Spinach and Feta Chicken Rolls

INGREDIENTS:

4 – 5 chicken cutlets or boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)

coarse salt and fresh black pepper

2 cups fresh baby spinach

3/4 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1/3 cup diced, roasted red peppers (jarred)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/3 cup panko crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a roasting pan or baking sheet with sides. You can line it first with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
2. If using chicken breasts pound them to 1/4-inch thickness between two pieces of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Skip this if using chicken cutlets.
3. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Starting on the smaller end of the chicken breast lay down 2 layers of spinach leaves followed by a 1/4 or 1/5 (depending on how many breasts you have) of the feta, olives and red peppers. Top with another layer of spinach.
4. Roll them up and secure with a toothpick.

Set up a dredging station:

5. In a wide, shallow bowl whisk the eggs and mustard together with a dash of salt and pepper. In a separate wide, shallow bowl combine the panko, bread crumbs and Parmesan.
6. Dip the chicken in the egg then into the bread crumbs, patting them on with your hands. Place on the baking sheet.
7. Bake 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Internal temperature of the chicken (not the filling) on a meat thermometer should register 165 – 174 degrees F.

Enjoy!

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Warm roasted tomato,onion & feta salad

Ingredients

1 medium-large red or yellow onion

1/4 cup  olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Variety of small tomatoes, such as cherry, grape etc. no larger than golf-ballish size

A couple of larger tomatoes, cut into thick slices

6-7 oz.  block of feta cheese, cut into 3/4-inch thick slices

Fresh basil leaves (or 1/2-1 tsp. dried basil)

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Salt, for finishing (*feta is salty, so don’t salt until the end and only a bit is needed)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Cut onion into thin wedges. Place in baking dish or roasting pan and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Roast in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Place feta slices into roasting pan and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Scatter any feta crumbles around the pan. Place a large tomato slice over most of the large rounds of feta. Scatter smaller tomatoes around the pan. Give one final drizzle of olive oil over tomatoes and a bit of freshly ground pepper (if using dried basil, you can add now, as well). Return to the oven and roast another 35-45 minutes.

Meanwhile, add balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then lower the heat and simmer until reduced by half. Set aside.

Allow to cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves, a bit of salt and drizzle with the reduced balsamic vinegar. Serve warm.

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Awesome Ways to Eat Eggs for Breakfast

Scrambled eggs are fast, they’re filling, and they’re infinitely customizable, which is why I find myself eating them at least twice every week. Because I keep an arsenal of ideas on hand, I never get sick of them. Check out my favorite ways to make a scramble, and you never will, either. 

1. Feta and Dill
Pull the eggs off the heat just before they finish cooking, and add crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh dill. The cheese will melt slightly (while still leaving a few pockets of extra-gooey goodness), and the dill lightens and freshens things up. This is most excellent with pita or piled on toast.

2. Bacon Grease and Cheddar
I always keep a jar of bacon grease around because I’m that kind of gal. It’s a great substitute for butter or oil when cooking scrambled eggs—not to mention a nice way to add bacon flavor when you’re out of bacon. If you’ve got the real stuff on hand, all the better. Whatever cheddar you use, buy it in brick or block form and grate it yourself; that pre-grated stuff just ain’t right.

3. Garlic and Onion
This one takes a little bit more work, but it’s worth it. Sauté half a chopped onion and a minced garlic clove or two until soft and fragrant, then add in the eggs. If there’s any scent better than garlic and onions on the stovetop, I haven’t discovered it yet. A generous splash of Sriracha wouldn’t be the worst finisher in the world, here.

4. Spinach and Parmesan
This recipe for scrambled eggs with spinach and parmesan is one of my favorite. A walloping three cups of spinach goes into the mix (it cooks down considerably), making me feel just a bit more virtuous about the shower of Parm I also stir in. Bonus points for red chile flakes.

5. Miso and Scallion
I always keep a tub of brown rice or barley miso in my fridge, and most often find myself stirring a tablespoon of it into cooked scrambled eggs. It adds a salty, funky, and fermented note that’s great with chopped scallion greens. Be sure to add the miso in after the eggs have come off the heat; cooking it will kill all of the good-for-you probiotics. Don’t have miso? A drizzle of tamari or soy sauce would be great, too.

6. Migas-Style Tortillas
Two words for you: Fried tortillas. Sauté a torn corn tortilla or two in your skillet, and once it gets good and golden, add in your eggs and scramble them, letting them coat and cling to the tortilla bits. Add in cheese and hot sauce, and all you need is a cup of coffee. Pro tip: This is also most excellent paired with beer at dinner.

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