Goat Cheese Medallions

Goat Cheese Medallions

4 oz goat cheese log
1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
Marinara sauce, if desired

1. Slice goat cheese log into medallions.
2. Beat egg in a small bowl.
3. Put bread crumbs in a shallow dish.
4. Dip each medallion in the egg, then dip in the bread crumbs. Do this twice for each medallion.
5. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees.
6. Serve over top of heated marinara sauce.

Notes: We love goat cheese, and these were fantastic. For me, getting the goat cheese to stay in medallion form was extremely frustating. So, most of our "medallions" were mainly odd shaped chunks. Though frustrating, well worth it!

Recipe Origination: Me. I made it up tonight while thinking of what to do with goat cheese.

Penne with Basil & Pine Nuts

Penne with Basil & Pine Nuts

1 lb penne (we like Ronzoni Smart Taste)
1/3 cup pine nuts
6 tbsp olive oil
1 cup bread crumbs
3 cloves minced garlic
1 cup dry white cooking wine
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup slivered fresh basil leaves

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, toast pine nuts, stirring often until fragrant and golden (~2 minutes). Place aside in a small bowl when finished toasting.
3. Add 1 tbsp oil to the saute pan, along with bread crumbs, tossing until golden (~1 minute). Add to the bowl with pine nuts and mix.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low, add 1 tbsp oil and garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Add wine and pepper flakes and bring to a boil until reduced (~2 minutes.)
5. Add the pasta to the saute pan, along with the remaining 4 tbsp of oil. Add bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and basil. Toss to combine.

Notes: The original recipe suggested twice as much basil, but I felt that would be overpowering. If you are a big basil fan, go for all of it! This meal had a lot of little things going on, but overall, it was easy and only took about 25 minutes. It's easy to cut in half, and if you're afraid of all the oil, cut a tbsp out.

Recipe Origination: "Simple Suppers" by William-Sonoma

Tortilla Soup with Pork (or Chicken or Vegetarian)

Tortilla Soup

1 cup shredded, cooked pork or chicken
2 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chipotle seasonings (or 1 tbsp chipotle chiles in adobo)
4-5 cups chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with juice
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chiles
4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
Avocado, pitted, peeled and finely diced
1 cup tortilla chips, broken into small pieces

1. In Dutch oven or large skillet with lid, warm the oil. Add onion, garlic and green pepper and saute until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Stir in chipotle seasoning, broth, tomatoes, tortilla chips and pork/chicken.
3. Raise the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the green chiles and cilantro.
5. Serve in bowls, topped with cheese and avocado .

Notes: This recipe makes 4 servings. The prep is a little time consuming (lots of dicing and chopping!), but it's worth it in the end. Next time I may add black beans and/or corn.

Recipe Origination: An adaptation of a recipe in "Simple Suppers" by Williams-Sonoma.

Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Sweet Potato Quesadillas

1 large sweet potato, fully cooked, peeled and mashed
4 large tortillas (any kind)
1/2-1 cup shredded cheese blend
Salsa and/or desired toppings (sour cream, guacamole, etc.)

1. Spread sweet potato on 2 tortillas.
2. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
3. Put top of tortillas on, to make a quesadilla.
4. Cook over medium heat on an omelette pan or griddle for 2-3 minutes each side.
5. Cut into triangles using a pizza cutter. Serve with toppings.

Notes: The sweet potatoes are creamier if you mash them will a little milk. We like using the whole grain tortillas and a blend of Mexican cheeses like chihuahua and queso fresca. Colby and brick are also pretty good. We've also tried putting the salsa in the quesadilla, but they get too thick and everything squirts out the sides. This recipe serves 2, but can easily be doubled or more.

Recipe Origination: I have no idea, so I'll call it an original.

Grecian-Style Chicken

Grecian-Style Chicken

1/8 cup bread crumbs
1/8 cup ground flax seed
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tbsp oil
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3 tsp lime or lemon juice
2 cups hot cooked rice (or orzo)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Place bread crumbs and flax seed in a shallow bowl. Coat chicken with it.
2. In large skillet heat 1 tbsp oil. Add chicken and cook for 10-12 minutes, until tender and no longer pink.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet. Add zucchini, green pepper, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add lime or lemon juice and cook for 1 more minute.
4. Place rice in bowl/plate, cover with veggie mix, top with chicken and crumbled feta.

Notes: I use long grain wild rice or brown rice with this recipe. I've never actually tried orzo, though I'd like to one of these days. It's a quicker meal to make, maybe half an hour, and it's great! The recipe as is serves two adults. It can easily be doubled or more.

Recipe Origination: From "Treasured Recipes" with a few personal tweaks.