Grilled Chicken with Marsala Risotto

This chicken marsala recipe from BH&G looks like it came from a fancy Italian restaurant, but surprise: this jazzed-up risotto recipe is actually super-doable to recreate in your own kitchen. Serves 4 Total Time: 50 minutes 

Ingredients:

2 cups thinly sliced fresh cremini mushrooms
1/2 of a large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup uncooked Arborio rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry Marsala
2 1/2-3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
2 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
14 – 16 ounces chicken breast tenderloins
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup finely shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach leaves

Directions:

In a large saucepan cook mushrooms and onion in hot oil over medium heat about 10 minutes or until tender and light brown, stirring occasionally. Add rice and 1 clove of the garlic. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until rice begins to brown. Remove from heat. Carefully add Marsala; return to heat. Cook and stir until Marsala is absorbed.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan bring broth to boiling; reduce heat and simmer. Slowly add 1/2 cup of the broth to rice mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir over medium heat until broth is absorbed. Add the remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until broth is absorbed. (This should take 15 to 20 minutes)

In a small bowl combine thyme, rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the salt. Rub the remaining 2 cloves garlic over chicken; sprinkle with thyme mixture. Lightly coat both sides of chicken with cooking spray.

Heat your grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170°F), turning once. If chicken browns too quickly, reduce heat to medium. Add cheese and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper to rice mixture, stirring until cheese is melted. Stir in spinach. Spoon rice mixture onto serving plates. Top with chicken...yummy!

Italian Hot Bake

First time I made this Italian Hot Bake, I made it exactly as written. The next time I made some changes, because I thought it needed more flavor. I used mild Italian sausage instead of ground beef, added some chopped pepperoni and sliced black olives. I did not put this in the oven. After browning the sausage and onion and green pepper I added the spices and tomato sauce. Simmered for about 20 minutes; covered. Added the pepperoni and olives, stirred. About 10 minutes before serving, I added the cooked bow ties. It was more to my liking. This is a keeper. What would you change? Serves 4 Total Time: 70 minutes

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups uncooked multigrain bow tie pasta (about 4 ounces)
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook and crumble beef with 1/2 cup mushrooms, onion and green pepper over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Stir in seasonings and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Place pasta in an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with meat sauce and remaining mushrooms. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Bake, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted, 5-10 minutes.

Italian Chop Salad

This Italian Chop Salad is great for lunch or a light dinner. Serves 2 Total Time: 15 minutes 


Ingredients:

4 cups chopped romaine, iceberg or Bibb (Boston) lettuce 
1/2 cup peeled English cucumber, cubed (no cucumber, use celery, green pepper or radishes)
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes or quartered Campari tomatoes 
1/4 cup sliced red onion 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste 
1/2 roasted red pepper, in water, chopped 
1 ounce genoa salami, sliced 
6 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella 

Directions:

Toss the lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion with oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with roasted red pepper, salami and mozzarella. Also good with olives, hard boiled eggs or pepperoncini

Pasta Pizza Bake

What’s not to love when you join pizza and pasta. Make it a meatless meal and skip the pepperoni. Substitute any pizza topping to make this Pasta Pizza Bake your own. Serves 4 Total Time: 35 minutes 

Ingredients: 

8 oz of cooked pasta, try angle hair or penne
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided 
2 cups brown mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup green pepper 
1/2 cup pepperoni slices
1/4 cup onion, chopped 
1/4 cup black olives, sliced 
1 15oz can pizza sauce 
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella 
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Cook your pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside. 

In a oven proof skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat then add the mushrooms, onions and peppers; sauté until tender. Remove and keep warm. Add remaining oil to skillet and increase heat to med/high. Add in the pasta and cook 5-7 minutes to form a crust. Turn pasta crust onto a plate and reduce heat to medium add pasta back in the skillet (with the undercooked on the bottom of the skillet), top with pepperoni, black olives, sautéed vegetables and sauce. Sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.