2day's recipe: Citrus Chicken over a bed of spinach

This is a client favorite.  I usually post my client menus on my facebook page and I was asked to post this recipe, here you go Hope.

Enjoy :-)

Citrus Chicken      

Citrus chicken is a great go-to recipe to add juice and zest to ordinary chicken. The spicy sauce works equally well with fish or pork. Ingredients 1/4 cup orange juice 1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast cutlets 1 tablespoon olive oil Cooking spray 6 cups bagged prewashed baby spinach

InstructionsCombine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour 1/4 cup juice mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag. Seal; let stand 5 minutes. Add oil to remaining juice mixture; stir well with a whisk.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Place 1 1/2 cups spinach on each of 4 plates. Divide chicken evenly among servings; top each serving with 1 tablespoon juice mixture.

Yields: 4 Servings

Source:  Cooking Light OCTOBER 2006
Nutritional Information
Amount per serving

Calories: 183
Calories from fat: 24%
Fat: 4.9g
Saturated fat: 0.9g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.8g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.7g
Protein: 27.4g
Carbohydrate: 7.1g
Fiber: 2.1g
Cholesterol: 66mg
Iron: 2.3mg
Sodium: 278mg
Calcium: 50mg

2day's recipe: Blue Cheese Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

One of my clients is on the Specific Carb Diet and I am really enjoying looking for recipes she and her family can enjoy.  Here is one of her favorites.  It is great for tailgating and different from traditional buffalo chicken wings. 
Enjoy!

Blue Cheese Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients 1 pound ground chicken 1 large stalk celery finely minced 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar 1/2 - 1 tsp red chile flakes (depending on how spicy you like things) 1/3 cup almond meal/flour About 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons SCD legal hot sauce

InstructionsPreheat oven 450 F. Combine chicken, celery, vinegar, chile flakes, and almond meal/flour. Form meatballs, placing a few small blue cheese crumbles inside each one (see description above). Place meatballs about an inch apart in a large baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes and then rotate meatballs. Bake for another 10 minutes. While the meatballs are baking, in a medium saucepan over low heat, combine butter and hot sauce. Add the baked meatballs to the sauce in the saucepan and stir to coat. Serve hot/warm with celery sticks.


Yields: 18 meatballs

Read more: http://www.comfytummy.com/2011/02/04/bl

2day's recipe: Cajun-Spiced Pork Tenderloinwith Red Bean Salad

Good morning!
I wanted to share one of our family favorite recipes.  It is so delicious! 
Enjoy :-)

Cajun-Spiced Pork Tenderloinwith Red Bean Salad 

Straight from the Bayou! Pork rubbed in cajun spices and grilled until tender. Served with a warm red bean salad. Ingredients Salad 2 slices thick-cut bacon cut into 1/2-inch dice 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1/2 cup 1/4-inch-diced yellow onion 1/2 cup 1/4-inch-diced celery 1/2 cup 1/4-inch-diced red bell pepper 1 can (12 oz) (16 ounces) red beans, rinsed 1 can (12 oz) (16 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed 2 tablespoons Creole or Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco® sauce 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley Rub 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme 1 -1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon granulated onion 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon light brown sugar 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 2 pork tenderloins about 1 pound each, trimmed of silver skin 2 tablespoons Creole or Dijon mustard Peanut or vegetable oil

Instructions1. In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon with the oil for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onion and cook until it begins to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the celery and bell pepper and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining salad ingredients, except the parsley, and mix well. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the salad cool to room temperature. Adjust the seasonings with salt, if needed. Garnish with the parsley just before serving.
2. In a small bowl mix the rub ingredients.
3. Coat the pork all over with the mustard. Season evenly with the rub, pressing the spices into the meat, and then lightly coat the tenderloins with oil. Let the pork sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.
4. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F).
5. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the pork over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the outsides are evenly seared, the centers are barely pink, and the internal temperature reaches 150°F, 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so and swapping their positions as needed for even cooking. Remove the pork from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before slicing on the bias. Serve warm with the salad.

Yields: 6

Weber's Charcoal Grilling™ by Jamie Purviance

2day's recipe: Fried Tomato Sandwich

Today's post is for all those juicy, delicious fresh tomatoes that you are getting from your garden or the farmer's market.  Wow, is this good. This is one of those recipes you can change, like using a flavored cream cheese or different herbs.
Enjoy :-)

Fried Tomato Sandwich   

great for summer! Ingredients 4 thick Fresh tomato slices 1 8oz Cream cheese softened 1/2 cup Fresh herbs (basil or parsley or both) chopped 1 tablespoon Garlic minced 1/2 cup Flour 1/2 cup panko 1 Egg 1 teaspoon Milk 3 tablespoon Butter 1/4 teaspoon Salt and freshly ground pepper

InstructionsUse a big tomato, like beefsteak. Get 4 slices out of the tomato. You want them thick.
Mix your garlic, salt & pepper and fresh chopped herbs together with your softened cream cheese. You can use a mixer to get it incorporated.
Melt your butter in a skillet on med to med-high.
Get 3 plates and make your dredging ingredients. (flour, egg & milk & panko) Put each ingredient in a separate dish.
Take one tomato slice, top with cream cheese mix and top with 2nd tomato slice. This is your sandwich.
Dredge the sandwich in flour, then egg wash, then panko. Press the panko in the slice.
Place in skillet.
Cook about 3-5mins on each side. You are just getting it golden brown.
Repeat with the second sandwich.
You are going to need a fork!

2day's recipe: Cilantro Lime Shrimp

Here is another yummy recipe!

Cilantro Lime Shrimp   

  

The smell of the shrimp cooking will make your guests run for the kitchen! The marinade makes the shrimp spicy and delicious; serve them hot from the skillet for best results. If you like, serve the shrimp as a main course over rice with a green vegetable or salad on the side. Ingredients 1/4 cup orange marmalade 1/2 cup fresh lime juice 3 large garlic cloves minced 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes (more if you like it hot) 1 pound large shrimp (about 24), uncooked, shelled and deveined

Instructions1. In a small bowl combine the marmalade, lime juice, minced garlic, cilantro, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk until well combined. Pour about 1/3 cup of the sauce in a separate bowl and set aside to use as a finishing sauce with the cooked shrimp.

2. Place the shrimp in a large plastic sealable bag or in a glass bowl and add the remaining sauce. Toss well so all shrimp are coated and refrigerate for 45 minutes. (If you’re in a hurry, marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.)

2day's recipe: Pork Chops with Pepper Jelly Sauce

For those of you that don't know it I was raised in the south, eastern NC to be exact.  I was lucky enough to be around a lot of great cooks and farming.  My great grandparents practically lived off their land.  It was so cool because I had a city mouse grandmother and a country mouse grandmother.  Very different, but sometimes the same.  


Like, a staple in country mouse's kitchen was Pepper Jelly.  Now, if you have never tried pepper jelly, you need to find it and give it try.  In country mouse's kitchen, hot peppers were every where, in everything like our famous pepper vinegar for BBQ here in the south and even as decoration in the kitchen.  


Pepper jelly was in also in city mouse's kitchen, just used differently.  Like at a casual bridge game... served over cream cheese.. OMG!  It is the best thing ever!  I love it.  


I have been looking for ways in cooking to use more pepper jelly.  I thought I would share a recipe today that uses pepper jelly and wine, two of my favorite staples in my kitchen.  
Enjoy!

Pork Chops With Pepper Jelly Sauce   

Ingredients 4 (3/4-inch-thick) bone-in pork loin chops (about 2 1/4 lb.) 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 3 tablespoons butter divided 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 large jalapeño pepper seeded and minced 1/3 cup dry white wine 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup red pepper jelly

Instructions1. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter with oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops, and cook 8 minutes; turn and cook 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 150°. Remove from skillet, and keep warm.
2. Add flour and jalapeño to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until flour is golden brown. Add wine, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet; cook 1 minute or until almost completely reduced.
3. Add chicken broth, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Whisk in pepper jelly until melted and smooth. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. butter. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Return pork to skillet; turn to coat. Serve pork with sauce.

Yields: 4 Servings
Source - I believe this came from Southern Living (of course!)

2day's recipe: Beer-Braised Beef with Italian Salsa Verde- delicious!

I don't know about your house but in several households I work with I find that someone is a meat and potatoes person and really doesn't care to much for anything else.  I have to say, I love meat and potatoes but I also like everything else.  I'm sharing one of my favorite dishes that will satify the meat and potato lover & add a little something extra for the more diverse eater in the household.  It is simply delicious, trust me.  I serve the beef over mashed potatoes and serve crusty bread with this. 
Enjoy :-)

Beer-Braised Beef with Italian Salsa Verde


Outstanding
This meat dish is a specialty at Simpatica Dining Hall. You can prepare and refrigerate the salsa verde up to two weeks in advance. It's good with chicken or fish, too, or simply atop grilled bread as an appetizer. Serve the beef and salsa over mashed potatoes instead of toasted bread, if desired.


Ingredients
Salsa Verde:
1 cup chopped fresh mint
2/3 cup chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped capers
3 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Beef:
2 pounds boneless chuck roast trimmed, cut into 3-inch cubes or larger roast
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1 large)
1 cup fat-free less-sodium beef broth
1 (12-ounce) can Guinness Stout or dark stout beer like Bad Penny made in Raleigh!
Remaining ingredient:
1 (16-ounce) loaf Italian bread cut into 16 (1-ounce) slices, toasted


Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare salsa, combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

To prepare beef, sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef; cook 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan.

Add 1 teaspoon oil and onion to pan. Reduce heat, and cook 12 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Return beef to pan. Add broth and beer; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour and 30 minutes or until tender. Remove beef from pan; shred with 2 forks. Return beef to pan; stir. Spoon 1/4 cup beef mixture over each bread slice; top each with 1 1/2 tablespoons salsa.



Yields: 8 Servings

Source:  Katherine Cole, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2006