Feta & Basil-Stuffed Chicken

***I had some chicken and extra feta cheese left over from making the Greek Chicken Pasta the other night. I was looking for a good recipe that would use it up, and this one was perfect! Brad and I love dishes with feta cheese...this one is no exception. I came across this recipe in Julia Tyler's food blog on The Nest. A link to her blog is below...Thanks Julia!***

Ingredients:
4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup dry, seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese

1/2 tsp. dried basil

Vegetable cooking spray

1 1/2 teaspoons butter

Directions:
Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Dredge chicken in breadcrumbs.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of cheese onto each piece of chicken, and sprinkle basil on top of cheese. Fold chicken in half. Place folded breast halves in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Place a few slices of butter or margarine on the top of each chicken breast. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until done.

Source: http://juliatylerfoodblog.wordpress.com/ (Original recipe from Cooking Light)

Greek Chicken Pasta

***Okay, this is one of my new favorites....I loved it!!! I served it with garlic twist breadsticks.***

Ingredients:
1 pound uncooked pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 cup chopped onion
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice OR white cooking wine
2 teaspoons dried oregano

Herb seasoning to taste (I used McCormick's Grillmates Garlic & Onion Medley)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place chicken breasts in oven-proof baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with your choice of herb seasoning. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes at 375 degrees, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the tomato, parsley, lemon juice (or white wine), oregano and cooked pasta. Stir until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Slice the chicken breasts into pieces and add to top of pasta; sprinkle feta cheese over the plated pasta.

Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Roll-Ups

***I have one word for this recipe - YUM! I served it with penne pasta tossed with garlic and parsley, as suggested by the magazine.***

Ingredients:

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

8 chicken breast cutlets (1 1/2 pounds)

1/2 lb. deli-sliced provolone cheese

1/4 cup E.V.O.O.

Directions:

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease the foil.

Place the beaten eggs and bread crumbs into separate shallow bowls. In another bowl, mix the ricotta and sun-dried tomatoes. Dip the chicken cutlets into the egg, then coat with the bread crumbs and place on a work surface. Place a slice of provolone and a heaping tbsp. of ricotta mixture on each cutlet. Roll up and secure with toothpicks.

Place the chicken roll-ups side by side on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake until the chicken is golden and the cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine - Feb. 2008

Garlic Shrimp

***You can serve this shrimp with crusty bread for dipping in the richly flavored, leftover olive oil.***


Ingredients:

7 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. large (31-40) shrimp; peeled, deveined
8 tbsp. E.V.O.O.
1/2 tsp. table salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

1. Mince 3 garlic cloves with chef's knife or garlic press. Toss minced garlic with shrimp, 2 tbsp. olive oil, and salt in a medium bowl. Let shrimp marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Thinly slice remaining 4 cloves of garlic. Heat the other 6 tbsp. olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat and add garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until garlic is tender but not browned, 2-3 minutes. If garlic has not begun to sizzle after a few minutes, increase heat to medium-high; add shrimp with marinade to pan in a single layer. Sprinkle shrimp with paprika and parsley. Cook shrimp, undisturbed, until oil starts to gently bubble, about 2-3 minutes. Using tongs, flip shrimp and continue to cook until shrimp are cooked through.

Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Cooks Illustrated, February 2008 issue - "Spanish-Style Garlic Shrimp"

Nacho Spuds

***Okay, these may not be the healthiest thing in the world, but they are worth every calorie! Brad loved them....I'll definitely be making these again.***

2 large baking potatoes (1.5 pounds total), sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds

2 1/2 tbsp. E.V.O.O.

Salt & Pepper

1/2 lb. lean ground beef sirloin

One 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed

2 tbsp. taco seasoning

One 8 oz. package shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered lengthwise

Sour cream and shredded lettuce, for serving

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 2 tbsp. olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and bake until golden, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1/2 tbsp. olive oil and the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the beans, taco seasoning, and 2 tbsp. water. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until heated through, about 10 minutes.

3. Transfer the potatoes to an ovenproof platter. Sprinkle half of the cheddar on top, spoon on the meat mixture, then top with the tomatoes and remaining cheddar. Place in the oven and turn off the heat. Let stand until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with the sour cream and lettuce.

Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine