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Food And Nutrition

Balsamic Marinated Chicken Breasts

Published

5 days ago

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Using ingredients you’re likely to have at home already, this balsamic marinated chicken dish comes together quickly and is delicious for a weeknight meal, but also feels special enough to serve for company, too.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, or chicken cutlets
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Methods

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Put the chicken in a glass or plastic container or food storage bag.

  3. In a bowl or large measuring cup, combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, oregano, basil, thyme, and pepper. Whisk to blend.

  4. Pour the marinade mixture over the chicken and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover the container or seal the bag and refrigerate. Let the chicken marinate from 1 to 6 hours.

  5. Grill the chicken on a grill or in a grill pan, turning to brown both sides until cooked through. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken. Standard chicken breasts will take about 6 to 8 minutes on each side, but thinner cutlets will take less time.

  6. When done, the chicken will register at least 165 F on an instant-read food thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken breast.

Tip

It’s a smart idea to remove excess marinade before grilling, because doing so can help prevent flare-ups on the grill. Just leave enough on the surface of the chicken to maintain the flavor.

How to Store and Freeze Balsamic Marinated Chicken Breasts

Leftover chicken breasts should be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. You can reheat them in a pan or wrap them in foil and reheat in a low oven (325 F) for about 10 to 15 minutes. They’d also be very good cut up and tossed in a salad, with cooked pasta, or added to soup.

READ ALSO  Homemade Dulce de Leche: A Rich Caramel Sauce

You can also freeze cooked chicken breasts for about 3 months. Wrap them tightly in foil and freeze, and defrost in the refrigerator before reheating or using as directed.

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Food And Nutrition

Dinner Plans: Roast Beef

Published

5 days ago

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September 28, 2023

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Nothing can beat a good Sunday roast. The weekend is the perfect time to cook a big piece of meat with sides, and it’s also the perfect time to do some meal prep. Add just a few minutes to your time in the kitchen on the weekend and save lots of time during the week. You’ll have three very different meals using just one roast.

Game Plan

Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

  1. Make a large roast beef (5 pounds) and serve hot with side dishes on prep day. Reserve the drippings and store them in a container. Let the leftover meat cool.
  2. Divide the remaining beef into two portions, putting two-thirds in a one-labeled container to make sandwiches and the remaining third in a container for noodle stir fry.
  3. If you have time, prep and chop the vegetables for the stir fry.

Prep Day Loin Roast With Sides

Roast a large herb-crusted beef top loin roast and serve it on prep day with creamed spinach and glazed baby carrots for a delicious dinner. Prepare the side dishes on the stove while the roast cooks away in the oven. Skip the gravy—the roast is moist and flavorful enough without it, and you can use the drippings for the next meal.

Herb Crusted Top Loin Roast
The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Getting Dinner on the Table

  • The roast can also be made in the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
  • Cook the beef to medium-rare or medium at most since it will be cooked again in these other recipes.
  • Reserve the drippings from the roast beef in a sealed container in the refrigerator to use for French dip “au jus” the next day.
READ ALSO  Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

French Dip Sandwich Night

Time: 15 minutes

Grab the container holding two-thirds of the leftover roast beef and slice thin against the grain. Heat the reserved drippings from yesterday’s roast along with beef stock and a dash of soy sauce and Worchestershire sauce while you toast the bread in garlic butter. Serve these French dip sandwiches with a green salad.

Instant Pot French dip sandwiches with jus.
The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Getting Dinner on the Table

  • Replace the ingredients and method for the Instant Pot beef with the beef you cooked on prep day.
  • If you like your au jus thicker, whisk in a tablespoon of cornstarch and water slurry until it reaches the desired thickness.

Thai Stir-Fried Noodles With Beef Night

Time: 15 minutes

Thanks to some prep and leftover beef, you can throw together this Thai beef stir-fry in no time. Cut the beef into thin strips against the grain. Skip marinating and cooking it, simply adding the marinade ingredients to the sauce. Toss the cooked beef in with the stir-fried vegetables at the end just to heat through.

Thai Stir-Fried Noodles With Beef
The Spruce 

Getting Dinner on the Table

  • Swap the vegetables out for your favorites, such as cauliflower, snow peas, or green beans.
  • You can change out the noodles for cooked white or brown rice.

About Dinner Plans

Making quick weeknight dinners is easier when you start with a few building blocks. Dinner Plans is a realistic roadmap to help you achieve that goal, by putting in a few hours of work (planning, shopping, and prepping) at the outset. Preparing a big batch of one ingredient (protein, vegetables, or grains) gives you the flexibility to plan a variety of meals. And who knows? You just might discover your new favorite weeknight recipe in the process!

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Food And Nutrition

Cucumber and mint raita

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5 days ago

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September 28, 2023

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Raita is a cool, fresh chutney that takes seconds to make. Use it to top fiery curries or as a dip for poppadoms.

Ingredients

  • 250ml/8fl oz natural yoghurt
  • ½ cucumber, grated or finely chopped
  • large handful mint leaves, chopped
  • large pinch salt
  • ½-1 green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped (optional)

Method

  1. Wrap the grated cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze out any excess water.

  2. Mix together all the ingredients and serve chilled as an accompaniment to any curry or as a dip for poppadoms.

READ ALSO  Beef and ale stew with dumplings
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Food And Nutrition

Preparing Roast beetroot

Published

5 days ago

on

September 28, 2023

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A really simple and delicious way to cook beetroot. The sweet and mellow flavours complement roast chicken perfectly.

Ingredients

  • 6 beetroots, unpeeled
  • 3 medium unpeeled red onions
  • 4 unpeeled whole garlic cloves
  • 4 tbsp olive oil

For the glaze

  • 50ml/2fl oz vegetable stock
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked and chopped
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/360F/Gas 4.

  2. Place the beetroot, red onions, garlic, sprigs of thyme and olive oil in a medium-sized roasting tray making sure that the vegetables are well coated in olive oil.

  3. Roast for an hour and a half, until the beetroot feels tender. Peel and slice the cooked vegetables and put to one side.

  4. To make the glaze, place the roasting tray on a medium hob flame and deglaze by adding the stock, balsamic vinegar and the chopped thyme

  5. Bring this to the boil making sure to stir until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency. Season.

  6. Arrange the beetroot, red onions and garlic neatly on a warmed serving dish and cover in the glaze. Serve immediately.

READ ALSO  One-pan roast chicken dinner
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