A couple things to do with spinach

Spinach Salad

Blue Cheese crumbles

Extra Crspy Bacon

Lemon Dijon Vinagrette Dressing

Salmon Sandwich

Grilled Salmon

Spinach

Lemonaise

Baguette

Done and done!

Remember, these are strong flavors, you don't need a lot of the sauces!

Brrrr! It's cold! Beef Stroganaff to warm you up.

This was such a yummy meal and perfect for cold nights. While it was rich and creamy, it wasn't overwhleming. Again, this blog site will not let you copy and paste, so if you would like the recipe before I get around to retyping, please let me know.

Thanks!

Joshua's Birthday Brunch: Quiche Lorraine and Balsamic Potato Hash

This blog will not let you copy and paste and the directions for these are very long as there are lots of ingredients :). If you would like the recipe before I get a chance to retype them, just email me. Thanks!

Mushroom and Swiss Burger with Cabbage

No Sauce needed! This burger packs a punch all on it's own.

Sautee the mushrooms with thyme, brown sugar, pakrika and olive oil. Don't forget your salt and pepper. Take a bit of the sauce from the mushrooms and put it right in with the burger meat. Mix up and grill. Add a slice of swiss and a whole wheat bun. Substitute lettuce with cabbage for a crispier crunch and more vitamins. Enjoy!

Herbed Eggs and Breakfast Mash

This is pretty much my favorite breakfast - ever :).

Ingredients for Eggs

• 6 Eggs
• 1/4 cup whole or 2% milk
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried or fresh chives
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions for Eggs

1. Mix eggs, milk, salt pepper and herbs in a large mixing bowl.
2. Heat large skillet over medium-low heat
3. Add eggs and stir with a spatula until cooked

*TIP - for a really big kick, add one ounce of goat cheese right at the end and let cook for another minute or two.

Ingredients for Potatoes

• 6 Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into one inch cubes
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
• 1 ounce Canadian Bacon or Ham, cut into small pieces or cubes
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Rosemary
• 2 tablespoons EVOO

Directions for Potatoes

1. Boil potatoes for 5 minutes to reduce starch. Drain and set side.
2. Heat EVOO in large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add potatoes, paprike, rosemary and yellow onions and cook for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Only flip every five minutes so potatoes can brown.
4. Add in green onions and ham to mixture and top off the whole pan with the grated cheese.
5. Do not stir in the cheese, simly let it melt over the meat and vegetables.
6. Serve immediatly.

Yakisoba and Tea for Dessert

This was a really fun meal for me to make. Super simple made mainly of leftover vegetables we had in the fridge.

Ingredients

1 package Rice Noodles

4 ounces of boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized cubes

6 tablespoons sesame oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 head of cabbage

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 large yellow onion, chopped

Directions

1. Heat water on high and boil noodles.
2. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and chicken and saute for 3-5 minutes or until all sides are beginning to cook.
5. Add remaining vegetables and stir frequently. Cook for another 5-10 minutes or until chicken and vegetables are cooked.
6. Add noodles, remaining soy sauce, and sesame oil. Cook another minute or two and serve immediatly.
   

Simple Weekday Meal - Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

I love this meal because it is so versatile and super fast. You can mix and match with different meats, vegetables, breads and cheeses. Try a ham and Swiss with mushroom and pineapple or chicken with brie and apples. It's all good!

Ingredients

1 green pepper, sliced into long thin strips
1 red pepper, sliced into long thin strips
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into long thin strips
French bread, cut into 8" pieces
provolone cheese, slices
1/2 pound roast beef (preferably from the deli)
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 tablespoon Lemonaise or Mayo

Directions

1. Turn Broiler on.
2. Heat EVOO over medium heat.
3. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add peppers and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until onions are cooked thoroughly and the peppers are slightly tender.
5. Lay a thin layer of mayo, Lemonaise or EVOO on bread.
6. Layer slices of roast beef onto bread, then top with the vegetable mixture and finally cheese.
7. Broil open faced for 5-1o minutes or until cheese begins to brown and bubble.
8. Serve open faced with a side salad.

Every man loves meatloaf! Italian Meatloaf

This is one of Joshua’s and my favorite meals to have when the seasons start to change. It’s easy, it makes leftovers and it fills the house with the most amazing smells.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon EVOO
3/4 dry bread crumbs (Italian are the best for this recipe)
¼ cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green pepper
¼ cups black olives
2 tablespoons parmesan

YOU WILL NEED:
Large Mixing Bowl
9x5 baking dish
Large sauté pan
Foil

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
On stove top heat EVOO over medium high.
Sauté onion, diced tomatoes, green peppers and garlic for about 5 minutes to burn off any excess water.
In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, and tomato sauce.
Season with oregano, basil, black olives and mozzarella.
Mix in onion, garlic, green peppers and tomatoes.

*TIP - Don't forget to spray a light coat of nonstick cooking spray in your pan to make for easier tranfer to the plate.

Press into a 9x5 inch loaf pan and sprinkle parmesan on the top
Cover very loosely with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven approximately 1 hour, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
If the top does not brown, remove the foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
For extra flavor, pour about a half cup of tomoato sauce over the top and serve with leafy greens and your favorite vegetable side dish.

P.S. I didn't a picture so this one is from the internet :), but close enough!

Preseason Pork Pasta!

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love back to school clothes like boots and sweaters. It brings back football games and pumpkin spice soy lattes. Last night was the Seahawks last preseason game and I wanted to make something that welcomed in the fall. This is a take on a recipe that I got from Pappardelle's Pastaria in Pike Place Market.

You will need:

Large Sauté pan

Ingreidents

· 1 pound pork chops (this will usually be 2-4 chops, depending on thickness)
· 4 roma tomatoes
· 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
· 1 cup red wine
· 1 large clove of garlic, minced
· 1 medium sweet onion (Walla Walla’s in the summer are the best!)
· 2 tablespoons EVOO
· 2 cups crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
· Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat EVOO in large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
2. Season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper
3. Sear pork on both sides for 2-3 minutes or until they are a light golden brown
4. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic, basil, tomatoes and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently so ingredients do not burn.
5. Add red wine and bring to a boil. Depending on the water content of the vegetables, you may want to add more wine or even some chicken or beef stock to the broth. Play with it and find the balance that is just right for you.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 mins flipping over the pork every few minutes to cook evenly.
7. Pork should lose all pink and be white throughout.
8. Serve hot over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes.

*TIP – Try it over Pappardelle’s Garlic Rosemary linguini. To DIE for!

Olé! Spanish Paella

The biggest thing to know about Paella is it is a challenge and a learning experience. It takes a few times of practice to avoid over cooking the seafood and undercooking the rice. This feeds a family of 8 and you will need a huge paella pan. So if you are cooking for less people just cut the recipe in half and you’ll still have tons of leftovers. Please don’t try this for the first time if you are trying to impress someone or if you are on a tight schedule. The first time I made this we didn’t eat until after nine, my kitchen looked like a Kansas after a tornado, the scallops were like chew toys and the rice was crunchy. But, if you have the time, energy and patience it can be a truly incredible meal.

Paella is a rice dish that originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near lake Albufera, a lagoon near the eastern coast of Spain's Valencian region. Many non-Spaniards view paella as Spain's national dish. However, most Spaniards consider it to be a regional Valencian dish. Valencians, in turn, regard paella as one of their identity symbols. (Info from Wikipedia)

You will need: a BIG paella pan with a lid.

Ingredients

Meat
· Frozen Uncooked Scallops 1 pound
· Frozen Uncooked Peeled Prawns or Large shrimp 1 pound
· Chorizo Sausage Links 2 large links
· Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Tenders – thawed, 1 pound

Vegetables
· 1 large yellow onion
· 2 tomatoes
· 1 Green Pepper
· 1 package frozen peas
· 2 Lemons

Spices
· Saffron
· Fresh parsley
· Bay leaf
· Paprika
· Garlic

Other
· 1 quart Chicken Stock
· 1 bag (1 lbs) Rice – Spanish is preferable
· 1 Bottle Chardonnay
· EVOO

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Heat paella pan over medium-high heat
3. Fry sausage pieces in the wok until brown on all sides
4. Remove sausage fry the chicken strips in the sausage drippings until browned. The chicken does not need to be thouroughly cooked.
5. Remove chicken and stir in frozen scallops and shrimp. Cook for 2-3 minutes and remove. Seafood should not be cooked through out.
6. Stir in the uncooked rice, saffron, paprika, bay leaves, and salt. Cook for 1 min or until the rice is golden brown. You may need a little EVOO to keep the rice from burning.
7. Stir in and Sauté onions, green pepper, tomato, peas and garlic for 5 minutes, or until tender.
8. Add chicken stock and wine and bring to a simmer.
9. Add chicken pieces and sausage, cover and simmer on the stove top for about 20 minutes.
10. Place seafood on top of the mixure.
11. Cover and bake in the oven for 5 to 10 more minutes, or until seafood is cooked through and rice is tender.
12. Once the rice is nearly done, remove from the heat and let it absorb the remaining water.
13. Paella usually has a crispy, caramelized, toasted bottom (called socarrat in Valencia but pegado in Latin America) that is considered a delicacy.
14. There are two ways to achieve socarrat/pegado: The first is to time the evaporation of the water properly with the completion of the rice; the second is to use a high flame while listening to the rice toast at the bottom of the pan.
15. You then removes the paella from the heat once the aroma of toasted rice wafts upwards. The paella then must sit for about five minutes before serving.
16. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon.
17. Serve Hot with a sweet white wine or a Sangiovese

Oh yes it's ladies night and the food is right! Baked Sun Dried Tomato Goat Cheese and Farmers Market Quesadillas

I don’t have many “true-isms” but of course, I do have a few. And one that really rings with me is only be friends with women who like to eat. I can’t stand girls who don’t eat. You want to be healthy, good for you. But not eating has nothing to do with being healthy!! Get your booty to hot yoga or run a marathon and then eat the dang cheeseburger and stop hating yourself! And that is my rant on the subject.

I feel so blessed to know lots of wonderful women who like to live, laugh, love (coined from Miss Larson) cook and EAT! I am surrounded by such impressive women who I either grew up with, met in college, through work and I’m even blessed to have my guy friend’s spouses be amazing!

Tuesday was Ladies Wine (or whine if the mood strikes) Night with Emily, Katie, Stephanie and Liv (that’s pronounced Leave. Not Leaf, or Life or Live…LEAVE. And she doesn’t want you to get out of here when she says her name J). These are the girls who I fell in love with when my best guy friends from high school introduced me to their girlfriends and then, their girlfriend’s friends.

It was the first house warming party at the new pad and I was so excited for these gals to see it. These girls all know how to cook so I am working on getting the recipes from them (of course I forgot after the wine started flowing!). These are all great party dishes, pretty fast and easy but unique and delicious.
I hope you get to try a few out at a party this holiday season.

Baked Goat Cheese with Sun Dried Tomato Olive Oil

Ingredients
· Disc of goat cheese
· ½ cup EVOO
· 1 teaspoon dried basil
· 1 teaspoon dried oregano
· 1 tablespoon sundried tomato pesto (or minced sundried tomatoes)

I love this recipe because it is so easy! First, go to the deli cheese section of your grocery store. Look for a 1” thick disc of goat cheese. They are about 3” in diameter and a good one is about six or seven dollars. I almost grabbed a loaf until I realized it was almost seventy dollars and would have fed an army.

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre heat oven to 375.
2. Mix all ingredients, save the goat cheese, in a small mixing bowl and stir until all ingredients are blended together and the oil is a clear redish color.
3. Place the goat cheese on a porcelain plate that you wish to serve from

*TIP – Check the oven safe temperature on the bottom of the plate before proceeding. Most plates are safe up to 450.

4. Pour the oil mix over the top of the goat cheese and set aside for 15-30 mins to let the oil soak into the cheese and to allow the cheese time to become room temperature.
5. Bake for 5-8 mins or until the cheese begins to melt on the edges.
6. Serve hot with fresh French bread or sourdough.

Farmers Market Vegetable Quesadillas

You will need:

Large Sauté pan
Cooking Sheet
Cooking Spray

Ingredients
· 1 zucchini – quartered and diced
· ¼ cup red onion, diced
· ½ package button mushrooms – sliced
· 1 bell pepper (red, orange or yellow) – diced
· Optional: yellow squash, black olives, eggplant, etc.
· 2 tablespoons EVOO
· 4 Flour tortillas
· 1 cup grated cheddar or jack cheese (I like the Tillamook Mexican blend in the bag!)
· Salsa
· Sour Cream
· Avocado for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. Pre heat oven to 350.
2. In a large nonstick pan, cook red pepper, zucchini, onion, and mushrooms in olive oil over medium to medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until just tender. Remove vegetables from pan.
3. Spray cooking sheet with a light layer of spray. Place two tortillas on the pan and do a layer of cheese, layer of vegetables, another layer of cheese and then place the top tortilla on.
4. Bake for 10-15 mins.
5. Slice with a pizza cutter and serve warm with sour cream, salsa and avocado or guacamole

Cucumber Sandwiches – Coming Soon

Cucumber and Dill Salad – Coming Soon

Spinach Dip & Artichoke Jalapeño Dip - Coming Soon

Crème Brule – Coming Soon

Sunday Funday! Red Mill Burgers

If you want just simply the best burger in town there is only one place to go, Red Mill.

I've always heard how great they are and I was pretty sceptical. I have to be in the mood for burgers in general and I would almost always chose a chicken burger over ground beef. But with a Red Mill just down the hill from us now, we tried it out on Sunday and it was A-MAZING! Joshua and I finally had a lazy day at home, doing laundry and watching Family Guy. Neither of us felt like cooking so tkae out it was. It was a real battle to decide which one of us had to leave the house to pick it up. I won this round!

The original Red Mill was located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle and opened in 1937. It closed in 1967. It was known as a diner and ice creamery with table and counter service. The current Red Mills were opened first in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood in 1994 and the second location in the Interbay neighborhood in 1998.

They have a very simple menu, cheap prices, fresh vegetables and good quality meat. Pretty much all you can hope in a burger.

If it has been a while, rediscover this Seattle favorite.

http://www.redmillburgers.com/index.htm

Pike Place Market Fridays! Italian Halibut with Supreme Orzo and Asparagus

Working with a bunch of foodies really paid of this week when we went on a Pike Place Market food tour for our department retreat. We were shown all sorts of secret gems in the market, including the Pure Food Fish Market (the less well known fish mongers) http://www.freshseafood.com/ and Pappardelle’s Pasta Company http://www.pappardellesonline.com/.

This spurred an idea. Pike Place Fridays! Working so close to the market means I can take an afternoon stroll up when it’s not quite so busy and have a poke around. I was able to buy a few key ingredients that you just can’t find anywhere else.

On my trip this week I picked up a pound of fresh Alaskan Halibut fillets for $17.99, a bunch of asparagus for $2.00 and a pound of Supreme Orzo (Red pepper, traditional and porcini mushroom blend).

Again, the best thing about this meal is that the sauce is used in multiple ways. We marinate the fish in it, we baste the asparagus with it and we dip our bread in it.

You will need:
· Grill
· Mesh Grill Pan
· Large Sauté Pot

Ingredients
· 1 pound Halibut Fillet
· 2 garlic cloves, minced
· 2 tbsp lemon juice
· 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
· 1 teaspoon dried basil
· 1 teaspoon dried oregano
· ½ Cup EVOO
· Salt and pepper to tast
· 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
· 1 tomato, diced
· ½ pound orzo
· 1 bunch asparagus

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix garlic, lemon juice, parsley, basil, oregano, EVOO, S&P and red pepper flakes together in a small mixing bowl.
2. Place fish fillet in a large Ziploc bag and pour one third of the mixture over the fish. Set remainder of sauce aside for the time being.
3. Seal the bag of fish and place in the fridge (skin side up) for no more than 20-30 minutes. Marinating halibut for longer can break down the meat making it grimy.
4. Cut ends of asparagus off and soak in cold water for 20-30 minutes or until you ready to pull the fish out of the fridge.
5. When the fish is done marinating and the asparagus is done soaking, turn on the grill to medium high.

*TIP – Make sure to spray grill and mesh grill pan with a nonstick cooking spray like PAM. The fish will stick to the grill and create a big stinky fishy mess!

6. On stove top, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add orzo and 1 teaspoon of salt. Leave uncovered and boiling for 8-10 minutes.
7. Put the fish in the mesh grill pan, skin side down and cover. Let cook for 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily and is no longer opaque.
8. Add asparagus to grill after the fish has been cooking for 10 minutes.
9. Baste all sides of the asparagus with the remaining sauce. You won’t need much, maybe a teaspoon for the whole bunch.
10. Let asparagus cook for 5 minutes, rotating on the grill every 2-3 minutes to char it evenly.
11. Remove fish and asparagus from grill.
12. Strain Orzo and stir in 2 tablespoons of EVOO and 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper.
13. Slice bread and serve along with remaining dipping sauce.

Leftovers! Just add bread! Steak Sandwiches and EBC

I think the only person I have ever met who loves leftovers more than I do is Nicole. She will almost always save her food for as long as she possibly can, savoring her meal over and over again. I repurposed the steak from last night and made delicious steak sandwiches. We sliced up the meat, topped it off with the mushroom sauce and served it cold alongside a small green salad with balsamic and EVOO. The only thing missing is a fresh baguette of Columbia bread from the Essential Baking Company.

The Essential Baking Company is primarily a wholesale bakery that began in March of 1994. The Essential Baking Company is Certified Organic by the Washington State Department of Agriculture for using certain organic ingredients and a member of Bread Bakers Guild of America. They bake in the middle of the night, seven days a week so that the bread will be as fresh as possible when you buy it later in the day.

Breads are baked in European ovens, which have massive stone decks (rather than metal or racks). "Hearth" refers to these hearthstones. Loaves of bread, ready for baking, are placed directly on the stone. Steam injected at critical points during baking combined with the radiant heat from the hearth, give our breads distinctive crispy crusts. The dark, rosy color and rich flavorful crust and crumb are characteristic of the "Maillard reaction," a complex group of processes that, among other things, caramelizes naturally occurring sugars.

They have distributors all over Washington, but my favorite way to shop is at the Essential baking Café in Wallingford.

1604 North 34th StSeattle, WA 98103Phone: 206-545-0444

This fantastic little bakery also serves breakfast and lunch to die for.

Since it was such a simple meal, I decided to treat Joshua with an insane dessert. The sweet sales girl recommended a honey trifle and mango raspberry and white chocolate torte. We weren’t disappointed.

Check out this Seattle staple at: http://www.essentialbaking.com/ (Information on the Essential Baking Company pulled from the web).

Wednesday Romance! Balsamic Sirloin with Mushroom Shallot Reduction

My favorite way to cook a meal is to go to the grocery store and see what meat and vegetables are fresh, in season and on sale! On Wednesday I found top sirloins and shallots on sale and decided to try a reduction for the first time. The best thing about this recipe is the sauce. You use it three ways, marinade, dipping and mushroom sauce.
You will need:
· Grill
· Large Fry Pan
Ingredients
Marinade
· 1 pound lean top sirloin, sliced into four equal pieces
· 1 tablespoon brown sugar
· 1 tablespoon dried thyme
· 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Reduction
· 1 tablespoon brown sugar
· 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
· 1 tablespoon dried thyme
· 2 tablespoons butter
· 1 package button mushrooms, sliced
· Salt and pepper to taste
· 4 large Shallots, peeled and quartered.
Dipping
· 1 teaspoon brown sugar
· 1 teaspoon dried thyme
· 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 1 loaf fresh French bread
Directions
1. Start with the marinade
2. Mix brown sugar, thyme and balsamic together in a small mixing bowl and pour over steaks in a large Ziploc bag. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. While the steak is marinating, begin peeling and slicing mushrooms and shallots. Quarter the shallots. Slice the mushrooms.
4. Also while steak is marinating you can make the dipping sauce and slice some fresh French bread.
5. Heat grill to medium high, place steaks on grill and cover. Grilling time depends on preference, but five minutes on each side for 1” cuts is usually medium rare.
6. Begin reduction. Heat large fry pan over medium heat.
7. Sautee the shallots in the butter for three to five minutes. Add the mushrooms and brown sugar, stirring for one minute.
8. Add the thyme, salt and pepper and the balsamic vinegar. Allow to boil vigorously for 4 minutes.
9. Pull Steaks from Grill and smother in mushroom sauce.
10. Serve with the vegetable and starch of your choice. I chose mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Lemonaise Ladies Night! Lemonaise baked Chicken with Sesame Steamed Asparagus

My best friends Jayme and Nicole have been talking about living in an adorable apartment in Seattle together for as long as I have known them, which is about ten years. This summer they their wish came true as they found the most adorbale place in the heart of downtown Ballard. None of us had spent much time in Ballard so it has been a blast trying new bars and restaurants and getting Anita's crepes on Sunday mornings at the Ballard Market. They were also gracious enough to host my bridal shower there in June and we got ready there on our wedding day.

Tuesday was our first official "Family Dinner" where all the ladies get together to celebrate whatever happens to be going on in our lives and eat some yummy home cooked food. We had a lot to celebrate this time. It was Heather's birthday, Nicole and Jayme's housewarming, Nicole N's moving and me getting married.

Nicole and Jayme had finished the last touches on their home and it looked beautiful! The living room is decorated in greens and reds and it carries over into the dining room with touches of teal. These two are all about the details and they didn't dissapoint. They had set the table with lovely new linens and the whole house smelled delicious.

For those of you who have not learned about Lemonaise, let me enlighten you.

Lemonaise is a seasoned mayo based sauce that you can use on just about anything. Nicole orginally found this in the marinade aisle at QFC and we have since learned, by much trial and error, that QFC is the only place in Seattle you can find it. Please let us know if you find it else where. It can be used on sandwiches, in tuna or pasta salad, and on fish or chicken in baking.

Although Lemonaise comes in lots of flavors, including a light version, our favorite for baked Chicken is the Garlic Herb.

Lemonaise Baked Chicken

You will need:

• Aluminum Foil



• Large Glass Baking Dish

Ingredients

• 1 Pound boneless skinless chicken breasts



• 1 bushel of celery, diced into 1" pieces



• 1 small bag of baby carrots, if these are large, cut in halfs width ways



• 1 small yellow or white onion, cut into 1" pieces



• 5-6 large baby red potatoes, cut into 1" cubes



• 1/2 jar Garlic Herb Lemonaise

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Place all cut up vegetables in a large mixing bowl and slowly stir in Lemonaise until each piece is completely covered.

3. Place chicken breasts in baking dish and baste each piece with sauce, usually about a teaspoon per piece.

4. Pour vegetables into baking dish with chicken and move them to the edges of the pan so that as much of the chicken as possible is exposed.

5. Cover dish with aluminum foil, poke a few holes in the top for ventialtion and bake for one hour.

6. Remove and uncover. Let stand for 5-10 minutes for sauce to thicken. Serve with Sesame Asparagus.

Sesame Asparagus

Coming Soon

Welcome Home! Grilled Chimichurri Chicken

Joshua and I had just finished moving in the last of our furniture and moving out of our beloved Cameo Apartment. It was very bitter sweet. We were so excited to be in our new home, but I shed a few tears as we said goodbye to our Wallingford home. It had been my first place out of college, the place we would share with Jackie (AKA Mosby), the place we had fallen in love, and countless other memories. I would miss Eggs Bennie at Varsity Inn after our nights out in Fremont, walking down to Gasworks Park for an impromtue picnic, being neighbors with Katy, the fourth of July fireworks from our deck, etc., etc., etc.

But as the week began in our new home, I wanted to celebrate my with my new husband. It was Monday and we hadn't managed a trip to the grocery store yet, so I wanted something fast and easy, but supremely delicious. Joshua's older sister Jessica and her husband Steve had shared a recipe they picked up while visiting some friends in Florida. This was the perfect meal for a late August evening and we even ate out on the patio to soak up the last days of summer.

Chimirchurri originated from Argentina and Uruguay, is a popular sauce used with grilled meat in many Latin American countries. It is told that the unusual name comes from 'Jimmy McCurry', an Irishman who is said to have first prepared the sauce. He was marching with the troops of General Jasson Ospina in the 19th century, sympathetic to the cause of Argentine independence. The sauce was popular and the recipe was passed on. However, 'Jimmy McCurry' was difficult for the native people to say. Some sources claim Jimmy's sauce's name was corrupted to 'chimichurri', while others say it was changed in his honor (Wikipedia).

This sauce is so delicious and can be used on just about anything. I first tried it on skirt steak, but have also heard of it used on burgers, french fries, shrimp kabobs and so on. For our first meal, I chose chicken with rice and red bell peppers.

You will need the following things:

• Food Processor


• Grill


• Rice Cooker


• Basting brush

Ingredients for Chimichurri Sauce

1 bunch flat leaf parsley, buds plucked from stems
6 cloves garlic
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 lemon wedges (juice of)
1 tablespoon diced red onion
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Other Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced 1” thick
1 cup uncooked white rice

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine the parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper.
2. Process until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and pour the olive oil over the mixture.
4. Let stand for at least 20 minutes to extract flavors into the oil.

*TIP – making the sauce the night before can make for a quick meal when you get home from work. The sauce will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

5. Separate the sauce into 3 even portions. One will be used for marinating, one for grilling and the other for table service.
6. Place chicken breasts in a large Ziploc plastic bag, poor one third of the sauce in with the chicken. Put the chicken in the refrigerator and let sit for 20-30 minutes.
7. Slice red, orange or yellow bell pepper into quarters (one pepper per person).
8. Begin to cook rice in rice cooker.
9. Preheat grill to medium high.
10. Cook chicken breasts on grill and cover for ten minutes on each side or until the meat is white all the way through. Continue basting the meat every 5 minutes throughout the grilling process.
11. Add pepper slices to the grill during the last 6 minutes of cooking the chicken. Baste both sides of the pepper with the grilling sauce and flip after 3 minutes on each side.
12. Remove meat and vegetables. Serve with white rice and a small dish of the chimichurri sauce.

*NOTE – Bad Breath Alert! This sauce may be one of the most delicious things I’ve ever had. Having said that, with the amount of garlic we used I do not recommend this dish for a romantic evening at home.