rice pilaf

southwest rice and corn salad with lemon dressing

I got this recipe from bon appetit and would consider it more of a pilaf than a salad, but it is good nonetheless.

Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 2 ears) or frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 cup chopped fresh poblano chiles or green bell pepper
• 1 cup diced seeded yellow bell pepper
• 1 cup 1/2-inch cubes yellow zucchini
• 1 avocado, halved, peeled, diced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

• Cook rice until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain again.
• Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and 3 tablespoons oil in small bowl. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add corn, poblanos, yellow bell pepper, and zucchini. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are just tender, 6 to 7 minutes; scrape into large bowl. Add rice, avocado, green onions, cilantro, and dressing; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

fettucini paolo

I love this recipe! I got it from my friend Abbie's blog. It's originally from Runner's World. Here it is.
1 1/3 cups red bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
6 ounces fresh fettuccine
1 1/3 cups chicken stock
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes*
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts with liquid
1 1/2 cups (about 1/2 pound) grilled chicken, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
kosher salt and ground black pepper

How To Make It

*Rehydrate sun-dried tomatoes before cooking. Put tomatoes in a bowl with one cup of warm water and soak for one hour, or until softened. Gently squeeze to remove excess liquid. Cut into thin slices.

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add pepper and cook three minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, and saute for 30 seconds.

Add stock and vinegar, bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced by half. Add sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and liquid, chicken, and basil.

Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook fettuccine for two minutes, stirring periodically. Drain fettuccine, add to pasta sauce, and mix thoroughly. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Serves two.

Chinese chicken salad

I made this the other day and really liked it! Jason grilled the chicken and it was even tastier.


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/chinese-chicken-salad-recipe/index.html

• 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 head napa cabbage, thinly shredded (about 6 cups)
• 1/4 head red cabbage, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 1 large carrot, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, greens included (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
• 1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin oranges in water, drained
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce or chili sauce
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and brush onto chicken breasts. Arrange in a baking dish and bake until juices run clear, about 13 to15 minutes. Remove from oven, cool completely, and cut into 1/4-inch slices.

In a large bowl, combine Napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, scallions, water chestnuts, Mandarin orange and sliced chicken. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, brown sugar and chili sauce. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Divide among bowls and top each serving with 2 teaspoons toasted almonds.