Posted in - Poultry

Fine Cooking Fridays: Grilled Greek Chicken

Grilled Greek Chicken

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Adapted from amycaseycooks

Serves: 4

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large tomato, diced
2 kirby cucumbers, diced
¼ cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup black olives, sliced in half
Hot peppers (optional)
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
4 pitas, cut in wedges

Prep Day: In a mason jar, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, basil, mustard, salt, and pepper. Screw on the top and shake vigorously. Place the chicken in a resealable bag and add about 3/4 cup of the marinade/vinaigrette. Refrigerate the leftovers. Seal bag and marinate chicken for at least 15 minutes or freeze at this point.

Serve Day: Thaw. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Remove the chicken from the marinade/vinaigrette and discard the bag and the marinade. Grill the chicken for about 3 – 5 minutes per side or until it is just cooked through. Remove from grill to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

In a small bowl combine the tomato, cucumber, red onion, and olives and add the remaining 1/4 cup of marinade/vinaigrette. Toss to coat.

Time of serving, top grilled chicken with the tomato-cucumber salad, a sprinkle with the feta cheese, and the pita wedges.

Posted in - Poultry, Healthy Eating

Wellness Wednesdays: Light & Zesty Lemon Chicken

Light and Zesty Lemon Chicken

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I4 chicken breasts
2 large onions
3-5 cloves of garlic
2 lemons
3 egg yolks
Pasta or rice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 chicken stock cube
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Prep Day: Finely chop onions and crush garlic. Label, package and freeze. Chop chicken, label, package, and freeze.

Serve Day: Put pasta or rice on to boil. Fry onion and garlic soft in olive oil. Add chopped chicken, coriander, pepper, ginger, zest of both lemons. Dissolve stock cube in 1/3 pint of hot water. When chicken is thoroughly cooked, add stock. Squeeze juice of both lemons into a small bowl. Add remaining lemon flesh to chicken. Add 3 egg yolks to lemon juice and whisk with fork. Just prior to pasta being cooked add egg yolk & juice to chicken. The mixture will now thicken after 2 minutes or so. Serve pasta or rice on plate then cover with zesty lemon chicken.

I added some cherry tomatoes and parm.

Posted in - 2013 Swap Recipes, - Meatless, - Pork, - Poultry, - Red Meat, - Seafood/Fish, Meal Swap Recipes

Meal Swap: Friday Group’s Sept. 2013 Menu & Recipes

Sept. 2013

Fish/Seafood:

Fish Tacos – Lindsey M.

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1 1/2 lbs. tilapia
1 egg, whisked
1 cup panko
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. canola oil
10 tortillas
1 lime
Mango Salsa

Prep Day: Rinse the tilapia fillets and dry them with paper towels. Slice them into 2″ long pieces and place them onto a plate. Pour the whisked egg over the fish and make sure each piece gets covered in the egg wash. In a Ziploc bag, mix panko, paprika, thyme, oregano, pepper, salt and oil. Place your egg-coated fish into the bag, seal and shake. Once the fish is coated in panko, freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw fish pieces, and tortillas. Spread the pieces onto a foil-lined sheet pan. Bake in the oven @ 425 for 12 to 15 minutes until the panko is golden brown. Meanwhile, heat your tortillas on a pan or skillet on med-hi, heating both sides until slightly hardened. Serve with lime and salsa (provided) and any of your other favorite taco ingredients.

Lemon Horseradish Fish Cakes – Gretchen

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Makes 16 cakes

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds tilapia fillets (about 6)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus sprigs for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, (from about 2 lemons)
3 tablespoons bottled white horseradish
1 1/2 cups coarse saltine cracker crumbs, store-bought or homemade (see note)
Tartar sauce, for serving (optional)

Prep Day: STEP 1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush each of two rimmed baking sheets with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Place fillets on sheets; season with salt and pepper. Roast until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely; pat dry with paper towels. With a fork, flake fish into small pieces.

STEP 2 In a large bowl, combine eggs, mayonnaise, parsley, lemon juice, and horseradish. Fold in fish and 1/2 cup cracker crumbs; season with salt and pepper. Place remaining 1 cup crumbs on a plate. Form 16 cakes, using about 1/4 cup fish mixture for each.

Serve Day: Take cakes out of bag and thaw flat. Gently dredge cakes in crumbs, pressing to help adhere. In a large skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Place cakes in skillet; cook until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Serve with tartar sauce, if desired.

Poultry:

Bacon Wrapped Sage Chicken Tenders – Vanessa

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Fresh sage leaves
Bacon slices
Chicken tenders
Olive oil (you provide)

Prep Day: Place a sage leaf on each chicken tender, then wrap each with a bacon slice. Freeze.

(Note to Swappers: sorry…Due to my schedule and not being able to get the chicken tenders in enough time. I wasn’t able wrap the tenders. You will need to do them.)

Serve Day: Thaw. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add tenders, sage side down, and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is browned, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook until tenders are cooked through, 6 minutes. With tongs, transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet to drain.

Creamy Italian Chicken – Simone

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Recipe to Come…

Beef:

Beef Stroganoff – Carolyn

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2 T. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 T. parsley
1 3/4 lb. boneless beef round steak cut into strips
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
1/2 evelope dried onion soup mix
Jar of mushroom pieces drained
1/2 cup of sour cream
egg noodles

Prep Day Directions: Combine spices, meat, soup, water and soup mix. Place in freezer bag and freeze. Place mushrooms, sour cream and noodles in seperate bag.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw ingredients and place in slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. (Check meat at 6 hour mark.) Stir in mushrooms and sour cream. Cover and cook on high 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Serve with noodles.

Meatless or Your Choice:

Waffles and Breakfast Sausage – Carrie

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Serve Day Directions:

I would suggest warming them up in either a toaster oven or the oven at 400 for maybe 5 minutes (or obviously until they’re warm). Sausage should be heated in a skillet over medium heat for approx 8 min, flipping half way.

Lasagna Roll Ups – Lindsay L.

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1 lb. lasagna noodles
15 oz. ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 lg. egg
10 oz. frozen spinach
2½ cups marinara sauce
to taste salt and pepper
as needed non-stick spray

Prep Day: Get a large pot of water boiling with a dash of salt. When it comes to a full boil, add the lasagna noodles and cook until al dente (soft but not soggy… about 12-15 minutes). When they are finished cooking, drain in a colander.

While the noodles are boiling, prepare the filling. Thaw the package of frozen spinach in the microwave and then squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. Combine the spinach in a bowl with the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, freshly grated pepper and about ¼ tsp of salt. Mix until well combined.

When the noodles and filling are ready to go, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a glass casserole dish by spraying with non-stick spray.

On a clean surface, lay out a few noodles at a time. Place a few tablespoons of filling on each noodle and spread to cover from edge to edge. The filling does not need to be thick because once the noodle is rolled up, it will be compounded. Make sure to spread it all the way to the edges of the noodles.

Roll the noodles up and place in the prepared casserole dish. Repeat until all of your filling is gone (there may be some noodles left over, these are “back ups” in case any of the others rip during assembly). Pour the marinara sauce over the rolled noodles making sure to cover all surfaces. The sauce will keep the noodles hydrated and soft while baking. freeze.

Serve Day: Cover the dish in foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot or divide into individual portions and refrigerate.

Pork:

Thai Pork with Peanut Sauce and Jasmine Rice – Heather T.

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2 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 4 pieces
1/3 cup prepared teriyaki sauce (use a high quality brand)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 sliced red/colored peppers
¼ cup creamy peanut butter (you provide)
¼ cup dry roasted peanuts
½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
2 pkg. Trader Joe’s rice

Prep Day Directions: Place tenderloin, teriyaki sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic into a gallon size freezer bag. Label and store in freezer until ready to use. Peanut butter, peanuts, and green onions should only be used on cooking day.

Serve Day Directions: Let slow cooker freezer kit thaw 24 hours in the refrigerator. It might still be a little frozen but that is fine. Dump the whole kit into the slow cooker and follow the steps. *I did not include the 1/2 cup of peanut butter needed. (I assumed everyone has this on hand. You will need to add this at step 2 of instructions. Also green onions don’t freeze very week so I gavel those seperately with the peanuts.)

Step 1. Place all ingredients (except peanut butter, peanuts, and green onions) into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. ** Mine was done at around 6 ½ – 7 hours. Pork should be tender but not falling apart (unless that is the consistency you like) The original recipe called for a cooking time of 8-9 hours on low but that would have been way to long for my slow cooker – the pork would have been completely dried out. Know your slow cooker and keep an eye on it around 6 1/2 hours.

Step 2. Remove pork from slow cooker and chop into bite size chunks. Add the peanut butter to the sauce. Stir until it dissolves into the sauce. Step 3. Return the pork to the slow cooker and toss with the sauce. Serve over brown jasmine rice. Sprinkle with peanuts and green onions. To cook Trader Joes rice, microwave 3 minutes, EACH bag seperately.