Easy Recipe
We dropped our youngest child at college last week, so as empty nesters the challenge is to create fun, two person meals. My first dish was inspired by the cookbook, Everyday Light Meals. Oh, and I am trying to cut down on fat, carbs, and cals. So, here we go, super easy pretty light Chicken Marsala with Spinach Salad.
Ingredients:
For Chicken Marsala-
2 – half pound boneless skinless chicken breasts.
4 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced.
1/3 cup fat free Italian Salad Dressing.
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth.
1/4 cup red wine.
1 Tbsp. flour.
1 Tbsp. olive oil.
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley – chopped.
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning.
1/4 tsp. garlic powder.
1/4 tsp. salt.
dash of paprika, dried oregano, pepper.
For Spinach Salad –
2 cups fresh baby spinach.
1 apple peeled and cubed.
1/4 cup dried cranberries.
1 tsp. chopped pecans.
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning.
3 Tbsp. soy sauce.
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice.
6 Tbsp. Red Wine vinegar.
1 Tbsp. sugar free pancake syrup.
1 tsp. mustard powder.
grated Cotija cheese to taste.
Preparation:
Chicken Marsala –
Wrap chicken loosely in plastic wrap and pound it down to about a half-inch thickness. Place chicken, along with Italian Salad dressing, in a plastic bag. Move the chicken around to coat, and place bag in refrigerator for as much time as you have — up to a couple hours.
In a bowl, mix together the flour, Italian Seasoning, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Remove chicken from plastic bag, discard marinade, and then coat chicken on both sides with the flour mixture.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil in fry pan, add chicken breasts and fry the chicken for two minutes per side to get a nice browning.
Remove chicken from fry pan, add wine, broth, mushrooms, and sauté for a couple minutes.
Spray 13 x 9 inch baking dish with canola oil, add chicken, and then add the broth mixture. Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes or so to achieve an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
For Spinach Salad –
Rinse and dry the spinach.
To a large bowl plate add the spinach, dried cranberries, apple, and pecans. Gently mix the ingredients on the plate.
To a jar add all other ingredients except the cheese, cover and shake to mix. Drizzle some of the dressing (maybe two or three tablespoons) and refrigerate left over for next day salads.
At the table garnish the chicken breasts with parsley, and the salad with Cotija cheese. That’s all there is to making an easy, light, dinner.
AND STUFF
THE REGNUM EVENT
Reviewed by Arya Fomonyuy for Readers’ Favorite.
“A perfect read for young adult fans of sci-fi, The Regnum Event by Roger Scouton features a cast of compelling characters, a gripping plot, and a rollicking ride that provides great amusement and excitement for readers. Meet twin bikers Germaine and Sarah Thompson, poised for the biking competition level BMX. The twins are in their final year in high school and could become the pride of their family. But an unplanned meeting with a starship changes everything. The alien, Novo, is wont to watch events around the universe and, from his distant and safe place, positively influence these events. He has been watching the twin bikers and he believes they could have an answer to a problem he’s been thinking about for a while. Perhaps they could be the answer to the impending war in a far off planet where a dying king is about to leave his people in the hands of a son with very little experience in leadership.
Sarah and Germaine are whisked off their biking trail by Novo, who wants them to witness a similar competition in another planet, to observe the prince and determine if he has what it takes to win an interplanetary war. This has to happen within the time frame the kids are supposed to be out biking, so they should be home before their mother suspects anything. But then a lot happens and they are facing more than what they bargained for. The adventure has just begun and it’s a thrill! Roger Scouton’s The Regnum Event is wonderfully crafted and readers will easily connect with the characters. Sarah and her brother, Germaine, are characters that young readers will adore. I loved their courage, the connection they share with each other, and how they evolved through the story. Great prose, a compelling and masterfully developed plot, and exciting action! It was an awesome and satisfying read!”
I love that review of my e-book, and hope you will get a copy for the Young Adult reader in your family!
Good Eating and Table Talk,
Roger