Chicken Paillards with Tomato-Dill Relish

This one couldn't be easier and it's terrific.  Paillard is an older term referring to the quick cooking of thinly sliced/thinly pounded pieces of meat. Most often this is referring to veal or chicken, but beef can be used.

Serves 4

4 (6-ounces) skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped dill
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas)

Pound chicken 1/4 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin.
Whisk together oil, dill, shallot, mustard, and vinegar in a large bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then add to dill mixture, turning to coat.
Toss tomatoes with reserved dill mixture and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
Grill chicken, turning once, until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes total. Serve topped with relish. Serve and Enjoy!

Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa

Serves 4

2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup quinoa
1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, diced
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve each time.
Cook quinoa in a medium pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 2 quarts water), uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in sieve, then set sieve in same pot with 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of sieve). Cover quinoa with a folded kitchen towel, then cover sieve with a lid (don't worry if lid doesn't fit tightly) and steam over medium heat until tender, fluffy, and dry, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and remove lid. Let stand, still covered with towel, 5 minutes.
Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Serve and Enjoy!

Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic Lime Sauce

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
6 (1/2-inch-thick) boneless pork chops

Whisk together lime juice, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking well. Whisk in cilantro.
Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-high heat. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill pork chops, covered, turning over once, until just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes total. Serve drizzled with some vinaigrette, and with remainder on the side.  Serve and Enjoy!

Grilled Mushroom Salad with Arugula

If you love mushrooms this is an incredible salad!  I found it in Gourmet Magazine and been making it for years and to raved reviews.  It may look like a lot of mushrooms when you're putting the salad together, but it allows everyone to have a generous portion.

Serves 8

1/2 cup Champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (4 small)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound whole fresh portabella mushrooms, stems discarded
1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
1/2 pound fresh cremini mushrooms, trimmed
3/4 pound fresh chanterelle mushrooms, trimmed
1/2 pound baby arugula, or regular arugula torn into bite-size pieces (16 cups)
2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings (made with a vegetable peeler from a 2-oz piece)


Whisk together vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and shallots in a large bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly until combined. Reserve half of vinaigrette in another large bowl and add mushrooms to remaining vinaigrette. Toss to coat and marinate 5 minutes.
Transfer mushrooms to another bowl with a slotted spoon, discarding marinade.
Heat lightly oiled grill pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then grill mushrooms in 3 batches, turning frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer as grilled to a cutting board and cool to room temperature.
Cut portabellas into 1/2-inch-wide wedges, then halve shiitake and cremini mushrooms and cut chanterelles (if large) lengthwise into 1/2-inch pieces.
Transfer mushrooms to reserved vinaigrette, tossing to coat, then add arugula, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste and toss again. Serve and Enjoy!


· Mushrooms (marinated but without additional vinaigrette) can be grilled and cut 4 hours ahead and cooled, uncovered, then kept, loosely covered, at room temperature. Pour off any juices before adding to vinaigrette.
· Vinaigrette keeps, covered and chilled, 1 day.
·Cheese can be shaved 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag.

Chipotle Roast Chicken Tacos

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves plus 3 fresh cilantro sprigs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves plus 3 fresh oregano sprigs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves plus 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed in resealable plastic bag with mallet
1 5 1/2- to 6-pound roasting chicken, rinsed, patted dry; neck, heart, and gizzard reserved
2 large onions, each cut into 8 wedges through root end, leaving root ends intact
12 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 warm corn tortillas
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, thinly sliced


Using fork, mix butter, all chopped herbs, chipotle chiles, and crushed coriander in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Place chicken, breast side up, in large roasting pan; place reserved neck, heart, and gizzard alongside. Starting at neck end of chicken, slide fingers under skin to loosen, being careful to avoid tearing. Spread all but 1 tablespoon seasoned butter over breast meat and thigh meat under skin.Rub any butter remaining on fingers over outside of chicken. Sprinkle main cavity of chicken with salt and pepper; place all herb sprigs in cavity. Tie legs together loosely.
Place onion wedges in large bowl. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon seasoned butter in small saucepan over low heat; pour over onion wedges and toss to coat. Arrange onions around chicken. Sprinkle onions and chicken with salt and pepper.
Roast chicken and onions 30 minutes. Scatter garlic cloves around chicken; add 1/4 cup broth to roasting pan. Continue to roast chicken until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170°F, basting occasionally with pan juices and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls as needed to maintain juices in roasting pan, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Remove roasting pan from oven. Tilt chicken, draining juices from cavity into pan. Transfer chicken, onions, and garlic to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. Add 1/4 cup broth and wine to pan. Place over 2 burners and bring juices to boil, scraping up browned bits. Strain juices into bowl. Discard fat from top of juices.
Cut meat from chicken (reserve 1 1/3 cups for tostadas). Serve, making tacos with warm tortillas, chicken, onions, garlic, and avocado. Drizzle tacos with pan juices. Serve and Enjoy!

Pork with Pineapple Relish

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh serrano chile, including seeds
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 (1-inch-thick) boneless pork loin chops
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dark rum


Toss together pineapple, onion, chile, thyme, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Grind coriander seeds in an electric coffee/spice grinder (or crush with flat side of a knife). Pat pork dry; sprinkle all over with coriander, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté pork, turning once, until well browned and just cooked through but still juicy, 6 to 10 minutes.
Transfer pork to plates. Add pineapple mixture and rum to skillet and sauté, scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Serve pork with relish and Enjoy!

Celery Salad with Dates, Almonds and Parmesan

1/2 cup raw almonds
8 celery stalks, thinly sliced on a diagonal, leaves separated
6 dates, pitted, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 ounces Parmesan, shaved
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Crushed red pepper flakes


Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread out almonds on a small rimmed baking sheet; toast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop.
Toss almonds, celery, celery leaves, dates, and lemon juice in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add Parmesan and oil and toss gently; season with red pepper flakes. Serve and Enjoy!