FEEDS: 4-5

WHAT YOUíLL NEED:

• 3 fresh, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 T. olive oil
• seasoned salt and pepper
• 1 C. Presto Pesto, from the Food Guy file under SALADS
• 1 lb. pasta, your choice of shape
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1-2 t. balsamic vinegar or Italian dressing

LET'S COOK

Trim and then slice the chicken breasts into bite size pieces. Toss in a bowl with the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Put a pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil.

Dice the tomato into small pieces and toss with either the balsamic vinegar or Italian dressing and simply set aside. Now drop the pasta in the pot of boiling water, stir and cook.

Heat a saute pan over a medium high burner. When the pan is hot, drop in the chicken and stir it around. When the chicken is just cooked, stir in the pesto, turn down the burner to the lowest setting and allow to simmer for one minute and then turn the burner off.

When the pasta is el dente, drain it and then combine it with the chicken and pesto. Simmer for a minute so the flavors can do their thing.

When it’s time to serve, create a nest with the cooked pasta on a plate, then spoon some chicken in the center of it all. Ring the plate with some of the diced tomatoes and serve.

MORE IDEAS:

You might try this recipe using a like amount of pork tenderloin in place of the chicken.

FEEDS: 3-5

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 demi baguette
• olive oil
• fresh goat cheese (chevre)
• pitted olives
• tomato
• fresh parsley buds

LET'S COOK

Cut the baguette into thin slices. Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a saute pan over a medium high burner. Slide in the baguette slices and cook on one side until lightly toasted.

Place them on an oven proof tray, toasted side up. Smear each baguette slice with enough goat cheese to cover. At this point you can cover and refrigerate for up to a day in advance of service.

When it’s time to actually cook, remove the toasts from the refrigerator and uncover them. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and cook for 6-8 minutes until they are just warmed through.

Remove from the oven, place them on an attractive dish and garnish each one with a slice of pitted olive, a small dice of fresh tomato and a parsley bud. Serve right away.

MORE IDEAS:

Chevre, or goat cheese, is available in the specialty cheese section of most grocery stores. It’s merchandised in small log shapes.

Plain goat cheese works fine in this recipe. You might also try chevre rolled in crushed peppercorns for additional kick.

FEEDS: 5-6

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 3-4 medium size russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 large ripe tomato, diced
• 15 oz. can beef broth

LET'S COOK

Heat the olive oil in a pot that will eventually hold all the ingredients. Drop in the onions, season with salt and pepper and saute over a medium high burner.

When the onions are slightly caramelized and translucent, stir in the potatoes, diced tomato and then the beef broth. Cover and bring to a boil.

When that happens, remove the cover, lower the heat to a gentle boil and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked as soft as you like them. Stir the potatoes a few times during the cooking process.

MORE IDEAS:

Any type of potato will work in this recipe. I prefer the russets for their texture.

This dish is great with grilled meat of any type and also pares nicely with steamed broccoli buds or asparagus.

FEEDS: 4-6

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 small head of fresh cauliflower
• salt
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1-2 T. butter
• 1/3 C. chopped pecans
• 2-3 T. chopped fresh parsley

LET'S COOK

Trim the cauliflower into small buds and cook in lightly salted water until the vegetable is as tender as you like it. This can take from 8-12 minutes.

At this point, drain the cauliflower. Leave it in the pot it was cooked in and use a potato masher to lightly mash.

This is best done by simply pressing the masher down once all around the pot of cauliflower. The object is not to make it mush, but to merely crush it down to smaller pieces.

When that’s achieved, add the oil, butter, pecans and parsley. Season with a bit of salt and pepper, stir it together well and allow to simmer on the lowest setting of your burner for a couple of minutes.

This dish is wonderful with robust grilled meats like steaks or lamb chops.

MORE IDEAS:

Chopped walnuts, Brazil nuts or even peanuts will work nicely in this formula.

FEEDS: 4-5

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 2-3 T. olive oil
• 4 cloves fresh crushed garlic
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 15 oz. jar tomato sauce
• 12 oz. pasta
• 1/3 C. grated parmesan cheese

LET'S COOK

Mix the sliced chicken, garlic powder and some salt and pepper and olive oil in a bowl. Heat a saute pan over a medium high burner, drop in the chicken, toss and cook just until the chicken is almost done.

Stir in the crushed garlic and cook just another minute or so to finish cooking the chicken. Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and reserve.

Place the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water and cook just until el dente.

With the saute pan back on the burner, add the zucchini, onion and pepper, toss and cook until the vegetables are just cooked and have taken on some color. Add the chicken and any juices back to the pan. Now add the sauce to the pan.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it and also add it to the pan. Stir in the parmesan cheese well, plate and serve.

This dish looks and tastes great when ringed with steamed broccoli buds.

MORE IDEAS:

The addition of 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar will bolster the sauce.

Also consider adding a few sliced mushrooms to the vegetable mix for additional flavor and color.

FEEDS: 2-4

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 2 small pork tenderloins, fresh
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/3 C. red wine
• juice of 1 fresh pomegranate
• 1 t. Sugar
• 1/2 C. cleaned pomegranate pieces

LET'S COOK

Slice the pork into medallions about 1/2 inch thick. Use the palm of your hand to flatten them out so they’re all about the same thickness. They’ll cook faster and evenly as a result.

Lay them out on a plate, drizzle with a touch of the olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.

When it’s time to cook, heat a large saute pan over a medium high burner. Slide in the pork medallions one at a time. Cook on both sides till lightly browned and just cooked. Place the cooked pork on serving plates and keep in a low oven.

Place the pan back on the medium high burner and add the wine, deglazing the pan. Then add the pomegranate juice and sugar. Let the juice simmer in the pan, reducing just a bit, then add the pomegranate pieces. Stir to just heat them through. Spoon the sauce over the portions of plated pork medallions and serve immediately.

MORE IDEAS:

Juicing a pomegranate is easy. Just cut it in half and juice it like you would an orange.

Fresh pomegranate juice works best in this recipe. Keep in mind that there are commercial brands of pomegranate glaze available in grocery store. If you use it, eliminate the granulated sugar and also use the juice of just half a fresh pomegranate and an equal amount of the glaze.

FEEDS: 4

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 4 fresh, center cut loin lamb chops
• 1 T crushed garlic
• 2 T chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 T olive oil

LET'S COOK

Begin by purchasing good quality loin lamb chops. Have them cut an inch thick.

Mix the crushed garlic, chopped rosemary and olive oil and let it sit for 10 minutes or so, allowing the flavors to blend.

Lay out the chops, evenly distribute half the paste on the chops and spread it over the meat. Next, use a sharp and sturdy fork to poke the seasoning into the meat repeatedly. Do the same to the other side of the chops with the rest of the seasoning paste. Cover and allow to sit out at room temperature for about 45 minutes.

Grill or broil just until the meat is pink. This will take between 6 and 8 minutes per side, depending on your fire intensity and the distance from the heat source to the rack.

Allow the cooked chops to rest for 3-4 minutes before serving so the juices set.

MORE IDEAS:

We developed this recipe while visiting with old friends John and Cathy Bramhall in Bend, Oregon. The chops were from Anderson Farms in Oregon and the flavor was superb. There’s no beating fresh, domestic lamb.

Serve these chops with slices of grilled sweet potato and steamed broccoli buds.