I am counting down the days until I can stop being a slave to my oven and instead head outdoors to the grill. We started off the week with snow and freezing temperatures so my plans to shift to a summer menu have been put on the back burner for now.
The inclement weather still has me utilizing my oven on a daily basis, though I am hoping that I won’t have to prepare the following recipes for much longer. I call these two recipes my “oven classics” because they end up in my menu rotation at least twice a month. Which is a testament to how easy they are to make (not to mention how affordable they are).
The first is a basic stuffed chicken breast recipe that has an Italian flair. The prosciutto, spinach and red pepper add a kick to the chicken and my young daughter will eat it so that’s always a plus.
The second dish is a variation of the traditional stuffed pepper recipe. Instead of using just ground beef I add couscous and vegetables too. If you are looking for a light dinner option or need a colorful side dish I highly recommend this recipe.
PROSCIUTTO STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breast halves
8 slices prosciutto
1 container of herbed cream cheese
1 1/2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup sliced red pepper
1 cup flour
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
Toothpicks
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place each chicken piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Then, use a rolling pin (or the bottom of a frying pan) to pound each chicken breast half to 1/4 thickness.
Remove from plastic wrap and season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
Spread cream cheese on chicken breast, and then top with 2 slices prosciutto, spinach and red pepper, leaving a 1/4 inch border around edges. Roll up or fold over securing with toothpicks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dredge lightly in flour.
Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet and brown chicken for a few minutes on each side.
Place skillet with chicken in oven for 20-30 minutes.
Remove chicken from pan, place on a plate and cover with foil.
Add water, broth, and lemon juice to the same skillet you cooked the chicken in. Bring to a boil on the stove and let the sauce reduce for about 5 minutes until it thickens. Season with a little salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and pour on top of chicken.
COUSCOUS STUFFED PEPPERS
Ingredients:
6 bell peppers, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound Ground Round
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons fresh chopped mint
1 tomato seeded and diced
1/4 cup diced sun dried tomato
3 cups cooked couscous
2 cups Feta cheese, crumbled
Fresh mint or basil for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with foil. Put peppers, top side down, on baking sheet and drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast peppers in the oven for 4-6 minutes.
In a large skillet heat the other tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion and sauté for a few minutes. Then add beef, garlic salt and pepper. Cook beef and drain well. Let cool a few minutes. Add mint, oregano, all the diced tomatoes, couscous and half of the feta cheese.
Gently toss together.
In a baking dish, place peppers top side up and fill with meat and cheese mixture. Top with remaining feta.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Garnish with fresh mint or basil.
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