Tzatziki Sauce with Fresh Cucumber, Dill and Garlic

Quick and easy, this cool and healthy dip can be served along side rice and meat, or simply with pita bread. This dish is best if refrigerated for a few hours, but if you are strapped for time feel free to serve after mixing. Other herbs can be used as well (i.e. mint, tarragon, oregano). Enjoy!

RECIPE

Makes 16 servings

Ingredients

1 (32 ounce) container plain yogurt

3 Arabic cucumbers, peeled and cubed

1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
5 tablespoons dried dill weed
1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Directions
In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and shallot. Season with dill, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors.

Chicken Piccata: The Perfect Weekday Meal!

Chicken Piccata

Lemony Chicken Piccata is delicious and easy to make!  It can be prepared in 20 minutes or less and is perfect for a quick weekday meal!

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4
• Ingredients

• 2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 pound total), or 4-8 chicken cutlets
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup brined capers
• 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Cut Chicken Breasts into Cutlets and pound them thin: 

To make chicken cutlets, slice the chicken breast halves horizontally, butterflying them open. If the breast pieces you are working with are large, you may want to cut them each into two pieces.

If the pieces are still thick after butterflying, put them between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them with a meat hammer to 1/4-inch thickness.

Dredge cutlets in seasoned flour with Parmesan: 

Mix together the flour, salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan.  Dredge them thoroughly in the flour mixture, until well coated.

Brown the cutlets in butter and oil: 

Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add half of the chicken pieces, do not crowd the pan. Brown well on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and reserve to a plate.

Repeat with other cutlets then place them on a rack over a roasting pan and keep warm in a 225°F oven while you prepare the sauce.

Add stock, lemon juice, capers, reduce by half, stir in butter: 

Add the chicken stock , lemon juice, and capers to the pan. Use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits. Reduce the sauce by half.

Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.

Plate the chicken and serve with the sauce poured over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. Enjoy!

Tabbouleh

The perfect time of year for a nice refreshing salad. Tabbouleh packs a fresh punch! Summer in every bite. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup bulghur wheat

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

1/4 cup good olive oil

3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)

1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the bulghur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours.

Easy Minute Marinated Mushrooms

Total Time: 15 min

Prep: 5 min

Inactive: 1 min

Cook: 5 min

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Level: Easy

Ingredients

2 large bay leaves

1 tablespoon peppercorns

1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1/3 palmful

4 cloves garlic

1 red Fresno chile pepper 

1 small red onion, chopped

A generous handful fresh flat-leaf parsley

A few sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 pound very small button mushrooms (or you can 1/2 or 1/4 larger ones.)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, mustard seeds, garlic, chile, onion, parsley, and thyme into a food processor and pulse-chop into a paste. Place the vinegar, 1/4 cup water, sugar and salt in a pot and bring to a simmer to dissolve. Then add the paste and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Place the mushrooms in a container and douse with the hot brine; cover and steep 1 minute. Stir and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

Savory Chicken-Parm Meatballs

Chicken-Parm Meatballs

Serves 4

Ingredients
• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 3/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Flat-leaf parsley, chopped (a generous handful)
• Fresh basil, chopped or torn (a generous handful)
• Salt and pepper
• 12 mini fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
Preheat Saute pan to medium. In a large bowl, combine the chicken with 1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano, the bread crumbs, egg, tomato paste, two-thirds of the garlic, the parsley and basil; season with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions, then form each into 3 meatballs: Press 1 bocconcini into each meatball, then pinch the meat to seal. Coat the meatballs with 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute, turning, until firm and cooked through, about 18 minutes.
Serve with your favorite marinara for dipping and caesar salad or slaw. Enjoy!

Super Easy Chicken with Creamy Dijon Sauce

Super Easy Chicken with Creamy Dijon Sauce

This preparation is quick and delicious. It uses Media Crema, (aka Table Cream) to create a smooth and tangy sauce. Great on seafood too! I spooned it over a nice salmon filet with a little lemon zest and it rocked! 

Ingredients:

• 1 can (7.6 fluid ounces) NESTLÉ Media Crema 

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips

• 1 teaspoon granulated chicken flavor bouillon

• 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

COMBINE media crema, mustard and water in medium bowl; set aside. Sprinkle chicken with bouillon.

HEAT oil in large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook, stirring frequently, until browned. Pour media crema mixture over chicken; bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

SERVE over prepared Basmati Rice or Couscous.

Chicken and Lemon Tagine with Green Cracked Olives

Chicken and Lemon Tagine with Green Cracked Olives

This dish is tangy and delicious. The perfect recipe for using Green Cracked Olives which are in my opinion, totally addicting! A little time consuming with all the techniques but well worth it. Save this one for a special date night or weekend gourmet indulgence. 

1 Whole chicken (about 3.5 lbs), cut up
1 onion, coarsely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp each ground ginger and finely ground black pepper
½ tsp each ground cumin and sweet paprika
¼ tsp saffron threads, ground with a mortar and pestle
2  cups green cracked olives, pitted
1/2 Cup lemon juice, plus extra to taste
2 cups couscous
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup (firmly packed) each flat-leaf parsley and coriander, coarsely chopped, plus extra to serve
Garnish with toasted slivered almonds and thinly sliced preserved lemon rind

Directions
01
Combine chicken, onion, garlic, spices and 1 quart of water in a large casserole or dutch oven, bring to boil over medium heat, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, turning chicken occasionally, until almost cooked through (15-20 minutes). Add olives and lemon juice and cook until chicken is tender (10-15 minutes).
02
Meanwhile, Place couscous in a deep skillet over medium high heat, drizzle with olive oil and stir through the grains. Bring chicken stock to boil, pour over couscous, stir, cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove plastic wrap, season generously to taste and fluff grains with a fork.
03
Remove chicken from casserole, place on oven tray lined with foil, grill, skin side up, until brown (3-5 minutes), set aside, keep warm.
04
Meanwhile, reduce cooking liquid over medium-high heat until thick (7-10 minutes), season to taste with extra lemon juice, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Return chicken to casserole, stir through herbs and serve with couscous, scattered with extra herbs, slivered almonds and preserved lemon rind.