Pan roasted garlic chicken, salad with creamy caper dressing and garlic toast

Chicken:
3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 c fresh parsley, chopped (a few handfuls)
1 tsp of hot sauce (Sweet Chili Pepper)
10-12 basil leaves, chopped
5 tbsp of EVOO
Fresh ground sea salt and black pepper
2  pieces of 1/2 to 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, pounded to flatten some

Dressing:

4 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp capers, drained, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp red wine
3 tbsp of fresh dill, chopped
3 tbsp EVOO
1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped

Salad:
5-6 large leaves of Red Leaf lettuce
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved

Bread:

4 slices of crusty Italian bread
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
Paprika
EVOO to drizzle

Preheat oven to 400.
In a shallow dish combine all ingredients for chicken (minus the chicken).  Add the chicken breasts and allow to marinate.
Next combine ingredients for dressing (except for EVOO).  In a slow and steady stream, add the EVOO, whisking as you go.
Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken to the hot pan and brown each side approx 2-3 minutes.  Use a splatter screen so not to burn yourself from any excess oil.  Transfer chicken to oven and roast for 15 minutes or until the chicken is done.
Combine salad ingredients and dress with creamy caper dressing.
Place bread on a sprayed pan and drizzle evenly with EVOO and sprinkle with chopped garlic and paprika.  Once chicken is done, turn broiler onto to high and place bread on top rack, broiling until it starts to brown.

Chocolate Mint Candy Cookies

3/4 c butter
1 1/2 c packed brown sugar
2 tbsp water
2 c semi sweet chocolate morsels
2 eggs
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
approx 30 Andes Mints, unwrapped, broken in half

In saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, butter, and water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and set aside for 10 minutes to cool.
Pour chocolate mixture into large bowl and beat in eggs one at a time. Combine four, baking soda and salt and stir into chocolate mixture.  Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheets.  Roll dough into walnut size balls  and place two inches apart on the prepared pans. Bake 8-10 minutes, be careful not to overbake.  The cookies will be done before they appear done.  When cookies come out of oven, place half of a mint on the top of each cookie.  Allow to melt for 1-2 minutes and then use a fork to swirl the chocolate.  Cookies will deflate slightly as you put the mints on top. 

Yields approximately 60 cookies, depending on your idea of the size of a walnut ;)

Chicken Cassoulet Style Soup

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper



1 lb hot italian sausage


1 26oz jar pasta sauce with red wine and herbs


1 15oz can cannelline beans, rinsed


1 1/2 c water


1 tsp italian seasoning


2 carrots, diced


2 stalks of celery, diced


4 garlic cloves, chopped


Preheat oven to 350. Place spaghetti sauce into crock pot. Fill up empty jar with the water, shaking to get rest of sauce-pour into crock pot. Turn crockpot onto warm. Cook chicken and sausage for 20 minutes in preheated oven. Once done, slice sausage into small pieces. (sausage may not be cooked all the way through-it will finish in crockpot. Place chicken and sausage in crockpot.


Meanwhile, in a large pan, cook carrots, celery, and garlic cloves for 10 minutes. Place in crockpot along with rinsed beans and italian seasoning. Turn up heat to high and cook for 2 1/2-3 hrs, stirring occassionally. Serve with rice.

Manicotti with Spinach, Ricotta, & Sun Dried Tomatoes

7 Manicotti Shells (1/2 a package of manicotti)


1 egg


1 1/2 c ricotta, part skim


1/2 c of frozen spinach


1 c mozzarella, shredded


1 tsp McCormick’s Roasted Garlic and Bell Pepper


8 slices of sun dried tomatoes


1/8 tsp black pepper


6 basil leaves, chopped


1/2 to 3/4 jar of Prego Ricotta Parmesan spaghettic sauce


Extra shredded cheese to top


Preheat 350. Cook pasta and frozen spinach (separately) as directed. In a bowl, combine, ricotta, egg, mozzarella cheese, McCormick spice, pepper, and basil leaves. Once spinach is done, drain well and add to ricotta mixture. Mix well.


Spray 8x8 pan and put enough sauce to cover bottom of pan. Cool manicotti and carefully stuff with ricotta mixture, placing stuffed manicotti into pan. Once completed, top with sauce and sprinkle additional shredded mozzarella on top.


Bake 35 minutes.

Winter Minestrone

Modified version of a Rachael Ray recipe. I never thought a soup would go over in this house with Eric… I was wrong :)



2-3 tbsp EEVO


1 package of bacon cooked, chopped


3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces


4 celery stalks, cut into 1/4 inch pieces


2 bay leaves


5-6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped


1 medium OR 1/2 large red onion, finely chopped


3/4 c of sun dried tomatoes, thinly sliced


1 quart of vegetable stock OR broth


1 quart of chicken stock OR broth


1 cup tomato juice


3 cups water


1 small bunch of purple or green kale, washed and dried


1 package of short cut pasta (wagon wheel, semolina, ditalini)


1 (15 oz) can of Cannellini beans, rinsed

Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese


Place EEVO in large pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, bay leaves, garlic and onions, season with sea salt and pepper, and cook until the veggies are tender (7-8 minutes). Add bacon. Cook 2-3 minutes.


In a large pot, add sun dried tomatoes, stock/broth, tomato juice and water. Bring to boil. Add veggie/bacon mixture.


Holding kale by stems, curl your opposite hand around greens at the base of stem. With a quick motion, strip the greens off and away from stems and chop greens coarsely.


Add kale, pasta and beans to boiling liquid. Cook till pasta is al dente. Season soup with sea salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves. Ladle into bowls and top with finely grated cheese. Serve with crusty bread.


*Note: this is not a very a “soupy” soup. It will seem like not a lot of liquid once all ingredients are in the pot. The pasta will cook but if you like more liquid in your soup, add more vegetable or chicken stock/broth as desired.

Chicken Florentine

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts




sea salt and freshly ground pepper



flour for coating chicken



6 tbsp of butter



2 shallots, sliced thinly



3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely



1 1/2 c white wine



1 c heavy whipping cream



1 10oz package frozen spinach, thawed, drained



1/4 c combination of freshly cut spinach and basil leaves



2 servings of whole grain linguine



freshly grated parmesan cheese to top



Season chicken with salt and pepper. Coat chicken in flour, shake excess. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in large skillet over med heat. Add chicken, cooking till brown (5 mins per side). Remove chicken from skillet and cover with foil.



Melt 2 tbsp of butter in the same skillet over med heat. Add sliced and chopped shallots and garlic, saute for 1-2 mins, scraping up browned bits on pan. Add wine and turn heat up to med high, bringing the liquid to a boil. Boil until the liquid has reduced by half (3-4 mins). Add cream and boil until this has reduced by half (3-4 mins). Be sure to stir often. Add fresh herbs. Season as needed with salt and pepper.



Cook pasta as directed. Melt remaining 2 tbsp of butter in another skillet over med heat. Add the spinach and cook until heated through. Arrange spinach onto two shallow bowls, top with pasta then chicken. Pour sauce over top and mix lightly with pasta. Top with grated cheese.

Macaroni and Cheese

I cannot take total credit for this one… my great aunt gave me this recipe, which I changed a litte. This recipe can be doubled for a 13x9 pan.



1/2 lb of elbow macaroni, cooked


1/2 lb Velveeta, cut into pieces


1/2 lb of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded


1/2 c of Parmesan cheese (grated)


1/2 c of Mozzarella cheese, shredded


Garlic powder, pepper to taste


2/3 c half and half


1/3 c milk


Panko bread crumbs


Preheat 350. Spray pan. Pour 1/3 c of half and half into bottom of pan. Layer 1/2 of cooked macaroni and half of each of cheeses. Sprinkle with pepper. Layer on rest of cooked macaroni and rest of cheeses. Sprinkle with pepper and garlic powder. Pour rest of half and half (1/3 c) over top. Bake for 45 minutes, uncovered. Stir every 15 minutes. At 30 minutes into baking, after stirring, add 1/3 c of milk and sprinkle panko bread crumbs on top. At end, put under broiler on high for 3-5 minutes until top starts to brown.