This is a good summertime dinner.
Stuffed chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 slices
1 jar (12 oz.) of roasted red peppers sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch of basil, whole leaves
1/4 C fresh grated Parmesan
1 TBS Italian seasoning
salt and pepper for seasoning
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9×12 casserole dish. Butterfly chicken breasts by slicing into the long side of the breast, stopping just about 1/4 of an inch from the opposite side. Lay chicken breast in casserole dish opened up. Sprinkle exposed insides of chicken breast with 1/2 of the Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Stack roasted red pepper, basil, and 1 slice of mozzarella on bottom side of chicken. Fold top flap of chicken over, tucking in mozzarella, basil and roasted red pepper as necessary. Sprinkle with remaining Italian seasoning. Bake chicken for 30-40 minutes (until chicken is no longer pink). Take chicken out of oven and turn oven to a high broil. Top chicken with remaining mozzarella slices and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Broil until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
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Olive Garden-style salad
DRESSING:
1 C mayonnaise
2/3 C white vinegar
5 TBS granulated sugar
2 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS water
2/3 C Parmesan-Romano cheese blend
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
SALAD:
1 bag romaine lettuce
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 C black olives
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
3/4 C croutons
8 pepperoncini
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
To make dressing: In a food processor or blender, blend all salad dressing ingredients until smooth. Chill before serving.
To make salad: In a large bowl, assemble salad and toss with dressing right before serving. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve on chilled plates.
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Frozen pineapple whip
4 C small chunks frozen Pineapple
1 C low fat coconut milk (or milk of choice, almond, regular)
Place coconut milk and frozen chunks of pineapple into a food processor or high powered blender (pineapple has to be frozen). Turn on food processor and blend until consistency becomes creamy. You will have to stop several times and scoop down the pineapple. Keep blending until all pineapple chunks are gone and mix is smooth. Enjoy immediately as it is “soft serve” and should be eaten straight away.
If you want to freeze a little, you can. Just know it does freeze solid and is no longer soft.
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Phyllis Diller said, “The reason women don’t play football is because 11 of them would never wear the same outfit in public at the same time.”
If you would like to share a recipe with me, just send it to the J-T or email it to me.
(Melanie Behrens – melb@marysvillejt.com)