Primavera Orzo

Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 cup shredded carrots, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup orzo pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, a handful
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper


Directions

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a slow stream. Add garlic, shallots, zucchini and carrots. Saute 5 minutes. Add curry, chicken brothand bring to a boil. Add orzo and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally until pasta absorbs the liquid and is al dente in texture, 10 minutes. Uncover and stir in cheese, parsley and peas. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

From: foodnetwork.com

Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli

It's so easy to make and healthy too!

Time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 6 servings


Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 pound chicken breast tenders, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 pound macaroni elbows or cavatapi corkscrew shaped pasta twists
2 1/2 cups raw broccoli florets, available packaged in produce department
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock
3 cups yellow sharp Cheddar
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard


Directions

Place a pot of water on to boil for macaroni.

Heat a medium pan over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and chicken and season with salt and pepper. Saute a couple of minutes then add onion and cook another 5 to 7 minutes until onions are tender and chicken is cooked through. Turn off heat and reserve.

To boiling pasta water, add pasta and salt to season the cooking water. Cook 5 minutes, then add broccoli and cook 3 minutes more or until pasta is cooked to al dente and florets are just tender.

While pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add butter and melt, then add flour, cayenne and paprika and whisk together over heat until roux bubbles then cook a minute more. Whisk in milk and stock and raise heat a little to bring sauce to a quick boil. Simmer sauce to thicken about 5 minutes.


Drain macaroni or pasta and broccoli florets. Add back to pot and add chicken to the pasta and broccoli.


Add cheese to milk sauce and stir to melt it in, about a minute or so. Stir in mustard and season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli and cooked pasta and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings, transfer to a large serving platter and serve.

From: foodnetwork.com

Chicago Dog Salad

Time: 5 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup yellow mustard
2 tablespoons vinegar, eyeball it
1 rounded teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 of a 16-ounce sack shredded cabbage blend for slaw salads
1 romaine heart, shredded
2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
3 large half sour or garlic pickles, chopped
Salt and pepper
8 pork or beef hot dogs, cut into 1-inch-thick slices on an angle


Directions

In the bottom of a large bowl, combine mustard, vinegar, sugar, and about 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onions, cabbage, romaine, tomatoes, and pickles and toss the salad. Season with salt and pepper, adjust seasonings, and reserve.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (1 turn of the pan) then arrange the sliced dogs in a single layer. Sear them a couple of minutes on each side. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Mound up the salad on plates, top with seared dogs, and serve.

From: foodnetwork.com

My Top 10 Favorites: Rachael Ray's Chicken Breast Recipes

1. Chicken enchilladas

2. Parmesan crusted chicken breast with tomato and basil

3. Bacon wrapped chicken with blue cheese and pecans

4. Greek mixed grill kabobs and pine-nut orzo salad

5. Chicken scarpariello

6. The only pizza you'll ever want again

7. Grilled chicken cutlet parmigiana

8. Chicken cutlets with herbs

9. Lemon pepper chicken tenders

10. Chicken cacciatore

Rachel Ray's Quesadilla Recipes

1. Grilled Green Quesadillas with Brie and Herbs

2. Grilled Green Chili Quesadillas

Orange Scented Green Beans

Since you've already work hard on easter's main dish, trust Rachael to give a 5-min sidedish!

Ingredients

Peel of 1 orange
2 pounds trimmed green beans, available in produce department
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
3 tablespoons fresh chives, snipped


Directions

Fill a pan with 2 inches water and bring to a boil. Add orange peel and beans. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, beans should remain bright green with a snap to them. Drain beans and return to pan. Remove peel. Toss with butter, salt and chives then transfer to a serving dish.

From: foodnetwork.com

Fried Mozzarella Bites

Mozzarella + Tomatoes = Yum-O!

Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 32 mozzarella bites


Ingredients

Olive oil, for frying
1 pound ball fresh mozzarella, buy a piece wrapped, not packed in water
1 pound fresh smoked mozzarella, found in the specialty cheese case
1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk, eyeball it
2 cups Italian style bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
8 stems or large sprigs each fresh parsley, sage, thyme
Fine salt


Arrabiata - In A Hurry Dipping Sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, moderate to hot heat level, eyeball the amount
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Coarse salt
Bamboo skewers, 6-inch, or party picks, for dipping


Directions

Heat 2 inches olive oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat. Cut each pound of mozzarella and smoked mozzarella into 16 cubes. Set up a breading station: flour, 2 eggs beaten with 1/3 cup milk, Italian bread crumbs mixed with a couple of handfuls of grated cheese. Reserve the chopped parsley. Roll fresh plain mozzarella in flour, dip in egg, then coat in bread crumbs. Bread all the plain mozzarella, then add chopped parsley to the bread crumbs. Coat the cubed smoked mozzarella in flour, egg, then Italian bread crumbs mixed with parsley. The chopped parsley will allow you to distinguish between the fresh and fresh smoked cheese once fried. Place herbs into hot oil and fry 30 to 45 seconds. Be careful not to stand over pan, the oil will spatter a little because of the water content in herbs. Remove herbs with a slotted kitchen tool and transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Season immediately with fine salt. Fry the mozzarella bites in batches in a single layer. Cook until evenly deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and cool mozzarella bites on a paper towel-lined surface. Let stand and cool a few minutes so that the cheese will not be too runny when bitten into.


For dipping sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and crushed pepper flakes. Saute garlic and hot pepper 2 or 3 minutes, and add tomatoes. Season with salt.


To assemble your serving plate, pile mozzarella bites, alternating them with fried herbs. Set the dipping sauce in a bowl along side the balls and pile bamboo skewers or party picks on the edge of the plate to spear and dip the bites.


Add some mixed olives, celery sticks, long bread sticks to round out this finger food selection.

From: foodnetwork.com