Pan Sauteed Chicken with Vegetables and Herbs

1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
4 boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small red onions, cut into quarters
1 pound new potatoes, cut into quarters
8 ounces chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme


Heat oven to350 degrees.  Combine salt, pepper, paprika and flour.  Coat chicken in flour mixture. 

Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook until well browned on both sides.  Remove chicken from pan.

Add onions and potatoes to skillet and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the carrots, chicken stock, lemon juice, thyme and oregano and heat to boiling.  Return chicken to skillet.  Cover the skillet.

Bake at 350 degrees, for 20 minutes.  Uncover the skillet and bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.  Serves four

Pear, Parmesan and Walnut Salad

This recipe is for the Gamma Phi girls at U of I.  Enjoy it!

1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/4 cup olive oil

8 cups lettuce or mixed greens
1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese shredded or shaved
1 large fresh pear, chopped into bite size pieces
1/3 cup walnuts

Whisk mustard, vinegar, orange juice and olive oil together to make the dressing.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss lettuce, parmesan, pear and walnuts in large bowl.  Toss with enough dressing to coat.

Serves 4

Toffee Bars

Here is another simple dessert that you should try.  Enjoy!

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 12 x 18 cookie sheet that has raised edges.  Mix thoroughly butter, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla.  Blend in flour and salt.  Press dough evenly in bottom of cookie sheet.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until light brown.  Remove from oven, immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the hot dough.  Wait about 5 minutes then spread the melted chocolate across the dough with a spatula,  Sprinkle with nuts.  Let cool and cut into squares to serve.

Easy Cheeseburger Pie

This is a simple way to cook ground beef.  In order to round out the meal you should have a salad or steamed vegetables with it.

1 pound of ground beef
1 onion chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup bisquick mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease 9 inch pie plate.  Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet, drain off grease.  Spread beef and onions in pie plate, sprinkle with salt and cheese.

Stir remaining ingredients until blended.  Pour over beef in pie plate.

Bake for 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Oregano Chicken with Vegetables

Okay other than the time it takes to chop the vegetables this is easy to prepare.  And, it tastes delicious with the Orzo with Parmesan recipe that I posted on August 22.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
nonstick cooking spray
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
3/4 cup of chopped tomato
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 medium green pepper cut into strips
1 medium red pepper cut into strips

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Lightly coat  nonstick skillet with cooking spray.  Cook chicken over medium heat about 7 minutes per side until lightly browned.  Reduce heat

Place the garlic, half the lemon slices, half the tomatoes, the olives, onion, parsley and oregano over the chicken.  Sprinkle with ground red pepper.  Add the wine and the broth, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the remaining tomatoes and the peppers.  Cook uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes more or until the peppers are tender crisp and the chicken is tender and no longer pink in the middle.  Transfer chicken and vegetables to a platter and garnish with the remaining lemon slices.

Serves 4

Pasta Salad with Chicken and Vegetables

Here is a pasta salad you can eat as a meal, it is yummy and full of lots of good vegetables.

1 pound rotini pasta
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 14 ounce can of artichokes, drained and chopped
1/2 cup sliced black olives
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and cool.  Mix pasta and all the other ingredients, serve immediately or keep in refrigerator for 3 - 4 days.

Enjoy!