Skillet Shrimp with Orzo - Fast, Easy, and Delicious

This recipe is from Everyday Food Magazine, and it was AMAZING!  It's pretty quick; only about 25 minutes, and extremely flavorful.  You start off browning garlic (always a good beginning!), saute tomatoes, then add orzo and chicken broth and place in the oven.  While baking, the orzo soaks up all of the flavor from the garlic, tomatoes, and broth.  Next, you add shrimp on top add place the skillet under the broiler for a few minutes, then top with basil.  A great one pot meal!

Chicken Alfredo with Roasted Broccoli

There are two things I love about this recipe.  One is the roasted broccoli.   Roasting completely changes its flavor, and makes the broccoli sweet and nutty.  The other thing I love is that it's quick.  I'd love to make a meal from scratch every night, but that's just not practical.  Taking an occasional short cut, like using jarred sauce, helps to make a tasty and quick dinner that is perfect for a weeknight.

 Ingredients:
1 bunch of broccoli
2 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 thin sliced chicken cutlets
1/4 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. alfredo sauce
3/4 lb. short tubular pasta (rigatoni, cavatappi, ziti, etc.)
Zest of one lemon

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 450F.  Cut the florets off the broccoli.  Peel the stem (yes, it's edible!) and cut it in 1/4 inch slices.  Slice the garlic cloves into 1/4 inch thick slices.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Place broccoli and garlic on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, until the broccoli and garlic begin to brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

2.  While the broccoli is roasting, bring a pot of large water to a boil.  Add a handful of salt, then cook the past according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

3.  Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add to skillet.  Cook the chicken, stirring frequently, until browned on both sides, and cooked through.  Place the chicken in a large bowl, return the pan to the heat, and add the chicken broth.  Scrape up any brown bits (fond=flavor!) then add to the bowl with the chicken.

4.  Add the roasted broccoli and garlic to the bowl, then the pasta.  Stir in the alfredo sauce and lemon zest.

5.  Savor your dinner with a glass of wine and enjoy the rest of your evening!

Fruit Smoothie with Ricotta

I know that it sounds weird, but I put ricotta cheese in my smoothie this morning.  I was out of milk and wanted to add something to make it more substantial.  I figured I'd give the ricotta a try.  It gets very smooth in the blender, and adds a little sweetness.


Ingredients:
1 medium, very ripe, banana
1 c. chopped pineapple
1/2 c. blueberries
1/4 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
2 c. ice
1/2 c. cold water


Place all ingredients in blender.  Blend on medium speed for 2-4 minutes until smooth.  Enjoy!

Clean Out Your Spice Rack with Moroccan Chicken

 When doing your spring cleaning, don't forget about your spice rack!  Open each bottle and give it a sniff.  If the herb/spice doesn't smell like anything, it probably won't taste like anything either, and should be tossed. This recipe uses several spices to make an extremely flavorful dish.

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:

1.  In a dutch oven or other large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes (3 for each side.)
2.  Remove the chicken from the pan.  TIP:  Turn the pot's lid upside down and place the chicken in there.  You're going to use the lid later on, so you'll have to wash it anyway.
3.  Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4.  Add the  ginger, cumin, salt, pepper, cinnamon, coriander, and garlic.  Stir for 30 seconds then add the browned chicken and chicken broth.
5.  Bring the pot to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
6.  Remove the chicken from the pot, cool slightly, and chop into bite-sized pieces.  Stir in the chopped chicken, cranberries, and parsley.  Cook for 5-10 minutes until heated through.  Serve over couscous.

*Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Quick Herbed Cheddar Biscuits

I have an overabundance of chives growing outside, so decided to make some herbed biscuits. These are quick to throw together, and use common ingredients that you probably have already.  Most biscuit recipes call for buttermilk, something I never have, so I used "clabbered" milk, which is milk combined with lemon juice.  This acidic mixture reacts with the alkaline baking powder and generates bubbles, which causes the biscuits to rise as they are baking.

Makes approx. 12 biscuits

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. spice blend, such as Old Bay or Penzey's Forward seasoning
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh dill
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 c. milk
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Cooking spray

1. Combine the milk and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Let stand for ten minutes.  Note:  the milk will start to look curdled.  This is a good thing.
2.  Preheat the oven to 350F.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cayenne, and spice blend.
4. Stir the chopped herbs, cheese, and milk mixture into the dry ingredients until well blended.
5. Drop heaping tablespoons onto a parchment lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.  Spray tops with cooking spray.
6. Bake 15-18 minutes, until lightly browned.   Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet.  Serve warm or at room temperature.