Caprese Chicken Bites (The Kitchn.com)

 

 INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pounds 

  boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a combination, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 1/4 teaspoons 

  kosher salt, divided

• 1/4 teaspoon 

  freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons 

  plus 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

• 2 cups 

  grape or cherry tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons 

  balsamic glaze, plus more for serving

• 2 cloves 

  garlic, minced

• 6 ounces 

  cherry-sized (ciliegine) fresh mozzarella cheese balls (about 15), halved

• Chopped fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

  INSTRUCTIONS

1. Arrange an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and heat the oven to broil.

2. Pat 1 1/2 pounds chopped boneless, skinless chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with 3/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add half of the chicken in a single layer. Cook until golden-brown on the bottom and the chicken easily releases from the bottom of the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until golden brown on the second side, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate (some pieces may not be cooked through).

4. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the olive oil in the skillet and repeat browning the remaining chicken. Transfer to the plate.

5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet until shimmering. Add 2 cups grape tomatoes and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook until barely starting to soften, just before the tomatoes split, about 1 minute.

6. Stir in the chicken and any accumulated juices on the plate, 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze, and 2 minced garlic cloves.

7. Remove the skillet from the heat. Scatter 6 ounces halved fresh mozzarella cheese balls over the chicken and tomatoes. Broil until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle with more balsamic glaze and garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves if desired.

Boat Dip (Rotel Ranch Dip)

 Ingredients:

(Serves 8–10)

8 oz (226g) cream cheese , softened 🧀
16 oz (454g) sour cream
1 oz packet ranch seasoning mix (or homemade ranch seasoning )
15 oz (425g) can fire-roasted corn , drained 🌽
10 oz (283g) can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chiles ), drained 🍅🌶️
4 oz (113g) can diced green chiles , drained 🌶️
8oz grated cheddar cheese
Cilantro (optional)
Chives to taste

Mix it all together and refrigerate for at least a couple hours for flavors to combine.

Mexican Cole Slaw

 Mexican Coleslaw Recipe

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup mayonnaise

2. 2/3 cup sour cream

3. 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

4. 2 tablespoons taco seasoning

5. 1 bag (16 oz) tri-color coleslaw mix

6. 1 diced red pepper

7. 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

8. 1 can (15.25 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

9. 1 1/2 cups grilled or blackened corn

10. 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

11. 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

12. Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix the mayo, sour cream, lime juice, and taco seasoning in a large bowl.

2. Add the coleslaw mix, red pepper, grape tomatoes, black beans, corn, jalapeno, and cilantro to the bowl.

3. Season with salt and pepper, then toss everything together until well combined.

4. Chill the coleslaw in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

5. Serve the Mexican coleslaw as a refreshing side dish with burgers, chicken tacos, beef steak, or burrito bowls.

6. Enjoy the burst of fresh flavors in this quick and easy cabbage salad!

Preparation Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 6-8 servings

One Pan Chicken with Creamy Buttered Noodles

 One Pan Chicken with Buttered Noodles

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces egg noodles

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook the Chicken:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes per side, or until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

2. Prepare the Noodles:

In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Add the egg noodles, cover the skillet, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender and have absorbed much of the liquid.

3. Combine the Ingredients:

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the noodles, and let them warm through for 2-3 minutes.

4. Serve:

Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if desired. Serve the chicken and buttered noodles warm.

Recipe Details:

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

GINGER & APRICOT SCONES (The Lost Kitchen)

 INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided

1 tablespoon baking powder

Grated zest of 1 lemon

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized bits

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/3 cup candied ginger chopped into raisin-sized bits

1/3 cup dried apricots chopped into raisin-sized bits

MAKE THE SCONES:

In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, 1/3 cup of the sugar, lemon zest, and baking powder and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it is uniformly distributed.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add 3/4 cup of the cream, the candied ginger, and apricots, stirring to combine. Using your hands, work the mixture into a shaggy dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a log about 12 inches long and 2 inches thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill the dough completely, about an hour (or overnight).

When ready to bake the scones, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and slice into 8 rounds. Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cream to a small bowl and set aside. Then add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar to another small bowl.Dunk the top of each scone in the cream, followed by the sugar, and return to the baking sheet, leaving a few inches between the scones. Bake until the scones are golden and just cooked through 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool until just warm to the touch, then serve with soft butter and a drizzle of honey if you like.

Stracotto (Italian Pot Roast) - Sip and Feast

 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 3 pound chuck roast
• ▢1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
• ▢1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢8 cloves garlic
• ▢3 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢1 large sweet onion finely diced
• ▢2 large carrots shredded or pulsed in a food processor
• ▢3 ribs celery shredded or pulsed in a food processor
• ▢3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
• ▢1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• ▢2 cups low-sodium beef stock
• ▢1 cinnamon stick optional
• ▢3 large bay leaves
• ▢5 large sage leaves
• ▢10 sprigs thyme tied
• ▢salt and pepper to taste
• ▢3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf Italian parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325f and set the rack in the middle of the oven to accommodate a Dutch oven with its lid.

Cut the garlic cloves into slivers. Make slits in the roast and insert the slivers of garlic. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels then season with salt and pepper. Any remaining garlic can be added to the pot in step 5 below.

Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat with the olive oil. Add the chuck roast to the pot and sear until browned on all sides (about 15 minutes total) then remove the roast to a plate

Add the onions along with a 1/4 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat while scraping the pot with a wooden spoon to remove all of the browned bits.

After sauteing the onions for 10 minutes, add the celery and carrots and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are very soft. During the last few minutes, add any remaining garlic. If at any time the veggies start to burn, lower the heat and/or add a splash of water or beef stock to the pot.

Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute while stirring frequently. Add the red wine and bring to a simmer. Again, scrape the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge any remaining browned bits.

Tie the thyme, sage, and bay leaves together or add to a sachet.

Add the beef stock, plum tomatoes, cinnamon stick, and tied herbs and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn off the heat and add the roast back to the pot and cover. Place into the oven.

Cook the roast for 3 hours then check for doneness. If it isn't tender enough, return it to the oven for another 30 minutes and check again. Once the roast is tender remove it from the pot and tent with foil. The roast can be cut into chunks or carefully sliced.

To degrease the sauce, lay paper towels on top of the sauce to absorb the fat then discard or use a ladle to skim some of the fat. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as required. Place the chunks of beef into a platter and top with sauce. You will have pleny of extra sauce to serve with pasta, polenta, or mashed potatoes if you like. Enjoy!

Notes

• Chuck roast makes the best pot roast due to its unique fat profile, but other leaner roasts such as rump roast, top round, and bottom round can also be used.  Those cuts can be sliced instead of shredded.  
• There will be enough sauce for the pot roast and 1 pound of pasta.
• Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 748kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.1g | Protein: 75.7g | Fat: 36.6g | Saturated Fat: 12.5g | Cholesterol: 239mg | Sodium: 919mg | Potassium: 1988mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15.5g | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 10mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.