Inspired by . . . easy dinners

 

I've mentioned Penzeys Spices here before. They make, hands down, the best spices ~ ever!

One of my favorite Penzeys blends is called Sunny Paris.  I [heart] Sunny Paris on my eggs. Scrambled, sunny side up, doesn't matter, I sprinkle it on! Delicious.

As with most blends, Sunny Paris is a great seasoning for an array of foods.

I'm always looking for ways to make fish more flavorful, so when I saw this recipe in the last Penzeys catalog, using my favorite blend, I knew it would be good.

 

 

Baked Tilapia with Sunny Paris

(submitted by Cathy Hubbard)

Prep. time: 5 minutes plus marinating time

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 tilapia fillets

4 TB olive oil

2 TB lemon juice (juice of one lemon)

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

2-3 tsp Sunny Paris seasoning

Directions:

Combine the olive oil and lemon juice in a zip-top bag. Add the tilapia and slosh to coat. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 15-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and Sunny Paris. Remove the fish from the marinade and place in the bowl, coating both sides of the fish with breading. Place in a baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Do not crowd the fillets. Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes, until the crumbs start to brown on top and around the edges.

 

This dish turned out light and delicious!

 

Have a wonder-filled day!

 

PS If you're wondering, Sunny Paris is hand-mixed from: shallots, chives, green peppercorns, dill weed, basil, tarragon, chervil and bay leaf.

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Inspired by. . . easy dinners

Goodness, it has been a busy couple of several days!  Doctor appointments, and follow-up appointments, and all manner of other craziness!  This is the first minute I've had to myself in over a week!  And I'm spending it with you {smile}.

As I was making dinner last night, one of my all-time favorite dishes, I wondered if I'd ever shared the recipe here on the blog. After a quick search, I was surprised to find that I had not.

Now after working with the pictures I took last night, I think I may know why.

 

 

It's not the most appetizing looking meal. Trust me. It tastes much better than it looks!

 

Artichoke Chicken

Source: allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 (15oz) can artichoke hearts

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 pinch of garlic pepper (or Penzey's Shallot Pepper)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)

2. Drain and chop artichokes

 

 

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, and garlic pepper. Place chicken in a greased baking dish, and cover evenly with artichoke mixture.

3. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear.

 

That's it. That's all. Easy-peasy, right? Right!  I do have a couple of side notes to share.  I pound my chicken to a thickness of about 1/4 inch before placing it in the baking dish. Also, I don't add the garlic pepper (I actually use Penzey's Shallot Pepper) to the mixture.  I sprinkle it over the chicken before covering the chicken with the artichoke mixture. Finally, using real Parmesan cheese does make a difference!

So here it is...

 

 

...not the best looking chicken dish ever, but definitely one of the tastiest!

 

Have a wonder-filled day!

 

 

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Inspired by... salad

Love salad?

Me too!

But often sometimes it's a pain I don't have time to chop and cut up everything to make one.

Love cucumbers?

Me too!

I used to slice them up and make sandwiches.

But often sometimes those sandwiches just weren't enough to fill me up.

Somewhere along the way I came up with the idea (by no means an original idea)  to make a mini version of the salad I wanted (less work), with lots of cucumber and stuff it in a pita!

Yum!

These babies fill me up every time!

Here's my recipe:

Garden Salad Pita Pockets

2-3 Tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup shredded lettuce

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/2 cup chopped tomato

1/2 cup chopped avacado

1 tsp dill

1/2 tsp Penzey's Spices Mural of Flavor

1 Tablespoon mayonnaise

1 whole pita (2 halves)

Prepare first 5 ingredients and add to mixing bowl. Add dill and Mural of Flavor.  Add mayonnaise.  Mix well.  Stuff, gently, into pita pockets.  Enjoy!

Notes:  I love to make these when we have leftover salmon in the house.  Double yum!  I've also been known to boil up 4-5 shrimp, dice them small and add them to the salad.  Feel free to substitute to your own tastes, just make sure you dice/chop things small to avoid tearing the pita pocket.

About Penzey's Spices:  My friend, K., introduced me to Penzey's two Christmas' ago.  I compared them to what I could buy at the local grocer, both price per ounce and quality - in my opinion Penzey's wins hands down.  Everything they make is gluten-free with the exception of a couple of their soup starters.  This is a down-to-earth, love to cook - cook to love business and I highly recommend them!  They've recently expanded into several new markets.  Check their website, they might have a store near you! (they have no idea I'm saying this or even have a blog, they simply know me as a customer)

I'd love to hear about any recipes you've "invented."

What's your favorite way to make a salad?

On another note:

My brother's in town this week.  I'm super excited to have him here!  

Please forgive me if it takes me longer than usual to respond to your comments.  I read every one and am always blessed by what you have to say! 

We're heading out to lunch now... 

Hmm, maybe I'll have a salad, since someone else will have to do all the prep work! 

Blessings,