Chicken and Brown Rice

This meal is SO super simple, you only have to use ONE pot, and it is scrumptious! Enjoy!

the goods:

1 T. olive oil
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (i just used boneless skinless chicken breasts)
1 large yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 celery stalks, cut into 1 and 1/2 inch pieces
3 medium carrots, cut into 1 and 1/2 inch pieces
1 bay leaf
1 c. brown rice

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper, and place, skin side down, in pot.
2. Cook until golden brown on both sides, 10-12 minutes total. Add onion and celery. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, 20 minutes.
3. Add carrots, bay leaf and 1 and 3/4 cup water. Stir in rice and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until the rice absorbs almost all the liquid, 40-45 minutes.

Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!!!

Baked Manicotti

This manicotti recipe is awesome! It's done a little differently than your typical manicotti recipes. The thing I enjoy the most about this recipe is that you get alot more noodle to filling ratio. Yum! Enjoy!

the goods:

tomato sauce:
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes (in juice)
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 T. EVOO
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper, optional
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dried basil

Cheese Filling and Pasta:
3 c. part skim ricotta cheese
4 oz. grated parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tsp. chopped fresh basil
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (i use barilla, but i also want to try healthy harvest)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 tsp. salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl combine ricotta, 1 c. parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper and herbs; set aside.
4. To assemble, pour 1-inch boiling water into 9x13 baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, seperating noodles with a tip of a sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in a single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry the baking dish.
5. Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soup spoon, spread 1/4 cheese mixture evenly onto the bottom 3/4 of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish, seam side down. Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is covered completely.
6. Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 30-40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 c. parmesan cheese. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving. ***The manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw the manicotti in refridgerator for 1-2 days. To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.***

Pesto Presto Italian Flag Chicken

the goods:


3 T. pine nuts
8-10 leaves of basil, about half a cup
1/4 c. flat leaf parsley leaves
1 (5.4 oz) round of Boursin garlic and herb soft cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 T. EVOO
salt and pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
12 slices, 1/2 inch thick of vine ripe tomatoes

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small pan over medium heat lightly toast the nuts then.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, parsley, pine nuts, Boursin cheese, 1/4 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano, and some salt and pepper. Process into a smooth paste. Reserve.
3. Butterfly each of the chicken breasts and pound them out lightly in a plastic bag with a dash of water, using a skillet or meat mallet. Season both sides of the chicken and divide the herb cheese mixture between the four breasts, placing a scoop on one half of each breast. Fold the flap over to enclose the cheese mixture.
4. Transfer the chicken pockets to a baking sheet and shingle 3 slices of tomato over each breast. Season with some salt and pepper, drizzle with EVOO, and sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
5. Bake the chicken pockets until cooked through and light golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Serve with garlic and cheese orzo alongside.

Garlic and Cheese Orzo

the goods:

salt

1/2 pound orzo

4 T. butter

3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

1/4 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 c. chopped flat leaf parsley

ground black pepper

1. Fill a large pot with water and place and place over high heat to boil the pasta. When the water reaches a bubble, season it with salt and drop the pasta. Cook to al dente according to package directions then drain and reserve.


2. When the pasta is ready, place a large skillet over medium heat with the butter. Add the garlic to the pan and cook until aromatic and tender, about 1 minute. Add the cooked pasta, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and parsley to the pan. Season with pepper and toss to thoroughly combine.

Cheeseburger Chili Mac and Cheese

Like I said earlier, my camera is not working properly right now and is making it difficult to take pictures of the meals we've been eating lately. This recipe I got from Rachael!
My kids LOVED THIS! I was a little sceptical at first, but they asked to have it for lunch the next day! I'd say that's a success!

the goods:

2 T. EVOO

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground sirloin

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 T. chili powder

salt and ground black pepper

1/2 c. ketchup

1/4 c. yellow mustard

1-2 c. beef stock (depending on how liquid-y you want it)

1 lb. whole wheat elbow macaroni

1 1/2 c. shredded sharp yellow cheddar (sharper the better!)

1. Preheat broiler. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat for the pasta.
2. Place a medium pot over medium-high heat with 2 turns of teh pan of EVOO, about 2 T. Add the meat to the pan and cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the onion and chili powder to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onion is tender, 4-5 minutes. Add the ketchup, mustard and beef stock to the pot, bring up to a bubble and simmer until sightly thickened, 4-5 minutes.
4. While the chili is working, salt the boiling water and drop the pasta in. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Then drain thoroughly and return it to the pot.
5. Add chili to the pot with the pasta and give everything a good toss. Transfer to a casserole dish and top with the shredded cheese. Place the casserole under teh broiler to melt and brown the cheese. Serve with a simple salad alongside.

Chicken, Lemon and Dill with Orzo

This meal is so extremely easy, it's ridiculous! It is one of our favorites to eat at dinner and has alot of flavor!

the goods:

4 c. chicken broth
1 T. unsalted butter
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. chicken tenderloins, cut in to 1-inch pieces
1 lb. orzo
4-6 oz. havarti cheese, broken into medium pieces
1/4 c. coarsley chopped fresh dill
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In saucepan, bring broth, 3/4 c. water, butter, salt and pepper to a boil.
2. In a 3-quart baking dish, combine chicken, orzo, havarti, dill, lemon zest and juice.
3. Pour broth mixture over orzo and stir to incorporate.
4. Bake until orzo is tender and cooking liquid is creamy, 30-40 minutes. Sprinkle parmesan on top and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Baked Ravioli

This is one of our favorite meals. SO GOOD!
(and yes, you're right.....this is not a picture i took. my camera is not functioning correctly right now, so i have to go online and find pictures that look similar to what i make. is that cheating?). I know, cheap.

the goods:



2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, or oregano
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 pounds store-bought ravioli
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon, until sauce is thickened and reduced, 20-25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling water, just until they float to the top (pasta will continue to cook in the oven). Drain pasta; return to pot.
3. Toss sauce with pasta. Pour pasta in to a 9x13 baking dish, and sprinkle with cheeses. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.