Ingredient: Olive Oil

Mama D’s Perfect Pot Roast

Mama D's Perfect Pot Roast
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Servings
6
Servings
6
Mama D's Perfect Pot Roast
Print Recipe
Servings
6
Servings
6
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper. Heat a 6 Qt. Dutch Oven over high heat.
  2. Add the olive oil to the pan and let it get hot. Add the meat and sear until well browned on all sides. Remove the roast from the pan and set it aside.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the bacon and let it soften for a minute or two. Add the onions and toss to coat. Cook until the onions begin to soften. and brown.
  4. Add the garlic and cook a couple of minutes longer. Remove the pan from the heat and nestle the roast back in.
  5. Combine the stock, wine, and worcestershire sauce. Pour around the roast. The liquid should come about halfway up the roast.
  6. Tuck the rosemary sprigs around the meat. Cover the pan and place in a preheated 300 degree oven. Roast for 1-1/2 hours
  7. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pan, tucking them around the roast. Cover and continue to roast until the vegetables are tender, approximately 1 hour.
  8. Remove the roast from the pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Leave all the liquid in the pan.
  9. Place the pan on medium heat and add a splash of wine. Scrape up any brown bits. Shake together the flour and water and stir into the pan liquids.
  10. Simmer the gravy until it thickens. Slice the meat. Drizzle with a little of the gravy. Put the rest of the gravy in a bowl to pass at the table. Serve with the vegetables.
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Kale for the Rest of Us

Kale is a wonderful vegetable. It has been in the Healthy Eating Hit Parade for some time now.  This cousin of broccoli and brussels sprouts is very versatile. It also packs a significant nutrient punch giving us much more than the minimum of Vitamins A,K, and C as well as a hefty dose of fiber.

I must confess that I don’t use Kale all that often. Oh, I’ve included it in soups and pasta sauces and have maybe partaken in the occasional salad (after it was well massaged), and I can eat an entire tray of Kale chips by myself, but it is not the first green that I turn to, being more of a spinach gal. I’ve learned to like its taste over time, still I always feel it needs a little something more.

I couldn’t resist a beautiful bunch of Tuscan Kale at the store, so it came home with me. It resided in the refrigerator for a few days looking at me with anticipation each time I opened the door.  Finally, when I had few vegetable choices left, I took a leap of faith and decided to make it our side dish for dinner. now what?

I’d never sautéed it with the intention of it being the lone performer in a dish, but that’s what I decided to do. I could have gone a simpler, healthier route, but that would probably not fly with Papa Diehl. I embarked on an adventure that featured smokey bacon and shallots with just the right amount of red pepper flakes for heat. What a marvelous dish it was!

I would venture to say that this rendition would top anyone’s hit parade, healthy or not.

Kale for the Rest of Us
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Servings
3
Servings
3
Kale for the Rest of Us
Print Recipe
Servings
3
Servings
3
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Wash the kale well and strip the leaves off of the stems. Slice across the leaves making 3/4 inch strips. Set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon, pepper flakes, and shallots. Cook over medium to low heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon in slightly brown and the shallots are golden.
  3. Stir in the vinegar and brown sugar loosening and brown bits in the skillet. Add the kale and toss to coat evenly.
  4. Cook the kale until it is wilted and tender. This will take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes depending on your tenderness preference.
  5. Add salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a serving bowl.
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Mom’s Green Bean Salad

Mom's Green Bean Salad
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Nothing says summer like fresh green bean salad. This is my mother's recipe. She always made it with mint, but I also like it with fresh basil. Either way it is the perfect companion to grilled chicken.
Mom's Green Bean Salad
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Nothing says summer like fresh green bean salad. This is my mother's recipe. She always made it with mint, but I also like it with fresh basil. Either way it is the perfect companion to grilled chicken.
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Blanch the green beans in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes (until they are the tender crisp that you love.) Plunge in ice water to stop cooking and drain well.
  2. In a salad bowl combine the vinegars and olive oil. Stir in the garlic and add the drained green beans and basil (or mint).
  3. Toss to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for at least an hour before serving.
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Quinoa Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Quinoa Stuffed Chicken Breasts
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Servings
2
Servings
2
Quinoa Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Print Recipe
Servings
2
Servings
2
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Cook quinoa according to the package directions and set aside.
  2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, pepper, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook stirring occasionally until everything is very soft and browned, 10 minutes or so. Add chicken broth as needed to keep the vegetables moist.
  3. While the vegetables cook, butterfly the chicken breasts and flatten them to an even thickness. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
  4. Add the rosemary and the Marsala and simmer until the wine is evaporated. Stir in the reserved quinoa and toss well to combine.
  5. Put about 1/2 cup of the filling on each of the open chicken breasts. Roll up carefully.
  6. Wrap 2 bacon strips around each breast. If necessary, secure the rolls with toothpicks or kitchen twine.
  7. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread any remaining quinoa mixture on center of sheet. Place the chicken rolls on top of the quinoa.
  8. Bake 25 in a preheated 375 degree oven until the chicken is cooked through and the bacon is brown.
  9. Remove any toothpicks or twine before serving.
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Carpese Chicken Breasts

This is a guaranteed way to cook chicken breasts that will turn out juicy, tender and delicious. The cheese and tomatoes create a moist and flavorful filling enhanced by the basil leaves. 

Resist the urge to over-stuff the breasts. All that extra filling looks beautiful,but most of it will wind up in the bottom of the pan. You should be able to close the pocket and secure it with a toothpick or two.

Searing over high heat insures a nice light crust without the need for breading. The oven finishes the cooking process quickly and evenly.

This is a time when a meat thermometer becomes your best friend. Check at the 15 minute mark. Once it is flirting with 140 degrees remove it from the oven. It will continue to cook as you garnish it with the pesto.

This will lend itself to any filling you can dream up. Just keep the filling moist and the amount in moderation. 

Carpese Chicken Breasts
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Servings
2
Servings
2
Carpese Chicken Breasts
Print Recipe
Servings
2
Servings
2
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. While the oven heats prepare the chicken
  2. Carefully cut a pocket in each of the chicken breasts. Do this at the thickest part being careful not to cut completely through.
  3. Fill each breast pocket with half of the tomatoes, 1/2 ounce of cheese, and 4 of the basil leaves. Gently pull the pocket closed and secure it with tooth picks,
  4. Heat an over proof skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until it begins to ripple.
  5. Sprinkle the Italian herb blend evenly over the chicken. Carefully place the chicken in the skillet. Brown for 3 minutes, turn the breasts, and brown the other side 3 minutes more.
  6. Carefully pour in the chicken stock and transfer to the oven.
  7. Bake 10 minutes. Add the remaining cheese to the top of the chicken and return to the oven for 5-8 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness (140 degrees).
  8. Remove the chicken to serving plates. Pour a little of the pan drippings over the chicken. divide the pesto evenly on top of the chicken and serve.
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