Chicken Roulade with Spinach and Pesto Stuffing

Wine Pairing: Chardonnay

This elegant meal looks difficult to make, but it’s not. The hardest part is squeezing the liquid out of the spinach. If you don't like the taste of basil, try using parsley instead, as I do in my parsley pesto recipe. Served with a side of wild rice, it’s delicious.

Ingredients:
¼ cup Italian dressing
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 tablespoon dried basil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 pound of fresh spinach, cooked, chopped, and squeezed dry (You may substitute a package of frozen spinach, squeezed dry)
1 cup of Italian style bread crumbs
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of wild rice

Preparation:
Lay the chicken breasts between two sheets of cling wrap and pound with a cooking mallet until they are ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
Mix the Italian dressing, basil, cheese, and pepper in a blender.
Pour this mixture into a bowl with the spinach and add the bread crumbs.
Lay some of the spinach mixture onto each breast.
Roll up and secure with wooden picks.
Brush a small amount of Italian dressing over the chicken breasts.
Place in a baking pan and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour, depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
Cook the wild rice according to package directions.
Serve the chicken sliced over a bed of rice.

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Ham and Cheese Strata with a Black Bean Salad

Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc

This is an easy dish to make up the night before. You can serve it for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Just take it out of the refrigerator about 45 minutes before you want to bake it.

Ingredients:

• 16 slices of day old bread, cut into triangles
• 1 pound grated cheddar cheese
• 6eggs
• 3 cups of milk
• 1 cup of cubed ham
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon of paprika
• ½ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• Optional: (1 can of diced green chiles)
• 1 stick of real butter, melted
• 1 can of black beans.
• 1 sweet red pepper, minced
• 2 green onions, minced
• 2 cups of red leaf lettuce

Preparation:
Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
Mix the eggs, with milk, ham, and seasonings.
Place a layer of bread, 1/3 of the egg mixture, and 1/3 of the cheese in the pan.
Repeat the layers twice, ending with the cheese.
Pour the melted butter over the top.
Place in the refrigerator to sit overnight and allow the egg mixture to soak into the bread.

To bake the ham and cheese strata:
Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Place the casserole in a pan with water and allow it to sit while the oven preheats.
Bake in the pan of water for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
If the strata begins to get too brown on top, cover it with foil.

Make the bean salad:
While the strata is baking, mix the beans, peppers, and onion in a dish.
Place the beans on a bed of lettuce.





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This is a nice wine from a vintner near my home. It's a small, local, independently owned winery.

Grilled Tilapia with a Mustard Dill Sauce and Citrus Avocado Salad

Wine Pairing: Chardonnay

This meal is light and simple. It may not seem like a winter dish, but after all the heavy foods we’ve been eating, a light and refreshing dinner is going to taste good. With the avocados and tangelos good and plenty right now, I couldn't resist a fresh citrus salad.

• 1 pound tilapia or other white fleshed fish
• 1 teaspoon of oil
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Dinner rolls

Salad Ingredients

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

Citrus Salad Dressing ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Whip the ingredients in a salad dressing mixer. Place in the refrigerator to keep cold.

Mustard Dill Sauce ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Dijon style mustard
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon honey or superfine sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons dill weed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• A dash of fresh ground pepper

Whip the ingredients together with a wire whisk and place in a serving dish.

Preparation:
Mix the salad dressing.
Mix the mustard dill sauce.
Sprinkle the lemon juice and oil over the tilapia. Sprinkle with salt.
Grill on an indoor grill until the fish flakes with a fork.
Place the salad greens in a bowl.
Cover with the tangelo, avocado, and bacon.
Toss with the dressing.
Plate the fish. Pour the mustard dill sauce over the fish.
Serve with dinner rolls.

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Stir Fried Pork and Green Beans

Wine Pairing: Gewürztraminer

This is similar to the chicken and green beans you can get at Chinese food restaurants. Serve it over a bed of rice.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon of rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I prefer the Pearl River Bridge Superior Light Soy Sauce brand)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound pork, cut into small strips
¼ pound fresh green beans, washed and trimmed (Use frozen if fresh are out of season)
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
½ cup grated carrots
1 onion, sliced
1 cup of rice

How to make Stir Fried Pork and Green Beans
Cook the rice according to the package directions, in two cups of water.
Mix the hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, and crushed red pepper.
Heat the oil in a skillet and stir fry the pork in the hot oil
Remove the pork and add the vegetables.
When the vegetables are crisp tender, return the pork to the pan.
Add the sauce, and stir to coat. It should thicken as is warms.
Serve over rice.









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Salmon Fettucini with Grilled Zucchini and Peppers

Sauvignon Blanc or a Pouilly Fumé

You can cook this dish with the same wine you’ll be serving at dinner. Or, if you’re like me, you’ll keep a bottle of 2 buck chuck in the refrigerator to cook with, and save the better wines for drinking.

Ingredients for Salmon Fettucini

• 1 pound of wild caught salmon
• 1 lemon
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed basil (fresh is wonderful, but if it’s winter, dry will do)
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 lb of spinach fettucini
• ¼ cup of fresh chopped parsley
• ¼ pound Parmesan cheese
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into strips
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing

How to make the Salmon Fettucini
Marinate the salmon in ¼ cup of Italian dressing and the juice of one lemon while you cut the zucchini and bell pepper into strips.
Cook the salmon on the indoor grill, or on a grill plate on your stovetop.
The salmon is done when it flakes with a fork.
Cook the fettucini in boiling, salted water.
Cook the bell pepper and zucchini on the grill while the fettucini cooks.
While the vegetables are cooking, cook the onion and garlic in olive oil in a skillet.
Flake the salmon and place it in the skillet with the onion and garlic. Add the white wine, pepper, basil, and butter.
Drain the fettucini.
Stir the salmon mixture into the fettucini.
Serve the Salmon Fettucini with the grilled vegetables on the side and a white wine.

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Pork and Potato One Pot Dinner

Wine Pairing: Reisling or Pouilly Fumé

This is a one-pot meal you can make in less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless country style pork ribs, cut into chunks
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 leek, chopped (you may also substitute one chopped onion)
• 1 bell pepper, red or green, chopped
• 3 potatoes, peeled and grated
• 1 small package frozen mixed vegetables
• Barbeque sauce

How to Make Pork and Potato One Pot Dinner
Place the bread crumbs in a gallon size zipper lock bag.
Place the pork in the bag.
Toss the pork pieces in the bread crumbs.
Fry the pork in the oil until brown.
Remove the pork and cook the leek, bell pepper, and potatoes until brown.
Add the vegetables and warm through.
Add the pork and stir well.
Serve with barbeque sauce on the side.

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Pepperoni Rigatoni with Italian Chop Salad

Wine Pairing: Shiraz or Syrah

Ingredients for the Pepperoni Rigatoni:
1 pound rigatoni
½ pound pepperoni, chopped
1 jar spaghetti sauce (or use my homemade spaghetti sauce recipe)
¼ pound of Italian four cheese blend (or you can use mozzarella)

Ingredients for the Italian Chop Salad:

• ½ head of lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup of spinach, chopped
• ¼ cup of Italian dressing
• ½ cup of mozzarella cheese, grated or cut into small chunks
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• ½ cup of red onion, chopped
• Optional: ¼ cup of chopped pepperoni

Cook the rigatoni in a pot of boiling salted water.
Mix the lettuce and spinach together and toss with the Italian dressing.
Place in a salad bowl and top with the cheese, then celery, onion, and tomato.
Place in the refrigerator until dinner is ready.
Drain rigatoni. Pour the spaghetti sauce over it and stir.
Add the chopped pepperoni and keep on low heat for a few minutes till it warms through.
Serve the pasta and salad with a Shiraz wine.

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Dinner Magic Shopping List January Week 3

This shopping list is for the Dinner Magic Menus for January Week 3. 


Meats:
1 fryer chicken
1 pound sliced turkey breast
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ pound chicken breast tenderloins
Optional: ¼ pound pepperoni

Dairy:
4 slices of Provolone or Swiss cheese
1 pound Cheddar cheese
¼ pound Parmesan cheese
8 ounces Mozzarella cheese
Eggs
Optional: sour cream

Frozen Food:
1 package frozen chopped broccoli

Fresh Produce:
7 yellow onions (vidalia or other sweet onion)
1 red onion
1 head of broccoli
1 cucumber
5 tomatoes
1 bag of spring mix lettuce
3 lemons
5 potatoes
1 sweet potato or yam
2 parsnips
2 turnips
4 carrots
1 stalk celery
1 head of iceberg lettuce
1 heart of romaine
1 small bunch spinach
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch green onions
1 head garlic, or one jar crushed organic garlic
1 bag coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)

Canned Food:
2 cans (6 ounce) white crab meat
2 cans cheddar cheese soup
1 can evaporated skim milk
1 can chicken broth
4 cups beef broth
1 can (15 ounces) black beans
1 small can sliced black olives
1 small can chopped black olives
1 small can water chestnuts

Dry Food and Staples:
Sourdough bread
Wheat bulgur or tabbouleh
Olive oil
White wine
Balsamic vinegar
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce
Hoisin sauce (plum sauce may substitute)
Lemon juice
Italian style bread crumbs
1 bag of tortilla chips
Cooking spray
Cornstarch
Sugar
Whole wheat tortillas, soft taco size

Spices and Condiments:
Salt and pepper
Thyme, sage, rosemary, basil, dry mustard, paprika, parsley, sesame seeds
1 package fajita seasoning mix
Dijon style mustard
Brown sugar
Salad dressing

Other items for your own personal shopping list:

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Dinner Magic Menus January Week 3

Easy Cheesy Broccoli Soup

French Onion Soup

Roast Chicken with Roasted Root Vegetables in a Balsamic Vinegar Glaze

Crab Cakes

Turkey Taco Salad

Chicken Dijon with Tabbouleh

Mu Shu Chicken in Tortillas

Click here for the Dinner Magic Shopping List for January Week 3 meals.

Easy Cheesy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients for Easy Cheesy Broccoli Soup

• 1 small package frozen chopped broccoli
• 1 onion, chopped
• Stems from one head of broccoli (they may be leftover from the Chicken Cordon Bleu)
• 1 large can of cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cans of cheddar cheese soup
• 1 can of evaporated skim milk
• 1 can of chicken or vegetable broth
• ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese
• Fresh baguette or sourdough bread.

How to Make Easy Cheesy Broccoli Soup
Steam the broccoli stems and the onion in the microwave till tender.
Place the chopped broccoli, the cooked onion and stems, and the broth in the blender.
Blend until mostly smooth.
Put the blended ingredients in a soup pot.
Add the 3 cans of soup and the can of evaporated skim milk.
Heat through till warm. Top with grated cheddar cheese.
Serve with a fresh baguette or sourdough bread.
It disappears fast!

Photo/Virtual Ern on Flickr

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French Onion Soup

This is a quick and simple version of the traditional French Onion Soup which takes hours to make. It’s hearty enough for a meal. Serve it with a dinner salad.

Ingredients for French Onion Soup:

• 4 cups of beef broth
• ½ cup of white wine
• 4 large sweet onions, sliced
• 4 slices of thick sourdough bread, toasted
• 4 slices of Provolone or Swiss cheese
• 2 cups of spring salad mix
• ½ cucumber sliced
• 1 tomato, cut
• Salad dressing of your choice

Toss together the salad ingredients and place in the refrigerator until dinner is ready.
Cook the onions in ½ cup of the broth until tender. Allow the broth to cook down and brown the onions, about ten minutes.
Divide the onions into four oven-safe bowls.
Mix the remaining broth and wine and heat.
Pour the warm broth mixture over the onions.
Top with a slice of toast and a slice of cheese.
Place under the broiler to melt and brown the cheese.
Nosh on the cheesy soup with a salad.

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Roast Chicken with Roasted Root Vegetables in a Balsamic Vinegar Glaze

Quick tip:
If you don’t have a roasting rack for the chicken, place four opened and washed tuna cans on the bottom of the pan. Place the chicken on top of the cans. This will raise the chicken up just high enough to keep it out of the drippings.

Roast Chicken ingredients:

• 1 fryer chicken
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Italian herb mix (1 teaspoon each thyme, sage, rosemary)
• 1 lemon, quartered

Roasted Root Vegetables ingredients:

• 1 potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 sweet potato or yam, peeled and cubed
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cubed
• 2 turnips, peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Wash and pat dry the chicken.
Salt and pepper the cavity.
Place two lemon quarters in the cavity.
Rub the skin with olive oil.
Squeeze the juice of the other two lemon quarters on the skin.
Sprinkle the herbs on the breast, legs, and thighs.
Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting or baking pan.
Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
Toss the vegetables in the mixture to coat.
Place in a baking pan.
Cover with foil.
Place the chicken and the vegetables in the oven.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes.
Uncover the vegetables and bake for another 15 minutes.

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Crab Cakes with Garlic Herb Roasted Potato Slices and Italian Chop Salad

A delicious and quick dinner. The thing that takes the longest is baking the potatoes. Have a family chopping party to cut all the ingredients for the salad.

Ingredients for the Crab Cakes:

• 2 cans (6 ounces each) of white crab meat
• 1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
• ¼ cup chopped green onions
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of Italian style bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon of dry mustard
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• Lemon wedges

Ingredients for the Garlic Herb Roasted Potato Slices:

• 4 potatoes, sliced as thin as you can
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese

Ingredients for the Italian Chop Salad:

• ½ head of lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup of spinach, chopped
• ¼ cup of Italian dressing
• ½ cup of mozzarella cheese, grated or cut into small chunks
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• ½ cup of red onion, chopped
• Optional: ¼ cup of chopped pepperoni

Mix the lettuce and spinach together and toss with the Italian dressing.
Place in a salad bowl and top with the cheese, then celery, onion, and tomato.
Place in the refrigerator until dinner is ready.
Toss the sliced potatoes in the olive oil and seasoning.
Top with the parmesan cheese.
Spread into a layer on a baking sheet.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, until they are crispy and golden brown.
Heat a skillet with non stick cooking spray.
Cook the chopped celery and onions until tender. Place in a bowl.
Mix the bread crumbs, crab meat, spices, and eggs together.
Make 4 patties, and cook in the pan 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

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Turkey Taco Salad

This taco salad is lower in fat and calories than traditional taco salad made with ground beef, making it a healthier alternative.

Ingredients for Turkey Taco Salad

• 1 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
• 1 bag of baked tortilla chips
• 1 can of refried black beans or whole black beans
• 1 pound of sliced turkey breast (Jenni-O has presliced turkey breast)
• 1 package of fajita seasoning mix
• 1 cup of Pico de Gallo (chopped tomatoes, onion, and cilantro)
• 1 can sliced black olives
• 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
• Salsa
• Optional: Sour cream or low fat sour cream

How to make Turkey Taco Salad
Spray a pan with cooking spray and preheat.
Sprinkle the fajita mix on the turkey slices and cook until well done.
Cut the turkey slices into bite sized pieces.
Place a layer of tortilla chips in four deep bowls.
Top with lettuce.
Place a layer of beans over the lettuce.
Add a layer of cooked turkey.
Top the turkey with mozzarella cheese.
Top with Pico de Gallo, black olives.
Place tortilla chips around the outside of the bowl.
Serve salsa and sour cream on the side.

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Lemon Chicken Dijon with Tabbouleh Salad

Make the Tabbouleh Salad ahead of time so the flavors have time to blend. Cooking the chicken takes about 15 minutes.

Ingredients for Tabbouleh Salad:

• ½ cup of fine wheat bulgur (sometimes sold under the name tabbouleh)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 small can chopped black olives
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• ½ cucumber, chopped
• ¼ cup red onion, chopped

Ingredients for Lemon Dijon Chicken:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons Dijon style mustard
• Cooking spray
• ½ cup of chicken broth
• ½ cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried parsley

How to make the Tabbouleh Salad:
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the bulgur and cover. Let it stand to absorb the liquid for 15 minutes.
Squeeze the excess moisture out of the bulgur and place in a bowl.
Mix with the olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, black olives, tomato, cucumber, and onion.
Let sit in the refrigerator for 1 or more hours.

How to make the Lemon Chicken Dijon:
Pound the chicken breasts between two sheets of was paper until ¼ inch thin.
Salt and pepper the chicken to taste.
Mix the lemon juice and mustard in a bowl.
Place the chicken in the lemon juice and mustard to coat.
Heat a skillet with the cooking spray.
Cook the breasts for three minutes on both sides.
Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm.
Mix the broth, wine, mustard, lemon juice, cornstarch, and parsley and heat in the skillet until thickened.
Pour the lemon gravy over the chicken.

Photo/Illustir on Flickr

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Mu Shu Chicken in Tortillas

This low fat dish will stop your cravings for high fat Chinese food. You can always substitute chicken broth for the white wine. This recipe also tastes delicious made with pork.

Ingredients for Mu Shu Chicken in Tortillas

• ½ pound of chicken breast tenderloins
• 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon of pepper
• 3 tablespoons of hoisin sauce (I’ve also used plum sauce, which tastes great)
• 3 tablespoons of white wine
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 2 cups of coleslaw mix (Or grate your own cabbage and carrots together)
• 1 small can of water chestnuts, chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 8 soft taco size whole wheat tortillas

Stir together the liquid ingredients.
Heat a pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook the chicken breast tenderloins. Remove and slice into strips.
Put the chicken back in the pan with the liquid ingredients.
Add the cabbage and carrots and cook for about 3 minutes, until crisp tender.
Add the soy sauce with cornstarch and stir into the pan to thicken the sauce.
Serve warm with tortillas.

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