Fresh Strawberry Granita

I really enjoy having people over and cooking for them and entertaining. It makes me really happy! I love the whole process of getting the apartment ready, planning out what to prepare, lighting candles in the different rooms, making people comfortable and making sure they have a good time in our home. I love all of it!! 

Tonight, my father-in-law came over for dinner! I wanted to fix something I had already made before so that I knew it would turn out alright and would know what to do already. The dinner I made, I have already posted in my blog. I made Chicken with Dijon Vin Blanc Sauce with Mashed Sweet Potatoes. (Clicking on the names of the recipes will take you to my blog post for those recipes.) But, I added a new recipe tonight for dessert - Fresh Strawberry Granita!

The Fresh Strawberry Granita was very yummy! It was really easy to make, but does take some time. The recipe calls for 2 tbsp vodka. I MAY have added more than that. I think my hand slipped a little :-) It is a very nice, light, refreshing treat! Perfect for a warm summer evening! 

A few notes from the cook book: 1) Granita is a frozen mixture of water, sugar and flavorings. It is frequently stirred during the freezing process to produce a fine icy texture. 2) The syrup is stirred during the freezing process to keep the ice crystals large. Mixing the syrup more often will result in a smoother granita. The vodka that is added to the syrup prevents the granita from freezing as hard, but can be omitted. 3) Frozen unsweetened strawberries can be substituted for fresh, if desired. 4) This recipe can be easily doubled and can be stored in the freezer, tightly covered, for up to 3 months.

Try it out before summer is over!

Fresh Strawberry Granita

Pampered Chef Cooking for Two & More 

Published by The Pampered Chef, Ltd. in 2006.

Prep time: 15 minutes  Total time: About 3 hours, 15 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound strawberries, hulled

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons currant-flavored or plain vodka

Additional sliced strawberries and vodka (optional)

1. Combine water, sugar and salt in (2-qt.) Saucepan. Cook over low heat 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Place strawberries in blender container or food processor. Cover; blend until smooth. Add pureed strawberries, lemon juice and vodka to sugar syrup; mix well. Pour strawberry mixture into Stainless (2-qt.) Mixing Bowl.

2. Place strawberry mixture in freezer; freeze 2-3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes with Silicone Sauce Whisk until completely frozen and mixture appears finely chopped. Cover; freeze until ready to serve. if desired, serve with additional sliced strawberries and drizzle with additional vodka.

Cranberry Chicken

Mmm Mmm Mmm!!!

Do you like delicious food? Do you like to not spend much money? Do you like having little to do to get ready for dinner? Then you will love this recipe!

There is so much flavor in this dish! I am not crazy about cranberries, but the flavor combination of the cranberries mixed with the cream of mushroom soup and onion soup mix was fabulous! It says to bake in the oven for an hour and a half, but I assume that if you were to use a regular casserole dish instead of the suggested deep covered baker, then it would not take as long.

I know I have said this before about other recipes, but this one is way too good not to try!!

Cranberry Chicken

Recipes for Your Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker

Prep time: 5 minutes  Cook time: 1 hours 30 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-6 oz. each)

1 can whole berry cranberries

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 packet onion soup mix

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix one can of whole berry cranberries with can of cream of mushroom soup and one packet of onion soup mix. Pour over top of chicken in Deep Covered Baker. Cover with lid, place in oven; bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Seared Scallops with Basil Sauce

My very first attempt at cooking scallops = success!! Anybody can make this and everybody should because it is so good!

The store didn't have any fresh scallops, so we got a bag of frozen scallops and thawed them out. I'm sure it would taste even better with fresh scallops, but it was quite tasty using the frozen ones! I also used fresh tomatoes from my tomato plant. As I've said on here before, you just can't beat the flavor of a fresh tomato off of your own tomato plant - like nothing you can ever find in a store! And if you do not have the Pampered Chef Citrus & Basil Rub, then I'm sure you can find something comparable on the spice aisle at the grocery store.

Those of you that know me know that I like to make sure that both my husband and I maintain a healthy lifestyle. Scallops are a great high-protein, low-fat food full of vitamins and minerals. Another thing I love about this dish is that it leaves you feeling satisfied but not stuffed!

The sauce really brought everything together. It was very rich and creamy and paired exceptionally well with the scallops and tomatoes. I really liked the presentation also! My husband and I enjoy cruising and always make sure to go to the more formal dinners in the evening because the food is always so good. He told me tonight that this dinner looked like something we would get on a cruise. :-)

A few notes taken from the cookbook concerning the scallops: 1) A sea scallop is a small round muscle about 1 1/2 inches in diameter that is protected by two fan-shaped shells. Raw scallops should be creamy white or slightly pink in color and have a distinct sweet odor when fresh. 2) Sea scallops have a small fibrous muscle on the side which should be removed because it can toughen when cooked. 3) Be careful not to overcook scallops or they will become tough and chewy. They are deliciously tender when quickly sauteed, grilled or broiled. Scallops should be cooked until the centers are still slightly translucent.

Seared Scallops with Basil Sauce

Pampered Chef Cooking for Two & More

Published by The Pampered Chef, Ltd. in 2006.

Prep time: 15 minutes  Total time: 30 minutes  Yield: 2 servings

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

1/8 teaspoon salt

10 large sea scallops (about 1-1 1/2 ounces each)

2 teaspoons Citrus & Basil Rub

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Basil Oil or olive oil

2 cups red and yellow grape tomatoes, cut in half

Salt and coarsely ground black pepper

1. Place cream in Small Micro-Cooker; microwave on high 25-30 seconds or until hot. Add basil and salt to cream. Let stand to infuse cream with basil flavor.

2. Meanwhile, remove small muscle from side of each scallop, if necessary. Sprinkle scallops with citrus rub; dredge scallops in flour, shaking off excess. Heat (10-in.) Skillet over medium heat until hot; generously spray with oil. Add scallops and cook 4-6 minutes or until scallops are deep golden brown, turning once. Remove scallops from Skillet; drain well on paper towels.

3. Meanwhile, wipe out Skillet, lightly spray with oil and heat over medium heat until hot. Add tomato halves; season with salt and black pepper. Saute just until warm, about 30 seconds. To serve, microwave basil sauce on high an additional 30 seconds or until hot. Arrange five scallops in a circle in center of each serving plate. Spoon tomatoes into center. Drizzle sauce around edge of plate.

Brandied Dijon Pork Chops

I actually made this dish on Friday night, but the weekend has been so busy that I haven't had time to update my blog! It was so yummy! I have actually made this before, and will definitely make it again!! It is perfect for a situation when you don't have much time to cook. On Friday, we didn't have much time between work and having somewhere to be, so this was great! Not only does it take very little time to get ready, but it is delicious!

The recipe calls for bone-in pork chops, but I forgot to write that down when I was making my grocery list, so I got boneless pork chops. I used bone-in last time I made this. Either way works just fine! It also calls for 2 tbsp of brandy. I personally think this can be optional. Last time I made this dish, I didn't use brandy because I didn't have time to get up to the store. This time I did use brandy. It is hard to compare the flavor without having it back to back (with brandy or without brandy), but I remember thinking how delicious it was last time I made it and it was very delicious this past Friday when I made it. So, I'll leave that up to you! If you do decide to get the brandy but don't want a whole bottle of it, then an airplane bottle is more than enough for what the recipe calls for.

The sauce has so much flavor to it! The Dijon flavor really comes through and gives the sauce a nice little kick. The flavors of the Dijon, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce combine really well. The cookbook suggests making Pecan Green Beans as a side. No one in our house likes pecans, so I just made regular green beans, but here is the recipe for the Pecan Green Beans:

Place 8 oz green beans, trimmed, 2 tbsp butter and 1/3 cup chopped pecans in Large Micro-Cooker. Microwave on high 4-6 minutes or until green beans are crisp-tender, stirring every 2 minutes.

Brandied Dijon Pork Chops

Pampered Chef 29 Minutes to Dinner, Volume 2 

Published by The Pampered Chef, Ltd. in 2009

Total time: 22 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

Pork

1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 bone-in pork chops, cut 3/4 in. thick (6-8 oz each)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

Sauce

3 shallots (about 1/3 cup finely chopped)

2 tbsp butter

3 garlic cloves, pressed

2/3 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp brandy

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Pecan Green Beans

1. Add oil to  (12-in.) Skillet; heat over medium heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Season pork with salt and black pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Add pork to Skillet; cook 6-8 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Remove from Skillet.

2. Meanwhile, finely chop shallots with Food Chopper. Add shallots, butter and pressed garlic to Skillet; cook and stir 30-60 seconds or until garlic is fragrant. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients; simmer 2 minutes. Add pork; cook 3-5 minutes or until Pocket Thermometer registers 155°F, turning pork to coat with sauce. Remove from heat (temperature will rise to 160°F).

3. Serve pork with green beans, if desired; drizzle sauce over pork.

Thai Chicken & Vegetable Skillet

If you like Thai food and peanut butter, then you will love this recipe!

I was a little skeptical going into this one. I have never been a big fan of stir-fry type dishes and I do not like soy sauce. I'm starting to think that this was just a childhood thing and I just haven't given those types of dishes a chance since then. I'm warming up to stir-fry type skillet dishes, but I still don't like soy sauce. :-) 

This dish turned out really good! I was even a little hesitant leading up to the first bite. But, once I tasted it, I was pleasantly surprised! I have had Thai food only a few times before, and did enjoy those few times. The peanut butter flavor really comes through in this dish, which to me is quite delicious. The dish as a whole has a different, unique taste to it. Much better than I was expecting! 

If you do not have the Pampered Chef Thai Red Curry Rub, then you can substitute that with 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste, which I found in the Asian section in Food Lion. If you use the paste instead of the rub, then prepare the recipe as directed, using 2 tsp of the curry paste in the sauce and combining remaining 1 tsp curry paste with chicken mixture.

Thai Chicken & Vegetable Skillet

Pampered Chef More Weekday Dinners - Done!

Published by The Pampered Chef, Ltd. in 2010.

Total time: 30 minutes  Yield: 6 servings

3 limes, divided

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup chicken broth

3 tbsp Thai Red Curry Rub, divided

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 medium onion, cut lengthwise into quarters

1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

2 medium carrots, peeled

6 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, divided

2 cups uncooked instant white rice

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup frozen cut green beans, thawed

1. Juice two limes to measure 3 tbsp. Cut remaining lime into six wedges; set aside. In Small Batter Bowl, combine juice, peanut butter, broth, 2 tbsp of the rub, soy sauce and pressed garlic; whisk until smooth and set aside. Cut onion quarters crosswise into 1/2-in. strips using (5-in.) Santoku Knife. Cut bell pepper strips in half crosswise. Cut carrots into julienne strips using Julienne Peeler; cut strips into 2-in. pieces. Combine carrots and 2 tbsp of the cilantro in (2-cup) Prep Bowl; set aside.

2. Cook rice according to package directions. Cut chicken crosswise on a bias into 1/2-in. slices. Combine chicken, remaining rub and salt in Classic Batter Bowl. Heat oil in (12-in.) Skillet over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Cook chicken 5-7 minutes or until chicken is browned and centers are no longer pink, stirring occasionally.

3. Add onion, bell pepper and beans to Skillet. Cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove Skillet from heat. Add peanut butter mixture and remaining cilantro to Skillet; mix well. To serve, divide rice among plates; top with chicken and carrot mixtures. Serve with lime wedges.

Peel & Eat Barbecue Prawns (with Corn Relish)

My 20th post! Woohoo! I couldn't think of a better recipe to do for my 20th post. This recipe was delicious! I was pretty sad when I realized I had cleaned my plate and there was no more! This will definitely go high on my list of recipes to do again soon.

The recipe calls for the Pampered Chef Smoky Barbecue Rub. I was very fortunate this past weekend - my wonderful mother-in-law gave me a ton of the Pampered Chef rubs. So excited!! If you do not have the special Pampered Chef rubs, then you can find different brands of rubs in the grocery store by the other seasonings. But, I'm not gonna lie to you - this Pampered Chef Smoky Barbecue Rub was goooooood!! :-)

The sauce that the shrimp marinated in gave the shrimp several layers of flavor. As I ate the shrimp, I first got the smokey grilled flavor, then came the barbecue, and on about the third or fourth bite came the hot sauce. I love when food or drink has so much flavor and comes in waves like that. I feel it helps you appreciate each individual flavor before it all comes together. It was just enough hot sauce to give it a little kick. If you're a fan of hot sauce, feel free to add even more!

The shrimp was also very juicy! I was a little confused as to why the recipe called to leave the shells on the shrimp, but Pampered Chef anticipated my question. There is a side note in the cookbook that keeping the shells on shrimp helps to keep them moist and heightens their flavor during grilling. Another side notes states that double skewers keep the shrimp from spinning when you turn them on the grill.

The corn relish complimented the shrimp quite well, and had its own unique yummy taste. I never thought to mix corn, red pepper and onion in coleslaw dressing. Brilliant! Instead of buying prepared coleslaw dressing, I made the homemade version that is listed in the cookbook. I listed that under the ingredients below.

Enjoy!

Peel & East Barbecue Prawns (with Corn Relish)

Pampered Chef Grill it Quick! 

Published by The Pampered Chef, Ltd. in 2008.

Prep time: 20 minutes  Total time: 30 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

Shrimp

2 tbsp Smoky Barbecue Rub

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp Louisiana hot sauce

2 garlic cloves, pressed

16 jumbo uncooked, shell-on shrimp (13-15 per pound), devined

8 12-in. bamboo skewers

Corn Relish

4 ears fresh corn, husks and silk removed, or 3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

1/2 medium red bell pepper

2 green onions with tops (about 1/2 cup sliced)

3 tbsp prepared coleslaw dressing (or combine 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and 1/8 tsp salt)

1. Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat. For shrimp, combine rub, oil, hot sauce and garlic pressed with Garlic Press in Stainless (4-qt.) Mixing Bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat and refrigerate until ready to grill.

2. For relish, cut off ends of ears of corn, creating a flat base. Stand upright on cutting board and remove kernels with Santoku Knife. Dice bell pepper and slice green onions. Combine corn, bell pepper, green onions and coleslaw dressing in Classic Batter Bowl. Cover and refrigerate. 

3. Lay shrimp flat on Cutting Board; thread four pieces of shrimp evenly down length of one skewer. Holding shrimp steady, insert a second skewer parallel to the first skewer. Repeat with remaining shrimp and six additional skewers.

4. Grill shrimp 3 minutes or until shells are blackened on one side. Turn using BBQ Tongs; grill 3-5 minutes or until shells are blackened and shrimp are opaque throughout. Serve shrimp with relish.

Swedish-Style Turkey Meatballs

I have to say, I was pretty dang pleased with myself tonight! This recipe was great! It was a night of firsts for me. This was the fist time I have ever made homemade meatballs, the first time I have made Swedish meatballs, and the first time I have ever even HAD Swedish meatballs.

Because I have never had Swedish meatballs before, I don't have anything to compare this recipe to. But, it tasted delicious! I like ground turkey over ground beef, so I was excited that that was what the recipe called for. The recipe was really easy to follow, even for someone like me who has never made meatballs before. I really don't have any extra explaining to do. If you just follow exactly what the recipe says then you will be good to go!

If you do not have the Pampered Chef Cinnamon Plus Spice Blend, then you can find Allspice in any grocery store. One note that the cookbook shares: "As the flour and butter are whisked in the Skillet, the browned bits left over from cooking the meatballs are incorporated, adding flavor. Whisking until the mixture forms a smooth paste prevents lumps from forming in the sauce." And there really was a lot of flavor in this dish! The spices and onion mixed together with the ground turkey produced some very tasty meatballs!

The recipe suggests making boiled fingerling potatoes to go with the meatballs. I have never heard of a fingerling potato and had to google it! However, like many things so far, my grocery store did not have fingerling potatoes. I just got some russet potatoes instead and cut those up and followed the same directions for the fingerling potatoes. I also sprinkled some salt, pepper and parsley on the potatoes right before I served them.

I am definitely going to have to make this again very soon! It is too delicious not to!


Swedish-Style Turkey Meatballs
Pampered Chef 29 Minutes to Dinner, Volume 2
Published by The Pampered Chef, Ltd. in 2009.

Total time: 25 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

1 medium onion
2 slices day-old French bread (1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs)
1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp Cinnamon Plus Spice Blend or all spice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 tsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
1 can (14 oz) beef broth
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Boiled Fingerling Potatoes (optional, see below)

1. Finely chop onion and bread using Food Chopper. Combine onion, bread crumbs, turkey, egg, spice blend, salt and black pepper in Classic Batter Bowl; mix gently but thoroughly with Mix 'N Scraper. Heat oil in (12-in.) Skillet over medium heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Using rounded Medium Scoop, form turkey mixture into 20 meatballs. Place meatballs in Skillet; cook 6-8 minutes or until browned, turning once using Small Slotted Turner. Remove from Skillet; set aside.
2. Add flour and butter to Skillet, whisking to form a smooth paste using Silicone Flat Whisk. Slowly add broth and cream, stirring constantly; cook 1-2 minutes or until sauce comes to a simmer. Return meatballs to Skillet; cook, covered, 4-5 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink in the centers.
3. To serve, divide meatballs and sauce among serving plates; serve with potatoes, if desired.

Boiled Fingerling Potatoes
Slice 1 lb fingerling potatoes in half lengthwise. Place potatoes, 1 tsp salt and enough water to cover in Large Micro-Cooker. Microwave on high 10-12 minutes or until fork-tender.

Asparagus Stir-Fry

I took a break from Pampered Chef tonight and tried a recipe from another food blog. I have been thinking lately that I would like to start adding a vegetarian dish one night a week to our menu. I discussed this with my dear friend, Sara, whom I knew only had meat one night a week and cooked vegetarian the rest of the week. She often uses tofu. Like a lot of people, I have always held the stereotypical view that tofu is gross. Sara gave me a few recipes to help us ease into the use of tofu and vegetarian dishes, one of which comes from a GREAT food blog that I used tonight! So, I decided to give tofu a try. To use a phrase that my husband, brother-in-law and I often use, I guess I was feeling a little squirrely. :-)

Going into this recipe tonight, I was still a little nervous about what the tofu would be like. The recipe was really easy to follow, and I love getting to use my wok! I thought everything turned out really good! It was a bit more spicy than I was expecting. I'm not sure why I didn't see the crushed red pepper flakes in the ingredients and not think to myself that this would be a spicy hot dish...

I wasn't really sure what to expect with the tofu, but it wasn't as bad as I always thought it would be! It actually wasn't bad at all. I will definitely use it again. The consistency is something that I would have to get used to, but the tofu in this dish had a good flavor to it.

Instead of posting the recipe, I am going to post a link to the food blog that it came from. This is a great food blog (and a bit more professional than mine)! Step outside of your comfort zone and give this tofu recipe a try!

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/asparagus-stirfry-recipe.html

Greek Islands Steak Salad

I hope everybody had a great weekend! I had a terrific weekend and this was such a great recipe to wrap it up with! Easy to make and full of flavor!

I have always been a big fan of Greek flavored dishes. The combination of flavors is so yummy to me! This salad was quite delicious and the steak tasted really good with the Greek flavors. The feta cheese crumbles really topped it off!

The recipe is very easy to follow. As I have said before, I love any opportunity to use the grill! The cookbook has a side note that if you don't have the Pampered Chef Greek Rub, then you can substitute that with 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper and 1/8 tsp dried oregano leaves.

I know a lot of people automatically have a baked potato with their steak, but try substituting that baked potato with this Greek salad next time you grill a steak at home! Enjoy!


Greek Islands Steak Salad
Pampered Chef Grill it Quick!
Published by The Pampered Chef, Ltd. in 2008.

Prep time: 20 minutes  Total time: 30 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

Steak
1.5 lb beef flank steak
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Greek Rub

Dressing
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Greek Rub
1 large garlic clove, pressed
2 tbsp pitted, chopped kalamata olives
2 tbsp chopped pepperoncini peppers

Salad
6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup diced seedless cucumber
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Additional sliced pepperoncini peppers and kalamata olives (optional)

1. Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat. For steak, brush steak with oil; sprinkle with rub and press into meat. Let stand until ready to grill.
2. For dressing, whisk together ingredients in Small Batter Bowl; set aside.
3. Grill steak, covered, 4 minutes or until grill marks appear. Turn with BBQ Tongs and grill 4-6 minutes or until Pocket Thermometer registers 140°F for medium-rare or 150°F for medium doneness. Transfer steak from grill to cutting board; tent with foil and let stand 10 minutes (temperature will rise about 5°F). Slice steak across the grain into 1/4-in. slices.
4. For salad, toss spinach and cucumber with half of the dressing in Stainless (4-qt.) Mixing Bowl. To serve, divide salad among serving plates; arrange steak on top. Drizzle steak with remaining dressing. Top with feta cheese and additional peppers and olives, if desired.

Quick Chicken Cacciatore

My fifth post within one week! I'm trying to assist in my husband and I leading a healthier life style by cooking more and eating out less. We have only eaten out once in the past seven days! However, I do wish that this recipe was more enjoyable. I have to say, this one wasn't my favorite.

I love all of the ingredients... chicken, mushrooms, bell pepper, tomatoes...  but this recipe just didn't do it for me! The meal as a whole tasted bland to me. The recipe calls for frozen breaded chicken breast patties, which I was not excited about. I would have much rather cooked some boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You just can't compare frozen, breaded chicken breast patties with fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I am actually surprised that Pampered Chef would recommend using the frozen chicken breast patties. They just didn't taste good!

The Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes that I got didn't have much flavor to it, and the fact that it covered everything else added to the overall bland flavor of the meal, I'm sure. It is a great recipe if you need something quick, but don't expect much flavor. As my husband said, this recipe didn't seem to be on the same level as the other Pampered Chef recipes I have done so far. But, as I said, good for if you need something quick, low-fat and low-calorie!

Quick Chicken Cacciatore

Pampered Chef Main Dishes

Published by The Pampered Chef, Ltd. in 2000.

Prep and cook time: 30 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

1 package (10.5 ounces) frozen fat-free breaded chicken breast patties, partially thawed

1 medium green bell pepper

4 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 1 cup)

1 small onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)

8 ounces uncooked linguine

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes, undrained

1 garlic clove, pressed

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. To partially thaw chicken patties, follow package microwave heating directions except microwave on high 1 minutes only. Cut chicken patties into 3/4-inch strips and bell pepper into thin strips using Chef's Knife. Slice mushrooms with Egg Slicer Plus. Chop onion using Food Chopper.

2. Cook linguine according to package directions in 4-qt. Casserole. Drain and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, heat Family Skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Lightly spray with olive oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Add chicken patty strips; cook 5 minutes, turning frequently with Nylon Turner.

4. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, mushrooms, onion and garlic pressed with Garlic Press. Bring to a boil; cover. Reduce heat; simmer 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve over hot linguine. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Mojito Chicken Salad

This is the perfect light summery meal! Everything paired so nicely together. The meal as a whole was quite refreshing. This was my first time cooking with fresh mint leaves, and it sure did make my kitchen smell good! 

The meal was really easy to prepare. I always get excited when a recipe calls to use the grill. The smell of a charcoal grill burning is one of my favorite smells... Right up there next to fresh cut grass, vanilla, frozen bread (childhood memory), and my husband's cologne. Of course, if you did not have access to an outside grill, the chicken could be prepared on a George Foreman grill or something like that.

As I already said, the flavor combination was exceptional! Everything paired perfectly together and brought out the flavors of the other ingredients. Another healthy meal that left you feeling satisfied but not stuffed! 

Mojito Chicken Salad

Pampered Chef Grill it Quick!

Published by The Pampered Chef, Ltd. in 2008.

Prep time: 20 minutes  Total time: 30 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

Dressing

1 can (15 oz) mandarin oranges in light syrup, undrained

3 tbsp sugar

2 limes

3 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves

1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

Chicken and Salad

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-6 oz each)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

4 cups baby spring mix salad blend

1. Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat. For dressing, drain syrup from mandarin oranges into Small Batter Bowl; stir in sugar (set aside oranges for salad). Microwave on high 10-12 minutes or until syrup is thickened and reduced by half (about 6 tbsp). Zest limes to measure 2 tsp zest; juice limes into batter bowl. Add lime, zest, chopped mint, cayenne pepper and oil. Reserve 1/4 cup of the dressing in Prep Bowl for brushing over chicken. Refrigerate remaining dressing for salad.

2. For chicken, season chicken with salt and black pepper. Grill chicken, covered, 5 minutes or until grill marks appear. Turn chicken over; brush with reserved dressing and grill 5-7 minutes or until Pocket Thermometer registers 170°F in thickest part of breast and juices run clear. (Discard any remaining dressing used for brushing on chicken.) Transfer chicken from grill to Large Grooved Cutting Board; let stand 5 minutes.

3. For salad, toss salad blend with 2 tbsp of the dressing; divide evenly among serving plates. Cut chicken into thin slices; arrange over salad. Top with reserved mandarin oranges. Drizzle with remaining dressing.

Dijon-Crusted Halibut and Roasted Asparagus

I know what you're thinking. "Hey! That isn't halibut!" I went to two different grocery stores and there was no halibut! This seems to be a recurring theme for me - not being able to find what I need at the grocery store. So, instead of halibut, I got flounder. I assume you could substitute the halibut with any white fish if your local grocery store doesn't carry it. The flounder worked out perfect!

Because I had flounder instead of halibut, which is thinner, I set the oven at 400°F instead of 450°. I assumed it wouldn't take as much heat to cook because it is so much thinner and I didn't want to scorch the fish. Having the flounder in the oven at 400°F for 11 minutes was just right. The fish was juicy and tender and the asparagus turned out fine at that temperature as well. If you do get halibut though, I would follow the recipe as it says.

There was a lot of flavor with the dijon sauce and bread crumb mixture and paired nicely with the fish. You need to be a fan of dijon mustard though, because the flavor really came though. It was really good! This was also my first time making asparagus. Brushing the asparagus with oil and seasoning with salt and pepper was really tasty! From what I've heard, most people normally steam asparagus, but putting it through the oven turned out great. Everything was delicious!

Another healthy, low calorie (270 per serving) meal that takes little time and is easy to make!

Dijon-Crusted Halibut and Roasted Asparagus

Pampered Chef 29 Minutes to Dinner

Published by The Pampered Chef, Ltd. in 2007.

Total time: 18 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

2 slices French bread

1 tbsp snipped fresh parsley

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp Garlic Oil or olive oil, divided

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, pressed

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

4 boneless, skinless halibut fillets (4 oz each)

1 lb asparagus spears

Additional oil, salt and coarsely ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Chop bread using Food Chopper. Snip parsley using Kitchen Shears. Combine bread crumbs and 1 tbsp of the oil in Small Micro-Cooker. Microwave on high 1 minute or until bread crumbs are light golden brown and crisp, stirring after 30 seconds. Cool slightly and stir in parsley.

2. Whisk mustard, pressed garlic, salt black pepper and remaining 1 tsp oil in Stainless (2-qt.) Mixing Bowl. Place halibut on Large Bar Pan; spread 1 tbsp of the mustard mixture evenly onto each fillet. Press bread crumbs onto mustard mixture.

3. Trim asparagus. Cut asparagus in half crosswise and brush with additional oil; season with salt and black pepper. Arrange asparagus next to halibut in a single layer on bar pan. Bake 11-13 minutes or until halibut flakes easily with a fork and crust is golden brown.