Chicken Soft Tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken breast tenderloins
• 1 package taco seasoning mix
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 bell pepper, cut into slices
• 1 onion, cut into rings
• 1 can of diced green chilis
• 1 can of sliced black olives
• ½ head of lettuce, chopped
• 1 zucchini, cut into thin slices
• 1 can of corn, drained
• 1 tomato, cut into pieces
• 4 soft taco size tortillas
• Salsa
• Ranch style dressing

Preparation:
Cook the chicken breast tenderloins in 1 tablespoon of oil.
Add the taco seasoning mix and the bell pepper and onion.
Cook until the vegetables are crisp tender.
Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Into the same pan, place the corn, green chilis, olives and 1 teaspoon cumin.
Stir and cook until the corn begins to brown.
Place in a serving bowl.
Toss the lettuce with the zucchini and tomato.
Warm the tortillas on the stove or in the microwave.
Serve the salad with the ranch dressing.
Serve the fajita ingredients in a bowl and allow the family to build their own.


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Mushroom Grilled Pork Chops with Sweet Melon Salad

This is another meal that can be ready in about 30 minutes. This recipe is enough for four people. To increase it to a recipe for six, simply add another yam, 2 more pork chops, and 2 more cups of melon salad. Yes, there is a pork chop underneath those wonderful looking mushrooms.

Ingredients:
4 green onions, chopped
8 ounces of mushrooms
1 tablespoon real butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 sirloin pork chops, thin cut
½ teaspoon oregano
Salt and black pepper
2 sweet potatoes
1 head of broccoli, cut up into florets
4 cups of watermelon and honeydew, cut into chunks or round balls
1 sprig of fresh mint
1 cup of vanilla yogurt

Preparation:
Cook the onions and mushrooms in the butter and oil, being careful to not allow the mushrooms to touch so they brown on all sides. Cover the pan to keep them warm.
Cut the melon into chunks or round balls and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes.
Cut them into small pieces and place them in a microwave safe bowl.
Microwave on high 4 minutes or until they are tender. Cover with foil to keep warm.
While the sweet potatoes cook, preheat the indoor grill.
Place the broccoli florets in a bowl with ¼ cup water.
Microwave on high 4 minutes until they are crisp tender.
While the vegetables cook, sprinkle salt, pepper, and oregano on the pork chops.
Cook on a hot grill for 3 minutes or until the juice runs clear.
Take the melon balls out of the freezer.
Chop the sprig of mint and stir it into the melon balls.
Place one cup of melon salad into 4 dessert cups.
Top with ¼ cup of vanilla yogurt and garnish with another mint leaf.

Wine pairing:
Pair this pork dinner with the Daniel Gehrs 2008 Oak Free Chardonnay reviewed in this article.

Photo/Suzanne Pitner

More great recipes are at my Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner website.

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Chicken Pineapple Kabobs with Iceberg Spinach Salad

This recipe makes enough for four skewers. If you are serving more than four people, add rice to the menu and place the cooked chicken and vegetables in a bowl over the rice.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 1 can pineapple chunks, with juice
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red onion, cut into quarters
• 1 nectarine or peach, cut into chunks
• 1 bell pepper, cut into large pieces
• ½ head of iceberg lettuce
• 1 cup of baby spinach leaves
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup of edamame

Preparation:
Place the cut up chicken in a zipper top plastic bag with the pineapple juice, vinegar, and soy sauce.
Marinate the chicken overnight or at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Place the chicken, pineapple, peach or nectarine, onion, and bell pepper on a skewer, alternating pieces.
Use the olive oil to coat a baking pan.
Place the skewers in the pan and bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
Alternatively, they can be cooked on an outdoor grill.
Toss the lettuce, spinach together.
Top the salad with the sunflower seeds and edamame.
Serve with a light salad dressing.


Photo/Suzanne Pitner
More great recipes are at my Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner website.

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Grilled Smoked Turkey, Muenster, and Apple Sandwiches

Serve with a Spring Salad

Ingredients:

• 8 slices whole wheat bread
• 4 teaspoons Dijon style mustard
• 8 ounces smoked turkey breast, sliced deli thin
• 4 slices Muenster cheese
• 2 Granny Smith apples, cut on the star and sliced thin
• Spring salad vegetable mix
• ½ cucumber
• Sunflower seeds
• Raspberry vinaigrette dressing

Preparation:
Spray an indoor grill with cooking spray and preheat.
Make the sandwiches and grill on the indoor grill.
Toss the salad ingredients with 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette.
Serve the sandwiches hot with mint iced tea.

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Photos/Suzanne Pitner
More great recipes are at my Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner website.

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Dinner Magic Menus April Week 2

Dinner Magic complete grocery Shopping List for April Week 2.

Spicy Mexican Pizza and Salad

Tri Tip Sandwiches with Bleu Cheese and Oven Roasted Vegetables


BBQ Ribs in the Slow Cooker with Baked Yam Wedges

Vegetarian Vegetable Soup and Brown Bread

Chicken Risotto Florentine One Dish Meal


Grilled Spicy Salmon and Asparagus with Salad

Asian Citrus Salad with Grilled Chicken Breast


More great recipes are at my Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner website.

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Dinner Magic Shopping List April Week 2

This shopping list is for the Dinner Magic Menus April Week 2.

Meats:
2 pounds pork or beef ribs
1 tri-tip roast
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pound chicken breast tenderloins
2 pounds of wild caught salmon steaks
1 pound ground beef

Dairy:
Real butter, not margarine
Grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces crumbled bleu cheese
2 cups Mozzarella cheese

Frozen Food:
1 small package mixed vegetables

Fresh Produce:
1 lemon
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch asparagus
1 heart of Romaine
1 small radicchio
Spring mix salad vegetables
1 tomato
4 cups of spinach
1 clove garlic
3 yams
2 potatoes
3 golden beets
1 parsnip
1 bunch green onions
1 yellow onion
1 jalapeno

Canned Food:
3 cups chicken stock
4 cups vegetable stock
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1 liter V-8 juice
1 small can sliced black olives

Dry Food and Staples:
2 cups Arborio or carnaroli rice (risotto)
Italian style bread crumbs
Olive oil
Truffle oil
Lima beans
(Optional) Whole wheat pasta, any kind for the soup
Cider vinegar
Aged balsamic vinegar
Dark bread such as pumpernickel or whole wheat molasses
Flour, white
Yeast for the bread machine

Spices and Condiments:
Salt and pepper
Cajun seasoning, fresh rosemary, bayleaf, cayenne pepper, taco seasoning mix
Light brown sugar
1 bottle Ranch style dressing
1 bottle barbeque sauce
1 cup white wine
Worcestershire sauce
Mayonnaise
Dijon style mustard
Honey

Other items for your own personal shopping list:

BBQ Ribs in the Slow Cooker with Baked Yam Wedges

Nobody likes to eat ribs if they have to cut them with a knife to get to the meat. Ribs should be so tender that the meat literally falls off the bone when you bite into it. There's a secret to getting beef ribs and pork ribs that tender.

Precook the meat in vinegar, lemon juice, or some other acidic marinade. The acid breaks down the toughness of the meat, so when it is done cooking, it will be as easy to bite into as butter. I learned this trick from an old friend who made the best ribs this side of the Mississipi.

When preparing ribs, purchase ½ pound of meat per person. This recipe is for 2 pounds. Just double or triple the amounts if you have a big crowd.

Pork or Beef Ribs in the Slow Cooker

• 2 pounds of ribs
• 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar
• 4 cups of water
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bottle of barbeque sauce (hot or sweet, whichever you prefer)
• 2 large yams
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat the water, vinegar, and herbs in a pot. Simmer the ribs in the liquid for ½ hour.
Drain the liquid and throw away the herbs.
Place the ribs in the slow cooker.
Pour the barbeque sauce over the top.
Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

Wash and peel the yams.
Cut them into wedges.
Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Toss the yams in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Bake on a foil lined pan in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour.


Photo/BBQ Junkie on Flickr
More great recipes are at my Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner website.

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Grilled Spicy Salmon with Asparagus and Salad

Ingredients:
2 pounds of salmon steaks, or ½ pound per person
2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning mix
1 lemon
Fresh parsley
1 bunch of fresh asparagus
1 heart of Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 small radicchio, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
Ranch style dressing

Preparation of the Grilled Spicy Salmon and Asparagus
Lay the asparagus spears in a quarter cup of water in a frying pan.
Heat the water to a slow simmer over medium heat.
Put a lid on the pan to steam the asparagus.
Cut the salmon steaks into single serving sizes.
Pat the Cajun seasoning mix all over the salmon steaks.
Grill on the indoor grill or bake in a 375 degree oven until tender and flaky with a fork.
Serve with lemon wedges and parsley.
Toss the lettuce, radicchio, and tomato and top with Ranch style dressing.


Photo/Rowlanda Mangham
More great recipes are at my Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner website.

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Asian Citrus Salad with Grilled Chicken Breast

Citrus Salad Dressing ingredients
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Salad Ingredients
1 small bag of spring mix salad greens
1 tangelo, peeled and each segment cut into halves or smaller pieces
1 avocado, diced
3 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Preparation:
Mix the citrus salad dressing ingredients in a salad dressing mixer.
Place the salad greens in a bowl.
Toss with the tangelo, avocado, and bacon.
Toss with the dressing.
Squeeze some tangelo juice and salt and pepper on the chicken breast.
Grill on the indoor grill until the juice runs clear, about 4 minutes.
Slice the chicken and place it on top of the salad for a warm dish.
Alternatively, serve the grilled chicken breast on the side.
If you're really in a hurry, use a bottled salad dressing, such as Kraft Light Asian Toasted Sesame Dresssing.
Pair this meal with a Pinot Grigio white wine.


Photo/MellowFood on Flickr
 
More great recipes are at my Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner website.

Never miss a post! Follow me on Twitter as @Dinnermagic. Subscribe to the RSS feed for the Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner and the Sacramento Budget Wine Examiner or have the articles emailed to you.