Almond Crusted Chicken Bites - The Secret Recipe Club

It's time for my reveal for this month's Secret Recipe Club! This month, I was assigned Sid's Sea Palm Cooking. I was Sid's assignment a couple months ago (she made my recipe for crispy edamame) and was impressed with how many dinner parties she throws! I would love to drop in for one of her tapas nights! I was inspired by tapas and chose her recipe for Almond Chicken Fingers. I cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces instead of strips, and made them more kid-friendly. Both my kids gobbled them up...after dipping them in honey-mustard.

I have to apologize for my picture..darn daylight savings time!

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup almond flour

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. 

In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, bread crumbs, paprika, and salt. Dip the chicken pieces into the melted butter and then coat with the dry mixture. Place on the rack and continue until all pieces have been coated. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

An InLinkz Link-up

Chicken Thighs with Quinoa and Kale

Being a working mom, it's always nice to be able to make a quick meal in under 30 minutes during the week. I usually save my more intensive recipes for Sundays and wish I had the time to make them Monday through Friday, but my kids would be screaming and crying on the kitchen floor if dinner isn't ready as soon as I'm done working. Yes, I deal with the dreaded witching hour every night....it loathe the hour between 5 and 6 pm. Anyone else?

This recipe originally called for Israeli couscous and would have been one pot, but my grocery store doesn't carry this type of couscous, so I substituted quiona in its place. I'll need to pick up a bag of it next time I'm at Wegmans. This was a hit with everyone, even my little guy ate some of the chicken and kale. I loved that it was easy to make and took no time at all.

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1/2 cup dried couscous
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cloves garlic
4 cups thinly sliced kale

In a medium saucepan, cook the quinoa in 1 cup of chicken broth per the directions on the package. While the quinoa is cooking, combine the thyme, cumin, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Season both sides of each chicken thigh with this spice mix.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet and saute the onions until they begin to soften. Add in the garlic and kale. Season with the remaining spice mix. Cook until the kale starts to wilt and add in the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth. Stir to combine and then place the chicken back into the pan. Reduce the heat and continue to cook until the chicken is completely cooked through.

To serve, place a scoop of the quinoa in a bowl and then add in the kale, onions and chicken. Cover with the desired amount of broth and enjoy!

Slightly adapted from Eating Well Magazine. 

Orange Barbecue Cashew Chicken

Who doesn't love Chinese food? I love that we have the option to make it at home and even though it's not what Madeline considers Chinese food, it was a great dinner and even better for lunch the next day.  I love the addition of the honey roasted cashews, it added just the right about of salt to the dish. Next time I make it, I'm going to add in other vegetables, like mini corn and snow peas.

This have been really busy around our house lately. We'll be soon decorating for Christmas and I can't wait to celebrate our first Thanksgiving and Christmas in our new house. It's going to be a little bit of a change with my decorations this year, I don't have a mantle to hang our stockings on anymore. My Rodan + Fields business is taking off - new customers and 2 new business partners in the last 30 days. I'm loving that I can share the gift of gorgeous, glowing skin with my friends, family and acquaintances...plus being able to help 2 friends with the business opportunity.

3 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 red pepper, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 onion, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup orange marmalade
Dash or two of Sriacha (I used about 2 dashes to make it kid friendly, add more for additional spice)
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup honey-roasted cashews
4 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper and stir-fry until golden brown, approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and place in a bowl and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce in a small bowl. Whisk together the hoisin sauce, orange marmalade, sriacha, soy sauce and chicken stock. Set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and add in the pepper, onion and garlic. Cook until crisp-tender about 3 minutes. Add in the cooked chicken and pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Toss to coat and continue to cook until the sauce thickens. Add in the cashews and serve over brown rice or quiona. Top with a sliced green onions.

Slightly adapted from Rachel Ray's Look + Cook cookbook 

Chicken with Artichokes in White Wine Sauce

Our dinner options haven't been very broad and new lately. I've been stuck in a little bit of a rut and haven't been experimenting in the kitchen. I'm working on getting back on track this week so I should have new recipes more frequently...plus I have a couple of recipe exchanges coming up this week and that's forcing me to think outside of the box. 

The rest of the year is going to fly by and my calendar is already filling up. The holidays are coming....I can't wait to spend the holidays in our new home. I need to start thinking about decorating because this house is completely different than our old house. But that's going to be the fun part...along with a bunch of new recipes I've been saving! 

We all loved this recipe even Madeline! I made something different for Cooper because I'm not sure he would have liked it. I know the mushrooms would have been fine but probably not the artichokes. Next time I make it, I'll serve it with a rice pilaf instead of spaghetti. 

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp herbs de provence (or combination of dried basil, oregano and parsley)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms

14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped in half

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup chicken broth

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, dried herbs, salt and pepper with a fork until mixed together. Remove 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture. 

In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Using tongs dredge the chicken breast in the flour mixture. Shake off an excess flour. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until golden brown and completely cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Turn halfway through cooking. Once cooked, remove from the pan and place the chicken on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. 

To the warm skillet, add the butter. Once it's melted, add in the mushrooms and artichokes. Cook until most of the liquid has been released from the mushrooms and they're tender. 

In a liquid measuring cup, combine the wine and chicken broth. Add in the reserved tablespoon of flour and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to the skillet and cook until it has slightly thickened and is warm. Return the cooked chicken to the pan to warm and cover with sauce. Serve the chicken with the sauce and vegetables spooned over it. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if desired. 

Source: Annie's Eats 

Taco Chicken Pockets

These little pockets of chicken in a spicy taco sauce are delicious. The biscuit makes a great way to hold the chicken in place and these would be great to take for lunch and replace frozen handheld sandwiches. They were a little spicy for Madeline due to the Sriracha, but I think you could always eliminate it to make the recipe more kid friendly.

I could see using this base recipe to make different varieties - chicken and broccoli, chicken parm...the possibilities are endless! What type would you make?

1 package taco seasoning mix
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup Sriracha
1 pound chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can Grands biscuits (I used a golden wheat variety)
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
Sour cream, if desired.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium saucepan, combine the taco seasoning mix, water, Sriracha and shredded chicken. Mix and cook until the sauce has thickened.

Open the can of biscuits. Flatten each biscuit into a 6-inch round. Fill with the taco mix and 1 tablespoon of cheese. Fold biscuit over the filling and press to seal. Place each on baking sheet.

Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with leftover cheese and sour cream.

Source: Recipe Sweet

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

It felt like summer over the weekend - hot and humid - and without air conditioning in our house, the kitchen was one of the last places I wanted to be. I wouldn't be complaining if it wasn't early June and we had our first heat wave and had 4 days with 90+ degree weather. When it gets hot like that, I find the dinners that require minimal to no cooking are what I enjoy the most.

This salad was perfect! I picked up a rotisserie chicken and cooked the quinoa earlier in the day. It was easy to throw it all together and Madeline loved being able to make her own dinner…and you know what, she ate it all without complaining! I think I need to let her chose how much she wants on her plate from now on.

1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded chicken
1 avocado, chopped
shredded Mexican cheese
Barbecue sauce
2 scallions, chopped
salt
fresh ground pepper

In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, corn, black beans and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer desired amount to a smaller bowl for eating. Top with cheese, barbecue sauce, avocado and scallions. Dig in!

Source: What's Gaby Cooking

Baked Chicken Parmesan Quinoa Casserole

I know I've been only posting sweet treats lately, but I promise we've been eating more than cake and muffins! I've been going back and making some old favorite meals and also planning meals around what I need to use from our freezer.

Back in March when I had my SRC assignment where I made pretzel-crusted pork chops from Hezzi D's Books and Cooks, I found this recipe and pinned it. I knew it was something that we all would enjoy and make enough for leftovers for lunches or another dinner. Things are going to get a little more hectic around here as Madeline starts swim lessons tomorrow night, so we'll be having more quick meals than ones where we sit down and actually enjoy dinner. I'm sure things will only get more crazier as the kids get older and get involved in more activities!

 

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

15 oz can tomato sauce

15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 cup quinoa, dry

2 cups water

1 lb boneless and skinless chicken breasts

2 cups mozzarella cheese

 

In a medium sauce pan, add the quinoa and water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 20 to 25 minutes until fully cooked.

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

 

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the diced onions and peppers. Saute for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the balsamic vinegar and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook for 3 minutes to reduce slightly. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes and spices. Bring to a low boil to simmer.

 

Cook the chicken in a saucepan in an inch of water. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes on each side just until it's cooked through. Remove and cut into bite sized pieces.

 

Add the diced chicken and quinoa into the tomato mixture. Stir to combine well.

 

In the prepared baking dish, layer half of the chicken and quinoa mixture. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese. Top with the remaining chicken and quinoa mixture and then the rest of the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.

 

Source: Hezzi D's Cooks and Books 

Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

Where do the weekends go? We had a low-key weekend but still are in "get the house on the market" mode, so we were able to get a few things done. New posts might not be as frequent as things get busier and busier for us but I'm going to try as hard as I can to continue posting on a regular basis.

I made these sandwiches last week and they were amazing! They're super easy and really take no time at all. We ate them warm for dinner one night and then I ate used the chicken cold the next day for lunch. Both ways were delicious. This recipe is versatile and would be great for summer picnics or even finger sandwiches for baby/wedding showers. I used chicken breasts in my recipe since that's what on hand, but the original recipe used thighs; either way, you should make this recipe!

3 chicken breasts
1 - 2 cups water
1 cup Caesar dressing (your favorite recipe or bottled version)
2.5 oz Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp dried parsley or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a small slow cooker, add the chicken breasts with 1-2 cups of water. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the slow cooker and drain the water and any fat. Shred the chicken and return to the slow cooker.

Add the dressing, cheese, parsley and season with salt and pepper. Warm the chicken on low for 30 minutes. Serve on rolls with a leaf of Romaine lettuce.

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Pesto Ranch Chicken Thighs

We had a crazy busy weekend and by the time Sunday rolls around the last thing I want to do is make dinner. This was a quick, throw everything in the slow cooker and let it cook. I used a jar of pre-made pesto since fresh herbs aren't that great right now, but I will be making this during the summer when I have an abundance of basil. I think fresh pesto will be much lighter since the jarred pesto I used was quite heavy with olive oil. I also think it would be great to use as a marinade for chicken breasts and then grilled.

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

6 oz jar pesto

1 package dry ranch dressing seasoning mix

1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock

Season thighs with salt and pepper and place in the bottom of a slow cooker. Spread the pesto over the chicken thighs. Sprinkle the dry ranch seasoning mix over the chicken. Pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine. 

Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or until chicken is fully cooked through. 

Source: Picky Palate

Honey Chicken

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. You know the ones that take all of five minutes to throw together and don't required unique ingredients. I love this recipe since it uses everything that I always have on hand and can throw it into the slow cooker at lunch and it will be ready in time for dinner. It's also great for those nights when we have something going on and need to get a dinner on the table quickly...which I'm sure will be happening more often with more activities as the kids get older!

2 chicken breasts (approximately 1 lb of chicken)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/8 cup chopped onion
1/8 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and place into a slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Pour this mixture over the chicken. Cook on low for 3 hours.

After 3 hours remove, chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Return back to the slow cookerand toss in the sauce to coat. Serve with rice or noodles.

Source: MMM...Cafe

Spinach Artichoke and Chicken Casserole

I love spinach artichoke dip and this casserole totally reminded me of that! It's comfort food all the way! I was surprised my daughter gobbled it up. She usually turns her nose up at artichokes but I cut them into bite sized pieces that I don't think she even realized they were in there.

When you make this, get everything ready the day before - it needs to set overnight in the refrigerator. I didn't read this step first before making it and had to put it off a day so I could let it sit. I ended up making in in the morning and let it sit for 6 hours during the day before I baked it. It came out fine!

Make sure you stop by tomorrow. I have a special announcement about an online bake sale where you can have a chance to bid on a dozen of my delicious double chocolate biscotti!

8 oz bow tie pasta
1 Tbsp butter
salt & pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup skim milk
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
14 oz can quartered artichokes, drained and roughly chopped
10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and wrung out with a dish towel
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp butter, melted

Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Drain pasta and set aside. Spray a 9x13 glass dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and chicken, season with salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle and the onions are translucent. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oregano and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Stir in the cheese, artichokes and frozen spinach. Combine the wet mixture with the pasta and chicken. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover the pan with foil and place in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours.

When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the wrapped dish into the oven for 20 minutes. While the casserole is baking, combine the bread crumbs, paprika and melted butter in a small bowl.

After 20 minutes of baking, remove the foil from the dish and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the casserole. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and toasty.

Source: Iowa Girl Eats

A Tribute to Daniel: Cider Glazed Chicken

A couple weeks ago while experimenting with hard boiled eggs, I was posting my review on the Secret Recipe Club FB page and Daniel of Haggis and the Herring commented that he was going to try it out too since others weren't have the same luck that I was having. Daniel has been in Group B with me since I joined the SRC and he was always one that you could count on to comment on your recipe each month. He was always answering questions on the FB page and just helpful when anyone had a problem. I knew something was up when he didn't comment back on the experiment on the hard boiled eggs. It just wasn't like him.

A couple days later, we all got the news that Daniel had suddenly passed away. I was shocked and devastated for his family as he has 2 small children and another one on the way. It was also right around the same time that my friend Gina lost her husband Dan to brain cancer. Needless to say, I shed tears without ever "meeting" Daniel. His wife Meredith shared his of his passing and eulogy in a tribute post on his blog.

The SRC is doing a tribute post to Daniel and we all chose a recipe from his blog. I knew immediately what I wanted to make  - Cider Glazed Chicken. It's feeling like fall here and cider and apples are appearing everywhere. This recipe was simple and delicious. It will definitely be on "to make again" list.

2 Tbsp oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 small onion, minced
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp rosemary
1 cup apple cider

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken abd brown on both sides for about 15 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.

In the same pan, saute the onion for 1 minute. Add the mustard, vinegar and spices. Stir to combine well. Add the cider, stir and add the chicken back into the sauce.

Cover and let mixture boil on high for 30 seconds before reducing to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and boil down the sauce until thickened.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Source: The Haggis and the Herring

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

I had this recipe pinned for months and kept coming back to make it, but never got around to it until last week. Yes, I’m that far behind in blogging! This was a quick casserole to make especially when the chicken and rice are already cooked. I’m always trying to find recipes that use leftover chicken and this is a perfect one! We all loved it and something different than any of the other casseroles I’ve made before.  It’s definitely going on my make again list.

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

4 cups cooked brown rice
¾ cups frozen corn
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup low-fat sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
4 oz fluid can green chilies
½ cup salsa
1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, plus more for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix together.  Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to an oven-safe baking dish and top with the extra cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.

Source: How Sweet It Is

Buffalo Chicken Rolls

I'm trying to get back into meal planning and this week I've been doing a really good job and only deviated from my menu one day! This was on the menu earlier this week and it was delicious. It's a little labor intensive, but well worth it. I love the combination of buffalo chicken with the crispy egg roll wrappers. I forsee modifying this recipe for so many other combinations..plus it will be a great lunch option for Madeline.

Sorry for the quality of the photo...I just couldn't wait to eat them and rushed with this photo.

package of egg roll wrappers

1 cup cooked and shredded chicken

1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce (or more if you want your rolls saucier)

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 cup green cabbage, shredded

small bowl of water

nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the chicken and hot sauce until well combined. Line up your container of blue cheese and the shredded cabbage. I found it easier to have them all in a row to make the process of making the rolls easier.

Using one egg roll wrapper at at time, place one tablespoon of the shredded cabbage diagonally on the bottom right corner of the wrapper. Place 2 tablespoons of the shredded chicken on top, then follow up with 1 tablespoon of blue cheese crumbles. Do not overfill.

Fold the bottom right corner over the stuffing so it covers it completely. Fold in the bottom left corner, then the right corner...it should like an envelope. Roll the wrap upward one time, leaving the top left corner open. Wet a finger in the bowl of water and moisten the corner of the wrapper. Fold down the wrapper and seal it with the roll. Continue this process until all the chicken is used.

Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet. Spray each roll with the cooking spray. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the rolls are crispy and are golden brown.

Source: Can You Stay for Dinner?

Chicken Parm Burgers

We're big fans of chicken parm and I thought what a great way to take that idea and make it a little healthier and in a different format. I had picked up a pack of ground chicken at the store and this was the perfect way to use it up. They were delicious, quick and easy for a weeknight meal.

1 lb ground chicken
1 egg, slightly beaten
salt
fresh ground pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 cup (more or less) Italian bread crumbs

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until mixed well. Form into 4 to 6 patties and place on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes for the patties to firm up. Cook in a pan or on a grill until no longer pink inside. I cooked mine for 12 minutes or so.

Top with mozzarella cheese and warmed pizza sauce. We served them on whole wheat rolls or you could eat them without (which I did the next day for lunch).

Perfect!

Citrus Soy Stir-Fry

I've been craving chinese food lately but I always feel so blah afterwards...I'm thinking it's because of all the salt that is used. This recipe was a great alternative to ordering out and was so tasty! My daughter gobbled it up and it made enough for leftovers the next day for lunch for me and my husband. Any veggies can be swapped out for whatever you have on hand.

1 lb whole-wheat angel hair pasta
1 cup orange marmalade
2 tsp ground ginger
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp hot sauce
2 Tbsp high-temp oil (I used vegetable)
1 lb thinly sliced chicken
1 cup shelled edamame
1 red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
1/2 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1 small bunch of scallions, cut on an angle into 2 inch pieces

In a large pot, boil water for the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente, it will continue cooking when added to the chicken and vegetables.

In a small bowl, mix together the orange marmalade, ginger, chicken stock, soy sauce, black pepper and hot sauce.

When you start to cook the pasta, heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the vegetables (except the edamame and scallions) and stir fry for 3 more minutes. Stir in the sauce and toss for 1 minute.

Drain the pasta and add to the skillet. Combine and stir in the edamame and scallions; stir-fry for 2 more minutes.

Modified slightly from: Rachael Ray's Look & Cook Cookbook

Sauteed Swiss Chard with Pasta and Chicken

I'm behind on my blogging, work has been so crazy and I've been exhausted by the time I get home that I rarely have been spending much time on the computer when I get home. Don't worry....I'm still cooking and baking. And now I have a long list of recipes to blog about so I'll busy once again this week.

We received a bunch of swiss chard in our CSA basket - another green that I've never used before. Once again, a great feature of partipicating in a CSA. I'm sad last week was our last pick up, but I stocked up and have many new recipes planned for our goodies. Swiss chard is one of the good for dark green veggies.

What's your favorite way to eat it?

1 bunch swiss chard
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb chicken breast, cut into cubes
1/2 pound pasta, cooked

In a large pan, saute the chicken until fully cooked. Remove from pan and place in a bowl. Tent the bowl with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Trim the tough ends of the swiss chard and slice the stems and leaves into thin strips. Heat the olive oil in the pan used for the chicken. Add the swiss chard and onions. Saute until the onions are softened, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the cooked pasta and chicken with the swiss chard and a little extra virgin oil to loosen the pasta.

Sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese and serve.

Recipe adapted from Jeannette's Healthy Living

Secret Recipe Club: Honey-Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Cranberry Wild Rice

It's that time again for The Secret Recipe Club! This is my fourth month participating and I'm having so much fun. Not only do I get to be sneaky and try out another blogger's recipe but I'm getting a ton of inspiration from the other SRC members!

This month I was assigned the blog, Not Rachael Ray. After looking through Rachael's blog, I settled on making cranberry wild rice. I usually sit to basics when I make sides, but this was very intriguing and different. I swapped out the walnuts for pecans and used a mix of long grain and wild rice. As I was planning my menu for the week, I had a pack of frozen chicken thighs and didn't know what to do with them...so off to see if Rachael had a recipe. Of course- honey-balsamic chicken thighs. I doubled the sauce mixture as I had 8 chicken thighs - gotta love leftovers for quick lunches!

So needless to say, this month is a SRC special treat - 2 recipes!

Honey-Balsamic Chicken Thighs
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 large garlic clove, minced
Peheat the oven to 375 degrees. With the skin sides up, place the chicken in a small roasing pan. Season with salt and pepper. Bake the thighs until the skin is crispy and the juices run clean, approximately 40-45 minutes.

While the chicken is roasting, combine the oil, honey, vinegar and garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir occasionally until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Allow to stand 5 minutes to cool slighly before basting each thigh with glaze.

Cranberry Wild Rice

1 box long grain & wild rice mix
water/butter/salt according to rice package
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
1/2 cup of chopped pecans

Prepare rice as directed on package except add in dried cranberries with the rice. I bought a box of Near East long grain & wild rice mix. It called to cook the rice for 25-30 minutes.

As the rice is cooking, toast the pecans in a dry frying pan over medium high heat. Be careful and watch them closely as nuts tend to burn quickly. Once cooked, remove them from the pan.
Serve a scoop of rice with the chicken thighs and garnish with the toasted pecans.

Want to be part of the SRC? Join up here!

Chicken with Artichoke and Lemon

When I first saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it. While my picture isn't as appetizing as the picture in the May issue of All You, this is really amazing! I loved the chicken, it was so moist and the artichokes and lemon were the perfect addition. My husband ate two helpings and said "winner, winner, chicken dinner." Oh dear..:insert rolling eye emotion. 

1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry

salt and pepper

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 Tbsp  vegetable oil

1 cup low sodium chicken stock

14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 lemon, thinly sliced

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and then dredge in flour. Add the chicken to the hot skillet, cook, turning once until browned on both sides about 4 minutes total.

Add chicken stock and artichokes to the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is almost cooked through. Scatter the lemon slices over the chicken, cover and cook until the chicken is cook through.

Source: All You Magazine

Chicken Marsala

Happy Mother's Day to all my readers who are moms or moms-to-be. I hope you had an amazing day!

This recipe is from a new cookbook I won. My mom's online forum had an auction about a month ago and one of the items up for bidding was Rachael Ray's new cookbook - Look & Cook. I've been waiting a new cookbook and this was mine to win! :)

I really like Chicken Marsala and it's one of those foods that I've never made at home but usually get out at weddings or other events. It's very easy to make and make enough for dinner and 2 lunches for each of us. I served it over whole wheat egg noodles.

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin slices
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 pound cremini (baby portobello) mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp flour
3 - 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup Marsala wine
1 cup chicken stock
black pepper
salt
extra-virgin olive oil

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Season chieken with salt and fresh ground pepper. Saute chicken breats until cooked through. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken. Once chicken is cooked though, place on a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

In the same skillet, melt butter and then add the mushrooms. Cook the mushroooms for 7 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. Add teh garlic to the pan and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook for one minute. Slowly add the marsala wine to the pan and contine cooking for a couple minutes until the wine is reduced in about half.

Add the chicken stock to the pan and bring the sauce to bubbling. Add the chicken back into the pan to warm and combine.

Source: rachael ray's look & cook cookbook