Chicken with Sweet Potato & Spinach Salad

This is a recipe that I tried on a whim one night.  It looked healthy and I had really been meaning to give sweet potatoes another try.  And let me tell you, it changed the way I look at sweet potatoes (and spinach for that matter!)  This is a great weeknight dinner as it only takes about 30 total minutes to prepare.  The combo of ingredients for the warm salad seems odd, but it is heaven all mixed together!  Make sure to season the sweet potatoes well before roasting them and make sure that you wash the spinach multiple times so you don't end up with a sandy dinner.  And do me a favor and use fresh lime juice, not the kind that comes in a plastic lime.  You won't regret it!

CHICKEN WITH SWEET POTATO & SPINACH SALAD
from Cooking Light
Serves 4

2 Large Sweet Potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and cut into thin wedges
1 red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
1 bunch spinach, thick stems removed (sometimes I use baby spinach to make my life easier)
2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Heat oven to 425.  On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, onion, 2 Tbs olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.  Roast under potatoes are fork tender (about 20-25 minutes).

While the potatoes are cooking add the remaining tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Season the chicken breasts with kosher salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through (about 6 minutes per side).  You can also grill the chicken if you are the kid of crazy person who likes to grill outside in the winter.

Once the potatoes are tender, transfer them to a large bowl and toss with the spinach, lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (make sure you mix everything together when the potatoes are hot because you want the heat from the spuds to wilt the spinach).  Serve with the chicken.

The sweet potato salad is also surprisingly good cold out of the fridge the next day.

Enjoy!

Pennsylvania Pot Roast

This has become a favorite recipe of ours over the last few years. I originally found this recipe on Cooking Light's web site and it's the best pot roast I've ever had. The secret is in the sauce! You cook the pot roast with a bunch of yummy vegetables on the stove top very slowly. And when the pot roast is done you reduce the flavorful vegetables and the liquid to make this velvety delicious sauce. It is such a cinch to make and only requires about 10 minutes of prep time. The kids love this meal and they don't realize all of the veggies that they are eating! Serve with some whipped mashed potatoes and you're good to go!

PENNSYLVANIA POT ROAST
adapted from Cooking Light

2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 (1 1/2 lb.) beef eye of round roast (or whatever your butcher recommends for a pot roast)
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or beef broth (I've used both and it doesn't effect the flavor much)
1 cup chopped onion
1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes (or crushed if you prefer a smoother sauce), undrained
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup celery
2 Tbs chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
4-6 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf

Place a large dutch oven (or saucepan) over medium high heat. Heat olive oil in pan until hot, but not smoking. Salt & pepper the roast. Add the roast to the pan and brown on all sides (2-3 minutes per side).

Next, add the remainder of the ingredients (see, I told you this was simple!) and bring the liquid to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 3 hours or until tender (or until the Vikings game has ended).

Remove the roast and tent with foil. We're doing this to retain the juices in the roast and let it rest. If you cut into it right away the juices will run out and you'll be stuck with tough meat.

While the meat is resting, increase the heat of the dutch oven to medium. Cook the broth mixture, uncovered for 10 minutes, or until it has reduced to 1 2/3 cups. Discard the peppercorns and bay leaf.

Slice the roast against the grain and serve with the sauce over the top.

Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa

My family loves this recipe! Pork tenderloin seems to always be a crowd pleaser, as long as you season it well and don't overcook it! And the mango salsa is such a yummy addition to the pork tenderloin. You can make it as sweet or as spicy as you like, just adjust the amount of jalapeno you use. Make sure you pick out a nice ripe mango so it has good texture and flavor. When you buy a mango, you should be able to feel a little give when you push on it with your thumb. And be sure you cut off the peel first and then be careful when you cut into the flesh. Those suckers have some funky, long, flat pits, so slice carefully from top to bottom around the pit.

I like to serve this meal with brown rice and a steamed veggie on the side.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH MANGO SALSA
adapted from Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook

PORK
16 oz Pork Tenderloin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

MANGO SALSA
1 large Mango, Diced
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/2 - 1 teaspoon seeded, deribbed and chopped jalapeno
1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 450. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Season the pork with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the pan is good and hot, add the pork and brown on all sides (2-3 minutes per side). If the pork is really resisting you when you try to turn it, it's not ready (relax, man and let the pork do it's thing). When you have a nice brown crust on all sides, transfer the pork to the lined baking sheet and pop it in the pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes.

Now, lets put the mango salsa together while the pork roasts. Combine the mango, red onion, mint, jalapeno, lime zest, lime juice and kosher salt in a bowl. Taste the salsa and adjust seasoning to your taste with more lime juice, jalapeno or salt. (And try not to eat it all before the pork is ready - it's really yummy!)

Now, back to the pork. You want to roast the pork until it is just cooked through, but still a little pink in the middle. I like to use an instant read thermometer to make sure the meat is at 150 degrees before I remove it. Let the pork hang out (rest) on a cutting board for about 5 minutes. Then slice 1/2 inch thick pieces off of the pork and top it with a generous helping of the mango salsa. And get ready for the complements!

My kids like this dish a lot - I just tell them it's chicken and fruit and they gobble it up!