#SaveTheBiscuit: Berry Salad w/Poppy Seed Dressing & Buttermilk Biscuit Croutons

You know what they say - When life gives you left-over buttermilk biscuits, make croutons!

Wait a minute, I think I got that a little bit wrong.  ;)

But seriously, where have buttermilk biscuit croutons BEEN all my life?!?  They are insanely delicious right out of the oven, and equally amazing after they've cooled and hardened a bit.  I came across the idea in the May 2014 issue of Southern Living magazine, and wondered, "Why haven't I thought of this before?"

This is a wonderfully fresh take on the classic buttermilk biscuit and is the perfect way to use up extra biscuits that you might have on-hand.  Because we all know, it would simply be a crying shame to waste something as mouth-watering as a homemade biscuit!

I paired these croutons with a flavor-packed salad that will be one of your favorites this summer.  It's filled with fresh strawberries, blueberries, toasted walnuts, goat cheese, red onion, chicken, biscuit croutons, and sunflower kernels.  A drizzle of a sweet and tangy poppy seed dressing pulls it all together.  

Another thing that made this salad so spectacular is the fresh greens that were grown by my incredible in-laws.  They are the best and have made me feel like a part of their family since the first day we met.  I sure do love them and feel so lucky to have them in my life. 

This year, they planted a bountiful garden that includes sugar snap peas, assorted salad greens, strawberries, carrots, swiss chard, tomatoes, radishes, and cilantro.  They also have a number of fruit trees/bushes - fig, blueberry, peach, cherry, and raspberry.  I might even be leaving a few things off.  Needless to say, it's so much fun venturing over to their house to sample the latest offerings of the garden.  

The greens really made this salad.  There's nothing better than picking your own produce and eating it right away.   All those bagged salad greens at the grocery store really pale in comparison.  I've included a few photos of the garden below.

This is the fourth installment in my #SaveTheBiscuit series with the great folks at White Lily flour.  You can see my other White Lily posts here:

Just Peachy Shortcake with Toasted Pecans & Maple Drizzle
Caramel Pecan Biscuit Bake
A Buttermilk Biscuit Tutorial

Bon Appetit, my friends!

My awesome in-laws, Travis and Carol, with my little niece, Amber.  Love them!

Gorgeous salad greens growing in their garden.

Swiss Chard...Mmm...

Fresh greens, right after a light rain.

A cute little sugar snap pea.

Berry Salad w/Poppy Seed Dressing & Buttermilk Biscuit Croutons

Ingredients:

For the salad:

4-5 large handfuls of your favorite salad greens

1 lb. strawberries, sliced

1 cup blueberries

1 cup toasted walnuts

1/3 cup sunflower kernels

1/2 red onion, minced

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1 rotisserie chicken

For the Croutons:

(Adapted from Southern Living magazine, May 2014)

3-4 buttermilk biscuits, cooled

Salt & pepper, to taste

Extra virgin olive oil 

For the Dressing:

(Adapted from:  Taste of Home)

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar

2 tablespoons orange juice

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds 

Directions:

Follow THIS RECIPE to make the buttermilk biscuits.

Let biscuits cool completely and then slice into small, crouton-sized cubes.  Place biscuit pieces on a silicon-lined baking sheet in a single layer.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.   Place in a 400 degree F oven for 10 minutes, or until crisp and lightly toasted.

Meanwhile, remove chicken from the bone and cut or shred into bite-sized pieces.  Set aside.

Place the salad greens into a large bowl.  Add the strawberries, blueberries, toasted walnuts, sunflower kernels, red onion, crumbled goat cheese and chicken.  Gently toss to combine all ingredients.

Divide salad onto individual serving plates and lightly dress with the desired amount of vinaigrette, reserving extra for later use.

To make the dressing:

In a blender, combine the first six ingredients; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Stir in poppy seeds. Chill until serving.  Yield: 1 cup.

A Cornbread Potluck! - Buffalo Chicken Cornbread & Blue Cheese Salad

Cornbread is so under-rated, don't you think?  There are so many fun things you can do with it.  For example, this recipe incorporates buffalo chicken, cheddar cheese, blue cheese and freshly chopped cilantro right in the batter.  Um, yum! 

And if that deliciousness isn't quite enough for you, a flavorful salad is served right on top of a generous wedge of the cornbread, making this an excellent addition to your weeknight repertoire.  Before eating this, I had never seen a salad served on TOP of cornbread, which I thought was pretty creative and made for a great pairing.

Upon first bite, Brad was hooked.  He loved this cornbread, and I'm usually the only bread fanatic around here.  In fact, this dish is so fantastic, that it actually won first place in the Martha White-Lodge Cast Iron National Cornbread Cook-Off in 2009!  I mean, come on...You can't go wrong here.

I was also hooked the first time I had this dish.  It was at the Martha White/White Lily Southern Baking Retreat last year, which I blogged about HERE.  That was SUCH a fun trip!!  The first day of the retreat, we had the opportunity to sample winning recipes from previous years of the cornbread cook-off.  This particular dish certainly stood out to me, along with several others.  Needless to say, we were all one bite away from total cornbread comas after lunch.  ;)

Speaking of the National Cornbread Cook-Off Recipe Contest, they are currently accepting entries through 2/28.  So, if you've got a cornbread recipe that you're famous all over town for, this is your chance to shine!  

To celebrate the cook-off, Martha White is hosting a virtual cornbread potluck, and this dish is what I'm bringing to the "table."  There are 9 other fantastic bloggers participating, so please take a moment to give their blogs some lovin' and check out their cornbread recipes.  This list will surely get your cornbread wheels turning and might even inspire you to enter the contest yourself!  The official contest rules can be found HERE.

Pass the cornbread, ya'll!

Robyn: Add a Pinch

Tomato Basil Soup with Cornbread Croutons

Melissa: Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen

Cornbread & Sausage Quiche

Lorie: Mississippi Kitchen (Lorie was last year’s Grand Prize winner at the Cook-Off!)

Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Cornbread

Tina: Mommy’s Kitchen

Chili Cornbread Skillet

Stacey: Southern Bite

Mom's Mexican Cornbread

Christy: Southern Plate

Red Beans & Cornbread

Jackie: Syrup & Biscuits

Peachy BBQ Chicken & Cornbread Skillet

Brandie: The Country Cook

White Chicken Chili with Cornbread Dumplings

Linda: Southern Pantry
Monte Cristo Cornbread Skillet 

Bon Appetit, my friends!

   
Buffalo Chicken Cornbread & Blue Cheese Salad
Adapted from:  marthawhite.com
Note:  The original recipe called for iceberg lettuce, but I substituted with a spring mix to add a few extra nutrients and pretty color.  I also omitted the red pepper flakes, because I'm a total wuss and can't handle the heat. ;)

Ingredients:

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

Cornbread:

• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons Crisco® Pure Olive Oil
• 1 (6.5 oz.) package Martha White® Yellow Cornbread & Muffin Mix
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2 cups cooked, frozen, boneless buffalo-style hot wings, thawed and diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Salad:

• 4 cups spring mix salad, roughly chopped or torn into small pieces
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2/3 cup blue cheese salad dressing
• 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
• Cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400º F. Spray 10 1/2-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet with no-stick cooking spray. Stir egg, milk and oil together. Add cornbread mix, Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup blue cheese, diced hot wings, red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Stir until well blended. Pour mixture into prepared skillet, spreading evenly. Bake 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool.
2. Combine lettuce, celery, red onion and 1/2 cup blue cheese. Toss with blue cheese dressing. Cut cornbread into 8 wedges. Top each wedge with an even amount of salad. Garnish with diced tomatoes and cilantro.

VARIATION

1. RANCH STYLE: Omit blue cheese from cornbread and salad. Substitute ranch dressing for blue cheese dressing.
   
   

   

Warm Quinoa, Spinach, Chicken & Mushroom Salad

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Can you believe 2014 is already here?  Last year seemed to go by so quickly, and I hope it was a fantastic year for you.  Personally, I'm super excited about 2014 and can't wait to see what it has in store. 

The recipe I'm bringing you today is a hearty, warm salad that will be an easy, flavorful addition to your weeknight repertoire.  The ingredients are common and making use of a rotisserie chicken takes this dish up even one more notch on the simplicity scale.  Plus, anytime I can incorporate a little healthy quinoa into a meal, I'm in.

First, a quick dressing is whipped up using red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper.  Half of this dressing is drizzled over the mushrooms, and then they are broiled until tender.  Delish.  After that, all that's left is cooking the quinoa and then mixing together all the ingredients in a big ole' bowl - baby spinach, chicken, quinoa, mushrooms and the remaining dressing.  A sprinkling of crumbled feta cheese perfectly finishes it all off.

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Warm Quinoa, Spinach, Chicken & Mushroom Salad
Adapted from:  Everyday Food: Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar 
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil  
Coarse salt and ground pepper  
2 pounds button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced  
1 1/2 cups quinoa  
1 pound baby spinach 
2 cups cooked chicken, diced (a rotisserie chicken is a great time saver!)
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Heat broiler; set rack 4 inches from heat. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

On a large rimmed broiler-proof baking sheet, toss mushrooms with about half the dressing (reserve the rest); broil, tossing occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine quinoa, 3 cups water, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Cover, and simmer until liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.

Place spinach and cooked chicken in a large bowl; add hot mushrooms, quinoa, and reserved dressing. Toss to combine (spinach will wilt slightly). Top with crumbled feta, and serve immediately.

Tostadas Salsa Verde

 

Oh, how I love this dish.  First of all, Brad and I adore Mexican food.  We make it a point to fit it into our schedules at least once a week, if not more.  Secondly, this dish is so easy and flavorful, that I made it three times within the same week.  See, we had extra ingredients on hand after the first night, and I didn't want them to go to waste.  The solution?  Enjoy it multiple times, of course!

Making use of a rotisserie chicken makes this meal even easier.  If you can't get your hands on a rotisserie chicken, simply poach some chicken breasts ahead of time and shred the meat.  In fact, that's what the original recipe called for.

The tortillas are covered with shredded cheese and then baked to crispy, cheesy perfection.  Then, they are topped with a mixture of tender chicken, salsa verde, fresh cilantro and ground cumin.  This all bakes in the oven until piping hot, and then it's served with a mountain of shredded lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream on top.

Um, yum!

It sort of reminded me of a Mexican pizza of sorts.  You'll love this, folks!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Tostadas Salsa Verde
Adapted from:  Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart, pg. 211

Ingredients:
4 (6-inch) flour tortillas
3 ounces shredded (3/4 cup) pepper Jack cheese
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken)
1 cup jarred green salsa, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped, plus 2 tablespoons cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
3 plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange tortillas on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese evenly over tortillas; bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together chicken, salsa, 1/4 cup cilantro, and cumin. Spoon mixture evenly over tortillas; bake until heated through, about 8 minutes.

Top with lettuce, tomato, and sour cream. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Serve immediately, with additional green salsa, if desired. 

Smoked Chicken Salad

I love a good, tasty salad, and pretty much any salad that incorporates roasted walnuts, pecans or almonds is at the top of my list.   This one caught my eye while scanning the pages of my latest Food Network Magazine.  While glancing at the ingredients list, I noticed something that I had never cooked with before - hearts of palm.  I had heard of this unfamiliar ingredient before but never used it.  I was intrigued, so I dog-eared the page.

Fast forward about a week, and this salad graced our dinner table.  If you're a fan of salad dressings made with greek yogurt, then you'll love this.  It's such a healthy alternative to others.  The blue cheese knocks the dressing down a few notches on the healthy scale, but it adds a great creaminess and flavor to the dressing, which complements the roasted walnuts wonderfully.

To be honest, Brad was not a huge fan of this salad, for two reasons:  

#1:  He doesn't really like greek yogurt
#2:  He wasn't crazy about the flavor of the hearts of palm.  

On the other hand, I thought this salad was really good.  If you're unsure about the hearts of palm, just leave it out.  In my opinion, it's not really vital.  The original recipe also included beets, which I did leave out.

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Smoked Chicken Salad
Adapted from:  Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:

1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 6-ounce package baby spinach
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 14-ounce can hearts of palm, drained and halved lengthwise
3 small cucumbers, roughly chopped
1 8-ounce smoked chicken breast, thinly sliced
4 whole-grain dinner rolls

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and roast until golden, 10 to 12 minutes; let cool slightly, then chop.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: Whisk the yogurt, blue cheese, shallot and 1 tablespoon water in a large bowl; whisk in another tablespoon of water if the dressing is too thick. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the spinach, tomatoes, hearts of palm, cucumbers and beets to the bowl with the dressing and toss. Add the chicken and toss again. Divide among plates and top with the walnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the rolls.

Per serving: Calories 370; Fat 14 g (Saturated 4 g); Cholesterol 42 mg; Sodium 1,514 mg; Carbohydrate 46 g; Fiber 12 g; Protein 25 g

 

Rosemary Chicken with Corn Quinoa

 

Can I just start out by saying how much I loved this meal?  It's such a flavor-packed combination that's filled with healthy goodness like red quinoa, corn and kale.  But, this isn't one of those puny, healthy meals that leaves you hungry.  No sir...This is one of those dinners that will make you realize that eating healthy can be delicious!

Plus, it's such a pretty meal, that you'll want to dig right in.  The chicken is super simple to make.  Chicken breasts are flavored with fresh rosemary, salt & pepper, and then sauteed until done.  Next, the quinoa is flavored with onions, garlic, fresh basil, mint and lemon juice.

Mmm.

My mouth is seriously watering right now.

Be sure and use fresh rosemary, basil and mint if possible.  Fresh herbs make a big difference with this recipe.  

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Rosemary Chicken with Corn Quinoa
Adapted from:  Southern Living magazine September 2013

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh Corn Quinoa (recipe below)

Directions: 
Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and rosemary. 

Cook in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes on each side or until done. 

Serve with quinoa.

Fresh Corn Quinoa
Adapted from:  Southern Living magazine September 2013

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked red quinoa
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups water
2 small onions, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh corn kernels
6 cups shredded kale
1/2 cup torn basil
1/4 cup torn mint
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Bring quinoa, salt, and water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until tender; drain. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, sauté onions in hot olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat 3 minutes or until tender.  Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add corn kernels and shredded kale; cook 2 minutes or until wilted.  Add quinoa, basil, mint, and fresh lemon juice.

Baked Gnocchi with Chicken

Here in Birmingham, AL, the leaves are JUST starting to change color, and there's been a wonderful nip in the air at night.  Last evening while out and about with the hubs, I wished I had a light coat for the first time all season.  Autumn is upon us, which is undoubtedly my favorite time of the year.  

This recipe for Baked Gnocchi with Chicken is absolutely perfect for these cooler nights.  It is a hearty dish that will warm your tummy and leave you happy.  The word "comforting" comes to mind when trying to describe this dinner.

I've been slightly obsessed with gnocchi lately.  I don't know what it is.  I've been purchasing store-bought gnocchi, but I'd love to learn to make it from scratch.  Oh, one of these days!  There's no better time than the present, I reckon.  I need to add that to my culinary "To-Do" list.  Who has a homemade gnocchi recipe they'd be willing to share?

I loved this dish because it's packed with sauteed mushrooms, wilted baby spinach, and parmesan cheesy goodness.  The chicken broth and nutmeg really help develop some great flavors.  Plus, the use of a rotisserie chicken makes this meal really easy to whip together.

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Baked Gnocchi with Chicken
Adapted from Food Network magazine

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded (about 2 cups)
1 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi
1 1/2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)

Directions:

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a deep ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and wipe out the skillet.

Melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat; add the flour and cook, whisking, 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk and chicken broth until smooth; simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon salt and the nutmeg.

Add the chicken, mushrooms, gnocchi and spinach to the sauce and stir until coated and the spinach wilts. Sprinkle with the parmesan, transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Turn on the broiler; broil until lightly browned on top, about 3 more minutes.

Per serving: Calories 598; Fat 35 g (Saturated 16 g); Cholesterol 177 mg; Sodium 984 mg; Carbohydrate 32 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 39 g

Fresh Arugula Salad with Bacon, Tomatoes, Feta & Quail Eggs + My Favorite Balsamic Vinaigrette

I've been searching for the perfect balsamic vinaigrette that's easy to make at home and tastes delectable.  I'm thrilled to say that I've finally perfected said recipe and am eager to share it with you all!

This salad was inspired by a trip to our local farmers market a few weeks ago.  I purchased some gorgeous arugula, red & yellow tomatoes, and a dozen cute-as-a-button quail eggs.  That's the thing I adore about farmers markets...I always find something new and exciting that I usually don't cook or bake with.  

When I stumbled upon these quail eggs, I knew that I had to try some.  This is the first time I've cooked with them, and it was a success.  They taste just like a regular egg (surprise!), with a mild flavor.  Just be careful not to overcook them, and you'll be good to go.

A fantastic salad is one of my favorite things to eat during the summer.  The flavor combinations are endless and change with what's in season.  This dressing is a wonderful staple that will taste great on countless salads!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

 
Fresh Arugula Salad with Bacon, Tomatoes, Feta & Quail Eggs

Ingredients:

For the Balsamic Dressing:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. brown sugar

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup grapeseed oil

For the Salad:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 quail eggs

4 slices bacon
4 cups baby arugula

2 tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled  

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Make the dressing:
Combine the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. While whisking everything together, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  

Place chicken in a baking dish and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil.  Season with salt & pepper (or your favorite seasonings).  Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.  Allow to cool and then slice.

Add the quail eggs to a medium pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes. Carefully remove the eggs from the pot and place in an ice water bath. After 5 minutes, peel the eggs and slice them in half.  

Add the bacon to a large skillet (preferably cast iron) set over low-medium heat. Cook until crisp, flipping several times. Drain on paper towels. Once cool, crumble into small pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the arugula, chicken, tomatoes, bacon, quail eggs, and feta cheese. Whisk the balsamic dressing vigorously to combine well and then drizzle over the salad.  Gently toss together, and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with your favorite bread.

Chicken (or Turkey) Noodle Soup - Put Those Leftovers to Good Use!

I've had a sick hubby on my hands over the past few days.  He better start feeling better soon, though, because there's a lot of good eatin' to be done tomorrow on Thanksgiving!  Something tells me that after that first bite of the cornbread & sausage dressing that he looks forward to for 364 days a year, he'll be much better!  (Speaking of Thanksgiving, this dish would be a perfect way to use leftover turkey!)

Last night, he was feeling extra sick and pitiful...sore throat, headache, etc, etc...It's just that time of year, I reckon.  I had some leftover chicken already cooked from the previous night, so Chicken Noodle Soup sounded perfect...easy, yet comforting.

There's just something about chicken noodle soup when you're sick, don't you agree?  In fact, when Brad and I were just dating, he had to work one night and wasn't feeling well.  I surprised him by showing up at work with some yummy Chicken Noodle Soup, and it put the biggest smile on his face....and made him feel a little better.  That's been his request ever since when he's feeling under the weather. 

This recipe is incredibly simple.  Brad LOVES carrots, so I doubled the amount to two and added a dash of garlic powder for extra flavor.  The freshly ground black pepper adds a nice little kick.  I finished it off with a garnish of fresh, minced parsley for bit of pretty color.

Bon Appetit, my friends!  :)

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken (or Turkey) Noodle Soup 
Adapted from:  My Recipes.com


Ingredients:
4 cups Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
Generous dash ground black pepper  
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/2 cup uncooked egg noodles
1 cup shredded cooked chicken or turkey
Garlic powder, to taste 
1 tsp fresh parsley, minced, for garnish

Directions:
Heat broth, black pepper, carrot and celery in 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil.

Stir noodles and chicken in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 10 min. or until noodles are tender, stirring often.   Season with garlic powder and garnish with fresh, minced parsley.

Orecchiette with Spinach Pesto, Chicken & Tomatoes

Let's face it...While leftovers make for a fast and easy dinner, they can be very boring.  So, I love dishes that allow you to take the leftovers and create a delicious yet different dinner on the 2nd night.  This recipe is a fantastic example.

I took the remaining orecchiette pasta and spinach pesto from this Chicken with Spinach Pesto and whipped up this easy weeknight dinner for two.  It makes for an easy-peasy dinner that's filled with flavor (not to mention - Popeye would be so proud of all that spinach!).

You simply cook some orecchiette pasta and stir in spinach pesto, baked chicken, and diced tomatoes.  It pairs perfectly with a loaf of crusty French bread and a glass of pinot noir.

Easy meals like this are the theme around our house lately.  We are in the process of doing some minor renovations to our home, which has turned out to be a lot of fun, yet a time-consuming process.  So far, we've installed a beautiful cream-colored subway tile backsplash in the kitchen (which I'm in love with).  We've also given the laundry room a MAJOR makeover with a fresh can of pretty light blue paint,  a lovely new shelf and fun paintings that my sisters did a while back.  That room makes me happy now. :)  It's a far cry from the while walls and plain wire shelving that graced the room before.  Our next project?  Painting the living room grey.  Woo hoo! 

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Orecchiette Pasta with Spinach Pesto, Chicken & Tomatoes
(spinach pesto recipe adapted from Food Network magazine)


Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. of your favorite Italian 0r Greek seasoning
1 lb. orecchiette pasta
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh parsley
2 tablespoons almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tomatoes, diced

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts in an ovenproof casserole dish and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the olive oil.  Season with your favorite Greek or Italian seasonings.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. 

While the chicken is baking, make the pesto:
Puree the spinach, parsley, almonds, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons water, the grated parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt to taste in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and set to the side.

Next, cook the pasta according to package directions.

Pour the cooked pasta into a large bowl.  Cut the baked chicken into bite-sized pieces.  Add the pesto, chicken and tomatoes to the pasta and mix together well.

Top with a little additional parmesan cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!

Chicken with Spinach Pesto

Why haven't I ever thought of making pesto with something other than basil before?  Sure, basil pesto is nothing short of vibrantly green deliciousness, but lots of fresh basil can be somewhat elusive if not in season (at least around here).

I found this recipe for Chicken with Arugula Pesto in the September 2012 issue of Food Network Magazine in the weeknight cooking section.  It caught my eye with its fresh ingredients, so I added it to my next shopping list.  

Once at my local grocery store, arugula was nowhere to be found, and I didn't really feel like searching all over town for it.  So, I got to thinking...Why not use baby spinach instead?  Baby spinach is readily available all year long, easy to find and cheaper than basil.  It sounded like a winner to me.

And a winner it was, indeed.  The pesto tasted great, especially with the addition of the toasted almonds.  They added a great depth of flavor...Don't skip the toasting part.  It's worth the extra effort.

The orecchiette pasta and green bean salad makes for a flavorful side dish, thanks to grated lemon zest and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, and the broiled tomato halves topped with pesto and bread crumbs rounds out this meal.

The next night, I cooked more of the orecchiette and then added the leftover pesto to the pasta, along with diced tomatoes and baked chicken.  It was the perfect way to use up the leftovers, yet make an entirely different meal (I'll post that recipe on the blog next).

You'll love this healthy, easy dish...Make it soon!

Bon Appetit, my friends!  :)

Chicken with Spinach Pesto

Adapted from Food Network Magazine, September 2012

Ingredients:

Kosher salt

6 ounces orecchiette (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh parsley
2 tablespoons almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 small skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 medium tomatoes, halved
2 teaspoons whole-wheat breadcrumbs

Directions:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs; about 3 minutes before the pasta is done, add the green beans. Drain the pasta and beans and rinse under cold water. Toss with half of the cheese, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lemon zest and salt.

Preheat the broiler. Puree the spinach, parsley, almonds, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons water, the remaining cheese and 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt to taste in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl.

Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to about 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet and season with salt. Rub all over with 1/4 cup of the arugula pesto and broil, turning once, until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Arrange the tomatoes cut-side up on another baking sheet and broil 2 minutes. Spread each with some pesto and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Broil until golden, 1 more minute. Serve the chicken, tomatoes and pasta salad with the remaining pesto.

 

Per serving: Calories 491; Fat 16 g (Saturated 4 g); Cholesterol 96 mg; Sodium 737 mg; Carbohydrate 42 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 44 g