Grilled Lemon Chicken Breasts

The lonely boneless chicken breast.  But so much possibility.  Pairing lemon with chicken is one such possibility.  Add some herbs and you have elevated the simple chicken breast into something so flavorful.  This is the perfect summer time meal.  Pair it with a salad or some veggies for a light and healthy dinner that everyone will enjoy. (my family did!)

Grilled Lemon Chicken Breasts

Recipe by Jamie, Mom's Cooking Club

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced or put through a garlic press

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

lemon juice from 1 lemon

lemon zest from 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in a plastic storage bag or between 2 pieces of saran wrap or wax paper.  Using a meat mallet, pound to an even thickness but not too thin.

2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and place in a large storage or freezer bag.  Add chicken breasts and seal the bag.  Rub and massage marinade  to evenly coat the chicken breasts.  Place the chicken in the refrigerator and let it marinade for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.  

3. Preheat grill to high.  Spray grill grates with cooking spray or rub with vegetable/canola oil.  Lower grill to medium heat.  Place chicken breasts on grill, close lid and cook for about 5 minutes per side.  Cook time will depend on thickness of chicken. 

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  I like to put my chicken breasts in a storage bag or between saran wrap and pound them to an even thickness.  Not real thin for this type of cooking but just enough where they have a more uniform thickness.  When I do this, I find that the chicken breasts cook more evenly as well as staying tender and moist.  

Frozen Chocolate, Caramel & Toffee Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

First, a disclaimer: If you are watching your intake of desserts or on a diet, then please look away.  But if you are not, then please stay.  

This is an amazing and decadent dessert that I made for 4th of July.  I saw this recipe a few years ago on Recipe Girl's site and have been holding on to it for the perfect family gathering.  This was super easy to put together and there are only a few ingredients.  My 15 year old nephew, Andy, helped me and we had so much fun together.  This feeds a large crowd but I guarantee there won't be any left over.  

Note:  All the pictures on this post were taken by my sister-in-law, Aggie. (Aggie's Kitchen) Thank you so much Aggie for the awesome photos and for a wonderful time visiting. 

Frozen Chocolate, Caramel & Toffee Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

Recipe slightly adapted from Recipe Girl

Ingredients

1 deep dish rectangular throw away foil pan (9 x 13)

24 ice cream sandwiches (I bought 2 boxes of 12)

2 - 8 oz. tubs of Cool Whip

Jar of caramel sauce

Jar of chocolate sauce

Bag of Heath bits

2-3 King Size Hershey Bars, chopped (original recipe uses 4 bars of Heath or Skor candy bars)

Directions

1. Spray foil pan with cooking spray.  Unwrap and layer 12 ice cream sandwiches side by side in bottom of pan.  If you have any open spaces on the sides, cut the ice cream sandwiches to fit and fill in the gaps.  

2. Spread one tub of Cool Whip over the 1st layer of ice cream sandwiches.  Drizzle the caramel and chocolate sauces over the Cool Whip.  Sprinkle with toffee bits.  Cover the pan with tin foil and freeze for one hour.

3. Layer 2nd layer of 12 ice cream sandwiches on top of the toffee bits.  Spread 2nd tub of Cool Whip.  Drizzle the caramel and chocolate sauces over the Cool Whip.  Sprinkle the top with more toffee bits and chopped Hershey Bars. (or just the Heath/Skor candy bars if you have those)  Cover again with tin foil and freeze for several hours until firm.

4. When ready to serve, cut into squares.  Indulge!

First layer ready for for the freezer.

Putting together the 2nd layer.

Chocolate drizzle

Ready to be eaten!

Aggie and Jamie (me)


Exciting news:  My sister-in-law, Aggie, is now a daily contributor to
Family Kitchen on Babble.com.  Check out her recipes and all other food-related items. Aggie is such an inspiration to me and I'm lucky to call her family!

Enjoy!


Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  This dessert is very large but keeps well in the freezer. (in case by some chance you have any leftover)  I highly recommend you make this for your next family get together, neighborhood potluck or holiday celebration.  

Summer Peach and Tomato Salad

Summer is in full swing.  There are certain foods that remind me of summer.  All the fruit and vegetables that are in season right now makes me very happy.  This month, the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club, is coming together for an alfresco menu of "It Sounds Like Summer".  Food that you can enjoy eating outdoors and that just shout, "It's Summer"!

I made a light and refreshing salad with peaches and tomatoes.  It sounds like a strange combination but the flavors work great together.  The bites of sweet peaches mixed with the balsamic vinaigrette are so good in this salad.  Give this combination a try.  I think you'll love it.  


Click here to print the recipe on Myrecipes.com.

Summer Peach and Tomato Salad

Recipe from Cooking Light


Yield - 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
• 1/2 pound ripe peaches, pitted and cut into wedges
• 1/4 pound heirloom beefsteak tomatoes, cut into thick wedges
• 1/4 pound heirloom cherry or pear tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons small basil leaves or torn basil

Note: Use whatever tomatoes you have available. I used regular vine tomatoes. I also used a peach balsamic vinegar instead of sherry vinegar.

Preparation

• 1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
• 2. Combine vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over peach mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

So, what else is on the Alfresco menu from the other Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club bloggers?  Check out each link to see what everyone else made for this summer meal.

Jerry from Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants - Grilled Pizza with Prosciutto, Arugula and Lemon

Mary Ann from Meet Me in the Kitchen - Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto

Val from More than Burnt Toast - Poached Salmon with Creamy Herb Sauce

Roz from La Bella Vita - Chocolate-Amaretti Peaches


Sandi from Whistlestop Cafe Cooking - Peach Ice Cream

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: The vinaigrette is really good in this salad.  It had a sweetness to it that really went well with all the ingredients.  I used a peach balsamic vinegar instead of the sherry vinegar in the recipe.  There are many different types of vinegars that you can try in this recipe to add some variety to the vinaigrette and flavor of the salad.

It's Friday!......Pizza Night!

When Friday rolls around, I usually don't feel like cooking.  A mom's got to have a break once in a while, don't you agree?  After a long week, nothing beats a pizza.  Pepperoni is our family favorite.  Unfortunately, where I live, we don't have many good pizza places nearby.  So, what do I do when the Friday night pizza craving hits.....I make my own.

I found this pizza recipe on the back of a Hunt's tomato sauce can years and years ago.  The pizza dough is spread out on a cookie sheet instead of making it round.  The hardest part is working with the dough to get it stretched out.  But, be patient and keep rolling it out and pulling the sides of the dough and it will stretch to fit the cookie sheet.  

This recipe is a simple and quick way to have your pizza night....whatever day of the week that may be. 

Friday Night Pizza

aka Party Pizza by Hunt's   

Ingredients

1 package (10 oz) refrigerated pizza dough (I used pizza dough from my grocery store bakery dept or you can use the one that comes in a can.)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 can (10 3/4 oz) Tomato Puree

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I shred my own and use a generous amount to cover the sauce and dough)

Directions

Roll and stretch out dough to form a rectangle and press on a greased cookie sheet.  Use the size that fits your amount of dough, 15 x 11 or 17 x 11 cookie sheet sizes work well.  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 8 minutes.

Combine oil and garlic.  Brush on crust.  Blend puree and seasoning.  Spread evenly over crust.  Sprinkle cheese over sauce and add favorite toppings, if desired.  

Bake 10-12 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.  Cut in squares.

Note: Sometimes we add red pepper flakes and/or parmesan cheese to our slices.                              

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  Create your own favorite pizza with toppings of your choice.  Saute some green peppers, onions and mushrooms for a few minutes to soften them a little before adding as your topping and have a veggie pizza.  Or cook up some pork or turkey sausage and use that as a pizza topping.  The options are endless.  Enjoy your Friday nights! 

  

Grilled Thyme Potatoes

It's time to get out of the kitchen and enjoy the outdoors.  Summertime is here!  Grilling time is here! (even though I grill all year round)  The Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club has gotten together again.  This month's theme is barbecuing and getting out of the kitchen to cook.  

I made a very simple side dish.  Thyme potatoes.  What I love about this recipe is that you make individual foil packets with red potatoes, olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper.  Everyone has their own potato package.  The potatoes got so tender and creamy.  A perfect side dish to go along with your grilled meats or other vegetables.

Note: This recipe makes one serving.  I cut up enough potatoes to make 4 servings and increased the other ingredients as well. I divided the potato mixture evenly among 4 foil square packets. 

Click here for recipe on Myrecipes.com

Thyme Potatoes

Recipe By Cooking Light

Serving: 1 cup


Ingredients
1/2 pound small red potatoes, quartered  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 
  
• Preparation

• Prepare grill.
• Combine all ingredients, tossing to coat. Cut 2 (12-inch) sheets of aluminum foil. Arrange potato mixture in a single layer on 1 sheet of foil. Place remaining sheet of foil over potato mixture; seal edges. Place foil packet on grill rack. Grill 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

What did the rest of the group cook outside the kitchen?  Check out the links below for some other great Cooking Light grilling and outdoor recipes.

Val from More Than Burnt Toast made an appetizer - Barbecued Chicken Sliders with Pickled Onions

Roz from La Bella Vita also made an appetizer - Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Jerry from Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants brought a salad - Grilled Vegetable Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese

Jamie (that's me) brought a side dish - Thyme Potatoes

Sandi from Whistlestop Cafe Cooking made the main dish - Scallops Grilled on Rosemary

Mary Ann from Meet Me in the Kitchen made the dessert - Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Enjoy some time getting out of the kitchen this summer.  These Cooking Light recipes are a great inspiration to get started.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  I used petite red potatoes and quartered them to make even pieces.  If you buy the red potatoes that are larger, I would cut them more to make smaller pieces.  This will help them cook quicker.  Also, keep an eye on the potatoes and check them for doneness at the suggested cook time.  If not done, cook a few minutes more.  If you cook them too long, which I did, you may end up with some burned potatoes. (we ate the ones that were not burnt which were very good)   

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Peanut Butter.  My favorite.  Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches.  My favorite childhood sandwich.  Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars.  My new favorite dessert bar.

I absolutely love the combination of this peanut butter cookie bar with a layer of jelly filling and crunchy peanuts on top.  Adults and kids will love them.  Try these.  But be warned.  They will not last long.

I first saw this recipe on Jerry's blog, Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants.  I then saw it soon after in my March 2011 issue of Bon Appetit.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Recipe by Bon Appetit, March 2011

Serving: 16 bars

Ingredients

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup grape jelly or other jelly or jam
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts
• 
  

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with heavy-duty foil, leaving 2-inch overhang around edges and pressing firmly into corners and up sides of pan. Coat foil with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat peanut butter, sugar, and butter in large bowl until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; beat on low speed until smooth. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed just to blend. Transfer half of dough to prepared pan (about scant 1 1/2 cups). Place remaining dough in freezer for 10 minutes. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto bottom of pan. Spread jelly over in even layer. Remove dough from freezer; using fingertips, break into grape-size pieces and scatter over jelly layer. Sprinkle chopped nuts over.
• Bake bars until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool bars completely in pan on rack.
• Using foil overhang as aid, lift bars from pan. Gently peel foil from edges. Cut into 16 squares. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.        

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  Change the flavor by using different jellies and jams like strawberry, raspberry or blackberry.  

Balsamic Strawberry Topping

Spring is a Berrylicious Season!  This is the theme for May's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club.  Myself and 5 other bloggers "meet" every month to share a Cooking Light menu.  Virtually, of course, since we live in different parts of the U.S. and Canada.  This month's theme focuses on berries.  Berries can be used in many different ways.  You will find berries used in a drink, appetizer, salad, main dish and dessert this month.

I wanted to make this Blueberry Crisp a la Mode but blueberries aren't in season and are very expensive in my grocery store.  I guess this will have to wait for summer.  Strawberries are in season right now and reasonably priced.  So, I chose to make this Balsamic Strawberry Topping.  Four simple ingredients and very quick to make.  The sweet and tart strawberries went perfect with some frozen vanilla yogurt.  I'll be using this strawberry topping in my greek vanilla yogurt as well.  YUMMY!!!  

Click here for recipe on Myrecipes.com

Balsamic Strawberry Topping
Recipe by Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups sliced strawberries

Preparation

• Combine the first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in sliced strawberries, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

Serve over low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt or ice-cream.

For more Berry recipes, check out the rest of the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club menu below:

Jerry (Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants) - Raspberry Daiquiris

Mary Ann - Meet Me in the Kitchen) - Strawberry-Avocado Salsa

Val (More Than Burnt Toast) - Mesclun with Berries and Sweet Spiced Almonds

Sandi - (Whistlestop Cafe Cooking) - Raspberry Asparagus Medley

Roz (La Bella Vita) - Pork Medallions with Spicy Pomegranate-Blueberry Reduction

Jamie (me) - Balsamic Strawberry Topping

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  The pluses of strawberries:

 Low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium.  Also a good source of Folate and Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C and Manganese.   

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2064/2