Author: deborahbarnett

Insalata Caprese

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An eye-catching, palate-pleasing quick & light lunch… if you must add a carb-fix, include slices of toasted sour dough and use them as scoops for your salad bites.

This is also a no-cooking, no-brainer easy way to utilize your surplus of Good Seasons Italian Dressing. And it makes for a light and nutritious meal or a colorful appetizer.

Ingredients:
Fresh Mozzarella
Heirloom tomatoes
Fresh Basil (or in this case, pesto)
Good Seasons Italian Dressing

I use fresh mozzarella. I purchase it at Trader Joe’s, but you can make your own if you feel brave. My friend Stephie did – here’s her recipe. I also get the heirloom cheery tomatoes at Trader Joe’s. I’m pretty sure they have *fresh basil too… so it’s almost a one-stop-shop if you already have the dressing in your pantry or fridge. *If you’re having a hard time finding basil – as I did in this case, use a store bought pesto.

Preparation:
Slice the tomatoes in 1/4 dials – leave whole or cut in half depending on preference. I like using heirloom tomatoes. They’re so colorful and vary in sweetness. But any tomato works well here. Tear large basil leaves into pieces. Slice mozzarella into 1/4 inch dials – mimicking the tomatoes (i.e., making them the same size and shape). On to plate. alternate the tomato and cheese. If you are using fresh basil, tuck a leaf in between each slice.  If using pesto… drizzle across the top of your stacks or rows. Finally, sprinkle with Good Seasons Italian Dressing. Use sparingly – a little goes a long way.

The Perfect Bite:
Stack a slice of tomato, basil leaf and mozzarella wedge on your fork and make sure to swirl in the dressing… it’s an oh-so-good and perfect bite!

The Perfect Paring:
Try a glass of Cline Pinot Gris . I was able to try this little gem at the Cline Vineyards during a wine-tasting tour in Sonoma Valley last year. It’s light and crisp and a perfect pairing that won’t overwhelm the sweet & tangy taste of the Caprese Salad. Roughly $12 a bottle.

Did you Know?
A large consumption of tomatoes can help improve your skin texture and color. There are a ton of health benefits to eating tomatoes! Read more here.

Baked Almond Chicken Breast with Sliced Avocado

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This is a very simple recipe that takes less than 30 minutes to cook… as long as you marinate the chicken the night before.

Ingredients

1-2 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 avocado, sliced
1 pkg Good Seasons Italian Dressing
1/3 cup avocado or grapeseed oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 fresh basil leaves, whole

The Night Before:
First, start with the Italian dressing for the marinade. I am cheating a bit since I’m using Good Seasons Italian Dressing (but it even comes with a cute little cruet in the starter kit!). All it takes is one of their magic little seasoning packets, your own cider vinegar, water, and oil… and voila! You will have a dressing that people will crave (friends are constantly asking me to “Bring that salad… you know, the one with the dressing!”). Just follow the directions on the packet. Plan to keep plenty of it in your pantry… you will find dozens of uses for it!

Okay, now put your chicken in a zip lock and add the dressing as a marinade. Zip closed and shake to make sure the dressing completely covers the chicken… then refrigerate overnight.

Ready to Cook?
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pour all the contents from the zip lock into the baking dish. You’ll cook the chicken in the remaining marinade. Bake uncovered on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Then remove and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Some ovens may vary… but be sure not to overcook the chicken or it will dry out. But for a small to medium-sized chicken breast, 25 minutes it should still be juicy but you should not see pink in the middle of the chicken breast. If using pre-cut chicken tenderloins, reduce the total cooking time to 20 minutes.  This recipe works great on the BBQ grill, as well.

Slice half of an avocado and stack on the center of your plate. Place chicken pieces on ton and garnish with basil leaves.

The Perfect Bite:
For a mouth-watering experience, be sure to stack a cut of chicken, a slice of almond, and a piece of avocado together on your fork… and enjoy! Feel free to make appropriate noises of delight.

The Perfect Pairing:
Try a chilled glass of Bolla Pinot Grigio. It’s light and smooth and perfect for a warm Spring evening. $9-$10 a bottle.

Did You Know?
Americans drink red wine too warm and white wine too cold. If you open and set chilled white wine out at room temp for 10 minutes before serving, you will be able to taste the wine as it was meant to taste. And the opposite goes for red wine… it should be chilled for 10 minutes before serving… Read more here.