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)

Athenian Pizza - you HAVE to try this!

I love pizza and ever since I left Rome, I have been trying to explore different options of pizza compared to the traditional marinara and cheese topping. So when I found this recipe in the Hannaford Fresh Magazine I was instantly interested. Although all the ingredients may sound a bit skewed, the combination of them all on nice warm dough was absolutely amazing. Open up your mind and try! However, I will suggest NOT starting it at 10 o'clock at night... it is a bit involving.. :-)

Ingredients:

Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup Hannaford Light Nonfat Plain Yogurt
2 TBSP Hannaford Crumbled Feta Cheese
3 TBSP Nature's Place Sundried Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette ( we could NOT find this dressing so we bought a sundried tomato dressing and combined it with a balsamic vinaigrette we already had)
1 1/2 tsp chopped Nature's Place fresh dill

Pizza:
3 TBSP Inspirations Black Pepper Dipping Oil, divided
1 (20 oz.) package Hannaford Pizza Dough (we used wheat)
3 large cloves or garlic, thinly sliced
3 TBSP crumbled Hannaford feta cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded Hannaford mozzarella cheese
2 cups loosely packed, very thinly slice Inspirations Baby Spinach
1/2 cup Hannaford canned diced tomatoes
4 Nature's Place Spinach and Garlic Chicken Sausages, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put your yogurt dressing in a coffee filter set in a strainer and let sit over a bowl for 20 minutes. The yogurt will thicken and lose about half its volume.

Meanwhile, prepare the pizza. Spread 2 TBSP of the oil on a 13 to 15 inch pizza pan or baking sheet. Stretch pizza dough to fit pan. Brush with remaining 1 TBSP oil over dough and top with garlic and feta cheese. Pre-bake crust for 7 minutes until set. Remove crust from the oven and raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

While crust bakes, prepare dressing. In a small jar with a tight fitting lid, combine drained yogurt, feta and vinaigrette and dill. Shake vigorously.

Top baked crust with mozzarella, spinach, tomatoes, and sausage slices. Spoon yogurt sauce over the top. Back for 15 -18 minutes until crust is slightly browned. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and then enjoy.

Yum Yum Yum... I think Flank steak is one of my favorite cuts of steak... so this recipe: Spicy Arugula-Pistachio Pesto with Flank Steak was a nice treat! And now that the avocados are in season and amazing... it served as a great, light side. I found this recipe in the Hannaford Fresh Magazine.

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic
1 jalapeno pepper
2 lbs. flank steak
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 C tightlt packed inspirations Baby Arugula
1/3 cup unsalted pistachios
1/2 cup Manchego cheese (I could not find this at the grocery store so I subbed Parmigiano Regiano)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 TBSP fresh lime juice
2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
2 tomatoes
1 avocado

Turn on the broiler. Peel garlic. Slice jalapeno in thirds and clean out the seeds and veins. Place in a food processor or blender.

Season the steak on both sides with pepper. Place steak on a rimmed baking sheet lined with tinfoil. Cook on each side 5-8 minutes, depending on how you prefer your steak cooked.

While the steak cooks, prepare your pesto! Add arugula and pistachios to garlic and jalapeno. Pulse in food processor until coarsely minced. Add the cheese and salt. Pulse again until combined. Add 2 TBSP lime juice and 3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil. Pulse until combined and smooth. The pesto will be thick.

Slice the tomatoes in half and thinly slice each half into half-moon slices. Cut avocado in quarters and slice each wedge into thinner slices. Divide each evenly onto dinner plates, sprinkle with the remaining lime juice and top with a little pepper.

When the steak is done, let sit for 5 minutes. Slice steaks across the grain and divide among plates. Top the steak with the pesto and serve immediately.

SWEET SCALLOPS IN A CAPER-RAISIN SAUCE w/ SWEET POTATO MASH, PEAS & PROSCIUTTO CONCOCTION:

So this meal was a bit intense. Everything was delicious but the pairing was lacking. I thought the sweet potatoes paired well with the scallops, however Barton did not. The pea and prosciutto concoction was too salty with the scallops. The pairing of the two made the prosciutto taste badly, even though it was fresh.


Now before I list the ingredients and instructions, my friend Cindy asked me the other day what capers are exactly. Unfortunately, I had a hard time explaining them. So Cindy, "a caper (Capparis spinosa L.) is a perennial spiny bush that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and big white to pinkish-white flowers. A caper is also the pickled bud of this plant." according to Wikipedia. They add great flavor to dishes and are generally used in Greek, French and Italian cuisine. 


Now I got the scallop recipe from Rachel Ray's 365 No Repeats. Barton and I found the pea and prosciutto recipe in Betty Crocker's Cookbook.


Ingredients for Scallops:


3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 C fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 TBSP capers, drained
3/4 C dry white wine
1/2 C golden raisins
16 sea scallops, drained and trimmed
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 TBSP unsalted butter


Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil and the chopped shallots. Cook the shallots for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to liking. Add the parsley and capers. Add the wine and golden raisins. Simmer for 3 minutes. Put in bowl and reserve.


Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and return to the stovetop. Raise the heat to high. Season the scallops with salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining extra-virgin olive oil. Immediately add the scallops to the skillet. Sear the scallops in a single layer 2 minutes on each side. They will caramelize. Add the reserved sauce in the bowl to the skillet. Add the juice of the lemon. Turn the heat down to medium. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes.  Remove pan from stovetop. Put butter in scallop/sauce mixture. Allow to melt. Remove scallops and sauce from the pan, arrange on a plate and enjoy. 


Ingredients for Peas and Prosciutto:



1/4 C olive oil
1/3 LB prosciutto, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 LB fresh green peas, (I used frozen green peas 2 1/2 C)
1/2 C chicken broth
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
1/4 TSP salt


In 10" skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook prosciutto and onion in oil until onion is tender, stirring frequently.


Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the peas are tender. 


ENJOY


Sweet Potato Mash:


-Put about 3 C water in pot. Set pot on stovetop. Put heat on high and bring water to a boil.
-While the water is warming, rinse and peel the potatoes. Cut into small pieces.
-Once water has come to a boil, carefully place sweet potato pieces into the boiling water. 
-Boil until the potato pieces are tender when poked with a fork.
-Drain the potatoes. Season as desired. Mash with electric mixer or potato masher. 

Spaghetti with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella and Prosciutto!

This was a simple, delicious dish that I found on FoodNetwork.com. It was one of Giada Laurentiis' recipes. The smokey taste of the mozzarella mixed with the salty prosciutto blended like the beach and a hot summer day, absolute perfection. It would work as a comforting winter dish (as I made it) or a chilled summer meal. I paired this meal with a crusty baguette, and a bottle of Shiraz; Barton and I happily ate this succulent dish and sipped on our bottle of wine. I hope you do the same.

2 LBS asparagus, trimmed
3/4 LB spaghetti
4 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into strips
6 oz smoked mozzarella, diced
6 TBSP thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Cook the asparagus in a large sauce pan. 2-3 minutes. Spoon out the asparagus and place it in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Return the pan with the water to the stove and bring it back to a boil. Add more water if needed. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the box instructions. While the pasta is cooking, cut the asparagus into bite-sized pieces. Drain the pasta. Save 1 C of the water.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic until fragrant. Add the asparagus to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Add the pasta. Toss to coat. Add the prosciutto, mozzarella, and fresh basil.

Distribute to dishes, eat and enjoy!