Lemon Chicken Rice Soup

When my daughter got married, the soup course was a delightful lemon chicken rice.  It's been on my to-make list for quite some time and I finally got around to it.  Bright and comforting all at the same time.

Lemon Chicken Rice Soup

1 T. olive oil

3 carrots, diced small

1/2 of an onion, diced small

2-3 celery ribs, diced small

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. dried parsley

8-10 c. chicken broth

2/3 c. long grain white rice, rinsed

3 eggs, beaten

1/3 c. lemon juice, freshly squeezed and the zest of a lemon

3 t. kosher salt

3/4 t. black pepper

2 c. shredded chicken

In a big pot, add the olive oil and sauté the carrots, onion, and celery until softened, about 7 minutes.

Then stir in the oregano, parsley, and chicken broth.  Cover it and bring it to a boil.  

Once boiling, stir in the rice and cover.  Lower the heat and let the rice cook for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice as the rice likes to stick to the bottom.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the lemon juice and zest.

When the rice is cooked, remove the lid and ladle in a bit of the hot broth into the egg and lemon mixture, very slowly and while stirring to temper the eggs so they don't turn to scrambled eggs.  Once tempered, slowly add it to the pot while stirring or whisking.  

Add the chicken, salt and pepper.

Chicken Piccata

I never made Chicken Piccata before but know it is one of my daughter's favorites, so I thought I would give it a try.  Husband gave it an A+.   I found the recipe on Skinnytaste.com and made some minor alterations.

The leftover sauce would be great on fish for another day.

Chicken Piccata

1 lb. skinless breasts, fat trimmed.
2 large egg whites + 1 t. water (I used liquid egg whites, undiluted)
2/3 c. seasoned bread crumbs
olive oil spray
1 T. olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon, halves reserved
1/4 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 T. capers
salt and pepper

Cut the chicken into 4 cutlets. Place between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4 inch thick.

Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Put the egg whites in a shallow dish and the breadcrumbs in another dish.

Dip the cutlets in the egg white and then coat with the breadcrumbs.

Heat a saute pan to medium-low heat.

Spray a generous amount of olive oil spray on one side of the chicken and lay it in the pan oil side down.  Spray the top of the chicken generously to coat.  Cook 5 minutes or so per side until the chicken is cooked through.  Set aside.

For the sauce, over medium heat add the olive oil, lemon juice, wine, broth and reserved lemons, salt and pepper.  Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes.

Discard the lemon halves and add the capers.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken cutlet.

Garnish with a lemon slice and fresh parsley if you want to be fancy.

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4 WW freestyle points

T = tablespoon
c = cup
lb = pound

Baked 'Fried' Chicken

The great thing about fried chicken is that crunchy coating, am I right?  This is yummy without all the oil from frying.  The hot sauce gives it just the right amount of  'mmmmmmm.'  You don't need to lick your fingers with this one, though, 'cuz it's not greasy!

Baked 'Fried' Chicken
1/2 c milk mixed with 1/2 T. lemon juice (or vinegar)
1 1/2 T. dijon mustard
2 cloves minced garlic
2 t. hot sauce
2 lb.  boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  (I cut mine in tenders-size)
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 t. paprika
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
fresh ground pepper to taste

Whisk together milk/lemon juice, mustard, garlic and hot sauce.  Add chicken, tossing so it is covered with mixture on all sides.  Cover and store in fridge for at least 30 minutes.  8 hours max.

Line a baking pan with foil.  Coat a wire rack with olive oil cooking spray.

Mix the flour, paprika, thyme, baking powder, salt and pepper in a sealable container big enough to toss the chicken.

Add the chicken in small batches in the sealable container and toss to coat.  Repeat until all is tossed and happy.

Place the chicken on the rack and spray the chicken with cooking spray.

Cook at 425 degrees until the chicken is cooked through.  That is probably about 35 minutes for tenders and 45-50 for breasts.

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c = cup
T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon

Lemon Rice and variations

 This rice makes an awesome side dish for fish or chicken. I used parboiled rice but any rice prepared according to the package instructions would work just fine.   Adjust the lemon and seasoning for different amounts of rice.

Don't have a lemon?  Use lime juice in place of lemon, seasoning that will complement your dish, and some add some fresh cilantro at the end.

Lemon Rice

Rice that will make about 6 cups cooked rice

Use chicken broth instead of the suggested water.

2 T. lemon juice (get the real lemons--don't use bottled.  You'll thank me.)

2 t. butter

1/4 t. lemon pepper seasoning

1/8 to 1/4 t. grated lemon zest if you really want to kick it up

1/4 t. shake of dried basil if you are into wanting a bit of color (I didn't add it and it was fine!)

Combine the dry rice, broth, and all the other ingredients and cook the rice according to the package.

That's it!

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T = tablespoon

t = teaspoon

Grilled Chicken Thighs

 I found this recipe on the Spend with Pennies site and tried it to use up some of my stash of chicken thighs.  Really good flavor here, people.

Grilled Chicken Thighs

about 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 T. olive oil

1 T. brown sugar

1 T. balsamic vinegar

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 t. lemon pepper seasoning

1 t. dried chopped rosemary

1 garlic clove, minced (I grated mine instead)

Combine all marinade ingredients and then toss in the chicken to coat.  Let it set for at least a few hours or overnight to really infuse the flavors

Let your grill master take over from here.  Feel free to brush the leftover marinade on the chicken as it cooks, but not after!  Raw chicken has been bathing in it, after all.

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T = tablespoon

t = teaspoon

lb = pound

Buttermilk Oven Baked Chicken

 So, the leftover buttermilk from the homemade butter recipe?  Here is how I used it.  You can be totally flexible in the seasoning you use.  In the mood for mexican? Try taco seasoning.  Or a lemon pepper type thing.  Or Italian seasoning.   Emeril's cajun seasoning.  You get the idea.

NEW NOTE!  Looking for an awesome flavor combination?  Use the alternate seasoning with Emeril's cajun seasoning and serve with the pumpkin pancake recipe with syrup.  OMG so good.

Buttermilk Oven Baked Chicken

1 1/2 lbs. or so chicken breasts, cut in tenders seasoned with salt and pepper

1 c. or so buttermilk

3-4 c. cornflakes, crushed but not super fine

1/2 c. panko crumbs

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. poultry seasoning

1/2 t. paprika

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Alternate seasoning:  3-4 c. corn flakes, ground coarsely, 1/3 c. bread crumbs, 1 T. Emeril's Cajun Seasoning.

Put the seasoned chicken in a container or bag and pour the buttermilk over it.  Let is sit in the fridge at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Combine the cornflakes, panko crumbs, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper in a baggie.  Add the chicken breasts and coat them with the breading.

Put a rack sprayed with cooking oil on a sheet pan.  Place the coated chicken on the rack and bake at 350 degrees for 30 or so minutes, until cooked through.

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t = teaspoon

c = cup

lb = pound

Lemon Herb Cauliflower

This is a fresh flavor that would pair well with fish or a lemon pepper chicken breast.

Lemon Herb Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower
2-3 T. olive oil
fresh thyme
fresh basil
salt
pepper
1 lemon

Cut the cauliflower into florets and toss in the olive oil.  add 1 T. fresh thyme and 1-2 T. fresh basil chopped fine.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. 

Zest on lemon and then juice it.  Toss it with the rest.

Roast it on a greased cookie sheet at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes.

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T = tablespoon

Chicken Salad II

I threw together a chicken salad with stuff hanging around in the fridge.  When I do stuff like that, I'm just winging it and don't usually write it down.  One and done.  This was a goodie, though, so here are the ingredients so I can try to duplicate it again.  

I don't have many specific amounts, you're just going to have to do what feels right.

Chicken Salad

Shredded chicken breast (mine was 3/4 lb.)

radishes, diced (I used 4)

celery, diced (maybe 4 or so medium stalks?)

red onion, diced (about 1/4 onion)

carrots, diced (I prob used about 12-15 baby carrots)

fresh dill

salt

several cracks of pepper

a couple shakes of garlic salt

a few squeezes of lemon juice (maybe 1 T. ?)

mayo (maybe 1/2 c. ?)

Biscuits

 I wanted to try a biscuit recipe to go with the Lemon Chicken Rice Soup we were having for dinner tonight and found this recipe on sugarspunrun.com.   This was absolute perfection.  Honestly, it could not have been better.  10/10 would recommend.   I often tweak a recipe a bit.  Not this time.  No way.

We had them with butter, but they would be totally awesome with jam or sausage gravy.   And, a biscuit would make a great egg sandwich for breakfast with bacon and cheese.  Ooo!  Or a drizzle of honey! The possibilities are endless!   

To quote my dinner partner,  "I wish I could turn back time and have this all over again."  Well lucky for him, there are only 2 of us and we have tons of soup left and 5 more biscuits!  Dinner tomorrow, anyone?

This recipe makes 6-7 biscuits.  

Biscuits

250 g. all-purpose flour (2 cups)

1 T. baking powder

1 T. granulated sugar

1 t. salt

6 tablespoons unsalted very cold butter (stick it in the freeze a bit if you have to)

3/4 c. whole milk or buttermilk, or 2%.  (I used whole)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking pan with nonstick parchment paper.

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.   Set aside.

Remove the butter from the fridge or freezer.  Shred the butter into small pieces using a box grater (that's why you want it cold!) and add it to the flour mixture.

Mix the butter in with the flour mixture with your hands until it is course crumbs.

Add the cold milk.  Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir until it is just combined.

Transfer your biscuit dough to a well floured surface and work the dough together with your hands.   If the dough is too sticky add a bit more flour.

Once the dough is cohesive, fold it in half and use your hands to gently flatten it into a rectangle.  Rotate the dough 90 degrees and flatten again.  Repeat 5 or 6 times, but don't overwork the dough.

Using your hands (not a rolling pin), flatten the dough to 1 inch think and lightly dust a 2 3/4 inch round biscuit cutter with flour.

Making close cuts, press the cutter down in the dough, do not twist.  Drop the biscuits on the prepared sheet pan.

Once you have gotten as many out of the dough as possible, reform the remaining dough to cut as many biscuits as possible, at least 6.

Bake for 12 minutes exactly at 425 degrees.  You want them to be just turning lightly golden brown.

Brush with melted butter immediately after they come out of the oven.

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T = tablespoon

t = teaspoon

c = cup

Sorry folks:  280 calories, 36g carbs, 5g protein, 13g fat per biscuit. 

Pearl Couscous with Pine Nuts and Asparagus

I found the basics of this recipe on the back of the Trader Joe's Israeli Couscous box but didn't have a few of the ingredients they called for so I modified it to suit what I had on hand.  It was a winner!

Pearl Couscous with Pine Nuts and Asparagus

3 T. butter, divided
1/2 c. pine nuts
1 T. minced garlic
1 1/2 c. Israeli Couscous (also called pearl couscous) or the whole 8 oz box of the Trader Joe brand Israeli Couscous
1 3/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 t. salt
zest of one small lemon
4-6 stalks of grilled asparagus, chopped  (I had some leftover from grilling the night before so threw that in)
2 chopped green onions
thinly sliced basil

Melt 1 T. of butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add pine nuts and stir until golden. Transfer to a small bowl.

Melt remaining 2 T. of butter over medium heat. Add couscous and stir until it browns slightly.  Add broth, salt, and garlic and bring it to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender.  

Add the asparagus to heat through.  Add the pine nuts, lemon zest and basil.

Pesto

Do you have a basil plant that needs a good trim? Make pesto and stick it in the freezer to use later! 

Nov 2024 update:  Or, try the alternative with Arugula if you find yourself with a tub of arugula in your fridge and have no plan for it!

Ready for the freezer

Papperdelle Pasta with Proscuitto and Pine Nuts

Pesto

1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. pine nuts
3 cloves garlic or 1 T. minced, jarred
1 T. lemon juice
2 cups packed basil leaves
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt

In a food processor, chop nuts, oil and garlic.  Add the basil and lemon juice and blend.  Add the cheese and salt, blend to combine everything.

Arugula Version

Sames as above but use arugula and cashews instead o pine nuts and basil.  I also omitted the parmesan cheese.

Spoon in ice cube trays and freeze.  Once frozen, pop out the cubes and put in a ziploc bag for the freezer.  Pull out the number of cubes of pesto you want to use on pasta, chicken and more!

Roasted Veggie Tacos

This is a good meal for that weekly vegetarian meal we are all supposed to eat, but would also be great if you added in some shredded chicken or thinly sliced flank steak.  I found it on the Tasty site.  Looking for shortcuts?  Skip the seasoning and use 3-4 tablespoons of Taco Seasoning (see recipe from January 2016)

Roasted Veggie Tacos

Veggie Filling
1 small zucchini sliced in thick sticks
1/2  green pepper, sliced
1/2  red pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, sliced
good amount of sliced large steak mushrooms
grape tomatos
1/2 onion, cut in wedges
1 can black beans
1/2 c. or so corn
3 cloves chopped garlic

Seasoning
1 1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1 t. chili powder
1 1/2 t. smoked paprika
1/4 t. cayenne pepper

Sauce
2 red peppers, halved, ribs removed
1 avocado
3 T. lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
2 T. olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste


Put all of the Veggies on a sheet pan.  Sprinkle the Seasoning over the veggies and drizzle with 2 T. olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Toss all together.

On another sheet pan, put the red pepper halves, cut side down on another sheet pan.

Bake both together, red peppers for 25 minutes and 400 degrees and the veggies for 35 minutes.

When the red peppers are done, put the red peppers in a bowl with a plate on top and let them sweat for 10 minutes.  Peel the skin off of them and put them in a blender with the other sauce ingredients and blend.

Serve the veggies on a tortilla with dollops of sauce.

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T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon
c = cup

Zoodle Salad

 A nice summer salad and a healthier version when swapping out pasta noodles for zucchini!  I made the zoodles into a Mediterranean version, but use your imagination for other varieties.  Making one using ingredients similar to a pasta salad (bell peppers, mozz balls or another cubed cheese, onion, pepperoni, olives, maybe) would also be good.

There was plenty of dressing, so you could probably get away with using less if you wanted to cut back on it a bit.

2-3 zucchini made into zoodles (or buy them in zoodle form already)

1 bell pepper, diced

thinly sliced red onion

1/2 c. cucumber or so, diced

1-2 tomatoes, chopped

Greek olives (or use a small tub of antipasti mix that had marinated olives, button mushrooms, and cubed provolone all ready to go)

(I had some leftover shredded chicken, so I added that as well for protein since this was our dinner entree)

Dressing

3 T. apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1/4 c. olive oil

1 t. dijon mustard

1 t. honey or maple syrup (optional)

1/2 t. each: onion powder, thyme, oregano, basil, pepper (instead of this, I just used a couple teaspoons of bread dipping herbs since is was similar and easy)

1/4 t. salt

Mix the dressing and set aside.

Put all of the salad ingredients in a bowl and toss it all in the dressing.  Let it sit for about 30 minutes in the fridge before serving.

Grilled Halloumi Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

When I was working in London a couple years ago, there was a lunch food event every Wednesday where vendors would gather in a courtyard amid some office buildings.  Think of a bunch of food trucks, but set up at booths instead.  I had Souvlaki --halloumi in a pita.  Up to then, I had never heard of this cheese.  It's just not 'a thing' here.  Well, let me tell you, it should be.  Seriously.  

Lunch market

The source of all that goodness

The original inspiration

After two years, I finally found this cheese sitting next to the feta tubs at Mariano's.  Thank you.

I did my best to duplicate this.  Who knows at this point if it is really like what I had back then (and it was only once, since I was only there for 4 weeks), but this is my version and it's fresh and so delish.

Seems strange that you can actually grill cheese and it can hold its shape, but you can with halloumi!  I didn't ask but I'm pretty sure halloumi prefers it that way.

I like to use a soft, thinner pita, slightly warm, so it wraps itself around the filling.  Lately, I've been using 'Atoria's Traditional Pitas'.  But, I'm going to try to make my own one of these days, too.

This recipe makes about 4 servings.

Grilled Halloumi with Tzatziki Sauce

Thinly sliced cooked chicken breast

8 oz. halloumi sliced in abut 3/4-inch sticks

Tomato sliced in thin wedges

Thinly sliced red onion

Arugula (or Rocket, as the Brits call it)

Tzatziki Sauce

5 oz. English cucumber

3/4 c. plain Greek yogurt

1 T. olive oil

1 T. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, grated

1/4 t. salt

1/2 T. chopped dill (I didn't have fresh, so used about 3/4 t. dried)

1/2 T. fresh mint, chopped

For the sauce: grate the cucumber on a box grater with the large hole side.  Put the cucumber in cheesecloth and squeeze out the moisture (this is important!  It will be really watery otherwise.)  Mix all the ingredients together and set aside so the flavors meld.

To grill the halloumi, put a tiny amount of oil in a cast iron skillet just to prevent any sticking not a lot!  Grill it until it is browned, about 2 minutes or so on each side.

Assemble by layering the arugula, cheese, tomato and onion on the pita and then top with generous dollops of Tzatziki sauce.

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oz = ounce

T = tablespoon

t = teaspoon