Healthy Chicken Vegetable Rotini

1 chicken breast cooked, diced
2 T all purpose flour
2 T butter, unsalted
10 oz milk , about 1-1/4 cup
1 pinch pepper
1 t Italian seasoning
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
7 oz Rotini pasta, whole wheat, about 1.5 cups uncooked pasta
2 yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped, optional
2 heads, approx. 12 ounces broccoli, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

Directions

Start heating a pot of water for the pasta. In a frying pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil, (I use olive oil) over medium heat. When pan is preheated add onion, bell pepper, and zucchini if using. Saute for 5-10 minutes until cooked. When cooked leave vegetables in the pan and add 2 tablespoons of butter. When butter has melted add the flour to make a paste.Cook stirring for one minute. Don't let it turn brown. Add milk a little at a time to the mixture and continue to stir until the flour mixture absorbs the milk. Continue adding until all the milk is in the pan. When the sauce starts to bubble. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add pepper, Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese to the sauce. Stir to combine. Cook pasta according to package directions. During the last minute of the pasta's cooking, add the chopped broccoli to the water. Allow to boil for one minute.

Drain the pasta and broccoli. In a large bowl, combine the pasta and broccoli with the chicken. cover with the sauce.

Suzanne's Note:This was a really quick and easy meal. It would be a great one to make when you have leftover chicken to use.

Grilled Chicken Pita's

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided

Possible Pita fillings:

• 1 large Vidalia or purple onion, cut into thin rings

• 1/2 head romaine lettuce, finely chopped

• 1 can olives, drained, sliced

• 12 slices bacon, fried crisp

• Alfalfa sprouts

• Tomatoes

• Ranch

• Sour cream

Rinse the chicken breast and pat dry. Combine 3 tablespoons lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic and 1 teaspoon of the oregano in a glass dish. Add the chicken, turn to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the chicken breast to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Grill chicken until it is done. Then fill Pitas with desired ingredients.

Rustic Pita Bread

recipe from tastykitchen.com

Ingredients

1-1/4 cup Warm Water

1-½ teaspoon White Sugar

1-½ teaspoon Active Dry Yeast

3 cups All-purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

Preparation Instructions

In a bowl stir sugar into warm water. Sprinkle the active yeast over top and let it sit to proof for 10 minutes. Next, stir in flour, salt and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Knead until soft and barely sticky.

Cover and move to a warm place to rise and double in size. About 45-60 minutes.

Once the dough has doubled in size, remove dough and preheat oven to 500 degrees F with an ungreased cookie sheet inside. The pan is going to act as your baking stone.

On a lightly floured surface roll the dough into a 12 inch rope. Cut into eight pieces, starting in the center roll each dough ball into a circle approximately seven inches in diameter.

Place 1 to 2 pitas on the cookie sheet and bake for 2-3 minutes and flip dough over with spatula then bake another 2-3 minutes or until puffed in center and golden around the edges.

Repeat with remaining pitas.

Once cool store in a plastic bag and refrigerate for a couple days or freeze up to two months or cut in half and fill! Enjoy!

Makes about 16 half pitas.

Lentil Stew

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 whole Leeks, Halved, Rinsed And Thinly Sliced (light green and white parts only)

2 cloves Garlic, Crushed

2 Tablespoons Oregano Leaves, or 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

5 slices of Bacon, Roughly Chopped ( cook the rest and use for Garnish)

14 oz Lentils, Rinsed And Drained

1 can (28 Oz. Size) crushed Tomatoes

4 cups Chicken Stock

1 pinch Sea Salt And Pepper

1 pinch Fresh Oregano (garnish)

hot sauce, garnish

Preparation Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When oil gets hot, add in the leeks, garlic, oregano and chopped bacon. Cook for ten minutes until bacon is brown and crispy.

2. Add in the lentils, stock and tomatoes with juice. Season and bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for twenty minutes.


3. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with some oregano leaves and a slice of bacon and hot sauce.

Suzanne's Note: I have found that a dash of hot sauce does amazing things to boost the flavor of lentils. I am just discovering lentils and love them.If you don't know how to prep leeks they are really easy and you can find how-to videos on the internet. My kids loved this recipe also.

Tandoori Chicken

This got rave reviews from the family. I served it with Hot Stuffed vegetable Couscous and Naan Bread. Which I have also posted. I have been making the Vegetable Couscous for years and loved it so much that I would make it by itself for dinner. It is so good. This chicken is really good and easy and cooks at the same temperature as the Naan Bread.

1 cup plain or vanilla flavored yogurt

1 small onion minced, optional

2 cloves garlic minced, optional

1/2 tsp. Paprika

1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp. Ground Tumeric

1/2 tsp. Ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

pinch of ground cloves

2 lbs. of Chicken about 5-6 chicken breasts

Mix all the ingredients,except chicken, together in a bowl or large ziplock. Marinate Chicken in yogurt mixture for at least 2 hours or over night.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Bake chicken in a baking dish, uncovered for 25-35 minutes. Until the chicken is cooked through.

Recommended to serve with vegetable couscous, and naan bread.

Potato Gnocchi with Wild Mushroom Sugo

adapted from Michael Chiarello, Foodnetwork

If you are being lazy like me then you can get gnocchi from the store. I found mine at my local grocery store by the pasta. Or Target also carries a few different kinds. I have also heard sometimes they sell them in the freezer section. But if you want to go all out, the homemade gnocchi had rave reviews online I will try them one of these times when I have more time.

For the gnocchi:

• 2 pounds russet potatoes
• Coarse salt
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

For the sugo:

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups mixed wild mushrooms, finely chopped (basic white button mushrooms work just fine)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 generous tablespoon unsalted butter, optional (I left this out)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
• Parmesan

Directions

For the gnocchi:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake potatoes until very soft on a bed of coarse salt in a baking dish, about 45 minutes. (The salt keeps the potatoes from touching the dish and developing a hard spot.) Cool potatoes until warm, then halve lengthwise and scoop out the flesh. Pass the flesh through a food mill or ricer, or push it through a coarse sieve. You should have about 4 cups.

In a bowl, combine potato, egg yolks, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Work the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add 1 cup of the flour and knead very gently, patting and pressing the dough with your hands until all the flour is incorporated. Add some or all of the additional 1/4 cup flour if the dough feels too moist, it should be soft but shouldn't stick to your hands. Transfer dough to a work surface and roll into a log about 3 inches in diameter. Cut the log into 8 equal pieces.

Give each piece a quarter-turn so that you are rolling the dough in a different direction, then roll into ropes, a generous 1/2-inch in diameter, as if making breadsticks. Flour the ropes generously, and then cut crosswise at 1/2-inch intervals. You can shape the gnocchi on a ridged butter paddle or on the back of a fork, or you can cook them as is. Let them dry at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cooking.

For the sugo:

Heat a large saute pan over high heat. When hot, add oil, and then sprinkle in the mushrooms. Don't stir! Let the mushrooms sizzle and caramelize for 7 to 8 minutes. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute to release its fragrance. Add the rosemary and shallot and cook for about a minute. Cook briefly to release their fragrance, then add tomato and red wine and simmer until almost evaporated. Add the broth or water. Simmer until slightly reduced, 4 to 5 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Sprinkle with the parsley and keep warm.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi. They are usually done about 2 minutes after they float to the surface, but test 1 to be sure. Lift them out with a skimmer and transfer to a large platter. Pour the warm sauce over the gnocchi. Grate Parmesan over the top and serve immediately.