Lentil Marinara

I made this recipe a couple weeks ago. Since then, I've considered several different ways to write this blog post, but was never really feeling what I was coming up with, and it got pushed aside.

One evening, I realized that if I hurried, I could probably sneak in making a decent meal before the baby woke up. Needing quick inspiration, I opened my reader up and literally picked the first thing from my bookmarked list: a lentil marinara.

Which I then made. And loved. And then completely couldn't come up with how I wanted to share it with you. So two weeks passed, and I realized I needed to just go ahead and post the recipe, because I didn't want to forget how much I enjoyed it.

I love lentils and I love pasta, so I assumed I'd like this (and really, I picked it that night because it was easy and I had everything on hand), but it was way more delicious than I expected and a nice change from your standard spaghetti.

Lentil Marinara

adapted from Branny Boils Over

serves 5-6

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 (28 oz) can of peeled plum tomatoes in tomato juice (snipped using kitchen sheers)

3 oz tomato paste

1 cup of green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over

1/2 cup red wine

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

hot cooked pasta of choice (I used about 10 oz. of whole wheat spaghetti)

basil chiffonade and freshly grated parmesan, for serving

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another minute.

Add canned tomatoes, paste, lentils, red wine and dried seasonings. Stir well. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Stir in balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve over cooked pasta, topping with basil and parmesan, as desired.

Balsamic Roasted Vegetable and Barley Salad

I confess I am terrible at starring recipes in my reader, with true intentions of making them (along with recipes found in the many cooking magazine I get), when very few them do I actually get around to trying. But every so often, one comes along that I just have to try right away. When I saw this warm grain-based salad on Cate's World Kitchen, I knew I had to try it- and soon.

Then I had to wait all last week to make it because Sage was out of town and I knew he'd love it too. It was worth the hype I'd built up in my head and then some. In fact, it was so amazingly good, I had to force myself not to eat the leftovers for breakfast the next day (I managed to hold out until 11:54). And you know you've got something pretty wonderful, when leftovers can excite you that much.

Cate modified this salad, originally found on Veggie Belly made with quinoa, when she accidentally used couscous instead. She mentioned barley as another alternative, which after some deliberation I decided to go with. I think it was the right choice. Nothing against couscous or quinoa (as I love both) but barley was just perfect for this. I followed Cate's lead and roasted the vegetables instead of grilling them. I omitted the eggplant (Sage isn't always a fan), in it's place using extra zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms and adding red pepper. We also topped ours with feta at the table, which went fantastically, as I imagine goat cheese would.

Do yourself a favor and try this one ASAP. I promise you, you will be very happy you you did.

Balsamic Roasted Vegetable and Barley Salad, serves 4

adapted from Veggie Belly via Cate's World Kitchen

for the roasted vegetables:

2 medium zucchini (mine were on the larger medium side), cut into 1/2 inch thick half moons

1 small red onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1 1/3 cup grape tomatoes

8 oz. button mushrooms, halved

1 small red pepper, cut into 1/2 thick wide slices

for the dressing:

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, pressed

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

for the salad:

1 cup pearl barley

3 cups water or broth (I used half water and half vegetable broth)

handful of basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

crumbled feta, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine water/broth and barley in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until barley is tender. Drain any excess liquid, if necessary.

Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add vegetables to bowl and toss to coat. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a baking sheet, reserving remaining dressing. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender.

Arrange vegetables and barley in serving dish and sprinkle with basil. Toss vegetables and barley before plating, and serve with remaining dressing and feta on the side.

Spinach-Peach Salad with Walnuts and Gorgonzola

Lately, I've been having some days where I just have no inspiration for dinner. This happened a few nights ago, despite having a huge selection of seasonal produce from my trip to the market the day before. With the dinner hour approaching, I began randomly googling ingredients, hoping for inspiration. Somehow, I stumbled across a Spinach and Peach Salad, even though I hadn't been searching "peaches." Now, we're not usually big on salad with fruit, but I had bought a basket of peaches, which had become quite ripe overnight, so I decided it was worth a try.

I skimmed through several similar recipes, and noted the many variations. Some were as simple as spinach, pecans, peaches and bottled dressing. Some were much more complex. There were different types of nuts, the addition of soft cheeses and onions, even salmon, and dressings that ranged from Poppy Seed, Italian, Raspberry Vinaigrette, and Red Onion. I had Gorgonzola and walnuts on hand, which I thought would go nicely, and I choose to dress mine with a simple balsamic vinaigrette.

I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this. Sage did too. He admitted that while he figured he would like it, he didn't "expect it to be that good." But it was! The tangy blue cheese kept it from being too sweet, and the walnuts gave a needed crunch. I'd meant to add some red onion but forgot, but now I don't know that it needed it. The only thing I do differently next time, is tossing the spinach with most of the vinaigrette before adding the other salad components, just for a prettier presentation.

Spinach-Peach Salad with Walnuts and Gorgonzola

for the vinaigrette:
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 small clove garlic, pressed
2 tbsp good quality olive oil

for the salad:
5 oz. baby spinach leaves
2 small peaches, pitted and diced
1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola

To make the dressing, combine first four ingredients together in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Set aside.

To assemble salad, in large bowl, first layer spinach, top with peaches, walnuts and drizzle with vinaigrette. Top with Gorgonzola. (Alternately, toss the spinach with most of dressing first, then top with peaches, walnuts, drizzle with remaining dressing or serve on the side, and finish with Gorgonzola.)

Symon Sundays: Pork Chops with Grilled Peaches and Balsamic Honey Lime Vinaigrette

This weather that is nice when we start fixing dinner and then turns suddenly stormy is getting old. Since it's been happening nearly every day, I should expect it, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it. More times than not these past two weeks, I am stuck trying to take pictures in gloomy light, and Sage is racing to get food off the grill in time. Or he gets to stand outside outside with a big umbrella as he finishes grilling, which was the case with this recipe. Luckily, this one was so very worth it.

We don't eat a lot of pork anymore, but we just loved this! I made quite a few alterations to this, most notably substituting the the rack of pork with pork sirloin chops (they were on sale,) which we quickly grilled instead of slow roasting over coals. The pork was served with grilled peaches and topped with a vinaigrette that I just about could've drank with a straw. That recipe called for chestnut honey- I used plain, old regular honey- and zest and juice from an orange, but I went with a lime instead. This vinaigrette was so good, we even drizzled some on the couscous and grilled pineapple that we had along with the pork and peaches. It makes a little more than needed, but I had no problem enjoying it on my salad the next day. The recipe is a keeper, and since it comes together so easily, would be a great one for entertaining.

*There was a second recipe, an absolutely delightful Sweet Corn and Wild Mushroom Soup. I debated selecting that one myself, so I was thrilled that Ashlee did. However the day I made that, it was, of course, storming terribly by the time it was finished. I couldn't get a decent picture, but there was no reserving some to try to get a picture when the lighting was better. It was just too delicious and unfortunately, I'd halved the recipe. But it is worth making. I will add the link when Ashlee posts her recipe.

Pork Chops with Grilled Peaches and Balsamic Honey Lime Vinaigrette

adapted from Michael Symon's Live to Cook

serves 3

3 pork sirloin chops (or a more tender chop,) about 1.25 pounds total
kosher salt
1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 peaches, halved and pitted

for the vinaigrette:
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 small shallots, minced
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
zest and juice of a lime

Season the chops very liberally with kosher salt, cover and refrigerate. (Symon says to do this the day before, but I just did a few hours before, and even with this only moderately tender cut of meat, it was still plenty tender.)

Remove pork from the refrigerator a half an hour prior to grilling. (I would suggest rinsing the salt off the pork. Symon doesn't say to do this, but our only past experience with a light salt cure did. We forgot, and it was a little salty for us.) Brush pork with 1 tbsp olive oil. Preheat grill.

To make the vinaigrette, combine garlic and shallot with salt. Add honey and vinegar, then whisk in olive oil. Add coriander, cilantro, zest and juice. Set aside.

Grill pork over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of about 150 degrees. Remove to a platter and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.

While pork is resting, toss peaches in vinaigrette. Grill until charred for a couple minutes per side.

To serve, top each chop with peach halves and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Fresh Pasta with Sweet Tomato Sauce and Baked Ricotta

I first saw this recipe on Cate's World Kitchen and thought it looked great. Shortly after, I saw it on a couple other blogs, which of course made me want to make it even more. I finally remembered to buy ricotta, and I can say this was every bit as delicious as I expected it to be and perhaps even more! It was a beautiful evening, so we enjoyed this wonderful meal out on our deck, along with crusty multi-grain bread and some glasses of wine.

I've always been under the impression you had to have a pasta roller in order to make your own pasta, but Cate made it sound easy enough to do with just a rolling pin and a pizza cutter so I decided to try it. If that's a little too ambitious, you could always buy fresh pasta from the grocery, but it really was easy. In fact, even making the pasta, this meal came together fairly quick (with the exception of straining the ricotta) but tasted like something that took much longer.

Pasta with Sweet Tomato Sauce and Baked Ricotta,

Slightly adapted from Jamie Oliver (via Cate's World Kitchen)

1 (15 oz.) container of ricotta (part-skim is fine) drained in a cheesecloth-lined strainer for a few hours

1 tsp plus 1 tbsp olive oil

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 medium onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes with juices

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

sugar, to taste (I omitted, as my tomatoes were sweet enough)

1 lb. wide pasta, such a pappardalle (recipe for fresh pasta, below)

a handful of fresh basil, torn

freshly grated parmesan, for serving

Preheat oven to 400. Place drained ricotta in the center of a foil or parchment lined baking sheet and flatten to a 1 inch thick disk. Rub with 1 tsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Bake for 15 minutes and set aside.

Cook pasta according to recipe or package directions. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water, and set aside.

Heat remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, crush the tomatoes into pieces. Stir in salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Taste, and add a small amount of sugar, if needed.

Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce. If neccessary, add a tbsp or two of the reserved pasta water. (If using the fresh pasta recipe below, there will be plenty of sauce to coat the pasta without the water.)

To serve, transfer pasta and sauce to serving dishes, and top with crumbled ricotta, basil and parmesan.

Fresh pasta

adapted from Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver, via Cate's World Kitchen

2 cups flour (I used unbleached all purpose)

3 whole eggs

kosher salt

Wisk together flour and a few pinches of salt. Make a well into the center and crack the eggs into it. Using a fork, wisk the eggs together without mixing in any flour until they're smooth and yellow.

Once the eggs are beaten, mix into the flour. Once it becomes too thick to stir, turn out onto the counter and knead for for about 8 minutes, or until the dough is very smooth. (This can be done up to two days ahead- knead until smooth, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

When ready to use, lightly flour work surface and rolling pin. Roll dough into a large rectangle so it's less than an 1/8 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, cut into strips of desired thickness.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Drop the pasta in a few strands at a time, stirring so they don't stick together. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until al dente. Drain but do not rinse.

Trio of Bean Dips: Black Bean and Corn Salsa, Classic Hummus and Roasted Garlic Balsamic White Bean Dip

For my mother-in-law's 60th birthday party, everyone was asked to bring something. I seriously waited till the morning off to decided what to make. I figured there would be lots of pasta salad type dishes and hot casseroles, so I wanted to go more the appetizer type route.

I'm pretty much a bean fanatic these days. A trio of dips made with 3 different kinds of beans, sounded fun, not to mention easy. No cooking was required, as all three dips let the food processor do the work. My toddler was having a very high maintenance day, so I was grateful for this.

For the Hummus, I used the recipe I always use, from Good Things Catered. I follow her instructions exactly, so I'm not going to re-post it, just direct you there. Katie knows what she's doing when it comes to authentic hummus and does a great job explaining how to make it.

I found the Roasted Garlic Balsamic White Bean Dip, on The Way the Cookie Crumbles. I used Great Northern Beans, but any white (cannellini, navy, etc.) will do. I did have to leave out the sundried tomatoes and their oil in this, as I didn't have them when I was putting it together (but I later still drizzled some of the of the oil on top, prior to serving.) Even the tomatoes, it was bursting with flavor, due to the balsamic vinegar and roasted garlic. Again, I am just going to direct you to Bridget's blog.

These two dips, we served them with baby cut carrots and red pepper strips, as well as a basket of 2 different types of pita chips. Other cut veggies, naan, pita wedges or crackers would also be good.

For the Black Bean and Corn Salsa, I just made this up as I was going along. A few of my my measurements are a little approximate, so I'd suggest starting with less and adding to taste. I was worried that perhaps it was too thin, until at the party someone was asking around who made this dip. She said it was awesome and then told me to get out of the way so she could get more :) I do think in order to have it thicker, I would drain the tomatoes next time. We served this with multigrain tortilla chips and lime flavor ones.

1 can (14.5 oz.) Black Beans, drained and rinsed

juice from 1/2 of a lime

1 jalapeno, seeded if desired

1 clove garlic

1 can diced tomatoes, drain for a less thin salsa

1/2 cup hot or medium salsa, or to taste

1 tsp cumin, or to taste

1/4 tsp onion powder, or to taste

1/2-3/4 cup frozen corn kernels (I just eyeballed this)

Add beans, lime juice, jalapeno and garlic. to food processor. Process until smooth. Add tomatoes and pulse until they are are broken down and combined well.

Add salsa, cumin and onion powder, starting with a little less. Process until combined, taste and adjust if neccessary. Stir in desired amount of frozen corn (If planning on serving soon after, then thaw first.) Refrigerate a few hours until ready to serve.

Slow-Roasted Beets with Buttermilk Blue Cheese, Watercress and Toasted Walnuts

When Ashlee from A Year at The Kitchen decided to start Symon Sundays, a group to cook through Chef Michael Symon's Live to Cook, I thought it sounded fun. I was even more excited by the first recipe she chose, a salad featuring roasted beets- which I absolutely love- accented with buttermilk blue cheese, toasted walnuts and a orange-balsamic vinaigrette. If she hadn't a chosen it, it definitely would've been one of my picks.


At first I didn't think I was going to be able to find the Roth Kase Buttermilk Blue Cheese (or Maytag) that the recipe called for but then I stumbled upon it. I was not able to find the golden beets, though, so I had to substitute with all red beets. Luckily, that was the only substitute I had to make.


While I LOVE beets, I usually don't make them myself very often, because they are a bit of work. There did seem to be something slightly over complicated in this preperation. (But perhaps it had something to do with the fact I have a white, very porous sink and I find it much easier and less messy to peel my beets before roasting. Or most likely it had something to do with the toddler in my kitchen, very insistent on helping, when he should've been napping.)


At any rate, I was really hoping this salad would be amazing...and it was! I loved the combo of the roasted beets with the blue cheese, the peppery watercress and the tasty vinaigrette. While Sage does fall into category of beet eater and salad eater, he isn't one to get excited about either, but he really liked it too. Unfortunately, it was a dreary rainy day, and my picture doesn't due justice to this pretty salad.


Ashlee has the recipe posted.

The Very Best of Fall Lasagna

Ever since I started reading food blogs, in early summer, I have been wanting to make one recipe in particular, The Very Best of Fall Lasagna, from A Year in The Kitchen. I just had to wait for it to be Fall. But you know how sometimes anticipating something for too long can result in dissapointment? That was not the case at all- this lasagna was every bit as amazing as I expected. But how could it not be when it showcases delicious flavors such as butternut squash, pumpkin, carmelized onion, apple maple sausage, thyme and fontina cheese?

I knew this was a complex dish to make, so I saved it for when when Sage would be home to help out with Beckett. It took a wee bit longer than I thought it would. I started this before 5:00 and it was well after 8:00 that we ate. I do take my time in the kitchen, and there are a lot of components to this, so it took nearly two hours of hands on time. Then another hour to cook, and another 15 minutes to rest. Sage was hungry and impatient, but in the end, he loved it. He said it was like no lasagna he'd ever had, and so full of flavor. To me, it was absolutely worth the time spent. And if you are better at multi-tasking (or don't have a toddler interupting your kitchen rhythm) I'm sure you could significantly shave time off.

I did make changes to Ashlee's recipe, based on necessity. The only wheat lasagna noodles available to me were the shorter no boil ones that come in a 9 oz. box. Ashlee used a 1 lb box of the long ones, so my lasagna was smaller in width, but I still used mostly the same amount of filling and still did four layers, so it was perhaps taller. Because of the no boil noodles, I had to cook mine twice as long at a higher heat, (but there is some ease in not having to worry about your noodles tearing.) As mine was smaller over all, I left out the acorn squash, which was good because it was pretty thick in my between layers. I didn't precook my sausage, since it is already fully cooked and I knew it would get heated properly through in the oven for an hour. I think my only other change was using less ricotta, but that was only because I didn't realize I was short on it. But again, due to size, it worked out just fine. I think with all these wonderful ingredients, this lasagna is accepting of alterations. If you have the time and patience, this is a must try recipe! It really is like no lasagna you've had before.

2 yellow onions, sliced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp thyme
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1 (15 oz.) can pure pumpkin
1 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded fontina cheese
1 (9oz.) box of no boil wheat lasagna noodles (if using regular noodles, consult original recipe for preperation and bake time.)
1 (12 oz.) pkg fully-cooked apple maple chicken sausage, sliced (if not fully-cooked, cook according to package first.)

In a non-stick skillet over low heat, saute onions for 15 minutes or until tender. (I only have stainless skillets, so I sauted mine in 2 tbsp butter, on medium for 5 minutes, then on low for about 20 minutes.) Add thyme, salt, pepper, and vinegar, cooking until vinegar is a glaze, about 10 more minutes. Set aside.

In a steamer basket over boiling water, steam squash for 5 minutes. Do not overcook. Set aside.

Mix pumpkin, ricotta and cinnamon together. Set aside.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a saucepan, add in flour and cook out over medium heat. Add broth, milk and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer, add 1/2 of cheese. Whisk until combined and set aside.

To construct lasagna:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 3 qt casserole dish, ladle cheese sauce in bottom. Place 3-4 noodles, slightly overlapping. Top with 1/4 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the squash, 1/3 of the sausage, 1/3 of the onions, and a ladle of the cheese sauce. Repeat with next two more layers, using up all of the squash, sausage, and onions.

Add the fourth layer, topping with ricotta, rest of the cheese sauce, and the remaining 1 cup of the cheese.

Cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until golden and bubbly, and noodles are tender. Let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.

My finished product, fresh out of the oven. So worth the wait!

Apple-Walnut Salad with Cranberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Sometimes I will have dinner all figured out, and then right before I start making it, change my mind completely. This was one from one of those nights. I wasn't feeling too good and didn't really feel like cooking- or eating- a big dinner, and suddenly a salad just sounded wonderful.

A half bag of cranberries in the crisper drawer inspired me make a dressing, and then walnuts and apples just seemed like a logical addition. The outcome was a very tasty salad. It reminded me somewhat of a Martha's Vineyard salad, which from our favorite New York style pizza place has the most amazing homemade whipped raspberry dressing. I tend to think of that salad as summery, but using apples instead of pears and cranberry dressing for the raspberry gave a decidedly Fall feeling.

I loved the earthiness of the greens and walnuts, paired with the sweet apples and the very tart dressing. I do think this would've been better with goat cheese instead of the reduced-fat feta. Not that flavor was wrong, I just think the creaminess of the goat cheese would've added so much.

Cranberry Balsamic Vinaigrette (yeilds 1 cup)
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp basalmic dressing
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp apple juice
pinch or two of kosher salt

Bring cranberries and water to boil in small saucepan. Boil 5 minutes, reduce heat and simmer another 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. (Or cool, and blend in a mini processor.) Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the salad assembly: I used several handfuls of spring mix, about a 1/4 of a apple (sliced thin,) a handful of toasted, chopped walnuts, and a sprinkle of crumbled feta (but suggest goat cheese) per individual dinner sized serving. Drizzle with Cranberry Balsamic Dressing.

Artichoke Caprese Pasta Salad

I find it amusing that the dinner we had on the first night of Fall would be something appropriate for a summer cookout- burgers and a cold pasta salad. But then again, it is still 90 degrees here. Actually, this isn't wasn't what I was going to make, but I had a ball of fresh mozzarella in the cheese drawer, just waiting to be used.

For as long we've been together, Sage's favorite salad to order at restaurants is Insalata Caprese. Being the pasta salad lover I am, I decided to put a spin on it and add orzo, which we both really like. I also included artichokes, just because I think (almost) every pasta salad is better with them. This was a lovely, refreshing side dish. I kind of felt it was missing something- Sage disagreed- but I believe it just hadn't chilled long enough for the flavors to intensify to their full potential. But as with most pasta salads, after a night in the fridge, it was wonderful.

We enjoyed this with turkey burgers, and I have to share a delicious addition I discovered. I roasted a head of garlic and added it to the ground turkey with fresh chopped parsley, breadcrumbs and an egg. The burgers were so flavorful, we even skipped topping them with cheese. We tried the Arnold Sandwich Thins for the first time and I highly recommend them. They're a great substitute for a big bun.

2/3 cup uncooked orzo
6-8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed (I used 6 but should've used the whole 8 oz.)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size
10 basil leaves, chopped or torn
1 (14 oz.) can of artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped*
2 tbsp olive oil
2tbsp balsamic vinegar
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to box. Drain and rinse with cold water. Once cool, transfer to serving dish. Add remaining ingredients, toss, and chill for at least a few hours or overnight.

*As I often do for pasta salads, I removed the tougher rubbery part of the artichokes, which reduces the amount by half. If you are using the whole thing, you might only want to use about half of the can.

Balsamic Mushroom Chicken

Sage prefers to have the seperate meat, vegetable, and starch kind of dinner (and by that, I really mean chicken, any vegetable and rice.) I'm not a big lover of meat, so I prefer it almost hidden in my food instead of a big slab sitting on my plate. My favorite meals are eaten out of a bowl and don't require a knife. But being the good husband he is, Sage happily eats my casseroles, skillet concoctions, soups, and probably far more pasta than he cares for, night after night.

Yesterday, though, I was just in the mood for a traditional type of dinner. I wanted to roast some asparagus and potatoes, and have a flavorful, tender piece of chicken. Because I'm particular (wierd) about meat, I can't eat chicken on the bone, and it seems every good recipe is for bone-in chicken. I'm always concerned if I use a boneless breast instead, it will come out dry. I wasted much too time trying to find a recipe and finally just made my own up and prayed it wouldn't result in a dry, flavorless piece of chicken. Well...success! I pretty much never will eat an entire breast, and I ate it all! I was just as happy with this meal as Sage was. Plus it was a super easy!

2 chicken breasts, pounded thin

2 tbsp basalmic vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup broth (I used vegetable, only because that's what I had open in the fridge.)

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 clove garlic, minced

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tbsp dijon mustard

1. Place chicken in bowl and cover with basalmic vinegar. Turn to coat. (I let mine sit for about 15 minutes, so that the timing would work out with my potatoes in the oven.)

2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high. Add chicken breasts to pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes on eat side, or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a warm plate and cover tightly with foil.

3. Use broth to deglaze pan. Add mushrooms, garlic and seasonings. Cook, stirring occassionly, until mushrooms are soft and liquid is nearly all reduced, about 10 minutes. In the last minute of cooking, stir in dijon mustard.

4. Plate chicken and spoon mushrooms over top.

Pear, Avocado and Goat Cheese Salad with Honey Basalmic Vinaigrette

This salad came out of the need to use up some things. I knew I needed to make a salad because I had lettuce than needed to be eaten. Then I found a pear in the bottom of the crisper and I had an avocado getting close to being past its prime. So I come up with a dressing, and I thought it was really nice on this simple salad.

I liked the combination of pear and avocado with the goat cheese- definitely not components I would typically put together, but they worked wonderfully! I realize romaine is not the ideal choice for this, but it was what I had and was just fine. There are all kinds of greens which would be great in this. I was going to top this with toasted walnuts, but I was multi-tasking in the kitchen and forgot about them and burned them. And by that, I mean completely blackened them! Oh well, the salad was still delicious without!

3-4 cups of your choice of salad greens

1 pear, sliced

1 avocado, diced

1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

dressing:

3 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp basalmic vinegar

1 tbsp plus 2 tsps honey

2 tsp finely chopped fresh parsely

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Wisk all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Place in a container with a tight fitting lid, and refrigerate until ready to use. Shake before using.

2. In a serving bowl, arrange salad ingredients. Drizzle with desire amount of dressing when ready to serve.

Basalmic Chicken with Wilted Spinach and White Beans

I was all set to make household standby, when I realized I really wasn't looking forward to it. I googled a few ingredients I wanted to use, and stumbled across a recipe that sounded worth trying. Its was submitted to SparkPeople.com, originally a Rachel Ray Express Lane Meal.

I cut the recipe mostly in half, while still using all of the beans and extra spinach. Since I wanted a slightly thicker sauce, I mixed a little of the liquid with cornstarch, but that could easily be left out, or the broth and wine amounts could be reduced. The only thing I wish I'd done differently was pound out the chicken. I had really thick pieces, and they cooked unevenly and took so much longer than the recipe advised, that the basalmic marinade really blackened the bottom of the pan. However, the chicken was the best part! The spinach and beans were very good, but the tender basalmic chicken was sensational!

adapted from Spark Recipes (originally a Rachel Ray Express Lane Meal)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 chicken breasts (I recommend pounding thin)

1 medium onions, sliced thinly

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

sea salt & fresh ground pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1 can organic cannellini white beans, drained

1 tsp cornstarch (optional)

1 9 oz. bag baby spinach leaves

1/2 tbsp dried parsley

Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tbsp)

1. In a shallow dish, combine the balsamic vinegar, 1 T of the oil and the grill seasoning. Coat the chicken breasts in the mixture and set aside to marinate while you start the white beans and wilted spinach.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining oil. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Add the white wine and chicken broth, bring up to a bubble, and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Heat another large skillet over medium-high heat. (I did this while waiting for the broth and wine to come to a boil.) When it is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or untill no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken ot a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let rest a few minutes.

4. Add the cannellini beans to the skillet with the onions and stir to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the beans are heated through. (This is where I added the cornstach to about a 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and added to the pan, allowing to return to a boil to thicken slightly.) Turn off the heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the spinach, parsley, and lemon juice. Toss and stir until the spinach wilts.

5. To serve, place a portion of the white beans and wilted spinach on each serving plate. Thickly slice each chicken breast on an angle and arrange over the beans and spinach.

Artichoke, Mushroom & Goat Cheese Pizza

The other night was a rarity- Sage and I actually went out on a Saturday night. For a quick and easy dinner, that wouldn't make us feel too full, I made a pizza. I used a Boboli crust, but next time we have pizza, I am going to attempt making my own.

This was delicious, light yet full of flavor. I would've put fresh basil on it, but I didn't go my usual grocery store and they were out. I also realized after it was in the oven, that I had fresh spinach that would've been great on this as well. Next time I will probably use a little heavier hand with the toppings, but I wasn't sure if it would be overwelming. I sauteed the mushrooms and garlic in wine, but I don't think it added much, and the mushrooms don't need to be pre-cooked, so I'd most likely skip it next time.

Whole Wheat Boboli Crust
olive oil
4 Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp white wine
1 Roma tomato, sliced very thin
1/2 of a 6 oz. jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
basalmic vinegar
1/2 tsp dried basil (or use fresh)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush crust with a light coat of olive oil.
2. Sautee mushrooms and garlic in wine, until liquid is cooked out, about 5 minutes.
3. Arrange tomato slices evenly over pizza crust. Next top with mushrooms and garlic, then artichoke pieces, then goat cheese. Drizzle basalmic vinegar all over pizza and spinkle with basil
4. Cook for 10 minutes.