Taco Pizza

Our family love, love, LOVES Mexican food! We eat it at least once a week and whenever we go out to eat the girls ALWAYS choose Mexican. Tacos are a huge hit, I think being able to build them themselves adds to the appeal. 

School starting means a flood of activities as well and less time to prepare dinner. PW's Mexican Flatbread Pizza, or "Taco Pizza" as it's called in our house, is a great twist on the taco. It has all the delicious ingredients that we love and I think it's a bit healthier than tacos. When we make tacos each of us can eat 3 or 4...or 5 or 6...with the pizza we each eat one (less shells=less carbs) that is loaded with lots of fresh healthy veggies. My girls love to top them with tomatoes from our garden, avocado, cilantro and black or refried bean. The possibilities are endless. You can also make the taco meat ahead of time, (You can use leftovers too, but we never have any in our house!) to make it an even faster go-to meal that can be ready in under 20 minutes!

Taco Pizza
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 1 can Large Biscuits (non Flaky, 8 per can)
• 1 whole can refried beans (we sometime use black beans too)
• Shredded cheese
• Pico De Gallo
• Taco Meat 
• Shredded Iceberg lettuce (we like cilantro instead)
• Sour Cream
• Any other toppings that you like!

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Flour work surface and roll out each biscuit until very flat. Brush very lightly with olive oil. Bake for 8 minutes, or until starting to turn golden. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat up (leftover) taco meat.  

To assemble, spread refried beans over each flatbread. Top with plenty of meat. Sprinkle shredded cheddar over the top. Return to oven for three minutes, or until melted and bubbly. 

Top with your favorite taco topping goodness.

Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

ENJOY!!!

Concert in the Park & Kid Friendly Pasta Salad

During the summer our town has concerts in the park each Tuesday night. They're a lot of fun and remind me of home. The kids get to run around and dance, while the parents catch up and try to relax. This year they took place in the new amphitheater and it's pretty amazing. 

I finally got my act together and rallied the troops and we went to see my favorite local band, Dave and Rae. We got there pretty early to stake out our spot. Lucky for us we found a tiny sliver of shade.

Someone REALLY liked the pre-concert music...

...and the cantaloupe...

GG LOVED the music and won the award for The Best Behaved Murray Child. He bobbed his head and danced the whole time. 

Of course it was one of the hottest, humid-est days ever and the girls were pretty cranky AND Nate was traveling so I was flying solo, but I was determined to go! I decided that a cold pasta salad was the way to go. I literally googled "kid friendly pasta salad" and what do you know, my good friend PW had a recipe by that very name! It really was "kid friendly" too! Lo loved it all, minus the basil, and ate 3 helpings! Noa, who was extremely feisty and cranky, claimed she didn't like it but still ate two servings of the pasta she didn't like!

Kid Friendly Pasta Salad 
Source: The Food Network, The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 12oz fun-shaped pasta, such as radiator
• 8 slices thin bacon
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash sugar, optional
• 1/2 cut grape tomatoes (yellow and red), halved lengthwise
• 1/2 pound Cheddar, cut into small cubes
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• ground black pepper
• 24 whole basil leaves, chiffonade

Directions

Cook the pasta according to the instructions. Then drain and rinse in cold water until cool. Set aside.

Cut the bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and throw into a large skillet. Saute until slightly crisp, and then remove to a paper-towel-lined-plate.

For the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt and sugar, if using, in a small bowl.

Stir together the pasta, dressing, tomatoes, bacon, Cheddar and green onions in a large mixing bowl. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Stir in the basil at the end.

Keeping Basil Fresh

Fresh herbs in summer always make me smile! There's nothing better than picking them from your very own garden. They make any dish taste crisp, fresh and delicious!

One of my favorite herbs to grow is basil. It's so easy and it grows so well, almost too well sometimes! The thing with basil is that you have to "pinch" it before it flowers or the leaves will start to taste bitter. But what do you do if you need to pick your basil and you're not ready for it? Of course you can make some wonderful pesto, but I found a way to keep your picked basil "just picked fresh" for several days. 

All you need is a cooling rack and Tupperware bowl filled with water.

Sure you can put your stems in a glass, but the cooling rack keeps just the ends in the water. No soggy leaves here! The key is to have them in the water right after you pick them. If that's not possible just trim the ends again before you put them in the water.

Here's what my basil looks like 6 days after it was picked. The leaves are still perky and crisp and look and feel like the leaves still in the garden. As an added bonus, my kitchen smells wonderful!

I haven't tried it with store bought herbs, but I think I'm going to give it a try. I hate when I buy them and then they go bad a day or two later. So frustrating!

Do you have any tips or tricks you use to keep your herbs just-picked-fresh? Shout them out! We'd love to hear them!

Hoisin Chicken Legs

Last month after a year-long maternity-leave sabbatical, I went back to work part-time. While I was super excited that I could go back, it took us a while to get back into the swing of things. I had gotten used to having the afternoon to get dinner ready and we could eat at a reasonable hour. Going back to work meant digging out the crock pot and finding new fun recipes to try. The first place I looked was on my friend Kathie's Blog. She is a wonderful cook, and as a mom of two, she has lots of delicious recipes that don't require spending all day in the kitchen.

Her Hoisin Chicken was the first thing we tried and it didn't disappoint. The first time I made it I went for a run before dinner. I told Nate and the girls to start without me. When I got back there was one tiny leg left. To say it was a hit is putting it mildly. GG ate two whole chicken legs on his own and would have had more if we didn't cut him off! The girls have asked to have it added to the "Make Again" list and it will definitely be in our regular meal rotation.

HOISIN CHICKEN
(Adapted from Katie Cooks)

Ingredients

• 2-3 chicken wings or drumettes 
• 1/2c prepared Hoisin Sauce
• 1/4c honey
• 4 to 5 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
• 1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 T sesame oil

Put the chicken in a crock pot. Mix the Hoisin Sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and sesame oil together in a small bowl (I doubled the sauce ingredients since we had close to 4lbs of chicken). Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours. Stir before serving.

We served ours with rice and it was fab-u-lous!

Enjoy!

Some Like It Hot-3 Spicy and De-Lish New Recipes

I guess I've been on a little bit of a spicy kick lately because the last three meals I cooked made my eyes water and my nose run and they were absolutely DE-LISH! These are definitely not for the lovers of mild and bland. All three came from The Feed Zone Cookbook. They are quick and easy to make, full of good for you veggies in every color of the rainbow and low in fat...another cooking trifecta of goodness

Spicy Asian Noodle Soup

I seriously could have eaten the whole pot of this soup and it made our house smell wonderful. It would be a great dish for a large group because everyone can make it to their liking. Next time I make it, I may let the girls try it. The sausage wasn't spicy and they can add in their favorite veggies. They'll totally love being little chefs.

Ingredients

• 8oz rice noodles
• sesame or grapeseed oil
• 1lb Italian bulk sausage (spicy or not) or 1lb cubed firm tofu (I used sausage)
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Toppings (pick your favorites)

• chopped green onions
• chopped bell peppers
• shredded/chopped carrots and/or radishes
• shredded cabbage
• chopped fresh ginger, garlic and/or jalapeno
• fresh mint, Thai basil leaves, and cilantro
• soy sauce
• Sriracha sauce
• fresh limes

Look at those Be-U-Ti-FUL colors!!!

1. Bring a large stock pot filled with water to a boil. Cook the rice noodles as directed on the package. Drain water from noodles, tossing with a light sesame or grapeseed oil to prevent noodles from sticking. Set aside.
2. Brown the meat or tofu. Add a splash of oil once most of it is browned and then saute until crisp. Add soy sauce and continue to mix. If using tofu, add some salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
3. While the meat or tofu is browning, bring the broth to a simmer in a large pot. Add an equal amount or more of water, depending on how strong you want the flavors to be.
4. Divide noodles among four bowls, add broth to each, top with tofu or sausage. Mix in the veggies and toppings as desired. Have chopsticks and big spoons ready

The warm broth combined with the crispy veggies and fantastic sausage make a wonderful bowl of yumminess!

Just seeing that beautiful pictures makes me want to go out immediately and buy all the ingredients! Seriously, make this one, you won't be disappointed!

Orange Chicken

You certainly could make this without the chili sauce and jalapenos but I really think it is begging for both. Make the kids some chicken nuggets instead and enjoy your nice grown-up chicken!

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked calrose or medium-grain rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/2c red cabbage
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

Dressing (personally I don't think there was enough sauce, next time I would double the ingredients)

• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1T soy sauce
• 1t chili sauce (or to taste)

Instructions 

1. Combine rice and water in a rice cooker.
2. While rice is cooking, dust chicken pieces with rice flour in a bowl or large ziplock bag
3. In a lightly oiled medium saute pan, cook the chicken until lightly browned, about 5 minutes
4. Add cabbage, onion and jalapeno and saute until all are softened, about 3-5 minutes. Removed pan from heat.
5. To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together orange marmalade, soy sauce and chili sauce.
6. Pour dressing over chicken and vegetable mixture and stir well to incorporate. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.

It's the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. It makes enough for 4 servings and yes, the hubby and I ate them all!

Spanish Chicken and Tomato Stew

When I made this one, I made it REALLY spicy because I misread the ingredients and put in one POUND of chorizo instead of one CUP. Oh boy did my eyes water and I think I needed about 49 tissues, but it was still delicious and I ate two HUGE bowls! I made it in the slow cooker so it was super easy. I love that the veggies were still crispy and not mushy. I topped our stew with fresh avocado which added some wonderful creaminess and helped balanced some of the added spiciness.

Ingredients

• 1T olive oil
• 2lbs bonesless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes
• 1 cup chorizo or Italian sausage 
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup tomatoes, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 mild green chile peppers, chopped, seeds left in
• 2-4 cups chicken stock or water (see note)

Optional Additions

• 1/2c apple cider vinegar
• 1T brown sugar
• 1c cooked white beans, rinsed 

1. Pour olive oil into a heavy pot and set over medium-high heat. While oil is heating, sprinkle salt and pepper over chicken.
2. Add sausage to pot and brown thoroughly. Add chicken and cook about 5-6 minutes, until browned.
3. Add vegetables and 2 cups chicken stock (including any desired optional ingredients-Add canned beans, if using, just before serving), cover pot with lid, and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 45 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with warm polenta or steamed rice.

NOTE: To prepare in a slow cooker, first cook the meat as instructed in steps 1 and 2, but simply sear the meat until it is lightly browned on each side. The meat will not be cooked through. Transfer the meat and all of the ingredients, along with an additional 2 cups of chicken stock, to the slow cooker and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. 

So now you have three great recipes to warm you up on these ridiculously cold "spring" days! Happy eating! 

Rosemary and Lemon White Bean Dip

When I saw this recipe I KNEW I had to make it. Immediately. There was just something about it that seemed so wonderfully delicious! I was not disappointed. It's great on crackers or pita chips (or by itself on a spoon). I'm so glad I bought enough supplies to make two batches because I ate the first all by myself (minus ONE bite I "generously" gave the hubs). I do think it tasted a little bit better after it had been refrigerated, the flavors seemed a little bit deeper, but that certainly didn't stop me from eating half of it IMMEDIATELY! 

Ingredients 

• 1 (15.5oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place beans, garlic and lemon juice in food processor. Pulse until beans are roughly chopped.
2. With motor running, slowly pour 1/4 cup of oil through feed tube. Process until mixture is smooth.
3. Transfer bean mixture to a small bowl. Stir in rosemary, lemon zest, and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I also added in more lemon juice 'cuz that's how I roll). Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 3 days (As if it's going to last that long!)
4. Grab a spoon and ENJOY!

Muesli

As I've mentioned several times, I REALLY trying to focus on my nutrition for my upcoming Marathon in April. You know I'm serious because it has been 6 days since I've had a glass of wine! That's how dedicated I am.

One of my new, "athlete friendly" cookbooks is this one:

It's full of flavorful recipes that are easy to make and don't require many ingredients. I love that it's broken down into different sections based on how athletes workout. There is a section for pre-work out food, another for take-along or handheld dishes and a ton of post-workout recipes to aid in your recovery. Most of the recipes are high in calories, fat and carbs, but anyone who is an endurance athlete needs those types of meals. Those not in training could easily cut down the portion size and have a great, healthy meal.

The first recipe I tried was Muesli. I had never heard of it, but I liked that I could make it the night before and pop it in the fridge. It's all ready to go the next day. Perfect for those early morning long runs. It makes two servings so there's some leftover for a post-run recovery snack. It's high in calories and fat, but omitting the walnuts would decrease both considerably and I don't think you'd miss them. I was surprised that the apples stayed crispy, and by how much I liked it. Lo loved it too and just like that, my other serving had disappeared! I tried it for breakfast one morning before a 6 mile run (I gave it a full 2 hours to digest) and I had no issues while running. No nausea or cramping or feeling of heaviness in my stomach. So much better for me than my usual pre-run Diet Coke!

Muesli

Servings: 2

Time: 10 minutes, store overnight.

Ingredients

• 1 cup "old-fashioned" rolled oats
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 yogurt (I used plain greek yogurt, but whatever you have would work)
• 1 small apple, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• sprinkle of ground cinnamon

Additional additions* (*these are not included in the nutritional information)

• 2T honey or maple syrup
• 1 mashed ripe banana
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• fresh fruit

Combine all ingredients (including any optional additions) in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl and store in the fridge overnight. 

Per serving:

Energy 479cal 

Fat 15g

Sodium 79mg

Carbs 76g

Fiber 10g

Protein 19g

Grease Is The Word

I don't know if there really is anything more wonderful than bacon. It truly may be the most amazing thing in the world. Seriously, what doesn't taste better with bacon?!?! Um nothing, that's what...

Due to it's high status on the unhealthy list we don't have it very often around here and when we do it, doesn't last long. I have a few new recipes to try that require a little bit of cooked bacon so I indulged and bought two pound and got frying. Check in next week to see the new recipes. I'm really excited about them and REALLY hope they turn out as delicious as they sound. 

As you can imagine, two pounds of bacon lead to A LOT of bacon grease. I found this cool trick to dispose of the grease awhile back and wanted to share. It's one of those "why didn't I think of that" ideas and now I no longer have glass jars full of bacon grease sitting under my sink!

First take a small bowl or dish and line it with foil.

Carefully pour the hot grease into the foil. I recommend doing this over the sink.

Let it sit overnight until the grease solidifies.

Fold the foil into a ball (or swan if you're fancy)...

...and toss it into the garbage.

Easy. Peasy.

Gnocchi Mac n' Cheese

I L-O-V-E, love ooey, gooey mac n' cheese. There really is no better comfort food. Hands down my favorite mac n' cheese is Erin Mac n' Cheese, but this comes in a close second and is great for when you're feeling fancy. After all is has Gruyere in it! 

Ingredients

• 1 pound of Gnocchi
• 2T Butter
• 1t Garlic, minced
• 1T All-purpose flour
• 3/4c Milk
• 1t Dijon mustard
• 1/4c Shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1/4c Shredded Fontina cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3c Shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Basil leaves for garnish

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare Gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place Gnocchi in a single layer in a 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
• Combine Gruyere and Fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful. Once all cheese is melted, season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Pour sauce over Gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano over top. Bake Gnocchi until they puff and cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let Gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

Spanish Spaghetti with Olives

Last week this little gem came in the mail...

It's AWE-SOME! It is full of wonderful and yummy recipes!!! I've been in a cooking slump lately, making the same boring meals week after week...and some nights not cooking at all...making sandwiches and calling it dinner. It was time for a change! I flagged quite a few for the week and I can't wait to share them with you. I made this pasta for the hubby and I and it was de-lish! It was a little to spicy for the girls so there was lots for me and the hubby to enjoy. 

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked thin spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads (optional-I omitted this)
• 8 ounces extra-lean ground beef
• 1 2/3 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce
• 2 ounces pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (divided)

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-hight heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion to pan; saute 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Stir in oregano, celery salt, red pepper, black pepper and saffron, if desired. Add ground beef; cook 5 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in marinara sauce, olives, dry sherry, capers and 3 tablespoons parsley; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add spaghetti to sauce mixture. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

So yummy and even better reheated the next day!

Serves 4 (serving size about 1 3/4 cups)

Calories 407

Fat 9.3g

Protein 21g

Carbs 57.1g

Fiber 4.6g

Have a great day! It's a dark and dreary day here in Indy...perfect for finishing starting Halloween costumes!

What We're Eating

Every Saturday I plan my meals and make my grocery list. This week I was kind of in a rut. We've been eating the same things and the whole family was getting bored. I asked my friend what was on her meal list and she replied, "Your teriyaki meatballs. They're still on your blog right, because I need the recipe." Hmmmmm I totally forgot my best resource for recipes, MYSELF! So often I look for new recipes to share, that I completely forget about the ones that we love so much! This week we're having four of our favorites and I wanted to share with you....just incase you've forgotten about them too!

Tortellini Soup

This is one of our favorites. It has fresh spinach, is super quick to make and only requires one pot!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

The weather has changed and we're on a soup kick. This is the soup that my oldest declared was "Better than Panera's" so yummy and creamy and full of delish fresh broccoli.

Baked Teriyaki Meatballs

The sauce on these is so amazing! The whole family loved them and the girls always have fun helping me roll the meatballs.

Rosemary Chicken Pockets

Another super quick recipe. They are perfect for the nights when you don't have a lot of time to make a big meal. The girls love that they can just pick them up and pop them in their mouth!

There's something comforting about a favorite dish. What's on your on your meal plan for dinner this week? Do you have a family favorite dish you'd like to share? Shout 'em out, I always love hearing from you!

Thanks for stopping by,

Erin's Mac n' Cheese

The conversation is ALWAYS the same...

What's for dinner?

Mac n' Cheese

Erin's Mac n' Cheese?

Yes

Yay!!! Yippee!!! That's my favorite! It's the BEST pasta ever! etc...

And that's how it became know as "Erin's Mac n' Cheese"

After G was born my WONDERFUL friend Traci organized meals for us. We were so lucky to have so many generous people bring us amazingly delicious meals for several weeks. It truly was a sanity saver! Mealtime can be crazy, add in a newborn who needs to eat every few hours and you can have utter chaos! I can honestly say there was not one meal that was not loved by my family. Night after night I watched the girls gobble up the food and demand I ask the chef for the recipe! 

The recipe I am sharing today comes from my good friend Erin. You also know her from Lois Pearl Designs. This is hands down our family's favorite mac n' cheese. We inhaled it!!! There may have been tears when we realized it was all gone. G is only 3 months old and we have had it at least 5 times since he was born. The ONLY problem is that there NEVER are left-overs! I would double the recipe, but I'm not sure that would guarantee any...we'd probably just eat double! 

You probably have everything you need already in your pantry and fridge so make it tonight! Your family will think you are a Master Chef!

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles (cooked al dente) 
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I mix it up, pretty much use what I have on hand)
• 2 cups milk (I used skim and it thickens up just fine)
• 3T butter
• 3T flour
• 2t season salt

Melt butter in pan. Add flour, stir until bubbly. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir until milk thickens. Add cheese and salt. Pour over cooked pasta. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

And then stand back and watch your family DEVOUR this amazing pasta!

Chicken Piccata

Since I've been on my maternity leave I've had much more time to cook and try out recipes new recipes. Earlier this week I made one of my favorite dishes growing up, Chicken Piccata. I just love the lemon-y-ness and tangy capers in this dish. It was super easy to make and even tasted good reheated the next day. The girls "chopped" me on this one, mainly because of the capers, but they did like the chicken plain so it's still a dish my whole family can enjoy (and means more of the yummy sauce for me and the hubby).

Chicken Piccata

Source: Ok. I'll Eat That

Ingredients

• 2 large lemons
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), rinsed, dried thoroughly, and trimmed of excess fat
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4T vegetable oil
• 1 small shallot, minced or 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 2T small capers, drained
• 3T unsalted butter, softened
• 2T minced fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof plate on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Halve one lemon pole to pole. Trim ends from one half and cut crosswise into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick; set aside. Juice remaining half and whole lemon to obtain 1/4 cup juice; reserve.
3. Sprinkle both sides of chicken generously with salt and pepper. Measure flour into pie tin or shallow baking dish. Working one cutlet at a time, coat with flour, and shake to remove excess.
4. Heat heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes; add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl pan to coat. Lay half of chicken pieces in skillet. Saute cutlets, without moving them, until lightly browned, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Turn cutlets and cook until second side is lightly browned, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat and transfer chicken to plate in oven. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to now empty skillet and heat until shimmering. Add remaining chicken and repeat.
5. Add shallot or garlic to now-empty skillet and return skillet to medium heat. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds for shallot or 10 seconds for garlic. Add stock and lemon slices, increase heat to high, and scrape skillet bottom with wooden spoon or spatula to loosen browned bits. Simmer until liquid reduces to about 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and capers and simmer until sauce reduces again to 1/3 cup, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and swirl in butter until butter melts and thickens sauce; swirl in parsley. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately. 

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Florentine Pasta

I love when I put dinner on the table and I hear my girls gasp because it looks so good! That's what happened last night when I served my girls this lovely plate of yumminess:

Not only is it full of creamy cheesiness, but it's full of good-for-you spinach. When Lo asked for seconds I think my heart actually skipped a beat! I found it in my latest issue of Cooking Light magazine. It's super easy to make and I'm sure if you have any leftovers (we certainly didn't), it would be great the next day too! Vegetarians can omit the chicken and I also think adding fresh tomatoes would be great too! This will definitely be added to our dinner rotation! 

Ingredients

• 2 (6 ounce) bone-in chicken breasts, skinned (I used boneless)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 8 ounces uncooked linguine
• cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
• 4 cups fresh spinach leaves

Directions

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
2. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated w/ cooking spray, and grill for 8 minutes on each side or until done (I used my George Foreman grill). Let stand 10 minutes. Carve chicken off bones, and thinly slice.
3. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well; keep warm.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add flour and garlic; cook until garlic is browned (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly. Add milk and broth, stirring with a whisk; bring to a simmer, and cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and spinach; stir until spinach wilts. Add pasta and chicken; toss to combine.

So delish! Enjoy!

Serves 4 (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 332; FAT 10.3g; PROTEIN 24.8g

CARB 35g FIBER 2g CHOL 46mg

IRON 2.6mg SODIUM 579mg CALC 195mg