Week of November 2, 2014

Sun - Beef Enchiladas
Mon - Spaghetti alla Margherita

One Pan Chicken Meal

Tue Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Food Network)
Wed - One Pan Chicken Meal
Thur - Lemon Greek Chicken
Fri - Penne and Alfredo

Spaghetti alla Margherita 
2 cups cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves in skin
1/2 cup loosely packed, fresh basil
1 tbsp fresh, Italian parsley
1 cup diced or shredded mozerrella
1 lb spaghetti pasta
Sauted Mushrooms (see below)Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 425F. Top, cut in half, and seed tomatoes. Lay out tomatoes and garlic on a sheet pan, coat with a few tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until tomatoes are soft and shriveled, and garlic is browning but not burnt/black, 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes. Remove garlic skin by squishing with a fork.
Cook pasta according to package. (Retain 1 cup of pasta water if blending sauce) Chop basil and parsley. Dice or shred cheese. Mash garlic.
You can either eat as is or blend sauce. AS IS: Stir ingredients together with spaghetti and balsamic vinegar, enjoy. BLENDED SAUCE: blend tomatoes, garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar together. Add water 2 tbsp at a time until desired thickness. Mix with pasta. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and herbs, enjoy.

One Pan Chicken Meal

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast

6 medium red potatoes, quartered

1 lb fresh green beans

1 package dry Italian Dressing Mix

1/4 cup olive oil

Mix ingredients until everything is coated with oil and seasonings. Place in 9X13 baking pan. Cover with foil. Bake at 350F for 30-45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.

Lemon Greek Chicken
INGREDIENTS

3 lemons, divided

1/4 cup (50 mL) olive oil

4 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tbsp dried oregano leaves

3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt

1/2 tsp (2 mL) coarsely ground black pepper

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (2 1/2-3 lb/1.1-1.3 kg)

8 petite red potatoes (about 12 oz/350 g)

1 medium red bell pepper

1 medium red onion

8 oz (250 g) white mushrooms

DIRECTIONS
1 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Using Zester/Scorer, zest two of the lemons to measure 1½ tbsp (22 mL) zest. Juice one of the zested lemons using Juicer to measure 2 tbsp (30 mL) juice. In Stainless (4-qt./4-L) Mixing Bowl, combine zest, juice, oil, garlic pressed with Garlic Press, oregano, salt and black pepper; mix well. Place chicken on center of Rectangular Baker or Large Bar Pan. Using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush, brush chicken with about 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the lemon juice mixture.

2 Cut potatoes in half using Crinkle Cutter. Cut bell pepper into 1-in. (2.5-cm) strips using Santoku Knife. Cut onion into 1-in. (2.5-cm) wedges. Thinly slice remaining lemon using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with v-shaped blade. Combine potatoes, bell pepper, onion, lemon slices and mushrooms with remaining lemon juice mixture in mixing bowl; toss to coat.

3 Arrange vegetables around chicken on pan. Bake 1 hour or until registers 180°F (82°C) in thickest part of breast, brushing chicken and vegetables with pan juices after 30 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings Nutrients per serving: Calories 630, Total Fat 35 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Cholesterol 145 mg, Carbohydrate 26 g, Protein 51 g, Sodium 590 mg, Fiber 3 g
U.S. Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 starch, 6 1/2 medium-fat meat (2 carb)

Cook's Tips:
The ingredients in this recipe can be easily cut in half to serve two. Proceed as recipe directs and bake on the Medium Bar Pan.

It's not necessary to peel the potatoes for many recipes. Simply scrub them well and pat them dry with a paper towel before cutting them into desired shapes. With the skins left on, the potatoes retain more flavor and nutrients.

Believe it or not, oregano was rare in the United States until soldiers returning from Italy after World War II raved about it. Oregano is a member of the mint family and has an assertive flavor that awakens tomato-based dishes, poultry and meats.