What can I make with a Rotisserie Chicken?

Rotisserie Chicken Salad with Grapes and Apple
Serves 4 to 6
(Adapted from Whole Foods Market Recipe and I found on Snacking in the Kitchen Blog - her stuff is sooooo good and is featured in Fitness magazine a lot!!!)

This is beyond good. I will be making this over and over again!

Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Salad
1 rotisserie chicken
2 cups red seedless grapes
1 green apple, cored and diced
3 stalks celery, peeled and finely diced
3/4 cup almonds, chopped and toasted
1/4 cup sliced green onions


1. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, honey, lemon juice, poppy seeds, salt and pepper.

2. Remove the skin from the chicken and pull meat off the bones. Roughly chop the chicken into bite-size pieces. Combine chicken, grapes, apple, celery and dressing. Refrigerate for several hours.

3. Once refrigerated, add almonds and onion. Serve.

Karl's reaction: "Oh. My. God. This is so good. This is in my top five for sure. Is this healthy? What's the white stuff? God, this is good. Are there kiwis in here? No? Good. I love this. Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Awesome."

My reaction: I loved this. Like loved it. It's easy to make and I can see this being a hit at a BBQ or party. SO GOOD!

Tweet

Read More

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

Pasta time!

Cheesy Stuffed Shells
serves 5 to 6
(recipe found on www.kraftrecipes.com)

Cheesy stuffed shells made a great Italian dinner!

1 container (16 oz) 2% Milkfat Low Fat Cottage Cheese
1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1 cup Kraft 2% milk shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup Kraft grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked, drained
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 large tomato
I also added Italian meat since Karl needs his meat!

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix cottage cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella, Parmesan and seasoning; spoon into shells. I mixed in the ground meat too and stuffed into shells.

2. Mix sauce and tomatoes; spoon half into 13x9 -inch baking dish. Add filled shells; top with remaining sauce. Cover.

3. Bake 25 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining mozzarella; bake uncovered, 2 min. or until melted.

Cheesy Stuffed Shells - Oh, so good!

Karl's reaction: "You know, I decided I don't like grape tomatoes. They remind me of biting into a nest with little seeds. I eat this and it's all good and saucy and then I get a grape tomato and it pops in my mouth and throws off my palette. But this is very good. I like it."

My take: I like this a lot. Everything about it screams yum!

Tweet

Read More

Ravioli-Vegetable Stacks

A summer lasagna

Ravioli-Vegetable Stacks
serves four
(recipe found in Better Homes and Garden online - www.bhg.com/recipes)

Layers of ravioli, cheese, tomatoes, basil and zucchini - YUM!

1 lb. frozen sausage-or meat-filled ravioli (I used cheese filled)
2 small zucchini
4 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 TBS olive oil
1/2 cup small fresh basil leaves
1 8-ounce pkg. shredded Italian-blend cheese (2 cups)

1. Preheat over to 425 degrees. Cook ravioli to package directions. Trim and lengthwise slice zucchini. Add zucchini to ravioli during the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain, but do not rinse.

2. In 2-quart square baking dish layer half the tomato slices. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil. Sprinkle half the basil. Using tongs, layer half the ravioli and sprinkle have the cheese. Layer zucchini slices; drizzle 1 TBS oil. Layer remaining ravioli, basil, cheese, and tomato; drizzle remaining oil. Season with salt and ground black pepper.

3. Bake, uncovered, 9 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and begins to brown. To serve, cut in squares; sprinkle with fresh basil. Makes 4 servings.

Ravioli-vegetable stack in a square baking dish

Karl's reaction: "This is pretty good, babe! At first it seems average but the more I eat it the more I like it."

My take - We have lots of tomatoes and basil growing on our deck. If there is a way I can cook with them, I'm happy. And this meal is really, really refreshing and full of flavor. I will be making this again!

Tweet

Read More

Get Your Foot in the Door Writing Contest

Fun Writing Contest Judged by Sourcebook Editors!
I'm participating in another writing blog contest! This is hosted by the ever-so-fabulous Gabi Lessa - one of my critique partners in crime (she always has the coolest contests). And do note that there is still time for you to sign up for the contest (ends Tuesday, August 9, 2011) if you have a completed manuscript, so go to her blog!

Below is my entry. I'd love any feedback I can get before I submit on Tuesday.

Thanks and best of luck to everyone.

---------------------------------------------------

Name: Christie Koester
Title: Wanted: Groom for my $100K Wedding
Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction
Manuscript word count: 85,000
Judge: Deb Werksman - One of the amazing four Sourcebook's editors

One-sentence pitch: (No more than 30 words)
I have three to start and I need your help telling me which one you like the best out of them all, please!!! Do any of them grab you?

1. When a heartbroken and single 35-year-old wins a $75K dream wedding, she has eight weeks and no groom, and a strategy bigger than her heart can handle.

2. When a heartbroken and single 35-year-old wins a $75K dream wedding, she has eight weeks to find a groom and plan her wedding—and learn about love along the way.

3. When a heartbroken 35-year-old wins a $75K wedding, she has everything to make her fairytale a reality in eight weeks—except the groom—and begins the biggest journey of all.

First paragraph: (Enter your first paragraph. If your first paragraph is shorter than 25 words, you may enter your first two paragraphs, as long as the second paragraph is not over 100 words.)

The cellist plays the first strings of Canon in D, causing my heart to race against my chest like a boxer high on adrenaline. I close my eyes the minute the organist presses the keys and I inhale the heavy scents of sweat pea and cologne filling the sanctuary. Memories awaken of being a little girl twirling in a wedding gown ten sizes too big about to walk down the aisle at Gram’s church. She, practicing at the organ every Saturday morning, a makeshift bouquet of origami roses in my hands, and my best friend Tony drowning in Gramp’s blue suit, waiting for me. And the promise he made years later.

That's all! Let me know what you think and if I need to change things up.

Tweet

Read More

Writing Contest Judged by Sourcebook Editors

Yes, you read that right! Have you been looking for an opportunity to Get Your Foot in the Door when it comes to your writing? What better way than a writing contest judged by FOUR Sourcebook editors!!! And we're talking WELL-KNOWN Sourcebook editors.

If you answer yes to any of these questions, I'd for sure think about signing up.

1. Have you finished your manuscript?
2. Do you write single-title romance or women's fiction?
3. Do you write Young Adult?
4. Do you write commercial literary fiction (contemporary and historical)?
5. Do you write middle grade or children's fiction?

Did you answer yes? Well, then quick sign up - tell your friends!!!!! This is one heck of a contest! One of my awesome critique partners Gabriela Lessa is hosting it so you have to check out her new blog to get all the details. All I can say is the entries should be your first paragraph and a one-sentence pitch. That’s what the judges will take into consideration. Each judge will choose a winner, and each winner will get a prize from their respective judge. You have until TUESDAY, AUGUST 9 to sign up!!!!! What are you waiting for?

Play now! And good luck!

Tweet

Read More

Pesto-Peach Chicken Salad Wrap

Who doesn't like peaches? The question is how do you cook with them?

Pesto-Peach Chicken Salad Wrap
serves 4
(recipe found in Fitness Magazine July/August 2011)

Great way to use up basil!

3 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
1 1/4 pounds peaches, pitted and cubed
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 large red-leaf lettuce leaves, spines removed and sliced in half
4 10-inch whole-grain wraps

1. Put the basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, salt and black pepper in the bowl of a food processor. While processor is running, pour in lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water; add the oil and continue processing until a paste forms. Mix the chicken, peaches and celery in a large bowl; add the pesto and toss to coat.

2. Place 2 lettuce leaves in the middle of each wrap and top with 1 cup of the chicken mixture. Wrap tightly, cut in half and serve.

Karl's reaction: "This little wrap is quite tasty. Are there peaches in here!?!? This is good stuff."

My take: Yummy goodness here. I will be making this again!

Tweet

Read More

Cherry Bomb Smoothie

Refreshing and hydrating and full of nutrients in one glass

Cherry Bomb
(recipe found in Women's Health July/August 2011)

Blend 3/4 cup frozen cherries
1 kiwi, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup coconut water
3/4 tsp agave nectar
and 3 ice cubes

Karl's reaction: "Is there spices in this? Why is my throat so itchy? I think you put spices in here!"

My take: I put two kiwis in the mix instead of one and they overpowered a little bit (probably why Karl's throat felt itchy) but I loved it!

Ingredients for the Cherry Bomb

Tweet

Read More