 425°. Lightly oil a roasting pan. Trim excess fat, if needed. Mince the garlic and blend with the cumin, thyme, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves; mix with 1 to 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. Rub spice mixture all over the pork. Roast until pork registers about 155°.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the cranberries, mandarin orange slices and syrup, sugar, and orange juice and zest. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until cranberries have popped and the mixture is thickened.

Spoon some of the cranberry mixture over the pork and roast for 5 minutes longer. Heat remaining cranberry mixture to serve with sliced pork. Let the pork rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

This recipe was great, a nice sweet additive for the pork. We paired sauteed zucchini and squash, sauteed in a bit of extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. It paired well. 

I found this recipe on About.com. Recipe by Diana Rattray.

Stir-Fry.... Fry-Stir

Cashew Chicken with Red Bell Peppers and Broccoli:

Another great stir-fry recipe. The mix between the cashews and broccoli really add a great crunch to the overall dish. The sauce is thick and a bit sweet but coats the ingredients well. I recommend wheat rice and a glass of cold, homemade ice tea. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 TBSP reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 TBSP rice vinegar
3 TBSP hoisin sauce
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 tsp. canola oil
1 lb Stir fry chicken breast
1 TBSP fresh grated ginger (I did not use this because I forgot to get some, I did not notice it missing)
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, chopped
12 oz fresh broccoli florets
1/4 C water
2 C rice - follow box instructions
2/3 C roasted, unsalted cashews (can be found in bulk in your local grocery store)
3 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, soy sauce, and vinegar until evenly blended, then whisk in hoisin sauce and brown sugar. Place to the side and save for later.

Begin cooking rice according to box instructions.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot add chicken. Cook and stir until just cooked through, approximately 6 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate.

Add ginger and garlic to the pan and cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add bell pepper, broccoli, and water. Cover and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Re-whisk sauce. Add to the pan with cooked chicken, cashews and scallions. Toss and stir until sauce simmers and vegetables are coated with sauce.

Serve over cooked rice and enjoy.

(This recipe was found in the Fresh Magazine Hannaford Supermarket publishes every 2 months)