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This recipe was inspired by one in the Denver Junior League Cookbook, but I have made my own changes and since lost that cookbook, so I can’t really tell you where the Jr League recipe ends and mine begins. I have used this flavorful salad for a million things! It can be served on a fancy bed of lettuce with almond slivers, in a mini pastry shells as an appetizer, on whole wheat bread for a sandwich, or popped into a Tupperware and taken on a picnic. It travels and stores best if the dressing is kept separate from the chicken and veggies. And the more time the dressing has to marinate the better it will taste, so I normally whip up the dressing a day before I will use it.
Here is a link to the full recipe.
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A Cornucopia of Couscous
When I am going to make couscous I start by looking in the fridge, freezer and pantry to see what I have that might taste good together. This is your chance to use up your leftovers liked cooked veggies and meats or those last bits of cheese. I don’t have recipe, this is a dish concocted out of opportunities.
See all my ideas on using couscous here.
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Better Corn Bread in a Jiffy
The chili is bubbling away on the stove and you only have about 5 minutes to whip up a side. If you have a good can opener then you can make savory, rich, and moist corn bread. This is not a gourmet recipe this is a simple and quick recipe that tastes great. I like to sprinkle extra cheese and a few jalapenos on top of the bread so everyone expects to bite into a savory and not sweet corn bread. You can bake the bread in an 8×8 or a muffin pan. For a buffet I like the muffins, for a family-style meal the 8×8 is nice because everyone cut what size pieces they want. This is a super moist corn bread almost like a corn pone and if you have a small cast iron skillet melt some butter (or bacon fat) in it and use it to bake the bread, you will get a nice crispy edge. For drier bread omit the cream style corn.
See the full recipe here.
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Chicken Paillard with Tomatoes and Capers
It was date night at home tonight. And all I had was some chicken….not that exciting. But we love a nice caper and white wine sauce so with a little love these simple chicken breasts turned out to be a lovely meal. The paring of tomatoes and zucchini keeps happening at our table since they are both in season now and as we all know “what grows together goes together.” I served them with a pinot gris and steamed broccoli that I squeezed the other half the lemon over. If not for a new year’s resolutions about extra carbs and white flour, a crusty French bread would also have been on the table. This is a quick dish to prepare about 30 minutes from start to table, so it would be great on a week night.
See full recipe here.
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Basil Chicken with White Cannellini Beans
After a weekend of eating lots of bad-for-me-food to celebrate my birthday I am back and on the straight and narrow path of eating what’s good for me. The only issue is steamed broccoli and dry baked chicken will not really entice the rest of the family to the table. Enter the high fiber low calorie wonder that is the bean! They taste good and are good for you so they became the center of last night’s meal. Add some chicken breasts and fresh basil and this was such a great meal that no one knew it was good for them. If you are not a fan of the white meat chicken you could use thighs instead.
Read full recipe here.
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Beer Marinated Grilled Chicken Fajitas
Around here we love a nice TexMex meal either at home or in a restaurant. Fajitas are one of the favorites, but at $15-$20 per person eating fajitas in a restaurant is always kind of depressing. The meat is bland or dry and the veggies over cooked, but when I make them at home we are always thrilled with the juicy and flavorful results. Plus the leftover grilled chicken and veggies will make great salads for the next day. I serve my fajitas with everything I like from a restaurant, cheese, sour cream, beans, hot peppers, you name it and I encourage you to do the same. And as always I am an advocate of making homemade fresh salsa it’s just so good and really only a few minutes of work. If you are feeling lazy about all the extras for the fajitas the grilled chicken on its own or over a bed of Spanish rice is a great meal with less prep work, so always keep that meal plan as an option.
Read full recipe here.
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Mixed Berry Pie
This year we have had a large crop of Florida winter strawberries and they are everywhere from the farmers market to the grocery store at good prices. Combined with a recent sale on blue berries I could not resist a berry pie. This version has a little citrus flavor and is not very sweet, my favorite. Using my Grandmother’s crust makes it wonderful trip down memory lane. Her crust has that that flaky texture that you can only get from homemade. I have to admit I ate the leftover pie for breakfast!
Find the full recipe here.
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Lazy BBQ Ribs
These are called lazy for a reason; they are easy and cook all day so a lazy Sunday is the perfect day to put them in the oven and forget about them. Or on busy weekday get them in the oven first thing in the morning before you start your crazy day and have a wonderful dinner ready when you finally have time to relax. This all day oven and foil process is my workaholic Aunt’s invention and these ribs have been a mainstay of her dinner parties and family meals for years. One taste of my simple BBQ sauce that in keeping with the lazy theme is just a pumped up store bought sauce and you will never miss going to the local rib restaurant.
Click here to see full recipe.
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Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin Stuffed with Walnuts and Rice
This wonderful meal will rival anything you can find in a restaurant, use it to impress friends and family without killing your budget. The ingredients are humble and easy to get, and if butterflying the roast is intimidating just ask the butcher to do it for you.
The stuffing has a warm rich flavor that plays up the earthiness of the walnuts and mushrooms in a nice contrast to the sweet fruit and maple syrup glazed bacon. The fresh sage hidden under the bacon wrapping helps to baste the pork with a soft sage flavor that intensifies when you find a cooked sage leaf to eat with the pork. It’s a great winter meal that just calls out for a glass of red wine and good company.
Here is the full recipe.
