Instant Pot Monterey Chicken

For Packers game night, I made this fast and easy dinner using the Instant Pot.  I roasted some red potatoes in the oven in the time it took the Instant Pot to preheat, cook, and release pressure (~20-25 minutes).    I like that this recipe is easily customizable to however many servings you want to make.  The chicken was delicious and I'd definitely make this again.  

 Instant Pot Monterey Chicken for 2

Ingredients: 

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or cutlets

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

1 strip cooked bacon, crumbled, or bacon bits (optional)

1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 tomato, diced

1 green onion, sliced

Directions:

Combine the dry seasonings in a small bowl and rub all over chicken breasts.

Pour 1 cup water into the Instant Pot and place a trivet inside.   Place the chicken on the trivet.  Cover Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.   Let naturally release for 10 minutes, then vent and remove lid.

Use tongs to remove chicken to a plate.  Remove trivet and dump water.  Put chicken back in empty pot (OR put on a baking pan to broil).  Baste chicken with the BBQ sauce and sprinkle with bacon and shredded cheese.   Cover the Instant Pot and keep on warm for a few minutes to melt the cheese (or broil in oven for a minute).

Serve chicken topped with tomatoes and green onions.

Instant Pot Applesauce

 I forgot to take a photo.  But it was delicious.  Super easy.

Instant Pot Applesauce

Makes about 4-5 cups

Ingredients:

4 large Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, peeled and cored, roughly chopped

4 large Honeycrisp apples, peeled and cored, roughly chopped

1 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Stir water, lemon juice, and cinnamon in Instant Pot.  Add apples and toss to mix.

Cover and pressure cook on high for 8 minutes.  Release pressure quick or slow (doesn't matter).

Stir for a couple minutes or use an immersion blender if you want a smoother texture.  Stir in more cinnamon or add sugar if needed.  Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.  Enjoy warm or cold.  Will keep covered in the fridge for up to 7-10 days.

Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce (with Meatballs and Zoodles)

I have a lot of big ripe tomatoes in my garden so I decided to make this veggie-rich homemade pasta sauce.  I used some of it to serve with zoodles and meatballs and froze the remainder for another night.  The sauce was much thicker until I put the zucchini noodles in the pot and then they released a lot of water into the sauce and thinned it out.  I should have cooked the zucchini separately.  It was still really delicious.  

Homemade Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce

Ingredients:

6 beefsteak tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion

1 green pepper, seeded and minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup beef or chicken stock

1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary 

1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano 

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions:

Cut the tomatoes in half and place cut-side down on a lined baking sheet.   Roast at 450º for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and use a tongs to peel off tomato skins.

While the tomatoes are roasting, heat olive oil in a large stock pot and cook the onions and peppers until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and stir for a minute.    Pour in the wine, stock, and herbs, and stir well.  Cook over medium heat until the liquid has reduced by half.

Add the roasted tomatoes to the pot, stirring and mashing up any really big chunks.  Stir in the tomato paste.   Simmer over low heat for 2 hours.  Use a handheld immersion blender to blend the sauce for a few seconds to get a less chunky sauce (this worked out wonderfully for me).

Serve with pasta or zoodles.

Zucchini Bread

My zucchini plant is having a record year and giving me a fresh zucchini almost daily.   I made two loaves of zucchini bread, one regular and one with chocolate chips.  Delicious.

Zucchini Bread

Makes 2 loaves 

Ingredients:

2&1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Grease and flour two 8x4" loaf pans.  Preheat oven to 325ºF.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla.  Sift in the dry ingredients and beat well.  Stir in the zucchini and nuts or chocolate if desired.  Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake at 325º for 45-60 minutes until tester comes out clean.  Let cool for 20 minutes then remove bread from pan and let cool completely.

Zucchini Skillet Meal

This was a great fast and easy one-pot meal that used up a bunch of my garden vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, green pepper).  The recipe made more than expected, so we had leftovers for a couple nights.  If I made it again, I'd spice it up a little more with more chili powder or cayenne or something.  Jeremy put Tabasco sauce on his serving. 

Zucchini Skillet Meal

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey or ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1-2 zucchini, diced (I used 1 large zucchini)

2-3 large tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 cup uncooked instant rice

1/4 cup water 

shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend)

Directions:

Cook ground turkey in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Add in the onion and peppers and cook for a few minutes to soften the veggies.  

Stir in the seasonings, zucchini, tomatoes, rice, and water, and bring to a boil (the zucchini will release more moisture).  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, about 15 minutes.  Sprinkle shredded cheese over everything and let melt a bit.

Chicken with Basil Tomato Butter Sauce

 

It's now tomato time in our garden.  We have some monster-sized tomatoes that are ripe so I needed a recipe to use up a bunch at once.  This was a really good one, basically just making a fast and easy buttery tomato sauce.  I would definitely make it again.

Chicken with Basil Tomato Butter Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, no more than 1" thick

salt and pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

5-6 roma tomatoes, diced (I used 3 large beefsteak tomatoes)

3 cloves garlic, minced

fresh oregano leaves, minced (about 1 teaspoon)

fresh thyme leaves (about 1/2 teaspoon)

1/4 cup butter

handful of fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

pasta or zucchini noodles

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large skillet.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet.  Cook for several minutes on each side until browned and completely cooked.  Remove chicken to a plate temporarily.

Carefully add the diced tomatoes to the leftover oil in the skillet.  Stir in the garlic, oregano, and thyme.  Simmer for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked down to a chunky sauce.  Add the butter and stir until melted.   Add the chicken back into the skillet to soak in the sauce for a couple minutes to reheat.  Stir in the basil just before serving.   Serve over pasta.

Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups

 

I felt like trying a new zucchini recipe.  This was delicious and I didn't miss the pasta at all.  The only time-consuming part was rolling up the zucchini.  They didn't roll as tight as I wanted because of the sausage.  Also, it would have helped to use a square pan with straight sides instead of my casserole dish with rounded ones. Next time I might make it in the style of traditional lasagna and just layer the zucchini ribbons flat to make it easier.  It might also be fun to try it with pepperoni and make pizza roll-ups.

Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups

Makes 4-6 servings 

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into about 24 ribbons, 1/8"-thick (a mandolin is helpful)

salt and pepper

~1/2 lb ground Italian sausage

1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic, minced

1&1/2 cups marinara sauce, divided

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Directions:

Lay zucchini ribbons flat on paper towels.  Sprinkle each side with salt and let stand for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook Italian sausage in skillet over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes, crumbling it as it cooks.  Transfer sausage to a medium bowl.  In the empty skillet, sauté the green pepper for a minute or two. Transfer to the bowl.

In the bowl with the sausage and peppers, add the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, basil, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

Spread 1 cup marinara sauce into a square or circular baking pan or oven-proof skillet.

Spread 1-2 tablespoons ricotta mixture evenly over each zucchini slice.  Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon mozzarella cheese.  Roll up and place in the baking pan.  Top with remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 400º for 25-30 minutes until heated through and cheese is beginning to brown. Enjoy!

 

Zucchini, Herb, and Roasted Tomato Frittata

 

I have more zucchini in my garden than I can deal with. I felt like trying something different than my usual zucchini breads and muffins.  It was a bit time-consuming to make, but the end result was worth it. I threw in a bunch of herbs from my garden.  It turned out better than expected and I enjoyed the taste, despite it being very veggie-forward.  

Zucchini, Herb, and Roasted Tomato Frittata  

Makes 6-8 servings

Roasted Tomato Ingredients:

1/2-1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cloves garlic

1-2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves (from 2 sprigs)

drizzle olive oil

salt and pepper

Frittata Ingredients:

8 large eggs

1/4 cup milk or half and half

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (plus extra for garnish)

~1-2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves

~1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

~1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

~1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 tablespoon butter

1/2 tablespoon oil

1 zucchini, sliced

1 shallot, minced

Directions:

On a foil-lined baking pan, drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and garlic.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano leaves.  Roast at 400º for 15 minutes.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, herbs, and salt and pepper.

In a 9 or 10-inch oven-proof skillet (I used my cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat, melt the butter and oil.  Add the zucchini and shallot and a dash of salt and pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes.  Pour the egg mixture over the zucchini.  Arrange the roasted tomatoes on top. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the sides are set but slightly runny on top.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake at 400º for 10-15 minutes until the center is cooked through.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese if desired. Cut into wedges.

Zucchini Waffles

Another Zucchini recipe... Waffles!  Loved them.  They taste like regular waffles but with some extra nutrition.  And they're super convenient because you can freeze the waffles and pop them into the toaster to heat them up quickly.  I also made a batch with chocolate chips added to the batter.

Zucchini Waffles

Makes 8-12 waffles

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini, shredded (1-2 cups) (or use large holes of box grater)

1&1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1&1/4 cups milk

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Add zucchini and toss to coat.  

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and vanilla.  Add to the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Preheat a waffle iron and spray with cooking spray.  Spread batter and cook about 5 minutes or as directed by waffle maker.   Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve with maple syrup, butter, fruit, or whatever you like on your waffles.

Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

It's zucchini season!  I've had a fresh zucchini to harvest from my garden almost every day.  Here's a delicious recipe I made to use up one zucchini. If it has fruit AND a veggie, that makes it healthy, right?! hah

Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

Makes ~12 muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1&1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1&1/2 cups shredded zucchini 

1/2-1 cup fresh blueberries

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, milk, egg, and vanilla.  Add the flour, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and stir until combined.  Fold in the zucchini, blueberries, and lemon zest.

Grease a muffin tin or use cupcake liners.  Fill each 2/3 full with batter.  Bake at 350º for ~20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in muffin comes out clean.

Grilled Monterey Chicken

We were in the mood to grill, so I made up my own super easy recipe.  Technically, I had Colby-Jack cheese instead of Monterey-Jack cheese, but whatever.  The chicken had good flavor.  It seems very versatile and could be served on its own, or put in a taco, quesadilla, salad, sandwich, etc.  We served ours with cilantro-lime rice and some lettuce and peas from the garden.

Grilled Monterey Chicken

Serves 2-4  

Ingredients:

2-4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, evenly pounded thin.

2-4 Monterey-Jack or Colby Jack or Pepper-Jack cheese slices

Pico de gallo or salsa

Cilantro, chopped

Avocado, sliced or cubed 

Marinade:

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Add all the marinade ingredients to a gallon sized ziplock bag. Seal and shake to mix.  Add the chicken to the bag and turn and massage to coat.  Marinate in fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Grill the chicken over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165º (time really depends on the thickness of the chicken).  During the last minute, place a slice of cheese on each breast and allow to melt.

Serve topped with the pico de gallo, cilantro, and avocado, or whatever you like.

Sweet & Sticky Basil Chicken

I wanted a fast, easy meal.  This was a good one, plus I was able to use some fresh garden basil.  I thought the chicken might be too sweet for Jeremy's taste buds, but he liked it too.  I served it over rice with a side salad and garden peas.

Sweet & Sticky Basil Chicken

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup flour

ground black pepper

1/3 cup cornstarch

1&1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks

3 tablespoons oil

handful of basil leaves, torn into pieces

sesame seeds

Sauce:

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 to 4 tablespoons chili garlic sauce, depending on desired heat level

Directions:

Put the beaten egg in a shallow bowl, flour in a second, and the cornstarch in a third.  Stir a few grinds of black pepper into the flour bowl.  Add the chicken pieces to the egg bowl and toss with the egg until well coated.  Then lightly coat the chicken with flour, and then coat with the cornstarch.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add the coated chicken.  Cook for about 6-8 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, whisk together all the sauce ingredients.  When then chicken is cooked, turn the heat down to medium and add the sauce to the skillet.  Stir continuously for a few minutes until the sauce is thickened and the chicken pieces are well coated.

Turn off the heat and stir in the basil until wilted.  Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds and more fresh basil.

Key Lime Pie Bars

I brought this dessert to a family gathering and it was a hit.  I love Key Lime Pie, and this dessert hit the spot. I found actual Key Lime juice in the store, so I used that plus zest from a regular lime.

Key Lime Pie Bars

Makes 16-20 bars

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full crackers)

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Pie Ingredients:

1&3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk (~21oz or about 1&1/2 cans)

6 egg yolks

1 cup Key Lime juice 

1 tablespoon lime zest

1 tub of whipped cream

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the crust ingredients.  Line an 8" or 9" square pan with foil or parchment paper.  Press crust mixture evenly into pan.  Bake at 300º for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice, and lime zest.  Pour mixture onto cooled crust.   Bake at 300º for 30-40 minutes until filling is slightly jiggly but center is set.  Cool for at least 2 hours.

Once cool, top with whipped cream.  Sprinkle with a little lime zest.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.  Bars can be stored in fridge up to 3 days.   

Instant Pot Shredded Lemon Chicken over Orzo

 I wanted to give my Instant Pot more use so I gave this recipe a try.  The chicken was extremely flavorful and would work well over pasta, rice, zoodles, spinach, in a taco or sandwich, or just by itself.  I chose to serve it over orzo pasta.  We currently have a lot of fresh spinach in our garden, so I paired the dish with a Greek salad and homemade Vinaigrette (recipe below).  It was quick and easy to make, and I'll definitely keep this recipe in my binder to make again.  The shredded chicken is very versatile and I think it would freeze well for future use if you made a large batch.

Instant Pot Shredded Lemon Chicken

Serves 4-6 (Depends on the amount of chicken)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 tablespoon paprika

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1&1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Using the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot, heat the oil and garlic for 1-2 minutes.   In a small bowl, mix together the oregano, paprika, salt, pepper, thyme, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes.  Add to the pot and sauté for another minute.  Add the chicken thighs to the pot and toss with the spice mixture to coat.  Add the broth and lemon juice and stir.  Make sure the chicken is arranged in a single layer in the pot.

Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on high for 15 minutes.  

While the chicken is cooking, prepare your pasta, rice, salad, or whatever you want.

When the pressure cooking is complete, do a quick release of pressure.  Use a slotted spoon to remove chicken to a plate.  Use two forks to shred chicken.

While chicken is out of the Pot, set the Instant Pot back to Sauté mode.   In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water and stir until cornstarch is completely dissolved.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the juices in the Instant Pot and cook and stir for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.  Add the chicken back into the Pot and stir to coat with the sauce.  Press Cancel to turn off the Pot.  Serve chicken over orzo pasta, rice, or anything you want.

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Greek Salad Vinaigrette - shake it all up in a small jar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

pinch oregano

pinch sugar

pinch salt

pinch pepper

 

Mongolian Beef

 I was in the mood for something Asian-inspired, so I made this easy Mongolian Beef recipe, served with rice and steamed broccoli.  The flavor was great.  Fast and east weeknight meal.  I'd definitely make this again.

Mongolian Beef

Ingredients:

1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced (1/4" thick) against grain

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons oil

1-2 teaspoons ginger, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 green onions, sliced

Directions:

Combine the steak and cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziplock bag and toss to make sure the steak strips are fully covered with cornstarch.

Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat.  Shake off excess cornstarch, and add steak to skillet (work in batches so the skillet isn't over-crowded).  Cook steak slices for 1 minute on each side, then remove to a plate.  

When all the steak is cooked, add the ginger and garlic to the skillet and sauté for 20 seconds.  Stir in the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar and let the sauce come to a boil.   Add the steak back to the skillet, and stir to fully coat with the sauce.  Turn off the heat and let it sit for a minute to let the sauce thicken.  Stir in the green onions.  

Serve over rice and broccoli and garnish with more sliced green onions if desired.

Banana Cream Pie

Banana Cream Pie

Crust Ingredients:

14 graham crackers (about 7 oz)

6 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup sugar

pinch salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1-3 teaspoons water

Filling ingredients:

1 small box instant banana pudding (3.4 oz)

1 cup cold milk

8 oz cream cheese

14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups whipped cream (1 tub Cool Whip)

~3 ripe bananas, sliced

Crust Directions:

Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until chopped to fine crumbs.  Add the melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and pulse to combine.  Add 1 teaspoon water and pulse a couple times.  If the crumbs are moist and pinch together, dump into a pie pan.  If not, add another teaspoon water and repeat.   

Press the crumbs against the bottom and sides of a deep dish pie pan.   Bake at 375º for 8 minutes.  Cool completely.

Filling Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pudding powder and 1 cup milk until well combined.  In a large bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy.  With the mixer running, add the sweetened condensed milk and pudding mixture and beat until smooth.   Using a spatula, carefully fold in 1/3 to 1/2 of the Cool Whip.

Spread a thin layer of filling over the pie crust.  Press a layer of banana slices on the bottom and up the sides.  Spread another thin layer of filling followed by another layer of bananas.  Scoop the remaining filling mixture into the crust, smoothing it out with the spatula.   Top with the remaining whipped cream and chill for a few hours.

Irish Stew with Lamb

 Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I decided to go with a lamb recipe today.  It was delicious.   The store didn't have any shoulder chops so I just used some lamb stew meat that they had packaged up.  It was still tender and delicious.  Next time, I'd chop the potatoes in half before adding them to the stew.

Irish Stew

Made 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb lamb stew meat (or shoulder chops would be better)

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken stock/broth

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

3 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

water or broth as needed

3/4 lb baby yellow potatoes

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat.  Season lamb with salt and pepper and sear meat on all sides, a few minutes per side.  Transfer meat to a stock pot.  

In the same skillet, cook the onions until slightly softened.  Stir butter into the onions until melted.  Add flour and stir until onions are coated.   Pour chicken stock into skillet, and rosemary, and stir until mixture thickens, about 5-10 minutes.

Add carrots and celery to the stock pot with the lamb and pour the contents of the skillet into the pot.  Add some more broth or water if needed to cover meat completely.  Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cover.  Cook, covered, for 60 minutes.  Add potatoes to the pot, submerging the potatoes in the broth, and cook for another 60 minutes.

Bring stew to a boil and cook until reduced and thickened, about 10-12 minutes.  Stir green onions into the stew and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Saltimbocca

 

I had leftover sage leaves from a previous recipe, so I decided to make Chicken Saltimbocca.  Fast, easy, and delicious.  The sauce reduced down a little too much so I'd double the sauce next time or skip it entirely and just squeeze a lemon over everything at the end.

Chicken Saltimbocca

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen: Dinner for Two

Ingredients:

4 (4-oz) thin chicken cutlets, about 1/4" thick

1/4 cup flour, plus 1/2 teaspoon flour

salt and pepper

4 large sage leaves plus 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage

4 thin slices prosciutto (2 oz)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small shallot, minced

1/3 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Spread 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish with a pinch of pepper.  Dredge cutlets with flour.  Sprinkle minced sage on one side of cutlet and press a slice of prosciutto on top.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add sage leaves and cook, turning once, until leaves begin to turn color, about 30-60 seconds total.  Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.

Place cutlets, prosciutto side down, in the skillet and cook about 2 minutes until golden brown on first side.  Carefully flip cutlets and cook until lightly browned on other side, another 1-2 minutes.  Transfer to plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium and add shallot to pan, cooking for about 2 minutes until softened.  Stir in 1/2 teaspoon floor and cook for 1 minute.  Whisk in the broth and wine, scraping up any browned bits.  Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Whisk in the butter, parsley, and lemon juice.

Return cutlets to skillet, prosciutto side up, along with accumulated juices, and allow to heat for 30 seconds.  Plate cutlets on a serving plate and spoon sauce over top.  Top with a fried sage leaf.

Slow Cooker Chicken Philly Sandwiches

 

I wanted a fun "game day" meal that didn't take too much time, and this was perfect.  I was able to use up some of my frozen garden peppers from the summer.  I put it all in the crockpot and let it do its thing all afternoon.  When it was done cooking, all I had to do was shred up the chicken and then do a little broiling.  Super easy.  The flavor of the chicken was really tasty and you can't go wrong with melted cheese.  The sandwiches were pretty big so we just paired it with a salad to get a little more veggie content.

Slow Cooker Chicken Philly Sandwiches

Makes ~6 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chicken broth 

2 green peppers, cored and cut into strips

1 large onion, peeled and sliced into half moons

1/2 tablespoon paprika

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

provolone cheese slices

sub or hoagie buns

Directions:

Pour the broth into the slow cooker and put in the peppers and onions.  Combine the dry spices in a small bowl and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mixture over the veggies.  Rub the remaining seasoning mixture all over the chicken.  Place the chicken on top of the veggies.   Cook on low for 5-6 hours until the chicken is tender and cooked through. 

When cooked, remove chicken from slow cooker, shred, and return to slow cooker, tossing with peppers and onions.

Cut the buns horizontally so you have a top and bottom.  Butter each half if desired. Toast the buns, cut side up, under the oven broiler for 30-60 seconds until toasted.  Using a slotted spoon, scoop some chicken, peppers, and onions from the slow cooker and arrange on a bun.  Top with a provolone slice.  Broil a minute or two until the cheese is melted.  Serve warm.

Crispy Sage Pork with Couscous

We were in the mood for an easy pork dinner, so I paged through my cookbooks and this recipe caught my eye.  It was fast to make and tasted really good.  I especially enjoyed the crispy brown-butter sage.   The original recipe called for figs in the couscous (sounds delicious!), but sadly, Jeremy absolutely hates dried fruits so I omitted that.  It also called for shelled pistachios, but I didn't feel like buying a whole bag of pistachios for one recipe, so I used a box of Toasted Pine Nut Couscous instead.  I enjoyed that small amount of nutty crunch in the couscous.  The package of pork I bought from the store had 3 tenderized thin pork chops.  It worked out well because there was also extra couscous.  I'll have a yummy meal to take to work tomorrow.

Crispy Sage Pork with Couscous

Adapted from One Pan, Two Plates Cookbook

Serves 2-3 

Ingredients:

2-3 thin boneless Pork Cutlets, about 1/4" thick 

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter, divided

12 fresh sage leaves

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

1&1/4 cups chicken broth  (follow couscous package instructions for liquid amount)

1 (5.6oz) box Toasted Pine Nut Couscous and flavor pack 

1 green onion, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper on both sides; set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the sage leaves and brown them on both sides until they start to get crispy, about 1 minute.  The butter should become golden brown.  Using tongs, transfer leaves to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Quickly add the pork to the hot skillet and brown the first side for about 2 minutes.  Turn and brown the other side for 2 minutes.  Transfer to a warmed plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, onion, carrot, and some salt and pepper.  Sauté for a minute until the onion begins to soften.  Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  Add the couscous, green onions, and peas.  Cover skillet and remove from the heat.  Let sit, covered, for 4 minutes, to allow the couscous to absorb the broth.  Drizzle the olive oil over everything and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Plate the pork with the couscous and sprinkle chopped parsley over couscous.  Top pork with the crispy sage leaves.  Feel free to crumble the sage into the couscous as well (I did-- it's delicious!).

Kielbasa Potato Spinach Skillet for Two

We had some leftover cooked kielbasa, so I added ingredients we already had on hand and made this tasty skillet meal to use it up.  Jeremy said he'd cut back on the brown sugar because the sauce was a bit sweet, but I loved it.  I'd cut back to 1 tablespoon sugar next time and I'm sure it will still taste great.

Kielbasa Potato Spinach Skillet for Two

Ingredients:

3-4 red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1-2 links cooked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into thin slices

3-4 cups fresh baby spinach

Directions:

Place potatoes and water in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave, covered, on high for about 4 minutes until potatoes are tender; drain.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme, and pepper.  

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute onions until tender.  Add potatoes and kielbasa and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.  Stir in the brown sugar mixture and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.  Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.