Sautéed Mushroom & Spinach Pasta with Seafood.

Sautéed mushrooms and spinach are tossed with fresh pasta and seafood for an easy weeknight dinner. Makes two servings.

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 box cleaned, sliced mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 large handfuls of fresh, cleaned baby spinach leaves
• 4 ounces of cooked shrimp or crab
• 2 servings of cooked fettuccine
• balsamic vinegar

Heat olive oil in wok pan.  Add mushrooms and garlic. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are softening and garlic is fragrant.  Add spinach.  Sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often.  Add cooked pasta and seafood.  Toss in pan for 1 to 2 minutes, until seafood is just heated through.  Transfer to plates and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Chicken Cutlets & Spinach with Raspberries.

After making those great pork cutlets a few days ago, I decided to apply the same technique to chicken - and it was just as much of a success!  This is an easy recipe (despite the long directions!) and is packed with flavor. It looks good too - worthy of a celebration table!

Just like with my pork cutlet recipe, the cutlets are a little fussy to prep, but cook quickly and evenly.  Three dipping/dredging bowls (or plates) ensure good coverage of the seasonings: the flour sticks to the chicken and gives the egg white something to hold to; the egg white provides a sticky base for the breadcrumbs; the breadcrumbs & seasonings, when cooked, give a crispy and flavorful outside.

Prepare 4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Trim all visible fat and flatten to 1/4 inch thickness using a meat tenderizer.  (To reduce splatter & mess, place chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap when flattening.) Cut chicken breasts in half, if smaller pieces are desired. Set chicken aside.

Set up three shallow bowls or plates for dredging & dipping:

# 1

• 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

# 2

• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/4 c water

# 3

• 3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Additional ingredients

• 3 T olive oil
• 2 bags baby spinach
• 1/2 c pine nuts
• 6 ounces fresh raspberries
• balsamic vinegar
• shredded parmesan cheese

Prepare chicken for cooking in three steps: 1) dip in flour mixture, coating on all sides; 2) dip in egg white mixture, allowing excess liquid to drip off; 3) dip in breadcrumbs, pressing mixture in all over chicken.  Repeat for all pieces of chicken.

Heat 1 T of oil in skillet over medium heat.  Cook half the chicken in each batch;  cook 3 minutes on each side, turning once.  Add 1 T of oil to pan between batches.

While second batch of chicken is cooking, heat 1 T oil in large stir fry pan.  Add spinach and saute for 3 minutes, turning frequently. Add pine nuts, continue to turn and cook 1 more minute.  Remove from heat.  Add raspberries and turn one more time.

Arrange spinach mixture on platter. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  Arrange chicken on top of spinach and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

Sausage, Tortellini & Spinach Soup.

It was another soup & bread day in my kitchen. Yum! This hearty soup is a twist on chicken noodle: it uses turkey sausage and cheese tortellini, and adds mushrooms & spinach. With both the sausage and the tortellini, it makes a filling meal. The crumbled prosciutto on top adds great flavor and texture. 

• 1 package of turkey Italian sausage or bratwurst, cut into 1 inch pieces or smaller
• 64 ounces chicken broth
• 1 package fresh cheese tortellini
• 1 box cleaned, sliced mushrooms
• 6 large handfuls fresh spinach
• 2 tsp parsley
• 2 slices prosciutto, cooked until crisp and crumbled

In stock pot or large soup pot, cook turkey sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add mushrooms and parsley.  Cook for two minutes.  Add tortellini and cook for 5 minutes or according to package directions.  Stir in spinach and cook for 1 more minute. Ladle into bowls and serve with a sprinkling of prosciutto crumbles on top.

Turkey Sausage, Beans & Vegetables.

This is a quick and easy dish to prepare on a chilly night. Served with fresh bread and some crisp apple slices, this is a filling and healthy meal!

• 1 package of lean turkey Italian sausage or bratwurst, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bag prewashed spinach
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, rinsed

Cook sausage and sliced onion over medium heat until sausage is cooked through.  Stir in beans and cook for five minutes over medium heat, until beans are heated through.  Add spinach and whole tomatoes. Gently stir in. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water and cover. Cook five more minutes, until spinach is wilted and tomatoes begin to split open.