I’m not big on slow-cooker meals as I usually in my kitchen all day anyway but I know how great they are for people who are not crazy enough to spend most of their time in a kitchen. Here’s a tasty slow-cooker chicken recipe that I wrote for Spoonful.com. Slowly simmered in white wine, garlic, and herbs, this fall-apart chicken is amazingly delicious and easy to prepare. Serve it over rice, pasta, or coscous for a delish meal!

Cheers!

View Recipe

This recipe was written for Disney’s Spoonful.com.
View more of my recipes and articles for Disney here.

What’s for dinner?

Prosciutto Wrapped Cod.

Why?

Because I said so.

enjoy.

Prosciutto Wrapped Cod serves 4

• 4 cod fillets (totals about a pound)
• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• 4 slices thinly shaved prosciutto

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the cod fillets and sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides of each fillet.

Wrap each fillet with a slice of prosciutto and place on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the cod is cooked through and flaky.

A simple post for an extremely simple yet flavorful dinner. Plus it’s picky eater approved by two of the most picky eaters that I know of.  Served here with thyme infused couscous and a Peach Arugula Salad.

It was just one of those average days roaming the aisles of Whole Foods trying to escape the blistering Texas heat. Unfortunately, the problem with going to Whole Foods with Mia is that the crazy switch that I have yet to find an off switch for flips on and she literally acts like a kid in a candy store. Usually it’s just  a verbal assault of, “ASPARAGUS! HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ASPARAGUS BEFORE? OH MY GOODNESS, STRAWBERRIES! HAVE YOU EVER SEEN STRAWBERRIES BEFORE? AHHH! PEACHES?! HAVE YOU EVER SEEN PEACHES BEFORE?!” Yes, Mia. I’ve seen them. I’m looking at them right now. God I love her but sometimes she reminds me of a friend I had in college when she had one to many. This goes on throughout the whole trip so I have to make sure we go on a weekday when it’s not crowded. But of course, it was a Saturday and I had no choice but to go. The store was packed like sardines and the moment the doors open her eyes got big as mine started to wince. Her mouth opened, and the usual shy child began to speak… loudly.

“OH MY GOODNESS, CHERRIES?! CHERRIES! HAVE YOU EVER SEEN CHERRIES BEFORE? GREEN BEANS! HAVE YOU SEEN GREEN BEANS BEFORE?! CARROTS!…”

Of course, I think this is the cutest thing ever but we didn’t even make it past the berries before out of the blue she starts grabbing produce and stuffing it in her mouth. We obviously got the attention of a Whole Foods employee but instead of kicking us out, she placed a bowl in my hand full of fresh cut peaches on a bed of arugula sprinkled with feta cheese. She was making it to hand out samples and thought it might keep Mia busy for a little while. One of the reasons I love Whole Foods by the way. I handed it to Mia and she devoured it. I didn’t get a chance to get the recipe but I did replicate it and added a few touches of my own. It is now one of our most made summer salads.

Peach and Arugula Salad is the perfect blend of sweet, tangy, and peppery. The ripe peaches, against the pepper bite of arugula contrast yet blend with bright feta and nutty toasted walnuts making this a refreshing and delicious summer salad.

Peach and Arugula Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette serves 4 to 6

balsamic vinaigrette

•  1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pure honey
• pinch sea salt
• pinch fresh ground black pepper

salad

• 1 cup walnut halves
• 2 ripe peaches, organic if possible
• 2 cups arugula, organic if possible
• 2 cups spinach, organic if possible
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Place all ingredients for the balsamic vinaigrette in a large bowl (big enough to hold a large salad) and whisk vigorously until combined.

Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Place arugula, spinach, toasted walnuts and feta cheese in the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to combine.

Slice the peaches in half and reomve the pit. Next cut the peaches in 1/4 inch thick slices.

Transfer the salad to a serving bowl if desired and place the peaches on top. Sprinkle additional feta cheese on the salad for garnish.

A bright and flavorful salad perfect for summer.

Did I mention it pairs well with tomorrow’s post, Prosciutto Wrapped Cod?

Lately with little Miss Mia battling a flu and me trying to keep my head on straight, it seems I haven’t been able to keep up with the blog as I want or do simple things as go to the grocery store. So when my little girl who hasn’t eaten a bite in two days asked for pasta with red sauce I headed straight to the kitchen practically skipping because she had her appetite back. But when I opened the pantry door things grew dark and the famous theme song from “Psycho” screached in my head when I realized I was out of marinara and wasn’t sure if I had anything to make a homemade sauce. I litterally searched the refriderator like a mad woman and when I couldn’t find what I needed there I ran out to the garden. Thankfully, I came up with what at least would look like a sauce and defrosted some ground venison (Mia’s favorite) to come up with what I thought could be etable. To my surprise it was one of the best venison meals I’ve ever made and the best ragu I’ve ever had. Not to brag or anything but it was wonderful and satisfied the princesses tastebuds as well.

We love venison in our family. We know where it comes from and how it’s processed (because we do it ourselves) and find it to be absolutely delicious. This is a must for those out there who have a freezer full of this seasons hunt or those of you who I have given pounds of meat to and look at me like “thanks for the hamburger meat? No Seriously, what do I do with this?” Venison Ragu is a fresh and bright meal full of vegetables and lean meat with a slightly sweet and creamy tomato based sauce.

Venison Ragu with Eggplant & Kale serves 6 to 8

• 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound ground venison
• 3 garlic cloves, diced
• 1/2 cup (1/2 onion) red onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 3 Tbs tomato puree
• 2 1/4 cups beef stock
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 small eggplant, diced
• 1 bunch kale, chopped (about 2 cups chopped)
• 10 oz package of grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 Tbs fresh sage, chopped*
• 1 Tbs fresh oregano, chopped*
• 1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped*
• 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 3 Tbs flour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 17 ounce package Paccheri or other big shell pasta
• garnish with fresh parmesan cheese, grated

* dried herb substitute: use 1/2 Tablespoon for each herb

Prep

In a very large saute pan with high sides or a large wide pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium high heat and brown venison till cooked through (about 8 minutes). Remove browned venison and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, onion, carrots, and salt. Saute for 5 to 10 minutes over medium heat until the onions are translucent.

Add tomato pure, beef stock and wine and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil.

Add eggplant, kale, tomatoes, sage, oregano, parsley, and brown sugar. Stir. Reduce heat to a simmer (medium-low) and simmer for 20 minutes until the eggplant and kale are cooked.

At this time, cook the Paccheri according to the package instructions.

Place the venison on a cutting board and sprinkle the flour over the browned meat. With a large knife, cut the flour into the meat by cutting the meat as small as possible. This is just a way to get flour into the sauce without having flour lumps. Return the browned venison with the flour to the pan and stir. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over the cooked Paccheri and garnish with grated parmesan cheese.

Deserves a, “Seriously good!”