Seared Scallops with Snow Peas and Orange

Photo by: Quentin Bacon

Serves 4 Hands-On Time: 25m Total Time: 25m

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 16 sea scallops (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 orange
• 3/4 pound snow peas, halved lengthwise

Directions

1. Cook the couscous according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the scallops dry, season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and cook until opaque throughout and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm; wipe out the skillet.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, remove 4 strips of zest from the orange; thinly slice the zest.
4. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the snow peas, orange zest, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, tossing, until the snow peas are just tender, about 2 minutes. Serve with the scallops and couscous.

We really enjoyed this. It is a very light meal, but add a salad and some yummy dessert and its perfect! Gavin chowed down on the Scallops and both kids ate the snow peas like candy!

Italian Chicken & Vegetable Bake

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken breasts
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-2 cans cut green beans
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
½ bottle Italian dressing (the cheap generic works just as well)

Directions:

Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil with enough hanging over the edges to cover the top (or use a baking bag). Place chicken, potatoes, onions, and green beans in pan. Cover with dressing. Cover pan with the remaining foil. Bake at 375 degrees for an hour or until chicken is cooked through.

Shoyu Chicken

Ingredients:
1 C. shoyu (soy sauce)
¾ C. water
¾ C. sugar (brown or white)
2 cloves garlic, mashed
grated gingerroot to taste (thumb-size)
2 ½ lbs. chicken thighs or wings

Directions:
Skin chicken – use dry washcloth to keep a hold of the skin(much easier if frozen). Throw chicken in a pot with all of the other ingredients and boil, then simmer until done (about an hour or less).

Serve with rice and salad.

Yummy Tortilla Soup

Serves: At least 4

Prep: 10

Cook: 25

INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 Cans crushed (or diced) tomatoes
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
• 1 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I used dried)
  
• 2-3 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
• crushed tortilla chips
• sliced avocado
• shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• chopped green onions

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, cilantro(if using dried) tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in corn, chiles, beans, cilantro (if fresh), and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onion.

Maple-Orange Chicken with Acorn Squash and Sweet Potatoes

Serves: 5
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 6 hours

Ingredients:

1 small to medium acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 leeks, rinsed and chopped
5 (5-ounce) skinless chicken breast halves (with or without bone)
Salt and ground black pepper
1 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup

For the garnish:
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Directions:

Place squash and sweet potatoes and leeks in the slow cooker. Season chicken all over with salt and black pepper and place on top of vegetables in slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine orange marmalade and remaining ingredients. Pour mixture over chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Serve chicken breast halves with squash and potatoes on the side and extra sauce spooned over top. Top with parsley and rosemary just before serving.

Black Bean Soup with Crab and Andouille Sausage

Serves: 4-6
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 6 hours


Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 pound diced andouille sausage
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups lump crabmeat, picked for shells and cartilage
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves


Directions:

In a slow cooker, combine beans, broth, tomatoes, sausage, onion, celery, carrots, cumin, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Mix well. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with crab and cilantro.

Tilapia Italiano

Serves 4

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2/3 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2/3 teaspoon thyme (fresh off the stem or granulated )
• 2/3 (4 ounce) can black olives (sliced )
• 2/3 teaspoon parsley
• 1/3 teaspoon fresh basil
• 1 1/3 garlic cloves (minced )
• 1/3 cup vidalia onion (sweet, finely chopped )
• 2/3 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 4 lemon slices

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lightly spray a shallow baking dish with cooking spray (olive or canola).
3. In a bowl, stir together oil, thyme, diced tomatoes, sliced olives, parsley, basil, chopped onions and lemon juice.
4. In the prepared baking dish, arrange the fillets skin side down and season with salt.
5. Spoon the tomato mixture over the fillets abundantly.
6. Bake, uncovered, in the middle of the oven for about 15 or 20 minutes or until fish just flake.
7. Garnish fish with lemon slices and fresh Thyme .

Serve with pasta out of your pantry (tortellini is recommended, but I've used everything from bowtie to egg noodles).

Baked Tilapia With Vegetables

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 min.
Cook time: 20 min.

Ingredients:

* 4 tilapia fillets
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 large portabella mushrooms, diced
* 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
* 6 green onions, chopped
* 2 dashes sea salt
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 2 teaspoons dried tarragon, crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Lay down aluminum foil on baking sheet and arrange fillets in a single layer.
3. Sprinkle with salt and paprika; Set aside.
4. In a small skillet, heat olive oil; quickly saute portabello, green onion and yellow pepper, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add tarragon, and simmer 2-3 minutes more.
6. If this mixture is very wet, simmer to reduce another minute or two.
7. Spoon contents of skillet over fish.
8. Bake@ 450F 20 minutes.