Friday, August 22, 2014

{Pinned there, Done That} Caprese Chicken


I pinned this recipe from The Novice Chef and decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did because this recipe hit it out of the park! It had a wonderful flavor and I am adding this to the "yes" list.


Just in case this recipe goes missing on her blog, here it is...
Caprese Chicken
src: The Novice Chef
Yield: 4 servings
recipe note: Balsamic vinegar comes in many forms. I really recommend a higher quality one - it truly does make a difference. A low quality balsamic vinegar is very thin - like water. A higher quality one is slightly thicker (not as thick as balsamic glaze, but somewhere in the middle of the two).

ingredients:
4 skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
10 large basil leaves, finely chopped
8 oz fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliced in 1/2 inch thick slices
balsamic vinegar, to taste

directions:
Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts and set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add chicken, cover pan, and cook for about 10 minutes. Flip chicken breasts and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked thoroughly (or has reached an internal temp of 165°F).

While chicken is cooking, in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add tomatoes and continue sautéing until tomatoes skin starts to soften/wrinkle, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Set aside.

Once chicken has reached desired doneness, top the tops of each chicken breast with 2 slices of mozzarella. Pour tomato mixture on top. Cover pan with lid once more and let the mozzarella melt, about 1-2 minutes.

Lastly, drizzle with a splash of balsamic vinegar and serve immediately.
Photobucket

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Weekly Meal Plan

I guess I'm not starting the new school year out well if I can't get our meal plan out by Monday! Oh well...

SUNDAY was...
"Clemson Family Dinner" at our friends house, I made
Stuffed Flank Steak (got rave reviews)

MONDAY was...
Baked PankoTilapia with wild rice and

TUESDAY
Eye of Round Roast

WEDNESDAY
Philly Cheesesteak Pizza with Leftovers from Tuesday

THURSDAY
Taco Salad

FRIDAY
Something on the grill

SATURDAY
Probably something else on the grill...

RECAP
 Skinny Tuna Melt
 Caprese Chicken
Pot Roast
Photobucket

Friday, August 15, 2014

{Pinned there, Done that} Chorizo Queso Dip

A little while ago, for Taco Night, I decided to spice things up a bit and add in this Chorizo Queso Dip from Oh, Sweet Basil.


chorizo dip-queso fundido
prep time: 2 minutes
cook time: 5 minutes
yield: 1 small skillet of dip
serving size: a couple of chips dipped

Ingredients

1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded queso quesadilla cheese or oaxaca (or if you can't find either, monterey jack cheese)
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounces chorizo
tortilla chips for dipping

Instructions

  • heat the oven to broil.
  • in a medium skillet over medium heat, add the chorizo and garlic and cook through, about 5 minutes. drain and set aside.
  • in a cast iron skillet (small) or ceramic dish, add the cheese and broil until melted. top with drained chorizo and serve immediately with chips.
  • notes


So while the flavor of mine was AWESOME, I think I may have broiled it too long or something... it wasn't super creamy. Also, it hardened up quite quickly so the hubby and I didn't have a chance to eat it without a fork and knife. Still flavorful. I will definitely be trying this again if I find the oazaca cheese.

Photobucket

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Pizza Night: Portobello & Pesto Pizza

It's been quite some time since the family has had a homemade pizza night, so I decided to add it to the meal plan (and ACTUALLY do it...). We decided to revisit an old favorite... Portobello Pizza Night.

As always, this was a HUGE hit (even without meat which the hubby is rarely ok with).

We actually made 2 pizzas, plain old cheese for the girls and the Portobello for us.

Southern Living's Portobello Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

2 3 (we like a lot of substancelarge portobello mushroom caps, sliced
1/2 large onion, sliced 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon pepper 
Vegetable cooking spray 
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal 
1 (10-ounce) refrigerated pizza crust dough 
2 tablespoons basil pesto 
2 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt 
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 
6 fresh mozzarella cheese slices (6 ounces) 
5 plum tomatoes, chopped  (try to remove seeds and liquid)
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Sauté first 4 ingredients in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add balsamic vinegar; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is evaporated. Set aside.
Sprinkle cornmeal over baking pan; spread out pizza dough. Bake on bottom oven rack at 425° for 5 minutes.
Stir together pesto and yogurt. Spread over pizza crust, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with mushroom mixture and fresh basil. Top with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 425° on bottom oven rack for 18 minutes or until edges are golden brown and cheese is melted.

Photobucket

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Weekly Meal Plan

SUNDAY
Skinny Tuna Melts with Salad and tomato soup

MONDAY
Caprese Chicken 

I am out of town for a few days... say a few prayers for hubby!
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY

FRIDAY
Avocado Chicken Parm

SATURDAY
Salmon Cakes

Recent Dinners
 Grilled Clams with Garlic Drizzle with sauteed mushrooms and corn on the cob
 Spaghetti with grilled italian sausage
Mushroom, onion, and pepper stuffed burgers
Photobucket

Link within

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...