Zucchini Pesto with Linguine

I'm really starting to question my decision to plant six zucchini plants.  We've made some fried zucchini, some tomato pasta sauce, a whole lot of zucchini bread and a batch of cupcakes planned for the weekend.  We've also got bags of frozen zucchini in the freezer and have some more neighborhood deliveries planned for tomorrow.  Tonight we tried a new recipe for zucchini pesto that will absolutely get a regular spot on the summer dinner rotation. This is slightly modified from Rachael Ray.

*1-1 1/4 lb. firm zucchini
*1/2 c. slivered or sliced almonds
*1/2 c. fresh mint leaves
*1/2 c. flat-leaf parsley leaves
*3 cloves garlic, quartered
*1 TBSP.  fresh lemon juice
*1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
*1/2-2/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil
*1 lb. whole-wheat or legume-blend linguine

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.  Halve the zucchini and scrape away the seeds from the centers.  Boil the zucchini for 5 minutes, then, using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain.  Leave the water at a low boil.  Coarsely chop the zucchini.
In a small skillet, toast the nuts over medium heat until golden and fragrant.  Place half of the nuts in a food processor and let cool; reserve the remaining nuts.
Add the zucchini to the food processor along with the mint, parsley, garlic and lemon juice; season with salt and fresh ground pepper.  Add the cheese and process.  With the machine on, stream in the olive oil until the pesto is just turning from finely chopped to saucy.  Transfer to a large, shallow serving bowl.
Bring the reserved water to a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente.  Add about 1/2 c. of the pasta cooking water to the pesto.  Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce for a minute or so to combine.  Top with the reserved toasted nuts.

This was very easy to put together and was very tasty.  I was worried that it would taste too "zucchini-ish" but it wasn't at all.  I am going to make a big batch of the sauce to freeze for some winter pastas.  Using the non-white noodles, the cheese and the almonds adds a good amount of protein to a meatless meal.

Also, if anyone in my area needs some zucchini...just holler!

Roasted Mexican Tomato Soup

I was scanning through my recipe stack looking for something to do with the loads of Roma tomatoes in my garden that ripened this week, and came across a recipe from Relish magazine.  I adapted it a bit to use fresh tomatoes and LOVED the resulting soup!  The article suggested this is a great soup to share with a friend/neighbor, but we ate so much I'd have to make another batch to do that.

*2 lbs. Roma tomatoes (use any variety you've got on hand, but note that the water content is pretty low on the Romas so adjust your liquids accordingly)
*1/2 tsp. salt
*fresh ground pepper
*2 tsp. brown sugar
*2 TBSP. olive oil
*1 medium onion, chopped
*1 large carrot, chopped
*2 garlic cloves, chopped
*1/2 tsp. cumin
*1 can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
*3 c. chicken broth
*1/4 c. heavy cream
*Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 300.  Cut the tomatoes in halves and place on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and brown sugar.  Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil.  Bake 90 minutes, until browned.  Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.  Add onion, carrot, garlic, and cumin.  Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes.  Add roasted tomatoes, reserved juice, stewed tomatoes and broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Mash with a potato masher or blend with an immersion blender until desired consistency. Add cream and season to taste.  Serve with Monterey Jack cheese.  Serves 8.
*This soup will freeze well, and would be great to share.
*We put a scoop of black beans in the bowl and poured the soup over top for a little added protein.  Add some fresh corn on the cob and a big salad for a very colorful and tasty meal.  Both girls loved dipping their quesadillas into the soup!

Lentil Tacos

The first night I made these I got, "these are healthy, right?" from my husband...because I made the mistake of telling him (a big meat-lover) what they were.  Three days later all the left-overs were gone and he was asking me to please make some more.  My bean-burrito-loving daughter and I LOVE them and I the filling can easily be used as a dip, enchilada filling, on a taco salad, or as a side.
Nutrition note: lentils are very high in fiber and protein, loaded with folic acid, iron, phosphorus and potassium.  They are also very low on the glycemic index and very inexpensive.

*1 finely chopped yellow onion
*2 garlic cloves, minced
*1 c. dried brown lentils, rinsed
*1 TBSP. chili powder
*2 tsp. ground cumin
*1 tsp. dried oregano
*2 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until softened.  Add lentils, chili powder, cumin and oregano, then cook and stir for a minute or two.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Check lentils for doneness at 35 minutes; it may take as long as 45 minutes (you are looking for tender, but not mushy). Uncover and cook for a few minutes until any remaining moisture dissipates.

If using as tacos, serve in a warm corn tortilla with salsa, sour cream, lettuce, and shredded cheddar.  For a burrito, us a flour tortilla  rolled up.  For enchiladas, fill corn tortilla, roll, cover with enchilada sauce and cheese then bake to heat.

Blackened Salmon Soft Tacos

I used to be afraid of cooking fresh fish, so everything we ate came from a can (no bueno).  I'm so glad I realized how easy fish is to prepare so we can enjoy yummy meals like this keeper from Woman's Day magazine.  This takes virtually no prep time and can be on the table in 15 minutes.
*1 1/4-lb piece skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 (equal) pieces
*2 TBSP blackening spice mix or Cajun seasoning (look for a no-salt added variety)
*1/2 small head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
*1/2 c. fresh cilantro
*1 TBSP. olive oil
*1 TBSP fresh lime juice
*Salt and pepper
*8 small flour or corn tortillas, warmed
*Sour cream
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Coat both sides of the salmon with the seasoning mix and when the pan is good and hot place salmon in to cook.  It will cook more quickly if you cover it, but if you still need to prep the other ingredients, just let it hang out, cooking until opaque throughout, about 3-4 min/side. Fish seems to cook a lot better if you only flip it once, so watch the side of the fillet to see when it is opaque half-way up, then flip.
While the salmon is cooking, toss together sliced lettuce, cilantro, oil, lime juice & 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper.
Remove salmon from pan and flake with fork.  If desired, spread sour cream on the tortillas, fill with salmon and top with the lettuce mixture.  Add a side of black beans, lime wedges and some fresh Utah corn.  This should serve 4 adults.  Any leftover salmon is great on a salad for a leftover lunch.

Fettuccine with Parsley Pesto and Walnuts

I love traditional basil pesto, but love this for a little change of pace. Recipe from Everyday Foods.
*3/4 lb. fettuccine
*2 c. packed fresh parsley
*1/4 c. walnuts, plus more chopped for serving
*1/4 c. grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
*1 garlic clove
*1 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
*1/4 c. olive oil
*5 oz. baby spinach

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente.  Reserve 1/2 c. pasta water, drain pasta and return to pot. In a food processor, puree parsley, walnuts, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water until a paste forms.  With machine running, add oil in a thin stream; process until very smooth, about 1 minute.  Season pesto with salt and pepper (and/or red pepper flakes). To pasta in pot, add pesto, 1/4 c. pasta water, and spinach; toss to combine.  Thin with pasta water as needed.  Serve sprinkled with walnuts and Parmesan.  This is delicious as a main meal or a side with a grilled steak or pork chop.

Cauliflower-and-Cheddar Soup

Since I called out one of my sisters for not digging soup, here's one for my other sister who is in love with Zuppas cauliflower soup. This recipe comes from Everyday food and I've noted some changes I made. Get past the name and you've got a yummy, creamy soup.
*3 TBSP. unsalted butter
*1 medium yellow onion, diced
*1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
*1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
*4 c. low-sodium chicken or veggie broth
*1 c. sharp white cheddar, grated
*1/2 c. pepper-jack cheese, grated
*coarse salt and ground pepper
*1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

In a large pot, melt butter over medium.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (5 minutes). Add cauliflower and red pepper flakes and cook until just beginning to brown (10-12 minutes). Add broth and bring to a boil over high.  Reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, 20 minutes.  Use immersion blender or a blender (working in batches) to puree mixture.  Return to heat and add cheese.  Stir until melted and well blended.  Season with salt and pepper, serve sprinkled with cayenne.
This is not a spicy soup, but the peppers help to add flavor.  If you have some roasted garlic on hand, I think a clove or two added with the broth would be delicious.  We served it with hot bread sticks, and a plate of carrots and broccoli because it was as tasty as a cheese dip.

Creamy Salsa Soup

My sister informed me that soup doesn't count as a meal to some in her family.  All I can say is that I'm glad those said family members don't live under this roof.  We love soup in our home.  It's a great way to get in some extra veggies, usually pretty easy to prepare, goes great with a big salad, and leftovers are often better than the first time around.  This recipe is truly as easy as opening a can of soup, and is a delicious take on the basic tomato soup.
*2 c. prepared salsa
*1 1/2-2 c. veggie or chicken broth
*2 TBSP. heavy cream

Add salsa and broth to pan and use an immersion blender to puree.  Heat on medium for 10 minutes and stir in cream.  Top with cilantro, tortilla chips/strips, cheese, or sour cream if desired.  You could always throw in some black beans, chicken, or corn.  Love it with some quesadillas! This serves our small family of 4, but the girls don't eat huge portions of it.
Notes: Even if you usually like a hot salsa, back off at least one level of heat, even mild salsa when pureed has a kick.  I prefer this using a jar of salsa as opposed to a fresh salsa.

Curried Red Lentil Soup

A few months back, my good buddies at Martha Stewart Living shared the article Livening Up Lentils.  I knew lentils were a great addition to any diet, but had had mixed success finding tasty recipes.  I'll be posting a few more of my favorites from the section, but here was the clear winner in our tastings.  This serves four and the leftovers are great.
*2 tsp. safflower oil
*3 TBSP finely chopped peeled ginger (about a 2" piece)
*6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
*1 large shallot, finely chopped
*2 carrots, finely diced
*2 tsp. curry powder
*coarse salt
*3/4 c. unsweetened coconut milk, divided
*1 c. red lentils
*1/3 c. chopped dried cherries
*3 TBSP. finely chopped cilantro stems, plus 3 TBSP. cilantro leaves for garnish

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add ginger, garlic, shallot, and carrots, and cook stirring often, until softened (5-7 min).
Add 1 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 c. coconut milk, 4 c. water, and the lentils, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils and carrots are tender (8-10 min). Pour 2 cups soup through a fine sieve into a bowl, reserving solids.  Puree strained liquid with remaining soup in a blender until smooth.  Reheat and stir in reserved solids.
Reserving some for garnish, stir cherries and cilantro stems into soup and ladle into bowls.  Swirl in remaining 1/4 c. coconut milk, and garnish with cherries and cilantro leaves.
*Notes: The first time I made this I forgot to add the cilantro stems to the soup and still loved the taste, so if you are not a huge fan of cilantro, just leave them out.  Also, the two adults at this house have differing opinions on the best texture.  He likes it as the recipe states (my suggestion there is to make sure the carrots are truly finely diced).  I actually like it best to skip the straining (maybe because I'm lazy and that is one more thing to wash) and only partly puree the soup, leaving most of the lentils intact.  Either way it works out great.
I love to enjoy it with garlic naan.
Here are the nutrition stats for those who care: 348 cal, 8g saturated fat, 4g unsaturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 46g carb, 390mg sodium, 15g protein, 12g fiber.

Grilled Chicken with Parsley & Cherry Salad

Trying to get 9+ servings of fruit/veggies a day is no easy task.  We've been trying to bulk up our salads and mix them up enough to not burn out on the lettuce meals.  This comes from EveryDay with Rachel Ray mag and this week I was able to make it with fresh arugula and parsley from my garden...YUM!

*1 TBSP. ground cumin

*1 TBSP. ground coriander

*salt

*1 1/2 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast

*1 lemon, juiced

*2 tsp. honey

*2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil

*1/2 lb. sweet cherries, pitted and quartered (or use dried cherries)

*8 oz. arugula (about 4-5 c.) 

*1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preheat grill to medium; oil grate. In a small bowl, combine cumin, coriander and 1 tsp. salt.  Rub chicken with 1 TBSP. of the spice mixture and grill, turning once, until cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey and 1 TBSP. of the remaining spice mixture.  Whisk in the oil.  Add the cherries, arugula and parsley; toss well to coat.

Thinly slice the chicken against the grain. Divide salad among 4 plates and top with the chicken.

Whole-Wheat Pasta Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese

If anyone still has this blog on your reader, do not fall off your chair to see a post here.  Last week I was trying to get dinner on the table and spent over 20 min searching my books for the recipe, cursed how much easier it would have been to search the blog for it, and here we are.
This recipe from Ellie Krieger has been a pretty regular staple in my lunches lately.  The salad and the dressing each fit the five-ingredient-or-less bill.
*1/2 lb. whole-wheat fusilli or other spiral shaped pasta (I mix up pastas and often use the Barilla Plus for different protein sources)
*1/2 c. walnut pieces
*1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
*1/2 c. sliced red onion
*1 1/2 c. baby spinach leaves
*2 TBSP. walnut or olive oil
*2 TBSP. red wine vinegar
*1-2 cloves garlic, minced or grated on a Microplane
*1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
*freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cook pasta according to the package directions.  Drain pasta and rinse in cold running water, then refrigerate.
In a small skillet, toast the walnuts over medium-high heat, stirring/tossing frequently for 3-5 min until fragrant. Set aside to cool, then chop coarsely.
In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, walnuts, feta, onion and spinach.  In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic and mustard.  Pour the dressing over the pasta and toss to combine.  Season with pepper.  Serves 4. 420 cal, 49g carb, 13.5g protein, 21.5g fat, 9g fiber
If I'm going to be eating this throughout the week. I mix the pasta, walnuts, feta and onions in a big bowl. Then for lunch I pile a large plate spinach, with the noodles on top and a drizzle of dressing.

Creamy Black Bean Burritos

I adapted a recipe from Everyday Food to come up with this dinner.

*2 c. lowfat (1%) cottage cheese
*1/2 tsp. onion powder
*1/2 tsp. garlic powder
*1/4 c. cilantro leaves
*1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
*2 c. black beans, cooked, drained rinsed
*12-ish corn tortillas

In a food processor, process cottage cheese until smooth.  Add onion and garlic powder, cilantro and red pepper flakes; process. Stir in black beans. Microwave tortillas to soften and lightly spray each with cooking spray before filling with a couple tablespoons of filling. Roll and place seam side down on a baking sheet. Cover with enchilada sauce and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until warm throughout.

Tailgate Chicken Sandwiches

Sometimes I think Guy Fieri and Alton Brown are single-handedly trying to take over Food Network, and I'm ok with that because they both share some awesome recipes with their viewers. This is one of those recipes that seems almost too strange to work, but boy does it ever. We made these at a campout, but I'd do them again on the grill or in the oven for a fun hot-sandwich meal.

*2 oz. olive oil

*1 c. julienned red onion

*1 TBSP. minced jalepeno

*1/2 c. roasted red pepper, julienned

*1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

*1/4 tsp. sea salt

*1 tsp. black pepper

*1 TBSP. chopped garlic

*2 TBSP. chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

*2 TBSP. grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

*5 oz. mozzarella, shredded

*4 oz. cream cheese, softened

*4 TBSP. lime juice

*3 oz. tequila

*1/4 c. diced Roma tomato, for garnish

*4 sourdough hoagie rolls, warmed (I toasted them)

Layer 2 15-inch sheets of aluminum foil and fold 1/4 inch along sides to create one sheet. Repeat with another 2 sheets to make 2 double foiled sheets. Bend the edges of one of the sheets up 2 inches to help keep the liquid in the foil.

On a double sheet of foil, layer the ingredients in this order: oil, onions, jalepeno, red peppers, chicken, salt and pepper, garlic, cilantro, cheeses, juice and tequila. Put the second foil layer on top of the first, fold edges in 1/4-inch folds 4 times. When all sides are folded together make sure nothing is leaking and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Preheat oven or grill to 250. Remove pouch from fridge and grill, being very careful not to puncture pouch. Grill for 10 minutes, flip and grill another 10 minutes. Remove pouch from grill, slice open, and garnish with tomatoes, cilantro, and Parmesan. Divide between rolls and serve.

hmm..this photo in no way shows how delicious these sandwiches were...

Creamy Asparagus Soup

A few months ago I saw a similar recipe in a magazine or a blog, but when I went to make it I couldn't find it, so here's what I did and we loved it. This soup is very light and would make a great starter or main course.

*1 TBSP. olive oil

*1 TBSP. butter

*1 onion, chopped

*1 clove garlic, sliced

*1 large bunch asparagus

*3 c. white beans, cooked, drained, rinsed (I think that is about 2 cans)

*5 c. chicken (or vegetable) broth

*1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

*1/4 c. cottage cheese (or cream cheese)

*5 slices bacon

*Parmesan cheese, shredded for garnish

In a soup pot, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic and sautee for 2-3 minutes to soften.  Cut tough ends off asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces.  Add to onion mixture and cook another 3-5 minutes.  Add beans, broth, pepper flakes and simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Use your (immersion) blender to puree soup. Add cottage (or cream) cheese and puree or stir well. Cook bacon and crumble to serve on top with Parmesan cheese and fresh ground pepper.  I think the one I had seen used the asparagus tips as a garnish, but I forgot to reserve them and they became part of the soup instead.

Shepherd's Pie

The man of this house is always asking for shepherd's pie, but since I'm not a huge fan of the dish, he only gets it at Irish restaurants.  This year I decided to surprise him for St. Patrick's Day and went to work finding a good recipe. I thought it would be fun to make this in individual ramekins. If you do the same it should fill about eight of them depending on size.

Garlic-Potato Topping:

*4 large russett potatoes

*10 cloves garlic, peeled

*1/2 c. sour cream

*1/4-1/2 c. beef broth

*4 TBSP. butter, softened

*1/2 tsp. salt

*1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Filling:

*4 slices bacon, cut into thin strips

*1 TBSP. vegetable oil (I didn't use this)

*2 medium onions, chopped

*1/2 tsp. salt

*1 tsp. sugar

*1 lb. ground beef (I know, true shepherd's pie is made with lamb, but the recipe called for beef and I had beef)

*2-3 medium carrots, rough chopped

*2 garlic cloves, minced

*2 TBSP. tomato paste

*1 TBSP. flour

*12 oz. beer

*1/2 c. beef broth

*1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

*1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

*3/4 c. frozen peas

*1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 and spray 10-inch round baking dish, or ramekins, with cooking spray.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp, 5-7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel and set aside.

Add onions and 1/2 tsp. salt to bacon drippings in skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in sugar and cook until onions begin to caramelize.  Stir in the beef and cook on medium-high heat until beef begins to brown (Carlee often uses leftover roast beef here).  Add carrots and garlic and cook until carrots begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and flour and cook another 2 minutes.  Add beer, bring to a boil for 3 minutes.  Cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon to scrape up bits from bottom of pan.  Add bacon, broth, rosemary, salt, pepper and peas and simmer until sauce thickens about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, add potatoes and garlic, cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, uncovered, until fork-tender (15-20 min). Drain. Transfer to a large bowl (or use a potato ricer).  Add sour cream, butter, 1/4 c. broth, salt and pepper, and mix with mixer until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. If mixture is too dry, add remaining 1/4 c. broth. Cover and set aside.

Spoon meat mixture into prepared dishes and spread potato mixture evenly over top.  Bake until the filling is hot and topping is lightly browned and the edges are bubbly, about 35 minutes.  Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Cheddar Vegetable Soup

This is one of my favorite comfort soups.  Don't let the title fool you because you can barely taste the vegetables with all the yummy cheesiness.
Veggie Base:
*1 TBSP. unsalted butter
*1 carrot, julienned*
*1/2 onion, diced
*1 celery stalk, diced
*1 potato, peeled and cubed (1/2")
*2 1/2 c. chicken (or vegetable) broth
Cheesy Mixture:
*3 TBSP. unsalted butter
*4 TBSP. flour
*1/2 tsp. ground dry mustard
*1/2 tsp. ground pepper
*2 c. milk (if you're feeling naughty replace 1/4 c. with heavy cream)
*2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
*2 TBSP. flour

In a stock pot heat 1 TBSP. butter over medium heat.  Add carrot, onion, celery and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add broth and potato, simmer about 15 minutes, until potatoes are soft.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat 3 TBSP. butter over medium-low heat, whisk in flour and dry mustard and continue whisking until flour is cooked through and mixture forms a thick paste.  Add pepper and milk(cream), increase heat to medium/medium-high and cook, stirring, until mixture gets thick (can take 5-10 minutes).  When it is thick, slowly whisk it into the vegetable soup pot.  Stir to combine well and continue to thicken.  Toss grated cheese with 2 TBSP. flour (this will keep the cheese from being grainy/stringy).  Remove soup from heat and slowly add cheese while stirring.

Spaghetti Carbonara

I don't think there is anything fancy about this recipe. I got it from a neighbor a few years ago, but I just did a search and a dozen sites all list the same basic proportions. Here's how I do it.

*1 lb. dried spaghetti

*olive oil

*1/2 lb. bacon, diced

*1/2 onion, chopped

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*4 eggs

*1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

*salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

*2 TBSP. fresh parsley, chopped

In a large pot of boiling salt water, cook spaghetti to al dente, drain and toss with 1/2 TBSP. olive oil. Meanwhile in a skillet, cook bacon until slightly crisp. Remove bacon to paper towel to drain. Drain all but 1 TBSP bacon grease. Add 1 TBSP. olive oil, add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic, stir and cook another minute. Add cooked bacon and drained spaghetti noodles. Toss to coat and heat through. In a bowl, beat eggs and 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese. Slowly add to noodles while tossing with tongs until the eggs coat the noodles, but don't scramble. Add pepper and salt, if needed. Top with parsley and Parmesan and serve immediately.

Crispy Skinned Chicken a la'Orange

I'm a big fan of The Next Food Network Star. For some reason I'm often frustrated by who is chosen as winner and don't tune in to watch the coveted new show. That said, I usually pull a few recipes from the *Star* and this one was so good. She served it with these and so did I.

*3 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts halves

*1 TBSP. olive oil

*1/2 c. frozen orange juice concentrate

*4 TBSP. honey

*Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375.

Liberally salt and pepper chicken breast halves. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat and sear the chicken, skin side only, until brown and beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the orange glaze: in a small saucepan, heat the orange juice concentrate, honey and salt and pepper to taste, over medium heat and boil about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Turn the chicken over and brush each piece with glaze. Turn the chicken skin side up and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake to internal temperature of 160-170. Brush more glaze on halfway through cooking, about 15 minutes total. Let chicken rest 10 minutes. Remove chicken bone and cut on a bias.

Bacon-wrapped Chicken Tenders

I finally had a few minutes to catch up on reading some of my cooking magazines and made this the same night I pulled it out of  Everyday Food.  There was a whole section on bacon and since I'm a fan, you'll see a few more recipes posted before too long.  This was finished in less than 20 minutes for me...YEAH!

*8 fresh sage leaves (my plant is still going strong, so if you live nearby, stop by for some leaves)

*8 chicken tenders

*8 slices bacon

*1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Place a sage leaf on each chicken tender, then wrap each with a bacon slice.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high (I skipped the oil because was all know the bacon has plenty...just preheated the pan). Add tenders, sage side down, and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is browned, about 6 minutes (mine only took about 3-4 min on each side).  Flip and cook until tenders are cooked through.  With tongs, transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet to drain.  Since mine cooked faster than I expected I was still waiting on my roasted potatoes, and just put the baking sheet in the oven (450) for about 5 minutes and even though I worried it might dry out the chicken, bless that bacon if it didn't keep it deliciously moist.  My 5yo told me she LOVED this chicken and could I make it again soon.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I love when a little bit of planning works to my advantage (this doesn't happen often enough to note, but tonight it did). A couple weeks ago, I was cooking some wild rice and decided to cook a lot more and freeze what I didn't use that night. I just let it cool and froze it in 2c. increments in ziptop bags. I also had some rotisserie chicken in the fridge so here's what I put together for dinner.

*1 TBSP. olive oil

*1/2 c. onion, diced

*1 stalk celery, finely diced

*1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded

*4 c. chicken broth

*2 c. wild rice, cooked (this would be about 3/4c. dry rice)

*1 1/2 c. rotisserie chicken, shredded

*1/2 tsp. pepper

*1/4 tsp. sea salt

*1/4 c. butter

*3/8 c. flour

*2 c. milk

*1 TBSP. bouillon (I'm using Better than Bouillon these days)

In a stock pot, heat oil over medium and add celery onion and carrot, saute for about five minutes. Add chicken broth, rice, chicken, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer another five to ten minutes. In another pan, melt butter on medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and stir, cooking another two minutes. Whisk in milk and bouillon, cooking until thickened. Stir milk mixture into rice soup and stir until well-combined. We enjoyed it with some French bread my sister brought by.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

I had a meal idea for tonight, but when I saw this pop up in my reader, I knew I had to change plans.  This soup is much easier to make than my other favorite butternut squash soup and was SO delicious I intend to put it on a regular rotation.

*2 TBSP. butter
*1/2 c. chopped onions
*2 c. water
*4 chicken bouillon cubes (I used 4 tsp. Better than Bouillon)
*1 (2 lb.) butternut squash, peeled and cubed
*1/2 tsp. dried thyme
*1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
*1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
*8 oz. cream cheese, cubed

In a skillet on stove, saute onions in butter over medium heat until onions are translucent; remove from heat.  Combine water, bouillon, squash, thyme, and peppers in a 4 qt. slow-cooker.  Add the onions; stir.  Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.  About 40 minutes before serving, puree soup with an immersion blender or working in batches using your blender.  Return to slow-cooker, whisk in cream cheese.  Whisk occasionally over next 30 minutes to make sure it is creamy (I only used about 6 oz, and didn't think it was missing anything).  The recipe said it would serve 6, but my husband and I ate all but two small bowls for the girls.  You'll be very happy if you serve this with some warm French bread.