10 One Pot Meals that Dramatically Decrease the Heat in your Kitchen

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It's summertime and boy is it hot!

The last thing I want to do is turn on the oven when it is over 100 degrees outside.  I don't even want to grill until the sun starts to set which isn't until around 8pm in my area.  So what do we do about getting dinner on the table during the week when we have schedules to keep?  Use the stove, and make a one pot meal!

One pot means less dishes to wash. Yea!  One pot means any vessel from a saucepan to a skillet.  One pot means simple to make, quick dishes made on the stovetop which = less heat!

10 One Pot Meals that Dramatically Decrease the Heat in your Kitchen

I have TEN unforgettable recipes for you that will keep your kitchen cool and your family wanting more!

One Pot Meat Lovers Pizza Ravioli Bake

One Pot Tortellini with Sausage and Spinach in a Tomato Basil Sauce

One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice

One Pot Dish: Cilantro Lime Chicken with Rice and Beans

One Pot Meal: Chicken and Asparagus Skillet Supper

Mediterranean Lemon Chicken

Chili Mac

Beef Stroganoff with Horseradish Sour Cream

One Pot Pasta

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Fresh Ribbon Salad with Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette

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So maybe you know what you are cooking for you main dish this coming 4th of July but aren't sure about all the side dishes.

Everyone loves a good green salad right?  We eat a lot of them (MGG being a rabbit and all...) so let's amp up the everyday salad a bit.  Let's create an IRRESISTIBLY FRESH summer salad.  When I think "fresh" I think of lots of raw in-season vegetables.  But I want the presentation to be special, a little over the top, something that draws the eye.  That's when I broke out the Spiralizer!

Using a Spiralizer to cut your vegetables into ribbons give them the panache I'm looking for to take this salad to the next level.  What's prettier than a bunch of curly fresh vegetables?  So we are going to create a Fresh Ribbon Salad with Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette.  I used this Spiralizer by Paderno which I just love.  But don't fret if you don't have one.  You can create long ribbons using a potato peeler (which will create long thin strips) or a mandolin (which allows you to control the thickness).  I think that by hand a mandolin might be best if you have one.  Using the Spiralizer I chose the blade that give you medium curls or ribbons.  The thickness and the texture is just perfect for fresh vegetables.

Now for the veggie choice.  Right now is the perfect time for zucchini, carrots, and cucumbers, so we'll use those.  Once you cut your veggies into ribbons you can mix them with some packaged salad greens.  I chose a French mix which had butter lettuce and radicchio mixed for body.

Once that is all done you only need a FABULOUS salad dressing.  You want the FRESH ribbon cut vegetables to be the star so a tangy but light dressing is in order.  One that you can whip up quickly and just drizzle dollops over it.  That dressing just happens to be Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette.

Fresh squeezed lemons join jarred pesto sauce along with some really tasty olive oil to form a unique vinaigrette that is well balanced, yet carries just a bit of bite.

This is the perfect topping!
Seriously...it's light and refreshing, and has that POW! that makes you reach for more.

So when you are thinking of side dishes for your 4th of July bash....or any summer meal to come, make sure to make this eye-catching Fresh Ribbon Salad with Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette.  People will think you are Martha Stewart!

Enjoy!





Fresh Ribbon Salad with Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette

serves 4

Salad: 1 zucchini, washed
2 medium carrots, washed and peeled
1 English cucumber, washed with skin left on
1/2 7 oz. package of salad greens (such as Ready Pac Bistro Lafayette)

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons jarred pesto
salt & pepper

Using a Spiralizer, cut your vegetables into ribbons.  Set aside.  On a large bowl or platter place the packages salad green, then top with ribbon vegetables.  

In a small bowl or mason jar add dressing ingredients and shake or whisk well to combine.  Drizzle over the salad.  Serve.

Luscious Lemon Strawberry Angel Delight

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I have to say that I'm totally smitten with citrus this year.  

I recently went on a shopping spree and bought citrus laundry detergent.  You guys!! this stuff is awesome.  Then I went and bought citrus kitchen cleaner, shampoo, body wash, and a even a pint of lemon cream pie ice cream!  I'm in Heaven!!!

So since I'm on a roll I thought I'd carry over the theme and make you a great summer dessert.

LUSCIOUS LEMON STRAWBERRY ANGEL DELIGHT

This dessert is easy to put together.  It can serve a few or a crowd, and is creamy and luscious.  The tart lemon totally compliments the sweet strawberries.  These top some angel food loaf that has been pulled into bite sized pieces.  I placed them all in some cute dessert bowls and layered on the lemon pudding and berries.  Top it with some whipped topping or whipped cream and you are set.

Dessert is done!

This would be the perfect dessert for any BBQ, cookout, or FATHER'S DAY party you may be having. 

Enjoy this all summer long!






Luscious Lemon Strawberry Angel Delight

1 pkg (3/4 oz) lemon instant pudding

2 cups of milk

1 pre-made angel food loaf

1 pint of strawberries, hulled and sliced

whipped topping 

In a bowl combine the pudding and the milk. Stirring to combine until all pudding granules are dissolved. Place cling wrap directly on pudding to avoid a skin from forming and place in the refrigerator to set.  

Tear the angel food loaf into medium bite size pieces.  Hull and slice the strawberries.  To assemble:  Place pieces of cake on dessert bowl or plate.  Top with about 1/4 c of pudding drizzling over the cake.  Scatter about 1/4 cup of strawberries over the pudding.  Add a dollop or two of whipped topping.  Serve.

Mother's Day: Lemon Sour Cream Waffles

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It's time to celebrate the Mother's in your life!

With Mother's Day coming up next weekend it's time to start planning.  How about a nice brunch or breakfast in bed?  I'm sure any mother would enjoy lazing around on a Sunday morning and getting up to a nice plate of waffles!

Not just any waffles though.  Let's bring the Spring citrus flavors into the mix and whip up some Lemon Sour Cream Waffles.  The lemon adds brightness and zing while the sour cream makes these waffles fluffy, light and a little tangy (like buttermilk would).  Who can resist this combination!  Pour over some hot maple syrup and your main dish is all set. 

This is the perfect choice for a celebration!

LEMON SOUR CREAM WAFFLES

The batter is easy to whip up and all you need is one bowl!  So Dad's and kids out there can get in the kitchen and find it easy to make Mom's day special by making these delectable waffles!  Why go out to eat when you make these at home surrounded by family.

Here's a couple of waffle makers that are inexpensive for you to choose from if you like:

Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker

Hamilton Beach Belgiam Waffle Maker

Euro Cuisine Heart Shaped Waffle Maker

For fun try:

Disney Mickey Mouse Waffle Maker

I hope you all enjoy the holiday.  Oh! and remember waffles aren't only for Mother's Day.  These are perfect for any Sunday breakfast!

Enjoy!





Lemon Sour Cream Waffles


1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
zest from 2 lemons
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup sour cream
½ cup milk
Optional:  Hot maple syrup, powdered sugar

Preheat your waffle iron and spray with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl add all the ingredients and stir until combined.  Scoop batter into the iron (about 1/2 cup ) until the batter reaches the edge.  Put lid down and allow to cook until steaming has stopped. (Make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions.)

Remove golden brown waffle and keep warm.  Repeat until all batter is used.  Serve with hot maple syrup or powdered sugar.

Lemon Garlic Herb Chicken and Beef Kabobs with Roasted Veggies

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We're having a wonderful Spring so far and the weather is wonderful.  Taking advantage of the semi-hot days and the cooler evenings, it's time to break out the grill!  We just love kabobs and we both love beef and chicken.  So why pick when you can have both.

Today's recipe is all about basting sauce.  Don't get me wrong the chicken and beef are stars in itself but this lemon, garlic, and herb basting sauce just takes this over the top!  I love anything with lemon on it, but this combination is one of the best.  Why have plain old meat when you can jazz it up with flavors that carry a punch?  Can't think of any reason...

We decided to fire up the grill and make "all meat" kabobs and roast the veggies in the oven.  MGG also wanted Roasted Cauliflower and Tahini Sauce as well so it was easier to just roast all the veggies at once instead of mixing them with the protein on the kabobs.  Not to worry though, the veggies got a good douse of the basting sauce as well, so they came out sizzling and delishhhh!

LEMON GARLIC HERB CHICKEN AND BEEF KABOBS

We used summer squash (yellow squash) and zucchini as the veggies.  Boneless chicken breasts were cubed and threaded onto skewers, and for the beef we used sirloin steak that was cubed as well and threaded onto skewers.

While the veggies were roasting in the oven MGG grilled the meat outside, rotating the meat and dousing them with this wonderful basting sauce.  The smell of garlic, and the tang of lemon, and the savory taste of the herbs is heaven.  This was definitely a favorite meal.  One that we will repeat over and over this summer!

Your whole family will love this easy to pull together meal, I promise.

Enjoy!





Lemon Garlic Herb Chicken and Beef Kabobs with Roasted Veggies

Kabobs:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 lb sirloin steak, fat removed, and cubed

bamboo skewers

Roasted Vegetables:

2 Summer Squash, cut lengthwise and sliced in big chunks

2 Zucchini, cut lengthwise and slice in big chunks

Marinade/Basting Sauce:
1½ tablespoons finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 - 1/3 cup minced fresh herbs, I used a mix of oregano and thyme

1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Soak your bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl combine the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Remove 3 tablespoons to a small bowl and set aside.  The larger bowl will be for basting the meat on the grill. 

Thread the chicken breasts onto skewers leaving a small amount of space between them.  Do the same with the steak.  Make sure to cook them on separate skewers as the chicken and beef cook at different rates. Set aside.  Preheat the grill to medium high.

Place the chopped vegetables in a bowl and pour the 3 tablespoons over them, tossing to coat.  Spread the veggies on a baking sheet in an even layer.  Place in the preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes.  Take the veggies out and turn them over and place them back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown.  Make sure to watch them so they don't burn.

Meanwhile, on a preheated grill the chicken first turning after 5-6 minutes.  Place the beef on shortly after and turn after 5 minutes for medium.  When you turn both meats, use the basting sauce and give this side a good dousing.  Grill chicken another 5-6 minutes, turning and basting.  Grill the steak to your desired degree of doneness, turning and basting all sides.  Remove from the grill and place on a platter.

Remove vegetables from the oven and arrange on the platter with the kabobs.  Serve with sliced lemons.

Sheet Pan Mediterranean Lemon Parmesan Chicken and Vegetables

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A whole meal cooked on one baking sheet!  Quick and easy to assemble, and extremely flavorful. Sheet pans are the new "One Pot" cooking method and it's ingenious!

When life gets busy who doesn't love a quick and easy meal?  By using your oven and a sheet pan you can create a fabulous dinner in a snap!  One that your entire family will love. I often turn to stir frys but roasting in the oven is just as easy and healthy to boot.   Everything is cooked on the same pan which makes life a breeze.  And speaking of breeze, the clean up....simple - one and done!

So there is a craze that I'm sure you've noticed about sheet pan cooking.  Recipes are everywhere right now.  Even my favorite local teaching chef recently made a delicious chicken searing on a sheet pan, (recipe coming soon) and with good reason too.  They are simple to make, they allow you to cook the main and side dishes together and they are healthier for you!  I've even joined in with a previous post for Simple Citrus Herb Chicken and Tomatoes.

This recipe takes a little bit of prep for the chicken, (coating in bread crumbs) but uses ingredients that I always have on hand, such and lemons (we eat a lot of dishes with lemons...) and vegetables like mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and zucchini.  These are staples in our house and lend the Mediterranean flavors to the meal.  The chicken and vegetables are able to cook at the same time because I used thin cut chicken breasts which take no time to roast, and the vegetables are soft and take the same cooking time.  If you wanted to use carrots, potatoes, or other (harder) vegetables you will have different cooking times and will need to start those first then add the chicken after 15 minutes and continue on.

By roasting the chicken it stays nice and tender while the vegetables caramelize and crisp, especially when those tomatoes start to burst...oh boy!  It makes my mouth water thinking about it.  The best part is a great meal with little effort.  Perfect for a weeknight. 

Enjoy!


TIPS FOR COOKING THIS SHEET PAN MEDITERRANEAN LEMON PARMESAN CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES:

• Use a LARGE sheet pan such as this one
• Use parchment paper for easy clean up
• Buy thin cut chicken breasts, or slice a regular breast in half lengthwise
• Try and find a lemon pepper that does not contain salt - I use this one here

Sheet Pan Mediterranean Lemon Parmesan Chicken and Vegetables

serves 4

4 thin cut boneless skinless chicken breasts        

1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 lemons, separated
2 tsp garlic, minced 
5 Tbls butter, melted
1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 large zucchini, cut lengthwise and then into slices

8 oz of baby bella mushrooms, cut into quarters
2 tablespoons olive oil
Garnish: fresh chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  If desired, place parchment paper on a large sheet pan with edges.

Add flour to a pie pan.  Add bread crumbs, Parmesan and garlic powder to another pie pan and stir to combine.  To a third pie pan add the zest and juice of 1 lemon, minced garlic, and melted butter. 

Dredge chicken in flour, then dip in the lemon butter mixture, then coat in the bread crumb mixture.  Place on prepared sheet pan.  Sprinkle lemon pepper seasoning over the chicken. 

Place cherry tomatoes, sliced zucchini, and mushrooms around the chicken.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lemon pepper seasoning on top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and turn chicken over, sprinkle this side with lemon pepper seasoning.  Place 4 slices of lemon (from the remaining lemon) on top of the chicken.  Return to oven to bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees internally and is golden brown.  Vegetables should be soft and roasted and tomatoes should be bursting open.

Remove from the oven, sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and plate.  Serve.