Cooking on the Front Burner: May 2011

Lemon Chicken with Kalamata Olives

Lemon Chicken with Kalamata Olives

This dinner was quick and easy and if you love lemons, you'll enjoy the flavor of this dish. The only thing I thought I had in my "pasta parade" was orzo but I did not so I substituted a smaller type pasta... it worked!
Click here for the recipe

The ingredients-only 6!

Brown chicken

Add remaining ingredients to a 2 quart casserole dish and place chicken on top and sprinkle with S&P

Pretend I'm Orzo

John gave this dish 3.5 stars - he said he would have given it 4 but there were too many olives for his taste!

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Happy Memorial Day!

Fresh Strawberry Cake Roll

Today we were invited to our friends MJ and Dave's for a Memorial Day cookout. I offered up dessert and of course I had red, white and blue on the brain. I've made pumpkin rolls before so was up for the challenge to create one with strawberries as the main event. I found a basic sponge cake recipe and then created a filling with some of my favorite ingredients. Click here for the recipe

The cake ingredients

Prepare the dry ingredients (uses cake flour that is sifted)

Prepare the wet ingredients

I also decided to add some grated lemon

Combine and spread in a jelly roll pan that has been greased, lined with wax paper and greased again

As soon as it comes out of the oven, run a knife around edge and invert on a towel that has powdered sugar on it, remove wax paper, trim edges a bit and roll up in towel and let cool completely

Prepare your berries

Prepare filling

I keep my mixing bowl/beater in the freezer for about 5 minutes...this works great for whipping cream

All ingredients are combined and whipped together

Unroll sponge cake, spread some of the filling and strawberries and roll up again. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in refrigerator for at least 2 hours

Decorate how you wish... be creative!

5 Stars! (and stripes....)

Also now that Memorial Day has arrived - you are now allowed to wear white pants and sandals....but only until Labor Day!!!

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Chicken with Apricot-Lemon Glaze

Chicken with Apricot-Lemon Glaze

Today was the first day I set foot inside Target in 6 days! That has to be a record as I'm normally there about 3-4 times a week! It is also the first time I've cooked in 6 days...that might be a record too. Earlier today I quickly did a search for a dinner with less than 5 (major) ingredients and this recipe popped up. It was super fast and super delicious. I'm starting a new category called "company worthy" because this definitely was. Click here for the recipe.

The ingredients

Prepare the chicken

Rub with curry powder, salt and fresh pepper

Zest and juice a lemon

Cook chicken

Make the glaze out of the apricot spread, water and lemon juice and spoon over chicken and top with zest

A 5 star dinner!

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Special Day...

Today was a very special day- Kristina got to try on her wedding dress- one word - stunning, beautiful and wow - Ok that is 3 words but it is hard to pick just one. I narrowed down my search to 2 MOB dresses (might need to enlist some of you for a decision!) and we met with 2 florists. Afterwards we ate out - me, Kristina, Benj and Danielle. This place is awesome. A recommended "5 star" restaurant!