Grilled Orange Sesame Chicken and Vegetables

Ingredients

3 oranges

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half

2 pounds asparagus spears, trimmed

6 small zucchini cut on the diagonal 1/4-inch thick

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Cooking Directions

Cut 1 orange into wedges (peel intact); set aside. Of the remaining 2 oranges, remove zest of 1 and juice of both; place zest and juice in a glass bowl. Add lemon juice, vinegar, pepper, and mustard; whisk. Slowly whisk in sesame oil; set aside.

Place chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap; pound with a meat tenderizer to 1/2 inch thick. Place chicken in a glass bowl; pour half reserved vinaigrette over chicken. Coat thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap, and chill 1 to 2 hours.

Heat a grill or grill pan until very hot. Coat asparagus and zucchini with olive oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Grill vegetables and reserved orange wedges until tender. Remove chicken from marinade; season with remaining teaspoon salt; discard marinade. Grill until browned on both sides and cooked through. Arrange chicken and vegetables on platter; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with remaining reserved vinaigrette.

Yield: 6 servings

Marinated Zucchini with Bow Ties

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds zucchini, cut in half lengthwise then into 1/4-inch slices

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 pound plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

5 tablespoons wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh-ground black pepper

1 pound bow ties

1/3 cup olive oil

Cooking Directions

In a large frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat. Add the garlic, zucchini, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. 

Transfer the zucchini to a large stainless-steel, glass, or ceramic bowl and stir in the tomatoes, basil, vinegar, the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the bow ties until just done, about 15 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss it with the marinated zucchini and the remaining 1/3 cup oil.

Yield: 4 servings

Still Hungry?

Garden-fresh zucchini and tomatoes make a beautiful pasta, perfect for a warm summer night's dinner. It can be served hot or at room temperature, either for four as a main course or for eight as a side dish--with grilled chicken, for instance.

Notes:

Variation: Balsamic-Marinated Zucchini with Bow Ties For a sweeter dish, you can substitute an equal amount of balsamic vinegar in place of the wine vinegar called for in the recipe.

Tommally Pie

A yummy twist on the Mexican favorite

Prep time: 15 min

Cook Time: 20 min

1 med yellow onion chopped

1 med red onion chopped

2 tbs olive oil

1 can kidney beans

2 cloves garlic

1 can stewed tomatoes - dices and drained

1 lb ground beef

2-3 tbs of taco seasoning

1/2 cup chopped olives

1 pkg corn bread mix (we use the Jiffy mix)

1 cup Colby jack cheese shredded

Sour cream

Heat olive oil in a large oven proof skillet on med heat. Add onions and seasoning let cook until onions are soft. Add garlic cook for 30. Add and mix beans and tomatoes. Add meat cook until lightly browned. Mix in cheese and olives. Put on low heat and continue cooking on simmer.

In the mean time: make cornbread mix

In the skillet create a level surface of the filling and dollop the cornbread mix on the top. Spread evenly about 1/4" thick. Place in the oven for 10-15 min or until the corn bread is  cooked. 

Serve with sour cream.