Garlic-Ginger Chicken Lo Mein with Bok Choy

Craving Chinese, but hate the grease of take-out? Or love the grease, but hate your thighs? This is an absurdly easy noodle dish that packs a punch without ruining the diet. The majority of the flavor comes from tossing the cooked chicken in the simple Asian dressing. Stir-fried bok choy adds color and extra flavor to the noodles, which only take 3-5 minutes to boil. Enjoy this dish hot or cold, or skip the noodles and serve the chicken over salad.

Garlic-Ginger Chicken Lo Mein

Ingredients:
1 tbs peanut oil
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 tbs tamari
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs minced gingerroot
1 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs chili-infused oil (olive oil, if you are sensitive to heat)
1/2 tbs sesame oil
1/4 tsp cumin
12oz box lo main noodles
fresh cilantro to garnish

Directions:
Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Cook the chicken breasts for 5 minutes on each side, then reduce heat to med-low and cover. Allow chicken to cook, covered, for 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees F.

Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining ingredients except noodles and cilantro. When chicken is done cooking, remove from heat and allow to rest 5 minutes. Slice chicken into strips and toss with the dressing. While the chicken strips rest in the dressing, prepare noodles according to package directions.

If desired, combine the noodles with stir-fried bok choy (recipe below). Serve chicken over a bed of noodles and topped with additional dressing. Garnish with cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Garlic Bok Choy

Ingredients:
2 tbs peanut oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 head bok choy, washed, stems cut into 1/2" slices and leaves sliced to 1"
1/2 c chicken or vegetable stock, or water
1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

Directions:
Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Sauté the garlic for one minute, then add the bok choy and stock. Stir-fry until the box choy is wilted and bright green. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Makes 4 side dish servings.

Big Pot of Chili and Jalapeño Beer Bread

As part of my preparation for my raw experiment in January, I'm trying to cook everything that I will most likely crave in the wee weeks of the year. One of those things is a steaming hot bowl of meat-ful chili and a thick slice of toasted bread.

Also, I wanted to try out my shiny new Cuisinart. Formerly when I wanted ground beef, I'd pick up the cut of meat I wanted then have the butcher grind it down for me (I have a very serious aversion to pre-packaged ground beef....I mean, really, who knows what is put in there?). With the powerful new processor on my counter, I can grind my own meat. Yay! These are the things that make me happy....

So here it is....a HUGE pot of chili. I wasn't thinking clearly when I decided to grind one pound each of chicken and beef (instead of total). The result is enough chili to feed a small army....or just my family for two nights.

The bread was a vehicle to help me get rid of an insane number of jalapeños from my parents' garden. I still have quite a few, but at least this made a dent!

Big Pot o' Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb chuck roast, placed in freezer for about an hour

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, placed in freezer for about an hour

4 tbs butter

1 tbs dried marjoram

1 tbs dried savory

1 tbs mustard seed

1 tbs caraway seed

1 tbs peppercorns

1 tsp salt

1 tbs chili powder

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 6oz can tomato paste

4 15oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2 c water

2 15oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tbs Chipotle Tabasco sauce

additional salt and pepper

greek yogurt and fresh parsley, to garnish

Directions:

Cut the beef and chicken into 1" cubes. In a food processor, pulse until ground to desired consistency.

Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large stock pot. Add the ground meat and allow to brown. In a spice grinder, combine marjoram, savory, mustard, caraway, and pepper; grind into powder. Add ground spices, salt, and chili powder to the browning meat and stir to combine.

Once the meat is mostly brown, add onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Allow to cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat ingredients. Pour in the diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Add water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add kidney beans and Tabasco. Stir to combine, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to simmer 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If needed, add additional salt and pepper to taste. To serve, ladle into individual bowls and top with a spoonful of greek yogurt and some chopped parsley. Makes a whopping 16 servings of chili!

Jalapeño Beer Bread

Ingredients:

3 c unbleached all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 c sugar

1/2 c roasted jalapeños, diced

1 c shredded smoked cheddar

1 12oz bottle beer

1/2 c butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Add the jalapeños and cheese. Pour the beer into the mixing bowl and stir until blended. Pour mixture into a greased 9" loaf pan and pour melted butter over the top of the loaf. Bake one hour or until golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then remove from pan and cool an additional 10 minutes before slicing. Makes one spicy loaf of bread that is perfect for dipping into soup or sandwiching for grilled cheese with a kick.

Simple Fried Rice and Chicken Spring Rolls....Leftover-Style

Ever get to the point where you have a fridge full of food, and yet nothing to eat? I found myself in such a situation over the weekend, which lead into a full-fledge fridge-busting operation. I had disposed of my half-head of cauliflower thanks to this soup that I made, but that didn't make much of a dent in my mish-mash of random ingredients. Or were they so random after all....?

I am occasionally amazed at how everything can come together, and this is one of those times. What started as "oh what the hell, just throw everything into a pot" turned into a rather cohesive meal, if I do say so myself. Leftover rice and ridiculous assortment of halves of veggies turned into fried rice. Cabbage slaw left over from one meal and chicken from another combined with a quick Asian dressing to make fresh spring rolls. I had myself a real dinner!

The final product will depend on the ingredients you have on hand, and I have left the ingredient lists somewhat vague to facilitate this. In the fried rice, I personally had on hand 1/2 zucchini, 1 carrot, half a jar of pickled baby corn, 1/4 of a red bell pepper, some celery, and half an onion. Your fridge contents and veggie preferences should lead you, though.This is one of the things that makes cooking fun!

Simple Fried Rice

Ingredients:

2 tbs peanut oil

3 c vegetables of choice, julienned or sliced to be about the same size

1 tbs tamari

1 tbs hoisin sauce

3 cups prepared rice

1 egg

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

2 tsp sesame oil

Directions:

Heat the peanut oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables, and stir fry for 5 minutes, or until they start to soften. Add tamari and hoisin sauce, stirring quickly to coat the vegetables. Stir in the rice and continue to stir-fry until rice is heated through (about 5 minutes).

Beat the egg, salt, and pepper together. Add into the rice, constantly stirring. Once egg is incorporated, drizzle sesame oil over rice and toss to coat rice evenly. Add additional seasoning to taste. Remove from heat and serve. Makes about 6 1-cup servings.

Leftover Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tbs ginger, grated

1 tbs hoisin sauce

1 tbs tamari

1 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 chicken breast, cooked, diced

2 c cabbage salad

8 spring roll wrappers, soaked according to package directions

Directions:

Whisk together garlic, ginger, hoisin, tamari, oyster sauce, oil, and cumin in a medium bowl. Toss the chicken with the dressing to coat. Add cabbage and toss to combine.

One at a time, lay a soaked spring roll wrapper flat on a cutting board. Using about half a cup at a time, arrange the filling on the rice paper to be wrapped. Roll the wrapper tightly around the filling, tucking the ends to the left and right toward the center as you go. Repeat until each wrapper has been filled.

At this point, you can deep fry the rolls to create a crispy texture, I personally prefer them as is. Makes 8 spring rolls.

Slow-Roasted Chicken, Harvest Vegetables, Rosemary Scones, and Pumpkin Mousse

I'm a few days late, but here is our typical Samhain feast. Traditionally (as in, before modern culture turned it into a demonized commercial festival), Samhain represented the end of summer and a celebration of the summer harvest. In addition to giving thanks for the harvest, Samhain was also a day to remember loved ones that have passed to the other side (or, simply put, died). It was common custom in pre-Christian times to set a place setting at the table for deceased ancestors and to recite a prayer to honor those that came before as well as those to come in the

future:

With the gift of remembrance

I remember all of you.

You are dead but never forgotten,

and you live on within me

and within those who are yet to come.

Because I'm a fan of celebrating the original meaning of most holidays, I share this with the offspring. We don't go as far as to set an extra place at the table, but I do like to make a traditional meal and make a toast to our roots. If you can't tell from my holiday selection, there is a strong Celtic vein or two in my body.

Enough history....on to the food! This meal is meant to make use of seasonal ingredients. In the normal world, this is when hens would be full-grown and root vegetables would be most plentiful. The use of rosemary is a common theme, because traditionally rosemary is for remembrance.

Because the majority of the dishes make use of the oven (requiring different cooking temperatures, of course!), I have had to adapt my timing. The harvest vegetables include instructions for preparing while the chicken is in the oven. During the last hour of the roasting time, I prepare the dough for the scones. Then, once the chicken and veggies are out of the oven, I reduce the heat and pop the scones in to bake while the chicken rests. The pumpkin mousse can be made up to a day in advance.

Speaking of the mousse, I have no photo of it. Not that a photo would look especially exciting....just imagine pale pumpkin orange cream in a wine glass, topped with a dark chocolate drizzle. Or, better yet, make it and enjoy the dessert in person!

Slow-Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

4 tbs butter, room temperature

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, minced + several whole sprigs of rosemary

1 tbs fresh thyme, minced + several whole sprigs of thyme

1 tsp lemon zest

5-6 lb whole chicken, innards removed, rinsed, and patted dry

salt and pepper

1 lemon, cut into fourths

1 medium yellow onion, cut into fourths

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275F.

Combine butter, garlic, rosemary and thyme leaves, and lemon zest. Form a log of butter on a piece of plastic cling and wrap the cling securely around the butter. Place the butter mixture in the freezer to harden.

Season the inside of the chicken breast well with salt and pepper. Using your hand, separate the

skin from the breast meat gently (you want the skin to remain intact and attached to the bird). Rub the space between the skin and the breast liberally with salt and pepper. With a paring knife, make several one-inch slits in the breast meat, spacing the slits about an inch apart. Stuff the bird with the lemon, onion, and sprigs of herbs.

Remove the butter from the freezer, unwrap, and slice into as many rounds as you have slits in the breast meat (probably around 6-8). Push one round of butter into each slit. Using cotton string or twine, tie the chicken legs together. Place the chicken in a baking dish breast-side down. Bake in the oven, uncovered, for about 45 minutes per pound. When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 150F, flip the chicken to breast-side-up, return to the oven, and turn the heat up to 400F. Roast another 15 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160F. Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and allow to rest 15 minutes before carving.

Harvest Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 tbs peanut oil

2 tsp fresh thyme, minced

1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

2 lbs fingerling potatoes, large potatoes cut in half

2 medium carrots, sliced

1 stalk of celery, sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F (or follow the directions in the note for preparing these potatoes along with the Roasted Chicken).

Combine the oil, herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss the vegetables in the oil mixture to coat. Place in a baking dish and bake 30-35 minutes, or until tender.

To prepare while the chicken roasts: Start the vegetables in the oven in the last hour of the chicken's roasting time. Remove the vegetables at the same time as the chicken.

Rosemary Scones

Ingredients:

3/4 c milk

1 tbs lemon juice

1 3/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

6 tbs butter, room temperature

1/2 c grated cheese

1 tbs fresh rosemary leaves, minced

1 tbs fresh thyme, minced

1 tbs olive oil

extra rosemary leaves for garnish, if desired

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. In a small bowl, combine milk and lemon juice. Set aside to allow to curdle (alternatively, use 3/4 cup of buttermilk).

In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in the butter until mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in cheese and herbs. Add curdled milk and mix in until dough comes together.

Knead dough on a floured surface, adding flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Form dough into a 7-inch circle. With a floured knife, cut into 8 wedges. Place wedges about an inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Cover with cling wrap and place in freezer for ten minutes.

Remove baking sheet from the freezer and discard the cling wrap. Brush tops of the dough with olive oil and garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, or until tops are pale golden brown. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients:

1 -15oz can pumpkin

3 c heavy cream

3/4 c fine sugar

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend

3 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 c bittersweet chocolate chips or chocolate drizzle (recipe below), if desired

Directions:

In a meadium saucepan, combine pumpkin, one cup of the cream, sugar, spice, and one teaspoon of the vanilla. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Once pumpkin mixture is cooled, beat the remaining cream and vanilla to medium peaks. Fold whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture until well-combined. If desired, top with chocolate drizzle or chocolate chips before serving. Serves 8.

Chocolate Drizzle

(adapted from this Almost Vegan recipe--thanks Amber!)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tbs coconut oil

1/2 c fine sugar

1/4 c + 2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 c heavy cream

1/8 tsp vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

Directions:

In a small saucepan, melt the oil over medium heat. Whisk in sugar and cocoa powder until smooth. Slowly add cream, whisking constantly until sauce is smooth and heated through. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and salt, ans set aside. Allow to cool completely before drizzling over the mousse.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

It's fall (my favorite season!), which means sometimes all a girl needs is a comforting bowl of soup, and what's more comforting than chicken soup? While all ingredients can be prepared fresh, I admit that I cheated some. I used one can (drained) of wild rice to avoid dirtying a second pot; I also used the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken. After all, there is little comfort to be had in a meal that you know you'll have to clean multiple pans after! Using my shortcuts turns this into a one pot meal.

I served this with some slices of Italian bread topped with fresh grilled tomatoes.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

5 tbs butter

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

4 tbs flour

1/2 tbs fresh cracked pepper

6 c chicken stock

1 c milk

1 c heavy cream

3 cups prepared chicken, cubed

8 sprigs fresh thyme

2 tbs fresh oregano leaves, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 c prepared wild rice

salt to taste

1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

In a large stock pot, heat the butter over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, celery, and carrot and saute an additional 5 minutes. Stir in flour until thickenedy; add pepper.

Stir in stock, milk, and cream. Add chicken, thyme sprigs, oregano, and bay leaf. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fish out the thyme sprigs and strip the leaves off; return the thyme leaves to the soup and discard the stems. Add rice and simmer another 15 minutes. Salt to taste; stir in parsley just before serving. Makes about 8 servings of soup.

Slow Cooked Chicken Verde Tacos with Mexican Rice and Black Beans

It was Taco Night in the anti-Chef household. I've been working a ridiculous number of hours lately, so I wanted a meal that required minimal effort on my part. This chicken uses a crock pot to achieve its slow-cooked status (and allows me to sleep while my electronic sous chef does all the work). The protein has a lot of flavor, so I recommend keeping the toppings simple. As you can see in the photo, I just used some fresh avocado and cilantro to finish my soft tacos. My oldest used some leftover Chilled Avocado Soup to top hers; the youngest didn't use any toppings at all.

Slightly more time-intensive were the side dishes. The black beans and Mexican rice were made for a potluck at work, and I was blessed to have some leftovers. I've included the recipes here, of course. Know that these work quite well made ahead of time! The microwave is my friend....

I finished off the meal with a little shredded cabbage slaw and some roasted bell peppers. Aside from the chicken, this meal counts as vegetarian and vegan. Perhaps some seitan instead for the non-carnivores out there?

Slow-Cooked Chicken Tacos in Verde Sauce

Ingredients:

6 tomatillos, husks removed and halved

2 serrano peppers, stems removed and halved lengthwise

1 small yellow onion, quartered

2 cloves garlic

3/4 c cilantro

1/4 c fresh oregano

zest and juice from 1 lime

2 tbs honey

2 tsp salt

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

12 corn tortillas

toppings of choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450F. Place tomatillos and serrano peppers, cut side down, on an oiled baking sheet. Roast in oven 15-20 minutes, or until skins start to blacken.

Place roasted produce in a blender with onion, garlic, herbs, lime juice and zest, and honey. Puree with 1 teaspoon of the salt until well blended. Season chicken with remaining salt and the pepper and place in the crockpot. Cover with the tomatillo blend and cook on "Low" for 6 hours.

Using two forks, shred chicken and stir to distribute the sauce. Allow to cook another hour or two. Serve shredded chicken on warmed corn tortillas with toppings of your choice. Served 6.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

1 tbs butter or olive oil

1 c uncooked rice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 15oz can corn, drained

1 8oz can diced tomatoes with chilis

1/2 c spicy tomato juice

1 1/2 c cold water

1 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp chili powder

salt to taste

1/4 c cilantro or parsley, finely chopped

Directions:

Heat butter or oil over medium heat in a large skillet (a wok works nicely for this). Cook rice in the oil for about 10 minutes, stiring frequently, until rice just starts to brown. Add the garlic and oregano; cook another minute.

Stir remaining ingredients in and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Allow to cook for 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and salt to taste. Stir in cilantro. Makes about 5 cups of Mexican rice.

Mexican Black Beans

Ingredients:

1 tbs light olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp lime zest

1/4 tsp cayenne

2 15oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 c Mexican lager of choice

salt to taste

1/4 c cilantro or parsley, finely chopped

lime wedges

Directions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, then add garlic, oregano, and cumin; saute one more minute.

Stir in zest, cayenne, beans, and beer. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and stir in cilantro. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over beans. Makes about 4 cups of black beans.

Basil and Pepper Jack Stuffed Chicken

I have been sadly absent from this blog for awhile....not for lack of cooking, but for lack of time to take proper photos and transcribe recipes. Hopefully this simple main course will make up for my absence.

This recipe was born during the Thanksgiving trip to see my grandparents. Whenever we visit, my grandmother is constantly cooking or taking us out to dinner, and I wanted to cook for her for a change. I served this chicken with Sweet Potato Fries and a basic salad of spinach, red onion, and bacon. It was a hit with both grandparents!

Basil and Pepper Jack Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1/3 to 1/2 lb apiece

salt and pepper

1/2 c chopped fresh basil

1/4 c chopped green onion

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 c pepper jack cheese, shredded

4 tbs light olive oil

Directions:

Cut a slit in each chicken breast, creating a pocket for the filling. Season with salt and pepper inside and out.

Combine basil, onion, garlic, cheese, and 2 tbs of the oil. Divide into four equal amounts and stuff each chicken breast with the cheese mixture. If needed, use wooden toothpicks to hold each pocket closed during cooking.

Heat remaining 2 tbs oil in a grill pan over med-high. Add chicken, cover, and allow to cook for about 5 minutes. Flip chicken, reduce heat to med, and cover. Cook an additional 5 minutes, or until juices run clear.

Allow to rest 5 minutes. If toothpicks were used, remove before serving. Slice crosswise and serve. Serves 4-6.

Penne with Alfredo Sauce and Balsamic Glazed Chicken

This dinner was made especially per my oldest daughter's request. She loves anything with Alfredo sauce....especially if chicken is involved. Rather than go with the usual grilled chicken strips over pasta and sauce, I decided to play with the flavors of the chicken. I wanted a sauce that would complement the Alfredo without overpowering it; this is the result.

This is just a basic recipe for alfredo sauce. You can add a variety of things to mix it up and cater to your particular craving. My favorite additions are listed below. Add your choice (or a combination) of the following after the cheese is incorporated:

• 1 c broccoli florets. Some people like peas, and that's a possibility as well. Personally I think peas are disgusting.
• 1/2-1 c of sauteed mushrooms. Make sure to thoroughly remove the gills of the mushrooms, as they will discolor the sauce if left in.
• 1/2 cup lightly sauted yellow onion.
• 1 c prepared salad shrimp.
• 1/2 cup crumbled bacon.

When combining any of the above, plan to have a total of 1 cup of additions unless you want a very chunky sauce. Feel free to use your imagination....because alfredo isn't an authentic Italian sauce, you won't be offending anyone's cuisine by catering to your own whims!

Alternatively, you can use all parmesan cheese. I like the earthiness that the gruyere adds to the sauce, making it a more complex flavor.

Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

1 stick (8 tbs) unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pint heavy cream

1/2 c dry white wine or chicken stock

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, finely crushed

1 c shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 c shredded gruyere cheese

fresh cracked pepper and salt

chopped parsley and thin sliced red onion for garnish (if desired)

Directions:

Melt 1 tbs butter over med heat and saute garlic for 1 minute. Decrease heat to med-low; add cream, wine, and red pepper flakes. Heat through while stirring frequently. Add remaining butter and stir gently until melted.

Add cheeses; stir until melted and combined. Salt and pepper to taste (you'll need more pepper than salt in this case, as the cheese adds quite a bit of saltiness).

Serve over your favorite pasta. Garnish with parsley and red onion (optional). Makes about 8 half-cup servings.

Grilled Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt/pepper

2 tbs light olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 c balsamic vinegar

1/2 c dry white wine

1 tbs sugar

Directions:

Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat grill pan over med-high heat and add 1 tbs of the oil. Brown chicken about 2 minutes per side; remove from pan and set aside.

Lower heat to med and add remaining oil. Saute garlic for about 1 minute. Add vinegar and wine; stir to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Bring vinegar to a boil, then simmer over med heat for 10 minutes.

Add chicken back to pan and cover. Simmer 10 minutes, turning once. Remove from pan and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing. Top with remaining glaze in pan. Serves 4.

Almond Chicken with Cranberry-Balsamic Sauce

This meal was requested by my oldest daughter. She wanted something with cranberry sauce and chicken, so I obliged with this meal. Although I don't typically bread chicken, I wanted to include more almond than the sprinkling I placed across the top. Plus, a little crunch never hurt anyone!

Almond Chicken with Cranberry-Balsamic Sauce

Ingredients:

1 c rice of choice (I used jasmine rice)

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1/2 c panko

1/3 c unblanched almonds, coarsely ground

1/2 tsp each salt and fresh cracked pepper

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

2 tbs light olive oil or peanut oil

2 chopped shallots

1/2 c dry red wine or vegetable broth

1/2 can whole cranberry sauce

1/4 c balsamic vinegar

1 tbs minced fresh rosemary

1 package (9 ounces) fresh baby spinach

2 tbs sliced almonds

Directions:

Prepare rice according to package directions with 1 sprig rosemary added whole during cooking time.

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the bread crumbs, almonds, salt and pepper. Add chicken, one piece at a time, and shake to coat.

In a large nonstick skillet, cook chicken in 1 tbs oil over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.

In the same pan, cook shallots in remaining oil until tender. Stir in the wine or broth, cranberry sauce, vinegar, and minced rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5-6 minutes or until thickened.

Meanwhile, steam spinach 5-8 minutes or until spinach is wilted; salt/pepper to taste. Remove rosemary from prepared rice. Serve chicken over bed of spinach and rice; top with sauce and sliced almonds. Serves 4.