Pesto Chicken

I love pesto and this is such a simple and quick recipe.  The recipe name says it all, you just need pesto and chicken!  I used my favorite store bought pesto from Costco or you can make your own.   You can click here for my spinach and walnut pesto recipe too.  I did top the pesto chicken with sliced tomatoes and mozzarella cheese just because I had some.  It is great served over a salad for a light, summer meal.  Enjoy!

Pesto Chicken

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast, boneless and skinless

½ to 1 cup pesto sauce (I used Kirkland’s signature basil pesto from Costco.)

Optional Ingredients

salt and pepper

tomatoes, sliced

mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper if desired.

Spread a light layer of pesto on one side of chicken.

Place chicken, pesto side down, in a grill pan, over medium-high heat. 

Spread other side of chicken with a light layer of pesto.

Cook each side for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned.

Optional – top each chicken with a slice of tomato and mozzarella cheese.  Cover pan (with lid or foil) for a few minutes until cheese is melted.  

Serves 4 to 6.   

Mango Clafoutis

It was Bastille Day last Sunday so I made a French dessert - a clafoutis!  You can eat clafoutis for dessert or even breakfast.  I decided on a Mango Clafoutis since I had mangoes on hand.  A clafoutis is a baked French dessert that is custard and flan-like.  I love all custard based desserts by the way!  A traditional clafoutis is made with black cherries but you can use almost any fruit.  So while I was researching clafoutis, I found out that a clafoutis made with other fruit should be called a "Flaugnarde."  Hmm...well I think clafoutis sounds better and is more well known so I'll stick with that for now.   Also be sure to let the clafoutis rest for about 10 minutes after removing from the oven, you will notice that it puffs up while baking and then deflates as it cools.  This Mango Clafoutis turned out beautiful and was delicious for breakfast during the week.  Enjoy!

Mango Clafoutis

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 mangoes, peeled and sliced thinly

3 eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup butter, melted

1 cup flour (all purpose)

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Arrange sliced mangos in a buttered pie dish.  

In a bowl, beat eggs and sugar with a whisk.  Slowly add in melted butter.  

Next, add the flour and whisk to combine.

Next, whisk in vanilla and milk.

Batter should be smooth and shiny, similar to pancake batter.

Pour batter over mangos.

Bake for 45 minutes or until slightly browned and almost completely set in the middle.

Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Optional:  top with powdered sugar or serve with fresh whipped cream.

Panko Crusted Baked Cod

Light, lemony and healthy is how I would describe this Panko Crusted Baked Cod.  The flavor is wonderful and the fish is tender and flaky.  I served the fish over garlic couscous and it was delicious.

I used the frozen Alaskan Cod from Trader Joe's and I thawed from frozen in package in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  It is a great deal to buy the frozen fish at Trader Joe's and the Alaskan Cod was under $4 for about 1 pound.  This was a quick and easy dish that I will definitely be making again.

Panko Crusted Baked Cod

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound cod fish fillet, cut into pieces

¼ cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 ½ to 2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat baking sheet with non-stick spray.

Rinse fish if needed and pat dry with paper towel.  Season fish with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, melt butter and mix in lemon juice.

In another bowl, add in panko.  (Additional salt and pepper may be added.)

Dip fish into butter lemon mixture.

Next, coat fish with panko.

Place fish on a baking sheet.

Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes.

Serves 2 to 4. 

Simple Linguine and Clam Sauce

Sorry, I haven't had to cook in so long!  I have been out of town for over a week.  First I went to a bachelorette party and we had a great weekend in Ocean City and Dewey Beach.  It was so great seeing some of my college friends.  It was like living in my sorority house again :)  Next I was in Phoenix for a week to host a training event for work.  I had a good time even though it was 110 degrees!  Also, I went to a Diamondback game against the Mets; the baseball stadium is enclosed and air conditioned in Phoenix!  That is genius, it definitely made the game more enjoyable!  I will have to write another post about all the places I went out to eat at, they have some great restaurants in downtown Phoenix.  When I got home, I had to attend a wedding of a family friend the next night.  It has been crazy this month!  So now that I am finally home and settled, I had nothing in my fridge to eat so I had to figure out something from the pantry.  I had all the ingredients to make this simple linguine and clam sauce.  It was delicious and the best thing to make after a long trip.  

Here is a picture of the view from my seats along the 3rd base line inside Chase Field, the "indoor" baseball stadium in Phoenix.  Pretty cool right?

Now on to the food...

Simple Linguine and Clam Sauce

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

½ pound linguine pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons white wine (I used Chardonnay.)

1 can minced clams, drained and juice reserved

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon parsley

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

mozzarella or parmesan cheese (optional topping)

 

Directions

Cook linguine according to package directions.  Drain well.   Place cooked linguine back into pot.

 

In a small pan, over medium heat, add oil, butter, wine, clam juice, garlic, and parsley.   Stir and simmer for about 5 minutes.

 

Add clams and pepper.  (I didn’t add salt since the clam juice is salty.)

 

Pour clam sauce over pasta and toss to mix.

 

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese or parmesan cheese.

 

Serves 2 to 4.

My dogs already really missed me and I felt really bad leaving Ellie when she was sick too.  But she is now all better and following me around still.  Here is Buddy waiting in the hallway/kitchen, yup my suitcase is still in the hallway.

Here is Ellie waiting patiently in the dining room while I cook.  She can keep on eye on me when I'm in the kitchen.

Simple Peanut Noodles

I bought a jar of Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter recently and a recipe for Peanut Pasta Twists was on the lid of the jar.  Of course, I changed up the recipe and came up with this one.  It turned out pretty good and only took me about 15 minutes to put it all together (including cooking time for pasta).  These simple peanut noodles would be great as a side dish or as a main dish if you want to add in the optional ingredients to make it more hearty.  For those with peanut allergies, maybe you can substitute with Barney Butter (almond butter), SunButter (roasted sunflower seeds), or soy nut butters.  Just be sure to check labels for anything processed on shared equipment or in the same facility as peanuts.  This dish is great served warm or cold too.  Enjoy!

 

Simple Peanut Noodles
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup creamy peanut butter (I used Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter.)

¼  cup ketchup

¼ cup warm water

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar

½ teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ pound dry pasta, cooked (I used linguine.)

Optional Ingredients

red bell pepper, diced

sesame seeds, toasted

scallions, sliced

cucumber, sliced

firm tofu, diced

chicken, cooked and shredded/diced

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, ketchup, water, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and garlic powder until well blended.

 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

 

Toss hot pasta with peanut sauce until evenly coasted.   Garnish with optional ingredients if desired.

 

Serve immediately warmed or serve chilled. 

Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate for up to 2 days. To serve, stir in 2 tablespoons warm water per portion; serve cold or reheat in microwave.

Serves 2 as main dish or 4 as a side dish.

Top with some roasted sesame seeds.