Chicken with Dried Fruit and Parsnips

This is a "must try" recipe. It creates a delightful dinner. Once cooked all the flavors combine to make a superb, savory chicken dinner.

Chicken with Dried Fruit and Parsnips
from the Food Network.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 medium shallots
4 medium-large parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/3 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
8 medium skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup pitted prunes, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the shallots and parsnips and cook until golden, shaking the pan, 2 minutes.



Whisk the apricot preserves, mustard, ginger and cumin in a bowl. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; toss with the apricot glaze.


Scatter the dried fruit in the skillet.



Place the chicken, skin-side up, on top. Add 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until heated through, 6 minutes. Uncover and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook until the chicken and vegetables are tender and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.


Push the chicken to the side of the skillet, then stir the vinegar
into the pan juices (add up to 2 tablespoons water if the sauce is too thick). Serve from the skillet.


Chicken with Dried Fruit and Parsnips!

Baked Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

Baked Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas ~ a tortilla stuffed with chicken, corn and other good stuff ~ then covered in sauce and baked with cheese on top is what I was craving for dinner. There are so many recipes for enchiladas that you can probably make a different kind each night for dinner for a year. :)

Here is the recipe I decided to use and I have to say that the enchiladas were excellent.


Baked Chicken and Cheese Enchilladas
Ingredients
• 4 oz. cream cheese , softened
• 1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 can of refried beans
• 2 cups prepared salsa
• 2 cups grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 small jar of taco sauce or enchilada sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• Salt and pepper
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 12 to 14 soft round 6 to 8-inch flour or corn tortillas
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a medium bowl cream together the cream cheese and the sour cream. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa. Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese. In a second bowl toss together the chicken, the corn, refried beans, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, and 1/2 of the scallions. Add the chicken mixture to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.
In a baking dish spread a 1/2 cup of the salsa over the bottom. Place about a 1/3 cup of the filling on a corn tortilla, roll up and transfer to the baking dish with the seam side down. Repeat process for remaining tortillas. Pour remaining salsa and enchilada sauce over enchiladas, spreading to coat all of them. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over the top. Enchiladas may be prepared up to this point 12 hours in advance. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Muy Bueno!

Chicken and Spinach Soup

When I read this recipe I was very pleased with the combination of flavors: chicken, pesto and spinach. My basil plant that is outside my front door is still producing some good basil and so I was happy to use a bunch of leaves to make pesto.

Chicken and Spinach Soup with Pesto by Eating Well
Ingredients
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup carrot or diced red bell pepper
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 8 ounces), cut into quarters
1 large clove garlic, minced
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans or great northern beans, rinsed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3/4 cup plain or herbed multigrain croutons for garnish (optional)



Preparation
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add carrot (or bell pepper) and chicken; cook, turning the chicken and stirring frequently, until the chicken begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in broth and marjoram; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to a clean cutting board to cool. Add spinach and beans to the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, Parmesan and basil in a food processor (a mini processor works well). Process until a coarse paste forms, adding a little water and scraping down the sides as necessary.
Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken and pesto into the pot. Season with pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with croutons, if desired.


Chicken and Spinach Soup with Pesto


This is a wonderful soup. Light and delicious.

Funky Spaghetti, Healthy Too!

This recipe for Funky Spaghetti is from Jamie Oliver.
He shared it on The Oprah Show and it looked so healthy and easy
so I thought it would make a great week night recipe.




Funky Spaghetti
1 pound spaghetti or linguine
11 to 14 ounces cherry tomatoes , red and yellow
2 handfuls of fresh marjoram and basil , leaves picked
6 to 8 glugs extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic (peeled and finely chopped)
Splash of red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put pasta in large pot of boiling water and cook until al dente. Halve tomatoes, put in bowl and add herbs, olive oil, garlic and vinegar.

Season to taste, then scrunch tomatoes until slightly mushed. Drain pasta, and while still steaming, mix with tomatoes.

** It was really that easy and very good!

Chicken, Pesto and Grape Pizza

After completing my usual routine of making a two week grocery list for shopping at the market on Saturday I was impressed because most of the dinners this week will be new recipes for me. It is always exciting to try new recipes!

Dinner Tonight:
Chicken, Pesto and Grape Pizza
from Cooking Light

(11-ounce) can refrigerated thin-crust pizza dough
Cooking spray
1/3 cup refrigerated pesto
1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
8 ounces shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. On a lightly floured surface, pat dough into a 12-inch circle; gently place dough on a pizza pan coated with cooking spray. Spread pesto evenly over dough,



leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges.

Arrange grapes evenly over dough; top evenly with chicken. ( I reversed these)




Top with garlic and mozzarella; sprinkle with Romano and pepper.




Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Very Good! and I love the unique flavors.
I think this Chicken, Pesto and Red Grape Pizza recipe is a keeper!