Curried Chicken Salad

All the tasty ingredients!

This chicken salad is the bomb. I was inspired by a curried chicken salad I had years ago in Chicago at a restaurant/non-profit called First Slice. They have a small restaurant that also serves food to homeless people and others who are experiencing hard times.

The chicken salad there was delicious, but it took me this long to get around to recreating it. The addition of yogurt helps keep the salad from being to sweet and also harkens back to cooked curries, where yogurt is a frequent ingredient. This is really a simple salad to through together and is great to take on picnics, make sandwiches with, or just to snack on plain. I made it a few weeks ago when my partner's folks were in town - we went to the everglades and picnicked - and they really loved it.

Enjoy!

Curried Chicken Salad
3 cooked Chicken Breasts chopped
4 Carrots grated
3 Celery Sticks chopped
4-5 teaspoons Curry Powder
1/2 - 3/4 cup dried Cranberries
3/4 cup Greek Yogurt
3/4 cup Miracle Whip
Salt
Pepper

Sprinkle raw chicken breasts with salt and pepper and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until chicken is done. Once chicken is done, chill the chicken breasts and then chop them up.

Ingredients assembled

Mix together the chopped up chicken with the carrots, celery, curry powder, cranberries, yogurt, and miracle whip.

Finished product on a sandwich

Store the chicken salad in the fridge and spread on your sandwiches at will. Makes about 8-10 sandwiches.

Fresh Basil Stuffed Chicken Breasts (in a Mushroom Sauce)

Tastiness

Finally got around to purchasing a fresh basil plant yesterday and after I was done potting it I decided that I must make something with my newly acquired herb.

the chopped up basil

As luck would have it chicken breasts were on sale at Publix's (something that almost never happens) so I thought I would make stuffed chicken breasts; a dish that looks fancy but is actually quite easy to put together. These chicken breasts were phenomenal - fresh basil absolutely rocks! I put a lot in because I like the flavor of basil but if you want you could put less in for a more subtle effect.

A note on cooking chicken: When making chicken breasts I never cook them as long as the government recommends (till they are 170) because if you do your chicken will be tough, dry, and nasty. Once the chicken looks done (i.e. no pinkness when cut into) and the juices coming from it are clear it is done and I have never gotten sick from eating it that way.

Enjoy!

Fresh Basil, Cream Cheese, and Garlic Stuffed Chicken Breasts
3 Chicken Breasts
3 oz. Cream Cheese
Small hand full of Fresh Basil (about 3 tablespoons chopped)
2 teaspoons minced Garlic
1/4 cup fresh Spinach chopped
Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste
Butter
In a small bowl mix together the cream cheese, basil, garlic, and spinach with a dash of salt and set aside.

Cream cheese filling

Cut a deep slit in the chicken breasts (big enough to stuff the cream cheese mixture into) but don't cut all the way down from one side to the other or all of the filling will ooze out.

Exhibit A: slit in chicken breast

Exhibit B: slit chicken breast

Chicken breast laying flat after being slit

Then fill the chicken breasts with the cream cheese mixture and place in a large buttered skillet over medium heat and brown on both sides. After both sides are browned turn heat down to medium-low and cook covered for about 20 minutes, flipping once.

Chicken cooking

Take lid off of skillet and continue cooking for about another 10-20 minutes (until chicken juices run clear or a meat thermometer registers around 155).

Note: If the chicken starts to dry out while cooking uncovers just replace the lid so that everything steams up again. Also, it is normal and in my experience unavoidable for some of the filling to leak out of the chicken; it's not really a problem and just ends up making a natural "sauce" for the chicken. Let the chicken rest (covered) for about 10 minutes before serving.

Done Chicken

While chicken is in its final stages of cooking you can prepare the sauce that goes over it:

Mushroom Onion Sauce
1 6 oz. container Sliced Portabella Mushrooms coarsely sliced
1/2 of an Onion diced
1 tablespoon Flour
Approximately 1 1/2 cups Chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
In a large oiled skillet over medium heat saute mushrooms and onions for about 7 minutes or until onions are translucent and mushrooms are starting to brown.

Then turn heat down to medium-low and sprinkle flour, salt, and pepper over the pan and mix in with the mushrooms and onions. Slowly pour in the chicken broth until you had enough for a sauce (this is up to you - depends on how much sauce you want) and cook until thickened; about 3-4 minutes.

After broth is added

Moroccan Chicken Pie (B'stilla)

This is the best food you will ever eat. I have never made or tasted anything better than this chicken pie. I first had a version of B'stilla at a Moroccan restaurant in Chicago and was obsessed with finding a recipe for it, and one day while stumbling recipe blogs I happened upon Turntable Kitchen's adaptation of a Bon Appetit recipe for B'stilla (also known as Moroccan Chicken Pie). I made it and the result was heavenly. The filling is chicken that has been stewed in a variety of spices, including cinnamon, with golden raisins and onions - the result is a wonderfully rich and complete flavor that is to die for.

Then this tasty filling is sandwiched between several layers of phyllo that have been buttered and sprinkled with a cinnamon/almond/sugar mixture. The blend of savory and sweet is like nothing I have ever tasted. I could, without any trouble, eat an entire pie plate of this in one sitting. And in fact when I made it for my boyfriend and a colleague he had invited over we polished off the whole pan in one sitting.

This recipe is, without a doubt, time consuming; mostly due to the phyllo sheets, which are notoriously difficult to handle. They dry out easily and also tear easily because they are so thin and delicate. Make sure to handle with care and cover the stack of phyllo sheets with a slightly dampened paper towel when you are working with it. One way to cut down on the time factor is to make the filling in advance the day before or you could even freeze the filling for a few weeks.

However, it is well worth the effort to make this recipe and the special someone(s) you make it for will be in your debt for a long time. :)

Enjoy!


Moroccan Chicken Pie (From Turntable Kitchen)

Filling
1 onion diced
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 tablespoon Flour
2 cups Chicken Broth
3-4 Chicken Breasts chopped into large pieces
1/3 cup Golden Raisins
1 tablespoon Parsley
Olive Oil

Phyllo Layers
1/2 cup Almonds finely crushed
3 tablespoons Powdered Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
10 sheets defrosted Phyllo (get the thin greek stuff not puff pastry)
1/2 cup Butter melted
Saute onions in oil in a large skillet over medium heat until transparent then add in the spices and stir. Sprinkle in the flour and stir in well, then add in the chicken broth. Gently place the chicken pieces into the broth as well as the raisins and reduce heat to medium low - cook for about 20-30 minutes or until chicken is done and shreds easily (broth should also be cooked down).

partway through cooking

Once chicken has cooked down add in the parsley and remove skillet from heat. Once the filling has cooled down shred the chicken with your fingers and mix it all together. Set aside.

filling after chicken has been shredded

In a small dish mix together the almonds, powdered sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

Unroll the phyllo sheets and grab about 10 of them (take more than 10 because they tear easily so you will have to throw out a few) and lay them out on the counter in a stack. Take a 9 inch pie plate and put over the phyllo and cut around the phyllo with a knife or scissors to make the sheets the correct size (they can be a little larger than the pie plate).

Phyllo after it has been cut to size

Once that is done cover the cut sheets of phyllo with a damp cloth so that they don't dry out too much and become hard to handle.

Place one phyllo sheet into the pie plate and brush gently with melted butter then sprinkle on a little of the almond mixture. Repeat this 4 times to get the five layers of phyllo.

Pour the filling over the layers. Put a sheet of phyllo on top of the filling; brush with butter and sprinkle with the almond mixture. do this three more times and then put the final sheet of phyllo down without any butter or almond mixture.

phyllo with butter brushed on top

Cut an X into the center and bake at 375 for 40 minutes (make sure the top phyllo sheet is browned and crispy) then remove from oven. Cool for about 10 minutes then serve.

Kashmiri Chicken

This chicken is simply amazing. The pungent and tangy blend of spices just makes my mouth water when I am making this. Also, I love recipes that use cinnamon sticks, not just because cinnamon is tasty, but also because I feel cool cooking with a whole cinnamon stick - it seems like something only a fancy chef would do. Anyhow, the spice blend in this recipe is excellent, probably because it is from the Complete Indian Cooking cookbook.

I think this would be great paired with a spinach salad with dried cranberries in it. I just ate it plain but I definitely think it would have benefited from something fresh along side.

Also, I used greek yogurt in this because I love how thick and tart it is but you could use regular yogurt just as well.

Kashmiri Chicken
3 Onions finely sliced
10 Peppercorns
10 Cardamoms
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 2-in long Piece Ginger finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons minced Garlic
2 teaspoons Chili Powder
2-3 teaspoons Paprika
3 lbs. Chicken Breasts cut into large pieces
1 1/2 cups Unsweetened Plain Greek Yogurt
Salt
Oil

Heat oil in frying pan until hot (on medium heat) and put in onions. Fry onions, with peppercorns, cardamoms, salt, and cinnamon stick, until the onions are golden brown. Add in the ginger, garlic, chili powder, paprika, and chicken and let the chicken briefly brown on both sides (about 2 minutes or so). Add in the yogurt and reduce heat to low; cook for about 30 minutes (for about half the cook time cover to conserve juices) or until the chicken it cooked through (no longer pink inside and the chicken will be firmer). Serve over rice. Makes enough to feed about 6 people.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I found this tasty recipe over at Best Bites and decided I had to try it. These taquitos are baked not fried like most varieties, so they are substantially healthier and they still taste amazing. I still had some of the spicy chicken I made in the crock-pot stashed in the freezer so I thawed that out to use instead of the plain the chicken the recipe called for. These turned out super tasty and I only made a few modifications to the original recipe (I don't like cilantro so I left that out, and I didn't think the lime juice sounded necessary).

Here is the recipe:

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos (Original recipe is here)
1/3 cup (3 oz) Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Salsa Verde
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 cups Spicy Shredded Chicken Recipe
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese/Mexican Cheese Blend
at least 13 Small Corn Tortillas or Flour Tortillas (Fajita size)
Cooking Spray
Soften cream cheese in the microwave for about 30 seconds or so in a large glass bowl, then mix in the spices, chicken, and cheese. Warm 2 corn tortillas at a time in the microwave (so they don't crack when rolled, the heat makes them pliable) and fill each tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and roll up tightly (leave ends open). (There is no need to heat the flour tortillas, they are soft enough already). Place rolled up tortillas on a lightly greased cookie sheet (it is better if they aren't touching because it allows the tortilla to harden more), spray the tops with cooking spray and bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes.
FYI: I found that it took a little longer than 20 minutes for my batch but I was making a larger batch.

Shredded Chicken Enchiladas

These were heavenly! I am slightly embarrassed to say that me and my boyfriend ate the entire 13x10 inch pan of them in one night (Am I somewhat redeemed if I was drunk?). To be fair my partner had just finished a 60 mile training ride and I had gone running.

On a more recipe oriented note, these are kind of time consuming to make because of all the different steps, however, you can make the chicken filling on a different day (which is what I did) and just save some for this recipe.

Here you go:

Shredded Chicken Enchiladas
Spicy Shredded Chicken
Enchilada sauce (recipe below)
Cheese filling (recipe below)
10-13 Corn Tortillas
First make the cheese filling, then the enchilada sauce. Fill each tortilla with approximately 2 tablespoons or the chicken mixture and 1 tablespoon of the cheese filling.

Assembling the enchiladas

Roll up and put into at 13x10 inch pan (the enchiladas can be squished close together, I packed as many of those suckers in to the pan as I could). Cover with the enchilada sauce and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the enchiladas are heated through. Should serve 4 people depending on how hungry they are and what accompaniments you have to the dish. Total dish has about 2689 calories (about 207 calories per enchilada).

Cheese Filling
1 cup shredded Mexican Cheese
1/2 – 1 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (I used the 2% reduced fat kind)
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Flour
3/4 cups Milk 2 oz Cream Cheese
In a saucepan over low heat melt butter, add in flour and stir until you have a smooth paste-like mixture. Gradually add in the milk, stirring quickly so that no lumps form. Make sure to add in the milk fast enough so that the mixture doesn’t get too thick. (If, while you are adding in the milk the mixture starts to get too thick, pull off the heat and stir the rest of the milk in; then put back on the burner). Once the mixture has thickened to about the consistency of corn syrup add in the cheeses (including the cream cheese) and stir in just until melted. Pull off of heat and set aside.

Enchilada Sauce
Based on enchilada sauce recipe from Nobel Pig's cooking blog
1 Onion chopped very fine
1 1/2 tablespoons minced Garlic
1 15 oz can Tomato Puree
1 cup (approx) Chicken broth
3 teaspoons Chili Powder
2 tablespoons Vinegar
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Olive Oil

In a frying pan on medium-high, sauté onion and garlic in oil until the onion begins to turn translucent and caramelize (brown on the bottom). Add in the spices, and cook for a few minutes then add in the vinegar, tomato puree and chicken broth. Cook over medium-low heat stirring frequently. Add more chicken broth if needed to get the desired consistency for the sauce.

Spicy Shredded Chicken

Chicken on a tortilla cause I didn't get a good pic of it by itself

I have been craving mexican food lately and I also had bunch of chicken in my freezer so I decided to make a big pot of chicken that I could use in various mexican recipes. Or just as a quick add in to a burrito, I eat burritos all the time because they are a super quick and tasty way to have lunch - its like a sandwich but yummier.

This makes a large amount of chicken, perfect for freezing and using later on in a casserole or whatever you want. I decided to make enchiladas with the chicken and they were delicious. (Recipe for those to follow this one).

This chicken actually wasn't as spicy as I thought it would be, which will be good for all of you who are less inclined to eat food that makes you cry. It does taste absolutely delicious though, juicy and slightly tangy from the tomatoes with the added smoky flavors of the roasted peppers.

Peppers, yum!

Here is the recipe, enjoy!

Spicy Shredded Chicken

6 Chicken Breasts (boneless)

2 cans Rotel (I used one spicy and one regular)

Assorted hot peppers (I used 4 Jalapeños, and 3 Poblanos)

2 teaspoons Cumin

2-3 teaspoons Chili Powder

Salt to taste

Put whole chicken breasts and rotel into a crock-pot and turn onto high setting. Meanwhile dry fry (i.e. don’t use any oil, just use a dry skillet) the peppers in a frying pan over high-medium heat, turning as the skin blackens (this should take a few minutes on each side).

this is what the blackened peppers should look like

Immediately put the peppers into a plastic bag and seal.

the steam makes it easier to remove the skin

Once peppers have cooled peal (and scrape) off as much of the outer skin (the part that has blackened and blistered) as possible. Then cut the peppers in half and take out the seeds. Chop into small pieces and put in the crock-pot. Add seasonings to the crock-pot. Stir the chicken mixture periodically and start to break up the chicken (the goal is for the chicken to be completely shredded by the end of cooking). The chicken should be done is 4-5 hours. If you want to cook on low it will probably take a couple of hours longer. However, this can cook for a while after it is technically done without any ill affects, so don’t worry about the time too much. 

Sweet Potato Chicken Stew

This stew is "perfect", according to my boyfriend, and I am inclined to agree. It is simple, healthy, and tastes amazing. Also, it is cooked in a crock-pot so there is next to no clean-up and you can leave for the day while it works its magic. The stew is an amalgam of recipes that my mother-in-law gave me several years ago when I first got a crock-pot. That cock-pot passed on so this year she got me another one for christmas and this stew was my first opportunity to try it out. If you don't own a crock-pot you really should invest in one because they are super convenient to have around.

However, if you don't have one and still want to make this stew, just put everything in a big pot instead and cook it over a low to medium flame for several hours. I think it would be just fine. Also, I use tarragon in this recipe, and it has come to my attention that many people don't use this fine spice. That is a crying shame because tarragon imparts a very unique and wonderful flavor to foods that is both mildly sweet and also savory.

Happy cooking/crock-potting!


Sweet Potato Chicken Stew with Apples
3-4 Chicken Breasts chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 Sweet Potatoes peeled and cubed
2-3 Yukon Gold Potatoes (or regular potatoes) cubed
3 Apples peeled and cubed
About 20 oz. Chicken Broth (enough to cover what is in the crock-pot, but you can use some water too)
1-2 tablespoons minced Garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons Basil
1 1/2 teaspoons Tarragon
1 Cinnamon Stick (if you don't have cinnamon sticks use about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder)
Salt and Pepper to taste - use plenty of salt, it takes a lot to season pot
Spices are approximate as I kind of just dumped stuff in
Put the chopped chicken in the crock pot and pour just enough chicken broth over it to cover. Turn crock-pot on low. Let the chicken start cooking for about an hour while you chop up everything else. Put the sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, and apples in the crock-pot with the garlic and spices and pour in the chicken broth/water until everything is almost covered. Stir. Let cook on low (stirring periodically if you wish) for about 4 or 5 hours. You can also let it cook on high and it will probably get done an hour sooner. Serve!

BBQ Chicken, Spinach, Tomato, and Onion Pizza

Pizza about to go into the oven

This pizza is hands down one of my favorite foods I have ever made. The crust is thin but not too crispy, and the wheat flour gives it extra substance. The toppings, bbq chicken, tomato, spinach, and onion are a wonderful change of pace from the toppings you usually get on a pizza and much healthier. This is a more time consuming cooking project to be sure, primarily because of the homemade crust, but it is worth every minute. Try it for yourself and see!

BBQ Chicken, Spinach, Tomato, and Onion Pizza

3 or so cups White Flour

½ cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 packet (1/4 oz) Active Yeast

1 teas. Sugar

1 cup 1% milk

1/3 cup water

½ teas. Salt

20 oz Shredded Cheese ( use a blend of skim and whole milk mozzarella and cheddar)

1 Onion sliced finely

2 Tomatoes sliced finely

2-3 BBQ chicken breasts shredded*

½ 8 oz. bag Spinach

1/2-3/4 jar Spicy Marinara Sauce

*To make BBQed chicken take chicken breasts, coat in BBQ sauce and bake for about 30-40 minutes. Shred warm chicken and save for later use as the pizza topping.

Crust dough before it has risen

Heat milk and water to about 120-130 degrees (should be warm to the touch but not uncomfortably warm) mix in sugar and sprinkle yeast on top to proof the yeast. Put about two cups of flour and the salt into a mixing bowl and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix together. Add in enough flour to make a manageable dough and then knead for about 6 minutes. Let rise in a warm non-drafty area for about 50 minutes or until doubled.

Meanwhile finely slice onion and tomato. Take out seeds from tomato slices and rinse with water to reduce the moisture content, then lay out on a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. Clean spinach and pat dry.

Once the dough has risen punch down and shape (roll out or toss with your hands) dough into two crusts. I used a 15x10 inch pan and a 13x9 inch pan. Once dough is rolled out preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce onto the crust. Sprinkle with cheese and toppings. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned on the bottom and the cheese has melted. 

Wait about 5-10 minutes for pizza to cool before cutting. Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken and Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad

Chopped up roasted veggies - so good!

I made this last fall for a party and got the craving again last week. Also my partner's parents were coming to town so I thought it would be good to have some extra food in the fridge. This pasta salad is so yummy I have to stop myself from eating it until I get sick and it tasted even better this time around because I added in some cubed extra sharp cheddar cheese. The balsamic vinegar and bbq sauce contrasted perfectly with the sharpness of the cheese. 

Since I was going to be bbqing chicken anyway I made a few extra breasts so that I could use it as pizza topping later on for my super awesome bbq chicken and spinach pizza. (I just made that for the in-laws the day before yesterday so that recipe will be going up soon.)

Shredded BBQ Chicken

Also, I added the zucchini in because I had some extra lying around and it tasted just fine in the pasta salad, so I am guessing you could try any number of different vegetables roasted in this salad. Be creative and use what you have on hand!

BBQ Chicken and Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad

1 (1 lb.) box whole wheat Barilla Pasta

3 colored Bell Peppers quartered

2 Vidalia onions cut in large slices

2-3 Tomatoes quartered

1 Zucchini quartered

3-4 Chicken Breasts

BBQ Sauce (I prefer Famous Dave’s “Devil’s Spit” or “Rich and Sassy”)

1/4-1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Put chicken breasts in a 13X9 pan and salt and pepper to taste, then coat with bqq sauce and bake at 350 until juices run clear (about 30-45 minutes). Meanwhile clean tomatoes out so that only the flesh remains. Coat onions, peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes lightly with olive oil, pepper, and salt. Put veggies on a paper towel to drain off some of the oil if there is excess. Put all of the veggies onto a large baking sheet and roast at 425 for about 25 minutes or until desired doneness (vegetable skins should be browned in most places). While veggies are cooling, cook pasta according to package directions. Chop up veggies and chicken into bite sized pieces and toss with pasta. Add balsamic vinegar to taste. Serve warm or chilled. Serves about 6. 

Bangalore Chicken Curry

I realize this kind of looks questionable but I assure you it tastes amazing

So I have finally found some part-time work, about three weeks ago actually, which is awesome but also means I don't have as much time to cook things. Luckily, today is one of my days off so I am free to cook to my heart's content. Currently there is a meat pie !!! in the oven, which I am far too excited about because I've never made one before and it looks so yummy! I will definitely post the recipe if it turns out to taste as good as I think it will.

Right now I want to share a chicken curry recipe that I modified from one of my favorite cookbooks, "Complete Indian Cooking." If you want a cookbook that will teach you all of the basic dishes in Indian cooking, accompanied by beautiful photos of every dish than this is the book for you. I seriously recommend it! I bought mine a few years ago because my boyfriend really loves Indian food and I wanted to learn how to make it; after using this cookbook for a couple of years I am now confident enough to try my hand at inventing Indian recipes on my own as well as making additions/alterations to existing recipes. All a sign of a good teaching tool.

Anyhow back to the recipe. This curry is so good. The coconut gives the curry such a rich finish. It is a perfect curry for someone who isn't really into spicy food because it is very mellow but still full of flavor. 

Enjoy making this!

Bangalore Chicken Curry

3 tabl. Olive Oil

2 Onions - Sliced

1-2 tabl. Minced Garlic

2 teas. Curry Powder

1 1/2 teas. Dhana Jeera (3/4 teas coriander and cumin)

3-4 Serrano Peppers (seeded and chopped fine)

2 lb (approx.) Chicken Breasts cut into large pieces

3/4 cup Chicken broth

1 1/4 cup Coconut Milk (unsweetened)

1 teas. Salt

Fry onions and peppers in oil over medium high heat for about 5 minutes then add in the garlic and other spices (including salt) and fry for another 5-10 minutes or so (until onions start to soften and caramelize). Put the chicken in the frying pan and turn to coat with the juices/spice mixture in the pan then add in the chicken broth and coconut milk. Continue to cook on low to medium heat, gently simmering the chicken in the sauce for about 30-40 minutes or until chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened. Serve over rice or with bread. 

Squash, Zucchini, and Chicken Saute

I made this simple saute a few days ago. It is great as is but it can also be served over pasta or rice. If you do that I would recommend adding in a little white wine or broth so that there is some sauce to coat the pasta or rice. Tonight I am making a new roasted veggie and sausage pasta sauce. Will post once I see how it turns out!

Happy cooking!

Squash, Zucchini, and Chicken Sauté

2 Yellow Squash diced

2 Zucchini sliced

2 Bell Peppers diced

3-4 Chicken Breasts chopped

½ Onion diced

3 tabl. Garlic minced

2 teas. Basil

2 teas. Tarragon

½ teas. Cayenne Pepper

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Sauté onions, garlic, and chicken until chicken is browned and cooked through. Add in bell peppers, zucchini, squash, and spices and sauté until squash and zucchini are soft. Serve over pasta if desired. 

Sauteed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Onions

I made this delicious dish last week and my boyfriend liked it so much we made it again the next day; which if you know him is a huge deal because he absolutely hates to cook and will avoid it at all costs.

His usual idea of making a meal is to have a bowl of cereal but he said that this dish was so good he actually wanted to learn how to make it (with me guiding him along of course, I didn't want the kitchen to catch fire - that actually happened once).

The butter is what really gives this meal it's rich carmelly flavor so I wouldn't recommend substituting anything else for it.  

Sautéed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Onions

5-7 medium Red Potatoes cubed (don’t peel skins)

10 oz (approx) fresh Green Beans/Broccoli (could use frozen)

1-2 Onions chopped

4 tbs (approx) Butter (Can start with less but add more if it is not enough)

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Optional: 4 chicken breasts chopped

Microwave potatoes for about 5 minutes in a little bit of water to partially cook them. Put butter in a skillet on medium high heat and sauté onions and potatoes. Add in green beans or brocolli after potatoes and onions begin to caramelize and sprinkle with pepper and salt to taste throughout cooking. (I usually go pretty heavy on the pepper). Stir frequently but allow mixture to stick to the bottom of the pan somewhat so that everything caramelizes. Cook for about 20-30 minutes. 

Note: If you decide to use chicken cook chicken completely first and add when you put the brocolli or green beans in with the potatoes and onions.