Chicken Chardonnay with French Bread

This is a great recipe to use up extra wine. Serve it with crusty French bread to soak up the juices.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½ teaspoon tarragon
• ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
• 1 bell pepper, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 onion, cut into chunks
• 1 small jar of artichoke hearts
• 1 cup of Chardonnay
• ¼ cup of half and half
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preparation:
Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of clear plastic wrap and pound until they are 1/2 inch thick.
Spray cooking spray on a frying pan and heat it.
Spinkle the spices on the chicken, and place in the heated frying pan.
Cook the chicken until it is browned on both sides, about 6-8 minutes.
Add the wine and vegetables.
Allow to simmer for twenty minutes.
Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pan and place them on a platter.
Mix the half and half and cornstarch.
Stir the cornstarch mixture into the remaining broth and stir until thickened.
Pour the creamy sauce over the chicken.
Serve with plenty of napkins and French bread.

 

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Beef Fajita Salad with Chimichurri Sauce

This salad is perfect on a hot day.

Ingredients:
4 cups of Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 mango, peeled and sliced
1 avocado, sliced
4 radishes, sliced thinly
½ pound of flank steak, grilled and cut into strips (You can purchase fajita meat already cooked.)
Dinner rolls
2 cups of parsley, chopped fine
1/2 onion, chopped fine
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2-4 tablespoons of olive oil

Preparation:
Lay the Romaine lettuce in a salad bowl.
Lay the radishes, mango, and avocado on top.
Lay the steak on top of the salad.
Make the chimichurri sauce by mixing the parsley, onion, garlic, and the oil. The sauce should be about the consistency of pesto sauce.
Pour ½ of the sauce over the steak slices.
Serve with dinner rolls and the additional chimichurri sauce.



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Asian Spicy Pork and Eggplant over Rice

 If you love the spicy eggplant and tofu dish that is served in some Chinese restaurants, you’ll probably like this.

Ingredients:

• 1 eggplant, peeled and cut into ½ inch slices
• Salt
• 1 pound of boneless pork, cut into cubes (I use country style pork ribs)
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup of chopped parsley (Use cilantro if you like it spicier)
• ½ a red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of crushed garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 teaspoon hot chili oil
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (Use more if you like it spicier.)
• 2 cups of brown or white rice

Preparation:
Lay the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Allow it to sit. This step will take the bitterness out of the eggplant before cooking it.
Cook the rice in boiling water according to package directions.
Cook the pork in one tablespoon of oil until browned on all sides.
Rinse the salt off the eggplant and dry it on paper towels.
Remove the pork from the pan and cook the eggplant until tender in the same pan.
Place the eggplant with the pork.
Place the parsley, bell pepper, green onions, and garlic in the pan.
Mix the hot chili oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and crushed red pepper. Pour the mixture over the vegetables, and sauté until they begin to get tender.
Add the eggplant and pork to the pan and continue to cook until the sauce thickens.
If it doesn’t thicken, mix 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and stir it into the mixture.
Serve over warm rice.



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Vegetarian Pesto Pasta

This dish will make a vegetarian meal on its own, or you can combine it with a roasted chicken from the deli.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 small jar, 8 ounces, of pesto sauce (or try my Easy Basil Pesto or Parsley Sunflower Pesto)
• 2 zucchini squash, sliced
• 1 package of frozen mixed vegetables with broccoli and carrots, slightly thawed
• 1 cup of grated Mozzarella cheese
• Italian bread crumbs

Preparation:
Cook the pasta in boiling water according to package directions.
During the last two minutes of cooking, add the zucchini.
Drain the pasta and zucchini.
In the pot, stir in the pesto and the frozen mixed vegetables.
Place in a baking dish and cover with the Mozzarella and a sprinkling of bread crumbs.
Place under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes, or just until the cheese begins to brown.
Watch it carefully, because it only takes a few seconds to go from brown to burned.




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Fake It Crab Cakes with Herb Mayo and Oven Fried Yams

This dinner is made with imitation crab meat and shrimp. Formed into patties and fried in butter, they make a rich sandwich.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of imitation crab meat, shredded
• 1 small can tiny shrimp
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ cup of bread crumbs
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 4 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 yams, scrubbed and sliced
• 2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash lemon pepper seasoning
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 1 teaspoon dill pickle relish
• Optional: Hamburger buns

Preparation:
Put the yams in the microwave and cook on high for two minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Stir the first nine ingredients together in a bowl.
Form into patties.
Slice the yams.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Lay the yams on the baking sheet and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash lemon pepper seasoning.
Bake in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until they are completely tender.
Mix the mayonnaise, dill, and pickle relish together to make the herb mayo.
Heat a pan and melt the butter and oil together.
Cook the crab cakes in the butter and oil 2-3 minutes on each side, until browned.
Serve the crab cakes on a bed of lettuce, or on a bun, whichever you prefer.




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Grilled Salmon BLT with Black Bean Salad

Enjoy a classic sandwich with the addition of fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. This recipe makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of salmon fillets
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning spice
• 8 slices of bacon
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• Romaine lettuce leaves
• 4 cups of Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup of black beans
• 1 cup of corn
• ½ cup of red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Herbed mayo (Mix ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon dill, and 1 teaspoon dill pickle relish)
• Ranch dressing
• 8 slices of whole grain bread, lightly toasted

Preparation:
Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning spice on the salmon fillets and grill on the indoor grill.
Cook the bacon over medium heat in a pan until crisp. You may also place the bacon on a plate between two paper towels and cook in the microwave 1 minute per slice.
Mix the mayonnaise with the dill and pickle relish.
Toss the chopped Romaine lettuce with ¼ cup of Ranch dressing.
Add the black beans, corn, and red bell pepper to the lettuce and toss.
Lay the avocado slices on top of the salad.
Spread the bread with the herbed mayo.
Lay one salmon fillet, 2 bacon slices, lettuce and tomato on each sandwich.
Slice on the diagonal.



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Pizza Radiatore Casserole

My family loves homemade pizza. This casserole takes the best flavors of sausage and black olive pizza and creates a warm casserole dish perfect any time of year. Best of all, it freezes fabulously. Make it in two casserole dishes and freeze one for a no hassle dinner on another night.

Ingredients:
1 pound of radiatore pasta (you may substitute any curly pasta, such as rotini)
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 small can sliced black olives
8 ounces (one cup or 1 small jar) of pizza sauce
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Preparation:
Cook the pasta in boiling water according to package directions.
While the pasta cooks, brown the Italian sausage.
Remove from the pan and drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil.
Cook the bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms in the pan until crisp tender.
Drain the pasta.
Add the pasta, sauce, and Italian sausage to the pan and stir.
Spray one large or two small casserole dishes with cooking spray.
Put half the pasta mixture in the dishes and cover with half the cheese.
Repeat the layers one more time.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, until the top is bubbly and brown.




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Dinner Magic Shopping List June Week 4

This shopping list is everything you need to create the delicious dinners for the Dinner Magic Menus June Week 4.

Meats:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ pound of flank steak, or prepared fajita meat
1 pound of boneless pork such as country style ribs
8 slices of bacon
1 pound of salmon fillets
1 pound of imitation crab meat
1 pound ground Italian sausage

Dairy:
Half and half
Butter
4 ounces of cream cheese
Eggs
3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Frozen Food:
1 package of frozen mixed vegetables with broccoli and carrots

Fresh Food:
1 eggplant
1 head of garlic or one jar of crushed garlic
1 bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 bell pepper, any color
3 onions
1 large tomato
3 heads Romaine lettuce
1 mango
1 avocado
4 radishes
1 bunch of parsley
1 bunch green onions
1 bag shredded carrots
2 zucchini squash
2 yams
4 ounces fresh mushrooms

Canned Food:
1 small jar of artichoke hearts
1 small can sliced black olives
1 small jar, 8 ounces, of pesto sauce
1 small can tiny shrimp
1 can low sodium black beans
1 can low sodium corn
8 ounces (1 small jar) of pizza sauce

Dry Food and Staples:
Cornstarch
Olive oil
Dinner rolls
Hot chili oil
Rice wine vinegar
Brown or white rice
1 pound of whole wheat penne pasta
1 pound of radiatore pasta
Italian bread crumbs
8 slices of whole grain bread
Optional: Hamburger buns for the crab cakes

Spices and Condiments:
Salt, pepper, tarragon, dry mustard, thyme, ginger, crushed red pepper, dill, Cajun seasoning, Mrs. Dash lemon pepper,
1 cup of Chardonnay
Soy sauce
Dill pickle relish
Mayonnaise
Ranch style dressing

Other personal items needed:











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

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Dinner Magic Menus June Week 4

For the complete grocery list for these meals, see the Dinner Magic Shopping List June Week 4.

Pizza Radiatore Casserole

Grilled Salmon BLT with Black Bean Salad

Fake It Crab Cakes with Herb Mayo and Oven Fried Yams

Vegetarian Pesto Pasta

Asian Spicy Pork and Eggplant over Rice

Beef Fajita Salad with Chimichurri Sauce

Chicken Chardonnay with French Bread


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

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Follow me on Twitter as @Dinnermagic.
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