Make-Ahead Lettuce Wraps

**adapted from Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites

These were so easy to make, and it was really wonderful to have dinner ready in, literally, three minutes tonight. I would suggest that you have your older kids make the freezer meals so you don't even have to do that. If you buy a whole rotisserie chicken and a bag of green onions, you could probably make two or three meals out of it. I think it would be great with a few dashes of Sriracha, but the foetus would not like that. This will serve four. More if you add rice and sides.

1 C teriyaki sauce
1/3 C honey
1/2 C chopped green onions
2 C deboned and shredded rotisserie chicken
1 C cashews, blended for a few seconds
1 head lettuce

Put the teriyaki, honey, and chopped green onions in a quart freezer bag. Put the shredded chicken in a labeled gallon freezer bag. Put the cashews in another sandwich bag. Put the little bags into the big chicken bag. Freeze.

Thaw this the morning of your busy day and then, at dinner time, pour all the stuff into a bowl. Microwave the whole thing for about three minutes to heat through. Wrap with lettuce. Bingo.

One-pot Chicken and Brown Rice

Everyday Food Magazine, Jan/Feb 2010, p.112

Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 min

Total Time: 65 min

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 bone-in chicken thighs (6-8 oz each)

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 large yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges

2 celery stalks, cut into 1.5 inch pieces

2 medium carrots, cut into 1.5 inch pieces

1 bay leaf

1.75 cups water

1 cup brown rice

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place, skin side down, in pot. Cook until golden brown on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes total. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp fat from pot; add onion and celery. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 20 minutes.

2. Add carrots, bay leaf, and 1.75 cups water; stir in rice and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until rice absorbs almost all the liquid, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

Orange, Soy-marinated Chicken

Orange, Soy-marinated Chicken
serves four
from Best Ever Three and Four Ingredient Cookbook

4 skinless, chicken breast fillets (we don't eat much so I only used two)
1 large orange
2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
14 oz medium asparagus spears

Slash each chicken portion diagonly and place them in a single layer in a shallow, ovenproof dish. Halve the orange, squeeze the juice from one half (I like my Braun electric juicer) and mix it with the soy sauce (I ended up doubling the marinade). Pour this over the chicken. Cut th eremaining orange into wedges and place these on the chicken. Cover and leave to marinate for several hours. (I would have done this the night before - but forgot - so mine marinated for about 2 hours)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Turn the chicken over and bake, uncovered for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over again and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until cooked through. (remember to check it)

Meanwhile, cut off any tough ends from teh asparagus and place in a frying pan. Pour in enough boiling water just to cover and cook gently for 3-4 minutes, until just tender. Drain and arrange on warmed plates, then top with the chicken an dorange wedges. Spoon over the cooking juices. Serve immediately.

We had this with freshly squeezed cara cara orange juice, Scarlett's garlic pasta, and the Tomato, Bean and Fried Basil salad.

Chicken Florentine

This is a Paula Dean recipe I found on the Foodnetwork.com site. I had to modify it based on what I had in the house. My modified version is below...go to the link above to go to Paula's recipe.

Chicken Florentine

My recipe I made made enough for the 4 of us for dinner and lunch the next day.

1 (10 oz) packages frozen chopped spinach
2 chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
3 slices havarti
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp curry powder
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 Tbsp butter

Remove the outer wrapper from the box of spinach. Open 1 end of each box. Microwave on full power for 2 minutes, until thawed. Drain the spinach and put into a large bowl. Add tthe shredded chicken.

In a medium bowl, combine the soup, cream, cheaddar, havarti, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper, to taste and wine. Whisk together to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the spinach and chicken. Mix well with a spatula.

Place the mixture into an 11x7 in casserole dish or 2 (9-inch) square disposable aluminumm foil pans that have been sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Pat down evenly and smooth with a spatula. Combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top. Dot with the butter.

You can freeze the casserole. Allow it to thaw 24 hours before baking.

Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly.

We had this over rotini pasta. The girls loved it too.

Creamy Crockpot Chicken

I know Queen posted a recipe very similar to this a couple of years ago, but it's so easy and good, I thought I'd share my variation.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 pkg. Good Seasons Italian dressing powder

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of celery soup

Mix cream cheese until smooth than add soups & Dressing.  Blend until smooth.  Spread some of the mixture on the bottom of crockpot, than add chicken.  Cover with remaining mixture.  Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 3 hours.  Serve over rice or noodles

Cafe Rio-Lite

Okay I totally stole this recipe from my friend matt's blog, but he stole it from someone else so it's okay. The pork alone makes this so worth while. I know some of you don't care for Cafe Rio, but living out here in NY where Taco Bell is passable Mexican food, makes recipes like this a godsend.


CHICKEN
5 lbs chicken breast, boneless, skinless
1 sm bottle zesty italian dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced

Mix all ingred together in a large crock pot. Cook on high for 5-7 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Reserve a small amount of juice and pour over shredded chicken. Keep warm.

PORK
3.5 lbs pork roast
1 bottle taco sauce (8 oz)
1 T cumin
1 C brown sugar
1 can Coke (not diet)

Cook pork in pot on low for 6 hours (cover roast 1/2 with water. I cooked for a couple of hours on high and switched to low, that made it shred easier; also, when you add the other ingredients, please take out some of the water, leaving only about ½ in. in the bottom of the pot). Add ingred. to pork 3 hours before it is done.

LIME RICE
in a saucepan, saute:
2 T butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced

In a large pot, bring to a boil the following:
6 2/3 cups water
8 t chicken buillion
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
2 tsp cumin
2 sm cans diced green chilies
1 T lime juice
1/2 t pepper
3 cups of rice (maybe a half cup more, you'll have to play with it)

Pico de Gallo
4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t lime juice
1 t salt1/2 t pepper

TOMATILLO DRESSING
1 pkg Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing mix
1 C buttermilk
1 C Mayo
1 to 2 tomatillos
1/2 to 1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 to 1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 t lime juice
1/2 to 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed!

Serve in the following order:
tortillas
cheese
shredded chicken or pork
black or pinto beans
lime rice
red and green leaf lettuce, shredded
sprinkle crunch corn strips on top
fresh Parmesan cheese

sides of:
pico de gallo
guacamole
fresh cilantro
fresh lime slice
tomatillo dressing

Coconut Lime Chicken

Sorry, the first of two slow cooker recipes. I like experimenting way too much.

1 can coconut milk
3 chicken breasts
2 limes, juiced(more for a more limey taste)
1 t. salt
1-2 T. fresh grated ginger
3 cloves garlic

2T flour(add 30 min before the end, mix with water so it is easily pourable, stir in, and let it sit)

2 T. fresh cilantro, for garnish ontop of the chicken mix

cook around 4 hours, serve over brown rice.

Chicken Piccata

All my good cook friends keep talking about Ina Garten the Barefoot Contessa... so I finally bought one of her cookbooks Barefoot Contessa at Home. (Costco price - 18.99) We loved the Chicken Piccata.

Ingredients:
4 split (2 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 cups seasoned dried bread crumbs
Good olive oil
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
1/2 cup dry white wine
sliced lemon for serving
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound it out to 1/4inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper on a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the eggs and 1 Tbsp water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread-crumb mixtures.
Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add 2 chicken breasts adn cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan while you cook the rest of the chicken. heat more olive oil in the saute pan and cook the second 2 chicken breasts. Place them on the same sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 min while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. On medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp of the butter and then add the lemon juice, white wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced by halve, about 2 min. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and swirl to combine.

Discard the lemon halves. Serve on chicken breast on each plate, spoon on the sauce, and serve with sliced lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

ps. I didn't do the lemon slices or parsley for serving... I would if I were entertaining... and I didn't have parchment paper... I need to get some - it seems I've been doing a lot of stuff that asks for it... so I use Pam spray... and a plastic baggy to pound the chicken.

Chicken Caterpillar Kebabs

Another recipe from Annabel Karmel's First Meals .

CHICKEN CATERPILLAR KEBABS

Prep time: 40 min, including 30 min marinating; cook time 15 min 350 degree F Makes 8 portions Provides beta-carotene, iron, protein, B vitamins, vitamin C, and zinc

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast fillets (about 1 1/4 lb) cubed
1 cup canned lychees
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into triangles

Marinade:
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed is yummy)

To decorate:
8 cherry tomatoes or radishes
16 whole cloves
8 green onion fans (TIP: to make green onion fans, cut green onions into 3-inch lengths. Make four slashes at one end of each. Place in ice water until the ends curl.)

Mix together the marinade ingredients in a shallow dish. Add the chicken and leave to marinate for at least 30 min. While the chicken marinate, soak eight bamboo skewers in water to keep them from burning.

Thread the chicken onto the skewers, putting half a lychee and a red pepper triangle between each piece of chicken. Arrange on a baking sheet and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for about 15 min, basting with the marinade and turning occasionally, until cooked through.

To decorate, make a face for each caterpillar using a cherry tomato or radish, studded with clove eyes. Attach it to the tip of the skewer and thread on a green onion tail.

Speaking of crockpot chicken....

JAM CHICKEN

This is one of my fave's-especially since I always have fresh ginger on hand after following La Yen's advice to stick a root in the freezer! (I FINALLY got around to remembering to buy it!!)

2 T. jam* (heaping!!!)
3 T low-sodium soy sauce (or whateve's)
2 T. water
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

Combine the jam, soy sauce, water and ginger in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Add the chicken and toss so that is is covered with sauce. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 350.

(For added flavor let the chicken marinate in the sauce-covered in the fridge- for 2-3 hours before cooking.)

Slow-cooker options: Place everything in the pot and cook on low for 4 hours (or longer if you want delicious-fall-apart-juicy chicken) If you don't have time to defrost before throwing in the crockpot, omit the water and be extra, extra generous with the jam.

*Most any jam can be used and will taste good. Our fave so far was a Von's brand apricot/pineapple jam. Marmalade and seedless berry jams also work well. Jelly does not work as well as jam due to its thinner consistency.

2 EASY Summer Recipes to help beat the heat!

Hey everyone! Been keeping meals simple and cool for the summer. Here are two easy faves we've been enjoying. Both very adaptable to what you have on hand.

Romaine Caeser Wraps
(Courtesy of the the Tanimura & Antle bag at Costco!) ;-)

• 2 heads of romaine hearts
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken (approx. two 8oz boneless chicken breasts-- but canned chicken is so worth it for summer-- who wants to spend time cooking in a hot kitchen??!)
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (mmm Parmesan! Actually, I substituted mozzerella once and we fell in love with it so we use that a lot instead)
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup creamy Caesar dressing (I usually use Ranch just cuz we have it on hand.. of course, then you can't call it a "Caeser Wrap")
• 8 9-ince flour tortillas, plain or flavored
• Anything else you have on hand that sounds good and doesn't require cooking! Last night we had avocado in ours-- thanks Tia for the avococado tool-- freakin' amazing!!!!!! ;-)

1. Chop Romain hearts into bite-size pieces: place in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except tortillas, and toss well to coat.
2. Soften tortillas in microwave oven (about 20 seconds on high)
3. To make wraps, place tortillas on plates and spoon Casear salad along center. Drizzle with additional dressing if desired. Roll tortilla from one side, burrito style, folding bottome up and in to hold in salad. Repeat for remaining tortillas. Makes 4-6 servings.
4. Eat 'em up while they're nice and crunchy!
   

If you want to turn some delicious summer fruit into something a little more special:

Lime-Ginger Honeydew

• 1 lime
• 1 tsp finely grated, peeled fresh ginger
• 1 large honeydew melon, cut in chunks (approx 10 cups)
• 1/3 cup Sugar & 3 Tbsp water

1. Bring 1/3 cup sugar and 3 Tbsp water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat; stir to dissolve sugar. Refrigerate 5 minutes to cool.
2. Grate zest and juice lim. Stir 2 tsp zest, 1 Tbsp lime juice and the ginger into the sugar syrup. Pour over melon chunks and stir gently with a rubber spatula to mix and coat.
3. INDULGE! =)

I rarely have everything on hand for this (fresh ginger and limes). For a cheater version of this I will just blend up some honey, bottled lime juice and powdered ginger, then toss in the honeydew and coat. A bit different, but very tasty. I love honey on fruit! The lime zest really does add a nice dimension if you're choosing between buying lime or fresh ginger.