Salad with Spicy Pineapple Dressing

Tyler whipped this up for dinner tonight, I was a little unsure about the addition of pineapple, but it fit really well.  Loved the cilantro dressing!  We added goat cheese, which fit nicely.

Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad with Spicy Pineapple Dressing (from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:

• 1  pound  skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 1  teaspoon  chili powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/4  cups  (1-inch) cubed fresh pineapple (about 8 ounces), divided
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro
• 2  tablespoons  fresh orange juice
• 4  teaspoons  apple cider vinegar
• 1/2  teaspoon  minced habanero pepper
• 1  large garlic clove
• 1/4  cup  extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4  cup  julienne-cut peeled jicama
• 2/3  cup  thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 1/2  cup  thinly sliced red onion
• 1  (5-ounce) package fresh baby spinach (about 8 cups)

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, and pound to an even thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with chili powder and salt. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook for 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; set aside.

2. Combine half of pineapple, cilantro, orange juice, vinegar, habanero, and garlic in a blender; process until smooth. With blender on, gradually add olive oil until blended.

3. Combine remaining pineapple, jicama, and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with 3/4 cup dressing, and toss gently to coat. Divide salad evenly among 4 plates. Cut chicken across the grain into thin slices; divide chicken evenly over salads. Drizzle salads evenly with remaining 1/4 cup dressing.

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baby back ribs

Ok so technically we cheated, I bought ribs that were already cut up, partly due to price and partly due to convenience.  They were still easy to work with but maybe a bit drier than if we’d cooked a slab instead.  Whatever, they were delish in the end!  Great for a Saturday evening at home.  I served it with chipotle ranch pasta salad (from a box, heh), and grilled corn on the cob.  YUM but you definitely need to floss afterward!  This was our first time making ribs at home and I’m so glad we did!  They are surprisingly easy to make, just messy to eat.

Baby-Back Ribs with Honey-Mustard Glaze (from Real Simple)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 pounds baby-back ribs (2 to 3 racks)
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey

Directions

1. Heat oven to 275° F. Make the rub: In a small bowl, combine the sugar, paprika, dry mustard, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
2. Place the ribs on a large rimmed baking sheet. Rub the ribs with the spice mixture and tightly cover the baking sheet with foil. Bake until tender and the meat easily pulls away from the bone, 2 to 2 ½ hours.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, vinegar, and honey. Transfer ½ cup of the sauce into a small bowl for serving.
4. Heat grill to medium-high. Grill the ribs, basting with the remaining sauce and turning occasionally, until just beginning to char, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with the reserved sauce.

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Yolanda’s Famous Chicken

This was a GREAT chicken recipe, definitely one we will make again.  It was super easy, especially if you already have bread crumbs on hand.  I sautéed some zucchini and green beans from our garden as a side dish.  I love cooking from the garden!

Yolanda’s Famous Chicken (from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:

• 2  (1 1/2-ounce) bread slices
• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  dried marjoram
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  tablespoon  2% reduced-fat milk
• 1  large egg
• Cooking spray
• 4  teaspoons  olive oil, divided
• 4  lemon wedges

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Tear bread into pieces. Place bread in a food processor; pulse until breadcrumbs measure about 1 3/4 cups.

3. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound chicken to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.

4. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a second shallow dish. Combine milk and egg in a third shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Working with 1 breast half at a time, dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg mixture; dredge in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to coat evenly on both sides. Place chicken on a large plate. Repeat procedure with remaining breast halves, flour, egg mixture, and breadcrumb mixture; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray; add 2 teaspoons olive oil, swirling to coat. Add 2 breast halves to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and remaining breast halves. Bake at 375° for 12 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°. Serve with lemon wedges.

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