Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf

recipe from What’s Cookin’ Chicago?

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (Picky Apple Note: I substituted almond meal to keep it gluten-free)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup pasta sauce (homemade or store bought)
• 1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
• minced parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. To not over handle the mixture otherwise it will get tough. Place the mixture in the greased loaf pan and form into a loaf. Top the meatloaf with pasta sauce.

Place filled loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the meatloaf back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted.

Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving/slicing. Garnish with parsley if desired.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the meatloaf mixture as directed and place in a disposable loaf pan. Cover and freeze. When ready to prepare and serve, defrost the meatloaf completely and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Top with pasta sauce and place filled loaf pan on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the meatloaf back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving/slicing. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Spinach Berry Cucumber Salad

recipe from Trainer Momma

Ingredients:

• 10 oz of fresh baby spinach
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 fresh peach, sliced
• handful of dried cranberries
• handful of Asiago cheese, shredded
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup sugared pecans
• White Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (see recipe below)

Mix all the ingredients. Dress the salad to taste with the most of the dressing (I typically have a little left over) and serve immediately.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

recipe from Trainer Momma

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar  (Picky Apple Note: I just used regular balsamic)
• 1 Tb pure maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 ground black pepper

Just mix all the ingredients in a jar and shake well.

This Pomegranate Hazelnut Holiday Salad with Maple Bacon Dressing is one AMAZING salad!  I’ve thrown this salad together at least 3 times in the last month, and I just can’t get enough of it.  I suppose I’m a little slow jumping on the pomegranate band-wagon: until I made this salad, I don’t think I’d had pomegranate or pomegranate juice.  But now I love those messy little seeds with all my heart!

And then there’s the dressing…made of maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and….wait for it….bacon grease.  It really doesn’t get any better than that.

In order to make this salad a little more filling for a lunch or dinner (and to get some extra protein), I add grilled chicken or turkey (as in the photo, taken shortly after Thanksgiving) and crumbled goat cheese.  I think the goat cheese pairs well with the bacon and pomegranate flavors, but other cheeses would probably work great too!

Pomegranate Hazelnut Holiday Salad with Maple Bacon Dressing

recipe adapted from Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients:

• 8 cups Mixed Greens
• 12 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled (save your bacon grease, see below!)
• ¾ cups Chopped, Toasted Hazelnuts
• 1 whole Pomegranate, Peeled And Arils Removed
• 1 cup chopped grilled chicken or leftover turkey
• 3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 3 Tablespoons Warm Bacon Grease (reserved From Cooking The Bacon)
• 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

To make salad: Toss greens, bacon, hazelnuts, pomegranate, grilled chicken/turkey, and goat cheese together in a bowl.

To make dressing: Place bacon grease, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper (if using) into a small jar and shake until combined. Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve immediately.

The real superstar of this dish is the Cilantro Pesto.  Don’t get me wrong, the pork medallions themselves are plenty tasty and simple enough to prepare (and I love cooking pork in medallion form!), but I could just eat this pesto by the spoonful.  It’s that good!  The Cilantro Pesto is creamy and spicy and sweet and and rich and bold all at once.  It’s a unique flavor combination that just works.  I found this recipe in The Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook (available for free at Mark’s Daily Apple), but don’t tune me out just because I started talking about all that Primal and Paleo stuff again!  My husband, who is decidedly NOT Primal (and isn’t called The Picky Apple for nothin’!), loved this meal just as much as I did.  I think you’ll enjoy it too!

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Cilantro Pesto

recipe from The Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of pork tenderloin
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• Cilantro Pesto (recipe below)

Slice the tenderloin into rounds of 1-inch thickness. Mix oils and vinegar, add garlic and ginger. Marinate the pork slices in a non-reactive glass container for at least 2 hours or overnight, turning at intervals to marinate both sides of the slices.  To cook the pork, heat some coconut oil, lard, or olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Quickly sear the slices, turning once, until just cooked through. Do not crowd the pan, cook in batches as needed so they sear and don’t steam. Keep each batch warm in a warm oven or covered in foil wrap.  Make pesto (see recipe below).

To serve: Put a few slices of pork on a plate with a little bit of pesto on each slice, or serve pesto on the side.  (A little pesto goes a long way, flavor-wise.) Serve with cooked greens with sesame seeds and sliced red peppers for a nice color combo.

Cilantro Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of cilantro, leaves only
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil (or less, to taste)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (or more, to taste)
• 1/4 cup almond butter (Picky Apple Note: You can also use peanut butter!)
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
• 1/2 – 1 cup coconut milk
• sea salt to taste

To make pesto:  Blend sauce ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth, adding coconut milk until preferred consistency is reached.

True Texas No Beans Chili

recipe adapted from crazyhorseghost

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound of bacon, cut into very small pieces
• 1 onion diced very fine (you can use red or white onion)
• 2 1/2 pounds of lean trimmed small cubes of beef brisket
• 1/6 cup chili powder
• 1/2 heaping tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (if you want spicier chili, add more!)
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 tablespoon oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon ground sea salt
• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cans green chiles (each can is 4 ounces)
• 1 1/2 bottles Corona beer (you can also substitute apple juice)
• 14 ounces diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 3 ounces tomato paste
• 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, very coarsely chopped

Place your diced up bacon , your diced onion and your garlic in a large skillet. Cook until your bacon is well cooked and brown before you rake the skillet into a large stock pot.

Now you will want to add all your other ingredients and bring your large stock pot up to a boil. Then reduce your heat to a low medium and cook at least two hours stirring your pot up from the bottom often to be sure your chili does not stick. After two hours reduce your heat to a low simmer and cook two more hours stirring often up from the bottom of the pot.

Your chili should now be done and ready to eat. Test it out by trying a couple pieces of your meat. It should be tender by now and starting to come apart. If its not tender keep cooking on simmer until your meat is tender. Add another 12 ounce beer or 12 ounces of apple juice if your chili gets to thick. If you want more hot add more ground cayenne pepper.

Serve chili with a garnish of shredded cheddar cheese , fine chopped cilantro , sour cream, a side of cornbread!

Here’s what I put on my Greek salads: red and green romaine, spinach, red bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, kalamata olives, feta cheese, grilled chicken (using the marinade from this recipe), and pine nuts.  Occasionally I add cherry tomatoes.  Tomatoes are one of those things I’m learning to enjoy more.

A long time ago, my mom showed me how easy it is to make your own Greek Salad Dressing instead of purchasing a bottle of it.  I used to just throw my dressing together with no measuring, but recently I tried the recipe below.  It contains all the ingredients I was already using, but these measurements get the flavor just right.

Greek Salad Dressing

recipe from Make It Paleo

Ingredients:

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a small mixing bowl.  Whisk in olive oil, minced garlic, and oregano.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Parmesan Bake

recipe from Food Wishes Video Recipes via Pinterest

I’ve written out the recipe steps below, but you can also just watch the video

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• hot red pepper flakes, to taste
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 3)
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 8 ounces mozzarella, shredded
• 4 ounces parmesan, shredded
• 1 (5 ounce) package of garlic croutons

In a 9×13″ casserole dish, mix your olive oil, crushed garlic and red pepper flakes.  Spread this mixture out over the bottom of the dish.  Then put your chicken breasts down in the dish.  (Picky Apple Note: I pounded the chicken breasts out so that they were fairly thin…they cook faster this way too!)  Pour 2 cups of marinara sauce over the chicken breasts and spread to cover evenly.  Sprinkle the chopped basil over the sauce.  Then sprinkle 4 ounces of shredded mozzarella and 2 ounces of the shredded parmesan (half of the cheese) over the top.  Next sprinkle the 5 ounces of garlic croutons over the cheese.  Spread them out evenly.  (Picky Apple Note: I smashed mine up very slightly first).  Now sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the croutons (4 more ounces of mozzarella and 2 more ounces of parmesan).  Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through  (if you don’t pound out the chicken breasts or if they are particularly thick, it could take up to an hour.)

Yum!  Those extra browned cheesy bits are my favorite!

Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks

recipe from Lauren’s Latest via Pinterest

Ingredients:

• 1/2 recipe Fail-Proof Pizza Dough (recipe below)
• 2 tablespoons softened salted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 pound mozzarella cheese (I like to use the real stuff and slice it)
• garlic salt and pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees with pizza stone inside. Mix butter and garlic in a small bowl and set aside. Spread pizza dough out into a 12-inch circle on parchment paper. {This makes it easier to transfer to the pizza stone.}   Spread the butter and garlic mixture over dough and top with parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Top with a light sprinkling of garlic salt and pepper, if desired. {That step is totally optional!}  Bake 9-10 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Remove from oven and cool 1-2 minutes before cutting. Serve hot, with marinara.

Don’t skimp on the cheese.  Use the good stuff and slice it.  Next time I’ll use even more!

Basic Pizza Dough
yield: 2-12 inch pizzas, approximately 1 lb. of dough

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups bread flour (I’ve also used all purpose flour with success)

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer, stir yeast and honey into warm water. Sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. This tells you that the yeast is alive and kicking. Pour in salt, oil and half the flour and mix. Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it it doesn’t stick to your hands. Once you reach this stage, turn the mixer on high to knead for 6 minutes. Turn a timer on and walk away! Resist the temptation to stop earlier than 6 minutes! The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. And the bowl should be clean! Lightly grease the bowl & the dough so it doesn’t dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours.

Ultimate Roast Chicken

from Tyler Florence at foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

• 1 (5 1/2 pound) chicken
• 1/2 bunch each fresh oregano, thyme, and parsley
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 orange, halved
• 1/2 head garlic
• 1 medium white onion, halved, plus 1 onion
• 6 strips smoked bacon
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• Serving suggestion: roast potatoes, watercress and gravy

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out. Pat it dry with paper towels. Divide the herbs, keeping 1/2 of them whole. Finely chop the other half. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the chopped herbs, until combined. Rub the herbed butter under the skin, as well as all over the outside of the chicken. Season the bird all over with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the orange, garlic, 1 onion, and the remaining herbs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan. Put the remaining onion into the pan, which will help color and flavor the sauce. Lay the strips of bacon across the breast of the chicken and roast for 25 minutes.

Remove the bacon and baste the chicken with the drippings and cook for another 25 minutes to brown the skin. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (the legs of the chicken should wiggle easily from the sockets too.) Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, so the juices settle back into the meat before carving.

Meanwhile, remove the softened onion from the roasting pan. Tilt the pan so the drippings collect in 1 corner, skimming off as much fat as possible, and leaving the drippings. Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium heat and take a wooden spoon to scrape up the flavor from the bottom of the pan. Stir the flour into the drippings to make a roux-like paste. Pour in the chicken broth in stages; continue to stir to dissolve the flour evenly to prevent lumps. Stir in the sherry and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, carve the chicken tableside and squeeze the oranges from the cavity over the meat.