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Chicken Orzo Dinner

Chicken Orzo Dinner

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with Cheesy Roasted Zucchini and Tomato

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Zucchini and tomato medley is a side, but it takes center stage in our eyes. As creamy as it is crispy, with a combination of panko, mozzarella, and Parmesan sprinkled on top. Served next to an herbed chicken breast and lemony orzo
Prep: 5 Cook: 30

  • 1zucchini
  • 1Roma tomato
  • 1TBS Italian seasoning
  • 4oz orzo pasta
  • 12oz chicken breasts
  • 4oz fresh mozzarella
  • 1lemon
  • ¼oz parsley
  • ¼cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼cup parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp olive oil


Preheat and prep:

Wash and dry all produce. Adjust rack to upper position and preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Slice zucchini into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Cut tomato into ½-inch-thick wedges. Toss zucchini and tomato with 1 TBS olive oil and half the Italian seasoning on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast veggies and cook pasta:

Roast zucchini and tomato in oven until just shy of tender, about 10 minutes. Once water is boiling, add half the orzo from package to pot (use the rest as you like). Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Drain, then return to pot.

Butterfly chicken:

With your hand on top of one chicken breast, cut ¾ of the way through middle, parallel to cutting board, stopping before you slice through completely. Repeat with other chicken breast. Open each up and season all over with salt, pepper, and remaining Italian seasoning.

Cook chicken and prep:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink in center, 3- to 4-minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate. Meanwhile, cut mozzarella into ½-inch cubes. Halve lemon. Roughly chop parsley.

Broil veggies:

Once veggies have roasted 10 minutes, remove baking sheet from oven. Heat broiler to high or increase oven temperature to 500°F. Sprinkle veggies with panko, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Broil (or bake) until panko is golden-brown, cheese is melted, and veggies are tender, 3- to 5-minutes.

Finish and plate:

Add juice from one lemon half and half the parsley to pot with orzo and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide orzo between plates. Top with veggies and chicken. Drizzle with any chicken juices from plate and a squeeze of lemon. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve.

Salmon Limone

Salmon Limone

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Yield: 2

Tender, butter-toasted Israeli couscous, with juicy tomato, sautéed zucchini, and a double dose of lemon zest and juice. topped with pan-seared salmon dusted with Italian seasoning. Drizzled with a lemony crema for the finishing touch.
Prep: 5 Cook: 30

  • 2scallions
  • 1chicken stock concentrate
  • 1zucchini
  • 1tomato
  • 2½oz Israeli couscous
  • 10oz salmon
  • 1TBS Italian seasoning
  • 1½TBS lemon crema (see below)
  • salt & pepper
  • 1TBS cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter

Start prep:

Wash and dry produce.

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Trim and quarter zucchini lengthwise, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces.

Cook couscous:

Melt 1 TBS butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add couscous, scallion whites, and ½ tsp Italian Seasoning, cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, 2- to 3-minutes.

Add ¾ cup water, stock concentrate, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until couscous is al dente, 6- to 8-minutes.

Drain any excess liquid if necessary. Keep covered until ready to serve.

Cook zucchini:

While couscous cooks, heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, 3- to 4-minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Turn off heat, transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.

Cook fish:

Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Season all over with remaining Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Heat a large drizzle of oil in pan used for zucchini over medium-high heat. Add salmon, skin sides down, and cook until skin is crispy, 5- to 7-minutes.

Flip and cook until fish is opaque and cooked through, 1- to 2-minutes more. Remove from pan and set aside.

Finish prep & make crema:

While salmon cooks, zest, and quarter lemon. Dice tomato.

In a small bowl, combine crema, ¼ tsp lemon zest, salt, and pepper.

Finish & serve:

Fluff couscous with a fork, stir in zucchini, tomato, scallion greens, remaining lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide couscous between bowls or plates, top with salmon. Drizzle everything with zesty crema. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Lemon or Lime Crema

  • 4TBS sour cream
  • 1lime, zested
  • water
  • salt

Make crema:

In a separate small bowl, combine sour cream, remaining zest, and a squeeze of juice. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt.

Fajita-Spiced Chicken/Pork/Steak

Fajita-Spiced Chicken/Pork/Steak

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with Rice, Black Beans & Cilantro-Lime Crema

Yield: 2

Your choice of chicken, pork or steak coated in a blend of fajita-style spices, seared in a hot pan, and topped with a bright, tangy cilantro-lime crema atop a bed of fluffy, garlicky tomato rice with hearty black beans.
Prep: 5 Cook: 35

  • 1tomato
  • ½cup white rice
  • ¼oz cilantro
  • 10oz protein (pork cutlet, chicken breast or steak)
  • 1clove garlic
  • 8oz black beans
  • 1oz chicken stock concentrate
  • 1TBS fajita spice blend
  • 1lime
  • 1½TBS sour cream
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter

Start prep:

Wash and dry produce.

Dice tomato into ¼-inch pieces. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Drain beans.

Cook rice & beans:

In a medium pot, combine rice, tomato, garlic, beans, stock concentrate, ¾ cup water, 1 tsp Fajita Spice Blend (you’ll use more later), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 20-22 minutes.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Finish prep & make crema:

While rice cooks, roughly chop cilantro. Quarter lime.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, cilantro, and juice from one lime wedge. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Cook protein:

Pat protein dry with paper towels. (Optional: tenderize protein with jacquard.) Season all over with 1 tsp Fajita Spice Blend, salt, and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.

Add protein and cook until browned and cooked through:

chicken (160°F) 3- to 5-minutes per side, depending on thickness.

pork  (140°F) 3- to 6-minutes per side, depending on thickness.

steak to desired doneness, 3- to 7-minutes per side, depending on thickness.

Tip: If protein starts to brown too quickly, lower the heat and cover pan.

Transfer to a cutting board to rest.

Finish rice & beans:

Fluff rice and beans with a fork and stir in 1 TBS butter.

Finish & serve:

Divide rice and beans and protein between plates in separate sections. Pour the resting juices over protein and drizzle with crema. Serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.

Slice chicken, pork or steak against the grain.

Fajita Spice Blend

Makes 1 TBS

2          tsp paprika
1/2       tsp onion powder
1/2       tsp garlic powder
1/2       tsp chili powder
1/2       tsp cumin
1/2       tsp oregano

Tex-Mex Beef & Black Bean Rice Bowls

Tex-Mex Beef & Black Bean Rice Bowls

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with Lettuce, Tomato & Scallion Crema

Yield: 2

Hello Fresh

We love to end a day with a hearty meal that balances delicious flavors and enticing textures. This dish is everything you love about the inside of a burrito piled high into one satisfying bowl. You’ll sauté ground beef with aromatic scallions, garlic, and cumin, then serve over fluffy rice and hearty black beans topped with a salad of crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, and a dollop of scallion crema for cooling creamy contrast.
Prep: 5 Cook: 20

  • ½cup jasmine rice
  • 1clove garlic
  • 10oz ground beef
  • 8oz black beans
  • 2scallions
  • 1baby lettuce
  • 1Roma tomato
  • 1tsp cumin
  • 1½sour cream
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp cooking oil

Cook rice & beans:

In a small pot, combine rice, ¾ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.

Drain beans.

Once rice has cooked 10 minutes, stir in drained beans, cover and cook until rice is tender, 5- to 8-minutes more.

Prep:

While rice and beans cook, wash and dry produce.

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Trim and discard root end from lettuce, thinly slice half the lettuce crosswise into ribbons. Dice tomato into ¼-inch pieces, season with salt and pepper.

Cook beef:

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add beef, scallion whites, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.

Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until cooked through, 4- to 6-minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Make crema:

In a small bowl, combine sour cream and scallion greens. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish rice & beans:

Fluff rice and beans with a fork, taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serve:

Divide rice and beans and beef mixture between shallow bowls in separate sections. Top everything with sliced lettuce, tomato, and scallion crema. Serve.

Balsamic Tomato & Herb Chicken

Balsamic Tomato & Herb Chicken

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over Buttery Garlic Spaghetti

Yield: 2 Servings

Coated chicken cutlets in Italian herbs, seared for an eye-catching crust and roasting each with a blanket of mozzarella until the meat is tender and the cheese is melty. It’s all perched atop twirly garlicky spaghetti, then topped with a warm balsamic tomato mixture that’s laced with fresh parsley.
In Step 4, you’ll be adding a bit of sugar to your tomato mixture. Rather than turning the balsamic tomato into a dessert course, the sugar helps balance out the acidity of the tomato and vinegar for a delicious depth of flavor.
Prep: 5, Cook: 30

  • 1tomato
  • 10oz chicken cutlets
  • 6oz spaghetti
  • ¼oz parsley
  • 1clove garlic
  • 1TBS Italian seasoning
  • ½cup mozzarella cheese
  • 5tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1TBS cooking oil
  • ¼tsp sugar
  • 1tbs butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.

Finely dice tomato. Pick parsley leaves from stems, finely chop leaves. Peel and mince garlic.

Cook chicken:

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season with 1½ tsp Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper. (You’ll use more Italian Seasoning later.)

Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned, 2- to 3-minutes per side.

Transfer chicken to a baking sheet. Top with half the mozzarella (save the rest for serving).

Roast on top rack until chicken is cooked through and cheese melts, 9-11 minutes.

Cook pasta:

Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.

Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain. Keep empty pot handy for Step 5.

Make balsamic tomato:

While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for chicken over medium high heat. Add tomato and 1½ tsp Italian Seasoning. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, 1- to 2-minutes.

Stir in vinegar and ¼ tsp sugar. Simmer until mixture is slightly thickened, 1 minute.

Remove pan from heat and stir in 1 TBS butter until melted. Stir in chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.

Toss pasta:

Melt 2 TBS butter in pot used for pasta over low heat. Stir in garlic, cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Add drained spaghetti, 2 TBS reserved pasta cooking water , and 1 TBS butter. Toss to thoroughly combine.

Tip: For a saucier pasta, add more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time.

Season generously with salt and pepper.

Finish & serve:

Slice chicken crosswise if desired.

Divide spaghetti between bowls and top with chicken. Spoon balsamic tomato over chicken. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and serve.

Tuscan Vegetable Medley

Tuscan Vegetable Medley

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Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

This recipe was originally part of a baked Tuscan fish dish. The vegetables make such a great combination that they are worth making as a side.

  • 1medium onion chopped
  • olive oil
  • 1can (15 oz) great northern, cannelloni or navy beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 1small zucchini, chopped
  • 1-2garlic clove, minced
  • ¼cup white wine
  • ½tsp salt, divided
  • ¼tsp pepper, divided

Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped onion to a 3 quart sauce pan over medium heat and sweat just until the onion starts to soften.

Increase heat to medium high and add all of the remaining ingredients. Mix and cook until everything is hot, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve.

Pasta with Chicken, Tomatoes & Broccoli

Pasta with Chicken, Tomatoes & Broccoli

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Yield: 3 to 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

August 2017: Needed to use up some cherry tomatoes. I turned them into an enhancement for a pasta casserole with some chicken and broccoli. Hmm, good.

  • 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, whole or cubed
  • 6-8oz pasta, penne, rotini, etc.
  • olive oil
  • 1-2pinches crushed red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper
  • 1shallot, minced
  • 2cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 3-4cups broccoli florets

Season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper and olive oil.

Set a large pot of water to boil. When it boils, add salt to taste. Add pasta and cook to al dente. Remove water from pasta and set aside. Add broccoli to water and cook for 2-3 minutes until it is mostly cooked. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Drain.

Heat a TBS of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat until hot but not smoking.
Add chicken and cook about 4 minutes on each side to brown. Reduce heat to medium and flip until cooked through. 160°F at thickest spot. Remove to cutting board and rest. Slice chicken to bite sized pieces.
If using cubed chicken, cook stirring occasionally until no longer pink in the middle of thickest piece.
Remove chicken from pan. Add another TBS of olive oil, minced shallot, tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Sauté until shallot starts to brown.
Add tomato mixture to pasta pot with drained broccoli. Add chicken and pasta to pot with two TBS of olive oil, season with salt and pepper. You can also add some of the reserved pasta cooking liquid to make it saucier. Mix well until heated through.

Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera

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Serves 6 to 8
Adapted from Crème de Colorado Cookbook

1994: This is a labor intensive dish, peeling and seeding tomatoes is a chore, but well worth the effort. I should probably title this Pasta Semi-Primavera since I really like the addition of both chicken and kielbasa. The original didn’t include any meat.

  • 4medium zucchini, sliced (3-4 cups)
  • 2cups small broccoli florets
  • 8-16oz pasta
  • ⅓cup pine nuts
  • ¼cup olive oil
  • 1TBS minced garlic
  • 4large tomatoes, skinned and chopped (about 4 cups)
  • 1cup snow pea pods, cut in half diagonally
  • ¼tsp salt
  • ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 4TBS butter
  • ½cup heavy cream
  • 1cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼cup minced fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 1lb chicken, smoked sausage, kielbasa or combination. (Optional)

If using the optional chicken or sausage, cook and set aside.

Bring a gallon of water to a boil in 6-8 quart pot. When boiling add 1 TBS salt and stir.

While the water is heating, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Mix a couple of tsp of salt into the ice water.

Make a small X with a paring knife across the base of the tomatoes. Blanch the tomatoes in the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and put in the ice water. This should cause the tomato skin toloosen and split at the X. Peal the skin starting at the X. Half the peeled tomatoes at their horizon and remove seeds with a spoon or your fingers. Chop the tomatoes. Set aside.

Blanch the zucchini for 1 minute in the boiling water. Remove from boiling water and plunge into the ice water

Blanch the broccoli for 3-4 minutes in the boiling water until crisp. Remove from boiling water and plunge into the ice water with the zucchini.

Remove the broccoli and zucchini from the ice water to another bowl. Discard the ice water.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook to al dente. Slightly under cooked is best.

While the pasta is cooking, spread the pine nuts of a cookie sheet and toast for 2-3 minutes under a broiler or in a toaster oven. Stir and toast for a few more minutes until golden. DON’T BURN the nuts.

Save a cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta and transfer to the bowl used for the ice water. Add a little oil and stir to coat to prevent sticking.

In the pasta pot, heat the olive oil, add the garlic, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, snow pea pods, salt and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add the pasta, meat, butter, cream, Parmesan, pine nuts and basil. Cook until heated through.

Toss/stir gently. Taste, adjust seasonings and serve.

Note: This dish does not freeze well

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Sliced Tomato & Blue Cheese Salad

Sliced Tomato & Blue Cheese Salad

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse, (Delmonico Steakhouse)

2015: A nice steak house style starter salad. Goes great before a good steak.

  • 3large vine-ripened tomatoes, each cut into 4 thick slices
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2TBS plus 1/2 cup Herb Vinaigrette, recipe follows
  • 12(1/8-inch thick) slices red onion, or sweet onions
  • 1/2cup crumbled blue cheese, recommended: Maytag

Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and season on both sides with the salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the herb vinaigrette and toss lightly to coat.

Place 1 tomato slice on each of 4 salad plates and top with 1 onion slice. Repeat layering for 3 layers each of tomatoes and onions, ending with onions on top. Crumble 2 tablespoons of the cheese on top of each stack, drizzle with the vinaigrette, and serve immediately.

Herb Vinaigrette

Yield: 1¼ cups
  • 1TBS Champagne vinegar
  • 1½tsp fresh orange juice
  • ¾tsp fresh lemon juice
  • ¾tsp fresh lime juice
  • ¾tsp fresh grapefruit juice
  • ½cup vegetable oil
  • ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½cup chopped assorted herbs, including thyme, parsley, chives and basil
  • ¼tsp salt
  • ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine the vinegar, and orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit juices in a medium bowl and whisk together. Add the vegetable and olive oils in a slow stream, whisking constantly to form an emulsion. Add the herbs, salt, and pepper, and whisk well to incorporate

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Filo Tomato Tart

Filo Tomato Tart

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Yield: 20 3-inch squares
Sunset July 2007

Fantastic summer appetizer that is worth the effort.

  • 7sheets filo dough, thawed
  • 5TBS unsalted butter, melted
  • 7TBS grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1cup very thinly sliced onion
  • 1cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 8roma tomatoes, sliced 1/8 inch
  • 1TBS fresh thyme leaves
  • salt and freshly ground pepper


Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray paper with cooking-oil spray (or brush lightly with vegetable oil).

Lay 1 sheet filo on paper and brush lightly with a little melted butter. Sprinkle allover with 1 TBS Parmesan. Repeat layering 5 more times (with filo, butter, and Parmesan, pressing each sheet firmly so it sticks to the sheet below. Lay the last filo sheet on top, brush with remaining melted butter, and sprinkle on remaining 1 TBS Parmesan.

Scatter onion across filo, top with mozzarella, and arrange tomato slices in a single layer, overlapping slightly Sprinkle with thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Bake until filo is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then serve.