Bruschetta Chicken Pasta

If you've ever eaten at TGI Fridays in the U.S., you might know their Bruschetta Chicken Pasta.  It's really good, but this is simpler and cheaper version.  Great for those busy week-nights when you don't have much time to cook.

Normally, I don't purchase a lot of ready-made food as I prefer to make my own.  However, this is so incredibly fast and easy that I like it for a quick weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

- linguine or spaghetti

- pre-packaged bruschetta sauce

- fresh basil,

- pre-cooked chicken pieces (I use frozen)

- balsamic glaze

Cook pasta according to directions.  Heat approx 1/2 tsp olive oil in a large frying pan and add the chicken (thawed if using frozen).  Pan fry the chicken until heated through.  Add approx 1/2 to 3/4 cup pre-packaged bruschetta sauce and heat through.  Tear the fresh basil leaves into smaller pieces.

Add the cooked, drained pasta to the frying pan and gently toss.  Add in fresh basil.

Plate your pasta and drizzle with the balsamic glaze.  Enjoy!

Note:  Balsamic Glaze is balsamic vinegar which has been reduced to a thick, syrup consistency.

Halibut with Bell Pepper Relish

Can you feel Spring in the air?  Wow!!  As the days get brighter and warmer, we "lighten" up our menu.  Here's a perfect springtime meal.

The recipe comes from Jan/Feb issue of Cooking Light magazine.  It's fast, easy and delicious.  This will definitely be a keeper for quick weekday dinners.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pan-seared-halibut-bell-pepper-50400000118564/

Pan-Seared Halibut with Bell Pepper Relish
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped plum tomato
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 1/4 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle halibut evenly with salt and black pepper. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Carefully remove fish from pan, and keep warm.

2. Add remaining 2 1/4 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add bell pepper and next 3 ingredients (through paprika); sauté 3 minutes or until bell pepper is tender. Stir in parsley. Serve relish with fish.

Note:  We served this with a Greek Orzo Salad and green beans with garlic.

Marinated Flank Steak

This is a delicious and easy recipe well suited to grilling.  We (as in my husband!) barbecue year round.  In the winter, he shovels a path to the BBQ.  Often you can see him huddled up near the BBQ for warmth with a cigar and a drink.  We're Canadian eh!!

Ingredients:

1 Flank Steak, scored

Marinade:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Marinate the flank steak for 4 hours or overnight for the best flavour. 

Grill to medium-rare.  Meanwhile, boil the marinade ingredients for 15 minutes and use as a dipping sauce.

Serve with Lemon Potatoes.

Recipe from www.simplyrecipes.com.

Mama Mia! It's a Meatball Fest!

My husband, Al, is Italian.  To Italians, they need the following in order to be happy:
- good wine
- good food
- a good woman (well, he's got that!)
- a garden in the summer
- pasta with homemade sauce

Picture a cold, blustery winter's day in the late afternoon.  I'm cleaning up as we're having company over.  Al decides to make homemade meatballs and pasta sauce.  Well why not?

So although our friends were not coming for dinner, they were treated to a little evening snack.  So much for the veggies & dip I was going to serve!

Mama Mia!  Look at the size of those balls!



Nothing like a deep fried meatball! 
Can you feel your arteries tensing up?



It's all about the sauce....
If the sauce ain't right, ain't nobody happy....
and oh baby, was this sauce good!

The finished product!
Bellissimo

Lemony Potatoes

Every once in a while, we come across a recipe that we simply can't get enough of.  This is one of those recipes.  By now, you know I'm all about "easy" (well usually anyways).  These couldn't be simpler.  I think we've made them for the past 6 Sundays in a row!  The potatoes soak up all of the lemony deliciousness and are soft on the inside with a little crispness on the outside.

They can be done on the BBQ or in the oven, both work equally well.  I think this will remain a favourite all through BBQ season (can you tell I'm ready for summer!).



Don't be put off by those burnt bits - they're the best part!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups water
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 cubes chicken bouillon
ground black pepper to taste
6 potatoes, peeled and quartered

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, water, garlic, lemon juice, thyme, rosemary, bouillon cubes and pepper.
3. Arrange potatoes evenly in the bottom of a medium baking dish. Pour the olive oil mixture over the potatoes. Cover, and bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours in the preheated oven, turning occasionally, until tender but firm.

Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes.com