Baked Chicken Breasts with Parmesan – Garlic Crust from Cooks Country

I found this recipe in the 30 minute section of my Cook’s Country Magazine and thought I would give it a try—really, how wrong can you go with chicken, basil, bread crumbs and cheese? And true to form it was delicious and not very hard at all. It sounds gourmet and it looks very nice so it is a great dish to bring over to someone in need. It transports easily, tastes great, and for picky eater has pretty simple ingredients. Paired with roasted zucchini and a fruit salad you have a, healthy, fresh, colorful, and delicious meal.

Ingredients

• 1c bread crumbs, preferably fresh - To make fresh bread crumbs, process 2 slices of hearty white sandwhich bread (I have now made this with store-bought Panko breadcrumbs, fresh sourdough bread and even whole-wheat sandwich bread---so whatever you have will work) in a food – processor until coarsely ground
• ½ c grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp EV Olive Oil
• ½ tsp salt
• Pepper
• 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ( 6-7 ounces, trimmed)
• ¼ c minced fresh basil
• ¼ c mayonnaiseLemon wedges for serving (optional)
  

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat to 425 degrees. Combine bread crumbs, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste in bowl.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and transfer to 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
3. Combine basil and mayo in small bowl and spread mixture evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture evenly over mayo and press lightly to adhere.
4. Bake the chicken until crumbs are golden brown and instant thermometer reads 160 degrees. 18-22 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges
5. Along with the chicken, I will place a tray of sliced zucchini drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with Salt and Pepper into the oven to roast.

   

   I will flip the zucchini about 10 minutes in and then check it around 15min or the time the chicken is done.
   

And the finished product!

Baked Ziti

This is an easy recipe, transports easily, fills you up, kids seem to enjoy it and so far between company, bringing it to people’s homes and our own dinner table it is warmly received and seconds are a given. Okay that might have been a run-on sentence but you get the idea. It is also super easy to freeze and then bake later since everything is pretty much cooked before you put it in the oven. Add bread, a veggie, and a salad and you are good to go.

Ingredients

Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti from Real Simple serves 6-8

Hands on time: 20 minutes Total time: 45 minutes

• 1 pound ziti (looks like skinny tubes)
  
• 1 TB olive oil
  
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
  
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
  
• ¼ tsp black pepper
  
• 1 pound lean ground beef
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• ½ c chopped fresh oregano (optional or just use less dried)
  
• 1 26 oz jar pasta sauce
  
• ½ cup (2 oz) grated Parmesan
  
• 1- 15oz container ricotta
  
• 1- 10oz box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove liquid
  
• 1 c grated mozzarella
  

Instructions

1. Cook ziti according to the directions on package


2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees


3. In a large pot ( or I have a large wok that works too), over med-low heat, heat the oil.


4. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the onions are softened 5-7 min


5. Add the beef, increase heat to med-hi and cook until no trace of pink remains (5-8m)


6. Add the garlic and oregano and cook for 2 minutes


7. Add the pasta sauce and heat for 3 minutes


8. Remove from heat, add cooked pasta and toss to coat



9. Add parmesan, ricotta, and spinach. Toss again.


10. Spread the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish (I usually can get a 8 x 8 out of it too and I freeze one for another meal).


11. Sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until it melts---about 15 minutes.

This is what I mean when I say I get an 8 x8 out of it too. Granted, I could really fill up the 9 x13 until it is overflowing, but I tend to think this is a better option and then I get another meal out of it too. Always a good option!

As a side I will often slice up zucchini and steam it for about 5 minutes in a covered dish with about 2 TB of water. Then season with S/P and you can add a little butter if desired.

- Heather

Quick and Easy Chicken Pasta Toss

Serves 6-8
Prep Time: 20 minutes

This is a recipe that came on the lid of the sundried tomatoes years ago and I tweaked it a little and use it often…especially if I am low on time and low on imagination and energy. Plus it is a healthy, easy to make, and yummola pasta toss. This makes a great dinner to bring to anyone as it is healthy, tasty, and combines a lot of food groups into one meal. And as you will see from the last picture, rarely are their leftovers. But by chance you might have some leftovers, it makes for great lunch or dinner the next day or two.


As you can see from the picture….I forgot to take a picture of the ingredients until after I started cooking so the chicken, and Parmesan cheese is missing....oops! One thing to know is that this recipe is flexible and you can use what you have on hand (almost).

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Farfalle (bowtie) pasta (but I have been known to use whatever is on hand including cheese tortellini)
  
• 2 chicken breasts- cooked and cut into strips or chunks
  
• 2TB olive oil (preferably from the sundried tomato jar)
  
• Sundried tomato (Costco sells a big jar that is perfect to have on hand)
  
• Parmesan cheese
  
• Broccoli – cut into bite sized florets (or whatever green veggie you have….I have used asparagus, sugar snap peas or a combo)
  
• Pesto sauce (once again Costco sells a great one that I just keep in the freezer and then use what I need)
  

Okay, are you ready….are you sure….here we go:

1. Boil the water and start cooking the pasta al dente.
   
2. Cook the chicken either (1) whole and cut later or (2) cut first for quicker cooking. (I have been known to do both of these methods depending on the time I have - cutting it up ahead of time cuts down on time - just make sure not to overcook and dry the pieces out. Heat up a skillet, dribble a little olive oil and throw your pieces in until the pink is all gone and the chicken is cooked through)
   
3. About 3 minutes BEFORE the pasta is done throw in your veggies. Yes, put your veggies into the boiling pasta and let them all cook together until the veggie is tender al dente.
   
4. Cut up chicken into bite size strips or chunks (if not done previously)
   
5. Strain pasta and veggies and put into bowl with olive oil, pesto sauce, sundried tomatoes, chicken, and Parmesan cheese.
   
6. Toss and enjoy!
   

Serve with a side salad, and bread if you want….

TOLD YOU IT WAS EASY!

- Heather Miller

Facebook

Here are a few ways to use facebook with CaringMeals:
1. Become a Fan
Keep up-to-date on the latest news and announcements.
2. Invite your Friends to Bring Meals
You can "share" your plan on facebook and invite your facebook friends to bring a meal directly from CaringMeals. On the "Invite Friends" page, look at the facebook section for a link to facebook.
In the future, we are looking at further integration with facebook including:

• Posting updates to your feed
  
• Profile Pictures
  
• Signon with facebook email/password
  

If you have suggestions or questions regarding facebook and CaringMeals, let us know!

Minestrone Soup

This is a DELICIOUS Minestrone Soup recipe! It's so simple too! Take a look.

Here are all the ingredients you will need to begin:
1/4 cup oil
1 clove garlic (minced)
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 Tbsp parsley
1 can tomato paste
1 can beef broth
8 cups water
2 carrots sliced
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sage
2 zucchini sliced
1 can (28 oz) diced tomato
1 can kidney beans
1 cup shell macaroni (or more)
Optional: 1/2 pound cooked ground beef

The first and most time consuming step is pealing the carrots and chopping the vegetables. (Tip: I usually cut my carrots and zucchini in large chunks.)

The next step is to brown your meat.

While the meat is cooking, you can start putting all the ingredients into a large pot. Add every ingredient (including the meat when it is done), except for the pasta and zucchini. Place your pot on the stove and cook until carrots are mostly tender.

Add the pasta of your choice and the zucchini and cook about 15 minutes more.

Serve with bread or in a bread bowl! You may also like to serve a salad alongside it. Oh, and it tastes great with Parmesan Cheese on top!

I figured out the cost is approximately 60 cents per serving and this recipe serves 10 -12 people. So, you can make a big pot, put the amount needed to give in a Tupperware container to transport, and then feed your family or put the rest in the freezer for another meal!

Soup may not sound like an exciting meal, but I guarantee it is a winner! This was the first meal brought to Nate and I when we came home from the hospital with our brand new baby, Alexander, and we LOVED it. I remember very clearly that we received a phone call saying that dinner was on it's way, and then I heard that it was soup... Nate and I were both disappointed by the news... BUT it was AMAZING! We loved it, it actually filled Nate up (which is hard to do), we had leftovers, and it was actually one of our favorite meals!

- Amy

Flexible Shepherd’s Pie

This is a "Flexible" recipe, because it easily adapts to different tastes in vegetables, meat, and seasonings. It also can be finished in the oven, so it is hot when you (or the family you gave it to) is ready to eat!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef/turkey


• 1 onion chopped


• 2-3 cups chopped mushrooms


• 1-2 cups vegetables (chopped carrots, spinach, peas, corn, soybeans, or whatever you like)


• 2-3 large potatoes (Yukon Gold is my favorite, but anything works)


• 2-3 cloves of garlic (optional)


• One can of Cream of Tomato soup (any tomato sauce will do)


• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil


• Worcestershire sauce (you can substitute any seasonings you want)


• Salt, pepper

Instructions:

1. Boil potatoes and garlic in salted water.




2. Mash potatoes, adding a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.



3. Saute mushrooms. Set Aside.



4. Saute onions. Add meat with a little salt and cook until brown.
   
   



5. Take the meat mixture off the stove, mix in tomato soup/sauce and vegetables. (If you are using mushrooms, don’t mix them in yet.)
   
   



6. In a 13x9 casserole dish, first spread the meat mixture on the bottom.
   



7. Add the mushrooms...
   



8. Finally, add the mashed potato.
   



9. Score the top of the potato layer with a fork.
   Optional: Sprinkle with a little butter or cheese (Cheddar, Colby Jack or Monterrey Jack)



10. Cooking Instructions : Bake at 350 deg F for 45 min or till the tips of the mashed potato turn brown. (Put these instructions on a sticky note and put on the dish if the recipient is baking it.)

Enjoy!

- Sabina

Wrapping Things Up

Disposable or not? This is up to you. Disposable can make things easier for the recipient. Consider how important it is to you that you get your dishes back also. On the other hand, it is hard to find to a disposable container that can hold a large quantity of steaming stew. I tend to just take it in the pot in which it was cooked. Sometimes, the recipient will just pour it into one of their own and hand the pot back to me. But I don’t stress about my dishes. I have pots to spare and by and large my dishes have found their way back to me.

If you are taking the meal to a family that’s at a hospital and away from home, disposable would just be necessary. In that case, don’t forget napkins and disposable cutlery!

- Sabina