Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken with Butternut Squash and Fingerling Potatoes

I have a husband who loves chicken. Me? Not quite so much. I mean it's alright, but I think I ate so much of it for so long, that I became bored of it. There are just so many things I'd much rather eat instead. Things like fish, beans and tofu. But I'm pretty crazy about my husband, so from time to time, I try to find ways to prepare chicken that will keep him happy. 

When I read Joanne's statement in regards to this recipe, saying how she doesn't even really like chicken, but loved this dish, well, it was enough convincing for me that this was a perfect one to try. That and it had butternut squash. Even if I didn't care for the chicken, there would be roasted squash to eat. But as it would be, I liked the chicken just as much as the accompanying vegetables.

I didn't have the sweet potatoes which were to be be roasted along with the butternut, so instead I used fingerling potatoes. Another change I had to make wasn't intentional. I had accidentally purchased chicken breast strips instead of breasts. But  this just made for quicker cook time. I also reduced the amount of chipotle peppers from four to two. It still had plenty of spice to it, although not so much that Beckett couldn't eat it. I just served his with a big dollop of cooling greek yogurt (which actually complimented this meal wonderfully) and a glass of milk. But if your family is very heat sensitive, I'd suggest only using one.

I'm not sure if it was the two less peppers, or the fact I didn't mince them that finely, but I got a slightly chunky chipotle honey sauce instead of a paste. I just dipped my chicken into the sauce to coat and then once the chicken was placed on the vegetables, spooned the remainder over top of the chicken. It wound up seasoning the potatoes and squash as well, which tasted fantastic. And if you're not sold yet, besides being absolutely delicious, it cooks in one pan for easy clean up.

Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken with Butternut Squash and Fingerling Potatoes

adapted from Melissa Clark's In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite, via Eats Well with Others

serves 4

1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

1.25 lb fingerling potatoes, larger ones halved or quartered

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp honey

2 tsp cider vinegar

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1.25 lb chicken breast strips/tenders, rinsed and patted dry

chopped cilantro or basil, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400. Toss the squash and potatoes with 1 tablespoon of oil and spread onto roasting pan. Season with a few pinches salt and several grinds of pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.

While the sweet potatoes are cooking, in a small bowl mix together the remaining tablespoon of oil, peppers, garlic, honey, vinegar, cumin, cinnamon and 1 1/4 tsp salt until they form a paste (or in my case, sauce).

Rub the paste all over chicken and place on top of squash and potatoes. (If your paste is not quite a paste, dip chicken into sauce, then spoon remaining sauce over chicken once it on the vegetables). Continue roasting until chicken is just cooked through, 10-15 minutes.

Serve garnished with cilantro or basil.

Roasted Garlic & Cheddar Orzo with Chicken and Broccoli

The other day, I decided to browse the gazillion and one recipes bookmarked in my Google reader. Why I star all these fantastic recipes only to never look at them again, I'm not sure. It makes me sad to think of all the wonderful things I will never have time to try, so I'm going to make an effort to reduce the list by at least a few. I began jotting down a list of some of the ones I really want to make sure I get around to.

I came across one for Pasta with Roasted Garlic, White Cheddar & White Wine Sauce, which contained broccoli and chicken. I honestly have no recollection of reading it before, let alone starring it, but I assume I thought that it would appeal to my family because a) Beckett loves broccoli b) Sage loves chicken and c) I love pasta, garlic, cheese and wine. Now having made it, this is one recipe I wish hadn't sat in my reader. It was awesome. If you are looking for a super healthy meal, this isn't it. But hey, everything in moderation, right?

I did make some changes, leaving out the wine for one. Being pregnant, I don't have a problem with a small amount of wine being cooked down in a recipe, but I do have a problem with opening a bottle for 1/4 cup and not being able to polish off the remainder of that bottle :) While I had the penne the original recipe called for, I had a suspicion this would be delightful with orzo and it was. I debated leaving out the chicken, but that would've definitely been a mistake- the chicken really complimented the other components. I used some I had on hand from a whole chicken I roasted for Sage's lunches, but you could easily use rotisserie chicken or just cook up a breast.

Now I only have a gazillion recipes waiting for me to try.

Roasted Garlic & Cheddar Orzo with Chicken and Broccoli

adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from Good Things Catered

serves 2

The only part of this meal that takes much time is the roasting of the head of garlic. If you do this step ahead of time, the rest comes together quite quickly.

1 medium sized head of garlic

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 cup uncooked orzo

1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets (about 5 cups)

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp margarine or butter

1/2 small red bell pepper, finely chopped (1/3 cup)

1 tbsp flour

1 cup vegetable or chicken stock

1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup chopped cooked chicken (I used white and dark meat)

Remove the outer papery skins from the head of garlic. Trim off a little from the top of the head, so that all of the cloves are partially exposed. Drizzle with a little olive oil, wrap in foil and roast at 375 for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Squeeze garlic cloves from skins and mash with a fork to make garlic paste. (This step can be done ahead.)

Cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions, taking care not to overcook. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Saute broccoli for 10-12 minutes, or until tender-crisp, stirring frequently. Using a slotted spoon, remove broccoli and set aside.

Add butter to pan. Once melted, add garlic paste and bell pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until flour mixture turns golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Pour in broth and stirring frequently simmer until slightly thickened, another couple minutes. Add cheese, stir until smooth and allow to thicken slightly.

Mix in broccoli and chicken, and cook until just heated through. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve warm.

Chili Potato (and Chicken) Burritos

As I've mentioned before, I don't plan out a menu for the week. I'm too easy influenced by what strikes my fancy at that moment while at the produce market and grocery store to stick to planned out meals. I tend to come up with my meal ideas by looking at what I've already bought and taking it from there. Because of that, there are hundreds of recipes I've bookmarked in my reader and in cookbooks I may never get around to trying. But then there are those recipes that I do come across that I am so drawn to, I know I have to make right away.

When I saw these Chili Potato Burritos on Taste and Tell, I thought they sounded delicious. (I mean, they are essentially spiced mashed potatoes wrapped up in a tortilla and topped with cheese. How could they not be delicious?) Definitely not as healthy as most of the meals I opt for, but nevertheless, I found myself thinking about them all day. And the next. Maybe it was some kind of pregnancy craving, but I couldn't get them out of my head, and I knew they would be gracing my dinner table very soon.

I made some changes, mostly due to the fact I didn't reread the recipe before I went shopping. (And also because I can't ever leave a recipe alone.) I had some leftover roast chicken in the fridge, and on a whim, I decided to include some of it to half of the burritos, an addition I knew Sage would love. I tried it both ways, and while 9 times out of 10 I prefer things without meat, I actually think I liked it just a little more with the chicken. But really, both ways were great. I had intended roast some veggies to serve on the side, but I completely forgot until minutes before this was about to come out the oven, so I threw together a quick salad and it was a perfect compliment.

Chili Potato (and Chicken) Burritos
adapted from Taste and Tell, originally from allrecipes
makes 6 large burritos, serving 4-6

We are not huge enchilada sauce people, so for us, this was the perfect amount of sauce for our liking; if you'd prefer yours swimming in it, you will want to use more. We are however cheese people, so next time I will add a good bit more cheese to the tops of the burritos before baking.

3 medium-large Russet potatoes (about 2.25 lbs.), cubed (I didn't peel)
1 tbsp reduced fat milk
1 tbsp butter/margarine/spread
1 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese
1 cup shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese (or colby jack), or more as desired
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 (10 oz.) can of mild enchilada sauce (or about 1 1/4 cup homemade), or more as desired
6 large multi-grain soft wraps or tortilla of choice
optional: shredded cooked chicken (about 2 cups for all 6 burritos) tossed in a tbsp or two of the sauce

Boil potatoes until tender but still firm. Drain and mash with milk, butter and cream cheese.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with 3/4 cup of the cheese, chili powder, cumin and garlic powder. Season with a couple pinches of salt and a several good grinds of pepper. Stir in about 1/3 cup of the enchilada sauce.

Spoon 1/6 of the potato mixture onto the middle of a tortilla. If desired, top with some of the shredded chicken. Roll up burrito-style and place seam side down in large baking dish. Continue, using up all tortillas and potato mixture. (I made these ahead, and at this point, refrigerated until just shortly before ready to bake.)

Pour enchilada sauce over burritos and top with desired amount of cheese. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

Grilled Chicken Soft Tacos with Fresh Tomato-Corn Salsa

What perfect tacos for warm weather! Quick, easy and so fresh tasting. I originally had intentions of marinating the chicken, but when I didn't get around to it, I went with a simple dry rub that I came up with just by browsing my spice drawer. The seasoned chicken paired so nicely with the delicious fresh salsa that can be put together in minutes while the chicken is on the grill.

If I'd had it I would've used fresh corn from the cob in the salsa, but thawed frozen kernels work just fine (if you're like me and had way too much produce in the basket already by the time you reached the corn.) Do your self a favor and double or triple the salsa recipe because the leftovers are delicious with multi-grain tortilla chips!

For the dry rub:
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp onion powder
fresh ground pepper

For the salsa:
2 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup diced red onion, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
juice from half of a lime
1/8 tsp kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
cooking spray
small flour or corn tortillas (I used low-carb flour ones)
crumbled queso fresco or shredded cheddar
diced avocado
chopped lettuce

Combine all of the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl. Rub a quarter of the mixture on each side of the chicken breasts. Spray the chicken lightly with cooking spray and grill over medium-direct heat for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. Transfer to a cutting board and slice.

Meanwhile, combine all salsa ingredients. This can also be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use.

Assemble tacos by topping tortillas with sliced chicken, tomato-corn salsa, cheese, lettuce and avocado.

Parsley Pesto Chicken Salad

This flavorful chicken salad came about when I set out to make another recipe entirely, one that involved a basil pesto, but as it turned out, my basil was pretty far past the point of using. Since I had an abundance of parsley on hand, I decided to try a pesto using that instead. Somewhere along the way, I lost interest in the original dish and chose to combine the pesto with some rotisserie chicken I had for a tasty take on a mayo-free chicken salad.

For something so easy to prepare, the results were quite delicious. On toasted multigrain bread with letuce, tomato and black pepper, it made a wonderful sandwich. Equally great as as an open face melt on a wheat english muffin with swiss cheese and thin sliced tomato. And even good as a simple spread on flatbread crackers.

Because it is so inexpensive, parsley is one produce I am willing to buy even though I know I will probably not be able to use it all up in time. (The same with cilantro.) However, I do really hate waste, so I will absolutely be making parsely pesto again. I'm thinking it would be wonderful paired with pasta and grilled chicken.


Parsley Pesto Chicken Salad

2 cups packed parsley leaves

1/4 cup toasted walnut halves/pieces

2 tbsp good-quality olive oil

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan

a couple pinches of kosher salt

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (half of a small lemon)

1 tbsp water

1 cup shredded cooked chicken, room temperature

1 celery rib, thinly sliced

Add parsley, walnuts, olive oil, parmesan, salt, lemon juice and water in a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Mix pesto with chicken and celery. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve as desired.

Symon Sundays: Mac and Cheese with Roasted Chicken, Goat Cheese and Rosemary

Procrastination has always seemed to work in my favor. Or at least that's what I tell myself. (I like to believe I work well under pressure, but I'm pretty sure my husband would say other wise.) On any rate, you won't catch me doing things ahead very often. That hospital bag you are supposed to have packed weeks before your due date? I packed mine through my contractions right before we left to go to the hospital. (And my pregnancy went full term.) Shopping for a birthday or shower gift? I'm most likely to hit Target on the way to the party. And preparing my dishes for Symon Sundays? Despite my thinking ahead, they always seem to get done last minute.

However, this week is the exception. I'm a floral desinger, and with Mother's Day coming, I'm going to be pretty busy. But I wanted to make sure I didn't miss out on this mac and cheese, since I love using goat cheese as a base for pasta. Joanne picked this one, and of all the things we've made from Live to Cook, I found this one to be the most simple, in terms of ingredients, and the least complicated to prepare. Sage said it was perhaps his favorite of Symon Sunday recipe so far, and I think Beckett agreed. For once we didn't have to to bribe him to finish his dinner.

Since this isn't the healthiest of dishes, I halved it and made a few changes. My grocery doesn't carry a whole wheat or multi-grain rigatoni, so I went with a penne instead. I also used half and half instead of the heavy cream. I know when reducing it, you should use heavy cream, but I couldn't justify the extra fat. It worked fine, I just had to alter the cooking times a bit. It was a little dry after I stirred in the penne, but a few tablespoons pasta water did the trick.

The only thing I wished we'd done differently was to have bigger pieces of chicken. I picked up a rotisserie chicken for this, and since handling chicken on the bone is something that creeps me out, Sage did it for me. I was picturing bigger shreds, but he finely shredded it. Texture wise, I think it would be better in slightly larger chunks. It was still yummy though, and made for a nice dinner when paired with roasted broccoli.

Mac and Cheese with Roasted Chicken, Goat Cheese and Rosemary

adapted from Live to Eat, Michael Symons, 3-4 servings

1 pint (2 cups) half and half

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

kosher salt

1/2 lb dried multi-grain pasta (such as penne, rigatoni, etc.)

4 oz goat cheese

1 cup shredded roast chicken

In a saucepan over high heat, add the half and half, rosemary and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring just to a simmer, then lower to medium and reduce the mixture by half.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain.

Add goat cheese and chicken to half and half, once reduced, and bring the mixture back to a simmer. Continue cooking until it coats back of spoon, about 15 minutes.

Toss cooked pasta with sauce.

Symon Sundays: Veal Chop Milanese with Arugula Salad (but really Chicken Breast Milanese)

I almost didn't participate in Symon Sundays this week, due to a lot going on lately, but here I am sneaking it in last minute. I am so glad I was able to make this because it was so good! I only did one of this week's recipes. I hope to try the other one, Soft Polenta with Mascarpone, sometime soon since I like polenta a lot (and cheese makes everything better.)

For the Symon Sunday dishes so far, I've pretty much stuck to the recipe, but this time I did deviate a bit. For starters, we aren't veal eaters but the book mentions this preparation also works with chicken, pork and beef and most game. Naturally, we went with chicken since its Sage's favorite meat. Another issue we had with the way it was orginally written, was that it was fried. Instead I figured we could bake it, as we have had great success with oven baked panko-crusted chicken tenders. As I suspected, it worked great. My only other change, was omitting the onion from the salad since I can't eat raw onion.

I scaled this back to make 2 servings, using one chicken breast, quartering the breading ingredients, but only halving the salad ingredients. It was an absolutely perfect late Sunday lunch. Meredith chose this recipe this week and she has the recipe posted, using veal, as well as the polenta recipe. Below I am including my version, using chicken and baking it instead of frying.

adapted from Michael Symon's Live to Cook

serves 2

1 chicken breast, pounded to 1/4 in. thickness and cut in half

1/2 cup flour (You could probably use 1/4 cup, I had lots left over)

1 large egg, beaten lightly

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 small clove garlic

juice from half a lemon

2 tbsp extra-virign olive oil

1 1/2 cup arugula

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved

6 fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 375. Set up a breading station. In three separate bowls, put the flour, egg and bread crumbs. Stir parmesan into breadcrumbs.

Season chicken breasts liberally with salt and pepper. Dredge one piece in the flour, shake off the excess, dip it in egg, and last into the bread crumbs to coat. Lay onto baking sheet. Repeat with second piece. Bake for 15 minutes, or until nearly completely cooked through. Remove from oven and turn to Broil. Put back in oven for 3 minutes, watching to make sure it doesn't get too brown. Flip and broil for 2 minutes on other side. Remove from oven.

With chicken is baking, combine garlic, lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Wisk in olive oil. Set aside.

Just before serving, gently toss arugula, tomatoes and basil in dressing. Place chicken breast on plate and top with salad.

Carmelized Leek & Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts

We are lucky to have some very special family members visiting for an entire month (including our adorable 3 month old nephew, Max, who we've only just gotten to meet.) A few nights ago, we decided to have dinner with the family at our house just a few hours prior, so I wanted to come up with something nice, but without having to run to the store.

Recently I'd seen a recipe for Cooking Light's Chicken Stuffed with Leeks and Goat Cheese on Pleasure Cooker. Originally the recipe called for spring onions, with leeks as an acceptable substitution. I decided to alter it a little bit more and use fat free feta, since that's what I had on hand, as Sage prefers it over goat cheese. I also omitted the sauce that went with it. It was a reduction of broth and white wine, which I'm sure would've been lovely, but my hubby had a softball game and I was running out of time (not mention everyone was really hungry!) Good news is this was just delicious, even without it.

I found the cooking times to be a little off (if I'd followed them as posted, I would've had completely unedible, burnt leeks and mostly raw chicken) but other than than this was an easy yet impressive recipe that is just as suitable for a weeknight dinner as it is for serving to company. I served it with simple roasted red potatoes, roasted broccoli, and a big salad, and everyone really enjoyed this tasty meal.

I would like to point out that in real life, the chicken was actually browned although you can't tell in the picture.

adapted from Cooking Light via My Recipes, as found on Pleasure Cooker
4 servings
1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, well washed and thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
3 oz. fat free feta (or goat cheese,) crumbled
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tbsp reduced fat milk
1 1/2 tbsp chopped parsley
additional oil or cooking spray

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Cover, reduce heat, and cook for another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for a few additional minutes, or until golden. Cool slightly.

In a small bowl, combine feta, thyme, milk and parsley. Add cooled leeks. Set aside.

Cut a horizontal slit through the thickest part of each chicken breast to form a pocket. Stuff each one with a 1/4 of the cheese mixture. (I used toothpicks to help secure.)

Return pan to medium heat. Spray with cooking spray or add a little extra oil. Add chicken, brown for 5 minutes. Flip (removing toothpicks, if using) and brown for 5 more minutes. Cover, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until cooked through. (We checked for an internal temp of just about 170, but you could also cut a slit to check.) Remove from pan and let stand for 10 minutes.

I didn't do this, but if you wish to make the sauce, while chicken is resting, use 1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze pan, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half (about 2 minutes.) Add 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth, and continue cooking until reduce to 1/4 cup (about 9 minutes.) Serve over chicken.

Roasted Mustard Chicken Breasts with Sauerkraut

I am guessing this recipe very well may just get passed over, since it has sauerkraut in the title, which not everyone cares for. Hopefully though, that isn't the case, as this was delicious.

If you're like me, you will typically will eat sauerkraut on the occassional Rueben and the even far more occassional hot dog, but that's about it. I found myself with 3/4 of a 2 lbs. bag, (which Sage had recently bought for a bratwurst topping) Since my misson this past week has been to use up the things I already have on hand to come up with healthy dinners, I wanted to incorporate it into a main dish. Most recipes I found, seemed to be either an unhealthy (an unappetizing) sounding Rueben-esque casserole, or contained pork, which I didn't have.

Then I recalled a recipe I had saved from one of my favorite blogs, Daily Unadventures In Cooking- Roasted Mustard Chicken Breasts Recipe with Sauteed Cabbage. I knew the outcome would be different with sauerkraut, but it seemed worth attempting the substitution. And it certainally was (provided, of course you like mustard, sauerkraut and thyme to begin with.) All of the flavors went so well together, and this chicken was so moist. I still would like to try it as originally written, but this way was a great usage of leftover sauerkraut. (Speaking of that, I used 1 1/2 lbs, about 3 cups, worth of it, and it was way too much, so I am going to adjust it below.)

Roasted Mustard Chicken Breasts with Sauerkraut, adapted from Daily Adventures in Cooking, serves 2
2 boneless skinless breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tsp dried thyme, divided
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups drained sauerkraut
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a large oven proof skillet to medium.

Rub the chicken breasts with oil, half of the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Sear in skillet until golden brown on both sides, then remove and set aside.

Add onion and reduce heat to medium-low. Sweat onion until soft, then add 1/4 cup of the stock (I needed to slightly deglaze my pan with it, ) sauerkraut, a pinch of salt, a generous amount of pepper and 1/2 tbsp of the mustard and toss. If mixture seems dry, add remaining broth.

Combine remaining mustard and thyme and additional pepper, and brush over chicken. Nestle breasts into sauerkraut mixture. Place skillet in oven and bake until chicken is cooked through, 20-30 minutes. (Mine took about 25 minutes.) Slice breasts and sever over sauerkraut.

Slow Cooker Chicken & Mushrooms with White Wine Gravy

This certainally isn't my typical type of thing to make, but sometimes you just want some kind of comfort food. A meal worthy of being a "Sunday Dinner," even if you actually have it on a Monday because of a football playoff game get together.

I found this recipe, originally as a stew, from Williams Sonoma. I used less liquid to cook it in, which I then thickened into a gravy before serving. Instead of cooking it along with red skinned potatoes, I served it over top mashed Yukon Golds. (Which we made with 2% milk and Smart Blance in attempt to make ourselves feel slightly better about eating mashed potatoes when it wasn't a holiday.)

While the original recipe called for a cooktime 5 hours on high, Sage was starving (and the wonderful aroma was killing him) so we only cooked ours for three, and the chicken was fork tender and beginning to fall apart. With the potatoes and steamed veggies, this was more than enough for two adults, and I think by just adding an extra breast you could easily get four servings.

2 tbsp all purpose flour
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, sliced
16 oz. button mushrooms, quartered
1 bay leaf
3 fresh thyme sprigs
4 fresh flat leaf parsley sprigs
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsps cornstarch
mashed potatoes, for serving

In a shallow bowl, stir together flour and salt and pepper. Lightly dredge chicken pieces and set aside.

Heat oil in a medium sized saute pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Brown chicken about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker. Add onion, mushrooms, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, stock and half of the wine.

Pour remaining half cup of wine to pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits. Pour into slow cooker over chicken and vegetables and cover. Cook for 3-4 hours on high, until chicken is tender.

Remove bay leaf, thyme and parsley sprigs. Carefully strain liquids from slowcooker into a small saucepan, reserving about a 1/4 cup. In a small container, blend reserved liquid and the cornstarch together until smooth. Heat saucepan over medium heat and pour cornstarch mixture in, stirring until thickened, about a minute or two.

Serve chicken, mushrooms and onion over mashed potatoes and top with gravy.

Brown-rice Salad with Spinach, Tomatoes and Grilled Chicken

After weeks of too-cold weather and hearty wintery foods, this lighter salad (and the much warmer temperatures that occured the day we had it) was a pleasant and welcomed change. Found in the January issue of Everyday Food, it may have seemed almost better suited for the summer time, but with the additional of some grilled chicken, it really was a substantial (and delicious) dinner that we quite enjoyed.

I did reduce the amount of rice by a half cup and added extra spinach, but left most everything else the same. We topped it with two grilled chicken breasts (but I only photographed it with one, so you could see the other elelments.) The chicken really added to this salad- I think it would've been a little boring with out it (and that's coming from someone who really isn't that crazy about chicken a lot of the time,) and the red-wine vinaigrette with its subtle hint of dill was a perfect compliment. As a dinner salad, with the additional of the chicken, this fed 2 adults and 1 toddler perfectly, although as originally written, I believe it is meant as a side dish to serve 4.

adapted slightly from Everyday Food magazine, January issue

for the dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp red-wine vinegar

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill (I only had about a 1 1/2 tbsp to put in mine)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp sugar

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (room temperature)

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 in. by 1 1/2 in. pieces

3 cups baby spinach

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

seas salt and fresh ground pepper

2 breasts of chicken, pounded thin and seasoned with salt and pepper

Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl. Set aside.

Add rice, cucucmber, spianch and tomatoes to serving bowl. Drizzle with dressing, season generously with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Grill chicken until no longer pink inside. Allow to cool slightly, slice and top salad.

Ground Chicken and Veggie Tacos

You might be thinking, really? A taco recipe? I know, other than a recipe for homemade taco seasoning, I've never used any kind of recipe for tacos. I mean, people who can't cook can manage tacos. But I saw this in the Dec./Jan. issue of Taste of Home and it just sounding worth trying. Mainly because I prefer ground turkey in my Mexican food, and Sage prefers sliced chicken breast. I thought this would be a perfect compromise. I also loved how the ground meat mixture included veggies like shredded carrot, diced green peppers and fresh tomotoes.

This was quite tasty, pretty healthy, easy to make, and a nice change from your everyday tacos. The original title was Spicy Ground Chicken Tacos, but I didn't find them spicy at all. The were rather sweet, so next time, I'd probably cut back the brown sugar a little and maybe add in a little cayenne pepper. As I was making them, I kept thinking how this probably could be adapted to a vegetarian recipe by omiting the chicken, bulking up the veggies, and serving with black or pinto beans on the side. Usually I would've halved this recipe, as makes 8 servings, but I thought it would make perfect leftovers for the hubby and kid, while I'm having a girl's night out dinner.

slightly adapted from Taste of Home, Dec./Jan. issue

3 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 1 1/2 lbs.)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1/2 large green pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 large carrot

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp ground cumin

freshly ground black pepper

For assembly:

8 (7 in.) whole grain flour tortillas

3-4 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar

reduced fat sour cream

Add chicken breasts to processor and pulse until ground. (Or purchase 1 1/2 lbs. already-ground chicken breasts and skip this step.)

Heat oil in large skillet. Add ground chicken, onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink. Drain off any excess liquid.

Add 2 of the diced tomatoes, carrot, ketchup, chili powder, vinegar, brown sugar, cumin and black pepper. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 10 minute, stirring occasionally.

If mixture is too saucy, simmer uncovered for a few minutes., until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.

To assemble: Top tortilla with some of the romaine. Spoon 1/8 of the chicken mixture, and top with cheese, tomatoes and sour cream. Tuck one end in and roll up.

White Turkey Chili

Everytime we have a holiday dinner at our home, leftover turkey meat goes into the freezer in zip lock baggies, with the intention of using them in soups and casseroles. But what usually happens is Sage will pull out a package to defrost, make a sandwich with it once, and then it will sit in the fridge until I throw it away. (And I won't even get into the year I stored a turkey carcass in the freezer to make a stock, only to toss it out in defeat somewhere around the following Thanksgiving.)

This year however, we had turkey at both Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve at our house, so I had a good bit and was determined to do better than past years. So far, I'm doing pretty well. I recently made an amazing pot pie (sorry, no blog post-it was impossible to photograph) and now this tasty soup. It's been quite cold here, and the three of us have all been sick. When I'm not feeling well and its freezing out, all I want to eat is soup. And I'm not the only one. Right after I'd found this recipe to make for dinner the other night, Sage called me and asked if I could defrost some turkey and make soup for dinner.

I kept the ingedients of this recipe the same, but I did change the quanities. I wanted more veggies in mine and less broth. This called for 32 oz. of broth, which would've been way too watery. We added a topping of sharp cheddar, a dallop of sour cream and served it with tortilla chips. It was a good soup that we enjoyed, but since the reviewers on the site I found it on gave it 5 stars, I expected to be blown away. I wasn't, but I chalked it up to just preferring a hearty tomato based chili over a white one and also liking ground turkey meat more than chopped roast turkey. I did feel the cheese, sour cream and chips really helped. The next day, though, this soup was SO much better! I'm not sure if it was a little colder and I was a little sicker, or just that the flavors melded overnight, but it was fantastic as a leftover! This soup makes about 6 good sized servings and is great for those who like a little warmth, but nothing too spicy. Add some heat to it if you prefer a kick.

adapted slightly from a Cooking Light recipe, found on myrecipes.com

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks of celery, diced

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 clove galic, minced

3 cups chopped cooked turkey (I didn't measure out mine, but it was probably about 2 1/2 cups)

2 cans cannnellini beans, drained, rinsed and divided

2 1/2 cups (20 oz.) low sodium chicken broth

1 (4.5 oz. can) chopped green chiles

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn (I only had a 1/2 cup but would've used the full cup if I'd had it.)

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp chili powder

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 cup 1% low-fat milk

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

suggested accompaniments: 2% sharp cheddar, reduced fat sour cream or plain yogurt, tortilla chips

Heat oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium high meat. Add onion, pepper, celery, jalapeno and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add the turkey, 1 1/2 cups of the beans, broth, green chiles, corn and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Mash remaining beans. Add mashed beans and milk to the pot. Simmer, uncovered for for 20 minutes or until mixture is thick. Stir in chopped cilantro.

Serve with tortilla chips on the side and top with cheese and sour cream or yogurt, if desired.

Chicken Mushroom Saute With Wild Rice

I consider myself lucky to have a husband who loves nearly all of the same foods as me. However, when it comes to favorites, I prefer veggies and pasta, and he loves chicken and rice best. I am always trying to find ways to make chicken and rice dishes for him, but in ways that I'll enjoy it more too. I'm not much for the method of eating where you have a piece of meat, a starch and a veggie. But that's just because I don't usually care for the piece of meat to begin with.

After yellow rice, Sage's favorite is a long grain and wild rice blend. Everytime I say I am making rice, he asks if it can be wild, and I have to explain to him why wild rice wouldn't go with our Asian or Italian inspired dinner. So, I based this meal around the rice since it had been a while. I know it isn't much to look at, very bland in color, but it was so good! The Strognaff-like sauce it made was on the thin side, but absolutely delicious. Despite it not being thicker, I spooned extra on mine after taking the picture. Most nights we can hardly get our little guy to eat, but because this really only made enough for 2 servings- not 2 plus a toddler- naturally he tore this up and wanted seconds. That's saying a lot- Beckett's got a tiny appetite. This would also be just as yummy as a vegetarian meal. I was enjoying the rice and veggies so much, I gave Sage all of my chicken.

1 tbsp olive oil

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 large chicken breast (or 2 smaller ones,) cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 medium sized onion, chopped

1 stalk of celery, diced

10 large button mushrooms, sliced

1 clove of garlic

1/4 cup of chicken broth

1/4 cup lite sour cream

2 cups cooked, hot long grain and wild rice blend (mine was from a box that had seasonings- garlic, parsley, etc.)

Heat oil in a skillet. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat until they are white on all sides, but not cooked completely. Remove using a slotted spoon, and set aside. Add onion and celery to pan, cook for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and cook for 3 additional minutes.

Return chicken to pan and add broth. Cover and cook (keeping on medium heat) for about 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Add a few spoonfuls of broth from the skillet into a small bowl with the sour cream. Mix well, and add to the chicken mixture. Let simmer for a few minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, spoon chicken and vegetables over cooked rice. Add as much of the sauce to plate as desired.

Week 10: NE Patriots vs. New Orleans Saints- Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

When I first starting looking over the Patriots schedule in regards to the food I'd be cooking, we were most excited for when they'd be playing the Saints. Too bad it was such a lousy game for New England. We did have a very tasty dinner though!

I'm sure Jambalaya might be an ordinary choice considering all of the amazing food New Orleans has to offer. I'm still having aversion issues with seafood, and I had my elderly grandmother staying with us and had to keep in mind what she could eat. There are so many recipes and variations of jambalaya out there, but I decided upon one made with chicken and sausage.

I was first looking at Cajun/Creole recipe sites, but most of those have pretty strict rules about reposting recipes. The one I decided on was from allrecipes, and I did make a few minor adjustments to it. It was really good, with a rich tomato taste that I love, but both Sage and I decided we weren't crazy about anduille sausage. I used it because it was more authentic, but we both prefer the turkey smoked sausage that I've used in jambalayas in the past. I had to keep mine less spicy due to sensitive tongues, but served it with extra hot sauce at the table.

adapted from allrecipes, serves 5-6

2 tbsp olive oil

cajun (or creole) seasoning (I used Tony Chachere's)

3 links (12 oz.) andouille sausage (or either regular or turkey smoked sausage)

3/4 lb. chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped (It should be a green one, but I only had red)

2 stalks celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5 oz) can of diced (or crushed) tomatoes

1 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste (can reduce if you're not into such a rich tomato base)

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or to taste)

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce (I omitted and served tableside)

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 cup chicken stock or broth (original recipe calls for broth, but stock seems to be more authentic)

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Saute sausage until browned. Remove with slotted spoon, and set aside. Season chicken pieces with Cajun/creole seasoning. Add remaining oil, and saute chicken pieces until lightly browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

In the same pot, saute onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic until tender. Stir in tomatoes and paste, and season with red pepper, black pepper, salt, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce and parsely. Stir in chicken and sausage. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the rice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. (My rice took over 30 minutes to become ready.)

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I know that BBQ Chicken Pizza is nothing new, but we've never had it before. Until not too long ago, I just didn't think chicken belonged on a pizza. (This pizza was one that helped change my mind.) Then there's the fact that in our house we're not really big on BBQ sauce. But I've had an unopened bottle hanging around for quite a while- since serving BBQ pork sandwiches at a casual party many months ago- and I thought it was time to use it, plus I had some homemade pizza dough in the freezer and wanted to try something different.

My version of this pizza is a little different than most I've seen out there. Typically, they have a layer of BBQ sauce instead of red sauce. Sage wasn't keen on this idea, so I went for a thin layer of store bought red sauce (He recently came home with 3 jars - they were on sale- so we already had it laying around) and then used shredded chicken coated in the BBQ sauce. Chopped red onion is often used to top this kind of pizza, but Sage isn't a fan of it when cooked. However, I didn't want to skip onions altogether because I love them, so I used yellow instead. Lightly sauteed, along with bell pepper, they were a wonderful addition to this pizza. For non BBQ sauce fans, we absolutely loved this pizza!

1 breast of chicken
about 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays, original flavor)
1/2 tbsp lite butter
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1 ball of pizza dough
2 tbsp marinara or jarred pasta sauce
1/3 cup shredded mozarella
1/2 cup shredded fontina (or gouda)

In a small to medium saucepan, cover chicken breast completely with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Poach chicken until just no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes. Remove to cutting board to cool, and drain and rinse saucepan. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred using 2 forks and return to pan. Add just enough BBQ sauce to coat (without being too wet) and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes or until ready to use.

Meanwhile, add butter to skillet over medium heat. When melted, add onion and peppers, and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft but not browning. Set aside.

Roll out pizza crust and transfer to baking sheet. Bake in oven preheated to 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and spread red sauce evenly over top. Sprinkle with mozarella.

Next, top with desired amount of shredded chicken. (I piled it on, but since I had used a very large breast, I did not use it all.) Reserve any extra chicken for another use. To pizza, add green peppers and onions, and finish with a layer of shredded fontina. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Creamy Chicken Broccoli Linguine

Last week I worked 6 days straight, which is 6 more than I'm used to working. It was fun to be back, but I have to admit, I really slacked when it came to cooking. Being home every day allows me to spend time browsing blogs and recipe sites for meal ideas. I'm also able to leisurely make complicated dishes if I feel like it. But last week, I just wasn't up to it. We had really simple meals, leftovers and take out. You'd think I would've been dying to get back into the kitchen this week, but I wasn't feeling inspired. Adding to that, we had friends in town to spend time with. Shortly before dinner time the other night, it occured to me I was going to have to figure out something for for us to eat. I was definitely limited with what I had on hand, as grocery shopping is another duty I've slacked on. I had some broccoli to use up and chicken in the freezer, and this meal just came together when I discovered I didn't have many pasta options.

This is perhaps not the most impressive meal ever , but it was a great way for me to ease back into the kitchen (even if it was the only night this week I did.) I wanted to put it on my blog because it shows how you can make a delicious dinner last minute, just by using what you have on hand, and without using something like jarred alfredo sauce. It also is a very adaptable recipe- you could add extra vegetables (mushrooms would be delicious in this,) change the pasta to whatever you have, or even top it with leftover chicken or turkey or without meat at all. I grilled my chicken, but feel free to cook it however you prefer.

One of my favorite parts of this recipe was something new I tried on a whim. Typically I always steam my broccoli, but I just wasn't feeling up to dirtying up another pot. I decided to chop it up into small pieces and saute it in the same pan I was making my sauce in. This worked wonderfully! I have a bad habit of forgetting about my broccoli when I've got several things going on in the kitchen and I had served it a great many times rather mushy. I'm not opposed to softer veggies, but Sage prefers his on the crisper side and my broccoli mush has become a joke between us. But with this method, it resulted in perfectly tender-crisp broccoli, and with one less pan to wash!

2 breasts chicken
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp lite butter
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves, garlic, minced
1/2 of a large head of broccoli (or use an entire one if you have it and love broccoli,) cut into small florets (about 2 cups)
1/2 (13.5) box of linguine or pasta or your choice
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp lite cream cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus extra for serving

Pound chicken breasts to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to grill or cook as desired. Cook pasta, according box. Drain and set aside.

Heat skillet over medium heat and add butter. When melted, add onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes, add broccoli and cook for another 3 minutes. Add broth, cream cheese and parmesan to pan, stirring frequently to blend melting cream cheese. Cook for about 7-8 more minutes, or until broccoli is to desired doneness. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, grill chicken. Slice or chop.

Add drained pasta to pan with broccoli. Toss to coat in sauce. Serve topped with chicken and extra parmesan.

Artichoke Mushroom Chicken Picatta

This tasty dinner came about because I had some mushrooms to use up. I was thinking of just doing something like spaghetti, but then chicken picatta popped into my head and the idea of doing a variation of it sounded great. Plus I knew my chicken-loving husband would be happy, especially if it was served over rice.

I typically think of chicken picatta as having white wine, but I didn't have any, and I included artichokes as well as the mushrooms, so it wasn't quite traditional, but it was delicious. Sage loved how tender the chicken was. I intended on thickening the sauce up at the end, but as I was plating it, I realized I'd forgot. It was fine though because the rice soaked up the thin juice.

We ended up having my cousin and her son join us for dinner, and I wasn't sure how far 2 breasts would go, but with the additional of a big salad and having the chicken over rice, it was plenty of food for three adults and two toddlers. (Okay, the little guys didn't eat much, but there was still some leftover chicken.) This was an easy dinner to make and a nice one for deciding on last minute, as most of the ingredients were things I always have one hand.

2 chicken breasts
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp paprika

2 tbsp light butter substitute, divided
1 tbsp olive oil

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 small onion, choppped

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz. sliced mushrooms (using the entire 8 oz. pkg would be good too)

1 (14 oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained, tough parts removed and coarsely chopped

1 tbsp capers

juice of 1 lemon (around 3 tbsp)

3 cups cooked brown rice

Pound chicken to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut each breast into 3 fairly equal sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper

In a shallow bowl, mix flour and paprika together. Dredge each piece of chicken into flour mixture. Tap off excess. In a skillet over medium heat melt one tbsp of butter and the olive oil together. Add chicken to pan, and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through and no longer pink inside. Remove from pan.

Use a small amount of the broth to deglaze pan, scraping up any browned bits. Add remaining tbsp of butter to pan. When melted, add onions, and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms, cook for 3 more minutes. Add the rest of the broth, the artichokes, capers, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Return chicken to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Penne Tomato Rustica

I'm not much into meal planning. For two reasons- the first being, I have no idea what specific dishes I'll be in the mood for during the week. If I buy ingredients for certains meals, its most likely that I won't wind up actually making those. The other problem is I often see things I want to make on websites and blogs or in magazines, but then when I'm trying to make a grocery list, none of it strikes my fancy right then. So I'm better off just jotting down the items we're out of like peanut butter and fabric softener and figuring out the rest as I go. I take on the produce and cheese sections like a kid in a candy store. I select whatever speaks to me right then.

Once home, with all of my random ingredients, I began imagining the ways I'll put them together. Combinations will come to my head, and sometimes I need varification that the things will work together. One way I do this is simply by googling these pairings. Another is to use allrecipes' Ingredient Search. With this feature, I might just get the confidence certain ingredients work with one another. Sometimes I may take elements from various recipes to make what I have in mind. And then sometimes, I'll find a specific recipe I want to try out.

Yesterday, I found one of those recipes, in the form of Fettuccini Tomato Rustica. A pasta dish with pesto, feta, and sun dried tomatoes, it sounded heavenly. But with a cup of oil- yes, a cup!- not to mention oil in the pesto and from the oil packed tomatoes, as well as full fat feta and ricotta, it also sounded way too unhealthy and rather oily. And then I saw it had 1000+ calories and 78 grams of fat per serving. Uh, no thanks.

So I moved on, but a while later I couldn't get the concept of the dish out of my head. I knew I could make it much healthier. The first thing I did was tackle making a lightened up pesto. Then I omitted the ridiculous amount of oil, using just enough to saute my vegetables. A little extra of the light pesto with some broth, thinned at the end with pasta water, made a delicous sauce without all of the oil. And using tomatoes not packed in oil (I buy soft, ready to eat ones) and reduced fat ricotta and feta helped even more. I added in mushrooms (a good move) and grilled my chicken instead of pan cooking (personal choice.) The three of us enjoyed it very much, and I felt much better about eating something drastically reduced in fat content. After dinner, we decided this this dish would be elevated to an "amazing" status if we replaced the chicken with sun dried tomato chicken sausage.

Penne Tomato Rustica (adapted from Fettuccini Tomato Rustica II, allrecipes)
makes 3 servings
1/2 (14.5 oz.) box of multi-grain or whole wheat penne
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 (3 oz.) pkg of ready to eat sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup Light Pesto (recipe follows)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup crumbled reduced fat Feta cheese, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup part-skim ricotta
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 large breast of chicken (If small, use two, or substitue with chicken sausage)

Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water.

As pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes, and cook for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms are becoming soft. Reduce heat and add pesto, broth, feta and ricotta. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to simmer, as the pasta finishes cooking. When it is done, add hot pasta and stir to coat with sauce. Thin with 1/4 cup of reserved cooking water. If needed, add the remaining 1/4 cup.

Meanwhile, pound chicken to 1/2 inch thickness and grill until cooked through (We like to use our George Foreman for meals like this.) Slice or dice chicken. Plate pasta and serve chicken over top. Sprinkle with extra feta.

Light Pesto (adapted from Taste of Home)
makes 1/4 cup
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp shredded pamesan
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
8 walnut halves, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chicken (or vegetable) broth
1/2 tsp olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

In mini processor, add garlic, cheese, walnuts. Cover and process for about 30 seconds. Add basil, and process another 15-20 seconds. Add liquids and process until combined and relatively smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Week 6: NE Patriots vs. Tennessee Titans- Tennesse Whiskey Marinade

While I've been having fun on Sundays, cooking food that is related to region of the Patriots opposition for that week, it can be a little challenging. This week was a perfect example of that. Although we don't always succeed, Sage and I try to eat healthy. When I tried to research traditonal food of Tennessee, I couldn't find anything we could eat. Other than a complicated stack cake (too much work and sugar for a non-cake liker to make,) everything was fried. I realized I'd have to be creative on this one.

I decided to go for a marinade with Jack Daniels. I found a recipe on allrecipes for Whiskey Marinade. I scaled it back slightly and made some minor changes. The original recipe suggested marinating overnight, but Saturday night we were hanging out with friends by the fire, and I couldn't be bothered to mess with raw chicken, so I made it in the morning instead, which still gave it 8 hours to marinate. It came out juicy and delicious, with a definite - yet not overwhelming- flavor of whiskey. Since snap beans and corn are agriculturial commodities of Tennesse, I had planned to serve the chicken with green beans and corn muffins, but I couldn't find decent beans. We had it with a medely of roasted vegetables instead, and skipped the corn muffins, and Sage again reminded me that this was his favoite type of meal (a big piece of chicken and a plate of veggies.) Of course, I'd always prefer a casserole or skillet dinner or big hearty bowl of soup, but I have to admit it was a tasty dinner.

Oh, and after last week's loss, the Patriots more than redeemed themself with a 59-0 shutout that made history!

Tennesse Whiskey Marinade makes enough for 2-3 chicken breasts)
adapted from allrecipes

3 tbsp Tennessee Whiskey
3 tbsp soy sauce (I used tamari)
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp finely chopped green onion (I used white onion)
3 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients. If marinating chicken, beef or pork, marinate overnight (or all day) in refrigerator. If using shrimp or scallops, marinate for one hour.