Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Stoup

Ingredients

 

• Salt
• 1 1/4-1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe (a large bundle)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 1/4-1 1/2 pounds bulk Italian sweet or hot sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or very thinly sliced
• 1 red chili pepper, very thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• A few grates of nutmeg
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• About 3/4 cup orecchietti pasta
• Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for topping
• Crusty bread, such as ciabatta

Serves 4

Preparation

In a medium size pot, bring a few inches of water to a boil over medium heat, then salt the water. Trim the broccoli rabe and cut it into 1 1/2-2-inch lengths. Simmer in boiling water to reduce the bitterness, about 4-5 minutes, then cold shock in ice water and drain very well.
Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat with the EVOO, a turn of the pan. Add the sausage and brown and crumble, 7-8 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and chili pepper and cook for a few minutes more. Add the thyme and lemon zest, then add the broccoli rabe and season with a little nutmeg. Stir in the stock and the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes to combine the flavors. Turn off the heat, cool and store for a make-ahead meal.

Reheat the stoup over low heat and bring to a low boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente, about 10 minutes. Ladle the stoup into shallow bowls and garnish with cheese. Serve with crusty bread for mopping.

Chicken Tender Salad

Ingredients

 

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/4 English (seedless) cucumber, sliced in half lengthwise and cut into half moons
• 1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 4 chicken tenders, breaded and baked, then cut into pieces on the bias
• 1/4 cup honey mustard dressing
• 1 cup baked corn chips, crumbled

Preparation

Pack cherry tomatoes and cucumbers together in a sealable plastic bag. Pack remaining ingredients separately in your child’s lunchbox in sealable plastic bags or airtight containers inside one large container to serve as the "salad bowl." Once it is time for lunch, your child can combine all the ingredients in the bowl and give it a good shake to make a healthy chicken salad. Yum-o!

Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

Ingredients

 

 

• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced 1-inch thick
• Salt
• 1 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons butter, sliced
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• White pepper or finely ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

Place the potatoes and parsnips in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Salt the water and cook to tender. Drain and mash the potatoes and parnsips with milk and butter. Season with parsley, salt and pepper, to taste.

Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

16 cups torn mixed salad greens
2 avocados, sliced
2 cans (11 oz) Mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup thin red onion slices
2/3 cup Italian salad dressing

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl.

2. Add dressing and toss to coat.

Potato Salad

Ingredients:

2 lbs tiny new red potatoes
1 cup low fat mayonnaise or
light salad dressing

2 celery ribs, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup chopped sweet or dill pickles
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 to 2 tbsp skim milk
Coarsely ground black pepper, (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or just until tender.
Drain well and cool. Cut into quarters.

2. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, celery, onion, pickles, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add potatoes and egg, gently tossing to coat. Cover and chill for 6 to 24 hours.

3. To serve, stir enough of the milk into salad to reach desired consistency.
Season to taste with additional pepper.

Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups mixed lettuce leaves
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup yellow pear-shaped tomatoes
3/4 cup celery, sliced
1/4 cup shallots, chopped
Cajun seasoning to taste
10 oz (300g) skinless chicken breast
2 tbsp fat-free Italian dressing

Directions:

1. Place the lettuce in a serving dish and top it with the vegetables; set aside.

2. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning over the chicken and broil, grill or barbecue it until cooked. Slice the chicken into thin strips.

3. Arrange the warm chicken over the salad and drizzle with the dressing.

Chicken Florentine

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Italian salad dressing, divided
4 cups baby spinach leaves
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb total)
8 slices deli fresh smoked ham
1 cup shredded cheese


Directions:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the dressing in a large oven proof skillet on medium heat.
Add spinach; cook and stir 1 minute or just until spinach is wilted.
Remove from skillet and cover to keep warm.

2. Add remaining dressing and chicken to skillet; turn chicken over to coat both sides with dressing. Cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done (165° F.)

3. Top chicken with ham and cheese; cover. Cook on low heat 1 to 2 minutes
cheese is melted. Serve over spinach mixture.

Garlic Chicken

Garlic Chicken

Ingredients: 

1 large head garlic (about 4 oz.)
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 lbs. total)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
4 small thyme sprigs

Directions:

Slice 1/4 inch off top of garlic head. Then rub garlic with oil. Wrap garlic in foil and bake in a 375 degree F oven until very soft when pressed (about 1 1/4 hours). Carefully remove garlic from foil; transfer to a rack and let stand until cool enough to touch (about 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, rinse chicken, pat dry, and sprinkle with chopped thyme and pepper. Place, skinned side up, in a lightly oiled 9-inch baking pan. Bake in a 450 degree F oven until meat in thickest part is no longer pink; cut to test (12 to 15 minutes). Meanwhile, squeeze garlic cloves from skins into a small bowl. Add salt; mash garlic thoroughly with a fork, incorporating salt.

Spread a fourth of the garlic mixture over each chicken piece; then sprinkle chicken with cheese. Return to oven; continue to bake just until cheese is melted and bubbly (about 3 more minutes). Press a thyme sprig into cheese on each piece of chicken.

Chicken Drumsticks...

Ingredients:

 

 

• 12 chicken drumsticks
• 1 (5 ounce) bottle hot red pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups blue cheese salad dressing

Directions

1.     Place the drumsticks in a slow cooker, and sprinkle evenly with pieces of butter. Pour the hot sauce over the chicken, then season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover, and cook on High for 3 hours, or until tender. Serve chicken legs with blue cheese dressing on the side.

Chicken Drumsticks..

Ingredients:

 

 

8 chicken drumsticks

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

4 cups apricot nectar

1 teaspoon cornstarch, or as needed

1 tablespoon water

3 tablespoons Madras curry powder

1 cup dried apricots

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 large green bell pepper, roughly chopped

4 carrots, thinly sliced

1 fresh green chile pepper, minced (optional)

1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts (optional)

 

Directions

1.Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Season the chicken drumsticks with salt and pepper.

2.Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until garlic is softened and is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Place the drumsticks in the skillet, and brown the chicken on all sides, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the skillet to the oven.

3.Bake the chicken drumsticks in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 7 to 10 minutes.

4.Bring the apricot nectar to a boil in a large pot over medium-high eat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Mix cornstarch and water together in a small bowl; stir cornstarch mixture and curry powder into the apricot nectar. Add dried apricots. Transfer the baked drumsticks into the apricot mixture.

5.Heat the skillet used to cook the chicken over medium heat. Stir in the onion, green bell pepper, carrots, and green chile pepper; cook and stir until the onion has softened. Pour the drumsticks and apricot sauce into the skillet. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in water chestnuts just before serving.

Apple-Cheddar Turnovers

Ingredients:

• 6 slices whole wheat bread
• 1 small Gala apple, finely diced
• A few grates of fresh nutmeg
• Salt
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely diced
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Canola cooking spray

Serves 6 as a snack

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.

Run a rolling pin over the slices of bread to make them thinner.
Season the apples with nutmeg and salt, then dress with the lemon juice. Combine with the cheese.

In a small bowl, combine the Dijon mustard and the maple syrup. Spread the mixture on each slice of bread.
Place some of the apple-cheese mixture over each slice of bread on top of the mustard-syrup. Fold the corners of the bread together to create a triangle. Squeeze the sides together to ensure that they are well-sealed.

Arrange the turnovers on a rack set on top of a baking sheet and spray lightly with canola oil. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.